Sunday Long Run - Running in the snow edition

As with last weekend, I totally meant to work out yesterday and slept all day instead.  Although yesterday there was a sinus headache that wanted to be a migraine so sleep was the only option.

Today I woke up feeling much better.  So great that I had pasta for breakfast!  (The thing about living alone is I can do stuff like that.)  I kept checking the weather and ultimately decided to man up for an outside run.  (I just am not emotionally prepared for the gym right now.)

Around 1pm I headed out for a 'long run' which was more like an 'equipment test run' which had some WINS and FAILS.  I did a little out and back with my iPod on the interval timer program and took the Camelbak along for the first time.  Here's the route:

FAILS:

• It's hard to take pictures with the iPod while it's all hooked up to my ear buds.  Judge for yourself below.
• Nutrition strategy: waiting until I feel so tired and hopeless I want to cry before taking nutrition is too long.  Perhaps I could time my eating better to avoid the pit of despair feeling altogether.
• Clothing: I need to wear my neck gator I think.  The wind sucked.  I also wish I had the gloves that I can keep on and still operate touchscreen devices.  Otherwise I was fine.
• Nutrition strategy part 2: Chomps go in a pocket or glove next to the body, not in the pack.  In the pack they turn into chomps ice cubes that will surely break a tooth.
• If I'd had my phone I probably would've done Fort Snelling but with the snow on the ground, I was a little iffy on the footing and what to expect on the hills back there.

WINS:

• Camelbak: It was touch and go because I kept imagining it was leaking on me (not so) but I think it's basically more pleasant than wearing a hydration belt around my waist.
• Interval timing program on my iPod - basic win.  Towards the end of the run I figured out how to make the program turn down the music so I could hear the timer bells clearly.  It has to do with the order of turning on the program and then music I think?
• Clothing: I wore two pairs of socks (feet: never cold); two pairs of pants (legs: cold at one point when the wind was coming full on, otherwise fine); two shirts and a jacket (could've had a windproof jacket but it was dirty); hat (I love UnderArmour).
• This whole "interval" thing, also known as the Galloway method is pretty fun and is providing a nice way of breaking up longer runs into manageable chunks.  I move faster when I run and can focus on form more.  Also, I never would've done a 9 miler today without the run/walk option so yeah for getting out there!

MUSIC from the run - some of my favorites from today's playlist include:

• Queen - Under Pressure.  I always think of the first episode of Studio 60 when I hear this song.  Aaron Sorkin - I miss you and I wish you'd come back to television.
• Eminem - Not Afriad this came at the end of the run when I particularly needed a song that would get me moving.
• YeaSayer - ONE - one of the few bands Qat Lady and I can agree on.
• Santana Feat Joss Stone and Pittbull - Cry Baby Cry, apparently I still want to be in Miami.

PHOTOS from the run - enjoy!

Looking out at Lake Hiawatha, one of my first "walk" intervals

Hello shadow!

Crazy shadows made my the fencing on the trail!

Looking out at the Mississippi River; over half way done.

This is how we do beaches in Minnesota.  Go here to see what this looked like a few weeks ago. 

At the end of the run. 

Wordless weekends - running in an inch of snow

Not technically from the weekend: fun with phones at work!

Brrr: Boredom while waiting for my car to warm up.

In a Christmas Card; a friend drew this.  I thought it was part of the card.

Testing out the Camelbak on a 'long' run.

Mississippi River: finally frozen over

At Lake Hiawatha

Ice for beginners: This is a baseball field they flood every winter. No worries about falling through the ice.

One last shot before the frostbite sets in!

Friday FUN RUN

Fridays since I don't work (WIN for me!) I usually meet Beth for a "late" run at 7:15. 

Today both of us had a serious case of the blargs.  That "I don't want to get up", "I don't feel like running", "Why can't I just stay in bed?" feeling.  Thank goodness for mutual accountability because we both showed up and it turned out to be a gorgeous run.  We couldn't figure out which route to take and ultimately Beth showed me a run I'd never done before but hope we do again all the time.

Part of the run is in a city park along the river.  The path was covered in packed snow and the sun was shining off the river.  Gorgeous!  It was the only time all day that the sun was shining.  Theme song for the run: Many the Miles - Sara Bareilles because it was playing on Pandora as I drove home.

I had a quite productive day today, including the run.  I got my oil changed, got my hair cut (favorite thing ever), had a steak sandwich for lunch (still full at 9pm) and made chili which will last me for many lunches.  Chili is basically this recipe minus the boca crumbles.  And I put most of the beans and all of the tomatoes in a food processor before cooking so it's a much smoother chili than the one pictured.  Yum.

Runner-sicle with a hint of frozen eyebrows

I totally meant to go for a run or a have an otherwise killer workout yesterday.  I took four naps instead.

Today I woke up, ate breakfast and had my first (so far my only) nap of the day.  Around noon I woke up in earnest and checked the weather.  Everything said "freezing rain" except the radar was bare.  And it was in the 20's. 

See how it shows rain in those pictures?  Now look at the radar below.  There's no rain there.  Who's right?  Radar apparently is not capable of showing air so humid it's basically liquid.

Inside my head I thought:

• I could go inside to the gym and do some sprints and then maybe get on a bike or row.  But it's the gym.  In January.  It doesn't matter what time it is; it will be hell.
• I could go outside and see Lake Harriet.  It's cold and supposedly wet and I'll be out for a while so there's always the risk of frost bite.  There will be no bathrooms and no water.

 
This is the worse game of "Would You Rather" ever. 

Obviously I chose running outside because even hypothermia sounds better than braving the gym. 

The whole "freezing rain" thing was mildly true.  I think they really meant "it's so damn humid if you move you'll get condensation on you and then it will freeze" which turned out to be more true.  I also failed to look at the direction of the wind and so ran around the cold side of the lake last.  (When do we ever get wind from the east?)

It was a "long" run in the sense of "I'm running, it's cold and I'm out of shape" but basically a good time.  I try not to look at my time when I run in the snow or on crap like this because I think it's discouraging and somewhat inaccurate.  I had a couple of stops for street lights, pictures, and to get emotionally prepared to run up that last damn hill.

 Lake Harriet - the wind blew the snow around so much I had a good view of the ice underneath.  It was finally frozen solid and some people were walking on it but I didn't stop to play.

My Lake Harriet route along the other Greenway.  (Everyone knows the first Minneapolis Greenway but no one has heard of the Greenway along 40th street.  That's fine; more room for me.)

I have no idea why Nike+ thinks I ran 9.5 miles.  Optimism.  It was actually 7.4 miles or so.  I've never bothered to calibrate the sensor but maybe I should try it some time.

When I got home much of me was frozen.  The rain on my coat had actually frozen and formed a protective barrier against the wind.  Awesome.  The ice that condensed on my eyebrows was another story.  (Totally need to pluck...)

Best songs from the run:

• OneRepublic - Everybody Loves Me.  I know; it's a theme song of sorts.
• Fergie - Labels or Love  I have no shame.
• NeedToBreathe - Lay 'Em Down.  This is a great song for longer runs with a controlled pace.
• Tears For Fears - Break It Down Again.  I have never not loved this song.  As a kid I totally saved up for the Tears For Fears Cassette Tape of Elemental because of this song.

Wordless weekends - what a difference a week makes

Accommodations - Last week

 

Accommodations - Now

South Beach - Last week

South Beach - Now

White Sandy Beaches - Last week

White Sandy Beaches - Now (there's sand under there)

Seen on my Sunday Run - Last week (that was really good running)

Seen on my Sunday Run - Now

Happy Feet - Last week

Happy Feet - Now(two pairs of wool socks)

 

 

Out of breath after the run - Last week (Shades)

Out of breath after the run -Now: Ice eyebrows!

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Tell your congress person and senators not to censor the web. 

Party in Miami

Wednesday I woke up at the crack of dawn and headed to Miami Beach to see some of my favorite family and have another vacation.  Apparently the vacation I took two weeks ago wasn't enough.  

Temperature in Minnesota:  So full of suck.

Temperature in Miami: hello sweat glands!

Sadly my cousin was sick.  Here she is making a family remedy including aloe, onion, lemon juice and honey.  I did not smell her breath after she drank it.
Best part of the day: Walking on the beach with Max.  I have the power to put the baby to sleep!
Theme song for the day: Miami - Will Smith.  Welcome to Miami!

Thursday was all about relaxing and finding my way around.  I woke up and played with Max.  I did go for a little run, mostly on concrete with a little sand trail.  Then I hung out at the beach.

Temperature in Minnesota: Still full of suck.

 Temperature in Miami Beach: So much better.

Best part of the day: Still making Max smile.  Playing with him in the morning was fun too. 

Theme song: Bring Me Some Water - Melissa Etherdige heard during my morning run.

Friday: Beach - part II.  I did not run.  Instead I spent the morning pushing Max in the stroller and ultimately carrying him when he cried to get out.  Totally put the kid to sleep in my arms  Getting him situated in the stroller after he fell asleep: slight fail.  I'm new at this.

 Temperature in Minnesota: Is that snow I see in the forecast?

Temperature in Miami: that day has "beach" written all over it.

 Lucky for me I have a playmate.

My accommodations for the week!

Best part of the day: Did you hear me tell you he just fell asleep right in my arms?
Theme song: Everybody Loves Me - One Republic.  Right?

Saturday Mark took me to a Coffee Cupping (think Wine Tasting but for coffee) which was really interesting.  I also got to experience what my cousin calls "groupies".  Totally true.  But Max had an awesome moment in the coffee shop where he wouldn't do anything for the groupies but was perfect for me.  Way to go dude!

Point of interest: Max hates car seats.  Poor kid screams so loud and cries so hard he just wears himself out.

Temperature in Minnesota: Still snowing too apparently.

Temperature in Miami: Suck it Minnesota!

Even Max says suck it Minnesota.  Florida rocks!

Best part of the day The coffee cupping was fun, and playing with Max during the cupping was also nice.
Theme song: Anything by Pitbull who is, himself, a Miami boy.  If you're new to Pitbull try Give Me Everything as a starting point.

Sunday Okay, two days off running was enough.  I decided to take my new iPod out for a spin with an interval running app.  My goal was 100-ish minutes at running five minutes and walking two.  All along the beach, some on sand and some on concrete.  Life is rough.

Apparently haven't mastered the finer points of the iPod camera.

 Seen on my morning run.

Then we got to see Aunt Barb and Uncle Tom.

Temperature in Minnesota: What in the world is that icon on Monday?  Apparently Minnesota is expecting an ice tornado?

Temperature in Miami Beach: perfect for running!

Best part of the day: All of it, but seeing Uncle Tom and Aunt Barb was really nice.
Theme song: The Real Slim Shady  - Eminem  I know, but I heard it on my run and it made me go.

Monday - Martin Luther King Jr Day Mark had the day off but had some work to do because Tuesday was a teaching day.  I ran again, the total mileage is unclear but between 5.5 and 6 miles, mostly on packed sand.  I love this vacation!

Seen at the north end of the island on my morning run.

Temperature in Minnesota: I'm getting to the point where I'm all "I'm coming back to this nonsense, maybe I should quit bragging".  Thursday is going to be interesting.

Temperature in Miami: one more day, still some hope.

I spent most of the day playing with Max and took him for one last walk on the beach for sleeping.

Best part of the day: It was a good run.  All of it was nice.

Theme song: Are you alright? - Lucinda Williams.  This song is dedicated to Max who woke up around 1:30am and screamed for about an hour.  I heard his parents just eventually put him in the crib and let him cry it out which seemed to work better than anything else.  Poor guy.

Tuesday - I am pretending I don't have to go home.  I was too tired to run (see above) so Max and my cousin and I went to the Venezuelan bakery one last time for emepnadas and arepas and a little walk.  I spent the morning playing with Max and stealing a cuddle when I could.

I look like a twelve year old in this picture.  I was dressed and ready for the run but totally distracted by the cute.

 Temperature in Minnesota: Oh this is going to hurt so bad.

Temperature in Miami Beach: I'm going to miss you old friend.

What is the deal with everyone lining up (standing, circling, pacing) lining up ten minutes before the flight is called.  Calm down.  We all fit on the plane.

It was a pretty ride home.  The sun was shining in my window the whole way.

Best part of the day - I'm boycotting since I'm back in Minnesota and the vacation is technically done.
Theme song: tie between Marchin On - OneRepublic which helped me keep a positive outlook and T.H.E - Will.i.am which made me dance at the airport!