The AO Owns Me

20 min. w/u (2.5 miles)
Target: 6xmile @6:10 and cut down w/3 min. rest
Actual: 6:08, 6:05, 6:04, 6:04, 6:05
20 min. c/d (2.5 miles)
Total: 11 miles

Well, I wish I could say my first workout back was a rousing success, but it pretty much wasn't. I was glad to be out there and at least get the legs turning over at a decent clip, but it's definitely depressing to see how quickly one can lose fitness. Especially since it takes so long to gain said fitness in the first place.

Since I had a work event all day I had to get started with this workout around 7:15. Temps were in the mid-40s at this point, which is a bit cooler than I'd like for mile repeats, and I definitely felt that during the first few intervals. Also, since my foot has still been bothering me (as I type this I'm icing with a one-two punch of peas and lima beans) Jeff and I agreed I should forego the flats for a while, which means for the first time in months I was going to attempt an up-tempo workout in trainers. I opted for the Ghost, which is pretty lightweight and has a nice springy forefoot, figuring it's the closest thing to the T5s in my repertoire.

So, pretty much from the outset I felt off. For one thing, my breathing wasn't great--though my cold is improving, apparently trying to take such rapid deep breaths wasn't ideal, as I was hacking like a chain smoker throughout the entire workout. Not attractive. Anyway, since my breathing was never under control I felt vaguely panicked the whole time. My legs never really settled into a comfortable pace either, so overall I just felt like I was struggling. I don't know what I expected for my first time back in the saddle, but I was definitely envisioning something better than this. I called the workout at five and wogged home in defeat.

If I can take away something positive from this experience, it's that I'm definitely getting to know various intervals and distances on the AO much better. For example, I realize now that the first few times I did workouts here--namely the first 6xmile and maybe a few others--I definitely misjudged where the mile marker should be. Through trial and error, I've now learned I need to run about ten seconds farther than I did during those initial outings to make it a true mile. It doesn't bother me that I didn't run far enough then, since at the time it was all about effort, but it feels good to know that I'm more precise now (and, consequently, went through the old "mile" marker around 5:50 each time today).

The other highlight of the day was during the Mobile Fit event I attended with Big Peach at the Coca-Cola corporate headquarters. We spent four hours fitting people at their corporate health fair and eating their free catered lunch. The best part was that throughout the entire building they have tons of Coke machines with FREE drinks in them. You just press the button of your drink of choice and in just seconds you can enjoy a tasty, refreshing caffeinated beverage. I was double-fisting Coke Zero and Dasani like it was my job. I may have taken a few roadies too, but that just stays between you and me.

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Realizing the Audacity of Hope

75 mins.
10 miles

I woke up this morning feeling like I was ten years old and it was Christmas morning. The happiness, excitement and almost surreal disbelief of having experienced a moment unlike any other in United States history is difficult to put into words. While I wasn't as fortunate enough to experience things firsthand like Jilane did on Tuesday night, it's still amazing to know that I will forever be able to look back on this as one of the most historically significant events of my entire lifetime. As Brooke said in her related blog post, I can honestly say I'm still not 100% convinced that Obama is prepared to bear the weight of our entire disfigured country on his shoulders. I didn't vote for him in the primaries. But I have never in my life seen someone who is able to unify and inspire a people like he can. Barack Obama believed in the audacity of hope, and he has earned the opportunity to see it realized. And for that, I too am hopeful.

Due in no small part to this residual excitement, I had no problems getting out the door with some extra pep in my step this morning. I took the long way to Lullwater Park and did one loop before heading home the way I came. This run is enjoyable but definitely challenging, as it's quite rolling throughout. Also--and please know that I'm embarrassed to admit this--I'm pretty sore from my cross-training activities on Tuesday. My glutes and hamstrings are quite fatigued from the elliptical, and my arms, shoulders and abs are definitely feeling the effects of my core work. It's sad because it's true.

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Vote and Run

59 mins.
8 miles

I woke up fairly early this morning after a restless evening (due in no small part to the complete lack of air flow through my nostrils) and was eager to get out the door before a morning of conference calls and other office work. I also planned on allotting most of the afternoon for standing in line at the polls, since I've read so many horror stories the past few days of people waiting hours in line to cast their ballot. In a flash of brilliance, I decided just before heading out the door to grab my ID and take a spin past my polling place to assess the line. If nothing else, I could at least make sure I knew where it was and where to park later in the day.

After meandering around on the Candler Park bike path, I hooked a left on Candler Park Drive near the golf course and headed uphill toward the elementary school that would serve as my polling place for the day. A cursory glance showed no one waiting outside the building, so I decided to stop my watch around 25 minutes and head inside. To my pleasant surprise, the line inside was almost nonexistent as well, so I decided to stick around. The entire experience took fifteen minutes and then I was back outside to complete my run. Now that's multitasking at its finest.


A fellow Democrat in Candler Park shows their support

For the rest of the jaunt I enjoyed the beautiful fall colors and cloudless sky of the November morning, running out and back on the bike path to Inman Park before heading home. The leaves are at their peak right now, all radiant reds and rich yellows, but I find myself almost saddened by it because I know in just a few days they will begin their inevitable fade to brown and then it will be time to segue to winter. I've never really thought of it that way before and I guess it's indicative of the doldrums I've been experiencing for the past week. Reminds me of the Robert Frost poem I had to memorize in ninth grade English class (which I am proud/embarrassed to say I still remember verbatim):

Nature's first green is gold.
Her hardest hue to hold
Her early leaf's a flower
But only so an hour
Then leaf subsides to leaf
So Eden sank to grief
So dawn goes down to day
Nothing gold can stay.

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Fun Times on the Elliptical

60 mins. elliptical
15 mins. pushup/core/abs

I realize I sound like a broken record every time I say something along the lines of "so I woke up and my cold was worse." But guess what, I woke up and my cold was worse. Soooo annoying. This was coupled with a nagging pain I've been experiencing in my right foot for the past few weeks. I think the first time it started bothering me was a week out from the marathon, but nothing serious. Then it didn't bother me at all during MCM so I sort of forgot about it, until late last week when I felt it again. After describing the pain to Jeff--basically it hurts when I'm walking but not running; it only hurts on the lateral side; it doesn't hurt when I poke/squeeze/prod it--he concluded it's probably an irritated ligament or tendon rather than something serious like a stress fracture. So, while this is a relief, we still want to play things on the safe side. Clearly all signs pointed to a cross-training day today.

After visiting stores and otherwise being productive during the day, I set out for the gym at Ansley Mall around 5pm. They charged me the same outrageous fee for a day pass as the last time I came here, but I'm determined to figure out a way to expense it. Anyway, I jumped on the first available elliptical with the firm resolve to remain there for 60 minutes. Jilane's encouraging-slash-borderline inappropriate text messages kept me entertained, and the hour passed more quickly than I was expecting. After some pushups and abs I called it a night. Tomorrow should be an easy run and then, assuming my cold improves, it's back to business as usual on Wednesday.

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Week in Review

41 miles
3 AFD
1 birthday (geez I'm old)
278 tissues

So, this week obviously wasn't anything to write home about (blog home about?) in terms of mileage. Obviously it was a recovery week from my hard (albeit abbreviated) effort at MCM, not to mention that my burgeoning malaria has put a damper on things as well. My goals for the next few days include trying to shake this sickness, helping elect a Democrat to the White House and trying not to continue eating as though I'm running 90 miles a week.

Like Jilane said in her weekly wrap-up, the latter part of this week has kind of been an emotional letdown. I was only half joking in an earlier post when I said I'm depressed to be back home without my friends. Don't get me wrong, I love Atlanta and all the wonderful people here, but there's nothing like literally having all your favorite people together at the same time, and I suppose it's only natural to feel a bit lonely when that time together comes to an end. As I told Jilane earlier this weekend, there are some friends who whose company you share for just a season and some whom you know and love for a lifetime. I'm lucky to have been able to spend the past week with people who will be in my life for years to come.

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Sick on Sunday

45 mins.
6 miles

I think it's safe to classify today as one of the most unproductive days of my entire life. I woke up around 7:30 to find that my cold was raging at an unprecedented level. After messing around on the computer for a few hours and trying unsuccessfully to load the NYC Marathon feed, I decided to settle in for a nap around 9:30. Yes, I took a nap at 9:30 in the morning. I didn't head out the door to run until after 3pm, which was actually perfect considering that there wasn't a cloud in the sky and the temps were in the mid 60s. There were tons of people out on the bike path, and I was reminded of how nice it is to live in such an active neighborhood. Unfortunately, my cold seems to be getting worse despite continuously pumping my body full of meds. Hopefully things will look up in the next few days.

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Afternoon Trail Run

60 mins.
8 miles

After spending a few hours working at Finish Line this afternoon (I heart my job), I detoured to the river on my way home for an easy run in the trails. I've never been out there in the middle of a weekend afternoon, and there were tons of walkers/joggers/bikers (and one guy doing something jujitsu-like) enjoying the beautiful fall afternoon.

I started the run with two miles on the flat dirt loop, then headed up into the trails that I've run so often with Meredith, Jim and Jeff. This was my first time to run up there alone, and I was mildly concerned about either falling or getting lost (which is why I texted Jordan before the run to let him know my whereabouts in case of any misadventure). Miraculously, neither of these occurred, and instead I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I was almost sorry to see the loop come to an end.

Unrelated, I'm pretty sure my cold is getting worse. Better go pop some pills.

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