Dec.11: Big Day!

Today was a big day for me! No, I did not run, or even exercise for that matter. I woke up early, caught a plane to Pau, worked all day, then caught a plane back to Paris. The good thing about both of these plane rides is that it allowed me to, finally, finish a little project I started about 3 weeks ago. My goal was to read George Orwell's 'Animal Farm' before meeting my family for Christmas. I have been reading nearly every spare moment during the day (on the metro, after dinner, during breakfast, and even smuggled it once into the bathroom at work...I know, even I am disgusted by that) in order to accomplish this task.

Now, for those of you who know this book you must be thinking that I am illiterate right now as the book itself is quite small and could be read in one intense session (or just a few trips to the bathroom). You are probably wondering how I could possibly have the ability to blog if it took me that long to read the book. The reason being is that the book is bilingual - the odd number pages are written in French and their translations are on the opposite, or even numbered, pages. So I read the French, trying to figure it out, then I read the english. I did this line by line for the entire book!

The cool thing about this whole exercise is that it has helped rekindle the enjoyment I used to always have for reading. Plus I think I may have learned a new french word or two! I tried reading French books before but I spent so much time looking up words and it was inconvenient to carry 3 books around with me at all times - the book itself, a dictionary, and a beschrelle (or verb conjucator book). I scanned a random page so you can see what it looks like.



The other cool thing is that the story is excellent - so it helps that I am interested, or I am sure that it would just feel like another boring french class ('cause we all know that conjucating verbs is so very sweet). As I was focusing more on the language aspect of the book, and not so much on the fact that it is a clever allegory of Stalinism, I would like to re-read again sometime and brush up on some of my Grade 11 social studies so I can focus more on those aspects.

No running yesterday (but 1 hour of pilates) or today (because I was trying put a baguette on the table), but will be back at it tomorrow night!

A+

Dec. 9: A Tale of Two Runs

It was the underdressed of times,
It was the overdressed of times,
It was the run of foolishness,
It was the run of smartness,
...

During the last two days I have run the exact same 6 mile loop twice. The first time I had a layer or two of clothing too little and the second time, I was a layer or two of clothing too heavy. The first time I forgot to factor in the blustery, cold wind and found that my short shorts and my long-sleeve technical shirt did little to prevent it from whipping through my body like a Gulf Coast Hurricane.

"Being smarter" for the second run, I donned a windbreaker and wind pants...this would be a good strategy if there was a repeat of the same arctic wind that had moved through a day previous. Instead, the extra clothing acted as my own personal sauna, as though I was just running in normal conditions in Houston. It was not like I was running in August, but perhaps early spring!

Nor was I overdressed like the person who finishes a 5km with 4 GUs, a fanny pack loaded with pain killers, and 2 sweaters and a jacket tied around their waist at the finish line because they had no idea of what they were getting themselves signed up for, but you would think that they would learn from their 1 fun-run that they do every 5 years (Ok, I digress...but you know who I am talking about...oh yeah, I almost trampelled their kid too because they were lining up at the start line for a "photo op").

So anyways, here are the splits from the two runs. The first one it is clear that I had a purpose the entire time - I just wanted to get home. On the second one I just took it easy and ran as Jack Daniels would prescribe.

Hell Just Froze Over Run:
7:15, 7:03, 7:04, 6:56, 6:46, 6:56 min/mile

Detox Run with home-made sauna:
7:33, 7:22, 7:27, 7:21, 7:24, 7:26 min/mile

Gotta run...Jammin' out to Trans Siberian Orchestra and this blogging is really interfering with my sweet, sweet air guitar.

A+

Dec. 7: Trente Miles cette semaine

After beaucoup amounts of wine last night, sleeping in past 10am, and after writing Christmas cards, I went our for a very uninspiring 6 miles. The only reason why I peeled my lazy butt off of the couch and into the cold, foggy elements was because my goal was to run 30 miles this week and as of this morning I was 6 short. If I am going to run another marathon I better start thinking seriously about building a base again! Actually, "thinking" about it is not this right word to use, I better just friggin' do it!

So, I am back our warm place, enjoying our massively large, Texas-sized 3 foot tall Christmas tree (heavy sarcasm)...but I am truely enjoying it! I could look at a Christmas tree all day...I find it very mesmorising and peaceful...kinda like a sweet, sweet rock garden!

I am a little bummed that we had to go back to using our first artificial tree from our earlier years...I much prefer the big, live ones that you can smell from a block away. With our travel schedule this year it just is not practical. But it really is not about the tree itself, it is about who you enjoy the tree with, isn't it?

My 6 uninspired miles were as follows:
7:30, 7:16, 7:18, 7:10, 7:09, 7:06 min/mile

TOTAL WEEKLY MILEAGE: 30 miles (goal: 30-32)

I am looking forward to doing it all again this week (goal: 30-34).

A+

Dec.6: Oh Christmas Tree

We are just in the process of putting up our Christmas tree, drinking red wine, and acting important so I will keep this short. I ran again tonight...another 6 miles in crisp, cool, and near perfect conditions as follows:

7:21, 7:17, 7:02, 6:51, 6:26, 6:36 min/mile

I started throwing in a few strides in the last 2 miles. The time and duration of each stride was dependent on when I could see that traffic light ahead of me and how confident I felt that I would be able to beat it!

This week has felt really great so far for running. I hate the fact that I have to build up to 40+ mile weeks again when just 2 months ago 60 mile weeks were something that just seemed to happen naturally. Patience is not one of my strong suites, which explains my splits this week being faster than intended, but I am trying desperately to reign the horses in until it is time to open the chutes...at any rate, I am enjoying having consistent running back into my routine.

Time to go, I think that this whine is starting two get too mee...ef im not care full I mite start makeing sum tairible spilling mestakes.

Z-

Dec. 5: Perfect Running Weather

You know that it is perfect running weather when you leave the house wearing shorts, a long sleeve technical shirt, and light gloves and are mildly cold for the first mile...when you return you have a just a little bit of sweat percolating from your hair and you can still see your breath. These phenomenal conditions were enjoyed for 6 miles as follows:

7:17, 7:19, 7:12, 7:13, 6:57, 6:25 min/mile

The last mile is a bit of false advertising - I started the mile with ~400m of 'strides' then I recovered the rest of the way home.

Today while I was running I suddenly realized that in 2 weeks from today I will be leaving Paris to meet my family in England for Christmas. I started getting really excited about all the things that we would do! I found that the thing that I am looking most forward to is joining my brother on his longest long run before his first marathon in Houston! I am really looking forward to having someone else in the family who will fully understand the struggle, the pain, and the accomplishment of the marathon!

That is all for tonight...I am totally hooked on Prison Break!

A+

Dec. 4: Go Elf Yourself

Does this really need a comment?!! Enjoy!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Dec. 3: Christmas Post 3

Today I did a sweet, sweet hour of Pilates. Then I came home and got hooked into another killer episode(s) of Prison Break. I have just began to watch Season#1 on DVD and I am kicking myself for waiting this long to jump on the bandwagon...what a great show! The only thing that I do not like about the show is that my body is really tense by the time that it finishes...I, generally, have to stretch afterwards to keep from tightening up!

Just a friendly reminder not to forget to set your TiVo to Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer! I do not know when it will be on, but 'tis the season!