Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Boy, do I feel good! (Thursday Thirteen)

1.  Recovery. It might make some people sick to hear this, but the day after the Palo Duro trail 50K I went for a 2.6 mile hike with Baboo.  I wanted to try a new strategy: after a race eat and drink lots of clear liquids and lean protein, and do lots of stretching and yoga or yoga-like stuff.  I woke up Sunday with just a hint of stiffness in my hips, and by evening when I did the hike with Baboo, it was gone.  I never had ANY stiffness in my calves or quads, which means the hill training is right on target. 

2.  Weight: 171. I swell up a bit after ultras. 

3.  Eating.  Bear Creek hot-and-sour soup is the bomb.l  I added bits of seitan to it and noshed on it for two days.

4.  Monday morning, I did something new: I grabbed a long carpet runner, rolled it up with a yoga strap inside it, and hiked it about 3/4 mile to a high, flat landing at about 6300 feet, overlooking the city of Albuquerque.  I did this just before dawn.  I unrolled the runner, and did a bunch of yoga and stretching, and then hiked back down to home.  I loved it.  I'll do it until it gets too cold to do it.

5.  Shutting up.  Okay, I'll shut up about the yoga now.  but SRSLY.  It's working for me.  Okay, I'll shut up. Oh, wait--Okay.  Never mind. 


6. Makeover.  I've decided on a new project: I'm working on ditching the blond soccer mom look.  I'm tired of it. It's not that anything is particularly wrong with it, I'm just tired of it.  I haven't seen my natural hair color in about 13 years, so I'm curious what it is.  I'm thinking of long, and dark, and straight.  With bangs.  We'll see. I miss pony-tails, too.  They are so lovely when you're having a bad hair day.  Plus also, (dare I say this out loud) although I didn't vote for her, I loved Sarah's hair.  Loved.  it. 
See, I originally went for the blond thing when I got my first grey hairs.  I had about 7 of them in my mid-thirties, so I went blond.  Now it's nearly 10 years later, and I appear to still have about 7 grey hairs.
Anyway, who cares.  A few greys.  Big deal.  Right?  RIGHT? 

7.  School girl.  This semester is WEARING ME OUT.  But I'm happy to report my midterm grades: A, A, A, A, B. The B, of course, is in Law.  I suck, suck, suck at memorizing facts and lists of things.

8.  Ultra-Crazy.  The same crazy friends who did Palo Duro with us have signed up for Ghost Town 38.5.  Buwahaha.  Welcome to the dark side, friends.  And yet...

9.  Excelling.  Last night I was sharing with Baboo how I wish I were faster, how I wish that there was something that I excelled at.  I have so many fast friends, and it seems that after I've leapt into something crazy, like ultra running, my very fast friends eventually join me and kick my ass.  I know, I know...it shouldn't matter.  But sometimes I get tired of being last all the time.
Baboo talked to me about the possibility that what I excel at is courage, and that perhaps, just perhaps, once I do something stupidly crazy, then people feel that they might be able to do it...I don't know.  Still working on this one.   It's an area of personal growth, I guess.

10.  Training.  Very light this week.  A hint of ITB stuff going on; I'm afraid of Mr. ITB.  I don't want to anger him.  But I did do a 2+ mile hike on Sunday, and a light jog on Tuesday.  Today, I'll try to do 4 miles and see how I'm feeling.

11.  Cold.  it's cold here now.  I like getting to wear my big knitted wrap cape.  I like the drama of throwing it over my shoulder.  I'm all Hi, [swoosh] how's it going? It's very warm and cozy.  Plus, it goes down nearly to my knees, providing a lovely cover up for clothes that are still a bit too tight for me.  Win-win.

12.  The author of Frazz, the comic strip, has written a book about triathlon.  His publicist has asked me to review it here.   That will be coming soon.  Just as soon as I have time to read the book.  (see the earlier comment about school)


13.  Internet Porn.  I'm now addicted to Ancestry.com.  I don't know what I'll do when my free 2 weeks is up. 

...

9 comments:

  1. Hey Misty, I always enjoy your Thursday 13s.

    I will be interested to see you natural hair color. I thought you were a natural blonde.

    Don't even talk to me about slow. I just started "seriously" running (or trying to run), and I think the reason I started is because I read so many running and fitness blogs (sort of like positive peer pressure). However, the same blogs talk about things like sub-9 minute miles and such so they can also be kind of discouraging. But I try not to let it get me down as I continue to plod along.

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  2. #9 I understand this feeling only too well. Misty you are an EXCELLENT writer-some of the best I have read and I am not kidding!! So some of us are gifted at racing (me not being one of them either) and some at other stuff (writing!). PLUS, if are still racing at my age or older, you will win!

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  3. Here's a bit of trivia/tip I learned from genetics class: If a woman is over 20 and has green (me) or brown eyes, her light blond hair is not natural. (Sorry if I've outed anyone).

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  4. I am beyond envious of the pre-sunrise mountain yoga.

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  5. Regarding #9, Baboo is most certainly correct. You're the reason I'm 4.5 weeks away from my first Ironman - your posts about CDA last year inspired me to bolster some courage and sign up.

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  6. Thank you for having the courage to be so honest in your postings! You encourage and inspire me to go out there and do it! In spite of my size and in spite of how slow I am. And believe me, I am SLOW!

    I have the exact same situation as you - my friends join me and then they are so fast! It's hard sometimes. But then I try to remember that I shouldn't compare myself with others - that my journey is my own.

    And ultimately it's all about the Journey.

    Thanks again and I continue to enjoy reading your blog.

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  7. oh , so much to comment on!

    Hair: Brown is the way to go (woman with brown hair and brown eyes speaking), however, you do have to keep up with those roots. Take it from someone who has waaaaaaay too many grays.

    You are lucky if you can do bangs, I have cowlick right in front, bangs are not possible. I have bang envy.

    If I want a sunrise yoga experience I need to climb to the top of the Empire State bldg. I do miss nature.

    I have been having some ITB issues too. Two words: foam roller. Two more words: pigeon stretch (google it)

    Is that the same guy who does/did Calvin and Hobbes?

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  8. baboo is totally right.

    you also excel at being you -- which, let's face it, is a totally niche job. nobody else can compete!

    self effacing? check.
    witty? check.
    does not take self too seriously? checkity check.
    fabululoso? duh! Check already!

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  9. Funny, that self-perception. You wish you were faster, but to me (and I'm sure many more) you're first at a lot of really cool things. You blaze the trail and show the rest of us to how to do it. :-)

    I dyed my hair brown a couple of months ago. I love it.

    Hope the ITB wanders off soon.

    Congrats on the stellar grades!

    I'd love to try carpet yoga but we lack any sort of cool look out and/or a runner. :-)

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