For anyone who has school age kids, September feels more like the beginning of a new year than January. For me, it’s the signaling of a fresh start. I want to wipe away the negativity and unmotivated feelings of the past spring and summer and focus only on today and how I’m starting to begin again. I’m happy to report that as I start to focus on training for the Las Vegas Rock and Roll half marathon (and maybe something else much bigger) I have a renewed spark for all things swimming, biking and running. It’s good to be back!
September feels THIS GOOD to me. It was also amazing to get the boys on the bus for their first day of third grade.
WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 4, 2017
RUNNING
I’ve only just begun to have an uptick in my running as I’m 9 weeks out from the Las Vegas Rock and Roll marathon but it’s already having an impact. I also have a new 4-legged running partner who is making some runs…interesting. Although we all know the strip is flat, I’m hanging on to hill repeats to build power in my turnover. I also love confusing the hell out of people who see me run up and down a hill 10 times like a crazy person.
Just a girl and her hill.
Monday: 6 x 800 done on the run instead of a track because Labor Day | 7:35 avg pace with Star | 6.3 miles
Tuesday: 5 miles easy after bike | 8:00 avg pace
Wednesday: ladder drill with 3 x 5 min @7:00, 3 min @6:40, 1 min @6:10 and 1 min @8:35 | killer
Friday: long run + swim | 10 miles | 8:15 avg pace
Sunday: 5 miles easy
Total = 32.3 miles
CYCLING
I’m just happy to still be on the road and not on the bike trainer and hoping this will last at least though October. My long ride was for a cause in that I delivered some old kicks to Fleet Feet in Longmeadow for delivery to those affected by Hurricane Harvey in Texas. I rode a total of 42.6 miles on a gorgeous day and felt so lucky to be out there.
I did that ride on Tuesday, August 29 and have been more focused on running lately but I needed to highlight that ride and give runners another way to help! For a more complete list visit the Runner’s World web site page.
Tuesday: Sweet spot intervals before run | 15.8 miles
Thursday: Endurance ride | 24.7 miles
Total: 40.5
SWIMMING
I’m still getting in the pool, although just not as much. I had what was supposed to be a “fun” session with my coach but you can imagine how much fun I actually had. We ended up doing a bunch of drills and I swear she thinks I have special needs since I cannot understand the exact position she wants my arm in, in the water. Why is swimming so damn complicated? *sigh*
Monday: Form swim with CRS | torturous hour of drills | 1,200 yards
Wednesday: Drills in the pool after spadework on the road | 2,000 yards
Friday: More drills after running 10 miles | 2,000 yards
Total: 5,200 yards
THINGS I LOVE
For the longest time I have had to check my temper (and my middle finger) when out on the roads running solo. A car comes way closer than it needs to on a back road? I swallow my anger. Some jerk cat calls me? I say nothing.
Until now.
Running with my dog has given my mouth and middle finger new found freedom on the roads! Since Star would love nothing more than to bite a stranger, I let my finger and mouth fly when I suffer any of the aforementioned atrocities out on the run. It’s so freeing.
Mess with me, mess with my killer dog.
THINGS I DON’T LOVE AS MUCH
The amount of paperwork and forms that come with the start of school. Holy crap people! Can’t we get all of this online? I mean seriously. And because I have two third graders in two separate classrooms I get all of the paperwork, twice. #blessed
If you’re wondering how companies like Xerox and Cannon copiers are still in business, my kid’s school is a big reason why.
MUSIC
Ok, so this is not really music but a documentary on HBO about music called The Defiant Ones. You should watch it immediately. I admit to having had to be talked into it myself, as I like listening to music but not watching a documentary on it, until now.
In my youth I was addicted to N.W.A (I know, I know), Eminem, Dr. Dre, Snoop – – all of it and The Defiant Ones is basically a parallel history of Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine. It’s an odd couple for sure and, if you don’t know who Jimmy Iovine is, even better. I’ll give you a hint: he produced Dr. Dre, Fleetwood Mac, Bruce Springsteen, Lady Gaga, Gwen Stafani, U2…I mean, do I have to continue? Oh and, if you have a pair of Beats by Dr. Dre, Jimmy is responsible for that too.
That’s Jimmy Iovine on the far left with the Apple execs and Dr. Dre…obviously.
TELEVISION
See how I had to separate music from television? It’s because a show like Netflix’s Ozark needs a section all to itself. It’s that good.
Without giving anything away, Ozark has Jason Bateman playing a role you would never imagine, unless you imagine money laundering, Mexican drug cartels and eyeballs in glass jars.
The first season was one brilliant shock after another with great acting, incredible writing and some truly horrifying scenes that had absolutely nothing to do with blood and guts but just raw human emotion at it’s absolute lowest.
READING
Last but not least, I have to share with you some of my favorite reads of the past week:
BOOK: Before We Were Yours By Lisa Wingate
A fictitious story based on one of America’s most notorious real-life scandals—in which Georgia Tann, director of a Memphis-based adoption organization, kidnapped and sold poor children to wealthy families all over the country. The story is told back in forth from one generation to the next, by women who have no idea they’re related, or how. It was a very compelling read that kept me guessing pretty much for the entirety of the story. I definitely recommend it.
ARTICLE: Effects of Alcohol And Running by Allie Burdick
Shameless plug about a topic you all want to know about – – drinking and running – – most likely two of your favorite pastimes. You’ll be happy to know that you can most likely continue to swill and run with little side effects.
RANDOM PICTURE OF THE WEEK
This prop from the show Stranger Things is for sale at our local Spirit Halloween store. The board actually lights up, spelling out “right here” and then “run.” How cool is this? And when does season 2 start? Also I definitely want anything that is encouraging me to run over and over and over…
[Tweet “The Rundown is getting a fresh start with #halfmarathon training and tons of TV and reading recommendations! #train4life”]
How was your week?
Are you getting a fresh start this September?
I’m kind of giggling at – “my killer dog” who has a flower on her collar. Lol! Throw ’em off right? 😉 Ozarks – LOVE! I spent way too many late nights plowing through the season. So good!
Totally!
And do we seriously have to wait a YEAR for season 2 of Ozark?? Why????
Our high school does all their forms online – your school needs to up their game! And yes to Ozark – so good! Glad to hear you are feeling revitalized!
I mean, really!
I would think it would be done by now. Is it possible there are people out there who don’t have internet access?
There is a Stranger Things popup bar here in Chicago–it is totally kitted out and I promised Alex that we would go… but now we are running out of time. I should probably be a good wifey and find a time this week…
A popup bar? You city folk have all the fun!
My traitorous husband watched Ozark without me when I was hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc! HOW RUDE! I mean I guess I went to Europe without him, but whatever. I will probably never watch it now…SAD. I did hear that “Before We Were Yours” is really good and I want to read that next! I’m currently reading “Hillbilly Ellegy,” which is a non-fiction memoir about a Yale Law graduate who grew up in rural Appalachia. It’s really interesting so far and has some great insight into the culture!
You especially cannot watch with kids in the house 🙂
I hope you read “before we were yours” as it was SO good. The one you’re reading now sounds strangely intriguing. We’re reading the Jodi Picoulet book for book club now and I’m not sure if I love it or hate it…
YES!!!! Yes! YES! I love the fresh start of the new school year. We thrive on having a regular schedule in this house so having kids back in school makes life so much smoother. Curious to hear what “bigger” things may be coming! Love seeing that you and Starfire are doing plenty of running together. I am hoping to get my little Teddy furball out for some short runs soon!
I hear you with the thriving schedule. Thank God for it!!
I will be especially speaking to YOU about my big plans…maybe it’s something we can do together 🙂
Good luck getting Teddy out there. Be ready to have some stops and starts and don’t get tangled in the leash!!
Ah…. I love a fresh start. I plan to start fresh and do a total re-evaluation after I hopefully finish the Chicago marathon… This has not been a fun training cycle and the runs have been painfully slow, and I think it is because my heart is not in it… but anyway.. I’m so glad that you are feeling excited and ready to go at it again… I’ll have to have Armon (my rapper) watch that HBO documentary.. he’d probably really enjoy it.
I feel for you because you kind of got forced into Chicago and marathon training is too brutal to push yourself though…although you seem to be doing a good job and, Chicago!!! < - - kind of an awesome payoff. You HAVE to have Armon watch The Defiant Ones. He will LOVE it!! P.S. - love seeing your husband setting up the trainer in the living room 🙂
Hooray for fresh starts! I am excited for you for RNR Las Vegas and to hear what bigger things may be coming!
Dogs are the best running buddies with exactly that as one of the reasons – there’s a certain sense of freedom when you have a big dog protecting you! Love how you two are getting a lot of running together.
Oh my gosh can we talk about how exciting the next season of Stranger Things will be? Like I don’t want to wish the fall away, but I am so excited for the end of October because of its release.
Yes to the freedom of having a protector at your side during a run! It seriously is so great to not be alone and know that people will think twice about messing with you.
I’m WAY exciting about so many tv seasons starting that it’s scary. Stranger Things is at the top of the list!
Totally know what you mean about September and paperwork and all that bullshit. Do you think Ozark would give me anxiety? I tried to watch Shameless but it was too lifey for me. Too much human emotion and screwed-up-ness… so, pretty much too close to home. HA! Ahem.
Cool about the half in Las Vegas! I’ve never been to Vegas but if I ever went, it would definitely be to run the half. I think it’s in December? I’m gonna go look…
You sound happy! Even with your middle fingers in tha arrrrrr
I actually don’t think Ozark would give you anxiety. It’s raw human emotion but it’s SO FAR FETCHED from anything I think anyone in the general population could possibly experience, that you’re probably fine to watch. Although, with all your new baby hormones raging, you may want to wait a few months 🙂 CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
The Vegas half (if you don’t know by now) is Nov 12th and it would be beyond amazing if we could meet up!!!
yay to school starting!!! well yay for you. i’m still anxious because mine is so young and i’m not exactly thrilled with all the new round of yuck but ok. i’m tryijng to be zen about it all. about everything. i’m so fucking zen damnit. ha!
yesSS to the Ozarck!!! i need to start watching that again. we put it on hold to finish up GoT and then the storm came and blew out my memory bank. i can’t remember anything before 8/27/17. now you have reminded me that i loved that series. thank you.
and i need to watch the defiant ones, that is totally my jam.
thank you!!! happy september!