Every time I survive the flight to Las Vegas (or anywhere else), I think it’s a miracle. So, any anxiety I may have about running the Las Vegas Rock and Roll half marathon on November 12, is not really new to me. In fact, I can tell you in all seriousness that I still fear the flight to Nevada more than the chances of some psychopath gunning me down as I rock out to the GooGoo Dolls, during the pre-race party, to be held at the same venue. At least I think it will be held at the same venue. The communication registered runners have received so far regarding the race is basically “we have to wait and see.”
This may, in fact, be the safest race I have ever run.
I’m quite certain it will not be the safest flight.
WEEK OF OCTOBER 2, 2017
RUNNING
Obviously my thoughts during each and every run this week have been of Las Vegas. The awfulness. The tragedy. The senseless violence. All of it. For whatever reason, it makes me far angrier than I am sad. I’m angry at the ignorance, the loss of life, the incompressible terror and everything that makes the aftermath unbearable.
At least I’m still here.
At least I can still run.
And run I did…
The weather has been amazing and extra perfect for running – – cold in the morning with plenty of sun and warming throughout the day.
Monday – 3/4 mile repeats with “odds” at Z4 or 6:30/mile and “evens” at Z3 or 7:00/mile | 7 miles
Tuesday – easy run before yoga | 5 miles
Thursday – long run | 13 miles with miles 4,6,8 and 12 at HMP 7:15 | So those paces did not happen. I almost got hit by a truck and the zipper pocket my fuel was in got stuck closed and I had to stop and pry it open! But, I survived and got it done…albeit at an 8:15 average pace.
Saturday – building speed | 5 miles (in Maine!)
Total = 30 miles
CYCLING
This is certainly one of the best times of year for cycling and I have to say I wish I was able to do more of it! I was happy to get out on the bike for two rides last week. On my Sunday ride, I even stopped to take it all in.
Sunday – easy ride | 26.6 miles
Friday – rolling hills | 18.6 miles
Total = 45.2
SWIMMING
So far, so good swimming in a public pool with my brand new nose ring. In fact, I think it’s giving me super powers because I had a fantastic swim! Yes, that is “swim” singular since my main focus was running and training for the Las Vegas half, plus squeezing in a girls weekend with my aunts and cousin in Maine. And I wasn’t about to swim in the open water in Maine!
Wednesday – lactate threshold with 6 x 300 | 2,500 yards
THINGS I LOVE
The outpouring of love that comes from hate. Of course I would prefer to not have the hate in the first place but, since I don’t live in a magical bubble, I chose to believe that love still wins. It has too.
From the stories that have emerged of acts of heroism and kindness during the horrendous ordeal, to celebrities highlighting all the good in the world and even just the thankfulness for being alive and the perspective a tragedy like this brings; the not taking for granted.
Ellen chose to show highlights from past shows about all the good and kindness and love in the world. It had me crying in my kitchen.
This is my year to live like I was dying. God, I hope those people who died in Las Vegas were doing the same.
THINGS I DON’T LOVE AS MUCH
Prayers and thoughts for Las Vegas.
Fuck that.
DO something about the ridiculous gun laws in this country.
I’m sharing this with permission from Laura at Sprint to The Table who wrote a great post last week and gives specific instruction and information on how you can act and prevent this from happening again and again and again.
Haven’t you had enough? I have.
Take some time today to write your Representatives and Senators to demand COMMON SENSE gun legislation. Here’s a few common sense ideas:
- Require universal background checks. Did you know you can order a gun online or purchase one at a show without a background check?
- Impose a limit on the amount of guns and ammunition one can purchase in a certain time period. No one needs 49 rifles and thousands of round of ammo for deer season.
- Restrict the mentally ill and those convicted of abuse from buying guns. If you’re beating your wife or have schizophrenia… probably don’t need a gun.
- Raise the age to buy a gun to 21. I don’t know about you, but at 18 I could’ve done a lot less damage with a beer than I could have with a gun.
- Ban assault rifles and bump-fire stock. You’re not in combat in Afghanistan. You don’t need that shit.
- Make it harder to get a gun than an abortion. Seriously ya’ll. I thought these mo fos were pro life?!
These are basic, common sense protections I hope all reasonable people can all agree on. It won’t be a magic cure, but it’s a start. It’s better than nothing, which is what we’ve done in the past.
#dosomething
READING
Who has time to read with all this nonsense going on? Me. That’s who.
I think I need to do a post about how two people can read the same book and have vastly different opinions. Book club was a real eye opener when we discussed Small, Great Things last week. Wow.
To add to my melancholy, or perhaps because of it, I started reading Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. It’s compelling, horrifying, graphic, intriguing and basically I cannot get enough of it…but it’s also depressing as hell.
I can’t hardly wait to watch the show on Hulu…as soon as I figure out how to watch stuff on Hulu.
RANDOM PICTURE OF THE WEEK
Obviously, we all need to laugh and luckily it seems I have birthed a son just for this purpose.
Vaughn’s class did a project on water conservation and had to track how many gallons they used for showering, teeth brushing and flushing the toilet.
At the end of the project they were to give two examples of how they could better conserve water. At the bottom of the paper is what my son wrote:
I’m so proud.
[Tweet “The Rundown is #running toward the #LasVegas half marathon and urging us all to #dosomething”]
Would you still go to Las Vegas and run?
Do you ever pee in the woods to conserve water? Be honest!
I just peed in the woods yesterday. Twice. It never crossed my mind that I was conserving water. Yay me! 😉 I’m right there with you about the thoughts and prayers. The gun laws in our country are absolutely ridiculous. You bring up gun control and everyone panics. I’m not saying all guns need to banished. But having an arsenal of weapons isn’t needed. Especially high powered military weapons. And don’t get me started on the NRA. How can they have so much power over the whole freakin’ country?!?!
Vaughn would be so proud! 🙂
As for gun laws – like Laura said, it’s just common sense! No one needs even a semi-automatic weapon, let alone 23 of them. Just stop!
Yes, you should still go to Vegas if they have the run… it will be the safest Vegas will ever be. I was a little nervous about coming to Chicago, but you can’t let fear and hate dictate how you live. Just wait till you watch handsmaid’s tail… so so so good… my friend put Hulu on my tv for me.
I plan on it.
And so glad you were safe and ran the hell out of Chicago! I love all your pictures and can only hope a blog post is coming soon…
I actually BOUGHT the first season of The Handmaid’s Tale for like $20 so I didn’t have to figure out Hulu. #shame
Thank you for posting all of what we can write our representatives. I started to write them last week and was appalled at what was actually legal and had to censor my words. They seriously cannot call themselves pro-life if the NRA practically controls legislation…
I really want to read Handmaid’s Tale. I’ve heard the Poisonwood Bible is really good also.
I know!! It’s amazing how censored everything is yet I can walk into Walmart and buy a semi-automatic weapon.
Thanks Laura!!
I am still on the fence about Vegas. At first I was like “No way, nope. Nope. Nope.” Yes, after much thought I do think it will be the safest place in America and a great way to pay tribute to the lives lost. In fact it could turn into the the most meaningful race people have EVER run. We can’t live our lives in fear, I never have – but I have to say this really got to me…
I totally agree about the thoughts and prayers… as a praying person, I am praying for those families and friends to navigate through their grief and mourning, BUT separately we have to DO something!! Period. Prayers without action is…crazy and non effective. You are so right on with this post and I LOVE the call to action to contact our representatives. Yes, yes – I totally agree, we must all do it for the preservation of our country because clearly this isn’t going to stop…
So much good stuff here Allie. xoxox
Yes! You nailed it Nat – prayers without action is crazy.
I so hope you chose to run (if they have the race?) so we can do it together!!
xoxo
Thank to you so much for sharing my CTA. I’ve actually just saved a list of the Congresspeople who’ve received the most money from the NRA and am starting a one-woman letter writing campaign. There’s no reason for this shit to be legal.
I really wish I could be in Vegas to meet you in “real life.” Don’t worry about flying in. There’s way less turbulence once the air is cooler. Also, eat at Giada’s!!!!
You are so great!! Thank you for letting me share it here and now let’s hope it’s used!!
I know we will meet up someday…we go to all the same places so our schedules will HAVE to align!! And Giada’s is a post-race must!
Stop flushing the toilet! Brilliant kid.
Nice work on the workouts! I get really anxious about flying these days too.. and a trip to Vegas would be a tough call.
Ah yes, he’s a genius.
I’m ALWAYS afraid to fly so nothing new there. And, I truly hope they can hold the race because I would love to run it as a show of solidarity and fearlessness…not that there won’t be fear but, as in flying, I can’t let it stop me.
Thanks Laura!
Wow I have mixed feelings. My first half marathon that I actually raced was LV and my pr. So I’m kinda like no I think I’m good with my LV races but if I was registered and had it planned I’d go. At least you’re already running. I’d probably arrive and start late to avoid standing in the damn corral forever though. I’m way to paranoid about that. I don’t like crowds and corrals and especially now. In LV. Truth. Ugh I really don’t like all this crazy shit!!
So back to something fun. Hulu. That shit is easy. As cake. I’ve got Hulu and if I can master watching shit ok Hulu, your boys can too. Which means you can. Now for that I will try your depressing show. Maybe I need more reasons to be sad?? Or maybe I’ll just try it and change my mind. I’m pretty damn sensitive to horrible shit these days.
Peeing in the woods is a great idea. I’ve always thought life would be simpler if we all just peed in the woods! Just don’t poop or you’ll get your pic taken. Lol
Very cool that LV is your half PR! I definitely decided to run it if they have it. The show this year is the GooGoo Dolls who I don’t really listen to so I won’t be there early, that’s for sure! And, I’m in the first corral so it’s not as crowded but I hear ya.
I actually ended up paying for The Handmaid’s Tale so I didn’t have to figure out Hulu. #loser
We don’t have woods around us, so sometimes I have to get creative 😀
I wouldn’t be worried about running LV–I agree with you that they are going to go above and beyond to keep it safe, just like after the Boston Marathon + London Tube bombings led to super safe races that fall.
To make a crass (warning, very crass and tasteless joke), just run faster and you won’t have to worry about it.
Ok, now that I got that out of my system and everyone hates me….
I’m going to go find some woods to hide in.
LOL!! You have to bring humor to the situation or we will all go bananas! Thank you for providing that…:-)
I love your writing!! so much! I agree with you, I’ve had it with the praying, those senators, representatives need to do more than pray!! It is too ironic that those same people who are Pro-choice, are also pro-gun, and most pro capital punishment. I wish they would just come out and say that they want to control women’s body’s instead of hiding behind their “religious beliefs”. So aggravating!
The Handmaiden is an amazing book, and the show is also amazing, but my god! It gave me nightmares for days! There were some parts that were explained with more detail on the show, and it made the story so much better. There were parts that I could not contain all the emotions I had, and was shaking crying. But it is still amazing and I highly recommend it.
100% yes to everything you wrote in the first paragraph!! At least OWN what you’re doing and stop hiding behind Jesus.
I’m watching The Handmaid’s Tale now and yes, the book gave me nightmares too but the show is SO good. My husband is even watching it!
Thanks so much for your comments. I truly appreciate your words!
First, I just watched that Ellen segment – thank you so much for sharing that! Second, I just published a post with similar thoughts – and urging people to do something. How eerily alike our thinking is, Allie!
I like to think of you as my own personal Ellen, minus the cash and checks she regularly gives out. <3
I love that we are thinking alike on this and not at all surprised. And that is possibly the best comment ever 🙂
Now I need to go read your post!
xoxoxo
I mean, Vaughn’s water conservation tips are quite sensible. My boys sure do abide by those two!
Of course they do! I mean, really? His teacher didn’t even comment on it when I got his paper back. Maybe because every single boy in the class had the same answer – LOL!