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!

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