Thursday, April 28, 2011

The Winged Goddess of Victory?

In October Nike hosts the "Nike Women's Half Marathon" in San Francisco.  It's a popular race, there are always more people who want to run than the course will allow.  So registration is done on a "lottery" basis.  Basically you sign up, but do not know if you have actually gotten in until several days after registration closes.  Personally I prefer the "first come, first serve" basis (FCFS), those who are truly dedicated can sit poised at their keyboards at precisely the moment registration opens and she who clicks first wins. 

One of the features of this particular race is that the medal you receive at the finish line is a special Tiffany necklace.......

Presented by:

 Hot Tuxedo Clad Firemen:
Yummy! Nomnomnom...

How can any respectable woman resist?  Rumor has it if you sign up as a team you increase your chance in the lottery because if one team member is chosen, you all are automatically in.  So someone became the Team Captain, hereto referred to as TC.  TC registered the team and received a "Team Number".  That didn't mean we were in.....yet.  Next step was during the open registration window April 11 thru April 22, all team members had to go online and register noting the team number during registration.  TC sent us all an email on 4/11 reminding us registration was now open.  Note that TC was vacationing in Hawaii at the time, but was so dedicated to the cause that she sent an email from the beach while drinking a mai tai....or pina colada...or some other exotic drink......work with me here.

Diligently we immediately started registering.  Besides the usual questions like name, age, credit card number, Nike also wanted to know occupation, number of children, marital status, etc, these questions were optional, and since I'm always on the prowl for marketing ploys, I chose not to answer them.....as opposed to what I do sometimes when asked these intrusive marketing questions.....give ridiculous answers, like I make a million dollars, I have 10 children, yes they all still live at home, I drive a smart car, yes even on the freeway, etc....just my way of  skewing the information so we don't all become the prey of fat cat corporate moguls.  You can thank me later. 

The most important part in the registration process was that we needed to enter the team number that TC had secured for us.  She said Nike suggests you copy and paste the number so as not to make a mistake.  I typed the number....and then I checked it,...again....and again, yep, it's right.....but if it's not right I may not get in, but the others will.....or worse.....everyone else doesn't get in and I do cause I put the wrong number.  OK ALREADY!  I'll copy and paste, there!  A total 37 of us registered.  And then the waiting began.....fingers crossed.

This morning I received an email from Nike Women's Marathon that started:  "The Winged Goddess of Victory has spoken".  My heart started to go pitter pat....VICTORY!  We're in!  Then it said something like of the 30,000+ entries we've drawn the names of the lucky women....WOOO HOOOO!!!!  LUCKY US! WE ARE IN!.....keep reading....."unfortunately"....huh?  Winged Goddess of Victory?  Unfortunately?  What?  I must have read it wrong...."Unfortunately, your name was not one of them".  WHAT?  WHY? would "The Winged Goddess of Victory" send me a rejection letter?

Picture this:  Last week, Nike headquarters (wherever that is, I'm too depressed to even google it...let's say down town New York), a glass enclosed conference room.  The room is filled with high powered Nike executives.  They are just firming up the details of the San Francisco run.  At the head of the table is a smartly dressed, designer clad, beautiful woman...hereto referred to as Ms. Biatch or MB.  MB is the mother of two young children who at this very moment are home being raised by their nanny au pair in upper east side Manhattan.  MB paid tens of thousands of dollars to surrogates so as not to risk contamination of her svelte figure. She spends about 15 minutes in the evening with her children.  Her husband is cheating on her.

MB says to send an email to all runners who made it in.....and let's say "The Winged Goddess of Victory" has spoken and they are in!  Someone asks what should we do with the runners who did not make it in?  MB says send them the same basic email but tweak it telling them unfortunately their name was not chosen. 

Penny (her real name is Penelope, but everyone calls her Penny despite her objections), a rather plain looking secretary who could benefit from a make over, and couldn't afford a designer hand bag much less the outfit MB is wearing,  is present to take notes.  Penny looks up....should she say something?  She asks quietly, "Do you think it's appropriate to send those who didn't get in an email saying "The Winged Goddess of Victory" has spoken?

A hush falls on the room.  You could cut the air with a knife, ....hell you'd need a machete.  MB turns to Penny and says "Just Do It (insert swoosh").

Gads....what if we didn't get in because I chose not to answer the survey questions??????




Tuesday, April 19, 2011

The Tree

While out to dinner tonight with family the subject of my blog came up.  Made me reflect on how darn easy it has been for me to stop blogging, and stop running.  I'm still doing my regular group runs, but the daily mile was abandoned after mile #51.  I thought it would be so hard to stop, but it wasn't.  I thought it would be hard to stop blogging, but it wasn't.  Don't really feel like there is anything to write about now that the miles are done, and I haven't ran a race since that torturous Brea 8K.

Reflecting on it while driving home I realized, I need to get on the ball with my "51 New Things".  Wondering what should I do next.....  We had Indian food tonight for my second time.  First time was about 2 months ago....wish I had decided to do the 51 things earlier, cause "trying Indian food" could have been one of them.  Also, if I had decided earlier, "writing a blog" could have been one too.  Too late, only the new things that I do after declaring I'm gonna do 51 new things count (my rules).

To change the subject..... (kind of):

On Sunday morning approximately 1:00am 4 people in a pickup truck were killed and 2 others were injured.  Ages ranged from 21 to 25.  Two were 22 year old males, a 25 year old male, and a 22 year old female.  Survivors are 21 and 25 year old females.  Reports state they were speeding, driver lost control of the vehicle, ended up skiing on 2 wheels, and collided with a tree.  Beer cans were found in the vehicle, accident could be a result of alcohol and over crowding in vehicle. 

It is not up to me to judge who did what.  I must admit there was many a time in my early 20's that I did things just as dangerous.  I am sorry this has happened to these young people.  I am sorry for the families left behind. 

This accident happened on the same street that I did my solo miles on.  I must have ran past that tree  close to 30 times....actually 60, cause I would run half mile up, and half mile down. 

On the way home from dinner I stopped at the store and purchased a candle, you know those tall glass ones.  I drove to the tree, lite my candle, and placed it on the curb with the other ones at the makeshift memorial.

Thing #3, placed a candle burning at a street memorial for strangers.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Sacrificial Lambs and Abandonment Issues

There are occasions on our runs when someone has to be the sacrificial lamb.  When I first started running, 5 or OMG 6 years ago (has it really been that long?), when training with Julie Payne (pronounced P-A-I-N there's a reason that was her last name) she would at times pick one person to "help" that run.  That was the person we considered the sacrificial lamb.  If she picked someone to torture, we knew we were pretty much in the clear, could maybe sneak in an extra walk and possibly slack a little....as long as she didn't glance back and catch you.....and if she did, then watch out, cause you then risk becoming the lamb.

We are no longer in a formal training class, we just run with a group of friends, but recently on our last two runs I have been that sacrificial lamb.  On Saturday Missy decided she wants to partake of the 1/1.  So Helen C., Alicia, and I start running with her.  Problem is Missy (over achiever that she is) has a time goal.  Starting out Alicia was the lamb, while Helen C. and I ran behind them....at one point Alicia looked longingly back at us (I must admit that I was kinda laughing inside).  Later in the run Helen C became the lamb.

At some point I ended up the lamb.  I don't know how it happened....and I think Helen and Alicia had planned it (next time I will be more careful).  At mile 4 ish they shout out (cause of course they are behind us since Missy is pushing me to run faster than my comfort zone) "We are going to turn around now...we don't want to do 10 miles".....what...WTF?  are you two really abandoning me?

I did manage to complete the 10 miles, but by the time we got back Helen & Alicia were long gone, thanks biatches gals.

Fast forward to tonight, Margaret has decided to run with us.....uhm...yeah....Margaret is a kick ass runner....damn....how are we going to slack now?  I am struggling in the beginning, breathing ridiculously hard and feeling like crap for the first mile or so (as usual).  Missy and Margaret are in the front (whoo hoo, we found our sacrificial lamb (Missy)).  True to form, I am complaining about how difficult it is for me. 

Margaret keeps looking back.....

While she is a serious kick ass runner, Margaret is one of the most geographically challenged people that I know .  She can get lost running in the park.  We tried to convince her to stick with the fast runners (whom we consider "elite"), but no...she is determined to run with us slackers, claiming that she does not know the route,  (secretly I'm thinking Julie P, has commissioned her to push us).   We managed to get separated from Missy and Margaret at an intersection (yeah baby!).  Missy kept running.....but wait, Margaret is waiting for us on the other side.  Crap.  I was planning on walking once we got to the other side.... or at the very least reducing the run time and increasing the walk time, but with her waiting, I'm ashamed to slack like the lazy bum I am.

Uhg, light turns green, us slackers run across, and Margaret waits for us to catch up and then starts running.  Again Helen and Alicia hold back.....  I end up the sacrificial lamb........yet again.

I finished the run with Margaret, and ultimately Helen and Alicia weren't too far behind.  But Margaret did push me out of my comfort zone, just like Missy did on Saturday.  Looking back on it...it's not such a bad thing to push the comfort zone.

Makes me think of a T.S. Eliot quote:  Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.

Baaaaa

Forget Panda Dad....Panda Psychic!

How do those folks at Panda Express do it?



Haven't gotten any closer to completing my 51 new things lately (still at 2 down 49 to go).....hence the lack of blogging.  I did start something about hoarding and my difficulty in getting rid of things (after the sale of the small desk), but it seemed to get a little rambly so I haven't posted it yet.

In the meantime, I am surprised at how easy it's been for me to stop the mile a day (what a wuss).  I completed mile 51 and then didn't run 52 and now I'm back to just regular runs 3 days a week.  So obviously I lack the motivation to continue anything on a regular basis unless there is a monetary gain, parade in my honor, or threat of shame due to failure.....geeze. 

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

GW?

Here I sit at 9:18pm, watching Survivor on DVR, with a full tummy.  Denny and I just got back from dinner out.  I had figured I would just keep doing the mile a day until something came up that got in the way of doing it. 

Rewind to this morning.  I'm eating my breakfast, and thinking about the things I've been meaning to do.  I know I will forget all about them as soon as I finish eating, so I grab a post-it and make a list.

Later in the morning I pull out the list and attempt to tackle some of the items.  Call GW....?  What or who is GW?  Great Western?  George W.?  Green Weed?  WHAT DOES IT MEAN?  Who am I supposed to call?  And what do I say when I call?   I have no idea, so I go to item #2.  Post Sm desk? hmmm.......Oh yeah, I know  Post the small desk that I no longer need on Craigs List and try to sell it.  I've posted to CL before, but never actually sold anything.  I think I'll post that outdated entertainment center that's been cluttering up the gargage that I've been trying to get rid of for almost a year now too.

Back to GW.....WHAT DOES IT MEAN??  Only 2 days into 50 and my memory is gone.  Ok, maybe this has happened before.....I need to be less cryptic with my notes to self.

Wow, already got a hit on CL.

Forget about GW and maybe it will pop in my head.

Another hit on CL....maybe I priced the desk too low....

GOODWILL!!!!!!!!!!!  Call Goodwill and see if they will pick up some of this other stuff I've been trying to get rid of.  Like the out dated entertainment center that no one wants that I've posted on CL before.

Never did call GW dang it.  Four people interested in desk!

7pm, cash in hand, desk is sold!  So Denny and I decide to take the $$ and celebrate (hence the full tummy). 

So here I sit and I'm thinking maybe "what to do next" is to try what Bob G. did.....Do 50 things that are outside of comfort zone.  Although, I think I'll tweak it to fit me.  I think I'll do 51 things that I've never done before, and if they take me out of my comfort zone all the better, but not a requirement.

So #1  Sold something on Craigs List......and lived to tell about it...a little uncomfortable because of the risk of a serial killer coming to get the desk (everyone knows half the people on CL are maniacal serial killers right?).

     #2  Lead a birthday parade for a mile, and allow myself to be the focus of attention, definitely out of the comfort zone here.

I think there was something else that I've done, but for the life of me I cannot remember what it was.

Survivor is over, it is now 10:45 pm.....the mile is not going to be run tonight, streak ends at 51 (Dr. L's brother wins).

2 things down, 49 to go.

P.S.

I ran mile #51 yesterday.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Thanks

I'd like to thank the academy....oops, wait...that's a different speech.  (Clears throat).....First a huge Thank-You to John, for giving me the idea....well, ok, technically I stole John's idea, but it's only because I am so uncreative, and completely incapable of coming up with such a great idea on my own.  Thank you John for not complaining too much about my blatant theft.....and I still expect you to do your own 50/50, and I also expect an account via blogging, on every single mile.

My second huge Thank-You goes out to Kristine....girl, if you hadn't taken me out to dinner that faithful night (the first mile night), I, one, don't know if I would have remembered about this little odyssey I was contemplating.  And two...I don't think I would have had the motivation to get out and do it if I had remembered.  If it weren't for you girl, I doubt that this journey would have ever been started.  Thanks for motivating me that night, and thanks for accompanying me on mile #1.

Thanks to Julie P. for coaching me that first year.  She helped me to see how my attitude got in my way, she also taught me that I could do way more than I thought I could do.

Thanks to Julie H. for getting as excited about this journey as I, and getting others fired up about it too.

Thanks to everyone who asked me "what mile is it today?", and everyone who ran with me, or ahead of me, if I didn't have such a great group to run with (or behind), I wouldn't have the motivation to keep coming out and running.

What to do now......

Monday, April 4, 2011

Mission Accomplished!

Mile #50 Completed,


 AND.......



DRUM ROLL.......







TIME GOAL ACCOMPLISHED!!!


I really didn't think I was going to meet the goal.  I had abandoned it weeks ago, but secretly still wanted to do it.  I tried again yesterday morning, but my mind always gets in the way and defeats me.

But not today!  There was way too much pressure.  Totally squelched the negative thoughts.  Well and there was the whole parade thing....

Too funny, I was smiling like an idiot running this mile.  Julie made everyone run behind me and had to stay behind me.  So the pressure was definitely on. 

Well and the route was super friendly......down hill for almost half a mile (I don't think I could have met the time without it).

Afterwards we partied!  Whoot Whoot!

For now it is late and past my bedtime.....will post more tomorrow.




Sunday, April 3, 2011

One To go

Mile #49 completed.

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Mile #48 Down, 2 To Go!

Early Saturday morning run today.  Ugh, was tough the first 3 miles....what a struggle.  Got a little easier toward the end....but I was still glad to be done after 5 miles.

Mile #48 completed.

Friday, April 1, 2011

The Road to Glory

This evening on the way home from work I'm thinking I'd just as soon wait an hour or so and run later when it's cooler.  Since I was super hungry I stopped at Panda Express and took home dinner.  Had my dinner and resisted the urge to take a power nap (I can see it now....waking up from my nap at 11:55pm and spoiling it all!). 

So I signed onto FaceBook.  At the time of signing up for FB it seemed like a good idea to lie about my birth date.  I always do on things online.  I just don't care to have my personal information compiled by computer geeks and sold at their whim.  Well, wasn't such a great idea for FB.....cause I guess they send reminders to your friends telling them it's your BD, so I had to clear up that confusion (wouldn't want anyone to think I screwed up with my miles).

As a side note, I have tested Gmail....they scan all outgoing and incoming mail and you'll notice (if you use gmail) that when you open an email oh say it's about running, there will be ads regarding running gear.  Or let's say your personal email is about movies....there will be ads regarding movies.  I've tested this.  Wanted to see what they'd do if an email was about bombs and guns.  No ad for that one.  Test it for yourself.  I'm sure yahoo and hotmail are doing the same thing.  And I'm probably on some list that the secret service or FBI keeps because of that email regarding bombs.

Anyway, saw an old friend on FB and started chatting.  Eeeks!  I need to run.  Late run tonight 9:20pm, was cool when I first started out, but ended up hot after half a mile.  I almost prefer the rain....almost.  At least the threat of pneumonia is gone with this heat.

Mile #47 completed.....ONLY 3 MORE TO GO!!!!!

Oh, and my fortune from my "fortune cracker"  I prefer the term cracker because let's face it, if it doesn't have chocolate chips, sprinkles, icing, or a cream filling....it is not a cookie.  "Your Road To Glory Will Be Fulfilling".  How did those wise folks at Panda know?  They must be in cahoots with gmail ;)  Already at mile #47 I feel fulfilled, this journey has turned into more than I ever thought it would be.  Tamara has asked me a couple of times "what are you going to do after 50".  I don't know....she says I should do another 50 for 50 more years.  I do know that it will be hard to just stop after 50.