Water Everywhere!!

I've heard of "water under the bridge" but what about water OVER the bridge?

I had to do my long run on Friday afternoon this week.  I had to move most of my daughter's junk stuff out of her dorm today. 
The Huron River always swells in the spring but this was quite something!  In several places along my route there was some water on the trails but in one area the trail was completely under water!!  A bridge was even under water!  These pictures were taken in Fuller Park along Island Drive. 

I guess I am NOT going to continue over this bridge!

the river is on the other side of those trees!



The Huron River overflowed!



DETOUR!!!



Too much water



The river is supposed to stop on the other side of the trees.

It's now down to only 4 weeks until the half marathon.  I'm still running so slow.  Next Saturday my son graduates from college so I am not sure hwo I am going to work in my long run.  I will probably have to try to run on Friday again.

What ever happened to My Space????????

I have no idea why I did this or what even put the idea into my head; I logged into my old My Space page.  I had not logged in to it since October 30, 2009.  I had a blog on there and I read quite a few entries and I discovered that I was a much better writer back then.  It's weird but they are written so differently.  I think I had a lot more time to spend on it.  I don't even hear people talk about My Space anymore; I had forgotten about it.  I should probably figure out how to make sure all of those blog entried are saved somewhere else so that I don't loose all of that if unlogged into My Space accounts ever disappear.  (or even if My Space itself ever disappears). 
Well, that's all!! 
Time for bed. 

Running without guilt!!! AND Nerd status retained!!!!!!

9 am: a very difficult final exam for which I studied for all last week and weekend.
Then: work 4 hours
Then: check to see if exam grade posted just before leaving work.
Then: see excellent grade on final exam and see 4.0 for overall class grade!
Then: go to park where my favorite running route starts.
Then: change clothes in back seat of car (thanks to the miracle of tinted windows!).
Then: take off on a fun, guilt free 4.5 mile run along the Huron River on a beautiful, sunny and nearly 70 degree afternoon!!  Oh, it felt sooooooo great!!  The weather and no weight of the world on my shoulders!!! (or at least the weight of my future career!)  I saw BABY duckies for the first time this year during my run!!  It must be spring for sure!!  The rowing crews were out on Argo Pond and there was even some muddy spots on the Argo Bluff trail though the woods!!! 
I have 5 whole days off before the next semester begins!!!  I rented a DVD on the way home after running!!  I haven't done that in a very long time. 
I have nothing to do!!!!!!!!!!!!!  WOW, what a feeling!!!!  Well, I guess that isn't entirely true.  My house is a mess and my car looks like I live in it so I guess I could find something to do but maybe tomorrow!!  I should probably mail my son's graduation announcements too, after all, graduation is May 7th! 
The class that ended today was tough.  I went into this final one point below a 4.0.  I HAD to ace this final to bring my percentage up to a 4.0.  I barely got the 4.0.  I went into my other final well into 4.0 range and would have had to really mess up to bring my grade down below a 4.0. (I prefer it that way!)  Next semester I'll have 2 classes again and I start hospital clinicals 2 full days per week.  I will be in classes 2 full days and clinical 2 full days.  Today was also the last day that I will be working.  It's bittersweet; I will miss some things about my job but it is too difficult to try to work and go to school full time.  I am still an employee and will be working during August when I have the month off between summer and fall semesters.  I was really glad that they wanted to keep me on as an inactive employee. 

Well, I'm going to go watch that DVD now!!!!!!!!!  Don't look for me very early tomorrow morning either!!!

Runner Nerd
who is on a 5 day nerd break!

April 24th Easter & kid birthday

My oldest kid turned 23 today!  I can't remember his birthday ever being on Easter before; I'm pretty sure that this is the first time. 
He graduates college in 2 weeks!!!  I'm still trying to figure out where all those years went! 

5 weeks

I did my long run today wearing summer running clothes!!!!  I ran 10 miles after not running at all last weekend.  I had in mind to try to run right around 9:50 per mile but I couldn't quite do it.  Right now the thought of running a half marathon in 5 weeks is not a pleasant thought.  When I finished my 10 mile run the first thought I had was that I still had 3.1 miles to go for a half marathon.  I don't know; somehow I will get through it.  I'm thinking maybe 11 miles next week and 12 the next 2 weeks then the last 2 weeks until the half marathon will be a taper. 

Well, those thoughts are going to have to wait since I have the final exam of my life on Tuesday and have lots of studying to do.  Tomorrow is Easter and, as bad as this sounds, I don't have time for a holiday right now. With this final hanging over my head it's hard to get excited about anything.  I actually wasn't sure I was going to run this weekend but when I first let the dog out this morning I realized that I didn't feel the blast of cold air when I opened the door.  Then when he wrapped his leash around the light pole and I had to go out there and walk him around it I was shocked that it felt so warm.  I checked the temp and it was 57 degrees!!!!  Then I knew that I HAD to go running!!  I put on shorts and a short sleeve shirt and took off for Hudson Mills.  It was really nice to run in decent weather again.  BUT...now I have to make up for that 2.5 hours I was gone and get to work on studying for this exam.  Yippie. 

I saw something today that I have never seen before.  A dude was riding a bike around with a large BIRD sitting on the handlebars!!!  I saw him 3 different times while I was running.  As far as I could see there was nothing on the bird such a little birdy harness in case he tried to fly away.  Must be a very well behaved bird, especially since there are many many dogs being walked!!  It was really cool to see! 

OK, the running part is over so... back to being the world's oldest college student!!

Runner Nerd

Welcome back to speedwork!

The last 2 weeks I did speedwork with some people from the gym, led by the triathlon coach.  The last 2 weeks went pretty good; the workouts were 3-3.5 miles plus warm up and cool down and we were done in less than an hour.  The first week was in pouring rain, last week we were out there running in summer clothes. Today we were back in tights and long sleeve shirts (I wore 2 shirts).  This was one crazy killer workout.  2 sets 1200 fast, 400 slow; 2 sets 800 fast, 400 slow; 2 sets 400 fast, 400 slow; 4 sets 200 fast, 200 slow.  We had a 1 mile warm up and 2 mile cool down.  If  I have calculated this all correctly, it's a total of 8.5 miles.  THAT'S NUTS!!! 
I am not fond of any speedwork over 400s.  When I saw in coach's email yesterday first line: "1200 fast then 400 slow then repeat"  I considered skipping it!!  By the 2nd 800 my legs felt finished.  We went off the track for the cooldown, a paved rail-to-trail runs right behind this high school track so we headed over there and ran a mile down and back.  (there is a mile marked out behind the school with each 1/4 marked; I figured we'd run to the half mile then turn around but noooooooo they just kept going.  The last half mile back I was barely moving anymore.  I was worn out!!  When I got into my car it was 7:45 and we had started right at 6. 
I'm sore now  You know, I really should use that big black post looking thingy sitting over there in the corner collecting dust (AKA foam roller) but that would result in more pain!!!

Well, I'm plopped in my chair and I'm going to watch my favorite show (and the only TVshow I watch), Ghost Hunters!!!!!!!!

Runner Nerd

One final down, one to go!

Just like the title says, one final down and one more to go!!!  One of my class's final was today even though there is still one more week to the semester.  I'm pretty sure I did ok.  I am pretty sure I will end of up with a 4.0.  I am glad this final is out of the way and that I only have to study for one at a time. 
I didn't even run this past weekend.  OH, CRAP, my half marathon is only 6 weeks away.  Train?  Oh, am I supposed to train???  I was talking with a friend of mine today and made the comment that I sure hope that I can finish the half marathon before the marathon winner finishes.  It's been a long time since I've run a half when there was a full marathon going on at the same time.  I've always finished before the marathon winner and then watched the male and female marathon winners cross.  He asked if there would be big time elite racers there.  This is a small marathon/half marathon and no elites will be there.  I looked up the results from last year and the winning time was 2:24:09.  I can't imagine being that long even if I do go over 2 hours.  Even so, I still want to finish under 2 hours.   It sure would be nice if the weather would improve and make it pleasant to go running.  Soon, I hope. 

SNOW on April 18th?????? HUH????

Snow?? Seriously??  Is this God's idea of a huge joke? 
I saw it online yesterday afternoon when I got home from my fabulously fun afternoon of studying at the library.  I was awake at 4am and looked out and there was no snow and I said, "thank goodness that never happened!"  (the forecast was snow beginning at 3am)  Well, the joke was definitely on me because when I woke up to get up around 9am the first thing I noticed in the window was the sight of snow falling and then looked out and everything was white.  My son's truck was completely covered in snow. 
Thankfully, it didn't stick around very long; the snow is all gone now. 

Well, that didn't last long.

One day of 80 degrees; is that really all we get?????  I'm glad I ran in it.  Today was in the low 50s and a chilly wind.  Yes, it's better than teens, single digits and sub-zero and I would definitely prefer this instead. 

Time to start studying for finals.  Soooooo excited.  My brain hurts just thinking about it. 

Runner Nerd

Spring?? Will it stay?

Today the temperature hit 80!!!  Yep!!  I noticed that it was sunny outside from my view out the dining room window as I was working on my paper which is due tomorrow (now finished).  I decided to open the window and the air coming in felt warm, I checked the themometer and it said 78!!  I had to walk outside and see for myself and then I just knew that I had to do it!!  In spite of the fact that I had to finish that paper and then study for the test I have tomorrow I just had to do it.  There was no way that I could not do it!!  It is going for a run!!  I dug out the cute running skirt I wore in the marathon last October and even ran in a sleeveless top!!  The temperature had hit 80 by the time I got to the trail to run!  It felt great! 

Well, I better get back to studying for that test!!

Runner Nerd
Happy runner today! 

I still run slow

My last post was titled, " I run slow" and began with ordering my son's college graduation announcements.  Well....the announcements arrived and I got a bit teary and choked up when I looked at them and I STILL run slow! 
This semester is getting closer to being over; I think there is only 3 weeks to go.  I have more work than ever to do before the last day.  I have one test after another in these next 3 weeks.  I haven't even started to prepare for finals yet.  Just thinking about it makes my brain hurt.  There is no break between semesters either.  My last class for this term is on a Tuesday and the following Monday Summer term begins.  5 days to relax!!!!!!!!  I need to clean my car out; it looks like I live in it.  I've never slept in my car but it sure looks like I live out of it!!!  I also need to do major house cleaning that I have neglected.  Yeah, I'm going to spend my 5 days off cleaning my car and house....NOTTTTTTT!!!!  I want to sleep in every morning like when I worked nights back in the day.  I want to go running.  I want to go to movies.  I want to read something other than textbooks.  I don't want to do anything grown up related!!!  We will see what happens! 

My half marathon is 7 weeks out from today.  Do I ever have a long way to go in those 7 weeks.  I ran 6 today and it nearly did me in.  It seemed more difficult than when I ran 10 last Saturday.  I did have a 9:17 and a 9:22 mile (miles 4&5) don't know where those came from!!  Then the last mile was 10:09.  I did speedwork with a group on Tuesday.  That was a first in a long time!  We did sets of 400, 200, 200 with 200 recovery in between each repeat and a few extra seconds between each set.  4 sets total.  I was amazed that my 400s were ALL under 2 minutes.  3 at 1:58 (wow-imagine me consistent!) and one at 1:52 (hard to believe!)  the 200s were between 52 and 58 except for the very last one which was 1 minute even; I was worn out.  It rained the whole time.  There were 3 of us out there running around the track in the rain; I can't imagine what that looked like!!  I told the coach that it was stupid and he said, "and you drove here to do this"!!!  I hate running in rain and I hate being cold so WHY was I there????? 
The most exciting thing I have to say is that today for the very first time this year I ran in shorts and short sleeves!!!! I hope that is a trend that will continue!!  It was wonderful to do so! 

Well, I'm falling asleep so I guess I need to go crawl into bed. 

Runner Nerd

I Run Slow

Sooooo, the other day I ordered college graduation announcements for my oldest kid.  I know this is what everyone says and it's totally dorky but it's true:  it seems like just yesterday I was leaving him off at his first day of kindergarten.  I really don't think I am old enough to have a kid fully grown up!!! 
I'm very proud of him and I am very happy that I am done sending money to Michigan State University!!!!  Although...there is the $160 diploma frame that the kid wants and the Student Bookstore keeps sending me reminders that my kid wants it!!  I've heard that it takes several months before they actually get the diploma so it can wait till after graduation. 

I am down to 8 weeks out from the half marathon I registered for wayyyyy back on December 1st.  I have a really really long way to go in those 8 weeks.  The last 3 weeks I've cut 2 of my long runs short.  The first time it was because I was having a bad reaction to a tetanus shot but I don't know what to say about  last week.  The first time I cut 8 back to 6 then the next week I ran 8 and last week intended to run 10 but barely made it 8 miles.  Both weeks that I ran 8 the last mile was really tough.  Today my last mile was also really tough although mile 9 was the slowest.  I must be so out of shape; I can't even run under 10 minute miles after 2 or 3 miles.  It's such an effort too.   I am really sore after long runs which is odd.  Not just a little sore but a lot sore.   The half marathon is quite flat and I really really really want to run it in under 2 hours.
I need to run more than 12 or 15 miles per week but it's difficult to do with full time school and part time work.  I'm still working even though I quit a long time ago; I'm not sure how that happened!  Beginning this week I will have class on Fridays through the end of the semester.  It's getting close to finals time too and I need to study A LOT.  The last few weeks there have been many times I wanted to go running but didn't so I could study and do homework.  Tomorrow I will be at the library all afternoon studying for tests I have on Monday and Tuesday.  I don't think it can get any more exciting than that! 

Well, I am going to take my sore legs and crawl up the stairs and crawl into bed and hope that they hurt less tomorrow morning! 

(slow) Runner Nerd