Today, I saw a temp of 99 on the sign in front of my credit union. The highest I saw on my thermometer at home was 96. 96, 99, either way it's pretty hot out there! Everywhere I go people are complaining like crazy about the heat. In the bitter cold of winter we long for the beautiful, sunny, warm days of summer and then when they get here all we do is complain, complain, complain. I'm sure not complaining!! I love it!!
No running today; today was cross training. I went to weight workout class.
Last night was a disaster of a speed workout. The plan was 800s on the paved trail. There is a mile marked out in quarters. The plan was 1/2 mile fast, 1/2 mile recover. I made it through 4 repeats. The 4th one came in at 5:04. That's a 10 minute pace, not exactly speedwork. I felt like a fat, out of shape hippo!! I can't even run a half mile in under 10 minute pace. I drank and stood there trying to recover and my heart rate was still 120. I started out to do one more half (the others were already quite a way ahead of me and I'd already told the coach that I was only doing one more and heading back) but barely made it to the 1/4 marker. I turned around and jogged (if it even qualified as jogging!) back then walked back to the school where we parked. When I got back to my car, my heart rate was still over 130. weird. Yep, that proves that I am sooooooo out of shape.
I know know know that the key is to get this 10 pounds of gained weight off of my body and then I can begin to build my fitness back up.
Less than 2 weeks till this semester is over and then I get a 6 week break!!!!!!! I only have one final exam, yayyyyyy!!
Less than 6 months to graduation!!!!!!!!!!!!
6.5 months till KEY WEST!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tomorrow I have a lot on the agenda: bake cookies to take to meet the new neighbors!!!! Also, prepare for the final exam, finish up the last of my homework for this class. I'm almost there!!
Runner Nerd
out of shape hippo!
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Key West, Here comes the world's oldest college student!!!
I am officially registered for my graduation present to myself!! I can't think of a better way to celebrate graduating from college and beginning my new career than to go to one of the coolest places in the world, where it's beautiful in the middle of January, and run a half marathon!!!
When I first started this college journey, my first thought was to do the goofy challenge the 2nd week of January (Disney half marathon on Saturday and Disney marathon on Sunday). It did not take long to realize that there would be no way that I could train for a marathon while going about the business of being the world's oldest full time college student and maintaining that all important 4.0 GPA. When I learned of the Key West half in January I thought that would be perfect! Half marathons are so much easier. I would have over a month after graduation which can go a long way toward getting ready for a half marathon as long as I had a good base.
I'm really excited and looking forward to this!! I've been saying for over 3 years that I'm going to go to Key West after graduating and I can't believe that I am now actually registered for it!! I'm winding up my next to last semester then will have a 6 week break and at the end of August will be beginning my last semester!!
Soooooooo, anyway.... I have registered for...
Now, I have work to do. I'm embarrassed beyond embarrassed to say that I've gained 10 pounds since becoming a full time student. That is number one priority to get rid of that. My mileage has went down to almost nothing, from 25-30 miles per week to 10-12 miles per week. With weight gain and such reduced mileage I am so out of shape. I run soooooo slow. Turtles run faster than me. I have a hard time running under 10 minute miles. When I run with others on Tuesday nights, I can keep up 9 minute miles for a couple of miles but then I really slow down. These days, 4 miles does me in. So, I have to make a comeback! My heel has been bothering me, it's symptoms of the "PF" word. (can't even type it!) I am going to one of the massage therapists at the place I go who has developed a massage technique for PF.
Today I ran 3 miles, my heel was good but afterward I drove about a mile to CVS to get a newspaper and when I got out of the car I had to give it a moment before taking the first step. GEEZ, when is this going to end?????
I have new next door neighbors whom I haven't met yet. I still can't believe the old neighbors are gone :( They built the house and had lived next to us for 21 years. I am planning on making some chocolate chip cookies this week and taking them to the new neighbors and meeting them. The recipe I'm making is one I got from the old neighbor! It's the best chocolate chip recipe ever!!
Runner Nerd
Key West bound
When I first started this college journey, my first thought was to do the goofy challenge the 2nd week of January (Disney half marathon on Saturday and Disney marathon on Sunday). It did not take long to realize that there would be no way that I could train for a marathon while going about the business of being the world's oldest full time college student and maintaining that all important 4.0 GPA. When I learned of the Key West half in January I thought that would be perfect! Half marathons are so much easier. I would have over a month after graduation which can go a long way toward getting ready for a half marathon as long as I had a good base.
I'm really excited and looking forward to this!! I've been saying for over 3 years that I'm going to go to Key West after graduating and I can't believe that I am now actually registered for it!! I'm winding up my next to last semester then will have a 6 week break and at the end of August will be beginning my last semester!!
Soooooooo, anyway.... I have registered for...
Today I ran 3 miles, my heel was good but afterward I drove about a mile to CVS to get a newspaper and when I got out of the car I had to give it a moment before taking the first step. GEEZ, when is this going to end?????
I have new next door neighbors whom I haven't met yet. I still can't believe the old neighbors are gone :( They built the house and had lived next to us for 21 years. I am planning on making some chocolate chip cookies this week and taking them to the new neighbors and meeting them. The recipe I'm making is one I got from the old neighbor! It's the best chocolate chip recipe ever!!
Runner Nerd
Key West bound
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Fun in the sun and heat
Tuesday and Wednesday were beautiful days! Both days saw temps in the 90s!! I love love love it like that!!
Tuesday night only two of us showed up for running group. I know most people don't like running in heat like that. I'm like anyone else; I don't run as well in the heat even though I like it. We ran 4 miles and I was dripping when I was done! The last mile was difficult but I still prefer this over the bitter cold of winter runs. I love wearing shorts and sleeveless tops instead of multiple layers, tights, hats and gloves.
Yesterday it was back to Wednesday night speed workouts now that my Monday/Wednesday evening class is over. It was 92 degrees when I left home. Six people showed up! We ran on the paved trail. We ran fast for two telephone poles and recover for two telephone poles. It's almost the same as doing 200s on the track. We did a 1.1 mile section down and back 3 times. In my out of shapeness and slowness of late, I fell behind everyone else on the third set so I changed my plan to one telephone pole fast, one pole recover. It worked much better for me at that point. We did a cool-down and called it a workout. I was dripping again. I had to run into the grocery store for something and I was still sweating! I'm sure I looked like a dork!! (I don't even want to think about what I probably smelled like!!)
I had not seen the Wednesday people for the last 7 weeks that I had class so I told them that I had registered for the Key West Half Marathon on January 20, 2013 as my graduation present to myself!! They were excited but also told me what I already know - I've got work to do so I can get back to running how I did before becoming the world's oldest college student!!
I've been trying a couple of new drinks. Hammer and Gu both came out with a grapefruit flavored tablet. One of the things I don't like is the sweetness of the sports drinks. There is still some sweetness but there is also that sour/bitter/sharp tangy taste of grapefruit! I like them!
My heel is still bothering me. Tuesday night it did not bother at all while running but by the time I got home it was hurting. Last night it was good while running until, for cool-down, we ran across a field toward where our cars were parked instead of taking the sidewalk to the driveway of the school where we parked. On the grass it hurt. I have trouble even walking across my yard to go to the mailbox. My heel does not like uneven ground.
No running today, went to weight workout class. I hope to run tomorrow and Saturday and then take Sunday and Monday off so I will be good to go for Tuesday night running group. I really need to get an appointment with the massage therapist who has had good results with plantar fasciitis. I will feel like such a traitor going to someone other than my usual sports massage therapist extraordinaire. At least I am going to the same place. This massage therapy studio recommends her for people having trouble with plantar fasciitis so I know my usual guy wouldn't mind.
Runner Nerd
with sore foot :(
Tuesday night only two of us showed up for running group. I know most people don't like running in heat like that. I'm like anyone else; I don't run as well in the heat even though I like it. We ran 4 miles and I was dripping when I was done! The last mile was difficult but I still prefer this over the bitter cold of winter runs. I love wearing shorts and sleeveless tops instead of multiple layers, tights, hats and gloves.
Yesterday it was back to Wednesday night speed workouts now that my Monday/Wednesday evening class is over. It was 92 degrees when I left home. Six people showed up! We ran on the paved trail. We ran fast for two telephone poles and recover for two telephone poles. It's almost the same as doing 200s on the track. We did a 1.1 mile section down and back 3 times. In my out of shapeness and slowness of late, I fell behind everyone else on the third set so I changed my plan to one telephone pole fast, one pole recover. It worked much better for me at that point. We did a cool-down and called it a workout. I was dripping again. I had to run into the grocery store for something and I was still sweating! I'm sure I looked like a dork!! (I don't even want to think about what I probably smelled like!!)
I had not seen the Wednesday people for the last 7 weeks that I had class so I told them that I had registered for the Key West Half Marathon on January 20, 2013 as my graduation present to myself!! They were excited but also told me what I already know - I've got work to do so I can get back to running how I did before becoming the world's oldest college student!!
I've been trying a couple of new drinks. Hammer and Gu both came out with a grapefruit flavored tablet. One of the things I don't like is the sweetness of the sports drinks. There is still some sweetness but there is also that sour/bitter/sharp tangy taste of grapefruit! I like them!
My heel is still bothering me. Tuesday night it did not bother at all while running but by the time I got home it was hurting. Last night it was good while running until, for cool-down, we ran across a field toward where our cars were parked instead of taking the sidewalk to the driveway of the school where we parked. On the grass it hurt. I have trouble even walking across my yard to go to the mailbox. My heel does not like uneven ground.
No running today, went to weight workout class. I hope to run tomorrow and Saturday and then take Sunday and Monday off so I will be good to go for Tuesday night running group. I really need to get an appointment with the massage therapist who has had good results with plantar fasciitis. I will feel like such a traitor going to someone other than my usual sports massage therapist extraordinaire. At least I am going to the same place. This massage therapy studio recommends her for people having trouble with plantar fasciitis so I know my usual guy wouldn't mind.
Runner Nerd
with sore foot :(
Monday, June 18, 2012
Music class done!
Yayyyyyyyyyyyy!! This dumb music class is done! Tonight was the final exam. I have to say, this class wasn't too difficult. We could use notes for the tests. I found that if I took notes during the lecture I had everything I needed. There was also a guide for the exams and if I went over that and looked up everything on it, exams were easy!
For the final, we were allowed to use all notes AND past tests for the final. I got all the notes I took in class and the notes I made for each exam and got them in order and put the chapter tests with the notes for that particular chapter. I also made myself a little guide to what kinds of things to find in each chapter so I could find things. I did not know just what the final exam would be like. It turns out that the final almost went in order from chapter 1 through chapter 27! Not quite but almost! In fact, portions of the exam were right off the earlier tests - exactly! The first thing on the test was a matching - the names of the music periods to match with the dates. I compared it to the first test and both columns were the same!! No way, this is too easy!! The 2nd section was also right off an earlier unit test!! In spite of this, I could hear all this paper shuffling and page turning from all over the room. That was hard to believe since all I'd seen so far was straight from earlier tests. I couldn't help but think, is it possible that other students didn't bring their old tests??????? I was surprised at how fast I went through the test! There were a few times I had to go back through notes I had taken during class to find things that had not appeared on past tests, but most was easy to find on the old tests. I was the first person to finish the test; that never happens! I turned in my test then packed up my notes and as I was leaving all the other students were shuffling through messy piles of papers. I just find it so hard to believe that nobody else got their notes organized and in order. Oh well, it's not my problem!! I am just glad that the class is over!! Now I can focus all my attention on the classes that count for my career - the respiratory therapy classes. I now have a humanities credit so I am set for life!!
Soooooo, that's that!!
Runner Nerd
aces final exams!
For the final, we were allowed to use all notes AND past tests for the final. I got all the notes I took in class and the notes I made for each exam and got them in order and put the chapter tests with the notes for that particular chapter. I also made myself a little guide to what kinds of things to find in each chapter so I could find things. I did not know just what the final exam would be like. It turns out that the final almost went in order from chapter 1 through chapter 27! Not quite but almost! In fact, portions of the exam were right off the earlier tests - exactly! The first thing on the test was a matching - the names of the music periods to match with the dates. I compared it to the first test and both columns were the same!! No way, this is too easy!! The 2nd section was also right off an earlier unit test!! In spite of this, I could hear all this paper shuffling and page turning from all over the room. That was hard to believe since all I'd seen so far was straight from earlier tests. I couldn't help but think, is it possible that other students didn't bring their old tests??????? I was surprised at how fast I went through the test! There were a few times I had to go back through notes I had taken during class to find things that had not appeared on past tests, but most was easy to find on the old tests. I was the first person to finish the test; that never happens! I turned in my test then packed up my notes and as I was leaving all the other students were shuffling through messy piles of papers. I just find it so hard to believe that nobody else got their notes organized and in order. Oh well, it's not my problem!! I am just glad that the class is over!! Now I can focus all my attention on the classes that count for my career - the respiratory therapy classes. I now have a humanities credit so I am set for life!!
Soooooo, that's that!!
Runner Nerd
aces final exams!
Monday, June 11, 2012
Well, that was interesting
I have mentioned my dumb music class this summer; I can't become a respiratory therapist without taking a class from a list of classes that qualify as a humanities credit.
Today there was a report due, it was a jazz report. We were given a list of jazz musicians to choose from and guidelines for the project. We also had to give a presentation on the musician. The one thing the professor said was, "Do not stand up here and just read your paper". He said that it wasn't necessary to make a power-point but to have something visual, such as a picture. We were also to play some music from the musician. Sounds simple. Well....must be it wasn't so simple because six or seven of the students stood up there and just read their papers. I was beginning to get worried after the first two students just stood up there and read their papers. I started to think I had misunderstood; I wondered if I was going to be the only one with slides. There were others with slides; I wasn't nuts! My presentation rocked!! I had slides, I was prepared, I knew the material so I did not just read from a paper or from the slides. I had clips of songs in my power-point. I better get a better grade than the paper readers.
Oh, the funniest thing from class tonight - When the professor said it was time to begin class, he started passing out tests. The young man behind me said, "what? I didn't know about that". Hmmmm....I seem to remember that it's right there on the syllabus:
Today there was a report due, it was a jazz report. We were given a list of jazz musicians to choose from and guidelines for the project. We also had to give a presentation on the musician. The one thing the professor said was, "Do not stand up here and just read your paper". He said that it wasn't necessary to make a power-point but to have something visual, such as a picture. We were also to play some music from the musician. Sounds simple. Well....must be it wasn't so simple because six or seven of the students stood up there and just read their papers. I was beginning to get worried after the first two students just stood up there and read their papers. I started to think I had misunderstood; I wondered if I was going to be the only one with slides. There were others with slides; I wasn't nuts! My presentation rocked!! I had slides, I was prepared, I knew the material so I did not just read from a paper or from the slides. I had clips of songs in my power-point. I better get a better grade than the paper readers.
Oh, the funniest thing from class tonight - When the professor said it was time to begin class, he started passing out tests. The young man behind me said, "what? I didn't know about that". Hmmmm....I seem to remember that it's right there on the syllabus:
Mon. 6/11 Test Chapters 23,24,25 Jazz reports due Oral presentations
Sometimes it just amazes me. I always check the syllabus for assignments, test dates, etc. I also make a master calendar with the dates from all of my classes. I print out a simple calendar from a website and put the due dates, test dates, etc from all the classes so I can just look at it and see everything. How can you not know that there is a test in a class????
OK, I'm done now. I'm glad that this report and presentation are done. Only one more class next Monday and this class is done!!!!
Tomorrow is a long day of respiratory classes so I'm off to bed now.
Runner Nerd
follows directions on projects
Sunday, June 10, 2012
My kind of weather and my time of year!!!!
YESSSSSS!!!!! I loved today!! The high temp was 91 degrees! I even got to go for a run today! I have to admit that I, like anyone else, do not run as well when it's this hot. I ran slower than usual and sweat more than usual! I just love the sunshine and the feeling of 1 layer of shorts and sleeveless shirt! In the middle of winter while wearing layers of long running clothes, I long for these days.
At 7am, I looked at the weather thingy on my ipod and it said 70 degrees with the high reaching 91. I thought to myself that I should get going before the temp gets too much higher but...I didn't quite make it!! It was after 10 before I got going. (and, yes, it was 90 by then.)
It was fun while it lasted and then it was back home to get working on a project for the music class. I got it done, yippie! I also worked on some other homework for that class. What a way to ruin a beautiful day. Being the world's oldest college student requires sacrifice.
It's close to my favorite time of the year, the time when it's light out super early and still light out between 9:30 - 9:45 pm!! Tonight I noticed that it was still a tiny bit light out at 9:30. That's the great thing about living on the western side of a time zone!!
I am down to 6 months until I graduate!! I'm excited and it won't come soon enough! Until then, I have to just keep at it no matter how hard it is to stay focused.
Runner Nerd
sweaty but smart
At 7am, I looked at the weather thingy on my ipod and it said 70 degrees with the high reaching 91. I thought to myself that I should get going before the temp gets too much higher but...I didn't quite make it!! It was after 10 before I got going. (and, yes, it was 90 by then.)
It was fun while it lasted and then it was back home to get working on a project for the music class. I got it done, yippie! I also worked on some other homework for that class. What a way to ruin a beautiful day. Being the world's oldest college student requires sacrifice.
It's close to my favorite time of the year, the time when it's light out super early and still light out between 9:30 - 9:45 pm!! Tonight I noticed that it was still a tiny bit light out at 9:30. That's the great thing about living on the western side of a time zone!!
I am down to 6 months until I graduate!! I'm excited and it won't come soon enough! Until then, I have to just keep at it no matter how hard it is to stay focused.
Runner Nerd
sweaty but smart
Saturday, June 9, 2012
No recess
Today was a beautiful, sunny, warm day. It was one of those days when you just wanted to be outdoors. For me, the world's oldest college student, there was no recess today. I had to work on a paper for my dumb music class. I went to the college to print some articles, stopped at the grocery store for a few things, and I was headed back home to work on the paper. The library was deserted today; I think it's the first time it's ever been quiet in there!! I was probably the only college student doing homework today. I started the paper yesterday but it wasn't finished. After 5 hours, it was finally finished!! All I have to say is, seriously??? I need this to be a respiratory therapist???? (this class is my required humanities credit) Tomorrow I have to get an oral presentation together. It won't take too long. I'm going to make a few powerpoint slides and write out a few highlights from my paper. I found on Amazon in the mp3 downloads that you can preview songs. The previews are about 30 seconds long. I'm going to use that as my audio examples of my composers music.
I didn't even run on this really great day. Even though I still have work to do tomorrow for this dumb project for this dumb class, I do hope to get a run in .
Runner Nerd
had to stay inside all day
I didn't even run on this really great day. Even though I still have work to do tomorrow for this dumb project for this dumb class, I do hope to get a run in .
Runner Nerd
had to stay inside all day
Saturday, June 2, 2012
The things I do!!
Today I volunteered for the local running store at the expo of a half marathon taking place tomorrow. I dressed as the Statue of Liberty to hand out brochures of an upcoming patriotic themed race!! My running store of choice, Running Fit, is known for crazy, weird events and this is going to be one of them! They are attempting to set a Guinness record of the most running Statues of Liberties! Running Fit has purchased 1500 of these costumes and hope to get 1500 people to run in them. It was fun and kids wanted to have their picture taken with me!!! A couple people just took pictures! I also ended up giving directions to restrooms, pointing out where the the race numbers were posted, where to head to pick up packets, stopped people heading in without getting their bib number from the wall first! I was very useful in spite of my silly appearance!!
The things I do!!
After the expo, I went over to Bandemer Park to run a few miles. My heel hurt when I started running so I ended up having to walk a half mile to get my heel and ankle stretched out so I could run. I ran so slow. The trail along the headrace is now paved. I wish they had left it dirt; it was my 2nd favorite part of my favorite 4.5 mile route. Oh well. After coming out of Argo woods and along the boardwalk back into Bandemer Park, as I came under the highway bridge - there was a car laying upside down in the grass alongside Barton Drive. The people were all out and were ok. That was unexpected!! I finished up and headed home.
Tomorrow I am walking a CF walk (cystic fibrosis) with some of my respiratory therapy classmates and our teachers. I'm not sure what the distance is; I don't know if it's a 5K or just a mile or some other distance. I once walked a 5K and it was harder than running one.
I didn't do any homework today - not very nerdlike.
Runner Nerd
does silly things
 | |||||||||
| One of the kids who got his picture taken with me! |
After the expo, I went over to Bandemer Park to run a few miles. My heel hurt when I started running so I ended up having to walk a half mile to get my heel and ankle stretched out so I could run. I ran so slow. The trail along the headrace is now paved. I wish they had left it dirt; it was my 2nd favorite part of my favorite 4.5 mile route. Oh well. After coming out of Argo woods and along the boardwalk back into Bandemer Park, as I came under the highway bridge - there was a car laying upside down in the grass alongside Barton Drive. The people were all out and were ok. That was unexpected!! I finished up and headed home.
Tomorrow I am walking a CF walk (cystic fibrosis) with some of my respiratory therapy classmates and our teachers. I'm not sure what the distance is; I don't know if it's a 5K or just a mile or some other distance. I once walked a 5K and it was harder than running one.
I didn't do any homework today - not very nerdlike.
Runner Nerd
does silly things
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