It sure is lonesome in mine

Lately, my life feels like a country song.

"What's going on in your world? It sure is lonesome in mine." I always liked that George Strait song until I started living it.

OK, so it's not really that bad. But, working by yourself is not all that fun. And, not having having a running group is not all that fun either. Or any friends at all (besides my boyfriend and dog, of course).

So, I get really excited when I go the gym and actually see people.

... or maybe not.

But, I only have a few more days in Florence, SC, before heading home to Florida ... I think I can make it, I think I can make it.

Actually, the gym (empty as it is in the evening) and hiking are two things I will really miss. And, spending evenings with my boyfriend (mornings not so much ...) going to the gym and hiking.

At least it's been a healthy trip. Well, aside from last weekend's visit to my boyfriend's parents in Greenville, SC. His mom is an incredible chef, and I feel like we mostly ate while we were there. And, no running to be seen. I'm blaming it on the fact that his parents don't use their air conditioner ... IN JULY ... IN THE SOUTH ... so the idea of sweating more was really unappealing.

Aside from the 8-hour drive (and losing an incredible gym, hiking spot and time with my boyfriend), I can't wait to be home on Saturday and go running with my group on Sunday. Ahh!

What's going on in your world? Anything exciting? Anything involving people?

A whirlwind week

This week is a whirlwind (rain, wind, a leaky roof, the scariest drive ever, major cleaning, hectic workweek, my dad visiting), so my thoughts are a whirlwind, too.

• Debby has left the area, and I have left the craptastic gym. That place wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be, thank goodness. 

• I’m not really excited about the running part of this All-Star Game 5K run. I’ve decided 5Ks just really aren’t my thing. I get frustrated that I’m not faster (it doesn’t bother me as much in half marathons, but I get really irritated with myself with 5Ks). I guess I’ll just approach it with a “just have fun” attitude, not worry about time and take in all the baseball goodness.
• I got sucked into the YouTube music vortex earlier this week, and now I can stop listening to this song and reliving the good rap days of the 1990s-early 2000s. Man, I miss good rap and good Busta Rhymes. Note: this is an uncensored version and contains foul language. Sorry.

 

• I don’t have a potty mouth, and I rarely (if ever) utter a curse word. But, I’m completely OK with expletive-filled raps.

The craptastic gym saga

You may remember that I recently did something brilliant. 

I stole the fan from the craptastic condo gym's weight room and put it on top of the elliptical in front of the treadmill. Genius, if I do say so myself.

When I say stole, I really mean borrowed. Even though I thought both the cardio and weight area equally deserved a fan, I put it back where I found it.

Every craptastic gym visit, I went to the weight room, grabbed the fan, set it up, ran and then replaced the fan when I was done. 

Until I saw this.

 Yes, those are TWO fans in the weight area. Uncool, weight room. Uncool.

So, at that point, I decided it was OK to leave one in the cardio area. Cardio folks deserve air movement, too. We're sure not getting it by opening the windows.

So, I left a fan in the cardio area. Seems fair, right?

Well, last night I arrived at the craptastic gym and found this.

Yes, that's a new fan with "DO NOT REMOVE" written on the bottom. Perplexing. 

When I went to the weight room to see what was up with their fans, I found this on the door. 

 And, the door was locked.

So, this leaves me with many questions:

• How does an entire weight room because inoperable? I understand if a machine didn't work, but the whole room?
• What happened in there? Did someone have 'roid rage because it was too hot with only one fan? Or did someone sweat so much with only fan that the room needed to be fumigated?
• Did I have anything to do with the fan with the giant "DO NOT REMOVE" message? Or was that directed at weight room fan hogs?

Less sweat in the craptastic gym

If you've been reading this blog for any amount of time, you know I have some issues with my craptastic condo gym. My main issue: they cheap out and keep the temperature high. Way too high for working out. 

I sweat a lot anyway, but I end any attempted run as a complete sweatball. Luckily, no one else uses the craptastic gym when I do (or ever), so no one has to bask in my sweatiness. But, I really don't enjoy the massive amounts of sweat and feeling like I'm going to pass out from an easy 3-mile run. 

So, I took matters into my own hands.

  

Why, yes, that is a fan sitting on the back of an elliptical aimed at the treadmill. Why, yes, that is a fan I stole from the weights area of the craptastic gym. One of my better decisions.

A week later, I ran

So, I didn't make it to my running group on Sunday morning. That unmotivated feeling I was having really didn't go away. But, I did run tonight (for the first time since my half marathon). In the craptastically hot gym. On a dreadtreadmill.

I just ran 3 easy miles, and it felt good – aside from the smothering heat and limited air circulation. The fan was working tonight, but it only hits at ankle level. This is better than nothing, and I can't say I mind having cool ankles, but I'd appreciate some air movement on the remaining 99% of my body.

To pass the time, I watched part of "Kourtney and Kim Take New York" (and some Monday Night Football) ... please tell me why I'm still watching the Kardashians? Oh, yeah. I got hooked when Kim was dating Reggie Bush. I watched each episode in hopes of catching a glimpse of gorgeous Reggie, and thankfully, I got those glimpses. But, he and Kim are broken up, and have been for years ... well, at least a year (this girl moves fast). I just never quit watching. But, I think you'll understand why I needed to watch it.

 

Now, I don't need to watch it. That Kris Humphries guy seems like a jerk, and a severe step down from Reggie. But, if that silly show is on, I'll watch it. It's not a must watch, but if it's on, I'll usually see what's up.

Tomorrow, I'm back to running outside with my group. And without the Kardashians.

Day 27 (Oct. 9)

After last week's Best. Run. Ever., I was excited to tackle 8 miles this week for our long run.

Problem: I didn't go to the group run, which is always so much better than running by myself. I think it could have been rained out; I'm not sure. I woke up and received a weather report from a reliable source (my boyfriend) that it was raining in Tampa. I live in Clearwater, which is about a 12-minute drive to Tampa. I debated, but I finally decided it wasn't worth the drive with such a high possibility of the run being rained out anyway.

But, since I was already awake, and it wasn't raining in Clearwater, I decided to run my 8 miles here. In my neighborhood, we have a 2.8-mile sidewalk loop, which is nice in some ways and daunting in others. I like not being far from home at any point in my run. But, I don't like the idea of needing to run around the same route almost three times to get in my mileage.

My legs still felt fatigued, but I was determined to get my long run in to stay on track with my training schedule.

It was overcast, but not nearly as cool as last week. Boo! And, the run wasn't nearly as smooth as last week. I didn't feel great from the start, but I stuck it out ... for awhile. At almost 3 miles, it started sprinkling. I decided to head back just in case the rain got harder (advantage: loop). Smart decision on my part. By the time I got home, it was pouring.

So, I started thinking about my options. I could: (a). wait for the rain to stop to finish my run, (b). hit the treadmill in the craptastic gym, or (c). give up and call it a day. I opted for (b). Surprised, right? I know that I go on and on about the craptasticness of this gym, but it seemed like the best option. I thought that if the fan was fixed, and I could find an old "Beverly Hills 90210" episode on TV, it might even be fun.

I got all psyched to run while watching the drama unfold between Kelly and Brenda or Donna and David or Brandon and Steve. And there is always the wonderful possibility of catching one of three episodes Dean Cain appeared as Rick. Problem: both of the treadmills were in use. Argh! There's never anyone in the gym (for good reason), but I guess the rain brought everyone there.

So, I'm now down to option (a) or (c). I went for option (c). I feel like I gave the run a valiant effort. But, at this point, I was frustrated. Considering it's still raining three hours later as I'm typing this, (a) wasn't going to work either.

Instead of an 8-mile run, I did a 3-mile run. Not exactly the same. Now, I'm not sure what I do ... do I try to run 8 miles on Monday? I don't even know if I have the time to fit it in on a weekday. Do I want to run 8 miles Monday, and then do a speed workout on Tuesday? Is that too much? Do I need a rest day after a long run? Is it OK to miss that long of a run? Ahh! Pesky rain brought on all kinds of questions.

Day 25 (Oct. 4)

Tuesdays are dreaded speed intervals day!

This week’s workout involved running a total of 50 minutes. Easy enough, right? Well, throw three five-minute speed intervals in there. It was difficult, but manageable. I made it, and I was really happy with my time. My hard intervals were significantly faster, and my warm up and recovery times weren’t too shabby either. Yay! Improvement!

Since I always include pictures of the crappy gym, I thought I should include a more pleasant photo of my Tuesday-Thursday route.

The big, scary sun is really big and scary. It’s getting less big and scary with somewhat cooler temperatures, but it is still my enemy. I’m pale. And, I sweat a lot. These are two things that are in direct conflict with the sun.

But, I think training in the hot sun beginning in September will make running in cooler months a breeze … or so I’m hoping. If Sunday is any indication, this theory is coming true.

Aside from the big scary sun, you can see a nice flat road. I like flat roads. At least for running, I do. Our group of about 20 girls runs along this road every Tuesday and Thursday. We actually run on the road for about a mile before we hit a sidewalk. There isn’t much traffic since it is an airport service road. I’m thinking of investing in some fluorescent running clothes before the time change. I always wear black pants and a darker shirt. I’d prefer to not get hit by a car, so maybe some bright colored shirts are in order.

I don’t care if I have to deal with a big, scary sun or traffic; it’s still better than the craptastic gym.

Day 22 (Sept. 27)

Due to a pesky thing called work, I missed our group training run on Tuesday. Boo!

But, I was determined to stay on track. After getting home late, and after it raining buckets during the day, I decided to hit the craptastic gym for a treadmill run. I know, I know. I already said I highly disliked the treadmill and that sorry excuse for a gym. But, it was after 9 p.m. by the time I was ready to run. And, there are some deep puddles around the neighborhood from the buckets of rain we’ve been getting lately (How do I know this? I stepped in one while walking my dog. It was a foot deep, seriously.).

When I arrived at the gym that looks more like a kitchen, I noticed the fan was unplugged. Since I sweat an extreme amount last time, the first thing I did was plug it in and turn it on. Well, there was a reason it was unplugged, it didn’t work. Argh!

I had some issues getting the TV working, too, but thank goodness, it eventually came on. After finding the Rays-Yankees game (Go Rays!), I hit the treadmill. After my last incident with the safety key on one of the treadmills, I decided to give the other one a shot.

Tonight was a speed interval night: four, three-minute hard intervals followed by three-minute jogs, with a total run of 45 minutes. All was well for about four minutes. Then, I started sweating profusely. Darn! This so-called gym is blazing hot!



I ran a 10-minute warm up, and then I started in on the speed intervals. I ran two of the three-minute hard intervals with three-minute jogs in between each. After my third three-minute hard interval, I walked the three minutes (solely due to sweat recovery) instead of jogging. Sweat was beaded on my arms. Sheesh! I did the next hard interval with a three-minute recovery walk (again to try and control the sweat). I ran the remaining time slowly (and sweat profusely). Man! I’m OK with the limited equipment, kitchen-like appearance, and cheesy artwork, but get some decent ventilation in this place, people!

Knowing for certain that this ridiculous amount of sweat would come across in a photo, I snapped one after the run.

Um, hmm. Maybe not. Sweaty, yes. But, it really doesn’t convey the level of sweat that was occurring (although it does showcase one of the causes – the broken fan).

I’m glad I got the run accomplished, even if it was in a sauna setting. So many nights after working late, I crawl home, watch a little TV and hit the bed. Things are changing, though! This training group keeps me extremely accountable – I don’t want to fall behind. I’d highly recommend a group to anyone training for a race (or just wanting to run, period). It really is changing my life (ha! That sounds so dramatic and so not me, but I really feel like this).

Day 20 (Sept. 22)

A thunderstorm rolled into the area about 4:30 p.m. I thought it was the typical Florida afternoon storm, and I thought the rain would clear long before our training group's 6:30 p.m. run. I thought wrong.


When I left work about 5:50 p.m., it was still raining. After walking to my car and trying my best to avoid the rivers and lakes that formed in what used to be streets and parking lots, I started toward our group meeting place. I figured the rain could clear. If not, our coach has indoor lesson plans. This is when things started going downhill.


Traffic was a nightmare (as it usually is when it rains). I finally got to my exit, and traffic was backed up on the exit ramp almost to the interstate. I figured there must be a wreck at the bottom of the ramp. I figured wrong.


While waiting on the ramp, I noticed a raging river. Problem: no river is usually there. I noticed this raging river flowing along the ramp and wondered where it was going. I found my answer at the bottom of the ramp: the road I needed to take to get to our training group.


After watching other cars drive into the deep water, I thought I'd give it a shot. I didn't really have any other options ... unless I wanted to wait for the water to go down. I'm not patient, so this wasn't going to work for me. Thank goodness I have an SUV, so I made it through. Problem #2: the next intersection was the same ... maybe worse. At this point, I made the decision to just go home. But, I still had to get through the water. After turning left through more deep water (off of the flooded road), I thought my troubles were over. I was wrong yet again.


The road I was now on was clear for a bit ... then I hit more water. This was definitely the deepest water I encountered. Cars were stalled. Some were just waiting it out. Eek. Since I knew I wasn't waiting, I had to make the decision to go through this deep water or turn around and go through the other two sections of water that I went through to get here. As mentioned, since I'm not patient, I really didn't feel like going back into the traffic mess I just managed to free myself from. I waited and watched other cars try to make it through. Most cars failed. But, trucks, SUVs and vans seem to be able to make it. Having a smaller SUV, I was still nervous, but I gave it a shot. It's a strange feeling driving through deep water and a bit unnerving to look around you and just see water. But, thankfully, I made it. And, thankfully, the rest of my trip did not involve flooded roadways.


When I finally made it home, I decided to run (must have been the adrenaline from the flooded roads adventure). But, since it was still sprinkling and lightning some, I decided to hit the treadmill.


I haven't used a treadmill in my training, and now I remember why.


I did find an Ashton-free "Two and a Half Men" on TV in the condo gym (I use this term very loosely), so that rocked. (Side note: I love Charlie Sheen and all his craziness. I watched the first episode of "Two and a Half Men" starring Ashton Kutcher, and I thought it sucked. Ashton seemed so dull and unfunny. Maybe I'm biased, though.)


Other than the superb viewing option, I liked nothing else about this experience.


I needed to do a 10-minute warm up, 15 minutes hard and a 20-minute recovery/cool down/normal pace run. The 10-minute warm up felt like it lasted hours. Even with Charlie, it was still boring. Ugh. I started in on my 15-minute hard interval, and it went really smoothly.


Until this:



The pesky safety key. I understand its use and realize this could be a good thing. Could. Not in my case.


Despite the air conditioned room and a fan, I sweat. A lot. I think I sweat more inside than I do outside. One of the many times I was wiping sweat off of my forehead, I hit the string to the dreaded safety key. And, I went from running at my fast pace to a dead stop. Argh! I was just getting in a groove, too. I started running again, but I lost all my data on the treadmill, and I had to estimate how much time I had remaining in my interval.


The rest of the run went smoothly. Until I hit the blasted safety key again. Argh. But, I got the run in. Despite being extremely boring (and that dang safety key), it went well.


I felt the sweatiest I've ever been when I finished, so I took a picture to document it. Hmm. Massive amounts of sweat don't really come across in photos. I think I look pleasantly dewy here. Not drenched in sweat like I was.

Also, you can see the crappiness of the gym in this photo. That is all of the equipment (aside from one treadmill that was beside me). And, this gym feels like a kitchen with the linoleum and cabinets, but at least I have it. I guess I shouldn't complain. I tried to get the TV with Charlie in the picture, but I missed it. Darn.