Monday, 12/30
The phone tree braid-rings four at once today and I'm not into it. In a pretty pisspoor mood. If I give myself a break its probably that I'm researching medications and trying to WebMD somebody important to me, and it doesn't feel fun. Think my well needs filling. Worked through some calming techniques at the start of the run, meditated on gratitude. Listened to Emma Kertesz on I'll Have Another. I like her, always have, and my mood shifts. Started thinking, what will make me feel good? What can I look forward to? It's the thought of a hot bath, a glass of wine, and a book. The second half of the day goes better, but I think it's mostly because I ate a half a pint of strawberry cream cheese pie ice cream. My receptors are jizzin'.
Double for 4ish miles with 2Trains & Nick; the night oddly warm. I've got this awkward niggle, which Dr. Buurma consults as a capsule irritation. A little ice and a met pad and it should go away.
Miles for the day - 15.1
Tuesday, 12/31
NYE. I've been collecting our athletes' annual mileage and vert totals, which is fun, but that's the extent to my reminiscing of the decade. Is it ok that I've not compiled my then v. now? It's not exactly that I don't care, it's just I have no mental energy to look back. Also, as today is the last day of the decade, all I have to say is that I did not accomplish my Books Read goal, so watch out 2020.
Last night I had the best sleep I've had in near 2 weeks, and it shows in my attitude. I'm up to my chin in BDP business, but it's worthwhile. During the run I caught up on a myriad of podcasts, including a lot of mental training/goal planning ones via TrainingPeaks CoachCast, which encouraged me to fill out the Sisu Mental Toughness test. Here are my results: I am the equivalent of a Blue Belt (in karate terms), which is not so savvy, yet when I just did a quick google search on the qualifications of a blue belt there was something that said, "The Blue Belt: A Belt of Frustration and Opportunity," which sounds right for me. I hope M enjoys this symbolism because he's a big fan of Cobra Kai. Anyhow, I have moderate confidence, control, constancy, visualization and positive-cognition. I have low self-belief. I have high determination and high self-esteem. I think I believe all this to be accurate. I only wonder on constancy, but there were questions on anxiety, and I can't pretend to be in control of that. The cool thing about being a blue belt is that there's room for growth.
Hustled in a second run after work. It was one of those runs where you're tough enough during, but as soon as you get done it's like, WTF was that?! It was black, cold, powerfully windy and pissing rain. M was watching Batman before the run and still so when I got back, so I just threw my sopping pile of clothing at the fireplace and pouted in the shower until he brought me a drink. I recuperated and went through a few outfits before deciding on a black mini sequiin skirt, men's dress shirt half unbuttoned, and a rabbit fur ball scarf. Nikki and I headed up to Ber's for some drinks, and M got me for party #2 later on. At Ber's the Dr. was making my absolute favorite: Aperol Spritz's. A twig of herb, a slice of orange. I near drank the bottle of Aperol by meself. I am obsessed with AS'! We finished the night playing a sabotage dating game, sipping the good juice, with the Space Needle on countdown on the tv. Pretty sure I tucked into the corner of the couch and took a lil snooze at 12:01 am. And here we are, it's 2020.
Miles for the day - 15
Wednesday, 1/1
Slept in noice. M & I had brunch at Jalapenos - huevos rancheros. Started the workout in late afternoon after a pretty orgasmic vacuuming of the house. "Go slower," says M, regarding my vacuuming. Wut? We finally find my missing earbud - "Well you sure looked hard for it didn't you?" says he, again, after lifting up the couch. Man, can't win with him today; to be fair it's because I slept in too long and we missed out on Bayou's brunch.
Today was the complete opposite weather wise, of yesterday. It's blinding bright blue, warm. Yet, when I start my workout the wind has blown in a blue funk and it rains on me. Am I a vortex? Egocentricifical force?
The W/O - WU + 4T w/ 4 min E + 2x (3T w/ 3 min E) + CD
3ish miles up. 4T in (5:39, 5:53, 5:46, 5:53), 3T in (5:44, 5:39, 5:43) and (5:34, 5:43, 5:39). 3 miles down.
I like broken tempos. Legs were definitely not fresh, but were able to hang. Took 1 Birthday Cake Gu and shoveled in some sink water down by the harbor. For the first few miles of the first tempo set I listened to Harry Styles' newest album, which got my juices flowing. So much fruit and chapstick smell references; felt a little young (in a sad way) wanting more meat in the storytelling of his songs, but still. And just like that, with a sleep in and a big workout, the day, the first day, is gone.
Miles for the day - 17
Thursday, 1/2
I can't stop watching You. I mean, like it's not that good right? I do think this season's writing is thought-provoking & comedic. Lit stayed up till 1 am & near finished the season. Easy 11 miles. After work met Cousin & Karly for margaritas & queso.
Miles for the day - 11
Friday, 1/3
Woke to the wind whipping; wind advisory in effect til 10 pm tonight. 11 miles; some directions feel like I'm in flight. Double after work - 4 miles + strides to try to shake the shit. Yoga at Lost Giants Brewery with Ber, the first time I've been able to go in a long while & it's restorative & lovely; I'm obsessed with the teacher, who is just a treasure. M & I have a little steak & potato & roasted veg dinner with red wine and watch 6 Underground. When he passes out, I finish You, and we have a little sleepover on the couch (which is cool because we're both tall glasses of water), but it turned out I was having a sleepover with myself because I woke up and he was gone.
Total miles for the day - 15 + strides + yoga
Saturday, 1/4
A rare sleep in. On the couch. And a rare fulfilling morning with a cup of coffee and croissants with butter & jam and Didion and then M started to clean and it got me all jazzed because I love to organize. Kept saying, "This really turns me on!" "Your closet turns me on! Just look at it!"
Hours go by and this workout I've got looms. I don't like long tempos. I like broken tempos. I like breaks and snacks and downhill courses. I do not love locking into a pace, alone; I think I get a little bored. A long tempo = a long time spent on the road with your thoughts. And as I default to, and as I've been recently in dealing with some personal stuff, I've been pretty negative. Stuffed my pocket bra with some gels and water. Listened to a Finding Mastery episode in a long(er) 5 mile warmup. Drills. The warmup didn't feel good. I was setting the stage. I had a lot of miles on my legs. I felt a bit like a bag of dicks (which, why is that bad? It's more like, unsettling? Just looked up the origin - someone said they heard it while playing hockey in '96. Or Louis CK did a bit, I don't know).
I chose a route that would have some up/down. The wind was more kind than the day previous but it had some blowments. Set out with the goal of staying around a pace I could manage without pushing the envelope too greatly to compromise the length (i.e. a range between 5:50-6), shooting for 12-14 miles @ MP. Played through HS, Lizzo, Macklemore, the usuals. Took gels at 4.5 and 9. Practiced positive self-affirmations like, "You're doing so good sweetie!" and "Hold back, save it for the end," and simply, "Good."And damn. It worked. Something within me really believed it. And because of this, this positive mental practice, I'd say it was one of my best workouts. And I say this with a little bit of fear as well, because I don't want to shoot my load too soon. There's still 8 wks left.
WO - 5E + 12-14 @ MP + CD
13.1 MP miles in 5:56, 5:53, 5:50, 5:58, 5:48, 5:50, 5:59, 5:53, 5:48, 5:53, 5:55, 5:55, 5:42 + 35s
*Got a 1/2 PR - can't manage one in a race ha
Total miles for the day - 21.2
Sunday, 1/5
Ber & D$ organized a kickass group run from Barkley Haggen. We had 12 BDP athletes make it. There are so many different types of people on the team, all with different specialties and priorities, but when we come together it's magic. It is difficult to get the near 40 of us all on the same page. Some don't email, some aren't on social media, all work, some have kids, some are dealing with hard stuff, some are taking higher ed, and on and on, and I find myself saying, "...wrangling cats," a lot, but when we do make it work, when the initiative is there, and we get to run together, it feels like it's all worth it. I got to spend 12.2 miles with these rad people. Talked Tracksmith, training, healing, tattoos, upcoming races, parents, Strava, Spring and prob a buttload of other topics because runners on a run are stream-of-consciousness ribbons of movement & thought. Sometimes my IT bands ache, my capsule is still a little inflamed, but overall, there's nothing to complain about.
Total miles for the day - 12.2
Total miles for the week - 106.6
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