Thursday, August 24, 2006

Calling All MCM Runners! And, a Hillish Night

Leave me a comment or drop me an e-mail if you are coming to D.C. for the main event, please. Bex and I need to put together the welcome committee; you know, hire the band, find a hall, dancing girls, etc. Either that, or a nice dinner on Friday night.

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In other news:

Last night hills were on the menu. I ran the 1.75-ish miles to where the hill starts. I was really really sureas in positive— that this particular hill, at the base of Mass. Ave. and Little Falls Road, was 1/2 mile. Bex said to run it at a 10:20 pace. And what Bex wants, Bex gets.

So even I can do that math! The hill is 1/2 mile. Hence, my goal time was 5:10. My goal was to do five repeats. I left work around 7:00 p.m., trotted down to the hill, and the fun began. I ran my little fanny off. Up once, down once, blah blah, etc. This time I didn't stop between each repeat because, let's just get the job done, OK? No foolin' around.

I let myself stop for a quick drink after the second repeat, then while running up that hill for the fourth mind-numbing time, the bargaining started.
It's been at least three weeks since your last hill workout, and you did four then, so you should stay at four. Five is pushing it.

Then Bex was suddenly whispering in my ear:
It's SUPPOSED to be hard, dummy!

SO up I went for number five.

(God I'm good.)

Goal: 5:10

hill 1: 4:56
hill 2: 5:04
hill 3: 5:09
hill 4: 5:02
hill 5: 5:17

Oh boy was I feeling proud! I half-jogged/walked the way back to work, taking my good sweet time. By then it was dark.

At work, I just had to re-measure that hill. Because I never believe that I can actually do anything hard even remotely fast.

So at 9 p.m., I sat at my desk at work, dripping sweat, and measured. Over and over. Because, no, it's not 1/2 mile. It's .459 miles.

I should leave well enough alone.

On the other hand, eh, close enough.


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In other, other news:

I officially start my vacation today. To kick it off, I'll be having this, and this done today. In about an hour.

And the rest of my vacation? I will spend at home, helping Number One Daughter get ready to go to Spain on August 30. Seven days from now. Spain. Across that giant ocean. Where she spends three weeks in orientation, learning Spanish, and then moves in with a Spanish family. Until December.

She's a lucky girl, and I'm a nervous mommy.

13 comments:

:) said...

What the hell are you doing those two things for??? OUCH! (coming from a man with a wife who has bladder problems...)

Black Knight said...

Don't worry for your daughter, in Europe the Black Knight Army rules.

21st Century Mom said...

Hey who needs a Spa when you can have a tube shoved up your urethra? Good Times!

I hope you are saving your pennies to visit NOD in Spain sometime between now and Christmas. That would be fun.

Bolder said...

People must be lining up to vacation with you!

Perhaps that's why NOD is going to Spain instead.

Hope all goes well.

Nancy Toby said...

My training buddy David is doing MCM! Sorry, he's married.

Mmem said...

First off WTG on that hill workout, wow (.459, 1/2 a mile, bah, it's all the same, right?)

Secondly, GL GL GL on your procedures, GL GL.

Thirdly, your daughter will be a Spanish language diva after this semester, what a selfless mom for letting her do this. I'd sure be nervous, too, though. GL to both of you:-)

Kim said...

if you can conquer those hills, you can conquer those procedures. good luck!

boatgirl said...

Congrats on the hills. You are really doing it. Also grace to you on the procedures. Your daughter is very blessed to have a Mom like you to expose her to the world. I'm sure she knows that too.

MNFirefly said...

Enjoy the vacation. Awesome job on conquering those hills.

Anne said...

Suddenly that hill workout doesn't seem to painful, does it? I hope they at least numbed you ahead of time. Though how does that work if you've got to go and can't feel anything?

a.maria said...

WELL DONE on the hills, woman! good on you for sticking around for the 5th. you rock.

and you're right. shes a lucky, lucky girl. she'll have the time of her life!!! i, of course, don't know how hard it is to send off a kid across the world, i'm sure you and my mom could converse about it, but.. from the kid's side, even if she's not saying it (although i'm sure she is) she appreciates the opportunity like mad crazy and will never forget it!

Rae said...

Great job on the run! Your daughter will have such a blast. December will be here before you know it.

David said...

TOO MUCH INFORMATION.

I sent my son to Kuwait and Iraq. It wasn't quite as nice as Spain, he tells me. And I did worry a little. Bad guys were shooting at him.

Good for you on the hill repeats. Just think how easy five will be next time when it says to do six.