I Dream of Running

It must be even years. Even years must be my Running years. Cause this year, I am absolutely salivating, dreaming, itching, DYING to run another marathon. I am craving the long slogs slogs through training lows. I am craving the completely satisfying all-out tired of running a 20-miler on a Saturday morning. I am longing for Garmin-frenzy, track workouts, tempo runs, and sucking down pints of water at my desk. I am desperate for a good, hard sweat. I am pining for my stick of Body Glide. I am web-stalking marathon guide.com and blog stalking all my old favorite RFBs. I have registered for my spring training 1/2 marathon. The weather is uncharacteristically cooperative for January in Nebraska; it's training heaven!

Small problem.

I am 8+ mos pregnant. So all of that is going to have to wait a couple more months. Oh, the AGONY! (insert slightly off-color joke about the impending agony of childbirth here)

I did manage a moderate pregnant 5K a short-while back. Though now I am resorted to walking. But mentally, I am back, baby. 2012 is my next Year of the Marathon.

I'm thinking Chicago?

RIP Gizmo

I am beside myself with despair. I feel on the verge of tears...a fat hole in my heart and my wrist light, empty, and longing. Yes, on this sad, sad day, my dear garmin (aka gizmo (after the gremlin)) is dead! The anguish! Sob!

I awoke this morning at the wee hour of 5:30AM (yes, I am shocked, too...I am so NOT a morning runner) as I deduced that early morning was the only slot I would have open today for a run, due to a busy work day and meeting a friend right after work for drinks/dinner. I did speedwork at the track last night with the running club, so I knew it was going to be crucial that I get a run in today to loosen up the legs in order to continue to be able to walk this week....so I reluctantly settled on a 5:30a run.

Laid out the gear on the bathroom counter last night, all ready for this morning. Managed to actually get up when the alarm went off, get dressed, shoes on, ipod on, strapped on gizmo, hit the on button....and nothing. Hit the button again, this time holding it down...nothing. Repeat steps times 3. Thought maybe I had left it on last night and battery was just dead. Plugged to charge...didn't get the little "battery charging" message...uh oh. But thought maybe it was so dead that it couldn't muster energy to display the message. I considered scrapping the whole run at that point, but decided that was just being a wuss. So, disappointed, I set out on my run wearing only my old timex ironman for companionship. (oh, he keeps the time alright, and he is so much lighter and slimmer, but I feel so lost not knowing my pace, heart rate, calories, distance, precise location, astrological sign, and bank account balance at the touch of a button)

When I got back home, gizmo still had a blank screen...no "charging" message. And he still would not power up. I fear he may not be simply comatose but dead....sob. In my cloud of despair, all I could manage to eat for breakfast was a banana and 2 oreos (courtesy of Shortie1's Safari Joe snack day). And a venti Starbucks (full caff, yikes). I think I've set myself up for a pretty coherent and productive day. Or a diabetic coma after the sugar wears off. 50/50 shot.

RIP gizmo, I'll miss you. But not for
long, cause I will definitely be sending your ass
back to garmin for a fix or replacement gremlin.

RUNNING STATS:
Wed - speedwork at the track 3.5 mi
1 mi warmup, 6x400 relays at 6:50-7:15 pace with 2 min rest in between, 1 mi cooldown

Thur - easy run
roughly 6 miles in 59:38 (pace? who knows. exact distance? can't say for sure. splits? one can only guess. calories? hopefully enough to offset those oreos...heart rate? felt racy. astrological sign? uhhhh sagitarius?)