Gobble Gobble

Wow. It's been a long time since I posted.

I've just been feeling really tired lately. But I haven't let my running slack off!

So I got to run my 5k on Saturday and it went wonderfully! I took two minutes off of my PR. My best time is now 26:06 (not great I know, but hey, I'm new to running).

It was a lot of fun being around so many other people that love to run as much as I do! Several people were running in santa hats and one guy was even running in a clown mask.

The weather was a little chilly, but the sun was out, and the air felt clean. It was a great post-Thanksgiving run.

Speaking of Thanksgiving, I ate so much food! I basically ate a whole loaf of pumpkin bread by myself. It was delicious! Anyways, school starts back up tomorrow and my first round of finals are in a week. I'm nervous, but ready to get it over with!

Anyways, here are some pictures of the race!

The clown mask kind of made my day.

Chugging along at the start.

Looking glorious at the finish.

I was so happy  with my time!

Trying to stay warm and hide from the camera.

Week In Review

Monday:
Long school day. I helped out with the Academic Bowl Meet and didn't get home until 8. Everything went allright though. I managed not to break the buzzer system. Didn't get to run though. =(.

The Weekend

So this weekend has been fairly laid back. Got some housework and homework done. Had to go to a funeral (always sad) but went by the library afterwards and checked out two books.

I got The Jungle by Upton Sinclair because we read an excerpt from it a few weeks ago in U.S. History and I also checked out The Hobbit by Tolkein because I've never read the Lord of the Ring series and I've been told multiple times that I'll love it.

Anyways, It's been a pretty busy and enjoyable week of running!

Monday:
A busy day at school, but my run really helped me unwind. Of course, I faceplanted at the tail end of it, but things just happen sometimes.
Miles: 4

Tuesday:
The only thing I remember is having to recite my faceplant story over and over agian.
Miles: 3

Wednesday:
Nothing sticks out, so I'll classify it as a good day.
Miles: 4

Thursday:
Cross country banquet! Coach personally honored everyone on the team, so the banquet lasted two and a half hours, but the food was amazing!
Miles: 2

Friday:
Barely made it through the school day. I'm so ready for Thanksgiving break! My run was great, though. Afterwards I ate dinner and basically crashed.
Miles: 5

Saturday:
The funeral was sad, but the family was really strong. They really adressed this tragedy in the best way possible. Got my books from the library and then spent the rest of the evening reading The Jungle. Currently 160 pages in.
Miles: 5

Sunday:
Slept in and watched Sunday Morning. After a nice breakfast I went out and ran. I tidied up around the house and hve been reading ever since. Flipped through Glamour, tackled more of The Jungle. Every now and then I turn the tv on and watch parts of Law & Order.
Miles: 4

Unfortunately I can't run tomorrow because I'm volunteering at an Academic Bowl meet, but hopefully I can get some solid runs in next week. That Thanksgiving Race is coming up soon!

Gobble Gobble

The Cross Country banquet is tonight and I'm super excited. My last team commitment of the season is to show up and eat food. =).

I'm also super excited because I registered for a race the Saturday after Thanksgiving! That way I can redeem myself after I have my not-so-traditional holiday meal. Last year I had crab cakes for thanksgiving. I guess that's just how things go when you avoid most meats.

Anyways, I don't really have much to say today. I've been super busy working on papers and what not. I've been getting in some solid runs, but I feel a bit draggy lately.

But on a positive note, the cut on my hand is healing up nicely. It wasn't that bad of a cut to begin with, but the sooner it leaves, the sooner I can forget the whole embarrassing ordeal.

This was my cut a day after it happened. Like I said, not so bad. Just embarrassing to have to explain to friends.

Faceplant

Or I should probably say hand plant. But then that sounds like I did some impressive gymnastics move, which I did not.

I was at the tail end up of my run, about to re-enter my neighborhood. I'd just crossed a small road, and was basically running in the gutter (between the actual road and grass beside it). I saw a car coming and decided I should jump over the small fence (not really even a fence, just a couple of half foot posts with chains strung in between them).

That was a horrible mistake.

My foot got caught and I fell. Hard. Luckily my hand broke my fall, but a rock took out some vengeance on my palm.

I promptly picked myself back up and ran into my neighborhood. The driver pretended not to notice, and I was extremely thankful for that. Needless to say, my pride was hurt more than my hand.

I'll try to get a picture of it up here soon!

Anyways. Yesterday wasn't a total bust. I had pumpkin bread for breakfast and a sweet potato and veggie burger for dinner. =).

A Week in Review

Monday:
The whole day is kind of a blur. Everyone was talking about their Halloween weekends. I really didn't have much to say other than I avoided eating my way into a sugar coma. I also helped set up for the State Meet. My once grey running shoes are now blue.
Run: 3 miles.

Tuesday:
I did a lot of writing on Tuesday. I did a short summary essay, a two page Argument Essay, and a 5 page interview based essay. I also ate some amazing Minestrone. I once again helped set up for the State Meet; my legs matched my shoes.
Run: 4 miles.

Wednesday:
I just remember that it was an impossibly cold rainy day, and that we didn't have to set up the cross country course after school because of it.
Run: 3 miles.

Thursday:
Conquered a Pre-Calc test and managed to drag myself through AP Language. Ate a taco salad. (I like food a lot...).
Run: 4 miles.

Friday:
Watched an interesting documentary in my History class and basically did nothing in Pre-calc. I didn't go to 4th block because there was a dodgeball game. Instead I went home and revised the argument essay I'd written on Tuesday. I also went running later and it started raining. I was wearing a white shirt. Not smart.
Run: 3 miles.

Saturday:
Worked at the State Meet all day, trying not to get pummeled by overzealous runners and coaches. I promptly went home, drank hot chocolate, and lounged in front of the fire place. Unfortunately, it got too dark before I had a chance to run.

Sunday:
Visited a family in the hospital. The father has cancer and he might not make it much longer. The family seems to be taking it as well as they can, but it still broke my heart.
Run: 4 miles.

2010 State Meet

I helped work the XC State Championship today.

There were so many people!

I wasn't much part of the commotion though, becase I was assigned to help one of the coach's in their office organize the the race results. The only times I got to interact with other runners was when I was taping the rankings on th results board. Then again, there was plenty contact in that. Who knew people would be so eager to look at a piece of paper?

But I'm home now. Just had a cup of hot chocolate and I'm getting ready to run soon. =).

Jazz Hands

Ok, so I've been running in the same general area for a couple of weeks now and I've come to a conclusion: some people are just weird...and like to pick on people that exercise.

I thought I had everything figured out. I'd narrowed it down to a short list of possble reactions people give to seeing me run by. Most of these things apply to people in cars.

1. They pretend I don't exist. This is preferrable.
2. They just stare. This isn't preferrable but it's understandable. If I saw a teenager running by in 40-degree weather in a pair of running shorts, I'd probably stare too.
3. They glare at me: this look usually means that they would very much like to run me over. I try not to take it too personally, but I can't help but feel a little intimidated.
4. They blatantly hoot at you, or vocal other rather inappropriate suggestions. This one is the one that throws me off the most. And by the time it it sinks in and I get mad, they've already left me in a cloud of smog.

I thought I'd mentally prepared myself to disregard whatever comment or gesture was thrown my way. But this week one driver made me question human sanity in a whole new way.

The best phrase I can think of to describe what he did was 'jazz hands'. I was running on the sidewalk next to a moderately busy road when this man, this strange man, slowly drove by. I didn't think anything on him. He was a plain looking middle aged man smoking a plain cigarrett in a plain car. But then he made eye contact with me. I prepared myself for either number 2 or 4 on the list when he stuck his cigarette between his lips, brought both hands to either side of his face, and then BAM. He opened and closed his hands twice before taking the cigarette back out of his mouth and then driving away.

At first I just shrugged it off, but then I got to thinking. What emotion was supposed to go with that gesture? Encouragement? He could have been pantomiming the number 20. But 20 what? Was it a lewd gesture? If it was, I can't begin to imagine what it meant. Was it an angry gesture?

In the grand scheme of things, this little event essentially means nothing. But it sure did distract and confuse me.