A Lunchtime Run

Sorry for being so delinquent in reading everyone's blogs and commenting.  I'm not feeling that great this week, plus having major work stress, and I've gotten so behind in my Google Reader.  But I'm working on it! 

Tuesday I laced up my shoes and went for a run on my lunch break with Work Friend and 2 of her old coworkers that I had never met before.  Work Friend assured me that I was totally going to be fine because they would probably run 11 minute miles...maybe even 12 minute miles.  Ummmmm......

3.5 Miles in 35:23 (10:07 pace)

Mile 1 - 10:42
Mile 2 - 9:59
Mile 3 - 9:53
Mile 3.5 - 4:50 (9:40 pace)

That also includes a roughly 30 second stop at a stoplight to wait for traffic where I forgot to stop my Garmin.  So?  Probably less than 10 minute pace in reality.  Yowza! 

The thing about running with new people the first few times (at least for me) is that I'm really self-conscious.  I didn't want to be the loud-breather...I mean I didn't want to sound like I wasn't in as good of shape as they were.  I didn't want them to take off and leave me-I had to prove I could hang!  I didn't want to be the last one up any hills.  I didn't want to be the "annoying look at your watch every 2 seconds girl" but I just had to keep my eye on that pace!

Not being the loud-breather really messes with your breathing too.  I probably would have had a much more comfortable run had I not been trying to not breathe.  Okay, when you're 30 years old you're too old to get caught up in games like this, right?  Apparently not right.  Meh.

In the end, I did keep up with everyone, I did eventually return to my normal breathing, I did post one of my better paced runs of the season, and I did have a really great time.

I'm looking forward to many more lunchtime runs with coworkers in fact.  It was all very Runner's World lunch breakesque. 

On a related note-today I found out that Work Friend got a new job.  We'll still be close enough to run together (if she doesn't forget me) but we'll no longer sit in the same building or work together daily.  Sad day.

Steven Tyler PJ's, Steven Tyler PJ's

Forgive me for being a little behind the times here.  Today during my lunch break I was reading the December issue of Runner’s World.  There’s a little recurring segment called Back Story that features a runner, who gives 10 little tidbits about his or herself.  In December it was Nolan Shaheed, a 60 year old runner who set six American running records in 2010.  Obviously he’s a good runner and knows his stuff.  I’m certainly impressed.  But the point I want to make here is Tidbit #3 where he says:

“I eat once a day.  Fruit, chicken, rice, veggies.  I love broccoli.  My meal lasts over an hour.”

What?!?!?  He only eats once a day?  How is that even possible?  I would be starvacious the entire rest of the day if I ate only one meal.  I wouldn’t have enough energy to function, let alone run fast and set American records.  I’m so very confused as to how he does it.

Moving on.  Yesterday I donated blood.  The Red Cross comes to our workplace every 56 days (the wait time before you can donate again) and holds a blood drive and I always try to go and donate.  It seems like an easy and relatively painless way to give back a little.  I usually don’t have any trouble donating.  I have never had any dizziness or fainting or anything.  But yesterday’s blood donation messed me up.  I gave blood about 9:00 yesterday morning and by about noon I was a wreck.  Every time I stood up I got dizzy, sometimes I got a dizzy spell just sitting in my chair.  I was pale and had a headache and I was so tired and weak feeling.  They tell you not to exercise on the day you give blood, but I’ve never had trouble before and figured I would still do my easy run last night, just a little slower than normal.  That did not happen!  I didn’t make it off the couch.  It was just me, some pizza, some Ben & Jerry’s, and my boys: Steven Tyler, Michael Scott, and McDreamy.  I heart Thursday night TV!  Not as much as in the Friends era, never as much as that.  But still some good veg on the couch material.

Anybody out there watching the new season of American Idol?  I used to love it, but gave it up during the whole Kara Dioguardi era.  I just got bored with it.  The judges were not doing it for me.  I tuned in this season out of sheer curiosity about Steven Tyler witnessing/judging a contest primarily focused on making a new pop star.  Somehow Mr. Tyler reeled me back in and I’m back to being hooked on Idol.  I just want to curl up in my Steven Tyler PJ’s and watch the spectacle unfold.