The Plague

I'm pretty sure I jinxed myself.  I got a wild hair and decided to register for a half marathon the NIGHT BEFORE my Spartan Beast in Utah.  This is at night (which yes, I already stated, but OMG what was I thinking?!).  I might get maybe 4 hours of sleep.  The Beast, well the Beast is 12+ miles, hilly and 20+ obstacles! 

Flash back to the Utah Spartan Beast 2012.  I was SO sick, but after having all the training time and money sunk into the trip, I wasn't going to skip it.  I slept on the plane...I actually had a flight change (boo) so it was a broken sleep.  I stopped at a Walmart I passed on the way to my hotel and bought a bunch of cold/allergy meds.  They helped a little, but not much.  Then I vegged around until I could meet up with my friends for dinner. 

That night, there was a dance team staying in the hotel...and they danced ALL OVER the floor above me ALL night long.  I was so exhausted the next morning.  The meds were helping, but I still felt icky. 

We made it to the run.  It was already hot.  I managed to run the first mile or so before I was thinking I should take it easy.  My bursitis and knee were killing me. It took me almost 5 hours in the heat. I also had a waist pack on which made it hard to roll under the barbed wire....it was more of a scoot.

Now, that I've relived last years night mare...here is the jinx. I'm sick. Again. The only good news is that it knocked me out for a week two weeks before. I have about 4 more days to kick the left over cough and stuffy nose. Wish me luck!

Where Everyone Knows My Name

We have this adorable (and popular with the old people with canes and walkers) thrift shop in Catalina, AZ called Golden Goose. I find the most awesome stuff here. Today, I'm stalking a queen mattress for that bad ass Murphy bed I built. Since, everyone knows my name here, they mentioned there could be a queen size mattress coming in. So here I wander waiting to see. It would be super spiffy to get that room done!

And the verdict is the mattress is too thick, not flip able and saggy. Bummer.

Wheeeee

I'm liking the easy mobile interface and feel like sharing.

I officially think my brain is in overload and maybe I need to quit these crazy dreams of a yet a third job. I copied the blog over, learned to use a new piece of equipment, day dreamed about a pallet bed, moved a couple computers, cleaned house... brain fried! Granted, I have one REAL full time job, a 2 hour a week part time job and an independent consultant pyramid scheme job. I say third because the part time and consultant job are a joke. They almost count as one. Kind of screwed up the 2 hr one but the boss didn't double check me. Hard to get it all right after a 10 hour day that started at 4am on something I haven't done in months! I always forget something anyway!

Now that I'm done whining, I think it's cuddle time with the Kindle and critters :-)

First REAL Post on the NEW Blog

Well, I decided to move everything over to the FREE blog (sorry for the copy and paste .  Who needs a fancy URL for just random rambling.  It still says Disordered Zen on the page!  I figure I should really just save my money anyway.  So many runs, so little money.  Do you know how hard it is to find a retail job when you have a whole lot of frames papers that say you went to a school for a really long time?!  Plus, I'm contemplating that really wicked ankle surgery on my right ankle if this tendon issue doesn't clear up.  I've managed to get a cortisone shot which puts my pain at a hit or miss "2".

So far, I like the design better - even if it is a bit yoga-ish (and I despise yoga). Meditation, yoga, running, whatever it takes to bring peace and order to a person's life - that seems to fit the visual for the blog! Plus, to many, running doesn't exactly have a zen like appearance.  I also need to put all the contact info and links back up if I can figure that out.  I think my brain might be tapped out for the week though.

As for my non-running time, I have been building stuff around the house. YES, I'm a girl, but I have all of these spectacular visions.  I just did a MASSIVE, queen sized, horizontal
Murphy bed a couple of weeks ago - from scratch, without a real plan and I do have to say it came out FANTASTIC!  I just need a mattress for inside and to install the latch.  I should also add that the building process required me to be rolled up into it EIGHT times. NOW, I came across a HUGE, wooden pallet that just happens to be full sized.  So I think I'm going to mod it and make it into another sort of rolling, portable Murphy bed.

Now, lets go back to what started the beds. I have a TRX hanging in my living room.  Regardless of what you tell people, they look at it and automatically think it is a sex swing.  I HATE that I have to pick up my workout gear every day.  Sometimes, I just don't have time and it makes it much more convenient for the next 4 am workout.  I decided I wanted my spare bedroom to be a workout room.  If the bed was on the wall, I'd have a decent size floor space to workout, PLUS my treadmill is in there.  I know Buddha (my obnoxious chihuahua) will miss licking the sweat off my face when I do pushups, but he sleeps through a lot of the 4 am workout anyway!  I could have just pitched the bed all together, but I recently just got into contact with my step sister who I hadn't talked to in almost 17 years.  She came to visit me back in April.  We had a blast (minus her plaque she had while we were in Vegas - of course I had to take her to Vegas).  She needs a place to sleep!  I also have two nieces I've never met and would love for them to come out and visit too.  Yes, it would be cheaper if I went there but I'm afraid I'd actually become an Idiot Out Wandering Around (yes, that is what Iowa stands for in my book).  I also think that I've missed all the good runs out there near Cedar Rapids.  There is a Marion one in May.  I digress.  So, this new pallet bed that I'm making will be a place for the girls to sleep if they ever make it out here.  It will be portable.  I'm excited.

I suppose I should get back to updating and transitioning over!

Rockin' the Tape

May 20, 2013

Well, I have an angry posterior tibial tendon and I’m bored with my shoes.  I typically wear Brooks Adrenaline GTS NARROW shoes with Power Step Max insoles.  I’ve already had one ankle corrected, but the “good” one is the one that is having the tendonitis issue.  It’s annoying and frustration.  I want to run.  I also want to wear REALLY cool shoes. I just bought the 13s, but I really want to take them back and maybe try some Newtons so I can work on correcting my form.  I’ve read they have some stability ones that might be a decent option for my poor feet.  All the show whining aside, I can’t run right now ANYWAY, so I’m not sure why I’m obsessing over shoes.  Instead, I should be obsessing about the different colors of KT tape I need in order to match my outfits!  Black goes with everything, but I hear the pink calling me.

In the mean time while I’m pouting over not running, I’m trying to work on my cycling and swimming. I hate having water in my face so I’m struggling with that.  I also know that running and biking are the two worst things I can do for my bursitis.  What’s a girl to do other than go stir crazy and practice burpees?!  Here’s hoping I can get in a few good runs before I give in and decide to have another ankle surgery.  I’m just feeling like there isn’t enough KT tape in the world for me right now!

Where Have I Been...?

March 6, 2013

Well, lets start with training for the Goofy Challenge.  It was going well.  I was using my scheduled half marathons for training runs.  By the time I made it to NWM, I was feeling ok and my max mileage was 17 miles.  I was training for the Goofy Challenge after all.  However, around mile 8, my IT band was ANGRY! I hobbled the last 5 miles.

I started doing lots of stretching and rolling (I use a stick).  I managed to PR my next run two weeks later! Wohoo!!!  I finished up 2012 with two more runs without issue.   However, during some training runs my shins started to hurt – like hurt to touch – hurt.  Not so much pain during running as afterwards.  I decided to take it easy through January.

THEN, I got ready to fight with the Goofy Challenge.  I was SO worried I was going to get swept!  I got in with a group called Run Disney So I Can Eat Disney.  They are a wonderful bunch of people! I would not have survived without them.  I actually feel like I did better during the full than the half.  Towards the last three miles of the half, I was ready to die.  It wasn’t until mile 21 in the full that I wanted to die.  Maybe it was because I got to ride Expedition Everest half way through.   How many people can say they rode a roller coaster in the middle of a full marathon?!

Also, through this WONDERFUL RDSICED group, we had a Three Little Pigs bacon challenge.  At mile 24 (and a half-ish) we had a tent where we could eat bacon and get something to drink.  Of course I wanted beer!  Who else can say they ate bacon and drank beer during the middle of a full marathon!?  I also met a really nice guy who stuck with me the whole way.  He was part of the group as well.  As we are finishing off our last two miles, he magically comes from behind me with another beer!  I was jealous.  He snagged it from a stranger who was double fisting ha.  He shared it with me and we pounded out the last little bit.

After I got home, I thought, “Wow, I could change my P.F. Chang’s Rock N Roll Half to the full and qualify for Marathon Maniacs!”  So, that’s what I did.  It hurt.  A lot.  My calf seized at around 11 miles and even then I was run walking.  Running was completely out of the question.  Then, I strained my groin as I do often.  It was a miserable run, but I finished and got my Double Down medal.

As for now, I’ve fallen in love with TRX, suspension training.  I do that often since I’ve been advised to take it easy.  I haven’t done more than 5 miles since the full.  However, I’m looking forward to the Arizona Distance Classic.  It will feel good to run again!

Nike Motivation

October 11, 2012

I was searching around for some Nike stuff since I’m leaving tomorrow for San Francisco to meet up with an old friend and the many ladies from Team Victorious.  I stumbled upon the Run Eat Repeat blog.  Monica had some old Nike ads for motivation and they seem very fitting, so I thought I’d repost them here so I can easily reference them

The first one from Competitor Magazine:
“You pretended the snooze button didn’t exist. You dragged your butt out of bed while others slept. While others ate their pancakes you had a feast of protein, glucose and electrolytes. You double-knotted. You left the porch light on and locked the door behind you. You ran 5Ks, 10Ks, 26.2 miles. Some days more, some days less. You rewarded a long run with a short run. And a short run with a long run. Rain tried to slow you. Sun tried to microwave you. Snow made you feel like a warrior. You cramped. You bonked. You paid no mind to comfort. On weekends. On holidays. You made excuses to keep going. Questioned yourself. Played mind games. Put your heart before your knees. Listened to your breathing. Sweat sunscreen into your eyes. Worked on your farmer’s tan. You hit the wall. You went through it. You decided to be man about it. You decided to be woman about it. Finished what you started. Proved what you were made of. Just kept putting mile after mile on your interval odometer. For 25 years, you ran. And we ran with you. How much farther will we go? As far as you will.”

The second one and probably the most fitting for me:

No one runs in my family.
I am not built like a runner.
My bones aren’t weightless.
My legs aren’t gazelle-like.
As a child, no one ever said,
“Now that one…she’s going
to be a runner.”
I am not a marathon runner.
But, I know that no one
is a marathon runner until
they actually run one.