Stressed and Unmotivated

Felt way too unmotivated to run today. Not sure if I'm just letting work stress distract me. Poor Wil had to stay late at work tonight as well. I know that I feel more relaxed after a run, but with the rain and the late hour... I just couldn't get myself motivated to start. Hopefully I'll feel more keen tomorrow and this weekend.

oh, and another thing...

which looks better:

pōpoki peʻelua (tabby cat)

or

ʻumi ʻumi (moustache)

Biking and Running

Got back from NYC late Friday and didn't run again until Tuesday afternoon. Saturday night's excesses and exertions (Mexican food + Nine Inch Nails + two hours of dancing) meant a poorly belly for Wil on Sunday. Tuesday ran a very slow 5 + 35 + 5 session around the neighborhood, where I really struggled to breathe and run. Not sure what's going on. Wil says it was humid, and we were running some hills, but I still felt extra sluggish.

The good news is that on Monday and Tuesday I rode (partway) to work and back. Still a bit nervous on the bike, but considerably stronger. Have been able to ride relatively swiftly and steadily up Dexter... at least on the way home. Next week I think I'll try riding up Dexter on the way downtown. It's steeper (and therefore shorter) in that direction, but I need to get more comfortable on runs. I'm going to ride in tomorrow, but have a meeting at the agency in the afternoon (and I have to contend with the I-90 closure because of the Blue Angels' practice session. Whee!

So not so great on the running front, but looking up on the biking front. Oh, and swimming? Um, yeah, swimming... hopefully this weekend.

Lady Liberty

Short morning run along the Manhattan Greenway down to Battery Park. You probably can't tell, but that green squiggle is the Statue of Liberty.
The massive thunderstorms from Wednesday night meant things were still a bit stormy yesterday, so I decided to hold off and hope for better weather today... and I'm glad I did. Ran west to the river, then along the glorious new boardwalk, down to Battery Park City and then Battery Park. Lots of runners and cyclists out enjoying the morning. Suffering a bit from the effects of last night's theater fun, but things went pretty well.
Also, completely accidentally, I saw one of the waterfalls in the distance. At first I thought it was a fireboat in full spray -- but then realized that it was a waterfall. Someone told me he thought the project was overrated... but I thought it was lovely. Of course, by the time I got close, it had stopped -- apparently they run on a schedule of some sort. I even cut my run short, stretching and milling about in the park hoping it would start up again. It didn't, so I hurried back to the hotel to go to the airport. Home soon (but not soon enough!)

Bridge Loop

In New York for work, went for a run this morning. Headed East on Canal Street, then across the Manhattan Bridge. Got a bit lost trying to find my way on to the Brooklyn Bridge; had to turn around a few times and peer down a few streets, but made it in the end. Then a surprisingly short jaunt past City Hall, up Church St., on to 6th Avenue, and then on to West Broadway to the hotel. iPod says nearly 5 miles, but probably a bit shorter. Unless getting lost in Brooklyn added half a mile... Very hot and humid; 78 degrees at 7:00 a.m.

Long Run

Tried to get out of the house early for our long run -- 8 miles. Made the mistake of eating a whole bagel each, 45 minutes or so before we left. We should only have had half each. Live and learn...

Very hot day, and a little bit muggy. We ran West on 65th, down to the Locks on 32nd, and then out along the BGT, through the marina, and out to Golden Gardens. Turned around at the stop sign, then back along the new stretch of the BGT -- which I didn't even know was open. Followed the trail back past the locks, then along Market and down Shilshole to 11th. We had to add a stretch along Market to pad the miles, but hit 8.00 a few blocks from the house so we were able to walk our cool down.

Wil's foot has been bothering him, luckily (I suppose) it doesn't usually bother him when we run. I've been feeling a little sore in my right foot as well but so far it's okay. Just something to watch.

bikey!

FINALLY got back on my bike -- Wil and I took my bike on the bus downtown today, then picked up his bike at work, and then we rode home together. Stopped at the Seattle Center and wandered through the not-quite-open Bite of Seattle, but didn't stop. Decided to ride up Dexter, in part because I couldn't think of how to get down to Westlake from Mercer... Also stopped at the schmancy barbecue store in Ballard, where we bought a grill. No, we didn't carry it home by bike...

So not a huge amount of exercise today, but I did get a brief ride in, so that's something. Long run tomorrow.

some like it HOT

... but I don't. Nor do I like it humid. This morning's farewell run along the beach in Venice was tough. I felt vaguely nauseous, tired, leaden. So I dropped back to a run 6, walk 2 pattern. Because today was a timed run (50 minutes plus warm-up and cool-down), I didn't worry too much about distance. Turns out I did 5.49 miles in the 60 minutes I was out there. Not a brilliant pace, but better than I thought it would be.

Happy to be home in Seattle again; dreading the heat in NYC next week! But at least I should be able to get in a good run on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.

Marina del Run...

In LA for a 2-day photoshoot, which sounds way more interesting and glamorous than it is. The agency wanted us to stay in West Hollywood, which sounded dreadful because the only way I had been able to face a return to LA was the fact that I could get up early and run on the beach. So I managed to get rooms booked for me and my beloved brand agency team at the Ritz Carlton in Marina del Rey -- much, much more appealing. Really great beds, an amazing bathtub, and a nice location, less than a mile from the beach.

So I got up this morning, early, to do my long run. Of course, I hadn't had much sleep, so I was worried I wouldn't make it. I headed out along the marina at a brisk pace, trying to get my bearings. Once I reached the street that headed out to the beach at Venice, I started running. Slowly at first, of course, but picking up some speed as I got to the beach. It was hot and humid -- no ocean breeze yet, unfortunately -- but the paths were quiet and I was able to pootle along, running 6 minutes and walking 1. I wasn't feeling very fast, or very good, but I have to give myself an A+ for getting up and getting out there this morning. I thought I had turned back a bit too early -- I was running out of time and worried about being late -- but I ended up taking a wrong turn on the way back to the hotel and, because I didn't know if the road went through, had to double back. So in the end, including the walking, 7.55 miles.

Didn't do enough stretching, unfortunately, so I'm a little worried that I'll be sore tomorrow. But I feel happy with myself for running.

Wil ran home from work, suffering in the heat and getting dizzy and dehydrated. Poor little bear. But I'm proud of him -- of us.

scenes from my morning run, pt 2

Along the beach in Venice.