Training Update

I have had a good past few days with my running!

On Saturday, I ran 6 miles! Even though I've been slacking with my shorter weekday runs, I've been sticking to my distance goals. I ran 6 miles at an 11:30 pace (1 hr, 9 mins). Not great, but could be worse. Last weekend I ran 5 miles in 1 hour (so a 12:00 pace).

Today, I ran 3 miles and my pace was around 6mi/hour (10:00 pace). This is great for me, usually I can't do that without being on a treadmill. Today's run was actually "easy." So I probably should have run a little faster.

Also, I tried out a great new running app - My Tracks for Android. It tracks my distance, time, pace, elevation, and my route using GPS. And I can send my run info to my Google Docs. Pretty awesome. I've tried a few other apps, this is my favorite so far.

Hopefully I can stick to my shorter weekday runs to increase my pace. That should be easier now that the days are longer, the snow has melted and it's warmer - I hate running in a stinky gym on a dreadmill. Actually, we're thinking about quitting the gym. Right now we pay $32 total for our monthly membership fee. Not bad, but it adds up and we don't go all that often and have enough free resources available between the weights we own, free On Demand workouts on Comcast, free lap swimming at the high school and running outside. If we quit the gym now and decide to join again when it gets cold and dark out (so, November), we'll still come out ahead. Membership fees for April - October would equal $224. If we joined again in November, the enrollment fee would be $99 each (so $198 total). So we would actually come out ahead $26. Even more so if they were doing a promo if/when we re-join, or if they pro-rate March for us.

Oscar Predictions

This Sunday is the Oscars, and for the past few years, my (now) sister-in-law has hosted a party (and now that they're married, my brother and sister-in-law have hosted a party). Anyway, we also do Oscar ballots, and usually there is a prize for whoever gets the most correct (but most of us would be happy with just the bragging rights). This year, I'm doing research! And based on that, here are my Oscar picks:

Best Picture: The Hurt Locker
Best Actor: Jeff Bridges
Best Actress: Meryl Streep
Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz
Supporting Actress: Mo'Nique
Best Director: Kathryn Bigleow
Best Original Screenplay: Quentin Taranteno
Best Adapted Screenplay: Jason Reitman
Best Animated Film: Up
Best Documentary: The Cove
Best Foreign Language Film: Das Weisse Band (Germany)
Cinematography: Avatar
Art Direction: Avatar
Costume Design: Coco Before Chanel
Film Editing: The Hurt Locker
Sound Editing: Inglorious Basterds
Make up: Star Trek
Original Score: Up
Original Song: The Weary King (Crazy Heart)
Visual Effects: Avatar

Bold = movies I've seen

training

Still training for the half marathon ... slow and steady wins the race, right? Today I ran 5 miles, although it was very slow - 1 hour, so a 12 minute mile (or 5 miles per hour, ha!) I took a break from my training last week and the week before while I was getting over a cold and lots of congestion. But, I still have 9 weeks to train. If I add one mile each week to my distance runs, I'll get up to 12 miles two weeks before the race, and then can taper the following weeks, so I think I'm in good shape. I just wish the snow would melt. Right now I'm limiting my runs to side streets, so that if the I get to a spot where the sidewalks aren't shoveled or packed down, I can run in the street. But I need to mix it up! I'd like to go on some bike/jog paths.

My brother, the good sport.

My brother Mark dancing with the belly dancer at A La Turka restaurant last night. We were there to celebrate Paula's 30th birthday. Anyway, around 9pm, there is "entertainment" - the belly dancer. She kept motioning certain people to get up and dance with her, and Mark was a good sport and did. He rocked the Schwartz Shuffle a little bit.

My Irrational Fear

You want to hear something crazy? I have a fear of water deeper than me. I'm about 5'7 and start to get nervous in water that's about 5'6.

But the crazy part is, I used to be a life guard. And I'm an excellent swimmer. I started taking lessons at a very young age, went through the highest level of lessons offered, I even TAUGHT swim lessons. I can tread water with no hands for 5 minutes in 7' (or, at least, I could about a decade ago).

But for some reason, deep water makes me nervous. Sometimes, I can get used to it (like in the 10' diving well where I used to work).

Today I was swimming laps at the local high school (residents can do lap swimming for free). I was in the shallow end (3' - 5'). They were setting up the pool for swim lessons, and about 20 minutes into my swim, they said I could move to the other side, since in about 10 minutes, the side I was on was going to be all swim lessons.

Well, the other side is 6.5' to 12' (maybe 12.5'). I said, oh, that's fine, I'll finish up by then.

Because I was to nervous to go the deep side.

This makes no sense! It's an indoor pool! There is no under toe! And I'm a very strong swimmer! I'm not even going to lie. My endurance isn't that great, but I'm a good swimmer. And I've simulated deep water unconscious with a possible spinal injury saves in 10' of water. (Again, about a decade ago ... but still.)

Oh well. Maybe one day I will get used to the deep end of this pool. Might take me a few weeks ... months ... year.