Beverly says Travel recap

I owe an update... so let's see, when I last left off I was packing for Ireland. Well I packed, I went, I returned, and I have been lazy ever since. I packed pretty well but I did not earn a perfect score. I managed to get it all in my backpack. Huge gold star for me. I only had one clean shirt left so I really pushed my luck. I ran out of toothpaste thanks to the 3oz rule. My tote bag was great in the POURING rain and was a great size. However, the strap kept slipping off of my shoulder forcing me to wear the bag over my neck and across my chest. Not the most flattering way to wear a tote bag. My jacket was great in the rain and I made it without an umbrella. My boots were almost perfection. I got hot several times and wish I had cooler (read lower temperature not style) shoes. They did hold up in the country walks, city streets, slippery stairs, and driving the cute Fiat. Okay, here come the pictures... my shoes in the highest point of the city Dublin. A 360 view of the city. Slippery steps indeed. At the Blarney Castle it is rainy, slippery, and you have to use a rope to climb the stairs. Oh how I hated those stairs. On the way into the castle I assisted a solo blind nun in locating the exit door. She had just climbed the castle and descended the castle stairs. I secretly and stupidly saw this as a sign of the simplicity of the stairs. WRONG. I am ashamed of myself. Lastly there is the picture of the Fiat. I loved that car. I zipped through Ireland having a blast and tremendous fear. All the cliches came true. Narrow roads, one lane roads, stopped by a herd of sheep, cliffs around every corner, and all things scary about driving on the side of the road that I wasn't use to. And in the end as predicted I loved it.

Ireland was great and easy which sounds unfair. It is a nice starter European vacation country. I hope to return someday. If I am so lucky as to go back to Ireland I will definitely focus on the rural areas and shy away from the cities. The land was just so amazing. I wish I could prove it with my pictures but I can't. Here are several shots that may start to explain the beauty of Ireland that I saw:




All of these photos were shot in the Dingle Peninsula.

Next post... where is Julie? Should this silly little thing called a blog continue? And did I really sign up for a superhero 5K for Halloween? sigh.

Beverly says The travel edition.

Running isn't getting very far. I got up Monday morning and did 3 miles but they were spent walking. Tuesday I maybe ran 1/2 mile and then walked 2 miles, wash rinse repeat for the rest of the week. The end. That is all I have to say about running.

Now. I was walking this morning wondering what in the world I could write about. Not running, not my job, duh, not my friends because they didn't sign up for this, and that doesn't leave much. One of my loves is traveling and as fate would have it I spent this week preparing to travel. I thought I would let you in on the craziness. I am leaving Friday night to go hop over the big pond to pretend to be Irish for 4 days. I am very fortunate to have an opportunity to go with some friends for a quick trip to Ireland. We leave at 7pm and land at 1am or about 6am their time. I hope I can fall asleep on the plane ride over. Because! Once I get there I am driving. eeekk! I am the only one who can drive a manual and automatic vehicles are rare therefore cost a premium to rent in Ireland. I drive a manual so that isn't a big deal. The big deal is the fact that I will be driving from the right side of the car on the left side of the road. I'm nervous. But I will report back on all of that when I return (whew, another post idea taken care of, check). No, no. Today I want to talk about how I travel.

I hate packing. I hate the commitment of packing. I will be stuck with the items I pack for days. I hate the inevitable mistakes I will make packing. I don't think I have ever said "boy I packed perfectly for that trip." True story, my Mom (hi Mama) packed for me the first time I went to Europe. I couldn't bare it. I manage projects for a living but managing the project of packing is a weakness. I do however have a little bit more figured out than I use to. I have some rituals when traveling and I will share them with you. I have these boots that are amazing. Thanks to two of my friends who both have a pair, I own these boots, Fat Baby by Ariat. One of the top 5 shoe purchases I have ever made. These puppies are rugged, have a great sole and go with most pants. Also, they are pretty good in the airport since they slip on and off pretty easily. I wear these on a regular basis in my daily commuting walk. Also, when I was in Greece I wore these every day, all day for 8 days without my feet ever getting tired much less a blister. I stepped on some pretty gross and dangerous things in Athens and these boots have a thick and flat sole that kept me safe. It is very important to me that I not look like a tourist so I shy away from sneakers. I figure I don't walk around in sneakers in my daily life, well except for that running thing. Oh and don't even get Julie started on how bad she thinks sneakers are for your feet. I just want to do my part and not promote the stereotypical American tourist. I want to be an interested and polite traveler so that I can represent the US on a positive note. But I digress. To go along with these boots I wear these socks. Whoa buddy these things are expensive. However, if you have ever hung out with me while I have blisters you would hand over the cash on my behalf. I have sensitive feet. I think that is a theme on this blog. So these double layered socks combined with the comfy boots equal a pleasant Beverly. I only have 2 pair. When traveling I wash the pair I wore that day at night before I go to bed and then alternate pairs allowing a day for the washed socks to dry. Also, this is good for light packing. Two pair of socks and that is it. I also pack a 3 oz bottle of laundry detergent. One last thing while we are on the subject of footwear. Mama gave me these one year for Christmas and I use them and love them. I wear them on the plane and in the hotel room because floors are gross. And they are very comfortable.

Okay, moving on. The bag. Essential. I wish I could be stylish and functional but I am afraid that I will always pick function over style. The prequesities are that the bag be large enough for camera, water, wallet, map, ipod, phone, keys, and maybe a pair of shoes. It has to have pockets on the outside. I have a dedicated pocket for my keys and train pass. I refuse to stand outside of the train gate digging around for my pass and can hear the train coming. Final requirement is waterproof. It rains. My favorite purse is fabric and when it rains all of my stuff gets wet, so when traveling and commuting I have to have waterproof to protect my essentials. I am currently using this bag that I paid way less for than on this site. I am not crazy about the color but I like the nylon, pockets, size, and adjustable strap. Next up, rain coat. Umbrellas are no good when traveling. Besides my larger and awesome umbrella for my commute (check it out if you need a good one), umbrellas tend to fail me. So a hood on a rain coat is all you need. I am sporting this one but in black.

Besides these items a couple of things that I always have: ipod & headphones, camera, bed bug spray (just in case), necessary papers, copies of cards & passport to keep in a separate place from my wallet, pen and paper to jot down notes, observations, and directions. I am hoping that I will get everything I need in my backpack and tote. My goal is to pack light. Who knows, maybe this time I proclaim "boy I packed perfectly for that trip."

Julie Says... Can I get a Midol?

As part of this couch to half-marathon journey, I expected there would patches of time where motivation waned. I am, after all, only human -- despite my best attempts to be otherwise ;) What I did not expect is to be at war with myself. I WANT to run every day. I see my Vibram FiveFingers and get teary eyed. I see my lovely foot muscles atrophying. My joints are aching again. My back hurts. I'm depressed, and I'm mad at myself. Nothing has changed since the last time I wrote. I'm still held back by fear, time, and money. Mostly fear. And a touch of agoraphobia. Perhaps it isn't agoraphobia so much as severe anti-social tendencies. I came close to breathing fire on a check-out lady at Sam's Club today. Which bothers me more than I think I can explain.

I found my warm-fuzzy-world-loving-all-forgiving-peaceful self after many, many years... or so I thought. Can I blame it on work? In the first two months on my new job, I have dealt with disaster involving police, fire, water, vomit, tears, and urine, in some combination, almost every day. Do you remember me complaining about the fact I couldn't get a job? Yeah. Beggars can't be choosers. I am grateful to have a job... but it isn't easy to be grateful. The best I can come up with most days is, "At least I'm not being shot at... yet." I don't say thanks every day. I don't find joy every day. I have a hard time forgiving minor transgressions (like a check-out lady who removes me from line, sending me aaall the way to the check-out lane on the opposite end, only to be told that she has closed). I've gone from being grateful that I am single and independent, to regretful that I don't have a man in my life to provide a second income. And perhaps a little sad that money would be the greatest/only motivation for entering into a relationship now.

One step closer every day to being the crazy cat lady librarian... oh, I forgot. I left my cats for this job, too.

Also, I'm still having trouble figuring out how to keep from starving on a low-fat diet. I keep falling off the wagon, eating pizza, lasagna, cake... only to end up writhing in pain. Then I eat my carrots, broccoli, fish, beans, carrots, broccoli, fish, beans, carrots, broccoli, fish, and beans... until I nearly explode from frustration and cram a pizza down my pie-hole to appease the hunger monster... only to end up writhing in pain... again... from being weak and stupid. I could blame the fat-givers at work. The ones who bring/buy the pizza, lasagna, cake, brownies, doughnuts, etc., but no one is forcing me to eat the bad stuff. Weirdly, the threat of death isn't a great enough deterrent. Who knew?

Did I mention I'm cranky?

To end this misery loves company pity post/confession... I will admit I tried to talk Beverly out of doing this. Forget it. Next year. Next decade. Next century. Never.

Beverly says... Back in the saddle again, again...?

Okay, so Julie is off starting a new career so clearly I should at least show a little life on the site to make up for her brief absence. This summer, and I use this term loosely, has been a struggle. June in Boston has gone on record as one of the top 4 worst summers since 1904. What does that mean? Well until the second week of July the average temperature around here was around the lower 60s and it rained. Like it rained every day. I know, cry me a river but it was gloomy. Now it is hot and muggy and I have used up my allowance of complaints. The hot weather has jump started my efforts. It is funny (not really) but agreeing to do this half-marathon kind of stopped me in my tracks on fitness. My Mom (hi Mama) says it is the way I am. I guess when things are my idea and on my terms I am fine but throw in a little control and a deadline and I fall to pieces. I have been doing better in July and now August. When you don't use the fitness you have acquired it goes away rapidly. I have been regularly exercising now for three weeks and I am just now starting to feel like I am getting some strength back. Last week I went up a 100 stairs cold. This is only 8-10 flights of stairs. Back in March I could do several hundred stairs. My legs were sore for days, like four days from these stupid stairs. Why did I stop climbing stairs?


Anyway the point is I am trying again. There isn't a lot of time left before the half-marathon. 27-28 weeks, whoa, I just looked at the calendar. Panic attack. My goal is still a 5K in October. But the big question is can I go from 5K to 13 miles in 3-4 months. I think we all know the answer. I will cross that finish line in February, I just may be crossing it on my hands and knees.

Now for the mp3 shuffle list. (See Julie's last post.) This little exercise proves to me that perhaps I should edit my music. I used the iTunes I listen to at work and not my entire library. Okay here goes but I don't think it is a true sampling of my taste in music although it is about half right:

Fall Line - Michael Houser (Door Harp makes an excellent baby gift!)
Indoor Fireworks - Elvis Costello
Daddy Go Down - David Byrne
Road Trippin' - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Thank you too! - My Morning Jacket (excellent song)
Wave - Alejandro Escovedo
Endgame - R.E.M.
Use Somebody - Kings of Leon
Mr. November - The National
Hard Women Blues - Paul Burch
Back to the Earth - Rusted Root
Big Backyard - Soulhat
Jewel of the Summertime - Audioslave
Mothers of the Disappeared - U2
Parking Lot Song - The Hackensaw Boys
Resignation Superman - Big Head Todd and the Monsters
London Calling - The Clash (favorite record cover art of all time)
Low - Cracker
Don't Let Me Down - 311
Heard Them Stirring - Fleet Foxes

Julie Says.. Yeah, That Too.

It's a been a roller coaster kind of life these past three weeks. That first came out "rolle roaster." I was tempted to leave it that way :) My brain is spinning a little every day. What about running? Thbt. Nada. Zip. Zilch. None.

I almost convinced myself to go to a nearby national park to run, but chickened out when visions of murderous villains started dance-slashing in my mind. Sigh.

So I think I should join a running club to decrease the odds of the rape/murder scenario. But then all my insecurities and excuses creep up on me, and I think

• I'm too slow


• I'm too competitive


• I'm lazy


• I dislike schedules


• I like running alone

Then I think, well, I'll just join a gym. Which brings us to:

• I hate treadmills


• It's expensive (I'd so rather have a new pair of shoes every month)


• Ew. Dirty. Germs. Ptootie.

What to do? What to do?

In the meantime, I've stolen the following idea from the post "We Are Experiencing Technical Difficulties. Please Stand By." by mystery writer J.D. Rhoades
from the blog Murderati. Using whatever mp3 player you have: shuffle, then make note of the first 20 songs. I realize my sister may be the only person to participate in the exercise, but that's okay, especially given that three of the songs that came through in my shuffle were gifts from her. Here are mine:

Just Dance - Lady GaGa
Mama Told Me Not to Come - Three Dog Night
Unwritten - Natasha Bedingfield
The One I Love - REM
Black Magic Woman - Santana
Right For Me - Justin Timberlake
Juke Box Blues - Reese Witherspoon (Walk the Line)
Can't Get You Out of My Head - Kylie Minogue
Quietude - Michael Houser
We're All Mad - Natasha Bedingfield
Voodoo Doll - Fergie
Ramblin Man - The Allman Brothers
Exgirlfriend - No Doubt
Si sa che aprir la porta - Madama Butterfly
Crazy Game of Poker - OAR
I will buy you a new life - Everclear
Fake Empire - The National
E soffitto e pareti - Madama Butterfly
Lost Coastlines - Okkervil River
Past in Present - Feist

Julie Sings of Tiny Things Past

Once upon a time (far too long ago), a group of silly girls sang silly camp songs in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Many years later, one of the silly girls got a clover flower stuck between the toes of her Vibram FiveFingers. With an equally silly grin, she began to sing...

There is a daisy on my toe
It is not real
It does not grow
It's just a tiny little flower
To look at when I'm in the shower

It's on the second toe of my left foot
It has no stem
It has no root
Because... That wouldn't look good [spoken]
It's just a daisy on my toe
My right foot loves my left foot so (*smooch*smooch*)

{Scrreeeech} Welcome back.

A little digging on the web revealed that it's not "just a tiny little flower". It is instead *gasp* "a tattoo of a flower."

"That can't be," I think to myself. "It's just a kid's camp song."

A little more digging revealed that it's a Smothers Brothers song titled "The Tattoo Song." Well.

There is a midi of the tune here: http://webcatt.net/Midi/daisy_toe.html
(remember midis? ah... how times change). I tried finding the song on iTunes. I think this is the point where I have to say, "You know you're old if... " Yeaaaah, I guess no one really wants to pay for Smothers Brothers songs.

The song as I remember it is almost right. I learned the song at Camp Little Crossroads, a GA (Girls in Action) camp, so I suppose tattoos were considered too risque for miniature Christian girls. The camp has since changed its name to CrossRoads Camp and Conference Center. Also, in 1998, they initiated coed camps *gasp* (You know you're old if...).

Ah, remembrances. I am trying to enjoy these last few days at home... running barefoot in the grass... chasing cats... watching the garden bloom... watching TV with Mama... cooking dinner...

Times change. I'm content with where I'm going. I am hopeful that this next phase will be as enjoyable as the last.

For the record, running is out for the next few weeks. I'm still recovering from an unfortunate episode with a pair of high heels and not sure how long it will take me to find a safe place to run in my new location. In the meantime, I think I'll go back to concentrating on yoga. I think that will best for keeping me centered during this transition, and I could use the extra strengthening.

Julie Whirls and Tweets

Whew, it's been a whirlwind these past two weeks. For those of you who may have missed the emails and tweets, I got a job!!! It seems to be a perfect match for me, and I'm very excited to get started. However -- holy moly there's a ton to do. I start July 6th and between then and now I have to find a place to live, move, and... and... um...huh. I guess that's it. Find a home and move in two weeks. No biggie.

As promised on Twitter, I owe a story on my experience with the treadmill. I don't like treadmills in general because they are so boring. It's no fun to exert all that effort and not actually go anywhere. This particular treadmill (in the hotel gym) was facing a mirrored wall, so I had the bonus of seeing my own puffing face the entire time. This really was a bonus in this instance because I needed a chance to check my form. The VFFs are great at preventing heel-striking, but a great stride is far more nuanced than just not landing on your heels. I've been reading and reading and trying to apply what I read. Surprise, surprise, it's hard to look at your feet and maintain a good form at the same time :)

What I learned is this: it actually takes more effort to run slow than to run fast -- or at a minimum, no more effort to run much faster. Gasp! You think I'm crazy, right? Turns out, the more efficiently you run, the easier it is. Although I hate to see all those numbers on the treadmill display (re: my post on why I run with a HRM) it gave me a chance to fiddle with the pace and watch the results in my form and heart rate. I was able to bump up the speed by more than one minute per mile with zero effect on my heart rate -- and maintain that speed with no conscious extra effort.

The following video may not be the best example, but it's fun to watch anyway and features Barefoot Ted, who is one of the main "characters" in Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. Reading Barefoot Ted's blog was one of the things that convinced me to try VFFs. Anyway, notice how little he actually moves his feet. McDougall talks a bit in the book about this economy of movement. (He's wearing hauraches, which he learned to make from the Tarahumara).



As far as shoes go, the VFFs felt fine but were extremely loud (THUMP_THUMP_THUMP_THUMP_THUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMP)
-- so now we know that cushioning in shoes is good for noise reduction... ah ha! That's why they're called sneakers!

Other bad mojo from the treadmill is that it left me limping with extremely sore hips for several days. Ouch. I'm writing this now from the same hotel (after a return trip home, then back here, then around and around and around and around in search of a new home). I plan to run on the treadmill again only because I have no choice :(

Where's Beverly?

I am here. Sitting here. Not running. Let's face it, jogging. So, I have 33 weeks left until the marathon. No problem, right? Anyone? Okay, I am not here to talk about running. I know, gasp. Well Julie isn't really talking about running either. The only difference is she is doing it. I am not going to talk about running because it is stressing me out. But the schedule has been loaded in a spreadsheet and the shoes are by the door. Wow, sort of talked about running didn't I?

I am here to stick my toe back into the swimming pool that is this blog. I am retesting the water.

I have been up to a couple of things... I finished Tap Level 1 at the Dance Complex and I have mixed reviews. I like the complex and the idea of it but as with most things the beginning is tough. It wasn't until the end of the course that I really felt like I was tap dancing. So now I have a routine to the Cool, Cool Evening, Goofus, Tapella, and Anchors Away if I am ever in a situation that requires me to dance to those songs. Yes, my friend and I did fight, as expected. But that is what we do when we take dance lessons. Consequently, I went out with him Saturday night to hear his favorite jazz and blues band and we danced. It was fun and our dancing didn't have a name, routine, or a judge. Just lots of spins.

I feel moldy. The temperature has been in the 50s and it has been rainy for weeks. There have been a few exceptions, but just a few. Coincidentally my throat and sinuses have been a wreck for a few weeks. A constant sore throat. I have had dreams that I look at my throat in a mirror and it is huge, and looks like clear balloons. This is very exaggerated and it is like dreaming you have a large head or hands. I guess this throat thing is bugging me. I know it is the weather and allergies but I am seeking alternate cures. Today I am going dairy free. Just for a little while to see if I have dairy allergies. This morning I had dairy-free hippie cereal with almond milk. Man that was good. Really it was. I might always use almond milk on my cereal as a result. Lunch was soba noodles with grilled chicken and veggies with ginger sauce. And dinner, maybe a potato, something with rice, I don't know yet. We shall see how this goes.

What else... I am addicted to HGTV. I have this strong desire to refinish a piece of furniture. This is what happens when you have too much time on your hands and you are avoiding running. And in the category of too much time on my hands, I really want to learn to speak Danish. Ah, cliffhanger... I will save this subject for another post.

Job?

Quick update not at all related to running... I got a follow-up interview scheduled for Wednesday. I'm calm and confident about the interview itself... not so calm about the repercussions if I get the job. You know:

-gotta-buy-a-house-what-about-the-cats-oh-no-I-cannot-afford-a-mortgage-oh-but-you-will-when-will-i-find-time-to-run-yoga-read-cook-garden-travel-sleep-shoooot-I-hate-moving-I-need-to-take-some-clothes-to-Goodwill-man-I-need-new-clothes-where-do-you-find-affordable-work-clothes-why-oh-why-did-I-so-readily-say-that-very-low-salary-was-okay-I-will-miss-my-garden-

Just be glad you're not inside my head.

Julie Says... Step One

I had a phone interview this morning for a job that sounds promising. I think it will be awhile before I know more. I am hopeful, but I don't want to get too excited yet. I was nervous this morning, so I indulged my flight response and went for a quick, hard run. After I burned off my nerves, I spent some time on the yoga mat to relieve some of the tension in my muscles and quiet my brain. The result was that I had just enough nerves left to keep me on my toes without being too crazed (I hope).

Pursuing this half-marathon goal is an interesting adventure for me psychologically. I always ran because I had to run. It wasn't a choice. In the military, you rarely run your own pace, and unless you are faster than everyone you aren't fast enough. Especially as an officer, you literally need to be able to run circles around your soldiers. I never felt like I was good enough, and I always ran with pain. It was incredibly frustrating and tough on the psyche. Your physical fitness is a measure of your competence. You can be the best at everything else, but if you can't compete physically, you lose respect.

This is the first time in my life I am running just for the sake of running. Because it is a choice and not a chore, because my professional reputation doesn't depend on every step, it's so much easier to get up and go. I really do run for pleasure with no expectation of return. I'm just running.

I have to tell you, it was joyful to be able to run off my nerves this morning. It's weird to remember that there was a time when running itself caused me to be that nervous. Now, to run because it feels good... to run because I can... it is immensely rewarding.

If you search Flickr with the words "joy" and "running", why is it that almost all of the photos are of children or animals?

I'm still thinking on that one while I read Born to Run by Christopher McDougall.

Julie Rants

I now have Injini socks! Beverly gifted me TWO pairs! Woot! Thanks, Beave! So far I haven't had a recurrence of a blister. There is a discussion thread on Runner's World Barefoot Running Forum that suggests that particular seam (in the instep) in VFF KSOs is problematic for many. I've read accounts ranging from those who only wear VFFs with Injinji socks to those who never wear them, opting instead to allow their foot to condition itself or who use measures like Band-Aids or duct tape. Some people complain that the socks cause the shoes to be too tight. I don't have this problem, but then again, I do have very skinny toes. My only complaint is that when I'm done running my feet are hot. Not a biggie. Nothing that can't be solved by taking them off -- er, the socks, I mean, not my feet. I'm sure I'll welcome the extra heat this winter, and I'm happy to accept a little extra warmth over lost skin.

I just finished reading 50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days -- and How You Too Can Achieve Super Endurance! by Dean Karnazes. Yes, the book was nearly as annoying as the subtitle. Seriously, I would have been fine with "Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days" without any other part of the title. Or, "Dude, I Ran 50 Marathons in 50 Days: I'm So Much Better Than You!" because, hey, it's honest. To be fair, I only read this book because I haven't gotten my hands on a copy of Born to Run by Christopher McDougall yet (currently #15 on the New York Times NonFiction Bestseller List). This book was meant to tide me over until then. And by "tide me over" I mean "inspire me to run." First, let me state I'm impressed by the guy. He ran 50 marathons in 50 days with an average time of 3:53. Then, he decided to run home... to San Francisco... from New York, averaging "about forty-five or fifty" miles each day. Granted, he stopped somewhere in Missouri, but still. The book starts with a preface that first recounts the highest praise he has received, such as "fittest man on the planet," "no mere mortal," "the perfect human," then ends with this "Just remember, as extreme as some of my accomplishments have been, you are reading about an average guy. An extremely average guy." Let me clue you in buddy, my favorite writing rule: "Never tell a thing if you can show it instead." You know what he showed me? On pages 277 to 279, Dr. Bergman presents the findings from the blood draws and urinalysis conducted during this extravaganza. Surprise, surprise, Dean Karnazes is no mere mortal. This "extremely average guy" totally blew away the scientists' expectations of the effects of this marathon-marathon on his body. Dr. Bergman said that Karnazes "sailed through the Endurance 50, with none of the common ailments that plague the more typical athlete during one marathon, much less fifty." Dean, you aren't average, and I'm offended that you pretend to be. See, if you admit you are above-average, I can appreciate your accomplishments without having to compare myself to you, but when you insist you're average, I expect you to recount your experiences from the vantage point of an average person. I think you're slapping that "average" in my face so I'll be forced to compare myself to you. Do you really need that much validation? I think you're missing something in your life... like a fifth of whiskey. Oooouuu. I'll let karma bite me back on that one. Don't even get me started on the product pushing. I get that this was a sponsored event, but I paid cough-cough-checked-out-from-the-library to read about your experience, not to read the name of your sponsor and their oh-so-perfect shoes every other sentence. Oh, yeah, and this guy claims he was the idea behind Nike Frees. Maybe -- probably -- maybe-- he was... but go buy the shoes his sponsor makes! Even though he believes "humans are really designed to run barefoot." I agree, Dean. Go run barefoot. Then in Chapter 28, marathon #43, the Marine Corps Marathon, he says a marathoner is a warrior and likened running a marathon to war. When a runner collapsed in front of him, he says "a brother had fallen short of his destiny; a soldier had lost the war.... The scene that had just unfolded before me left me feeling grief-stricken and empty. So close to the finish line, I thought. So close. What a tragedy." Try putting forth that much effort while being shot at. Try feeling all "heroic" when your participation isn't voluntary, and you're not totally sure whether you're the good guy or the bad guy. Truth be told, I feel like he didn't get what he wanted out of this adventure. It turned into a publicity spectacle. Also, the book had a co-writer, so who knows how much of the book was his own voice. He's probably a likable, humble guy who just got caught up in a money-making scheme. No wonder after running 1310 miles in 50 days, he then went out on his own and ran roughly the same distance in 40 days without the hoopla. So was I inspired? No. But he did give me the idea to try running to an audio book. More on that later.

Enough of that rant. You think my feet are ugly? Check this out: Crazy Toes from the Runner's World Barefoot Forum. The chick with the pigtails makes me want to cry.

Julie Says... It's a New Day

Today I turn 30. Though "turn" is such a funny way to say it, as though a phantom switch flipped and made me something new.

My most overwhelming feeling is of gratitude. I am simply thankful to be alive. To date, 4,965 soldiers have died in this war, five were my classmates, many more were friends or people I served with at some point. If you knew just one of these men.. how brilliant, how kind, how beautiful, how talented, how good he was. You would be crushed by just the one. Multiply that heartache by every person who loved him: his wife, his kids, his mother, his father, his friends. Multiply that grief by 4,965. Thankful is an understatement.

It is too easy to become mired in grief but to do so is a disservice. At my class's 5th reunion (which I did not attend), the speech for the memorial service recalled the movie Saving Private Ryan where the dying Captain tells Ryan, "Earn this. Live a good life. Earn this." And so I try. I try to be thankful for all that I have. My life. My health. My family. And most of my sanity -- some of the time. I try to live life honorably and with joy and gratitude. I try not to question why I survived when others did not. I try not to compare the value or impact of my life to theirs. I choose to think there is a higher purpose that we may never know or understand... but there is a purpose. There must be.

I can't say I'm where I expected to be at 30. You know, not married, no kids, unemployed and living with my parents. For the record, I am laughing now. Because, seriously, life is good. I don't have a bad marriage or annoying kids or a job I hate, and I like living with my parents. I have a Master's Degree in a field I love. I'm on my way to a career that I will (hopefully) love. I have a garden springing full of life (no, that is not a metaphor). I have two cats that are endlessly entertaining. I also have a box full of goodies my sister sent. And hell, I have an iPod Touch. That alone kicks ass. Oh -- and don't forget the FiveFingers. Who could complain?

And so this morning I strapped on my running gear, put will.i.am's "It's a New Day" on repeat, and I ran and ran and ran.

Now I'm going to bake myself some cupcakes and try out a new yoga routine... and somewhere in there send off another resume.

Julie Says... Pain Management

Another good run yesterday. More of the same. I started out a little stiff and sore from the run on Monday, but that's to be expected. I think I cursed myself yesterday morning when I decided it wasn't important that I have yet to order Injinji socks for my VFFs. Right around quitting time, a familiar burn started to smolder on the side of my left instep. It's just a tiny blister, but I'm peeved. I inspected the inside of my shoes trying to find the culprit. There is an exposed seam, but it's so soft, it's hard to believe it's to blame. Curiously, the seams are in different places on the left and right shoe. Not so curious is the funky smell I noticed when inspecting them up close. Eeeeuuuu. Good thing they're machine washable :)

Next order of business is to create a playlist to keep me from looking at the time every ten minutes -- also to stop my brain's relentless repetition of "Pah-Pah-Pah-Poker Face, Pah-Pah-Poker Face."

Great. There it goes again. "Hooked on a Feeling" never stood a chance.

Today I'm sore but in a satisfactory kind of way with zero joint pain. It feels like a miracle -- but I'm not jumping out of my seat yet. I'm keeping my elation in reserve. We'll let time decide. For the record, I took NSAIDs daily from about 2001 until last year. Up until the FDA alert/withdrawal I took Celebrex and then Bextra (good stuff, too bad it'll kill ya). From that time on, I was stuck with Motrin. Last year, my digestive system decided enough was enough, and I quit. Other than Bextra, none of it really worked anyway. Shockingly, I was in less pain without the drugs. My digestive tract hasn't forgiven me yet, but I'm working on it. Since adding yoga to my life, my joints have become less and less painful. I've read plenty of anecdotes on the web of other people having similar success with yoga. It frustrates me that not one doctor ever suggested yoga. Instead, I got "Take two of these and suck it up" over and over. To be fair, from about 2002 - 2004 (minus the exotic vacay time) my boss was a Physical Therapist who gave lots of good advice and was genuinely concerned about making me fit and pain-free. The Polar HRM was a "gift" from him (I swear I didn't mean to borrow it for forever; also, Uncle Sam paid for it, so I really don't feel that bad about it considering he still owes me). So I do ask myself if I would have listened if I had heard it... I really don't have an answer for that.

For now, I'm sticking to what works and keeping my fingers crossed.

Julie Says... The Right Attitude

May 18th?? Where did the month go?! I can't believe I've had my VFFs (Vibram FiveFingers) almost a month and just had my first proper run in them.

Let's see:
Week 1: Went to DLF Conference with Beverly in Raleigh... although we got home Wednesday evening, I spent Thursday recovering and Fri/Sat working.
Week 2: I had to work 4 whole (half) days this week! The horror! What kind of crazy world is this? I kid... I kid. Sort of. I'm amazed at how busy I feel when I have nothing pressing to do. I'll have to remember this when I re-enter the real world. Apparently, I like to feel stressed.

So...

1. Travel


2. Work


3. Excessive amounts of rain. According to the NWS, Charlottesville Station, total rainfall so far this month: 5 in. Days with rain: 12/18. Yes, I do melt in the rain. Whether it's because I'm made of sugar or a witch has yet to be determined. Best to avoid the wet stuff either way.

(pardon me while I spin the Excuse-Ometer just one more time)


4. A cat bit me. I only wish I were kidding. What this has to do with not running, I don't know. Aforementioned Excuse-Ometer has its limitations.

This morning I did 30 minutes around the ball field in VFFs using the Polar HRM. My praise for the VFFs is so first-love-effusive that I'm reluctant to say anything at all. I fear over-praise may turn people off, or that I am setting myself up for disappointment. For now, I'll keep it to two points.

1. When I put them on, I just want to go. Man, what a good feeling. The first day I had the VFFs, I was rocketing around the yard and woods like a crazed person. My sweet, slightly-off cat, Squeaky, had a blast following me around. When I finally pooped out somewhere in the middle of the woods, she wound around my legs purring for minute, then began a thorough inspection of the things on my feet. She sniffed and sniffed and sniffed, then walked a full circle around me, eyes locked on shoes. She concluded by walking across the tops of my feet. The next day, when I walked outside with the VFFs on, Squeaky took one look at my feet and ZOOMED off the porch. Pfft. Zip. Zoom. White streak into the woods. What can I say? These shoes are contagious.



2. I hate shoes. Let me amend. I love shoes. I can spend hours shopping and admiring pretty shoes. I just hate to wear them. I spend most of my day barefoot. Obviously, if I'm in public I wear shoes, but since I'm a hermit, that's not that often. In the winter, when the ground is covered in seed pods, I'll usually throw on flip flops to walk through the yard. Otherwise, no shoes. When I walk through the door, the first thing I do is kick off my shoes. So why didn't I try barefoot (or more precisely, barefoot-alternative) running before? Because marketing tells me I need shoes! The Army told me I need shoes! Society tells me I need shoes! Also, sharp things hurt (hello, fang through hand, ouch). VFFs for me are a perfect compromise. They feel very much like being barefoot, only maybe better, because I can let go of the fear of stepping on sharp things. These are the only shoes I have ever worn that I don't rip off as soon as possible. I can actually forget that I'm wearing them. Matter of fact, I'm wearing them right now :)

At minute 23 this morning, I looked at the time and was surprised. I felt good. So good, in fact, I thought I might push to 45 minutes, maybe even a full hour. I was definitely sweating despite the 55 degree weather, but my legs felt good and thanks to the HRM, my breathing was under control. Not 30 seconds later, the Parks & Rec maintenance trucks showed up. It would be nice if they would stick to a schedule, so I could avoid being mowed over. I finished up my scheduled 30 minutes by running circles in the yard. Gah. Not fun. Although I'm disappointed that I don't feel like I had a workout, I am proud of my attitude. There have been few times in my life I ever reached the end of a workout and wanted to keep pushing. I have many times pushed myself beyond my given constraints, but rarely with joy. I'm sure the VFFs have something to do with the joy, since this is the first time I have run pain-free since I was in my teens.

I also suspect it may have something to do with my reading ultra-marathoner blogs. These guys run insane distances! And they like it! It's great to read about how they deal with pain and obstacles. There is never any sort of defeatist attitude or punishment/reward associated with their accomplishments and failures. They simply do the best they can and accept the consequences. No excuses -- only opportunity for growth. What went right? Do it again. What went wrong? Prevent it in the future. So when I hit minute 23, I can think about one of these guys at mile 23, and it is easy to want to keep going.

Julie Says... Feet v. Shoes

World, meet my feet.



Quite ugly, aren’t they? Notice the exceptionally long and skinny toes. It may amuse and/or horrify you to know that my big toe is actually larger than my thumb (both in length and width). For those of you who are nosy, they’re size 8.5, narrow natch.

Now, meet a few of my ailments, both past and present: recurring metatarsal and tibial stress fractures, bursitis, arthritis, and the usual annoying-but-less-worrisome shin splints.

Are my weird skinny feet the culprit?

What, those guys? C’mon, give them a break. They’ve spent a lifetime being abused: crammed into tight toe boxes, slipping and sliding in shoes that are always too wide, the naturally high arches forced into submission by unnaturally flat and stiff soles. If they were at fault, could you blame them?

I’d like to present an alternate theory.

Exhibit A: The painful truth about trainers*

I don’t expect you to read the entire article, as it quite long, and you are likely not nearly as fascinated by this as I am, but at least scroll through and take a gander at the photos and illustrations.

*This is a British article, so you’ll have to forgive the use of “trainers” for sneakers and the odd alternate spelling, such as “tyre” for “tire.” Quaint, those forbearers of ours.

Exhibit B: Nike says go barefoot… almost

Nike, yes, a company that sells shoes for running, has determined the most effective way to run is… barefoot.

Exhibit C: Nike Free running shoes: are they worth it?

This Ask MeFi thread is the origin of my current obsession. Note that the question is “Are Nike Frees a good investment?” while the answer is a resounding, “I love my Vibram FiveFingers.” Hmmm. Interesting.

Conclusion: Brace yourself.

World, meet my feet in FiveFingers**.



Because this post is long enough already, I’ll save more for other days. For now, I’ll leave you with my first impressions.

Freedom. Exhilaration. Connection. Me, my feet, my FiveFingers, and the Earth. We’re a pretty good combination.

Oh, yes…

A great big THANK YOU to Mama for being open-minded enough to buy these (early) for my birthday.

**The tags are still on the shoes in this picture, as it was taken just minutes after the UPS man had exited the driveway. The tags are now gone, and the shoes covered in pollen and detritus.

Julie Says... I Like It Hot (some like it not)

Did I say cold? Whee-doggies, it's been hot!! Nothing warms my heart (and other bits) as much as record highs. The Weather Channel has a special alert up for our area; "TEMPERATURES TODAY ARE EXPECTED TO BE 15 TO 18 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL." Oh, be still my heart. Saturday, my handy iPod Touch weather app reported that the high was 97, although today's high is predicted to be only 87.

Sigh. Heaven.

So, um, I've been running, right? Riiiight. Nah, I'll do it tomorrow.. or maybe the next day... someday I'll get around to it. Do you see the counter on the sidebar? It says 291 days. Two-hundred and ninety-one. That's a whole bunch of days for anyone, least of all a procrastinator like myself.

I'm actually dying to run. What, say again? You heard me. Dying. To. Run. Because I have a birthday gift in the mail that I cannot wait for!! But you will have to, because I'm not telling yet. Surprises are much more fun to give than receive. This is the best of both worlds. I get to receive (my gift) and surprise (you). Trust me, I have a feeling I will say more about this gift than you will ever really want to hear.

One of the blogs I regularly read is written by Michael Hyatt, the CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers. I thoroughly enjoy his writing, as it combines many things I am passionate about (leadership, writing, and leading life in balance with your beliefs, to name a few). In 2007, he challenged his employees to run a half marathon with him. He met his goal of having at least a quarter of his employees (about 135 people) take the challenge. This post from a year ago shares testimonials from the people who participated in his second marathon challenge. If you're looking for a little inspiration, this ought to do it. The word cloud attached to this post contains just a sampling of the words used in these testimonials.

My favorite: "I have done a lot of things in my life but next to the birth of my daughter and being saved, this was the most exciting feeling I have ever felt."

How you could not want to share in that kind of experience?

Beverly says... Crickets... Crickets...

I am not doing very well at this blogging thing.... crickets. Let me share a conversation I had with my sister this week over email:

Julie: Who's a blogger? You are! Where are your posts? :)
Me: Who isn't running - I am! Who is avoiding it? This girl! I will write a post.

P.S. Julie said our conversation reminded her of this hysterical interview with the stuck up girl from Real Housewives of NYC: http://www.imnotobsessed.com/2009/04/10/kelly-bensimon-in-harpers-bazaar Oh her name is Kelly Bensimon. If I had never heard her name pronounced by her or entourage I would pronounce her last name Ben-Cy-mon. Cy-mon, like Alex's husband's first name. (Wow, I need to go out and run and stop watching this show.) Anyway, her name is pronounced Ben-se-Moan. It is her name and she can't help it but it irritates me to no end.

Yeah... that is all I have to write about today, the fact that I am not writing. For some reason I have completely derailed myself from everything. All I have done of late is walk and started the couch to 5K, and then started the couch to 5K. Where do things stand now? I need to start the couch to 5K plan. sigh. But there is good news! Spring is making an appearance this weekend in Boston. I even heard the number 70 mentioned. Last year it didn't reach 70 until June. Also, I have Monday off from work. It is a holiday, Patriot's Day. Otherwise known as Boston Marathon. I am going to spend the weekend hiking, couch to 5King, and other outdoor activities.

In other news, I start my tap dance class tonight with my friend. I took swing dance lessons with him years ago and we constantly argued. Of course he doesn't remember this. He was the teacher's pet and she was always using him for examples leaving me without a dance partner. He would then come back to me and expect me to know all of the moves. I would get so frustrated. I am hoping that tap will be different since it is an independent dance. Julie, remind me I said this when I am ranting about how he is doing so much better than I am and I want to smack him.

In summary, April equals a rocky start to the marathon training but Spring is around the corner and I am trying to get back on the train.

Julie Says... Bah, Slumbug

Where'd we go? This is not a good way to start. Sister? Hello??

In the past two weeks, my progress towards running has been nil. Am I ashamed of myself? Eh, yes and no. For one, my body is not run-ready. I knew that before starting, but at least I have proven to myself that I wasn't stalling (okay, maybe a little). For the rest of it... that false Spring start threw me off. It has been rainy and cold. I don't do cold. I won't feel guilty for that. I have still done yoga nearly every day. I feel like that is going to help me tremendously in the end. I can feel my strength and flexibility increasing steadily. I also did a meager quantity of yard work. That counts for something, right?

What I (we) have accomplished in the past two weeks is to make plans towards two trips. Beverly has a conference-thingy in Raleigh that is library-related, so I'm going to join her there. I get the opportunity to network (and maybe learn a thing or two), and Beverly gets a ride home to retrieve her car. Anything that can help me get a job is a mood booster. Mood boost = more energy = more exercise :)

The other trip is less certain but far more exciting with the prospect of white sand, blue water, little umbrellas, and exotic food. The good news is that I shudder at the thought of bathing suits in public (both on myself and others, strangely). Dread of public nakedness = more exercise. :)

Until next time... here's hoping for more sunshine... and one big guffaw to mock the one up north. Oh, I meant to say sympathetic groan... really :)

Julie Says... Aslan's Bite

We're just getting started and already I feel like a negligent blogger. You'd think someone who wanted to be a writer her whole life would be more interested in writing than fiddling with the technical stuff. But I can spend hours tweaking code, playing in Gimp, or exploring widgets. I'm sure there is something to be learned there; I don't feel like thinking about it today. (As a side note... while I write this, I can hardly concentrate on what I mean to say for obsessing over such details as "it's not proper to begin a sentence with a conjunction, or is it?" or "is that the best use of a semi-colon?" Hmm).

I thought I'd follow-up Beverly's post with my own disclaimer. In the interest of full disclosure, I know Beverly isn't going from the "couch" fitness-wise, and I have been flirting with yoga for about a month now, but neither of us are currently runners, and I in no way can consider myself to be fit. Although I spent a good decade of my life being forced to run, I have never thought of myself as a runner. As a matter of fact, I have almost always completely despised it. HOWEVER. This is a part of the therapy. Did you know the first time I ever ran with headphones was last week? I'm nearly 30 and worked out with music for the first time in my life excepting the random aerobics class and jodies.

In Book 3 of the Chronicles of Narnia, "The Horse and His Boy," the proud war horse Bree, despite the urgency of their mission, refuses to go as fast as he is capable. Despite Bree's experience and great ability, it is noted that "one of the worst results of being a slave and being forced to do things is that when there is no one to force you any more you find you have almost lost the power of forcing yourself." Let's just say I can relate.

Which brings me to my current training plan... the heart rate monitor. Through a fortuitous accident, I own a Polar heart rate monitor. Genius! All I have to do is strap it on and off I go with a completely objective measure of my effort. Today, I set out to do 30 minutes of effort at 85%-95% of my MHR (about 160 to 170 beats per minute). Notice I said "effort" -- not "running" not "walking" not "jogging" -- just effort. How this works out in reality is that I start off at a moderate run until my heart rate is in the target area and try to keep it there. Inevitably, my heart rate creeps higher and higher, so I back off to a trot or a walk. When my heart rate starts to dip into the low end (160), I start running again. When it gets above my target (170+), I walk again. I don't have to care about how far I run or how fast I run. I just watch my wrist. Amazingly, I feel much less worn out after running than ever before in my life. No bargaining with myself ("if you sprint to that telephone pole, you can walk for the next 3 telephone poles"). No slacking off. No pushing myself to the point of puking. And no guilt. Hey, research says this is the most effective way to workout. Working above my target heart rate is a waste of effort, so I don't have to feel guilty about walking in the middle of my workout... as long as I keep the heart rate in the set range.

Beverly says... Okay so now what?

Well we have agreed to do this thing, check. Accountability to each other and the world about our training, check. So now what?

I have a couple of ideas about my accountability. I think I will post my "training" schedule on here every Sunday and then at the end of the week we can see how I did and if I stuck to it.

Where to start... well I am not completely starting from scratch because I am moderately active. That does not mean that I am fit and thin. I am not. I will not tell you how overweight I am, this is not a weight loss blog but I am trying to lose weight. I have heard that training for a marathon is no weight loss plan and I believe it. So, I will continue my low calorie menu plan and my regular exercise plan and will just add the half-marathon training on top of it all. Worse thing that could happen is I get fitter, stronger, and thinner. Darn. But, I repeat, this is not a weight loss plan. I don't expect that to happen from this training alone.

My beginning platform: I am currently logging in about 350-400 minutes of exercise a week. I go to the gym and my "go-to exercises" are the elliptical machine (30-45 minutes depending on the crowd) followed by 30 minutes on the treadmill or Arc trainer. I aspire to do 60 minutes of cardio 5 times a week. I probably only do 4 times a week. I try to do squats, lunges, shoulders, biceps, chest, triceps, and sit-ups at least twice a week. I want to do this more but I have only been doing this for 3 months so it was a starting point. I also take several group exercise classes: Zumba (it deserves it's own post), Pilates (love!), and have and will occasionally take Urban Rebounding (the most evil class of all time), Yoga (otherwise known as leaving me alone with my mind - never a good idea), and African Dance class (a little too unstructured for my taste). I want to start taking Spin classes but I am afraid.

In addition to the gym I will occasionally go Swing dancing with a friend. I am signing up for Tap dance class in a few weeks, and I walk everywhere. I walk .7 of a mile each way from my home to the train stop plus I work on a large campus where I have .5 mile walks from my office to meetings each way. The walk home from the gym is 1.1 miles. I average about 3 miles a day. At work I am on a "get fit" team. We compete with other teams by logging in exercise minutes. There are minimum requirements each week and different goals to meet each week. Several of the group members will walk during the work day to ensure that we are getting our minutes in. We walk about 40 minutes and do that 2-3 times a week. The most surprising thing about this walk is it is pretty aggressive and I burn about 350-400 calories which is better than the treadmill.

My point is that while I am no athlete I also don't have to start from scratch. That being said, I am no runner. Heck, I am no jogger. This will be a huge challenge for me.

Julie Says... The Why

Oy. This is where I'm supposed to explain what possessed me to recommend running thirteen miles all at once... well, you know, one step at a time... all the way to thirteen miles. Surprisingly, I'm not that intimidated. Yes, I've basically sat in a recliner all day long for the past three years, but no, not all that intimidated. I'll start with the possession, er, inspiration. I read the post "Upcoming Marathons for Walkers" at FitSugar. You read that right. Walkers. As in walking. Perusing the list I saw Myrtle Beach Marathon, followed the link and one thing led to another... which led to an impulsive moment of asking my sister to do the half-marathon with me. Damn Oracle. A truer reason is that I'm disappointed and frustrated with myself at the moment. I've been needing to feel a sense of accomplishment. I thought that getting a graduate degree and starting a new career would do that, but noooo. The economy tanked and despite my education, I am far too inexperienced in this employers' market to find employment. I'm not very good with feeling out of control, and this is certainly a situation where I cannot figure out how to get control. I'm stuck sitting in a recliner reading job ads all day and setting myself up for rejection -- over and over and over and over and over (ad nauseuum) again. Add to that a rough year health-wise and an upcoming "0" birthday -- you get the picture. Doing this is my way of taking control. Here goes nothing.

Beverly Says... The Why

So I went to Greece the 3rd week of March. Yeah, the trip was great, thanks for asking. Two points of interest for this story: first, the tour group learned about the origins of the marathon and why it is 26 miles and 385 yards (named after the fabled run of the Greek soldier Pheidippides, a messenger from the Battle of Marathon to Athens). I learned something new, cool. Second point, my group went to Delphi, location of the famed Oracle. So of course I thought I would ask the Oracle a question. (I was confused if I could ask more than one question and I am now confused if it is like a birthday wish, you shouldn't tell anyone your question.) Basically I asked the Oracle to show me what I can do next in life that would be good for me and others. Like a project. What can I focus my efforts on that isn't completely selfish. Fast forward to my return home where I check my email after a week of neglect. There is an email in my inbox from my sister suggesting an idea: we should run a half-marathon together! Ok, Oracle, I hear you. Julie sent that email approximately 24 hours after I asked my question. Weird. Fine, I will run a half marathon. It is good for me, good for my sister, and well, I will figure out how it benefits mankind in general. So here we are. We have almost 11 months to train for 13 miles, 192.5 yards. I will document my efforts here. I haven't figured out how to tackle this training but I think I will start with the Couch to 5K training program and try my hand at running a 5K this summer.