« B/c We're Siblings | Main | Embracing Boston »
August 29, 2005
You Pick the Topic
Realism vs Optimism
My dad told me I can’t qualify for Boston. He was not being mean, just realistic. If you look at my times it looks like a stretch, he thinks members of my family physiologically aren’t meant to be fast, and I get hurt a lot. My mom wants to know why I don’t just run with a charity if I want to run it so badly. I just don’t. I ran with a charity for my first marathon and it was great, and I would do it again, but not for Boston. If people want to run with a charity for Boston b/c it’s a great city and a great course, there is a charity in the Boston area they feel really strong about, or any of a number of reasons, I thing that is super fabulous and they have my respect. But I personally don’t want to. I want to qualify. My parents often have more “realistic” expectations about what is possible for me to accomplish than I have for myself, but I plan to qualify (or at least go out in a crashing blaze of running glory/agony) in 2006.
This morning…
…was humid. I ran at 6:30 and it was warm out already. I essentially ran 3 miles uphill followed by 2 miles and change downhill (I forget exactly how much over 5 miles the run is). My total run was 48:45. It’s one of my favorite runs near my parent’s house. There are some farms. It’s pretty solitary (which made me think…this is so different than running in a city with public transportation…if something hurts…it’s a long walk back). The only annoying thing about the run is that the roads are cambered to help drain water, so to avoid the camber I basically have to run on the line in the middle of the road. Then, on the main road which is busier, I can’t run in the middle and I have to choose: cambered blacktop or flat cement sidewalk? I went with the sidewalk. I also got a pretty bad side stitch that didn’t go away. I think I wasn’t hydrated enough. BUT, I am not going to throw another blogging tantrum (like when I decided to quit running and take up soccer and tennis). I think it will all be okay :)
Doughnuts
I had doughnuts for the first time in years this weekend. They were chocolate. They rocked. They are definitely going to be reintroduced into my diet on a more regular basis, especially as Boston has Dunkin Donuts on every corner. As I was driving back to Boston I was trying to think, are there other foods I don’t eat at all? The only one I came up with was soda. I think it’s bad for you and it makes me have to go to the bathroom even more than usual, so I have completely excluded soda from my diet. THAT item I don’t plan to take up again. But bring on the doughnuts (in moderation of course). I don’t think for breakfast, b/c I like to start out healthy, but definitely for dessert and stuff.
Boston
I’m back in Boston. I was definitely less than thrilled when I drove into the city. It was weird. I have NO IDEA why I am being so crazy about coming back. This weekend I made a list of ways to embrace Boston that I am going to put into effect immediately. I am going to make it a separate post in the next few days so I can reference it often (and so this post won’t continue on forever). AND, remember the mouse drama from the spring?? The good news is there were NOT mouse droppings all over my apartment-I convinced myself it would be disgusting in here-but I DID catch the mouse this summer!
Posted by Audrey at August 29, 2005 07:17 PM
Comments
I'm also a fan of the doughnut. I didn't eat them for years until I married my husband (who eats them quite often) and when he questioned me as to why I didn't eat doughnuts I had no good reason. Hence my reintroduction of doughnuts into my diet. As you said, not really for breakfast - but as a dessert. YUM!
I don't know what your marathon PR is, but I really don't think it's unrealistic to chase the standard for Boston qualifying! I'm one of the most "realistic" people out there, but sometimes when you have a goal in mind (such as Boston qualifying) you are able to achieve a lot more than you once thought possible. Good luck!
Posted by: Beth at August 29, 2005 07:59 PM
I have no doubt that as long as you can remain relatively injury free, you can qualify for Boston. Good luck!
Posted by: Alison at August 29, 2005 09:55 PM
I LOVE donuts. I have tried to eliminate them from my diet to no avail, so now I just try to save them for once and a while...as a naughty snack. :-) I also love carbonated beverages. My grandfather has been drinking soda and diet soda since it was invented and he is a very healthy 78 year old. Not sure how soda could be much worse than donuts for me...
Anyway, having met you, I think you can qualify for Boston if you make patience your friend and avoid getting injured by trying to get there too fast. Me getting to Boston however, totally different story, 3:10 is a long way off for me...when the QT gets to 3:30 I can swing it...so in 15 years or so.
Posted by: Rob at August 30, 2005 08:47 AM
Hey you managed to change the font! Cool. You will DEFINITELY be able to qualify for Boston! I have to qualify too actually... anyway, you will. I don't think that's an unattainable goal based on your other times, the staying healthy is probable the biggest thing in the equation.
Posted by: Nanda at August 30, 2005 12:09 PM
I can't believe that you ate donuts after our conversation the other night about them!!! Haven't had one in years and don't plan to ever eat one again. I just don't like them enough to justify eating them. Now soda, on the other hand, I can't live without. I try to justify it by telling myself that I can't have it unless I drink tons and tons of water.
It's good to hear that your apartment wasn't too nasty when you got back. Definitely a good thing that you caught that mouse before you left!
Blondie
Posted by: Blondie at August 30, 2005 08:20 PM
Thank u so much for your really lovely comment on my blog.
Yay you for still going to qualify for Boston...how exciting...looking forward to reading more about that
Posted by: a girl running at August 31, 2005 04:01 AM