I Run In Wifebeaters...

Third Times the Charm!

2007-05-19T21:11:00.000-04:00

I'm back!!!!!

The blogging about running is finally back on. Cuz, uh, I'm finally running again. My annual marathon has to be chosen and and fluctuating between two right now.

Good thing I'm only up to running about 2 miles every 3 or 4 times a week. :)

Here are the two choices:

1. Chicago Marathon: 10/7/07

or

2. Outer Banks Marathon: 11/12/07

I know, it's like comparing apples to oranges. Part of me wants to do the OBX but the large size of the Chicago also draws me.

Hmm. Big decisions! :)

LJB

Lovely Pictures

2006-11-30T18:09:00.000-05:00

Official Information

2006-11-19T14:45:00.000-05:00

LETA BRASS #25889
of FREDERICKSBURG, VA
Finish: 5:22:20
Clock: 5:27:58
10 Miles: 2:00:10
Half: 2:36:18
20 Miles: 4:04:49
Pace: 12:17.8
Place Overall: 16300 of 20938
Place Women: 5758 of 8135
Place Women 25 to 29: 1313 of 1763

Marine Corps Marathon Pictures

2006-11-12T19:19:00.000-05:00

My dad ended up running about 17 miles with us, unplanned!

Danielle and I and our lovely outfits. :) And, we are still smiling!

Promises Promises

2006-11-09T22:21:00.000-05:00

Sigh. I am finally getting around to getting you some more details. Also to reveal some addictions.

Short Synopsis:

Miles 1-7: Awesome

1: very fun start, family members were able to see us off, couldn't really understand the men in this part, they were on the side relieving themselves already....

2: very large hill, pretty much the only hill, since we had trained on hills I was grateful for the preparation

3-7: spent a large amount of this time basking in all the people yelling for the pink girls (Jake is also running with us through these miles and would continue thru about the first 14 miles despite having 2 stress fractures, he is insane....)

Miles 7-12: Good

7-10: more laughing, having a lot of fun

10: my dad decided he wants to start running with us (he runs a lot of 1/2 marathons but hasn't done a marathon....yet....) when we meet up with the fams in the first meeting spots.

11 & 12: starting out on the Capitol Mall, lots of cool stuff to see, the spectators are getting tired of cheering however and are sitting there dumbly, presumably bored stiff

Miles 13-15: Starting to Suck

13: it gets very windy :P

14: almost gag on a disgusting Cliff Gel, I'm not kidding, I almost threw up right there, nasty stuff teaspoons!

15: definitely hitting my wall, not laughing anymore....

Miles 16-21: Crap

16: walls are not fun

17: does the wall ever go away?

18: i hate this part of the race

19: when the heck do we turn around to head toward the finish line?

20: bridge....boring....the wall is hard to break

21: Danielle has kept us on a very consistant pace and the only reason I haven't walked thus far is because of her (btw, my dad is STILL running with us, he hasn't trained)

Miles 22-24: Re-energized

22: Sport Beans are my favorite, I see one of my clients running the other way about 1 1/2 miles ahead of us and we exchange jovial greetings

23: I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel and am getting excited about the finish line, great music along the way too

24: my dad is still running with us, this is the longest he has ever run, Jake also meets back up with us to run the last bit behind us barking orders (very welcomed in my book!)

Miles 24-26: Kicking!

24: we had already picked up our pace but Jake and my dad were feeding our egos, telling us how good we looked, then Jake proceeded to pick people in front of us for us to catch up to and pass

25: we ran this pretty hard, it is almost a blur to me, we passed countless people and the pain seemed to melt away with the endorphins which then decided to abandon me on this little mini hill that ends mile 26

26: like i said there is this very steep but pointless small hill to get to the last .2 miles and it narrows considerably

Last .02 miles: my legs and mind have had it, I realize that I don't quite have enough left to finish, all that sprinting has almost killed me, this is what I am thinking anyway. I am pretty much in tears because I want to walk to badly. Danielle keeps me going again and we are able to continue to pass more people to reach that glorious finish line!

Our families were great! I loved the signs and the encouragement along the way. It was a great experience and it has left both Danielle and I thirsting for more.

We are definitely running the Blue & Gray 1/2 Marathon on December 10, 2006 and are considering another marathon for the spring. We would like to run the National end of March but you must qualify with a previous marathon run of under 5 hours, since we didn't do that we would have to finish the 1/2 in under 2 1/2 hours.

If that doesn't work I have scoped out other marathons. There is a fun one the beginning of March in Sarasota, Florida that has caught my eye and now I can't stop thinking about it. I am also eyeing the Dublin Marathon the end of October 2007. My cousin Katie and I wanted to go to Ireland next year so wouldn't that my fun??? :)

Anywho, you have now seen my addiction and it is hopeless. When you finish you think that you will never run one again and then 2 seconds later I'm ready to find another one!

Any suggestions for marathons???

See ya on the road soon!

LJB

"Go Ladies in Pink!!!"

2006-11-01T18:47:00.000-05:00

Okay, I owe you all a very big apology. It has taken me way too many days to post that Danielle and I successfully completed the Marine Corps Marathon on Sunday!!! I believe our time was very close to 5 hours and 22 minutes.

I am pretty happy with the time, we ran the whole way except for water stops. We even picked up the pace in mile 22 and then got faster through the end.

The most fun thing about the marathon this time was that because Danielle and I wore identical outfits, we had a lot of people cheering us on and not just our families. My parents flew out the day before and Danielle's parents and Jake's mom made signs for us. Signs that said, "Keep going Danielle", "Keep going Leta", My Auntie's faster than you!", "My mommy's faster than you!". They, along with the random people along the way were a huge encouragement to us. We had a very good time and I was just happy that I cut 40 minutes off from my last marathon time.

Anywho, my parents are still in town and although I'm off from work, it has still been busy. I'll be writing a mile by mile early next week or so.

I do have one grievance: I GOT THE SHAFT FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW!!!! ANOTHER YELLOW FINISHER T-SHIRT. WHAT THE HECK? Two marathons and still no t-shirt that I can wear to prove it. Just ugliness. Sigh.

I guess I will have to just keep running marathons until I get a decent shirt!

Training for the 1/2 marathon in December starts on Monday. Until then I am on break....Danielle may go running tonight, she's crazy.

More to come, plus pics!!!

Thanks for all of you support!

Leta

Why not just do it all at once??

2006-10-26T13:07:00.000-04:00

I have this crazy little habit. By crazy, I mean it makes me crazy. I am blessed to have one those mixed personalities (although it might not really show up on this blog) that incorporates both introverted and extroverted tendancies. So sometimes my extrovertedness commits me to a large number of tasks while my introverted side screams for 'me' time.

And no, I don't hear voices in my head although I must admit it might be easier if I did.

So this is what possesses me to apartment hunt in a week where I have to run a marathon, work 50 hours (included a 1/2 day on Saturday), raise my final bit of money (btw, I reached my goal), get my hair colored (obviously really important for race day), ready myself and the house for my parents who fly in on Saturday.

Heck, why not just do it all?

It is usually after one of these bouts of business that I decide to sequester myself because I have run my nerves ragged.

Speaking of nerves, I'm not quite sure if I am nervous enough for Sunday? I mean, is that something in and of itself to worry about? :) I'm just ready to finish it! Running that long is just so boring! At least this time I will have Danielle with me. We had talked about not speaking to each other for a whole week so we could save up conversation but we've already blown that, probably because we live in the same house and Gabriel is a good listener but doesn't really give that great advice.

Anyway, just some mindless drivel as I wish my life away here at work.

I'm still trying to get my 'splits' hooked up to this website for Sunday so people can track us. Haven't quite got around to that yet. Good job me.

Pics for sure after the marathon!!!
Leta

"What say you at the end of week 15?"

2006-10-23T11:58:00.000-04:00

"Ah, yes!" - Danielle

"Finally!" and "Why the heck did I decide to do this again?" - Leta

This is the final week! We run our marathon this Sunday, we also have matching pink outfits. :) Hopefully I will be figuring out how to connect my race splits to this website and it will automatically update it.

Also, just wanted to give some kudos to Nick Johnson. He is my friend's husband who is currently serving in Iraq. Last week his humvee was hit by a bomb. His friend beside him was killed and he saved one other guy and then recieved the Purple Heart. Nick, I'm proud of you and I pray that you recover physically and mentally very quickly.

Sunday I'm running for Nick Johnson and Scott Liefker. It is not too late to help, you can donate at www.semperfifund.org . Just make sure you drop me a line to let me know so you can get credit for it. Please consider helping soldiers/marines like my friends.

Thanks for all your support!!!!

Leta

Cold Weather Doesn't Cause Colds Hoax

2006-10-16T21:50:00.000-04:00

Tapering week is difficult yet easy at the same time. The mileage is definitely easier however, since it is easier, it seems like it is less necessary. Nonetheless Danielle and I went out for our obligatory runs last week. Blogging has just been difficult this time around. It seems like all I do is work and come home to run, throw in some sleep and start the whole process over again. That and I have just lost my creative streak and can't think of ways to entertain you all. :)

Anyway, we went out on Friday night for a 9 mile run, in the dark and the cold. Oh and BTW, I was attacked by another kamikaze frog. They never go for Danielle but choose to jump 'out of my way' into my leg or other appendage. Which lead to me jumping and screaming, it may be the true reason for my shin splints. Who knows. ANYWAY, it was really cold out, I mean really cold, and windy, it was terrible.

I began to feel a cold come on Saturday at the Navy vs. Rutgers game and then I spent yesterday lounging with a pounding headache and the feeling of a razorblade scraping the back of my throat.

Other than that sucking (never mind me going to work this morning even though I felt like crap because I knew by boss wouldn't show up....) it made me wonder.

Does the cold weather our mothers warned against really cause colds? I am here to answer an emphatic YES!!!

I can count 2, yes 2 times that I was sick with a cold or almost flu in Hawaii. And that is in 4 years!!!! This cannot be just coincidence. I think this scientifically proved that cold windy weather will give you a cold if you stay out in it too long.

Luckily it is still 13 days until the marathon, I'll be well by then. :) No excuses although I'm secretly praying for a sprained ankle....

Just kidding.

Kinda.

LJB

P.S. Does anyone else think that Erica chick was the most psycho lunatic you have ever seen on The Bachelor?

2 1/2 Inch Heels

2006-10-10T19:29:00.000-04:00

That was last night. Danielle and I went out for a 5 miler last night, relishing our tapering. It was an easy little run but as with all tapering times, it makes you feel unprepared.

I always get a little weary of the taper because it feels like it is a bad thing to do for the marathon training. So I decided that I would count walking around in my heels at work. I mean, hey, it is sculpting my calves so that has to count for something AND it also builds endurance.

Hmmm.

Heck I do it anyway! :) I love shoes. And handbags.

Okay, back to reality, if any of y'all still want to contribute to the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund, there is still time!!!!! I'm almost to my goal and we are coming down to the line, just about 2 weeks left!!! Let me know if anyone else wants to contribute. Thanks for all the response so far.

Gotta go apply for some new jobs! Happy trails.

LJB

Hurrah for tapering!

2006-10-08T20:57:00.000-04:00

Tapering came a little early this year. By that I mean that the scheduled 18 mile run yesterday didn't happen and won't. Last Wednesday it was 85 degrees outside and by yesterday it was 50 degrees. I might be able to handle that but it was dizzling.

So in the interest of not getting sick, we went out and ran about 6 miles. Not comparable but I'd rather not get sick. It was pouring by the end of our run and we had all we could do to not become chilled.

I feel a tiny bit guilty but then I remember the longest I ran for the last marathon was 16 miles and I only did that once. I think we have this in the bag.

Now we just have to decide what we are going to be wearing for solidarity on marathon day. The weeks of tapering have begun!!!!! Yes!

LJB

It's Fall!!!!!

2006-10-05T22:15:00.000-04:00

Running in the Fall is so much fun....it's nice and cool and crisp. And the Halloween decorations are so cute!

And it's almost time to taper! Yay! One more 18 miler this weekend and we are in the clear. I can't wait.

The runs are now boring, now the posts are boring too. Sorry.

I'll give you the play by play for my 18 miler on Saturday.

LJB

Legs....hurt....

2006-10-01T20:11:00.000-04:00

I still can't believe how horribly Iowa played last night. BTW Ihatetoast, you will be redeemed from your Buckeye status only if you attended UNI or U of I in your distance learning. I dislike Iowa State almost as much as I dislike the the Buckeyes.

Anyways, Danielle and I ran our first of 2 18 milers for this set of training for the Marine Corps Marathon. It....was....not....fun! However because we did it together it made it too hard to quit. I need that accountability. Only one more tough week and then we taper! I cannot wait!

Life has slowed just a little bit which is very nice. I need to keep it slow and stop committing to too many things. Hopefully the rest of the training goes smoothly.

It's not to late to contribute to my charity, the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund. I've had donations from $5 to $50 and every little bit helps. So if you want to help injured Marines and sailors as they recover from their wounds please let me know I can direct you to that website. I'm a little over half way to my goal. Please consider helping. :)

I'm a little disappointed that it is Sunday night already. I think I already have a case of the Maundays. :(

I'll check in soon again!

LJB

Watching Tate throw interceptions....

2006-09-30T22:01:00.000-04:00

Alright, slight deviation from the running blog. The Iowa Hawkeyes are messing things up. I mean, come on, yes, we are playing the #1 ranked team in the nation, but a girl can only hope. Now at the end of the 1st half I'm hoping that my boys remember that they always play better in the 2nd half and pull things together.

Otherwise, there may be a riot in Iowa City tonight.
And Buckeye fans had better watch their backs. Not pretty.

Anyways, on the eve of my 18 mile run I am blocking out the mental anguish of doing so. Danielle and I plan to torture ourselves with that special run tomorrow.

Oh and I was attacked by a frog on our 8 miler on Wednesday night. Creepy little buggers.

Sigh, boys, the Buckeyes are running the ball, step up your defense!!!!!

Unhappy,
Leta

Moving at light speed....and I don't like it!

2006-09-20T21:48:00.000-04:00

To the faithful reader, I have been running. My lack of blogging doesn't mean I'm slacking in my training.

Sigh, between working 55 hours a week, putting in 30+ miles, taking an every other day class from my church, looking for a new job (which is a full time job in and of itself), and just plain sleeping, I haven't been able to check in quickly to tell you how I am doing.

I'll be in San Fran this weekend so I'm not too sure the next time I'll write, but you can be sure that somewhere out there, I'll be running.

Need sleepy,
Leta

Boredom leads to complacency

2006-09-13T21:06:00.000-04:00

Yes friends, I am bored with training for the marathon. I reached this at one point with the first one too. However, I'm not sure that is was this early. Tapering isn't until the second week of October.

Sigh.

Oh yeah, and btw, it gets cold here on the Mainland. I like it because I've so dearly missed fall, however my muscle have to get used to this weather! The high was something like 60 degrees here today. It took about 2 miles for my muscles to get warmed up and for me to feel like I was on a good run.

It's good though, I'll take this any day compared to the sweaty nasty humid days of the summer!

TaTa for now,
LJB

Man with froo-froo dog and plastic bag of poo

2006-09-11T23:28:00.000-04:00

running.

It was quite a funny sight. He hadn't planned on going for a run, I could just tell. It was killing him that he had a mini-poodle dog and that I was moving faster than he was. I think I was hurting his manliness. So he took off clomping down the street in garden shoes and dragging his dog behind him.

Oh yeah, and the poop bag was swinging around too.

He should have stuck to walking.

---

Can I just say that there are two things I hate about being an adult right now?
1. There is just NEVER enough time.
2. I am always tired, I don't even have kids!

Nite nite cruel adult world,
Leta

Pre-Running Cocktail

2006-09-07T21:20:00.000-04:00

It has real kick!

1. Gatorade
2. PowerGel
3. 400mg of ibuprofen
4. daily intake of vitamins

Even though I had a sub-par run tonight this is the fuel of choice. :)

Tired and no creativity at the moment,

LJB

Alright Ihatetoast, this post is for you: Running in Central Park

2006-09-04T13:18:00.000-04:00

Yesterday turned out to be a great day with the weather. I was shocked because Saturday had been so tremedously wicked. Anywho, because of this I couldn't put off running.

Sigh.

I had just planned on running in Brooklyn because I am too lazy to get on the metro to go to Central Park but then Aaron decided he was going to run with me and said we just had to go running in Central Park.

I was a bit apprehensive given that he has run many marathons and I think that may have made me ruin my mental game of sorts. In the 4 years I have known him we have never been running together. Jess is more on his level than I am.

So this is how I start my run, not brilliant but nonetheless justified.

I must admit, running in Central Park is very entertaining although a bit frustrating. When I ran the last marathon of course I had people passing me all the time, it is the nature of the game, you're in a marathon, just watch what you are doing yourself and don't worry about anyone else. Well, I didn't do that in my run yesterday, every person that passed me I took as a personal insult. Not only that but I did start the pace too fast at the beginning which led to some burnout.

No pride hurt there.....

Okay so enough with the complaining and now why it is good. There are so many people out with you that it's like being in one of my favorite places: the airport. I like to make up stories about people that I see and this gave me a plethora of imaginative playdough. It was pretty cool out and then for the last 2 miles or so we ran on a dirt track around a lake. When you got to the end you could look to your left and see all the buildings around the Plaza Hotel, plus you couldn't hear any of the people honking their horns which is a nice change.

I actually saw a biker curse someone out for having the right of way on a crosswalk. I think all the good he was doing his body by cycling was just negated by his mouth. I mean it is NYC but please....

All in all, not a very good run for me however, it was still a pleasant experience. Oh and plus we got Jamba Juice when we were finished so that was VERY good. :)

Anyway, I'm off to SoHo to shop for the afternoon. Ihatetoast I hope this tides you over until I can think of the other discriptive things to say about running in NYC.

LJB

Ernesto is ruining my game

2006-09-02T11:27:00.000-04:00

I have spent the last 4 years living in Hawaii, I will admit that. Who is going to run in hurricane weather? Not me.

Thursday night Ernesto came up the coast for me and ruined my plan to run 4 miles or so, well that and my car that decided that it need to throw a warning light up at me so I'd have one more thing to do!

Needless to say I did not run on Thursday. I did however manage to start the weekend out well by falling down a flight of stairs with all my luggage for this weekend strapped to me. It was fun, luckily I was not seriously injured.

I made it to JFK last night (I hate flying with turbulance) just in time for Ernesto to make it up here too. And although I can still have fun up here with this weather, I don't think I'll be running. I'm gonna have a lot of miles to make up next week.

Hopefully I will be able to get out there tomorrow!

Aloha from the Big Apple!!!!

(P.S. Tuemler says hi)

LJB

The force is strong in this one, yes.

2006-08-30T23:23:00.000-04:00

After a work mandated "party" (read: networking opportunity) after work tonight I was presented with some problems. I needed to run tonight and do laundry while still making an appearance at a smoke filled marketing fest.

I was not excited when said party made me get home at 9pm tonight. So I sorted some laundry hoping that I could find some justification in mind as to why I should not run tonight. I am spoiling myself by taking myself to NYC this weekend to shop and go do New Yorky things. Ergo, I was unable to find any justification.

I threw in a load of laundry and set out to run 7 miles. I only took on one extra mile for tonight given that it was about 9:50pm when I started out. I really didn't think I would do it all, especially since there was a light rain.

As it turns out, is was one of the best runs I've had in a long time. The rain was the perfect amount to keep me cool and my body felt awesome running. Fortunately I did run the 7 miles!! I am down to only 11 miles left to run for this week. I will also run tomorrow night so hopefully I can just do a quick 5 or 6 miler around Central Park on Saturday.

I may be dead tired at work tomorrow but I refuse to blame it on my run or the laundry. Networking sucks.

Good times, good times.

And then I found $100.

LJB

That's What Grills Are For/Playing Chicken

2006-08-29T20:39:00.000-04:00

Often times when I run I think ahead to this time when I will be telling y'all my adventures. And since I truly have no adventures I have to think of something cleverly entertaining to embellish.

Fortunately this usually makes the time go rather quickly and it helps develop my otherwise uncreative mind. So you see, I had a problem tonight, I could not pick just one title. They are both important in their own ways. Let me explain.

Title #1: It is unusually (or usually depending on your point of view which is what subjectivity is all about) hot here in Northern Virginia. I mean, it is summer but when it gets humid here you can practically swim through the air. This dense uncomfortable weather presented me with a unique problem tonight: sweat and bugs. They shouldn't mix however the bugs don't know this. They are unknowingly attracted to and become unnecessarily stuck to my heavily perspiring face. Bugs and cobwebs. I had more bugs stuck to my face than a car grill. And believe me, I know car grills. It's disgusting.

So you see this is where I could have gone with the first subject line of tonight's blog. However, there was also a lesson to be learned tonight.

Title #2:
ATTENTION BIKE RIDERS: There is a street for you to use, so do it. Or if you must ride on the sidewalk, get the heck out of my way because I don't have the luxury (safely anyway) to run on the street. I don't want to play chicken anymore. These are not small children but obnoxious teenagers. (Did I just write that? I sound like a grumpy old woman. I think I may have been born that way though.)

As you can tell, there was no way for me to decide which title to post. Both titles were completely endemic to tonight's run and untransferable. I wasn't gonna wait until the precise conditions were replicated before using one or the other.

(deep breath)

Ta dah!!!! I have now completed 10 of the 28 miles for this week. I ran 4 tonight and it was a great run. It is really a shame that I don't ever time myself because I believe this would have been a PR for me. About 35 minutes. However, I don't keep track for the very reason that I have just as many bad runs as I do the good ones so why dwell on the bad. And being the psuedo perfectionist that I am, I would only remember the bad while the good floated somewhere in my self-consciousness.

Ok, I'm stalling, I have other things to do tonight that I don't want to do. Four miles were a cinch compared to the rest of my night. But that is a story for another night and another time.

Nite nite all!
LJB

Running for Scott Leifker

2006-08-28T21:54:00.000-04:00

Today I sent out my email requesting all of your help raising money for the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund. I do what most would do, family, friends, church members, college friends, etc. I received and unexpected response from my friend Mark from college. It seems that his brother Scott was seriously wounded last week in Iraq by a very large truck bomb.

Most nights I shallowly run to get to food but after hearing the full report from Mark I decided that I needed to stop being so selfish and remember the reason I am running this marathon.

Scott is in San Antonio, TX with his family as he recovers from burns and injuries. My prayers are for Scott as he heals and for his family as they support him.

My best to you Scott!

So training moves on. I am in week 8 of 16 which means I am half way thru the training book. I decided to be a bit unconventional this week and bulk and divide my miles. The total amount of mileage I am supposed to run this week is 28 miles. I will be in NYC the whole weekend so I know I will not be able to run the 14 miler this weekend.

Ergo, I've been taking on extra mileage early on in the week so I don't have to run so many miles in Brooklyn.

I ran my 6 miles tonight in pea soup. Nasty weather out there!

I gotta get my stinky butt in the shower.

LJB

6 miles for beef stew....hurrah!!!

2006-08-23T20:36:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I need a bit of outside motivation. Namely, food. Or shopping. Or something pleasant of that nature. Tonight, it happened to be beef stew. Danielle is an excellent cook and being that I am an Iowan, I like my beef and my potatoes. Ah...aside from the 6 mile run I've had a very good evening.

Now if I could only get my shin splints to let up. They kinda come and go at this point.

At least my stomach is happy even if my shins aren't

LJB

I'm back!!!!

2006-08-22T20:46:00.000-04:00

So finally the dry wasteland of no internet has been drenched with the rain, otherwise known as Verizon is actually doing their job.

I am very shocked that the last post is on there given that the wireless died (I thought) at the end of the post.

Ok, well, here I am in the middle of week 7 of 16. Almost half way! I can't believe it!

Last Saturday: 11 miles
Last night: 4 miles

I think that brings me up to date. I'll get more creative here very soon. :)

LJB

Wireless fiasco

2006-08-17T18:40:00.000-04:00

Sigh. Sometimes I hate technology, like when it doesn't work. This is the first time I've been able to get on my page since last week. I may get booted off at any time. If you see something like Monty Python's argghhhhhhhh.....

with no finish then you know what it is.

So here is the recap.
Saturday: 10 miler
Monday: 4 miler
Wednesday: 5 miler

And tonight I've got another 4 miler tonight.

Hopefully it is better than last night. I feel in a hole on the side of the road. I'm not talking a small little hole, I'm talking knee deep. I've admitted again and again that it is stupid to run at dusk.

Sigh.

Week 6, what a doosey.

LJB

Adventures with PowerGels

2006-08-10T20:01:00.000-04:00

Last night I introduced Danielle to PowerGels. We were starving (enter belly rocks AKA PowerGels) but we had to run our 5 miles. Hello Speedy Gonzalez! We were fast and we felt good! I felt like I could keep going!

Not so tonight, I ran my three miles to get to our taco dinner and that was about the only reason I ran it. That and it is the last 3 miler until we taper sometime in October.

I gotta make this short because we've been having issues with our wireless and I don't know how long I may stay connected.

Week 5 is almost over!

LJB

Bad "Luck" in 3s?

2006-08-07T21:43:00.000-04:00

By luck I really mean circumstances, unfortunate ones in this case.

Case in point: When Jake leaves bad things happen at the house.
1.) Jake goes to Iraq for 10 months, Danielle has a cockroach crawl in her ear while sleeping, it comes out but unfortunately damages her eardrum. We spend the next week (Danielle longer, understandably so) sleeping every night with cotton balls in our ears.

2.) Jake goes to Japan to blow stuff up, Hawaii has the worst winter storms in about 10 years which leads to record rainfalls. Of course this is the time that the laundry room floods. We call USMC housing but they never show up. We get to clean it up ourselves.

3.) And this time, Jake goes to Hawaii to 'work' and what happens tonight? We find out that (a week before) when we had moved the fridge out to paint we may have loosened the wire that feeds water into the ice maker. Well after a week it slowly leaked under the wall that separates the kitchen from the dining room. The carpet and the pad are completely soaked. We managed to turn off the water to the ice maker but it had still done it's damage. Good thing the carpet cleaner was already scheduled to come tomorrow!

So what does this prove? This proves that my bad running streak has to be over after tonight. It was the third in a painfully long string of runs that were truly terrible. My shin splints are back with a vengenance and I'm starting to wonder if it could be a combo of the running paths and the shoes that I have only had for about 100 miles.

Anyway, I expect my bad 'luck' to be over on my next run on Wednesday. I am confident of this. I lathered my shins with a herbal mixture designed to melt away pain and hopefully the ibuprofen will kick in quickly. Who cares if it lowers my immune system, as long as the pain and swelling goes away. :)

Week 5 of 16 begins!

LJB

Partner in Crime

2006-08-06T22:14:00.000-04:00

Usually this is bad thing.

However, with me I am realizing now more than ever that she is necessary to me. I ran my eight miles without the camraderie of Danielle and it totally sucked. I walked....a lot. The further I go in my life I realize that I do need other people. This is from a self-proclaimed independent woman. People often tire me or slow down my ability to accomplish tasks but after this week of running every run alone I realized that I don't like it as much as I thought I did.

So really running is great for self-actualization. It's probably because I spend large quantities of time mulling over issues with my overly analytical mind.

So in the end: People good, take the time to smell the roses and listen to what they have to say.... And then I'll get right back to accomplishing my goal after that! :)

Missed ya this week Danil!

LJB

It may have been that cream cheese pastry...

2006-08-04T19:58:00.000-04:00

But my run sucked tonight. I ran my three miles tonight in the time that I ran my five miles two days ago in the sweltering heat.

Good, now I know the bad run is over for a while. I think it goes in cycles.
Yuck.

LJB

P.S. Happy birthday Mom! Don't get too crazy!!!!!

Too cute....and he's not bad either!

2006-08-03T20:15:00.000-04:00

100 degrees plus

2006-08-02T20:54:00.000-04:00

That was the heat index when I was running tonight....five miles. Oh yeah, and this was 8pm tonight. This heat wave has got to go.

I felt like I was swimming in pea soap. Dead sweltering air. Bugs were actually trying to drink the sweat off my profusely sweating body. I ran by the neighborhood pool and I wanted nothing more than to jump into the water.

Son of a nutcracker it's hot out there!

LJB

Mind Games

2006-07-31T20:51:00.000-04:00

I play mindgames all day at work so I thought hey, why not implement that into my running schedule. Devious me!

I have to figure out at work when people are telling me half truths, whole truths or just plain untruths. I also have to figure out what my coworkers and bosses are really saying. Analyzing motives and patterns of behavior and how they affect those around me. In a word: exhausting. Many a times it seems to be the cause of my runs.

So I thought, just for kicks lets try this brainbuster with running!

What could it really hurt?

So I decided to run my three miler route backwards. This starts me out up a long hill and then onto the dreaded Gordon Rd. However, wonder of wonders, it's actually light when I run this part first.

Good plan so far!

A lot of the beginning is now downhill going the opposite direction. This sets me out on a grueling pace. I'm really booking it. I am running hard enough to always be breathing hard, I never quite catch my breath. My form is good and I'm feeling good.

Leta JackRabbit.

Yes!

Now Jake and Danielle had told me not to run this way because it sucks. I'm the idiot that likes to experience things for themselves so I just disregard it. It can't be worse than the hills I have to go up running the regular way.

Wrong. Insanely wrong. The last .8 of a mile is straight up hill....and I like to sprint the last of my run.

2 things that saved this:
1.) Another runner running towards me, appearance is everything, I stood up straighter and ran faster.
2.) My ipod, this glorious little 1 GB machine was loaded with all my favorite running songs.

Ah, may have been a PR. Too bad I don't time my runs.

Just crossed over the 50 mile mark for MCM training.

Leta

P.S. Just a reminder that I raising $$$$ for the Injured Marine Fund. Please let me know if you want to donate. Even $5 would help and it is all tax deductible. :) Thanks in advance for your support! :) LJB

Couldn't run a straight line if my life depended on it

2006-07-29T22:29:00.000-04:00

Yeah so I must have been experiencing some inner ear problems. I kept falling off into the grass as Danielle and I were running tonight. I almost mortally wounded myself on Gordon Rd. when I fell off the pavement completely. Could've broken my ankle with that graceful move. Then where would we be?

Danielle's knee has been bothering her and she was having some difficulty balancing with this 7 mile run tonight too. We were quite the balancing pair tonight but in the end this is why we run together. At one point she mentioned eating grass which of course lead us to a discussion about pot. More specifically about whether or not weed should be distributed for medicinal purposes if it was only a knee or foot injury. This would probably lead to more problems with balance so in the end we decided we were against it. Give me my ibuprofen/Pepto Bismol cocktail any day.

Wow, I stink. I gotta go shower now. To all the other committed runners who run their Saturday nights away! :)

LJB

P.S. I still have cellulite and I am definitely not happy about it. It's the end of week three, time to say bye bye.

Bluffing

2006-07-28T20:25:00.000-04:00

You'd think after three years in a pretty specialized field that maybe one of these days people would come to respect that and maybe even listen to me. It doesn't work that way. If you are lying or stretching the truth either I can just tell or I can find out if you are lying. How humilated do you want to be? Just a question. Come on people, I may be a blonde but I'm not stupid.

Sometimes I feel like the teacher that has just heard for the umpteenth time that a self-proclaimed clever student has thought of the 'creative' excuse that their dog has eaten their homework. Not only improbable but also moronic.

At least get creative and credible with your excuses. I'm bored with the status quo.

And another thing, the only people who should be wearing sunglasses indoors are lasik patients and Ray Charles. There is no other reason. Period. Wearing them indoors makes you look like a pretentious snob and it makes me distrust you immediately. Not a good move.

So kudos to bluffing and irritating me all day at work today. You were the fuel for my run. Remember, what goes around comes around, just make sure you make it good. In a way running may actually be expanding the length of my life in more ways than one. Good for the heart and good for the soul.

So my 3 miler tonight run in angst and irritation. Hey, something's gotta get me to run on a Friday night. 7 miler tomorrow...yippeee!

LJB

I love sprinklers

2006-07-27T21:14:00.000-04:00

They are awesome and in this summer heat, essential. Thank you to all my neighbors who have them running. Your high utility bills are not in vain.

4 miler tonight

Not too bad, my shin splints are better, my lungs are doing pretty good and now I just have to step up my mental game. This is the part that always gets me. Danielle has been in Annapolis for the past two days so I have to go it alone and it is harder to push myself.

I got my registration for the Marine Corps Marathon, I'm locked in. I am actually running for the Injured Marine Fund. I will be raising a mere $250 for all those who are rehabilitating from wounds earned in the Middle East. I can't think of a better thing to run for and if any of you want to contribute I have a direct way for you to do it. You don't have to give it to me you contribute directly to them. I'll have that link for you in the days to come. Let me know if you'd like to help the Marines who have sacrificed for the rest of us here in America.

Onward and forward,
LJB

"You've got to be kidding me!!!"

2006-07-25T20:40:00.000-04:00

Do your appendages talk to you? Mine do.

They have bad grammar and tend to complain....a lot. I'm getting just a little sick of them. They ran a marathon before, what are they whining about? Much longer runs are to come. Sheesh.

Week 3 of 16 for the MCM on October 29. I'm so excited it makes me silly!

I definitely need to step up my mental game. I mean I am running with a woman who gave birth without drugs....yikes. Today she ran behind me on the Gordon Rd. stretch and told me to step it up this time, we looked good again.

Another 3 miler down,

LETA

Fired Up!!!!

2006-07-23T22:55:00.000-04:00

6 miler tonight

It should've been done yesterday however, we still did it. To me that is all that counts. And I have Jake to thank for my run. Had we not been debating politics I would have not been as fired up and probably wouldn't have run.

Thanks to Jake being wrong, I had a great run.

Week 2 down. Must sign out, have to be up at 5:30am for work.

Make it stop.

Leta

House of Pain

2006-07-20T22:21:00.000-04:00

I don't like running very much right now. I knew the good run streak would have to end eventually.

Exhausted.
Two shinsplints.
Three side aches.
Two late night running girls.
Blah.

Danielle and I went out for our 3 miler tonight. It sucked.

Glad it's over.

LJB

"It's like crack."

2006-07-19T22:20:00.000-04:00

It's pretty safe to say that I am not a conventional runner. I break a lot of rules that I really should probably follow. This seems to be obvious given that my running top of choice is a wifebeater.

I eat Taco Bell if I want it. I drink coffee/caffeine pretty much every morning. I don't count calories, fat or anything else. I simply don't care. I run in the dark most times without a reflection belt, I'm thinking I'm gonna get a ticket for that soon. I hate running in mornings, I'm at the top of my game in the evenings, this is where I get my best runs. I couldn't care less how fast I run my miles I just wanna finish my scheduled mileage.

So things that other runners do or don't do don't tend to surprise.

However, the revelation spurted out during our 4 miler tonight did strike me as slightly hilarious. Danielle thinks that the smell of laundry "is like crack". Prior to this I had no idea of it's addictive qualities but after much thought and consideration I must agree with her.

I must further admit that I have been a closet laundry smeller addict runner. I would notice this wonderful smell and never connect it to my following state of euphoria.

Well done Danielle. Another addict is born. Laundry: the new crack.

Here's to cockroaches in your ear and gnats in your throat.

Another 4 miles down.

Leta

Running from the Boogeyman

2006-07-17T22:46:00.000-04:00

For Danielle and I that would be the equivalent of thunderstorms and darkness respectively.

Both possibilities for our run tonight.

It was so hot today that I waited until 8:30pm tonight to run, Danielle wasn't gonna run because she had a headache and then she saw me all decked out (by this I mean ill-fitting shorts that are sure to cause chaffing and a too short dry fit shirt that showed off my poochy belly). So as you can tell I was one heck of a motivating tool. Actually I think it was because anyone could look better than I did tonight.

Running is not about how you look....

Hmmm...

Except for that 1/2 mile on the stretch on the highway which we hit at dusk. Not dark like my run on Saturday so I wasn't too nervous. Okay let's be honest, I really don't get nervous about getting hit by a car. I mean, hey, as long as it's fast I think it would be an interesting way to go.

Tombstone: Death by car while running on highway, this one wasn't too bright.

I mean the epitaphs are endless fun in this one.

Okay back too the point, we ran that stretch like we were Jackie Joyner Kersey. We looked good! I am telling you, it was a thing of beauty. Like machines.

This is from the girl that wasn't even gonna run, the premise for running was that we were going to pace slowly because she didn't feel the greatest. What does this girl do when we reach our first hill? She kicks it into high gear and I'm left stumbling to catch up. So of course I have to respond because I am the healthy one and she feels like crap.

Anyway, so I tell her at the end: "The Gordan Road 1/2 mile stretch is yours, you're leading"

Ha ha, then I told her to sprint.

From behind, on her heels.

And that's the fun of it. Torturing each other of course!

LJB

BTW: Week 2 of 16 till the Marine Corps Marathon on October 29, 2006

The Distance

2006-07-15T21:56:00.000-04:00

I have officially dubbed my Marine Corps Marathon song:

The Distance by Cake

She going the distance, she going for speed....

YES! It is brilliant and it is this marathon's theme song.

Unfortunately the song doesn't keep from being stupid. I must say that I'll probably be stupid again because that is what I do. It was so hot today that I waited until 8:45pm to run my 5 miler. It was still hot and humid, no new news there but the sun was going down so I thought, hey great!

And it was great! Until I had to run a 1/2 mile stretch on the highway after dark. Good job me. That was the fastest 1/2 mile I think I have ever run. :)

Word to the wise, dumb thing to do. However I made it back just fine, here I am.

I'm going the distance,

LJB

Back in Black

2006-07-13T22:27:00.000-04:00

Bad attitude girl here.

Finally a good run. Nay, an excellent run. I actually felt strong again. Not to worry I'm sure this will dissipate quickly.

Danielle and I went out for a quick three miler tonight after a long grueling day at work, 11 hours to be exact. That run may in fact have saved my sanity. How is it I can only be back at work for one week and already I'm caught up in the politics.....

Alas, this is not a bitter diatribe against the fact that I am a slave to my job. (It's that whole eating thing that's gotten me hung up on it you see...)

This is a blog of jubilee! One glorious run down and hopefully there will be many to follow. Hills or no hills, humidity or no humidity, crazy drivers that almost hit me or....well, you get the point. Tonight's run was sensational and to that I say, "It's about time".

Finally.

LJB

Can I possibly walk the marathon?

2006-07-12T09:38:00.000-04:00

Another not fun run. I was struggling the whole time. :( I know it's gonna get better so I keep plugging on. Just trying to get used to these hills the the awful humidity.

4 miler today

On the flip side, I LOVE my new ipod. It is the only reason I ran today. :) Well, that and the fact that I had the morning off from work.

Laters,
LJB

Not gonna be the female Jim Ryun anytime soon

2006-07-10T20:19:00.000-04:00

Week 1 of 16

Marathon: October 29, 2006

3 miler

Not even a slight wind tonight. Running in grass equals ticks and mosquito bites. I still hate hills. It is too dang hot in this state. Is it bad to eat greasy ravioli for lunch? dvjnfvldfsjnds Gabriel wants to help me typethis and he likes to suck on my sweaty arms.....

LJB

Running with Billy Blanks

2006-07-03T13:10:00.000-04:00

Right, so I still haven't thought of a good name for Jake, nothing insulting enough yet but after today I have reason to find it soon.

I fear the title of this particular blog may be too good for him also but that is all I could think about on our run today.

Danielle and I decided last night that we were going to go out for a three miler this morning and Jake decided he wanted to go with us. We told him we would be running slowly and given that his level of fitness requires him to run at least 6 to 7 minute miles it is needless to say I woke up this morning with a sense of dread.

Now I haven't run on a regular basis since about January so I am pretty out of shape. Danielle has been training for awhile and Jake is a Marine.....nuf said. Oh and it was about 85 to 90 degrees out at 8am this morning. Double yuck.

I was fine at the beginning of the run but for the last mile or so I was trailing behind them at a pretty far margin. I wanted desperately to start walking or throw up or both.

Now being that I'm not married to Jake I didn't bear the brunt of the 'talks'. But I still had to hear some of them. Things like, "Come on, we're gonna kick it up a notch on this one mile 8% grade hill" or "Hey, you guys are really slowing the pace down here, you're actually hurting my legs to run this slowly". Nonetheless, I still decided that he was cruel and unusual.

I decided then and there he is now Billy Blanks. He is relentless, I couldn't have stopped to walk even if I HAD been upchucking.

When we got back to the house as I was lying on the floor gasping for my breath and my sanity he says, "Good job girls, you just ran about 4 miles!".

We had expressly told him that we wanted to run a 3 miler today and he purposely had us go longer just to mess with us. He is devious like that.

Anyway, I survived, but just barely.

LJB

Livin' the dream

2006-07-01T11:34:00.000-04:00

After a solid week here in Virginia I am starting to feel like I am at home. Thank goodness, now if you would ask anyone else I am still the girl that is driving a Buick with Iowa plates on it around town. They would probably say I drive too slowly.

It is been a rough road back into running. My two runs earlier this week were discouraging, probably because I was foolish enough to run at about noon. Stupid, stupid. Yesterday I didn't run like I had planned and of course then proceeded to berate myself....

I felt like running that over into today, that all consuming laziness that comes over you when you haven't quite made a habit out of something that you don't like yet. I love the high of running, however, I was getting no highs and losing no thighs either.

All in all a pretty dissatisfying experience.

That all changed today. When I got up the first thing I did was put on some running shorts and a wife beater (yes, this is my running top of choice, don't knock it till you've tried it) and told myself that I was going to go. I then proceeded to walk out my bedroom door to find my victim.

My eye spotted Danielle, tired from a night of not much sleeping (Gabriel induced); I looked at her with pity but I forged ahead, afterall, there was no way I was gonna go running with the Marine Machine (somehow I don't feel that I should call Jake that because I think he would like it, I should find something more derogatory, I'm gonna work on that).

"Danil, are we running?"

A slight look of panic, disgust and thankfulness crossed her face.

We went, there is something about the accountability factor, something that just makes you go. I think I'm gonna need that this time around. Hopefully I can keep the two of them from having anymore kids in the next couple of months so she can run it with me.

(devious laugh)

Anywho, away we ran for a quick two miler. It was not really hot yet and the hills don't seem as bad when you have someone else to suffer though it with you. Plus, I wasn't running on the highway, definite no no, but until today I had no one to show me better places (aka: safer places) to run.

All in all a very good run today for the both of us I think.

More tales from the road to come.

LJB

Consequences of not being a morning person

2006-06-28T10:48:00.000-04:00

Not being a morning person is quite the understatement for me. Even when I'm working and conditioned to getting up early I absolutely hate it and it is the most likely time for you to get your head biten off by the morning monster known as me.

I realize that this doesn't work in my favor. I've never heard of an accomplished person famous or not that doesn't start their day with flare. They tend to be those that rise in the wee hours of the morning greeting the day with a smile and determination.

Sigh.

Today my laziness has led to an uncomfortable run. I ran two miles in the blazing heat because I didn't get out until around 9:30am. This is just ridiculous. If I would just get up at say 7am it would be much cooler.

Maybe I'll get smarter tomorrow.

Not very likely.

LJB

If the hills don't kill me.....

2006-06-27T14:34:00.000-04:00

....then the humidity will!

Went on my first run today here in Virginia and am discovering that it can throw out some humidity the likes of which Iowa could rival. Granted I just moved here from Hawaii but I believe it was never this humid there.

And the hills!? What is with this Smokey Mountains rolling hills thing? I almost died today.

Well, not really but this is the mental game totally kicking my butt. I'm gonna have to kick up my training a notch and my mental game too.

Given that I am new to the area I'm not too sure where the great running paths are, however, enter www.mapmyrun.com . It is a total life saver. It will give you distances when you imput where you went or what to go.

Okay, so a rough start to training BUT I know the beginning can be a bit tedious at times, I'm just gonna have to think of new things to entertain myself.

Oh and one more thing, the Marine Corps Marathon is already closed for registration so we may be running for charity OR the New York Marathon is only a week later, the beginning of November. So not sure which one just yet. Must be flexible.

Happy trails,
LJB

I find myself without a home....

2006-06-23T10:18:00.000-04:00

I left Hawaii May 11 to move back to this great place we Hawaiians (as if) call the Mainland. No moving trip would be complete however without a tour of this fine country. :)

Where I haven't been is probably easier to explain, however, it has been fun and now I am ready to settle down in Virginia/DC. I've been through Phoenix (great birthday party Grandma!), then to lovely Iowa to visit my parents for about 3 weeks (yeah, sorry about that mom and dad....) followed by a very fun trip to New York City where I saw more celebrities than I can count and ate $15 sandwich entrees. Then it was back to Iowa to pick up my car only to turn around the next day and drive an excruciating 12 hours to Nashville, Tennessee.

Which is where I am writing this from today. Tomorrow I start my last drive to my new home in Virginia. Another 10 to 11 hours in the car, I may go crazy, so if you she a girl in a heavily laden car with Iowa plates driving to Virginia, just let her pass....

And Monday begins it anew, it's that dreaded/anticipated time of year where I stop eating crap and start running for very long periods of time. After all, the Marine Corps Marathon is just around the corner.....

October 29, 2006

So you see my friends, this a call to the crazies, I'm building up a team and we gonna run it and also for all you out there that were such an encouragement to me last time. I'm calling on you again.

Have some fun running out there!!!! :)

LJB

A Day on the HokuAo

2006-05-01T00:02:00.000-04:00

I can't resist a couple more

2006-04-19T05:35:00.000-04:00

Caught this on the drive home from work recently. Sigh. I love Hawaii.

For the love, do you have enough pictures of me yet?????

Currently working on a poop......

Don't test me on this, I Am the cutest!

Pics of the little dude

2006-04-16T23:47:00.000-04:00

I AM the new Gerber baby. How can you deny me????

Oh my gosh, I'm so cute I wore myself out!

Gabriel says: Happy birthday auntie Leta!

My birthday dinner at Duke's Waikiki (best mahi mahi on earth!)

Kaneohe Bay at it's best (oh, I am gonna miss this, why the heck am I moving to DC again?)

Danielle and I on our day out to sea! :)

Captain Gabriel of the Hoku Ao

(his first trip on a boat!)

It's my party and I'll cry if I want to....

2006-04-10T00:31:00.000-04:00

So tomorrow is the birthday. The 27th birthday, yes I am admitting how old I am. I really don't care, you see, I have bigger problems.

I have a freeloading hobo that has been in my house for the last 2 weeks and I'm kinda sick of him. In fact, I can think of not one redeeming quality that he has.....hmmmm....nope, nothing comes to mind.

So tonight we are heading out to Duke's in Waikiki for dinner. :) I love that place, I'm gonna have Mac Nut Mahi Mahi and mashed potatoes! YUM. I can't wait. I'll be taking pics and also I have pics from yesterday when Danielle, Gabriel and I went sailing on Kaneohe Bay. It was so much fun and now I have a tan. Pretty sad for a girl that lives in Hawaii huh? Well that is the key, I live in Hawaii and I have to work a lot to be able to afford to live here! :) Gonna really enjoy my last month here though....sniff...sniff.....

Have a great week!
LJB

Empty houses echo....

2006-03-28T02:41:00.000-05:00

So Danil and I spent the entire day yesterday loading up my stuff to be packed and moved to DC. It's crazy!

I will also have no tv for the next 6 weeks while I live here in my house so I may go crazy. Or maybe, just maybe, I'll start my training for the Marine Corps Marathon early. D & J are gonna be living in my empty house with no entertainment so I hope that boredom will take it's course and we'll go out and run.

Official training will have to start the week of July 10 so I'm gonna have to get crack-a-lackin' pretty soon. Commence training to lead up to the official training.

Check ya later,
LJB

Big Changes

2006-03-12T23:30:00.000-05:00

Well, I have some news, I am moving.

I am also gonna be training for my next marathon.

I'll be in Washington DC by sometime in June (yes, I know it is cold there and it has no beaches, it saddens me greatly) and getting settled there. So now I'm just buying all the Hawaiian paraphernalia I can to decorate my new apartment.

The good news is, Danil and I will be training for the Marine Corps Marathon in DC on October 29, 2006 (provided she doesn't get knocked up again!). :) No more running a marathon in 85 degree weather, it will be cold, I'm looking forward to that, it should do wonders for my time.

Anyway, been running very sporadically and will probably not update this too much during the moving process. I'm leaving the island on May 11 and will spend a month or so visiting family in Phoenix and Iowa before heading to DC to get my dream job in politics.

See you all soon!

LJB

Chubs is venturing out tomorrow....

2006-02-08T03:08:00.000-05:00

Yes, after the long hiatus from running (bad Leta!) I am committing online to the blogging world that I will be getting up to run tomorrow morning before work.

Ewww....

Sigh....

Hopefully my intensity level will rise tomorrow (not likely as I am NOT a morning person).

Perhaps I should go to bed.....hmmmm

Celebrity Sighting!!!

2006-01-29T00:24:00.000-05:00

My friend Dan is visiting from DC and when you have guests here, it makes you feel like you are a tourist!

So I took yesterday off and we went out into the cloudy skies and tried to get tan. Well, it didn't work so today we went down to Waikiki and spent the day soaking up the sun. I am finally tan again!!!

Then we walked down to Duke's, taking pictures along the way of Diamond Head and the ocean and low and behold who do we see lounging outside of the Pink Palace?

Jon Lovitz!

He was surrounded by all kinds of people so we didn't have time to play paparazzi. He's kind of B list celeb anyway. I'm still waiting to see more celebs from Lost because they all live in my town.

Anyway, just thought you'd all like to know what I do when I don't run.

By the way, Dan and I did run down to the Deli to get coffee yesterday morning so all is not lost. It sucked. I am so out of shape, I've got to get back into the swing of things.

Over and out for now,
LJB

Looming January 29th

2006-01-24T01:38:00.000-05:00

I just got a notice in the mail for 2005 Honolulu Marathon finishers, inviting them to early register for the marathon in 06. I have to decide by 1/29....

It's only $15 if I register early.

I'm cheap.

Arghh.

Why do they have to do it so quickly after the last one. I feel like I am still traumatized from the last one, enough so I'm not sure I can commit to yet another run of torture.

What to do, what to do?

LJB

Okay, Dad! I concede defeat, you're right.

2006-01-22T20:40:00.000-05:00

You Have a Choleric Temperament

You are a person of great enthusiasm - easily excited by many things.
Unsatisfied by the ordinary, you are reaching for an epic, extraordinary life.
You want the best. The best life. The best love. The best reputation.

You posses a sharp and keen intellect. Your mind is your primary weapon.
Strong willed, nothing can keep you down. Your energy can break down any wall.
You're an instantly passionate person - and this passion gives you an intoxicating power over others.

At your worst, you are a narcissist. Full of yourself and even proud of your faults.
Stubborn and opinionated, you know what you think is right. End of discussion.
A bit of a misanthrope, you often see others as weak, ignorant, and inferior.

What Temperment Are You?

After how many years of you telling me that I am a choleric? I took an independent, unbiased test that confirms your suspicions. Let's make Jesse do it and see what comes up for him. How much you wanna bet you come up as choleric too?

Too much time on a Sunday afternoon,

LJB

Caffeine is my friend :)

2006-01-22T19:54:00.000-05:00

You Are a Frappacino

At your best, you are: fun loving, sweet, and modern

At your worst, you are: childish and over indulgent

You drink coffee when: you're craving something sweet

Your caffeine addiction level: low

What Kind of Coffee Are You?

Well, yes of course I am fun loving and sweet but childish? Over indulgent? I object!! :) I would have to also disagree with a low caffeine addiction. I have coffee and a soda almost everyday. Does morning start without caffeine?

I can't help it, he's just so darn cute!

2006-01-18T03:36:00.000-05:00

He is just so precious! Sorry! I'm sure you'll see more pics to come. In the hospital an hour after birth his little face is blue from being bruised. And two days later at home he sleeps all the time except at night time much to Danielle's chagrin.

Okay, so something pertaining to running:

I ran two miles with Jess tonight and my foot didn't hurt at all! So I'm hoping to ease back into all of this. I'll just have to take it easy. It felt so good to run too and I found that I like having a running partner. It's fun and the miles just seem to melt away. I'm thinking of recruiting a recovered Danielle to run with me this year. :) Adventures!

Sorry with the baby picture bombardment!

LJB

Meet Gabriel! :)

2006-01-16T02:18:00.000-05:00

Gabriel Glenn Johnson :)

What a sweetie!!!!
The whole Johnson fam: Jake, Danielle and little Gabriel

And NO Jake is not strangling the baby!

The little porker is here!

2006-01-14T22:20:00.000-05:00

After two nights of no sleep and much pain on Danielle's part:

Ta da!!!

Gabriel Glenn Johnson is here!!!

He arrived at 3:33am this morning at 21.5 inches long and weighing 8.5 lbs. He was 1.5 lbs heavier than the doctor's had estimated him to be in the womb. He already had little fat rolls when he came out. He's gonna be a linebacker and his feet and hands are huge! :) He is already active and loves looking at his surroundings.

So congrats to Jake and Danielle, their little angel is here!

I'll post a pic when I get it, I was busy taking pics with their camera and video camera. He's a dolly!

Tired,
Leta

To run or not to run.....

2006-01-10T00:05:00.000-05:00

Ok, just for the record, Iron Benny is a genius. I have been 'icing' my foot and it is getting better. :) I didn't quite stick my foot in a bucket of ice like he suggested but I did wrap my foot with direct contact to ice. It was so cold!!!!!!! However, my foot feels better. Not good enough to run my 5k yesterday but it doesn't ache like it did.

Gonna try switching shoes this week although I may not run until later this week. Hopefully this is not a chronic problem.

See ya!
LJB

Michael Jordan ain't got nothin' on me!

2006-01-03T01:45:00.000-05:00

So I would like to start tonight out with pulling out my soapbox and shouting for the world to hear before I get to the good stuff so if you are not politically or whiner inclined please skip down to the paragraphs with the astericks.

1. Who the crap cares whether or not (there were by the way, we have satellite feed that verifies this) Iraq/Saddam had WMD or not? Hmm, can you say torture, mass killings, and in general, a basic disregard for human rights (I use this term human rights because the liberals seem to like it and then they can't disagree with it). It's not like we took out a good guy, I'm so sick of the media twisting what is really going on over there. If Democrats and Republicans could just stop fighting and let our soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen do what they need to do then maybe we could get out of there faster. Some of my best friends have been over there and Afghanistan and while I hate having them there I believe it when they tell me that the changes that have come from it have been good. So shut up about the WMD already, we're already there, let's focus on handing the country back over to the Iraqi people.

(deep breath)

2. Obviously my neighbors next door were raised by a pack of wild boars. There are 5 guys who live next door to me that were never taught about inside voices, slamming doors, basic neighborly etiquette or ANY gentlemanly qualities. These are guys out of college who have jobs and pretend to be responsible. Quite clearly not though, because one of the phrases I heard coming out of their mouths this weekend (along with strings upon strings of obsenities) "Dude! We hooked up with real chicks last night!"

(long silence)

As opposed to fake dolls every other weekend???

Holy crap! The stupidity of people continues to baffle me. Isn't it obvious why I run?

**So I started my official running tonight. The past 3 weeks after the marathon I have been just kinda running when I felt like it (read: like 3 times). I put myself down for a 3 miler tonight and was ready to get at it. I took off at breakneck speed and felt good right up until just before the 2 mile mark.

Then problems, oh the problems. My right foot started hurting again. It came on very quickly and continued to get worse. I keep running but I slowed down a lot. Now it is just throbbing. I took some ibuprofen and wrapped it with an Ace bandage. We'll see how it is tomorrow. I may have to push back my scheduled 5 mile run for tomorrow night.

Ok, ok, here's the good stuff though: as I was running, after the pain set in, I realized that as I was focusing on running, I had inadvertantly stuck my tongue out MJ lay-up style. I started cracking up right then and there which is often what passing cars see. They must wonder about this crazy haole girl is laughing about but yet, I get so bored when I run I sometimes just have to entertain myself.

And I'm spent.

Leta

P.S. My boys the Hawks suffered a terrible defeat today in the Outback Bowl. I'm seriously thinking that the officials were on Florida's payroll.

We were robbed!!!

LJB

Happy 2006!

2006-01-02T01:42:00.000-05:00

I realized today that I am one, I repeat ONE year away from my 10 year high school reunion. Um, yeah, I don't like that. Great! Not like I would go anyway but that just seems shocking, I thought I was still in high school or at least college. Alas, I am pretty far past that also. Hmmm.

Resolutions (that I have thought of thus far):
1. Run 2006 Honolulu Marathon in under 5 hours
2. Run one road race per month this year

More to come I'm sure, I still have to formulate some more ideas, they gotta be creative otherwise I'll lose interest very quickly.

Coming attractions:
January 8, 2006 Bob & Ron's 5K (registered and committed; contingent only on the birth of Gabriel Johnson)
February 4, 2006 Hartman 10K
February 20, 2006 Great Aloha Run (8 miles)

Subject to change.....

Leta

Please tell me this gets better...

2005-12-30T02:10:00.000-05:00

So 2 miles tonight and Tuesday night almost killed me. I've found that my body will have to be reprogrammed to start running again.

My lungs feel like they have stuck together, I get lactic acid build up in my stomach and my legs....let me tell you about my legs. They feel like they have never run before and are now immobile sandbags.

I'm pushing through though.

I seriously need new goals though. Good thing it is the New Year, perfect timing!

Leta

I've gone and done it

2005-12-27T01:11:00.000-05:00

I am officially addicted.

I registered for a 5K on January 8th and in doing so saw many more races that I would like to do. I'm still scared of the distance stuff but my idea of distance has drastically changed. I was talking to my dad yesterday and he pointed out that the 8 mile Aloha Run in February will be 'nothing'. This is so true.

Maybe I should go for time.

Is there something wrong with me? I am NOT a runner. Should I be alarmed?

LJB

Hawaiian Snowman

2005-12-24T20:21:00.000-05:00

Vog and other strange phenomena

2005-12-20T23:28:00.000-05:00

Allergies

Yes, I have very odd allergies. My brother gets allergies for things like pollen and hay, nope, I get an allergy to onions. This has mysteriously occured later on in life as I remember my mom cooking like a madwoman with onions. I think she put onions in everything (all of which was good ma, oh, except for those nasty minute steaks. I hate those). I don't remember getting sick as a kid, however as I have gotten older I have developed an intolerance for the flavorful stuff.

Case in point, Saturday night I went out with some coworkers to Las Palmas, a Mexican restaurant in town. I order Flouta and rice and it was very good. As I was eating I did, however, notice what looked to be very small pieces of onion in the rice. I didn't think that much of it because.....well, I don't know why, I guess I was hungry and didn't care and on the off chance that maybe I had recovered from my allergy I kept eating. It was good!

Enter: the inability to leave my house for the entire day on Sunday. Yuck. Won't be eating them any time soon.

THEN, the wind decided to shift on Sunday also. Not a big deal, however, it blew from the direction of the Big Island and the erupting volcanos which brings in the dreaded vog.

Vog: haze from the ash of volcanic fire, much like fog.

This is a real term I swear, look it up in the dictionary.

So since I moved here 3 years ago I noticed that I am very reactive to this stuff. I've had a constant sore throat since then and this morning I woke up and I had no voice.

Ah the price of paradise. Still have no sympathy from the masses..... (sigh)

Happy Tuesday!
Leta

Last one

2005-12-20T01:22:00.000-05:00

More marathon pictures

2005-12-20T01:08:00.000-05:00

Right before the finish line!
One of the crazy costumes people ran in during the marathon
Just trying to finish!!!!

The glorious finish line!!!!
Just got the leis from Danielle and Kelly!

Back in the saddle again

2005-12-17T13:39:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I went running this morning, first time since the marathon on Sunday. I ran down to Kalapawai Market which is I believe, a bit over 2 miles.

Never has two miles seemed so long and so short at the same time. I haven't been sore since Wednesday so I figured today would be fine. I've actually been really wanting to go for a run and since I moved back home last night from Danielle's I thought this was a perfect way to wake up on a Saturday morning.

It was fine except my legs felt like lead. My left knee is a little sore but that is definitely nothing new. However, new since the marathon is a pain in my right foot on the underside of the right side. It started towards the end of the marathon and flared up today again. Hopefully is something more stretching can cure.

Still figuring out what my next project will be.

It was cold in Hawaii last night, I would say it was under 60 degrees. Now that is freezing to me, I ran with a longsleeved t-shirt this morning! :)

Have a good weekend!
Leta

Good! Great! Grand! No yelling on the bus!

2005-12-15T04:13:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I feel that I am pretty much fully recovered.

Dang, this totally blows my plan of not running until January. I actually feel like I may want to run a short distance this weekend. Hmmm, or I could go get a massage, hmmmmm.

Tough call.

I have decided that I don't really have the aversion to running that I thought I might have after running a marathon. In fact, quite the opposite is true. I find myself wondering what I am forgetting daily since I am not planning my entire life around when it is the best time to eat, sleep or do anything in regards to a run. Do I miss that? No, but I do miss the accomplishment and also the feeling of being in shape.

Hence, I will be training for another race. Which race? I do not know. The 8 mile Aloha Run will do just fine but in light of the marathon it seems a bit short. We don't get too many 1/2 marathons out here in Hawaii and that seems to be the optimal amount of mileage for me to undertake and give myself a timed goal.

Still searching, I'll let y'all know soon.

LJB

P.S. I am still eating carbs like I am training so I kinda need to get back into the shoes sometime soon......oh, and I ate a turkey pot pie tonight.....and some double stuffed Oreos......and some sour Jelly Bellys...... :( What can I say, I live with a pregnant woman......

Getting off easy

2005-12-14T02:37:00.000-05:00

Wow, I can't believe how much better I am already.

It seems fast.

I still have all my toenails, no signs yet that any will fall off. I only had 2 blisters on my left foot which I had popped and medicated so they are all better. I'm pretty much just waiting for the muscle soreness to go away.

I'm not ready to go run another marathon but it is encouraging to know that I will be able to run again.

I also wore heels today. Yes, I did question my sanity when I put them on today but everything was fine except for stairs. Ouch, those are painful.

We'll see how tomorrow goes....

LJB :)

Enough drugs to kill a Shetland Pony

2005-12-12T15:06:00.000-05:00

So I started off the race yesterday with 6oomg of ibuprofen. After race I had Pepto Bismol, Tylenol PM (had a wonderful night of sleep last night!) and another 600mg of ibuprofen.

I almost feel normal today.

Ok so here are the goods on the race yesterday. I'll try to keep it as short as possible but there is a lot so I'll understand if you don't read all of this.

Pre-Race: Got up at 2:30am and got dressed, had a protein and whey shake. Danielle and I left her house at about 3am. We were really afraid of street closures but we actually made it down there by about 3:35am. I spent the next hour and a half walking to the correct part of the race line up and watching the weird get-ups that people had on. There I ate a PowerBar and had some more water.

5am: Race starts with fireworks. When I watched the news I found out that they actually started the race with them but I watched the whole show without moving forward. It took what seemed like forever cross the starting line, in actuality it was about 20 minutes. I was really excited at this point. It just felt like a normal run.

Miles 1-5: I felt really good, I was constantly trying to get myself to slow down. I didn't want to waste all of my energy. I took along 5 PowerGels to start eating at mile 2 and then one every five mile after that. I also had my coworker Allan's Ipod Shuffle that he let me borrow so that was just a life saver and it was so small. Ran through downtown and Waikiki.

Mile 6: Stopped and had to take a bathroom break here which was good I guess because it was right before a large hill. However I got extremely frustrated when I got back on the race. I was with slower runners (if that is possible!) and the road had narrowed considerably so it made it really hard to get around people.

Miles 7-8: This was the uphill part around Diamond Head. At this point I also saw the Kenyans coming back on their 24th and 25th miles. It was cool, everyone running my way was cheering them on. I was also jealous though, I wanted to duck under the rope and go the other way! :)

Miles 9-11: I have been drinking ALL of the water at EVERY waterstop. I am feeling pretty waterlogged at this point because I've had all of that and also two PowerGels filled with electrolytes and carbs. My stomach was full. I also saw the first downed person, a girl passed out by the side of the road and the EMTs were attending her. That shocked some fear into me. I had just run out of Diamond Head and into the Kahala/Kaimuki area.

Miles 12-13: I start head into the Hawaii Kai area, unshaded for the most part and is in a very dry part of the island = HOT! I am seeing a lot more people now heading in the other direction. It won't be until mile 16 that I'm in the right direction of the Finish Line. It feels really good to get to the 1/2 way point.

Mile 14: I hit a little bit of a wall but keep going just slow down a little.

Miles 15-17: Still not that hot yet and I'm feeling pretty good and I'm finally headed in the right direction for the finish. It is starting to get really warm. I'm still drinking all the water I can and 2 more PowerGels.

Miles 18-19: Having to stop to stretch out several times and am getting uncomforably hot. I found out later that it was 85 degrees with humidity making it feel like 100 degrees. No wonder. There is also no shade at all.

Mile 20: Get a feeling like I am going to black out. I stop and take some deep breaths and start walking. My first plan is to just walk it off or walk til I get to some shade. I am pouring sponges of water over my head and trying to get my mental game back.

Miles 21-24: I never intended to walk this long but I just didn't feel right. I have a history of passing out and that was my nightmare, to make it that far and then not finish because I have to be taken away by the EMTs. I was totally trying to avoid this. It also let me walk through a monster hill at mile 23 and 24.

Mile 25: When I started running I realized that walking all that time had hurt me. My muscles were just done. Every effort to move seemed like a struggle.

Mile 25.4: Last water stop, I stop to drink and get myself ready for the last .8 miles. A random guy also turns to be and dejectedly says, "Did you know that there is still .8 miles left?". I told him, "Hey buddy, you did the other 25miles so you can definitely do this last part". We could see the finish line so I wanted to get away from his negative vibes as fast as I could.

Mile 25.6: I know I'm looking haggard. I'm running and finished runners and spectators are cheering us on so that definitely helped. It gave me some energy.

Mile 26: I didn't know if Danielle and my roommates had been able to get there or if they had stayed (since I finished so much later than I had originally planned) but at this point I heard them yelling and screaming my name but I was too tired to acknowledge them. It did give me that little burst of energy to sprint the last .2 miles! :)

Finish line: It didn't really hit me. They gave us shell leis and and we walked through a huge row of showers. I walked out of the chute in a daze. I walked over and got my shirt and my medal. I then wandered around aimlessly looking for Danielle, Kelly and Kim. I couldn't find them for the longest time so I finally asked a random girl if I could borrow her cell phone to find them. We were reunited and they gave me two flower leis, took some pictures and they took me home!!!

Overall, I'm really glad I did it. I wish I could've done it faster but I'm also glad I didn't pass out.

Now I'm just recouperating, I ate and laid around all day yesterday and plan to do much of the same today (I took off from work, not sure how I'm gonna wear heels tomorrow at work!) I have some work reports to do here at home but nothing strenuous.

I'm still fairly sore and I don't know if my toenails are gonna have any adverse affects later on but I'm just stretching and shooting up ibuprofen whenever I can. Muscle gels are also my friends.

Happy to have finished but now I've gotta figure out something new. There is this void in my life! I need a new goal. I'll definitely do the 8mi. Aloha Run on February 20th and then I'm trying to get a team of 7 committed to running the Perimeter Run (132 mi) relay race around the island of Oahu which is the end of February. We'll see.

I gotta get myself off the drugs and into heels again first.

Honolulu Marathon Pictures

2005-12-12T14:39:00.000-05:00

The last couple of yards! :) All I could think about was that Finish Line! Danielle got this awesome picture with the words Honolulu Marathon in the back ground!
I can still smile!
My Finisher's T-shirt! The only thing that got me through the last part of the race. Ugly isn't it? Why the heck did they make it orange?
Caught unawares. The girls thought this was hilarious. I just wanted to go home at this point.
Danielle, me and Kim
Me and my roomies Kelly and Kim
Me and Danil with a back drop of Diamond Head!

For my Grandpas!! :) I finished!

2005-12-11T21:34:00.000-05:00

I did it.

Barely. But I did it. I feel like crap right now so I'll probably write more later. Here are the stats:

Leta J. Brass
#7356 of Kailua HI
10K: 01:25:22
Half Marathon: 02:56:42
30K: 04:06:04
Gun Time: 06:12:37
Finish Time: 05:52:00
Place Overall: 13530
Place Women: 5164
Place Women 25-29: 1091

I ran into major problems at mile 20, I almost passed out from the heat so I had to slow to a walk and continued to walk through mile 25 so as you can see I would have finished a lot earlier had I been able to actually run. However, when I started to feel sick I decided that I just had to finish and not pass out. Darn it, I'm getting that finisher T-shirt!

Anyway, I have pics and a lot more to share but I think I'll have to wait until tomorrow when I feel better. Just trying to drink fluids and eat protein and carbs.

Sleepy,
Leta

P.S. Thanks for all of your support!
LJB

And the lucky number is......

2005-12-10T20:57:00.000-05:00

7356!

You can search for me at:

http://www.honolulumarathon.org/raceinfo.html

Just do a runner search with my number and it will let you know when I pass 10K, half marathon, 30K, and finally my finish time.

I'm pretty much ready. By this time tomorrow I will hopefully be vegetating on Danielle's couch! :)

Thanks for all the support along the way. I'll try to update as soon as I can.

Leta

Tylenol PM is the best!!!!

2005-12-10T02:29:00.000-05:00

This is my wonderfully pregnant friend Danielle whose house I am staying at these couple of weeks. Little Gabriel is due to come out some time in January! :)

Anyway, here I am at her house and for those you who know me, I love my sleep and I love my bed. So when Danielle asked me if I had been sleeping well this week I must have hesitated leading her to ask me what was wrong. In truth, I have a very hard time sleeping through the night when I'm not in my own environment. So I've been compensating with Tylenol PM and been sleeping beautifully.

Herein lies the problem. I need to be asleep tomorrow by 6pm to get a full 8 hours of sleep for the race. So do or do I not take Tylenol PM the night before a race, THE race? I have decided that no, that is probably not the best option, ergo, I will be staying up late tonight in an effort to make myself tired enough to sleep by 6pm tomorrow.

Trial by fire.

Drinking lots of water.

Getting tons of encouragement.

Thanks guys!

LJB

Look Ma! My new haircut!

2005-12-08T01:34:00.000-05:00

Warning: I am an over-reactor!!!

2005-12-08T00:22:00.000-05:00

Well, my first boyfriend in high school told me, "Leta, you are an over-reactor". And it is true, I am incredibly laid back when it is something that I understand or am familiar with, however, when it is something that I have never experienced before I tend to freak out.

Facts:
1. Honolulu marathon is Sunday, yes, that's Sunday....
2. I could definitely be better prepared for it
3. I am still running this thing
4. I will finish, I may be injured, but I will finish it

Thankful for:
1. PowerGels
2. 75 degree temperatures with only 50% humidity (hold on til Sunday!!!!)
3.Great friends in real life and the blogging world
4. Adrenaline, which hopefully will be my salvation

I will be getting better at blogging again. Even after this marathon I plan on training for more races so I'll have to do like my friend Danny and change my title of my blog! :) I just want to do this thing. Thanks for all the encouragement, I REALLY appreciate it and I'll try to write again Saturday after I pick up my race packet and know more. I don't even know my number yet!!! :)

Trying to calm myself (hey Nytro, I need a valium! Got any in that infamous cabinet of yours?),
Leta :)

Fast approaching

2005-12-06T02:14:00.000-05:00

Okay, marathon on Sunday. Yikes. I can't wait for this to be overwith. I am staying with my 8 month pregnant friend Danielle while her husband the Marine is in Japan for 2 weeks. I'm crossing my fingers for labor on Sunday. I'm losing my nerve. :(

I plan on slow and steady to win the race. I ran 3 miles tonight at a slow pace and I'll do two more of those this week before I start carb loading. Yay. One good thing.

Anyway, I'll keep you posted.

LJB

My apologies

2005-11-29T03:14:00.000-05:00

Mea culpa.

I have been silent far too long. Just in case you care, I have been juggling jury duty (more to come on this when I am able to speak about the case without fear of a bench warrant being issued for my arrest) and managing my office while absent. I have been downtown (driving in traffic no less, before this I have always avoided this because of my office location so naturally I'm grouchy about this too) to the First Circuit Court of the State of Hawaii to listen to....well I can't tell you that yet. I can tell you I am Juror #11 so I ALMOST got out of it. Dang! Anyway I do that until 5pm or so and then head to my office for several hours. I barely have time to run let alone blog about it.

This being said I have been a total slacker on my running and training for the marathon for the past month and now it less than 2 weeks away. I'm still gonna do it but I'm sure my time and how I feel will be terrible. Okay, correction, positive attitudes lead to positive outcomes, so I am a runner! A dumb runner but I am one.

Ran 5 miles tonight. Check.
Listened to lots of talking. Check.
Solved office problems from the phone. Check.

My day in a nutshell.

Gripping.

I hate being an adult.

LJB

Fast 8

2005-11-16T02:20:00.000-05:00

Did an 8 miler tonight and felt great tonight. Just the confidence booster that I needed. I did lunges last night though and they made my knees really sore today so that is gonna be my excuse for not doing them until after I have healed from the marathon. Thanks for all the words of encouragement, I needed them!
LJB

Me no likey.....

2005-11-15T01:20:00.000-05:00

One week is how much time I have before I have 3 weeks of tapering. Yikes. I'm totally not sure if I am ready for the marathon, I think I will have to finish it by will alone. And after my previous long runs, I no longer have the goal of running the whole thing without walking, I just want to finish. That is my only goal and even that is looking a bit dodgy right now. I have one more 18 miler (well, actually it will be my only one because yesterday's 18 miler didn't go so well) this weekend and then my mileage goes down drastically. I'm not worried about my short stuff, my lesser mileage runs have been great the last week and a half. I've felt very strong and good so anyway, we'll see how this weekend goes, I'm nervous.

Llamaface.

Leta

It's about time!

2005-11-11T04:12:00.000-05:00

Had 2 excellent runs in a row after 3 weeks of absolute crap. Just in time to taper and not give me any confidence for the marathon. Hopefully I will also have a good 18 miler this weekend. That and one more week of distance and I will get to start tapering! Yay....I think....

Give it up already!

2005-11-09T01:27:00.000-05:00

Before I get to tonights rantings I must backtrack to Sunday's post and Flatman's response that I should wear an MP3 player to keep away the tourists. My response to that is, I was! That is the whole point, they flagged me down even though I was ignoring them.

Ok so tonight I learned something interesting, I am not the cell phone addict that I could be. Normally, I can't live without my cell phone, it is like an extra appendage. If I'm not talking on it I may be text messaging or checking my email, I feel naked without my cell phone. If I forget my cell phone at home I will go back and get it risking becoming late to work. Bad huh?

I saw a woman tonight who tops this. She was running AND talking on her cell phone. Business deal that couldn't wait at 7pm at night, calling the cops cuz I was gonna chase her down, talking to her broker about that $50,000 that he lost her? Unless she was talking on the phone with the President, that was the dumbest thing I have ever seen.

Have I seen it all? I think not.....

Leta

When I grow up I want to work 80 hours a week.....

2005-11-07T00:38:00.000-05:00

No really, I do, when I was like 5 I told my parents that I wanted to be a workaholic.

Thank goodness that I have now accomplished this goal thanks to my wonderful company which made spend an entire weekend learning the value of negotiations, time management, and loss control.

Then I got to come home after networking and ran my 16 miles....which became only 14 miles and 1 mile of walking. Too tired.

Also pet peeve: people stopping a runner to ask them for directions. What is up with this? I had two different people stop me to ask me today and it wasn't easy directions, they took a while to explain. And as I was running in place....forever....dumb tourists watched my run in place while I explained the same directions over and over again....ah frustration.

LJB

El Dia de los Muertos

2005-11-02T01:59:00.000-05:00

I'm so over it....

The bloom is definitely off the rose....

I'm so sick of training for this marathon. Running so far is just boring....

Things I am annoyed about in training:
1. My batteries running out during a long run in my radio
2. My throbbing knees (read: I feel like an 80 year old woman with arthritic knees who sometimes looks at her duplex stairs and legitimately thinks, it would feel better to go down these stairs sitting down on my butt and scooting down the stairs)
3. I can't wear my fabulous stilettos and pumps because of above reason
4. I don't do anything but work (13 hour days lately I might add) and run
5. I hate PowerBars (I only eat them because they are effective at giving me energy to run) because they are like eating saw dust.
6. I am always hungry.
7. You really do have to eat healthily if you want to train correctly.
8. I hate that I am the slowest person I know in training for a marathon (right now I'll be lucky if I finish in 5 hours)
9. I hate that I can't buy cute clothes because I spend all my extra money on running supplies.
10. The stares from people that I tell that scream that they think I am retarded for trying to do this.
11. My failing will that gives into laziness too much.

Those are just things I can think of quickly. Believe me, I had many more that I thought up on my 8 mile run tonight (btw, my batteries ran out in mile 6) but I can't remember the rest because I think running is killing off my sane brain cells.

I look at this as a temporary roadblock, I fully expect to snap out of this tantrum shortly but give me my vent today.....

LJB

No turning back

2005-10-29T21:35:00.000-04:00

It is official. I registered for the Honolulu Marathon today. Of course I waited until the last day to register as a resident at the cheapest rate. Anyway, more than pride, more than will power, this will help me actually complete the marathon: I have invested my hard earned money into it!!

In other news: how often does an average person get called up for jury duty? I'm sure I far surpassed the median amount: yesterday I got my 2nd call for jury duty in the 3 years I have lived in Hawaii. And I had 4 calls while I was in Iowa since I registered to vote. Hello!!!! I am only 26 years old, last time I checked voting age was 18 so that only gives me 8 years to be called for jury duty 6 times! Is this ridiculous to anyone but me? The last one I got from Iowa was just recently, this summer, and I haven't live there or filed taxes there for 3 years. This is infuriating to me so I will use it to fuel my run.

Fed up,
Leta

Revenge of the Big Toe

2005-10-27T02:34:00.000-04:00

Okay so my feet are doing pretty well considering they are logging quite a few miles in the course of this training but I have a problematic big right toe.

I wonder how I would run if I was missing a big toe....it would be pretty funny I think. A little Frankenstein meets Jackie Joyner Kersey.

Anyway, before I started running long distances I had a problem with my right big toe becoming ingrown. Now this can be traced back to consecutive pedicures for 6 months with pedicurists tearing away vital pieces needed for my toe's health. Anyway, every now and again I have to pull my nail out of my skin and 'fix' it. Who needs a doctor when you can do it with all the pain?

To date, my toe has not led a coup against my authoritative regime, but I am afraid that it will stage an uprising just before the big marathon day. I am such an evil dictator you know, making them run 8 miles tonight without compensation or thanks.

It could be worse, I could break one of the bones in my foot by dropping a 2x4 on it 3 weeks before race time.....don't ask.

Need sleepy,
LJB

Singin' in the Rain

2005-10-25T02:53:00.000-04:00

So today's run called for 5 miles. I consider it a great accomplishment that this seems like small distance to me now. I'll be running a total of 34 miles this week....5 down, 29 to go.

So mile 1, no clue that it was gonna rain, plus I welcome sprinkling because it is very cooling. Well, God decided I needed another shower tonight because mile 2 through the end of the run it downpoured.

It was the best run I've had yet (besides the moron who purposely drove at 45 miles an hour through a puddle as he was passing me). It didn't matter though I was already soaked to the bone and I felt wonderful. Great run. If my shoes could handle it I would run in a downpour everyday.

Soup's on! (Literally, I've got tomato on the stove)

LJB

P.S. What did I tell you about my theme song, it ended my run tonight!!! :)

Nothing like a 5K to start your day!!!

2005-10-23T19:34:00.000-04:00

(Me and Kelly before we start our 5K for breast cancer)

I am insane.

Why the heck did I decide to run a 5k the morning after my 11 mile run last night? My knees are SCREAMING at me today!! Ice Ice baby.

So anyway it poured down rain at the starting line and then conveniently decided to stop raining after we had begun. It was a very fast run, it didn't seem at all like 3 miles. At 2 3/4 mile I could tell this 70 year old man was using me to pace, I mean I was the person he was trying to beat so I kicked it up a gear and finished with 29:37 which is not bad for a girl that runs 11 minute miles on occasion. Kelly did awesome, just having come off of kidney surgery she finished with around 38! Way to go Kelly.

I don't mean to be negative here but people, if you're gonna run slow, get out of the way. I had to run head on into traffic to get around some people.....(sigh)

Well, now I have a well deserved day off tomorrow and I don't plan on leaving my couch for the rest of the day. Ah beautiful!

LJB

Lovely day for a run

2005-10-23T04:08:00.000-04:00

Talk about a headwind, rainy all day long (unusual for Hawaii, usually it's just afternoon showers) and the wind was extremely gusty. In the first picture you see (taken from my front picture window) the front tree of my house being blown towards my window that you can't see in the second one.

But you know with the strong headwinds? They also make great tailwinds! Too bad the headwind today was constantly switching to meet me head on. I'll take the few directions I got the tailwind from today.

Can't complain, at least it's not Wilma......

I met death tonight

2005-10-23T03:44:00.000-04:00

Good thing for me that my neighbors were having a Halloween party tonight and that's where he was going. Now they are raising a ruckus and I may be THAT neighbor that calls the cops on them. I mean, hey, I have a 5K tomorrow and girl needs her beauty sleep!

I did a loop system again this week for my long run. I ran the first 6 miles and I knew it was going to be a good run, first song: Feel Good Inc. In lieu of a mascot I have a running theme song and this is it. I actually heard it 2 times tonight so I feel pretty good about that. Plus, it was sprinkling the entire run so I felt very refreshed.

When I came back to the house for water I also tried out one of these PowerBar Gel packs! Holy crap, I love these things. They totally gave me the energy to run the other 5 miles. Other than my legs and knees being sore I felt like I hadn't run at all yet today. Ok, so some of you are saying that this was just a trick my mind was playing on me to which I respond: Bring it on, I mean running is mostly mental anyway so I'll take whatever 'tricks' I can get!

Hopefully this 5K doesn't kick my butt tomorrow.

Kelly and I are gonna tear this race up in the morning!

LJB

Brutus doesn't like the AC either....

2005-10-22T20:30:00.000-04:00

This is the little dog the that I was dogsitting/housesitting this week. Jake and Danielle have AC and I have been freezing all week. I go home tonight!

Post-Sickness, Pre-Run Jitters

2005-10-22T20:22:00.001-04:00

I am just finishing up some last things at work and mostly just thinking about my run this afternoon. I have to do 14 miles but I think I may cheat and only run 11 because I am running a breast cancer benefit 5K at 6am tomorrow. Is that bad?

I don't really care, I'm gonna do it in the interest of my lack of much mileage this week and also for my poor left knee who is always crying out to me to stop the madness. Next week will be better, I'm convinced.

Write more after the run....
LJB

Down for the count

2005-10-21T00:39:00.000-04:00

Aghh.

Migraine took me out for the first of the week and housesitting this week has left me disoriented and confused about mileage.

Week 9, not so good.

Hopefully this will not affect me overall for the marathon.

LJB