Sunday, August 31, 2008

Weekend Running - Sunday Version

For the first, oh I don't know, 40 years of my life or so, I ran chronically late to EVERYTHING (yes, I know that some of you are young, and I just used the word "chronic" which has a totally different meaning than my intended meaning of "constant," and if you're old, like me, and you don't hang around teenagers, like I do, you totally don't know why the young people are laughing right now, to which I say, find a teenager and ask them what "chronic" is; they'll tell you...but then they'll laugh at you because it's probably not even a hip and current word for MAR-I-JU-ANA anymore...) YES, BUT I DIGRESS!!!

Anyway, this morning I was late picking up Betty, which almost NEVER happens any more, especially where running is concerned, but this was one of those morning where I woke up late, and then wandered aimlessly around the house for 30 minutes, and not really accomplishing anything...really, truly, just spinning my wheels.

Despite my house-wandering, I still forgot my water AND I forgot my flip-flops (for after running) AND I forgot the receiver part of my Nike+. This occurred even though I spent several minutes making sure the sensor was attached to my shoe. However, without the receiver, as far as I can tell, the Nike+ sensor is useless shoe-attachment...GAH!

The worst thing, is that by the time I picked up Betty and got to Balboa Park, it was close to 9:00, so even though there was some morning haze still hanging on, it was getting a little warm AND it was really humid (72º, 80% humidity).

An aside about the weather...I know I write about the weather A LOT, which in San Diego is really rather silly. We have no "weather" to speak of here. About 90% of the time, the weather here is almost perfect. Sometimes it gets a little hot, cool, humid, whatever, and San Diegans get all hysterical about the less-than-perfect weather. You should see people here absolutely FREAK if it rains for more than 20 minutes. It's the lead news story on the local news if it rains for 5 minutes even! Local San Diegan's certainly don't know how to drive in the rain (hint: SLOW THE "F" DOWN PEOPLE!) It's crazy. I grew up in Reno, NV...and there we had SOME weather, meaning that in the winter it would snow and it would get pretty cold (like sub 10º cold...) and EVEN STILL I know that was not extreme weather. But I've lived here in San Diego for more than 20 years now, and so I consider myself something close to, but not quite, a local (I do drive more slowly than the average San Diegan when it rains). Still, like a local, I do complain about the weather whenever it is less-than-perfect...for this I apologize, especially to all of you who live and deal with actual, real, weather... I know that there may be some of you in the gulf-coast area who are about to deal with some really serious weather due to Gustav...I hope that you all are safe and sound and taking care of yourselves. Feel free to throw things at your computer screen as I finish up my rant about the relative humidity Betty and I endured this morning.

So, we get to Balboa Park, agree that it's too late to run 8 to 10 miles due to the expected heat and relative humidity and agree to run for about 45 minutes. Here's the route we took.


It's pointy...isn't it?

Here are my stats:
4.14 miles/10:48 pace

I have no idea how that happened. All I know is that I felt pretty strong the whole way. The thing about this route is that parts of it are included in several local runs that go through Balboa Park. The AFC 5K, which I ran a few years ago, is one. The Komen Race for the Cure 5K, which I've run a couple of times, is another. The end of the second mile as you turn that last curve onto 8th street, is a gradual incline. I used to think of it as a big hill and I remember the first Komen Race, when I just walked almost all of it.

I was thinking today as I ran, about how it wasn't such a big hill...not a big deal at all. Nice...

The other thing that occupied my thoughts as I ran today, was my new arm-band for my iPod Nano that I was wearing. Most of the time, I slip my nano into a pocket and I string the headphones up my shirt and through the neck because I just HAAAAAATE the feeling of the earbud cord whipping against the back of my arm or neck. I always end up thinking some nasty bug has landed on me and I no-doubt look like a total spaz, slapping at some invisible gnat, when it was, in fact, the cord. I have some serious issues with this.

So, I've been stringing the cord up my shirt and out the neck-hole. The cord does get sorta-sweaty, but it stays put and it doesn't bug me (hahahaha..bug me...get it?)

But here's the problem. I go through earphones like toilet paper. About every other month or so, I've been having to replace my headphones because one of them goes out and I can hear through only one side (which isn't such a big deal since most of the time I use only one side, so that I can hear if an oncoming car is about to squish me), or the cord begins to fray, and I can see the wires underneath, or they get damaged in some other way, and I started to wonder if this was happening as a result of the cord rubbing between my sweaty back and sweaty shirt. hmmmmmm.

So, I decided to try to look hip and cool while I'm running, which is no mean feat by the way, and I purchased an arm-band carrier for my Nano and thought that I'd let the cords be FREEEEEE. It looks like this:

The horror of my upper arm ...and yes, that is a beach towel on the floor behind me. We use a beach towel as a floor-mat because the shower door leaks water onto the floor so badly. You don't want to know what other horrors I cropped out of this photo...

So, I ran with the cords aflutter this morning, and they didn't bother me too much, so maybe I can look all cool and hip running with my tunes, and also save some money on earbud replacements.

In any event, here are my questions for you all.
  1. If you run with an iPod or other music player, where do you carry it? (I know that lots of people don't run with music. I used to run withit all the time. Now it's about 1/2, unless I'm on the dreadmill...in which case tunes are mandatory)
  2. Where are the earbud cords? and to they bother you? (Inside or outside your shirt, or somewhere else?)
I'd be so grateful for your feedback on the great music-listening device dilemma that I'm having.

Again, if you're in the gulf-coast area. Take care of yourself...that is, of course, the most important thing!

8 comments:

  1. Nice job on getting out there today. I don't mind hearing about the humidity, and I think you should get bonus points for running in such high humidity!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nice run!!! I just got back from a walk with Velcro-since I run tonight. And yes I think it's a bit hot and humid today too!!! I grew up in Tennessee so I was happy to leave the nasty hot and humid weather!!

    I run with my ipod shuffle and I love it! SInce it's so small I clip it onto my bra and tuck the earbud cords into my bra strap-not scientific but seems to work for me! I can't run without music....sad sad sad....oh well.

    Hope you have a great rest of sunday!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. My advice - don't wear earbuds if you have CHRONIC ear infections! And for the record - it was way too hot - more humid than the AFC 1/2! Alice - I am always amazed at your new gadgets you have. Additionally, 4 years ago, I would have expected you to be late, but this morning I was rather worried as you no longer have a reputation as being CHRONICALLY late.
    Finally, thanks for having the cheap IKEA bags in your car so we could do some Ab work! Maybe tomorrow Elsie will be home so when we stop by we can have those promised mimosa's!

    ReplyDelete
  4. YOu freekin crack me up, girl! Looking good on the run!

    As far as the player goes? I have a Sana Clip (think Shuffle) I clip it to my waist band or my Fuel Belt. So the cord hangs in front of me.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I tuck the excess cord into my bra through the arm hole. That way there is only enough slack for your arms to move freely and up to your ears. I have been using the Sony replacements for like $30 and am on my 2nd pair in a little over a year. They would have still worked but I lost the ear piece cover and the other ones that come dont fit me.

    Glad the run felt great, PROGRESS!!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. mmmm, can't help, I don't run with 'electronics'...LOL...

    Good job on getting done! Good for you!

    ReplyDelete
  7. It is so easy to bail on exercise when the morning just won't get going. Nice job getting it done anyway.

    As a Californian, I totally understand bitching about sub=optimal weather. I often think people back east want to kick California out of the US for being such whiny weather babies, but until they pay $500,000 for a 600 sq. ft house on an earthquake fault line I say they can buzz off.

    Now on to your question. I use case that was originally meant ot be worn on your arm, but it detachable and has a belt clip (kind of like a cell phone) and wear it on my run belt. Then I run the ear bud cords up under the front of my shirt or just under the run belt to keep it from flapping around too much. I have not had any trouble with my headphones and am using the same pair the Nano came with 3 years ago.

    Of course, I run with a RIDICULOUS amount of crap strapped on me (see picture in yesterday's blog. I have been told I look like a suicide bomber on more than one occasion)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Great job on your run. It really has been humid (read: sweaty) around here lately. I enjoy that run through Balboa Park...definitely not one to run by yourself though.

    I use an armband for my iPod. I usually just have it hang it in front of me. I hook my thumb loosely around it so it doesn't bug me. When I am not listening to music, I lay it around my neck and tuck it into my bra at my shoulder. Like you, I often only listen to one ear bud so I can hear other things (like my friends talking etc.)

    ReplyDelete