Vegas

First...thanks for all your comments and support for my decision to drink wine instead of run on Tuesday (100% in support of that decision... I should run for office or something. I think I could win on the "drink wine" platform) and second thanks for your encouragement. I did go back to Road Runner Sports and whined, complained, asked about whether or not shoes with less than 30 miles on them should be breaking down like my New Balance 1224's were.

It won't surprise anyone that none of the shoe-guys made disparaging comments about the shoes, nor would they even support my assertion that the shoe had started to prematurely wear, but because they are Road Runner Sports and they have this 60 day bring-the-shoe-back-if-you-don't-like-it guarantee, I got me some new kicks...

TA DA... my new Saucony Hurricanes!!!

And I couldn't be more thrilled that I'm back in some Saucony Hurricanes. In all honesty, I didn't ever LOVE running in New Balance (either the 1223s and of course the 1224s). Usually, I felt like I was running on planks. They were stiff (which is good for some things, yes, but not a running shoe, at least not for me), and hard (same thinking applies). Unfortunately, I've got these blessed wide feet and typically narrow woman's heels, and the NBs were the only shoes that fit.

Previous to the 1223's I did run in some Saucony Hurricanes (9s I think, which I LOVED!), but I think I screwed up one day when the 10s came out because I am a TOTAL SPAZ when it comes to shopping sometimes and accidentally bought a "B" width shoe, which almost destroyed my foot on a 16 mile run, and then somehow I got talked into the 1223s.

Anyway, I'm thrilled to be back in the Hurricanes. They are a much softer shoe, and although they are a bit narrower than the New Balance shoes were, I figure I'll just wear thinner socks. I can already tell the difference in my heel as I'm running, and I've only run in them twice, once on Thursday on the dreadmill (3.5 miles) and once here in Vegas this morning (6.2 miles).

Although, I'm scanning RRS's website right now (for links and such) and I think I may have paid too much for them because again...I can be such a SPAZ when I shop. I'll have to check my receipt when I get home...GAH!

Speaking of Vegas...here are five things I learned this morning about running in Vegas.

• It's dry here...I was smart and ran with a water bottle, which I almost do, and which I'd drained by 5 miles...so good thing I had it with me. I swear I've drank at least 2 gallons of water today.
  
• I don't sweat here...or at least if I do, it evaporates before it hits my shirt. When I run in San Diego, by 6 miles, I've got a pretty good sweat-ring going, but here, this am? Nada...
• It's hot here...or at least it was this morning, probably waiting until almost 10am was a bit of an error.
• The blocks are REALLY LONG here...I ran on a block was 1 1/4 miles.
• It's not AT ALL flat here... at least not where my parents live. The long, wide, streets are deceiving. They look rather flat, but let me tell you (and Garmin concurs), it's NOT...so while it was no Torrey Pines run this morning; it wasn't Coronado either.

See? Here's me AFTER 6.2 MILES...not a drop, dripping, anywhere. Usually, you can see the sweat running down my face, or off my nose in these shots. Not today.

So, I've got a question about the lack of sweat and, if I were ever to run, say, like a 1/2 Marathon, in December, in Vegas, what would the recommended fluid during a race (or before or after) be? Both my parents were ADAMANT that athletes in Vegas should drink water, and not a sports drink, because since they're not sweating, they're not losing salt, and there have been incidents where athletes in Vegas got pretty sick because they were ingesting too much salt and not sweating it out (since, I guess, nobody sweats here...) I countered, that I thought I did sweat, but it evaporated pretty quickly.

Any hot, arid, climate runners out there know the answer to this dilemma? Are my parents right (again?) I drank lots of water this morning both before, during, and after my run (and ever since, quite frankly), and I didn't have any Gu during the run (it was only 6 miles after all), but I'm just wondering, you know, for future reference. What do desert athletes do?

So, what else have I done in Vegas...AKA SIN CITY.

Basically, I've cooked...I mean in the kitchen...specifically, I've cooked a lot of soup. Last night, I made some Matzoh Ball Soup, which we (mostly my dad and I) ate and I froze the rest for later. Today I made some Black Bean Chili and some Minestrone. Most of it is in the freezer for my parents to eat when they want.

Oh yeah, and I've eaten almost my body weight in these things.

They're called Taralli. It's an Italian pretzel-like breadstick that my aunt makes...and I LOVE THEM.

My aunt made a bunch (or I guess, a friend of hers did) and she sent them to my mom, and of course, I've been snacking on them for two days now. It's like Italian crack. They have a touch of fennel in them and I CAN'T STOP MYSELF...HELP!

As for my mom, it's been a pretty tough weekend. Basically, she's been off the pain meds since Wednesday, which means that she's been going through some withdrawal. I mean, she'd been on some pretty serious pain meds since the hospital (almost five weeks ago), so the coming off of the meds has been pretty brutal for her. And since my mom barely even drinks wine (I know, where did I come from?), she doesn't even have hangovers...and from what I've seen, pain-med withdrawal looks like one hella-shus hangover, times about 1000....

Cancer sucks...BTW...I don't think I've mentioned that yet.

Anyway, it wasn't what I was expecting this weekend, but I'm glad I'm here...to cook, and to futz around...and to eat breadsticks...and to worry (a lot) about things over which I have no control (not my strong suit).

I think I'll have another breadstick now.