Another Week That Was...(not that interesting)...

I'm gonna guess, but I think the last time I used this title (or something close to it), it was probably about the 6th or 7th week of classes...hold on a sec, I'll check.

OK...I was wrong. I used almost the same title here, but it was almost the end of the semester...

There's an even bigger difference between that post and this one.

I actually DID have things to write about then. I had pictures. I was running. I was struggling with PF issues. I drank waaaaaaay too much wine one night.

This week, I have none of that.

Just work. Some long-ass work days.

Oh...and I'm fighting with my insurance company, who announced rather unceremoniously last week that both the physical therapist's office and I were wrong about my needing a prescription for PT.

In fact, they claim I needed PRIOR AUTHORIZATION, which of course I didn't get, because I was told by my doctor, the physical therapist, and I'm pretty sure someone at the insurance company that all I needed was a prescription.

I won't bore you with the details. All I have to say is that there are reasons why people hate the way health care works in this country because right now health care decisions are not being made by my physician, or by my physical therapist, but by someone who has the title "review nurse" and who works NOT for my doctor or my PT, but for the insurance company and who has, without meeting me AT ALL, decided that really, all I needed was 6 sessions of physical therapy. GAHHHHHHH!!!!!!

After 6 sessions I could still barely walk and I have the blog to prove it.

Whatever.

So, this week, there was no running and no PT, which also meant no strength training, and now my knee hurts, probably because I worked some 10 and 11 hour days this week with no stretching or strengthening.

So, I've gotta figure out a way to do the strength training on my own (which I was going to have to do anyway because, lets face it, PT wasn't going to last forever).

Whatever...

But, I am going to run in the morning at Lake Boy Part and since I have no other art this week, I'll post this instead...

Gotta love running at Lake BP. My goal is to do at least 7 miles.

I do want to send out some shout outs to all who are running or tri-ing this weekend, especially Glenn who is doing the Long Beach Marathon on Sunday. Have a great time Glenn (even though you are spending way too much time thinking about those lousy Dodgers right now...)

Oakland

I really don't like business trips, and THIS is a business trip, which means that I get to spend the whole day, from 9am until 4pm in a meeting room. In this case, I am in lovely downtown Oakland, CA, and while I've been in worse places in the world...I've also been in better.

Equally sad, there is nobody at this conference who seems to be willing to giggle like a 12 year old at unintended double entendres like I do...For example, when the presenter, in talking about the sole male conference attendee in the room, mentioned that he likes to be "stimulated," I completely had to stifle a giggle... I looked around to make eye contact with ANYONE else in the room who has a freekin' sense of humor..don't think anyone else even noticed...GAH!

I'm staying at a relatively dumpy little motel near Jack London Square (you know Jack, the one who wrote Call of the Wild, which you read in probably the 8th grade, and which is about a dog that becomes a wolf, or something like that...or the short story "To Build a Fire" which is about some guy who is in the Yukon and who freezes to death because he can't build a fire... The "Inn" looked OK on the website, but hell, I often look OK in the pictures I post on this blog, so I should know how selective website photos can be.

So...here are some highlights from the week thus far. Don't expect to read much having to do with running or working out, because there isn't much to report.

Oakland - Day 1 - Monday

• Had to get up waaaaaaay too early to catch a plane to get up here. I usually only wake up at 4:30 am if I'm running a race...
• Who knew that Monday at 6 am is one of the freekin' busiest times at the airport...I almost didn't make it through the security checkpoint in time as the line was a freekin' mile long!
• As one of the last people to board the flight, I had to sit next to two men who both insisted on using BOTH arm rests...which left me with nada. Assholes.
• Conference is one long-ass boring day.
• A colleague (I'll call her M) and I decided to walk back to hotel from conference site at the end of the day. Now a taxi had dropped me off at the Inn before the conference, then drove me over to the conference site, so I didn't really know how to get back, but she had a map that said it should have been about a mile.
• So....you know how I'm a little bit of a control freak (thus, I'm always driving, and making all these race plans) For once, I didn't plan, I followed M who had a map. In fact, I followed her the wrong FREEKIN' WAY, FOR 2 FREEKIN' MILES, THROUGH FREEKIN' OAKLAND...GAH! (Yes, this is why I always drive...this one time, I follow, and look at what happens).
• I finally notice that the street numbers are going up, and they should be going down as the Oakland hills are getting nearer...and I know that we should be getting closer to the FREEKIN' BAY!.
• A nice stranger stops to ask us if we're lost (because of course we are now looking at a map, which is a sure-fire way to announce to the world that "we are not local, please rob us." When we tell him where Jack London Square is, he tells us that we should take the bus back to Jack London Square.
• So, we get on a city bus.
• The bus driver tells us that bus drops off at Jack London Square, which is at the end of the street we are on!
• I notice that city bus makes left turn, and I inform M that we need to get off the bus because we don't want to go to Alameda.
• M and I get off the bus, walk to Inn, and decide we need wine.
• Send emails and text messages to JoLynn and RBR. JoLynn and I made plans to meet up on Wednesday (today!). Unfortunately, RBR is out of town...one more time we are ships that pass in the night.
• JoLynn informed me via text that I shouldn't be walking through Oakland.
• M and I drank too much wine. I drunk text-message friends about walking through Oakland.
• Stumble back to Inn and sleep.
• Light in bathroom won't turn off, so I close door.
• No workouts to report...but I did walk almost 2.5 miles through Oakland while carrying a laptop bag. Does that count?

Oakland - Day 2 - Tuesday

• Dumpy motel vending machines were out of bottled water...and I don't drink tap water, so I downed a diet Coke before 9am...don't think I've done THAT since my single days.
• Attended conference with slight hangover.
• Which made it another long-ass conference day.
• Walked back to dumpy motel room after conference. M and I went the correct way this time.
• Changed into workout clothes.
• Never went to workout. Went bed early after playing on FB for most of the night (too tired to write blog though).

Oakland - Day 3 - Wednesday

• Woke up feeling much better.
• Needed to iron pants. Ironing board is missing one leg, so I leaned it against the dresser.
• Did PT strength training and stretching exercises in corner of postage-stamp size room.

This is where I'm doing squats and lunges

• Another long-ass conference day, which ends 15 minutes later than it's supposed to.
• Best part of week so far...I got to have a fabulous dinner with JoLynn! Who is as wonderful and fabulous in person as she is on her blog.
• Did JoLynn ever mention that she enjoys dessert?

Me and JoLynn

• I'm currently stuffed due to fabulous dinner and dessert.
• I will wake up early to workout in postage stamp size fitness room.
• That is, if I ever get to sleep tonight. Someone upstairs seems to be running laps from one end of their room to the other.
• I haven't run since Saturday. Both knee and PF are being kinda tweeky...I think it's all the walking while carrying my computer bag on my shoulder.

OK...If you've read this far, you deserve a medal because this is the most boring post I've ever done.

Light Boredom

I'm bored.

I'm waiting for an electrician to show up to fix a hanging fan-light (because neither Walter or I are capable of this).

He was supposed to be here between 8am and 10am. It's now noon.

GAH!

So, since it was my intention to go swim or bike this morning after the electrician left, and since I haven't been able to do that YET, I thought I'd post a few random photos for NikeMom's Foto Friday of things that I've been taking care of this morning while waiting for the DAMN ELECTRICIAN...

(BTW...the dispatcher just called. Electrician is on his way...yeah...we'll see)

I hung up all of DramaGirls clothes. I've been after her for at least a week to do this, but she stalled, complained, whined...all of which I should have just stood up to, but I got tired of hearing it, so I finally just did it for her. Day-um the girls got a lot of clothes.

They used to be all stacked thrown on this chair. This is the last time I'm hanging them up and putting them away for her (I swear it), but I thought I'd give her a clean start. Doesn't it look like that monkey is messin' with me?

Somehow our scale broke (how does a scale like this break anyway? Maybe Turbo was jumping up and down on it...yeah, I'm sure that was it). So I threw it away.

This is the drawer I keep all my running shorts, capris, skirts, bike shorts in...I'm thinkin' I need a bigger drawer, or DramaGirl's chair.

This came in the mail today (it's a waterproof iPod Shuffle holder! How cool is THAT?) I saw this on Mel's blog a few weeks back...which is part of the reason why I'm so damn irritated that the electrician is not here...YET...because I want to try out the new headphones.

Electrician Update: 12:45 pm Electrician arrived and left. Hanging Fan/Lamp works just fine. Costs $19.50 to screw in lightbulbs correctly...GAH!

I'm going for a ride now...

More Foot Stories

So...you may have noticed that I haven't run since last Saturday's jaunt with Walter at Lake BP.

Cycling. Yes. Running? Not so much.

(Rode 35ish miles on Sunday. Rode another 12 on Monday...not a lot of miles, but I tried to ride fast...not fast by any real cycling standards, but fast for me).

Anyway, I haven't run because last week I ran two days in a row and so for three days my feet (both of 'em) are just killing me. GAH!!!!

Left foot - some mild Plantar Fasciitis (It does seem like it's getting better as I've been doing lots of ice, stretch, massage, stretch, ice, repeating).

The bigger issue is my right foot...the TOP of my foot...right at about the bridge to be exact. There are some tendons there that are VERY sore, making walking (and definitely running) somewhat painful.

The blue arrow is pretty much pointing to the area it hurts. Picture comes from Foot Pain Explained ...which describes this as tendonitis...GAH!

So, I've taken three days off from running (blah, blah, blah...this is getting boring) and for the past month or so, I've played around with various types and combinations of orthotics, including: green SuperFeet insoles, orange RRS cushioning insoles, Dr. Scholl's heel cushioning inserts (which are awesome for the PF BTW).

These do ROCK for PF issues...for the tendonitis on the top of the foot? Meh...

In other words, I am in search of something, anything that will help with what I think this causes...

I don't know if you can see this...but seriously I think this is the cause of my foot issues. I mean how does one land with a foot pointing out...but on the instep...I mean really... 

This picture was taken by the race photographer at the UT Race for Literacy last month. I'd never seen a photo taken at this angle before, so I didn't know that I landed that way on my right foot

A slightly more grainy view... But SERIOUSLY...WHO RUNS LIKE THIS??? I think I need to take a running lesson.

Yes, I run in stability shoes. I use inserts to (hopefully) keep my foot from rocking all over the freakin' place, but I don't seem to have located the correct combination. I'm going to play with how I lace my shoes today (yes, I'm going to run today...it is National Running Day after all...and did I mention that I hadn't run since SATURDAY?)

So, I'll keep you posted (cuz I know you're waiting with bated breath to see how Alice solves her running-shoe, foot-pain, WTF is wrong with her gait, problem).

Oh, and since this is June 3...I thought I'd post my May numbers

Run -  52.95 miles
Bike - 118.76 miles
Swim - 200 yards (ok...that's pathetic. I know. But I tried)

Happy running to all who are participating in the National Running Day. 

Bullet Point Week/Weak Report

The week's news

1. School is out for me! Hooray!!!!! Graded my last finals on Wednesday. I haven't posted final grades yet, but I will shortly.
2. Had a lovely 4 mile run with Elsie on Wednesday (followed by wine and pot stickers) to celebrate the end of said school year. Here's the path we took :-) I'm going to call it profile of me reading a book on the 'mill.
3. Got the scoop on Elsie's weekend with the PB (practice boyfriend), who is now the RB (real boyfriend). (The reason Elsie was missing all weekend)
   
4. For the first time in a long time, I have no plans for a long run this weekend, and to be honest, I'm a little flummoxed by it. I keep feeling like I should be making plans for a long run, but I'm not.
5. I do need to make a plan for cheering on BBJ, Kat, Santiago, Lisa, Irene, Sara, and all my SDTC friends who are running the Rock and Roll Marathon on Sunday. I think we're going to be on bikes and we'll be at least two or three places on the course...I'm thinking anything after mile 18 is good (it would have been for me!)
6. I haven't signed up for the SDTC 1/2 Marathon Training Program yet, but I'm pretty sure I'm gonna...it'll help keep me in shape for both the fall 1/2 marathon training season, and for the long haul up 6th Avenue for the AFC 1/2
   
7. Yesterday I bought new tubes (two for me, one for Clarence), a patch kit, a pump, and a new bag to carry it all in...
   

Some clarifications

1. Yes! I think some of the herd will be in Vegas in December for the RnR 1/2 Marathon.
2. This doesn't mean that we won't do the Long Beach 1/2 in October... Long Beach is the first of the California Dreamin' Series and I'm all about the hardware.
3. Regarding the flat-tire, tire changing adventure on Monday. It's completely awesome that Mik, Clarence, and Betty jumped in and changed both tires, but really, none of us knew what we were doing....which is why it took 45 minutes to change the tires (well...that and we were laughing a lot)

And a video

1. DramaGirl and Turbo study for algebra (where do my kids come up with this stuff...and yes, that is a cup)...It's not a still photo for NikeMom's Foto Friday, it a series of still photos...all run together that approximate movement.

Algebra Song from AkaAlice on Vimeo.

The Week That Was...(not that interesting)...

Ya gotta know that when it takes me a whole week to post ANYTHING...It's been a heckuva week...or I died.

But the real truth is that I really didn't have much interesting to blog about this week. I've got two weeks until the end of the semester...lots of grading to do (again)...too much drama in the English department to think about...and most depressingly...I've got running pains (again) to report...so, because I don't wanna bore you all with the tedium of it ad nauseum, here's a VERY brief weekly rundown of some running (and nonrunning) new from the week (boring...boring...boring...boring...).

Monday
DramaGirl and Turbo do math homework together...a moment of non-bickering so I took a picture.

A moment of parental bliss...

Tuesday
Track workout...a really good run we did 6x800 repeats. Elsie was there. I still can't keep up with the skinny biatch. Still, I ran faster than I have since before I got hurt. My 800 split paces were:

1 - 10:04
2 - 9:50
3 - 9:53
4 - 9:41
5 - 9:40
6 - 9:32

The result...major Plantar Fasciitis ...this time in the left foot...GAH!!!!! WTF is up with that?

Wednesday
DAY. FROM. HELL. First class started at 8am...last class ended at 9:30pm...a non-stop day. Wouldn't have run anyway since my effing feet were on effing fire all effing day....

Thank goodness for the Real Housewives of New York City (what a train wreck) to make me feel better about my life. (yeah, it was on Tuesday, but I didn't get to watch it until Wednesday...so whatever...)

Thursday
Despite PF pain, had high hopes of running, but went to happy hour with Mona and South Dakota instead ... a decision that took me two days to recover from. Drank waaaaaaaaaayyyyyy too much wine. Really shouldn't do that. Discussed at length how Jorts* and a tie on a man is soooooo NOT HAWT!!!!

Friday
Major hangover, so no running.

Saturday
Still slightly hungover from THURSDAY, but got up early to run with the Track Club anyway. They were running 12-14 miles, as they are tapering for the Rock and Roll Marathon. But, I'm not running this year...and I had to go to a paper-scoring session at school, so I ran five miles instead.

I left a little before the fast group (all of the pace groups in the Rock and Roll Marathon have rock and roll names. The fast group (7 min mile and faster) is called "The Untouchables," The pretty fast group (7 t0 9 minute milers) is called "Cheap Trick," and those of us at the back of the pack are called "Air Supply" a label which I find rather insulting to be honest.

Anyway, I left a little before "The Untouchables" which means that at a certain point they all roared past me...but in truth, they're all really nice and supportive, so I didn't mind too much...

I ran for about 30 minutes, then I turned around and headed back a little past the first water station, which is where I saw Irene...lookin' awesome!

I really enjoy this run through Ocean Beach and Point Loma. This morning was humid, but the marine layer never lifted, and the ocean breezes were cool. I wish I'd had enough time to run the whole 2 hours, but I had to be at the college by 8:30 (BTW...apparently 8:30 is an estimated time to start at the college. We ended up waiting until about 9:15 to actually start the meeting, which really ticked me off cuz I could have run for another 45 minutes...I HATE meetings that start late....especially when I'm on time!)

It felt great to run, although I ran pretty SLOW!

5.02 miles
56:59 minutes
11:21 pace

Unfortunately, PF is back tonight with a VENGEANCE!!!! Been icing, stretching, and tennis balling all day.

OK...So that was the boring week. I'm glad it's over. Going on a bike ride in the morning with the herd. Maybe I'll have something interesting to say after that. My goal for the day is to not fall on my ass.

Finally, good luck to Shosh and Cyndi (Cyndi is doing her first 1/2 Mary!), and to everyone else who is running this weekend!

(WOOT! WOOT!...Walter just came home with PIE...The week is not a total waste after all...)

___________________
*Jorts = Jean Shorts and yes, I am channeling G with all the footnotes...me likes...