October weekends

The month of October has slipped by, and if I were organized or had children or planned to dress up like a slut, I would write something about Halloween.  However, I actually forgot that today was Halloween until I saw the school bulletin decorated with fun bats, cats and witches.  I have spent much of my time, the past few days, trying to finish up all of my letters of recommendation for my students as  the November 1st deadline looms, so that has made me feel that I've been living in some sort of a time warp, thinking about last year and writing about my students' performance in the past tense.

I discovered the past few weeks that I've definitely been a 'weekend warrior' this month - living for the weekends, trying to make the most of them, and sometimes suffering during the week.  This is not my typical modus operandi, and I think that I paid the price, getting sick for the second time in 2012!  What frustrates me about this is that I was sick in August.  I consider myself to be fairly robust, but catching a cold twice in the past two months makes me question my physical resilience these days.  I could, perhaps, be getting older too!

On to other topics...
October has presented us with some perfectly wonderful autumnal days - last weekend (the 20th/21st), we enjoyed cool and wet mornings which even inspired me to make a huge vat of soup and bake some bread.  But, after a few glorious days with highs in the low 70's, the mercury would rise again.  This past weekend was a true Indian summer weekend - I couldn't believe how warm it was and I kept swearing at the weather gods.  End of October, enough of this heat!  I didn't feel it too much because I spent the weekend in La Jolla, CA with my mom, aunt and cousin.  We agreed a few months ago to try to meet up for a 'ladies' weekend' (although my cousin and I definitely eschew the title, it still seems like an apt description of the getaway for all of us).  They arrived on Thursday evening, and I headed south on Friday afternoon, traveling by train which was such an unexpected treat.  First of all, not having to deal with Friday afternoon traffic - yes, please!  And more importantly, once the train was south of Santa Ana, it hugged the coast and the trip offered up some gorgeous views.  I planned to grade while traveling, but I spent most of the time staring out the window.

Being in San Diego/La Jolla was a lot of fun.  Despite my 7 years in the Los Angeles area, I've rarely headed that far south, so this trip allowed me to get a better sense of the area.  People rave about San Diego, and I can see why - a part of me would like to pick up and move now!  Especially if we could somehow live close to the coast, preferably in La Jolla...   I can't even say that we did much in the area, but that may be why it appealed so much to me - I was able to do almost nothing, yet I still came away with an appreciation for the area.  Not that we did "nothing" - we ate at a great little restaurant on Friday night, Sea Rocket Bistro.  A friend of mine recommended it, and we enjoyed the experience - it felt very local (translation: we were the only out-of-towners there), and my cousin and I really liked the focus on fresh, local and sustainable seafood.  I also enjoyed the IPA that I had - San Diego might compete with the PNW for the 'beer nirvana' reputation.  On Saturday, we spent the morning in La Jolla at the Museum of Contemporary Art which was a jewel of a museum.  Not very large, we could easily get around it and see the collection.  It offered up wonderful views of the coast, and the collection is excellent.  The one downside for the weekend was that my aunt had a 24-hour bug, so she felt pretty terrible all day Saturday.  My cold also flourished, but despite that, I managed to get in two short runs both Saturday and Sunday morning.  Not only did I enjoy beautiful scenery but I also felt the power of the scientific community as I ran by UCSD and also the Salk Institute.

I did, however, eat and drink too much and sleep too little, so I'm ready for a weekend to catch up on sleep and to 'nest' a bit - lots of grading, a long run, and definitely a nap or two!

A typical Saturday morning...

Getting in an open water swim before next week's triathlon? Check.
Going for a canyon run? Check.
Taking a walk on a beach? Check.

Enjoying views like this:

Source

Double check!

Michael commented that we used to do these sorts of outings more often, although I'd like to know how much we're "not" doing these days, considering all of our trips over the past few weeks to northern and southern counties.  This morning did, however, seem like a special treat, mainly because we only expected to head south for a quick open water swim and then return home.  But how lame would that be?

The morning started earlier than most, even considering my tendency to get up and go.  I had been itching for an open-water swim before next weekend and planned to do an ocean swim.  However, I found a "clinic" of sorts - pay to swim a mile in a reservoir.  Great!  I figured that it would boost my confidence if I could execute the swim without a panic attack.  Having not dedicated as much time, energy and anxiety to swimming over the past few months, I had no idea how the swim would go, but I did feel confident that it would not be a repeat of last year's first open-water swim of the season which consisted mainly of some hyperventilating. 

At any rate, we ended up cutting it a bit a close for my swim - I believe I arrived at 7:55, and the swim began promptly at 8:00.  Someone else did not know exactly when I needed to leave, and obviously I communicated well with him (no, it wasn't our dog Gus).  Yikes, I was the last person to arrive!  Most had arrived early and splashed around, while I put on my wetsuit as fast as I could and tried to look nonchalant about the fact that I was putting on my swim cap and goggles as the 'director' shouted directions at us.  The good thing about the late arrival is that I had zero time to think about how far out the buoy looked.  When they blew the whistle, I jumped in the water (or waded out to it) and started to swim.  As usual, the beginning is kind of a scene as people are trying to get space and figure out their stroke.  It took me a moment to settle into a rhythm, but I finally began to focus on my stroke and breathing and did not think about time or how far I had gone.  The course was extremely simple - just out and back, turning around two buoys.  My sighting was pretty horrible, but I did not wander too far off course.  I felt pretty good, and by the time I knew it, I had turned around the buoys and had headed back to the 'beach' area.  Around the last 100 yards or so, my right calf cramped up horribly (mother-fer!), but I just dealt with it and exited the water.  I glanced down at my watch, thinking that I'd be happy with a 35-minute swim, and it read under 30 minutes.  Holy crap, I guess I have improved since last year!

Once the swim was done, we were more or less out of there.  Michael couldn't resist taking an awesome photo of me (I'm obviously the short pale person to the right):

And then, we headed to the coast - Crystal Cove State Park, to be exact, where we hiked/ran El Moro Canyon and then went down to the beach and enjoyed watching the waves.  It was a gorgeous day to be out, and we couldn't believe that we'd seen and done so much in a morning's time. 

So, taking full advantage of our Saturday, we came home and took a nap!

And my evening should have some of this, just to top off the day:

2012 is a blur already!

Hitting January, mid-month, it occurs to me that the month and year seem to already be in overdrive.  The weeks back to school/work have been full of meetings, classes, general busy-ness, and Michael and I have tried to keep our social card somewhat full without overdoing it.  The three-day weekend has actually provided me the opportunity to take a step back.  While I do need to grade, plan, write an exam or two and grade some more, the extra day is a much-needed buffer.  We haven't traveled and our plans are minimal, which is perfect for a productive weekend - painting and drawing for Michael, grading for me, sleeping and eating for the pups!
Not that it's been all work and meeting some of our responsibilities around here.  I've decided to embrace our Friday night out "rut" as not a rut but as the perfect way to enjoy the end of the formal work week.  We rarely make a huge evening of it, sticking to some place local and fun.  Last night, I was in the mood for decent bar food, so we made our way to The Fat Dog in Montrose, a fun little neighborhood that is very close and convenient. Before drinks and dinner, we stopped at the local bike shop to pick up a tire that needed some tweaking.  While Michael was paying, I unfortunately saw this beauty:

Source

I'm kind of obsessed now.

After I salivated for a while over it, Michael pulled me away - or the idea of dinner and drinks motivated me to salivate over something else.  The "Fat Dog" experience did not disappoint!  We went there for the first time in December when we had no power and were desperate for a good drink and decent food, and we really enjoyed it.  This time around was the same.  Good food and drink - no complaints from us.  

Today has been full but fun - running errands this morning and working on and off this afternoon, but it doesn't have the rush feel that sometimes happens on weekends.  I just went out for a short but fun ride (not on the beauty shown above), and since all of Southern CA must be watching the NFL playoffs, I was almost the only one on the road - or so it seemed!

So, yes, it's been nice to slow down the pace this weekend.  Not to the point that I don't have a pulse, but I'll take the breather!

Renewed faith in life and running

After my negative rant/whine extraordinaire on Saturday, I now feel like a complete ass because the weekend pretty fantastic, half-marathon included.  Yippee skip!  Also, I am now confident that I will survive the next 2.5 days of work and will then breath a huge sigh of relief.  This is the final stretch of THIS time of year, and I plan on taking full advantage of 2+ weeks of vacation!
As for the weekend, everything came up roses.  Michael and I were total movie nerds, watching the final disk of the LOTR trilogy - the director's cut.  Even though I had seen it before (like everyone else in the world?), watching the entire trilogy again was completely satisfying and quite tragic and "The Return of the King" is really well done.  Even though I knew the ending, it still made me sad.  On Saturday night, we opted for a period piece, the most recent cinematic interpretation of "Jane Eyre" which was great!  I always forget how different Charlotte Brönte is from Jane Austen - talk about Romantic with a capital "R"!  Souls, spirits, mysticism, freedom, the individual, love...  Yes, I ended up in tears at the end!  It has been several years, maybe 20 (see, several), since I read "Jane Eyre", but maybe I should venture back through those pages?  I hate it when a movie prompts me to read the book, it makes me feel guilty for not having read the book.  But, in this case, I'll give myself a pass since I really DID read the book, albeit a while ago.
As for the Sunday morning race - it ended up being a real "race" rather than a pathetic and miserable slog through 13.1 miles!  The weather was chilly but perfect - as much as I love a sunny race, the overcast sky made for a pleasant run.  Adding to that, the run was well-organized, flat and fast!  It also offered up a taste of an area that I don't know well at all - Oxnard, CA!  My love of strawberries has bred a certain familiarity with Oxnard, more or less the "Strawberry Capital" of Southern CA.  I had not, until now, ever wandered down its fine streets!  While some of the course took us through a random industrial office area, we also ran by fields, schools, and great neighborhoods, ending at the Oxnard waterfront - which I didn't even know existed!  The local support was amazing - there were bands, plenty of water stops, port-a-potties at several of the mile stops. As for the run?  I couldn't believe how great I felt throughout the race!  I tried to run a relaxed pace, not too fast, not too slow.  I also had the good fortune to meet up with Kalli around Mile 6!  She was looking good and ended strong!
Regarding my final time - it was a surprise to me.  I hoped to run a sub-2-hour and crossed the line plenty under that, much to my total surprise and delight!  After stumbling around happy yet a bit dazed, I returned home to pizza, an ice bath for my legs (KILLER) and then a nap - all contributed to my recovery!  I was even able to pull it together to look 'appropriate' for the evening's festivities - the annual holiday party (on a Sunday night - really?  How is that a true party?).
As for the week, I am sticking to my plan to take a needed break from running and can't wait for the break from school that will be here sooner than later.  However, I've revised my view of running - I *heart* running, training, non-training, the races, and, of course, all the pain and anxiety involved.  That said, I do look forward to 2012 as a new year that will offer new challenges.  Looking back, I've enjoyed some amazing experiences this year that connected to running, in one way or another, and I can't wait for more!

Bad and brash decisions

So, as a teacher, I know that people banter around the concept of "make good decisions/choices" when working with the youth of today (I love using clichés like that!).  As much as they might roll their eyes - and I might too - there is something to be said for that advice.  I, unfortunately, like to push it off on others rather than follow it myself.  This week offered plenty of evidence to support my less-than-stellar decision-making abilities.  Usually, I can blame alcohol consumption for bad choices (just what we tell kids about alcohol), but this week I don't even have that useful excuse on hand.
Just to give you a few examples of these bad choices...
On Thursday, while walking our dogs, some bug stung my leg - the back of my thigh.  It was definitely not a bee, probably a wasp or yellow jacket?  At any rate, it hurt like a bitch, as they say.  This happened around the 4 o'clock hour, and I had a spin class to attend at 4:45.  Did the sting prevent me from attending?  Why, of course not!  As I was halfway through class, it did cross my mind that exercise after an insect sting was not, perhaps, advisable.  Sure enough, when I returned home and researched said topic,  several websites came back with the "Do not exercise!" imperative.  I survived, however, so it looks as though I don't have an allergy.
I can excuse Thursday out of sheer ignorance - I've never been bitten by wasps or yellow jackets before!
Friday's lack of judgement belongs to another category: brash decisions.  The first one occurred about mid-morning.  Clearly my blood sugar had spiked and I was feeling GREAT!  So, when an email entitled "Oxnard Half-Marathon" enticed me to open up its contents, I was drawn into the idea of a half-marathon and impulsively decided HELL YEAH!  So, I signed myself right up.  Then, I thought about the time that I have between now and the half-marathon and realized that I need to get about a 10-mile run in between the next two weeks so that I can finish the half-marathon in 3 weeks.  Ahem.  I've obviously become trigger-happy when it comes to races, and this just showcases how problematic impulsive choices can be.
The final brash decision came later in the day, revolving around dinner choices.  I admit that we have become somewhat lazy in our household - between Michael's class schedule and my... (I don't have a reason) stomach, we've been doing take-out and/or eating out more than usual.  Now, I haven't cared too much about this slump, but we had just ordered out pizza on Thursday.  There were a few pieces left, but we decided that there wasn't enough for dinner.  So, what did we do?
We ordered ANOTHER pizza.  From the same place!
I realize that this last decision is not, for some people, too shocking, but it seemed to epitomize my laziness.
It was, however, the perfect accompaniment to the movie "Bridesmaids"!
So, do I have any regrets about these decisions?  The "good" part of me would like to affirm that yes, I do, but to be honest, I had a great spinning class on Thursday, I will love getting my ass kicked in a few weeks as I struggle through the half-marathon, and the pizza last night was worth it.
In terms of dinner, I am going to start anew - just as soon as we go out for Mexican food tonight!

A gloomy Saturday

It is 5:00 pm, and almost officially dark.  While I love the time change in the mornings, it does depress me a bit that night draws close so quickly these days.  However, when I remember that I used to live in places that get dark at 3:30 or so in winter (Philly and Seattle), I try my best to not complain too much.  And, even in sunny LA, there is something comforting about the sense that the year has moved on and that I can hibernate a bit because it is fall.
As for today, it has been the fastest Saturday EVER.  Okay, slight hyperbole there, but how is it that my weekdays seemed to stretch out forever, and then today I'd like to add a few more hours to the experience?  I feel that I just woke up but here I am, changing so that I can look respectable enough to go out and be in the public eye?
As for the day?  I'd call it lugubrious.  What a great word, right?  And not one that I can often use here in Southern CA.
The word has all of these negative connotations, but was lovely to enjoy the gloomy weather from a warm house for most of the day!  It rained a few times throughout the day, but at one point, I looked out the window, and all of these whispy, low-lying clouds were moving through and around the San Gabriels.  It was so beautiful, and I do love that I could take in the view right from the kitchen window.
Sometimes, I love living where we do.

Sin City: Here I come!

I'm already prepping for the 24 hour visit that we have planned to Vegas - plopped down on the sofa, ice packs on my knees and a super dirty martini keeping me company!  It definitely feels like Friday, and I have zero complaints about that!
Tomorrow morning, we'll head out on the earlier side of noon and try to arrive around 1:00 - perfect for a late-ish lunch.  After we stuff ourselves (maybe at Bouchon if we are lucky), it should be time to check into our hotel and settle in for the afternoon/evening, during which we plan to eat and drink more.  We will also see some family, the "real" purpose of this quick trip, so I'll have a bit of bonding time.  Win and win!
As for Vegas, it is a bit like Whole Foods - a place that I love to hate, but for different reasons.  The whole premise of the city is fairly disgusting, and I'm not talking about the sex, gambling or the historical gangster piece.  No, I'm talking about the idea of building a city in a desert and draining resources of surrounding areas just so that the flashy lights, the canals and water shows, the pristine pools, and all the electricity pumping through can keep it up.
Talk about wasteful - that is definitely the bigger sin here.
And talk about hypocritical - I will definitely be crying into my drinks all night tomorrow!
While I think that 24 hours is just about the perfect time span to spend in Vegas, it won't give us the chance to visit my favorite part of that city:  Red Rocks Canyon.  It's actually outside the city, but almost worth a trip by itself.
Not, however, worth sitting in traffic on Sunday afternoon for hours and hours because I insisted on a hike to cleanse my spirit, tainted from the glitz and plastic fakery of Las Vegas.  No, I'll take all of that grime back home with me, along with a possible hangover!

An almost-perfect fall weekend!

"Almost-perfect" is kind of a lame way to describe a great weekend, but considering that I did spend a few hours (not nearly enough) sitting on my butt, grading papers, it would be hard to say that it truly was a chocolate-syrup-topped-with-a-cherry type of a weekend.  I'm now suddenly talking about sundaes, which have nothing to do with fall weekends.  Not even metaphorically!
Back to the perfect part of the weekend - it actually felt like a fall weekend here in Southern CA!  Not quite as much last year when we went to Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park and spent a night in one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen.  I am a sucker for the alpine lake experience, no doubt.  We briefly flirted with the idea of a return trip, but homework for Michael called and grading papers definitely loomed over my head.
So, we stayed home and enjoyed a great 3-day weekend!  As I said, there was something autumnal in the air, which is definitely not always the case here in Southern CA during the month of October.  Often, the Santa Ana winds kick up and the temperature rises.  However, a crazy winter storm mid-week put me in a fall-ish mood, and the weather - cool at night and warm but not hot during the day - did put my mind to a change of seasons.  The Halloween decorations that have begun to pop up around our neighborhood and others also help contribute to that feeling of "fall is here!".
As for our weekend, we ate well, and we both worked a bit, but the best part of the weekend was spending time outside.  Since we nixed a camping trip, I entertained the idea of a great hike, and that WOULD have been pretty awesome.  However, I also considered our busy schedules these days and decided that a lazy weekend might be appreciated, especially by Michael, who has lots of late nights these days.  Still, we did get out and about, and we took advantage of the good weather!
Michael has started to run a bit with me, which is such a new and different experience, in a great way.  He doesn't identify himself as a "runner" (neither do I, for that matter...), but I think that he'll soon trounce me.  We've been running the occasional 5K around the Rose Bowl, but on Saturday, we ended up on the Arroyo Seco trail in Pasadena.  It's funny - I tend to run all of the horse trails that are accessible from our house - just a block or two away - but I almost never venture over to the Arroyo Seco.  After our Saturday experience, however, that MUST change!  It was a great experience, and Michael far preferred it to running around the Rose Bowl which does, I admit, get rather boring.  We did a 3.5 mile run or so, and then he drove home, leaving me to hoof it back.  The run home was pretty uneventful, although much of it was uphill - we're talking a few miles of lots of uphill pushes!  I decided that if it didn't kill me, it would make me stronger.  As I came to the end of my more-or-less 9 mile run, I thought "I can't believe that I ran 10 miles after a longish swim and bike ride!  I'm AWESOME!".  I almost never think of myself as "awesome", so that was a nice thought, brief as it was.
After Saturday's excursion, we ended up taking the bikes out on Sunday.  I am embarrassed to say that it's the first time I've been in the saddle since the end of August.  Crazy!  Especially considering that the Tour de Colorado should have inspired us.  It was a short but really great ride - my legs felt strong and fresh, even after my Saturday run, and there was NO traffic on the road, so I felt pretty safe.  Michael and I had fun chasing each other - sometimes he would lead, other times I would lead.  While we aren't biking enough outside, I could feel the results on the hills of the crazy-kick-ass spin classes that we've - not that I 'dominated' the climb, but I did enjoy the hills and felt strong enough to push myself, rather than just hold on until the end.
So, a weekend of good weather, good eats, and lots of time outside - I'll consider that a success!
Now I just can't wait for the next one!