tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72303832011-08-16T02:19:45.551-05:00I aim to qualify for the Boston Marathon.This is the chronicle of my journey.Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.comBlogger5071100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-74202694593160423032011-06-08T18:02:00.001-05:002011-06-08T18:20:05.625-05:00

And .... I’m back! I spent the last week and a half NOT running. Instead, I biked about 200 miles on a 6-day bike trip in Italy’s Piedmont region. Did I mention that I have not biked (or cycled, or whatever you people on wheels call it) in 13 years? And that when I did, I never logged more than 25 miles at a time? My husband bikes. And he thought a guided group bike tour would be fun way

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-37705043954802165502011-05-19T17:34:00.012-05:002011-05-19T19:02:48.696-05:00

Wow, it’s been a year and a half since my last update. Hi, people!    Perhaps because I had several crappy race experiences last year *. But Mike’s awesome race report on his first half marathon apres heart attack inspired me to dust this old thing off and write about a race I ran last Sunday: the Pasadena Half Marathon.    My race tactic: Start verrry conservatively (9:05/mile pace), then

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-37546106240064826562009-12-25T14:54:00.001-05:002009-12-25T14:54:43.383-05:00

Over the past week and a half, I've run in driving rain, 80 degree heat, and windy, chilly "cold for Southern California" temps of 30 degrees. While the weather has varied, the runs have one thing in common: they all felt kind of hard, although I've been running slower than I did last year (read: when I was in better shape). So I've found myself almost dreading the run. It doesn't help that I'm

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-54120153589035671212009-12-16T10:31:00.000-05:002009-12-16T10:31:20.395-05:00

Brick by brick, I'm re-building my running base. And boy, is it ever hard work. Not just physically, although, it can be murder just running an easy 6-miler when your quads and hams are screaming from boot camp the day before. It's almost more difficult mentally. Going from one run a week (at best) to three or four runs plus two sessions of boot camp a week is tough. When that alarm goes off at

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-78477038607560513382009-12-09T23:49:00.000-05:002009-12-09T23:49:07.563-05:00

So there I was, walking to my office this afternoon on a cool late afternoon. Minding my own business. When I turned a corner in my high-heeled black boots and BAM, twisted my right ankle and fell down hard, with all my weight on my left knee. My first thought -- well, after $#*^@! --  was, "Am I going to be able to run 6 miles tomorrow morning?" The answer? No way. I couldn't put any weight on

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-26766693611518271022009-12-07T01:18:00.000-05:002009-12-07T01:18:19.567-05:00

After running for four months with my Garmin 305, I finally installed the device's software and uploaded a season's worth of runs onto my computer. One thing I've realized: I usually don't wait long enough for the satellites to pick up my Garmin before I start running. I'm not exactly a patient person, alas. Garmin doesn't start tracking my run until after I've already logged a half-mile. Which

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-24421666911423356722009-12-06T04:43:00.001-05:002009-12-06T04:44:32.177-05:00

After being derailed by a sprained ankle back in January 2008 and then by a decidedly lackluster running regimen, I've decided to get back on track. My aim: Qualifying for Boston in 2010. At the OC Marathon next May 2. There. I've said it. Time to make it happen. I signed up several weeks ago for a marathon training program: The Sole Runners. We meet every Saturday in San Pedro, by the beach.

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-2833873900105040202008-07-05T14:53:00.001-05:002008-07-05T17:00:15.645-05:00

IMG_2499Originally uploaded by bexdc At least not tonight. E. and I wanted to take a short cruise this evening on Lake Tahoe - much like our Tahoe Relay team, the Band of Outsiders, did a few weeks ago (that's me and Br. relaxing on the boat). But because of the 4th of July holiday weekend, all the cruises are full. Alas.In other news: I used my heart-rate monitor for the first time today. I ran

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-82247880952582187612008-07-04T17:12:00.003-05:002008-07-04T19:21:50.795-05:00

Path and blue skyOriginally uploaded by don33cSo my coach wanted me to run a 10K on July 4 wearing a heart-rate monitor. She wants to better gauge my fitness level to create a custom training plan for me.But the Firecracker 10K Fun Run that was supposed to be held today in Carson City, NV - the only July 4 race within a two-hour radius of our cabin at Lake Tahoe - got downgraded on Tuesday to a "

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-55251099854368935112008-07-02T06:57:00.000-05:002008-07-02T09:06:37.593-05:00

We're heading to Lake Tahoe for the 4th of July weekend. We drove most of the way yesterday evening, after E. picked me up after work. Today we drive the final 2 1/2 hours of this 8-9 hour trip. Whew.I still have to deal with some work stuff this morning, unfortunately. But I hope to be at the lake by early afternoon, and will finally get to run after having several days off.By the way: I have a

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-50363645617639008882008-06-23T06:01:00.000-05:002008-06-23T08:10:51.498-05:00

Instead of writing about the rest of the Lake Tahoe Relay, I videoblogged it instead.I recount the rest of the race, Legs 3-7, here (click on "watch in high quality" under Views).

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-54311857677659096862008-06-22T02:46:00.007-05:002008-06-22T03:08:55.404-05:00

Okay, folks, I know I'm way behind in debriefing you on the rest of the Lake Tahoe Relay held last weekend. But I just spent an inordinate amount of time making this little music video of our race experience, so this will just have to suffice for now.

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-50588593565824491382008-06-18T23:17:00.010-05:002008-12-12T02:19:17.879-05:00

It's 11:15 p.m. and I've spent the past 90 minutes unsuccessfully downloading a bunch of photos from the Tahoe Relay. Very frustrating. Now I'm way too tired tonight to write about the race.So in this brief interlude, enjoy some photos of our team, the Band of Outsiders. In the photo above, I'm trying on Peter's sunhat that he got in a shopping trip in Reno, on the way to Tahoe.Here we are on our

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-53444618878046137222008-06-17T23:29:00.002-05:002008-12-12T02:19:18.700-05:00

My, but we're a good-looking bunch. Here's the Band of Outsiders 2008 - sans one team member - the day after we ran the 72.5 mile DeCelle Memorial Lake Tahoe Relay race. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's recap this race, shall we?Leg 1: E.'s nephew, B., ran this flat, fast and early-morning (read: cool) leg this year - a reward for running tough Leg 6 last year. But he almost missed the

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-18779635382246805192008-06-16T11:06:00.004-05:002008-12-12T02:19:18.846-05:00

We ran the DeCelle Memorial Lake Tahoe Relay this past Saturday, and most of us are still experiencing its afterglow.In this photo, we're missing one person from our team - our fastest person, who we nicknamed the 'Taminator' because of the no-nonsense way she put away runners - but the rest of us are here.I was and am still sick - have a pretty bad head and chest cold - so I took the easiest leg

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-76307520727713460422008-06-08T14:23:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:19.123-05:00

Hellooooo! I didn't fall off the face of the earth, though it sure feels like it in the blogosphere. I just got so busy with work, running, practicing piano, writing, family stuff etc. You know how it is.By the way, that's me and my gram in a recent photo - just thought I'd share.Here's one thing that's been keeping me extra busy lately. And some Web 2.0 stuff. It was nice to be quoted in this

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-41891745753931760192008-02-14T12:18:00.001-05:002008-02-14T15:23:59.211-05:00

I know it's been awhile since I last posted, and I still need to give a race recap of the cold, windy and rainy Surf City Marathon (still experiencing afterglow), but dudes, much has been happening here. Mostly work, but I do have something up my sleeve running-wise that I'll talk about in this space.Just give me one more day before I do. Gotta celebrate V-Day, you know. No candy hearts, thank

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-23060289054924383222008-02-04T05:48:00.000-05:002008-02-04T08:59:57.150-05:00

There is more than one way to skin a cat.Two weeks after I DNF'ed at the Carlsbad Marathon due to a re-strained ankle, I suited up yesterday at the Surf City Marathon. While it was sunny, calm and 60 degrees at Carlsbad, yesterday at Surf City, it was low to mid 40's, steady rain, and lashing winds, some to 30 mph. Great day for a marathon, right?!I told no one I was doing this. Even E. (who was,

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-37527933471829116882008-01-30T23:07:00.000-05:002008-01-31T01:57:39.597-05:00

My right ankle and foot are feeling better. Much better. I stopped wrapping my ankle on Monday. And on Tuesday, with tons of energy to burn, I did 20 minutes on an elliptical machine. It turned out OK.Hmm.Do I dare run?!

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-13261497452822094892008-01-26T21:54:00.000-05:002008-01-31T01:07:38.119-05:00

I don't have the blues after my DNF at Carlsbad, interestingly enough. Although I came close to despair at Mile 19.65 and wanted to chop off my recalcitrant injured right ankle.But I do have the blahs. After a few days of being a normal, sedentary American, and because I"m under doctor's orders not to run, I tried the stationery bike for 40 minutes last Thursday. It was meh.Many, many thanks to

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-35124860457934508652008-01-21T18:43:00.000-05:002008-01-22T02:00:13.556-05:00

I had such high hopes for this marathon. But enough with the foreshadowing. Grab a beer, because this will be a long post.Pre-race dinner: The night before the race, I had a lovely dinner with Anne, T., who I met at the Honolulu Marathon last month, and her friend, B. I was especially grateful that Anne came because she was not feeling 100 percent.Weeks ago, T. said she would run the last 6.2

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-31440808295421551792008-01-19T12:09:00.000-05:002008-01-19T15:12:08.079-05:00

Last thing before I head out: No matter which pace group I go with, I'm going to leave it all on the course tomorrow. I will try as hard as I can.There may be some blood tomorrow (there was in my first marathon, at the National Marathon in March 2006). There will be buckets of sweat. And who knows, I'm not a crier by nature, but there may be some tears by the end.See you at the finishing line.

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-90640175315143325142008-01-19T11:51:00.000-05:002008-01-19T12:41:32.166-05:00

until the Carlsbad Marathon. I am surprisingly calm. Which probably means that I will be hyperventilating at 5 a.m. tomorrow.I head south to Carlsbad in two hours. E. and Nelson may or may not come with me, as E. just returned at 0400 from a cross-country flight from hell from La Guardia to LAX, in which his flights got delayed, canceled, re-routed, and delayed once again. (Note: Do not fly Delta

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-67161828908420959082008-01-15T22:35:00.000-05:002008-01-16T02:12:50.039-05:00

Time has seemed to move so quickly since the new year began. Work is once again eating up my life. And my apathy about running continues. Yes, I still run. But not as much as I should, even in this taper period.And with not much enthusiasm.After work yesterday, I ran 12.4 miles. I just couldn't bring myself to do my last long run over the weekend (though I convinced Jeanne to run). There were so

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-65968024464569771102008-01-03T20:35:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:20.116-05:00

I am weary, people. Weary of running. Or rather, weary of marathon training.I have been training on and off for a marathon since July. Because of several major life changes (e.g. moving across the country, starting a new job, buying a house on the west coast, managing our places on the east coast, blah, blah blah), my target marathon date changed from November, then re-scheduled for December,

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-790374303468874162007-12-24T21:49:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:20.328-05:00

Although with 73 degree-temps and clear, blue skies, it doesn't feel like Christmas. walked around today in a tee-shirt and shorts, and ran 4-5 miles in a sports bra and skirt, feeling vaguely unsettled.I admit it: I miss snow. Will these Washingtonian tendencies linger a few years from now, when we're firmly ensconced in SoCal life?Here's a photo of E., my 89-year-old grandmother, and me, taken

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-12626277742221335462007-12-19T22:54:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:21.009-05:00

Here are a few more photos from our recent Honolulu Marathon trip. The first is of me showing what the soles of your feet look like after running 26.2 miles while soaking wet. Prune city.The second one is of two men doing yoga as the sun rose near Diamond Head, oblivious to the thousands of marathoners streaming by them a few hundred yards away. Ommmm!The third photo is of me at our favorite

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-64992654136784219512007-12-17T19:06:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:21.776-05:00

I'm back from the land of the Lotus-Eaters. I returned to L.A. from Hawaii late on Saturday night, wedged tightly on the plane against a 6'4" 375-lb. giant. At least I had the aisle seat. He couldn't even put his arms down without knocking out either me or his wife.But I digress. Here are a few photos of the Honolulu Marathon, courtesy of E. The first is of me taking a break at Mile 22. The

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-33580383349690554202007-12-12T10:35:00.000-05:002007-12-12T15:34:19.773-05:00

Hello from Kauai, the Garden Island of Hawaii. From our hotel room, a 10-second walk to the beach, we can hear the heavy waves crashing against the shore. Right now, I'm sitting in the open-air hotel lobby with a clear view of the ocean and the requisite swaying coconut palm trees. The weather has been alternately monsoon-like and sunny - sometimes all within 15 minutes. But the beauty is

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-40019010825497600412007-12-10T06:46:00.000-05:002007-12-10T14:18:00.600-05:00

Well, my good intentions of blogging every other day this month, as I said in my previous post, fell through. Sigh. But I'm here now, albeit a bit tardily. It's only 6:30 a.m. on Monday morning here in Honolulu. It's still dark. At this time yesterday morning, I was at about Mile 9 of the Honolulu Marathon. I was going to post photos of me on the course at Miles 22 and 23, but my memory card

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-47884859767411565262007-12-02T21:49:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:23.001-05:00

Yoo-hoo! I'm back. Didja miss me?!Don't answer that. I've been crazy busy with my new job, but I wanted to post a few photos from Thanksgiving, when Jeanne and NOD flew all the way from Washington, D.C., to have turkey dinner with us and E.'s family in northern California, then spend a lovely weekend at our new house in Tahoe.So here are several choice pix. The first is of the drive from Tahoe on

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-39961995501167619452007-11-12T21:21:00.000-05:002007-11-13T01:14:34.349-05:00

You've heard nothing but crickets here for the past week because I just started a new job. And by the time I get home, I'm too tired to even read other people's blogs, much less post on my own.But here I am. At least for the next few minutes.The Sunday before last I ran 13.1 miles, the first 10.5 with a new running group. Except only three of the fast guys showed up. They said they would take it

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-4449189201829505122007-11-03T15:30:00.000-05:002007-11-03T17:52:18.253-05:00

Another arrogant asshole whines about citizen-runners doing marathons. He says:Has this country's marathoning spirit been trampled by hordes of joggers whose only goal is to stagger across the finish line?He dismisses Oprah, who ran 4:29 at the Marine Corps Marathon, as "a middle-aged woman hauling her flab around the District of Columbia. If Oprah could run a marathon, shame on anyone who

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-58191617380369601152007-11-03T09:15:00.000-05:002007-11-03T11:13:18.631-05:00

I wanted to watch this morning's Olympic men's marathon trials, but it started at 4:35 AM here on the west coast. So I've just tuned into the news of who won - and it was overshadowed by the unbelievable death of healthy, talented, 28-year old Ryan Shay.Tragic news. I am stunned and saddened.

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-71175860033725027622007-10-30T22:15:00.000-05:002007-10-31T00:39:40.729-05:00

mcm2007 - 07.jpgOriginally uploaded by mccannjl2002 Last year when I ran MCM, I remembered all the kind, kind souls who handed out food -- orange slices, sports beans, banana chunks, chocolate-chip cookies, and even full bottles of Evian water - to us hot, sweaty, and tired runners in the last miles.I, of course, partook of them all.So this year, I thought I'd repay the favor. Jeanne and I handed

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-45145327701130908972007-10-30T22:13:00.000-05:002007-10-31T00:26:45.979-05:00

mcm2007 - 12.jpgOriginally uploaded by mccannjl2002 Jeanne handing out gummy bears and Swedish fish to runners at Mile 22. She was a better saleswoman than me, and ran out of candy before me. I, meanwhile, kept eating the gummy bears instead of giving them to runners ...

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-36740073181806162292007-10-30T22:07:00.000-05:002007-10-31T00:37:52.565-05:00

mcm2007 - 03.jpgOriginally uploaded by mccannjl2002 Hey y'all. I had a mini-holiday in Washington, D.C. last week. Flew out of Tahoe to Los Angeles, then on to DC last Thursday night to see friends, cheer on runners at the Marine Corps Marathon, check on our places there, and did some work-related stuff.That's Jeanne, me, K., and Peter after dinner the night before the Marine Corps Marathon. None

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-23515948453155171242007-10-23T22:00:00.000-05:002007-10-24T00:03:16.886-05:00

Whew. At the crack of noon today (OK, 12:45 pm), I finally set off for my long run. The first 10 miles went swimmingly, although a lot of cars and trucks tended to slow down and watch me run.Which was annoying. E. says I should carry a sign that says, "What are YOU looking at?" or "Take a photo ... it lasts longer."But I digress. I ran south from Tahoe City, up and down the rolling trails. The

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-76051465530903387192007-10-23T10:00:00.000-05:002007-10-23T12:17:04.528-05:00

So I missed my long run this past Sunday because we were driving to Tahoe. And I missed it yesterday because we were too busy shopping for stuff to decorate our house and because we had to drop off a rental SUV in Reno.And now it's 10 AM on a beautiful Tuesday morning ... and I'm putting off my long run. Sixteen miles in high altitude. Brisk 45-50 degree weather.I feel like a fat lazy wimp.But

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-22506785002826860572007-10-17T23:04:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:23.594-05:00

I didn't go to my track workout tonight. I was lazy, and just wanted to do an easy 5-miler with E. and our spoiled dog, Nelson. But I should have.Because apparently, I can't talk and run at the same time. At Mile 3, I was so engrossed in conversation that I didn't notice how the sidewalk rose up into a hillock, the result of a nearby tree's burgeoning roots. And I tripped.And fell, cutting my

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-25006194903038724082007-10-12T23:11:00.000-05:002007-10-13T01:14:00.879-05:00

So there I was, in the midst of running 800 meters on the track, feeling fine, when I started to feel my drawers slip. Uh-oh. My right hand flew to my waist and experimentally patted my backside.Yep. My underwear was heading south. And in a hurry. I was in such a rush to change into running clothes that I forgot to change my underwear - an old pair whose elastic was giving out - into a pair of

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-85966223244721807942007-10-10T10:56:00.000-05:002007-10-10T11:12:32.187-05:00

This pisses me off. Be sure to click on the other links, such as this, and this, in the article.

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-72735347692970127212007-10-09T09:55:00.000-05:002007-10-09T11:55:56.549-05:00

Lots going on, folks. Apparently, not having a 9-6 J.O.B. doesn't give me the luxury to laze around in my fat pants, watch daytime television and eat bonbons. I've got 10 minutes, so herewith, in numerical form, are some running and random stuff I've done the past week: 1) Booked travel plans for the Honolulu Marathon on Dec. 9. After the marathon, E. and I are going to Kauai to hike, surf, and

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-87093135862519791892007-10-02T15:12:00.000-05:002007-10-02T15:27:10.835-05:00

I've signed up for the Carlsbad Marathon. I popped my check in the mail yesterday.And not a moment too soon. I've gotten lazy over the past week. I only ran once (!!), logging about 8 miles. Yes, I had sore feet, and I was still unpacking. But, come on.So last night, I ran close to 13 miles in about 2 hours. I ran loops through the posh neighborhoods of San Marino, through Caltech, battled

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-91376872050017369502007-09-29T14:54:00.000-05:002007-09-29T19:42:02.028-05:00

Cue Don Ho. Ever since I was a kid, I loved hula. I loved the graceful moves of the beautiful, long-haired dancers and their hypnotic hip-swaying. My interest was rekindled in our two recent trips to Hawaii.But I never had the chance to take lessons. Until now.I had my first hula-dance class this morning at a local community college. I was one of about 20 women - many of them Asian-American - in

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-36153578647857938252007-09-28T23:10:00.000-05:002007-09-29T15:13:04.404-05:00

My feet were killing me. I was at Mile 7 in my long run this past Sunday, and the soles of my feet felt as if I'd trodden on sharp rocks for all seven miles. And I still had six to go. We had driven down from Tahoe the afternoon before, and we were in the East Bay visiting E.'s mom for a day before heading back to LA. I ran here (Pamela, you probably run this trail all of the time), a fairly

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-36197705297311875022007-09-20T20:35:00.000-05:002007-09-20T22:45:56.378-05:00

of getting my ass kicked. I'm still not used to the high altitude, and today's 5-mile run on Tahoe's west shore humbled me yet again. My legs felt heavy, and my heart pounded in my throat as I navigated the hills and valleys around here.Tahoe is experiencing a cold snap, and I ran with my dog on a chilly (mid-40's), overcast and windy afternoon. I was going to run 8 miles, but my chocolate

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-71798798572323660652007-09-19T13:04:00.000-05:002007-09-19T15:12:14.260-05:00

Hello from Tahoe. We're up here for the week, buying some furnishings for our house, planting trees, and finding folks to help take care of our cottage while we're down in Los Angeles. We're getting nervous about all the $$ we're spending ...I only have a few minutes, so here's a quick running update.Long run: I ran 12 miles with a local running club in LA last Saturday. At 7 AM, on a beautiful,

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-86553793092653923722007-09-14T19:16:00.001-05:002007-09-14T19:21:42.350-05:00

that we closed yesterday on our house in Tahoe!Holy Cow.Nothing like juggling three mortgages on two coasts. Without a job.Gotta start making money again ....

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-38207080237451708552007-09-14T16:52:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:24.172-05:00

We arrived in Southern California a week ago yesterday. We drove my little Honda Civic, packed to the gills with boxes of mementos and clothes that we didn't want our moving company to move.Here are a few photos from our trip. The first is of me, in a store parking lot, repacking my car so we could recline the seats. The second is of me at a rest stop west of Nashville. And the third is of us

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-88883837561078100982007-08-27T08:21:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:24.577-05:00

We're in the midst of packing and moving hell. The movers come Thursday morning, and our exhaustion is now tinged with desperation, as we still have so much to do.This is a photo of our third-floor loft space at the moment, which doubles as my home office and our den. Lovely, right?!Losing poundage: We have donated, given away, and recycled lots of stuff. LOTS. At least 600 pounds worth.A very

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-49202264701032069132007-08-21T17:11:00.000-05:002007-08-21T16:40:19.748-05:00

We move nine days from now. Nine. We still have so much to do. Like pack.Kidding - kind of. I've started packing and donating stuff, but E. hasn't yet. Unfortunately, he's a pack rat. Almost all of the stuff in our capacious closets and storage space is his. In fact, E. has so much stuff that he also rents a 5' X 7' storage unit at our local Self Storage Plus.We're also still going over

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-58264534203866887592007-08-19T23:12:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:25.148-05:00

I'm back in Washington, D.C., for the last time before we move to L.A. in 12 days (!). Been logging a lot of miles, people. And I don't mean by running. Since August 1, I've flown to northern California, driven to Lake Tahoe, San Francisco, Las Vegas, all around L.A., and back up to the East Bay. Then yesterday, I flew back to Washington. Whew.RBF Meet-up!: Here's a photo of me and 21st Century

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-47124937971019401952007-08-14T09:29:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:26.067-05:00

Hi, folks. Just a quick note here, as I've been running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Tell you why in a sec. But first, here's a few photos from Vegas. E., his mom (that's me and my MIL in the second photo), and I watched Cirque Du Soleil's "Love," which showcases music by the Beatles.The show costs a pretty penny, but it's well worth it. It engaged all five senses (they even

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-73416689141322282422007-08-08T19:25:00.000-05:002007-08-08T19:52:02.495-05:00

Lots of stuff happening in Bexland these days, folks. I can tell you more in a few weeks, but let me give you a few hints: marathon. silicon valley. being my own boss. real estate. tahoe, mon amour.In other news: I'm in Las Vegas. E. and I arrived at 4:00 this morning, having roared 75 mph down the Grapevine and across the Mojave Desert from the Bay area. Why so late? Ah, well, that's because of

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-39114196144193005612007-08-06T10:19:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:27.145-05:00

Hello from Lake Tahoe! We've been here since Thursday, and we head back to the Bay area this afternoon. As always, we've had a great time - lots of running, swimming in the lake, and hiking.Thin air: Here I am last Saturday at High Camp at the Squaw Valley Ski Resort. It sure was windy. E. and I (and our Lab-mix, Nelson), drove 20 minutes from the lake's west shore to see the 27th annual Squaw

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-10520291848233252312007-08-02T10:55:00.000-05:002007-08-02T11:21:46.830-05:00

That's what my coach said as I rounded the track on Tuesday night, in my 4th 800 interval. I was (and still am) recovering from a nasty head cold/chest congestion, and I was running my splits too fast to keep up with L. My throat felt sore after the first 800, and I had a coughing fit after the 3rd. So instead of doing 6 X 800, I did one less. It was only on the last 800 that I came anywhere

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-51102236466022731002007-07-30T21:59:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:27.834-05:00

I'm finally getting over this damn cold I've had for a week. I had just gotten over a mini-cold the other week, then last Tuesday, I got hit with a doozy of a cold virus. A super-sized one.I was too tired to go to my track workout that night. I thought I'd just worked too hard. But, no. The coughing, sneezing, headaches and muscles followed. From Wednesday through Friday, I dragged myself to the

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-59551333532212086642007-07-23T20:39:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:28.337-05:00

I've got a tapeworm to feed! Kidding. I think.Here I am, several hours after my long run yesterday, impatiently waiting for a hungry-man serving of chicken enchiladas, guacamole, rice and pico de gallo at our neighborhood Tex-Mex place.I actually got up in time to meet up for my Sunday long run with the others in my training program. It was freakishly early - just before 7 AM. Thankfully, the

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-3655280320400519852007-07-21T17:17:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:28.981-05:00

Susie and her new hubby, D., Jeanne and I had brunch in bucolic downtown Fredericksburg, Va., about an hour south of Washington, D.C.Actually, it took me two hours to drive because of the horrendous, bumper-to-bumper traffic for almost the entire 49-mile route. But it was worth it to see Susie and D. before E. and I go west next month to follow our fortunes.As you can see, marriage looks good on

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-53644411626720858692007-07-19T22:01:00.000-05:002007-07-19T22:05:03.386-05:00

The past few days I've really been dragging: I'm exhausted, my head hurts, and my muscles ache. Oh, and I have a HUGE appetite. It's PMS time, which means low energy and an appetite the size of Texas. Usually, it's only as big as Manhattan. Dead woman walking: I managed to make it through my track workout on Tuesday. But just barely. We were supposed to do 3 to 4 X 1000 and 4 X 400. I was

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-45440303468973476592007-07-15T22:08:00.000-05:002007-07-15T22:03:30.322-05:00

This morning I overslept, yet again, and failed to meet my long-run training group at 7 a.m. here. I feel terrible about it, especially since I told Coach that I would be there, as well as two of my friends.I tried to get to bed early. I really did. But I had to pick up E., traveling from a conference in NYC, at 11:30 p.m. from the bus station. So I tried to catnap and set my alarm. That didn't

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-49923893895541520742007-07-13T00:00:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:29.252-05:00

I'm so tired right now that I can barely keep my eyes open. Ran 8 miles tonight after work, then did a free weights and core workout. So I'm beat.Instead of my usual blather, here's a photo I took last month on our cross-country drive to Lake Tahoe. I saw this happy yellow ball perched on the antennae of a sun-faded car in Flagstaff, AZ.Happy Friday, y'all. Rest up for your long runs.

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-15643665353325829382007-07-10T23:29:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:29.436-05:00

Atalanta Athleticwear was kind enough to send me their new skirt, the Inspiration, to try out recently. I admit, I was a bit skeptical at first. No outside pockets adorn it, unlike Atalanta's Commitment skirt, which I love. However, it sports two inside pockets, one on each hip, big enough to hold a key and license in one, and a credit card and lip balm in the other. So that's good.Also, the

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-11862990234448003312007-07-03T21:24:00.000-05:002007-07-03T22:41:42.538-05:00

I skipped last week's track workout, so I had butterflies in my stomach as I drove to the track tonight. Well, it was either anxiety, or the Entemann's mini chocolate-chip muffins I scarfed in the car on the way. Hey, I was hungry.At the track, about 20 men and women were already stretching. Meanwhile, several shirtless men zoomed by. Turns out they were distance-running champs and Olympic

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-5678520124180326972007-07-02T21:36:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:29.632-05:00

I'm feeling obdurate. I've gotten a couple of sarcastic comments about my not blogging about the Tahoe relay yet. Grrr. I'm stubborn as a mule, as E. can tell you. So now I'm loathe to write about the race 'til I'm good and ready. I know it's been late in coming. But I've got a lot on my plate:- logging long hours at work- getting ready for our upcoming move to California- spiffying up our house

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-26950122691713771662007-06-28T22:43:00.001-05:002007-06-28T22:46:50.281-05:00

For real. Okay, maybe if you're a character in a Stephen King short story. Check it out in this month's issue of Esquire.

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-6058080326187549472007-06-27T23:39:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:30.001-05:00

Cue the old Carly Simon song. I am terrible. Almost 3 weeks since the Tahoe Relay and I haven't blogged about it yet. I am too busy working. Writing for pay. Too bad blogging isn't lucrative.But, then, one should ask, what about the hours after work? Too busy having fun. Like tonight. Had a couple of Tom Collins here with my buddy (and fellow Tahoe relay runner) A., and watched a bunch of DC

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-37306036674622805582007-06-21T22:04:00.001-05:002007-06-21T22:45:49.476-05:00

I admit it. I've been a bum about blogging.Returned from California over the weekend. But first missed a flight, which meant I didn't get to the chapel (or rather, bed and breakfast) for Susie and David's wedding. So I'm not just a bum. But a thoughtless, reprehensible one, at that.Welcomed back to DC with a deluge of work. Logging lots of long hours at the office. My job has lost that lustrous

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-57590563275454407012007-06-10T17:40:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:30.280-05:00

Hey, y'all. Haven't posted in a few days as our schedule has been chock full ever since we arrived in Tahoe late Tuesday night after our cross-country road trip. The rest of the team arrived on Wednesday and Thursday, and we ran the race yesterday.Only time for a quick post now. Here's a photo of us at the finish line, tired and happy. The 72.3 mile race at high altitude, on mountainous terrain

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-87326105649837718022007-06-05T10:54:00.001-05:002008-12-12T02:19:31.069-05:00

Hello from Death Valley, California. It's Day 5 of our 3rd annual cross-country road trip to Lake Tahoe. Only one more day of driving - we'll be at Big Blue tonight. But first, a quick race report of the Taos 5K.13.1 to 5K: I actually signed up to do the Taos Half-Marathon. Then a few days ago, the race director called me and said that only 7 people signed up for the half-marathon portion of the

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-72916125209653325702007-05-30T21:31:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:31.245-05:00

I did something that I've never done willingly before: Get up before dawn and run. 7 miles before 7 am. Whoo-hoo! Peaceful and cool weather. I should do that more often.Usually, I run in the evening, but it's crunch time for me - in less than 24 hours, I'll be on a jet plane to ArkanSAW to meet E., who started our annual road trip to California yesterday.But before I go, I still have scads of

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-55956812295216012312007-05-28T22:12:00.000-05:002007-05-28T23:14:31.430-05:00

has begun. Queue The Style Council and someone hand me a Tom Collins, heavy on the Gilbey's. I ran 8 miles yesterday on the C & O Canal Towpath with Coach G. and a few others from the Tuesday night track workouts. We started at Fletcher's Boathouse near Georgetown, then ran west on the dirt trail. We saw two deer bound by and a huge tortoise slip into the water.Talk about sultry. Talk about

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-44465369113842966392007-05-25T00:19:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:31.549-05:00

Well, it ain't running. But it was the first time I'd performed in public in many, many moons. So I wanted to capture it for posterity.Jeanne (who got her doc's OK to run again - go over and congratulate her) took these photos of me playing a couple of Bach two-part and three-part inventions for the prelude and postlude of her church's Sunday evening service two weeks ago.Ran 8 miles tonight in

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-72319324889879312932007-05-24T05:58:00.000-05:002007-05-24T06:23:55.488-05:00

I ran the Capitol Hill Classic 3K on Sunday as part of a team. My performance can be summed up in one non-word: Eh. After blowing up at Mile 7.5 in the George Washington Parkway 10-Miler from going way too fast in the first three miles, I decided to run a strong, but conservative race.Too conservative, as it turned out. I passed people at the end (Take that, all you 11-year old boys I beat :-),

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-89429042503479983642007-05-17T09:47:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:31.722-05:00

I meant to blog about this earlier. Then life got in the way. I met running legend Dick Beardsley at the packet pickup the day before the George Washington Parkway 10-Miler a few weeks ago.He's a very down-to-earth and engaging guy. Lots of Midwestern charm and humbleness. And the guy is whippet-thin. Standing next to him, I felt like an overstuffed arm chair.He's also like the cat with nine

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-36160603072162379992007-05-16T05:38:00.000-05:002007-05-16T05:46:55.605-05:00

My new job/consulting gig has kept me pre-occupied. No time for blogging. Even my running has taken a back seat, although I have started up again, albeit slowly. I've missed you! And I will catch up on everyone's blogs this weekend.Since I last posted, I flew to Los Angeles on a few hours' notice on a three-day business trip (and got to run on the beach, which was nice), attended a wedding, and

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-77208306256082361172007-04-26T05:20:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:31.858-05:00

It's been little over a month since I resigned from my job as a newspaper reporter. The plan was to relax for three months and not work, but instead, travel, catch up with friends, organize my files at home, and perhaps do some freelance writing. Then, in the third month, I would start looking for a new job, and preparing for an upcoming move to California (you read that right) later this

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-39872237498196664062007-04-24T07:07:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:32.107-05:00

This is just a quick note, as I have to get to work. But I didn't want another day to go by before I let you know my results for the GW Parkway Classic 10-Miler this past Sunday.Bad news: I missed my goal time by 3 minutes, 48 seconds. I started off too fast - my first mile was 7:16, almost 45 seconds faster than I planned - and I blew up at Mile 7.5.Good news: I still PR'ed by almost 8 minutes!

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-64277476444107045932007-04-20T20:24:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:32.570-05:00

Howdy, folks. It's been awhile. I returned from Hawaii two weeks ago, then hopped another plane this past Tuesday to go to Los Angeles. Still in La-La Land, though taking a red-eye tonight back to Washington, D.C.The first photo is of me an hour ago on the balcony of our hotel in Redondo Beach. The second is of me at the Manhattan Beach pier earlier this week, scarfing a bubble-gum and grean tea

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-1495248877222234392007-04-08T14:15:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:32.785-05:00

I know I've posted a number of photos from my recent trip to Hawaii, but I already miss it. So I'm posting more, and won't stop until you beg for mercy.It's Sunday afternoon and I'm about to set off on a 14-mile run. Before I go, here's a pic of me walking to the Mo'okini heiau (ancient Hawaiian sacred site) on the northern west coast of the Big Island.

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-61723464843286407702007-04-07T23:08:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:33.150-05:00

I've been in Washington, D.C. for the last 48 hours, after having returned from Hawaii. The change has not been easy. It snowed this morning, for one. I had to don tights and gloves for my run, whereas I've been running in shorts and sports bra for the past week-and-a-half.And where's my daily Mai Tai?!Here's a couple more pix from the trip. The first is of me wading into the water at Beach 69.

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-33353251212944436922007-04-03T06:21:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:34.305-05:00

It's been a week in Paradise, and while I'm not a kama'aina (local), I sure feel comfortable here. I'm writing from the verandah of our hotel in Keauhou (back on the west coast of the Big Island, after driving completely around it), just as the sun is rising.I leave late tomorrow evening, but I've still got two full days to do stuff: snorkel, visit some hei'aus (ancient Hawaiian sacred sites),

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-22721138620537409782007-03-29T22:34:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:35.429-05:00

I'm adjusting to life here on the Hawaiian isles nicely, thank you. Visited a coffee farm and sampled several different kinds of Kona coffee. Got up close and personal with some sea turtles. Perused a few art galleries. Here are a few photos of my first couple of days here. The first is the open-air coffeehouse I blogged from yesterday. The second is the road leading away from the airport. The

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-40328297295877080112007-03-28T15:30:00.000-05:002007-03-28T15:42:47.977-05:00

Much has happened over the past few days. There's the National Half-Marathon, of course. Which was NOT a good race for me.I was too tired from stress and several sleepless nights. I also got to the race start with only four minutes to spare because of traffic and got stuck in the back of the pack.As such, I was six minutes off my goal time of 1:47. At Mile 6, knowing that I wouldn't do a PR and

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-45353661017973841252007-03-22T05:35:00.000-05:002007-03-22T06:34:15.837-05:00

Thanks for all the suggestions and commiseration on my diet, y'all. Very helpful. I weighed myself the other day: 110 pounds. That's 2 pounds more than when I ran the Marine Corps Marathon last fall. But I haven't blimped out on all the junk food I've eaten. Thank God.It's Day 6 sans doughnuts and so far I'm okay. Although I do fantasize about plain glazed in weak moments. Pizza I can live

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-65021551621076040902007-03-16T22:31:00.000-05:002007-03-16T22:59:18.425-05:00

I swear to God, it's a miracle I'm not 300 pounds.Not only do I have a huge appetite (I am known for polishing off other people's plates). Much of the food I eat is full of fat, sugar and other bad things.Just some of the junk food I've eaten in the past few days: French fries. Jelly-filled doughnuts. A Five Guys little hamburger (which was not so little). Coke Blak. Girl Scout "thin mints"

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-77615699666788728952007-03-14T12:55:00.000-05:002007-03-14T17:07:06.047-05:00

So I finally went down to Pacers last Saturday and got my free pair of New Balance running shoes. They're part of the running gear I receive gratis for being a Pacers/New Balance PR Challenge essay winner.I'll hit the roads with them for the first time this evening. I've always worn Nike, so hopefully these trainers will work. Cross fingers. If not, it's back to Pacers for another pair of New

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-25046269941941298322007-03-12T11:30:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:35.606-05:00

We brought home the hardware, as E. would say.My friend, P., and I ran the Lower Potomac River Marathon Relay yesterday. We placed first in the co-ed division of the two-person relay, with a time of 3:34:35. Not bad for a fast training run in preparation for the National Half-Marathon in two weeks.The LPRM is a great little race, capped at 300 runners, and sponsored by the Chesapeake Bay Running

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-80427398555598479892007-02-27T07:56:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:35.742-05:00

Thanks, guys, for checking on the link to my photo and essay on the GW Parkway Classic. Now that it's up and running, everyone can read it (and find out my true identity).Please be kind when doing so - I wrote that baby in 30 minutes, under deadline. Being a reporter has its advantages ...Oh, and that woman who (I allowed to) beat me the other week in the GW Birthday 10K? Apparently, she borrowed

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-90955617478176614832007-02-26T11:35:00.000-05:002007-02-26T12:43:07.111-05:00

So the cool new running thang that I referenced last week?What it is: A local running store, Pacers, has partnered with New Balance on a well-known Washington, D.C. area race, the George Washington Parkway Classic, a 10-mile race.But wait, that's not the cool thing.The cool thing is that the race has a "Break Your PR Challenge." You submit an essay about how running has changed your life, and if

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-77192937732554662822007-02-17T14:13:00.000-05:002007-02-17T15:46:52.806-05:00

I ran my first race of 2007 this frigid and frozen February morning. The great thing about this little 10K was that I could actually jog to the starting line - about a mile from my house.And the bad thing? Well ... actually a good thing for the race organizers, but the GW Birthday 10K was pretty crowded. While I love seeing fellow runners - and there were tons of us skinny people in tights and

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-58382016856922288032007-02-15T06:12:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:36.038-05:00

Hi y'all. Much has happened over the past month or so.Some travel. Lots of work deadlines (and they just keep comin'). A little music-making (I bought a v. cool digital keyboard and now re-learning J.S. Bach's Inventions and Sinfonias and a Brahms etude). A good amount of running here in the frigid environs of our nation's capital (here's a photo of me and Nelson a couple of weeks ago).And almost

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-42749234159205269602007-01-15T19:06:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:36.467-05:00

I almost forgot to tell you about this. Last month, I got a slim manila envelope in the mail from the Marine Corps Marathon. Inside was the medal at left (apologies for the blurriness), and a letter from MCM race director Rick Nealis.The letter, in part, said: To complete a marathon is a feat of dedication and courage, but to distinguish yourself by earning a category award requires special

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-20181953271310475242007-01-14T23:44:00.000-05:002007-01-15T00:18:56.223-05:00

I returned to D.C. just before the stroke of midnight last Friday, after having just missed the ice storm that was set to sweep from Texas and blaze through Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska (where I was for three days) through the Great Lakes.Travel Woes: My United Airlines flight from Lincoln was scheduled to leave at 12:25 pm, then got delayed to 2:00 p.m. Went through security, only to be told that

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-56807756313922092882007-01-09T09:40:00.000-05:002007-01-09T09:50:57.517-05:00

Packing my Ugg boots: I head to Nebraska this morning for a news story. Will be there for three days. I can hardly contain my excitement. I'll be traveling between Lincoln, Omaha, and a few small towns in the middle of the state.Actually, I'm sure I will enjoy the state's Midwestern hospitality (so different from the no-nonsense and indifferent attitude of many in Washington, D.C.) and some good

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-47891967045234917022007-01-07T22:19:00.000-05:002007-01-07T23:21:46.938-05:00

That's what I kept trying to tell myself while running 7 miles on dead legs Saturday morning with friends. I had just started running again on Wednesday, after a month-long hiatus. And boy, did I feel it.My legs were like lead from running hard on Wednesday and Thursday. And my arms and back were sore from a weight-lifting/cardio class on Friday. So the 8:45/mile pace on Saturday was a little

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-66852377447278112612007-01-04T21:21:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:37.035-05:00

that counts, right?! So I'm a week or two late on the holiday greetings. Anyway.Happy 2007, y'all. The first photo trio goes to the RBF. The second (scroll down) is a rather naughty one of me and Jeanne after one too many lemon drop martinis. Both taken at the company holiday party.I'm back from my 2+ week hiatus from blogging ... and running. No, make that almost a month since my last good run.

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-12478156980729221362006-12-20T19:00:00.000-05:002006-12-20T21:43:59.100-05:00

Thanks to Rich for tagging me for this survey. Without further ado, here are my answers. Such as they are. 1. Egg nog or hot chocolate? Lemon drop martini, please.4. Do you hang mistletoe? Nope. Don't need an excuse to buss ...5. When do you put your decorations up? Whenever I can find them, as E. likes to move 'em around throughout the year as he packs more stuff into the closets.6. What is your

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230383.post-55895574353859129522006-12-17T10:42:00.000-05:002008-12-12T02:19:37.275-05:00

Is scary.I love speed: Here I am, hell-bent for leather at the outdoor ice-skating rink at the National Gallery of Art, in downtown D.C., on Friday night. It's in the museum's sculpture garden, where one can see modernist works such as this and this.I was with E., and T., his 14-year-old nephew, visiting from England for the holidays. Wanted to show T. around the town and do typical American

Rheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354343772757799928noreply@blogger.com9