Fun with Photoshop

I have such a massive headache! I finally got around to buying Adobe Photoshop Elements, and I waited so long that the new version came out- last night. I let it download overnight, then started messing around with it this morning. All told, I think I spent about 6 hours playing with it and trying to get it to do what I wanted it to (finally figured most of it out), and then changing my blog template. I used to think I was fairly computer literate, but since entering the world of blogging, I've realized I am not that computer literate. I really struggle with HTML (I have to do a lot of trial and error to get things looking the way I want), and digital scrapbooking never seemed like much of a time saver to me (it still doesn't).

So I have a massive headache from staring at the computer screen for so long, but I did manage to do about 90% of what I wanted to. I still need to figure out the other 10%.... I had originally planned on taking Little Miss Sunshine for a bike ride this morning, but that didn't happen since I got caught up in Photoshop. After she woke up from her nap, we went outside and I started organizing the storage container while LMS kept busy with her sand and water table (she could play with it for hours on end).

Right now I'm taking a quick break from working on my quilt. If I finish it quick enough I'll hop on my bike for a little while, since I still haven't exercised today.

Here's a picture of me and LMS after the marathon. I had fun photoshopping certain identifying things out of it, and it turned out pretty good, I think.

Marathon musings

Over the past couple days, I've been thinking about my marathon experience. Initially, my first impression was not real positive, but after a couple days to ponder it, I think I have a more positive outlook on it. This course really is a great course- fast, no uphills, great weather and atmosphere. While it didn't turn out quite how I wanted/expected, and it was a lot more painful than I thought (and I was expecting significant amounts of pain), it was also motivating.

I want to get in better shape (and lose weight and get rid of these stupid shin splints) and be able to run an entire half marathon. I'm also feeling the desire to run another marathon. I didn't think I would ever have that desire after doing the one, but I do want to run a marathon that I've trained for properly. I want it to be a better experience. Hmmm, that sounds like my thoughts on pregnancy. I'd like the second one to be better than the first was.

I need to start finding races for the upcoming months so I can start working towards completing them. I find that having a race coming up is very motivating- it helps keep me working out every day. And with the weather getting worse, I'll need any extra motivation I can get.

Whew.... I did it!

I survived a marathon! I won't say it was a great, enjoyable experience, because it wasn't (it was a lot tougher than I thought it would be), but I'm glad I did it. On the plus side: the course was quite scenic, and the weather was just right for running. The run down the canyon was beautiful: the trees are starting to change colors, and there was a nice cooling breeze blowing.

Unfortunately, things started off on the wrong foot when I woke up and discovered I'd started my period. I was afraid that would happen, but was really hoping it wouldn't. I always feel crummy, very crampy, and back-achy on the first day or so, and that was the case today. I was really counting on a good, fast pace (ok, 10 minutes/mile isn't a fast pace for a lot of people, but it is for me) during the 14 miles down the canyon, to compensate for what I knew would be a slower pace during the last 12 miles.

Because I was feeling crummy (and in pain) from the beginning, I was slower than I wanted coming down the canyon. Add to that the blisters I got on both feet, and I wasn't enjoying things too much. I stopped at the half way point to put moleskin on my blisters (I had bought some moleskin to put on my feet before I started, then realized last night as I was laying everything out that it was actually molefoam. Molefoam, while having thicker padding, doesn't stay stuck to your skin at all, and I ended up pulling it off at around mile 7 or 8.) When I pulled my right sock off, I found a blood blister on the side of my right big toe. Not good at all.

I hit the wall just before mile 20. I had tweaked a muscle in my right leg (I think I may have torn something; I'll get it checked out on Wednesday when I go to my physical follow-up appointment), and it was getting progressively more painful, the blisters on my feet were getting bigger and more painful, and the bottoms of my feet were quite sore and fatigued. There must have been something in my face, because the first aid people asked how I was doing, and put some Biofreeze on my leg and sent the bicycle paramedics after me with some ibuprofen. I almost started crying as I left the aid station: I was really hurting, I still had 6.2 miles to go, and I was going way slower than I wanted. I managed to hobble through the next 3 miles, then the ibuprofen kicked in and my leg felt better and my cramps stopped bothering me and I was able to run most of the last 3 miles. I was able to finish just before 1 pm, at 5 hours 56 minutes (it may have actually been a little less than that, I forgot to check the official results before we left and have to wait for it to be posted online). I think altogether I managed to run about two thirds of the race, and walked the rest.

I was originally hoping for 5 and a half hours, with an optimistic hope for less than that even, but by the time I hit the half way point I decided if I finished by 1 pm (6 hours) I'd be happy. So I managed to finish by 1, and I survived. There is some damage though: a massive blood blister on my right big toe, 5 blisters on other toes, a tweaked (possible torn) muscle just below my right knee, very sore feet, sore muscles through my legs, matching blisters on my back where my sports bra rubbed the muscles that lay on either side of the spine (very weird- never thought I'd get blisters on my back), and a bit of a light sunburn on my face. They haven't started hurting yet, but I'm sure my shins will be hurting by tomorrow night.

Despite all that, I don't feel any more tired now than I did after the half marathon, which I find surprising: I was expecting to be exhausted after the race. I guess if I'd actually run the whole thing I might be more tired.

End result: I completed a marathon! I might possibly try another one sometime in the future, but it won't be till after I've lost weight and have been able to train properly (without shin splints to bother me). In the meantime, I'll stick to half marathons: that's a much more doable distance.

Schizophrenic weather

Yesterday morning I rode my bike for an hour. It would appear I got the bike trainer and treadmill just in time: the weather has been just nasty lately. Yesterday was cold and rainy, and while today was actually fairly warm, sunny, and nice, I doubt it will last. At least I can keep exercising no matter how nasty it gets. I am looking forward to some snow, though: I have some skis that attach to our bike trailer, and I can tow it behind me with a harness that attaches to my waist, and I can either cross country ski or snow shoe while pulling the trailer. It's been way too long since I last cross country skied, and I haven't yet had a chance to go snowshoeing, though I'm looking forward to it.

This morning I walked 5 miles on the treadmill, the first little while with Little Miss Sunshine. She insisted on 'nunning' with mommy, and she lasted about 13 minutes before deciding she'd had enough. After that she was content to sit on the floor and play with her legos.

It's good to be exercising regularly again, especially biking. I didn't think it had been that long, but apparently it's been long enough to lose my bum calluses. Riding my bike is painful again, darn it! Hopefully it won't take too long to get the calluses back.

This morning I tried out what I'll be wearing during the marathon: toe socks, running skirt with longer shorts underneath, fuel belt around my waist. The toe socks are supposed to eliminate friction between toes. I didn't notice any problems, but I only did five miles, so it's kind of hard to tell for sure. I'll wear them a few more times and decide for sure whether or not to wear them during the race. The shorts and skirt are great: no further chafing problems. I do need to adjust the fuel belt a bit. I guess I bought it too large, so I'm going to have to put in some seams to take in the extra length. It's got room for two small water bottles and my packages of shot blox. I can also attach my ipod to the belt. I didn't listen to it during the half marathon, and I don't usually listen to it while out walking or running, but that's because I have to be aware of cars and all my other surroundings. Six hours is a long time without any diversion, so while I may not listen to it while I'm running the 14 miles down the canyon, I'm quite certain I'll have it on during the last 12 miles.

Always book your hotel way in advance

Last night I spent a couple hours trying to find a hotel room for next Friday. I thought I had plenty of time, but I was grossly mistaken. I tried so many different sites, and there were no available rooms. There's a good number of hotels and motels in the area, but it's kind of isolated, so the next closest available rooms were 25 miles away, on the other side of a mountain pass. That would mean getting up at least a half hour earlier than I was already planning (4:45ish), which is just wrong. I did find one place that didn't have online reservations, but that I thought looked likely to maybe have a spot available, so I called them first thing this morning. I was in luck! The girl I talked to said a group had just released a block of rooms they'd been holding, so there was an opening for me. Yay! I was starting to get really worried. I really did not want to get up even earlier than I already need to.

This morning we ran some errands; I needed to get stuff for the marathon, and wanted to get it taken care of and out of the way. After lunch, Little Miss Sunshine went down for a nap, and I went downstairs and walked five miles on the treadmill. It felt good to get moving, and my shins didn't bother me, though I'm still trying to get my shoes to really feel comfortable.

I finally finished the third quilt, so tomorrow I can get started on the last one, in between batches of jam. We canned peaches last week, and did some jam, but ran out of jars. We have more jars, so now we need to defrost the peach puree and finish the job.

The disadvantages of dogs

Normally I enjoy living out in the boonies: the fresh air, the neighbors that aren't 6 inches from our house, the dirt roads.... There are things I don't like though. Like the lack of leash laws, the stupid people who let their dogs run around unleashed and/or unfenced, the same stupid people who own 4 or 5 dogs....

The weather has been cold (40's) and windy the last couple days, totally out of character for the beginning of September. Today was cool (just right for a walk or bike ride) and not windy (finally!), so Little Miss Sunshine and I headed out on a four mile walk (2 out, 2 back). We've gone this route many times, without any problems; I know where the dogs live, and even if they bark, they're fenced, so it's not a problem. Just after I hit the mile and a half point, I heard a car behind me honking. I looked back to see why, and there were three dogs in the middle of the road. I kept walking and after 30 seconds looked back to see where they were. They were trotting down the road, following us, and they were catching up. So I pulled out my cell (first time I've had to use it while exercising) and called my mom to come pick us up. I can handle one dog, but I wasn't going to mess with three dogs at once- there's no telling what they will do. Before my mom reached us, the dogs had turned into a driveway at a house that has a couple of fenced in dogs. Good thing, too, since they would have caught up with us before mom reached us. Prayer works, let me tell you. Mom brought us home and we headed out in a different direction, because I really needed to get the mileage in.

So now I am in the process of researching local laws concerning pellet guns. As long as it's legal, I will be buying a pellet gun and carrying it with me. I carry pepper spray, but you have to be aware of the direction of the wind so you don't end up with it in your face, so I'm hesitant to actually use it (especially with how windy it can be here). If I'd been on my bike this whole thing wouldn't have been so bad: the bike trailer is much more enclosed and safer for LMS, and I can go a lot faster. On foot, with her in an open jogging stroller: not very protected at all.

Ever since I was a kid and the Great Dane that lived on the other side of the vacant lot next to us would come out and chase us anytime we walked, ran, or biked past, I've been suspicious of dogs. Not to say all are bad, I met a very sweet Great Dane when I worked at the vet clinic, but it made enough of an impression to scar me for life. You just don't know what they're going to do. I know people say 'oh, he's so sweet/gentle/good with kids/wouldn't hurt a flea', but what if that dog feels threatened, real or imagined? That sweet, gentle dog could do something not so sweet and gentle. And then there's the whole 'a dog should run free, it's cruel to leash or fence them in' thought process. Yeah right. It's downright negligent and irresponsible to not leash and/or fence (securely) a dog, and it could be criminal, as well, if the dog were to attack people or livestock. But for some reason, people feel that once they move out to the country, it's their right to let their dog roam free. I'd like to see how quickly they change their minds when a pack of dogs comes after them.

Ok, I feel better. Rant over for now.