My "Wonder Twins.. Activate!" super power

Why, oh, why wasn't I blessed with super strength? super speed? super endurance??

Super.. super.. *thinking*.. super smarts?

It looks like I was passed over when the above were being handed out. At least I have one thing to be 'proud' of..

my super sense of hearing.


I hear everything around me. Okay.. most times it's selective, but that's only for certain people. I have no control over it, I swear! So if you think I'm ignoring you, I'm not. It's just.. well, my super powers have informed me that what you have to say isn't important :D No offense.

So why, oh why, is it that my brain likes to intensify my supersonic sense of hearing whenever someone in my office is clipping their nails! (Yes, I'm shouting.)

That's right. Yes. In the Land of Cubes, in addition to us Commoners, we have the Clippers. I know of at least three. I can only hear them, though, as I have yet to identify them. I'm just too scared to approach them. It's similar, but not as devastating, as the awkward 'meeting' at the sinks in the bathroom after the "Least Likely to Stink Up the Bathroom" (usually a VP or someone else high up on the totem pole of Execs) walks out of the stall next to you. We've all been there before.

So at least once a week, one of these critters comes out of hiding. Why they think it's okay to do this at work, and in their cube, is beyond comprehension. I will admit to clipping my nails at work, but only in the bathroom when I am alone and with my hands over the garbage. I stop if I hear someone openning the door. See.. my sense of hearing does some good!

I will also admit to catching one of our interns a few years ago clipping her toenails in her cube with her foot resting on the side of the trash can. I about threw up when I walked by and witnessed the act. I skipped lunch that day.

I also have to deal with the "How Much Change Can I Carry In My Pockets Today" guy, who could also be called "I Bet I Can Count How Much Change I Have in My Pocket By Jiggling it Constantly". Every time he walks, and every time he sits, he's playing with the coins in his pocket. My guess is at least 2 - $10 rolls of quarters that just exploded in his pants! I just checked his cube to see if he stacked himself a castle of coins, but it is nice and tidy. He probably took it down while he's away on vacation.


The sounds are piercing. I listen to a CD or my ipod at my desk and the noise cuts through. I'm a very non confrontational person, but I swear I'm going to snap soon.

Petty? Sure, but it's. driving. me. crazy.

Ohh.. the struggles of having super powers

Ride, eat, repeat - Version 3.0

Third time is a charm.

Riding for about 90 minutes is no big whoop, really. But then repeat it until you've done it a total of 8 times and let me know what you think.

This past weekend, I completed the Total 200 for the third year in a row. Couldn't have asked for a better day. The weather was perfect, the volunteers were awesome, and the organization is top notch for such a small, low key event. Best part, hands down, was the post ride massage. I'm not talking about some 10-15 minute 'there you go' job; I mean a good 20-30 minute, get up from the table drowsy massage.

Always a good time.

8 is enough...okay, 7 will do

I finally did a run of a substantial distance. By substantial, I mean it was more than the casual distance one might run at a running store when trying on new shoes. And for the layman, it was longer than a few 'Metro Steps'*.

Once a week, I try to go running in the morning with a friends dog, and yesterday was that morning. I took a few weeks off because of MMT, MMT recovery, travel for another race, and.. you get the idea.. it's just a list of excuses. Lack of motivation? Lack of desire? Part of it has been very, very tender feet (still) post MMT. I walk like an old lady when I first get up out of bed or from a chair and it doesn't matter if I'm wearing shoes or barefoot. Because of that, and nagging ITB soreness, I've put off running for fear not being able to run because of these issues and of injuring myself more.

No more.

I needed to get out there to see how my body felt. I did the swim and bike of a half Ironman 2 weeks post MMT, where the only running I did was through T1 as I came out of the water. A stiff knee off the bike kept me from testing it on the run course, and I was fine with DNFing as it wasn't my 'A' race of the season.

So this was the true test, and a chance to break in my new Asics. Another reason to get out there. I didn't know how much I would do, but I wasn't sure how well the pup would do in the early AM humidity, either.

I don't know if it was the revised route, the tunes, the rain, or the fact that I was forced to carry a baggie of his crap for an hour (I took 3 grocery bags and he went 2x within the first 2 minutes and the 3rd is usually for emergencies - his or mine, whichever comes first), but it was a good run. It went as expected and I dig the new shoes. I'm sure I could've gone a little faster, but I wasn't out there to proove anything.

I can run; I know that. The 'speed' will come; I know that.

I've never really run for the fun of it. Yes, I've had my fair share of running funks, with the first being at the end of 2002, but I've managed to get out of them by running a new route, getting new gear, running trails, signing up for a race, etc. Name it, I've tried it.

It will come back.. 7 or 8.. miles at a time.



*Metro Steps (adj.) - Term used to describe the few steps take by a commuter in, but not limited to, the DC Metro region, when crossing the street. Usually not necessary, but most Steppers feel it helps them get across quicker. Mostly they just look stupid. Those who look REALLY stupid are the ones who start about 10-20 yds from the crosswalk area and do a full out SPRINT across the entire street. Some might stop halfway and walk the rest after (hopefully, but I doubt it) realizing how ridiculous they look. How in shape they are isn't an issue, which is most evident on Metro Rail (or just Metro for us DC snobs). This is most noticable at transfer stations, such L'Enfant, Gallery Place, or Metro Center, when commuters are switching trains on different platform levels. They mean business on the escalator and will cut you off as they make the turn at the top/bottom! And then they realize it's not their train.. and resort to the Metro Walk of Shame down the platform.

Resting on my laurels...

.. and doing enough to get by.

I'm in a funk.. or on the path to a funk. I don't like being in funks. This is what I do when I'm in funks:

- watch tv
- eat.. not the greatest, but not too bad. (I go crazy on peanuts; it's not like I binge on McD's)
- sleep on the sofa

I should be putting up big numbers, but I'm not.. Heck, there's a lot I should be doing, but I'm not. I could a lot of finger pointing and blaming, but all the finger pointing and blame should be put on myself.

Coulda, shoulda, woulda..

I'm sure part of it is that I'm still recovering from MMT. Yes, I just passed the 4 week mark post 100-miler and I expect miracles. I expected to bounce right back - physically and emotionally - and I have done neither. I've lost the spark, the drive.. and a little bit of reason to get up in the morning. Even with IM Lake Placid on the horizon, I don't have the same desire to do well.

Burn out? I'm not sure. When I do train, I don't have the same sense of accomplishment post workout; no endophin high. I can't say I ever experienced runners high before, but I do like the feeling of exhaustion after a good workout. Now, it's more of a sense of dread or 'when will this be over?'

The best thing to do is to keep my head up. I can't drag myself down with negative thoughts and ponderings of why I'm in a funk. As amazing of a time and experience MMT was, I have to move forward. I will have more time to sit back and reflect and swap stories, but until then, I have training to do.