Step back, Connie's great perspective, polka in the South

MILES TODAY: 11.57
NIKE+ MILES IN 2008: 432.16

I'm basically following the same training program I tried 6 years ago, the last time I completed the full marathon. It was conceived by a runner named Hal Higdon. Who am I to disagree with a guy who writes books about marathon training for a living? I'm trying, though, to push a little further on the long runs, since I don't think I was fully prepared last time. This week was supposed to be a "step back" week, meaning I was supposed to run a shorter distance than last week (I think it was supposed to be only 10 miles, last week was supposed to be like 13). Since I'm pushing, I started out thinking I'd run the same route as last week, giving me another 13 miles. Negotiations started early, though, and I revised my plan UP at mile 1, thinking I'd run like 14 miles. I also decided to include my first scheduled walking/water break. I lapped the parking lot a few times, and left a water bottle on the back bumper (God bless runners; I could be literally delirious, and not take another person's water. It's some weird runner's code). That was around mile 8-9, and I was going to run 2 more laps of just under 3 miles each.

Didn't work. Felt sluggish & tired the whole first lap, and crapped out without even trying the second. I will NOT blame the polka, however. It was Dali-esque to run to "In Heaven There Is No Beer," but at the same time, strangely enjoyable. I was briefly transported to a wedding reception, hoisting a beer and singing along, "La la la, la la la la..." Though I am convinced that "Who Stole the Kishka?" is a closet Yiddish polka, and no one can tell me different.

So I got home in a silly bad mood, grumpy and prepared to ruin my weekend. Though maybe ND or Da Bears will contribute to my brightening mood...or sink me deeper into the depths of despair. Then my wife entered the picture. I was kvetching about my run, how I felt, basically being a big, steaming, pile of "woe is me," and she said, "Are you REALLY going to do this after ONE bad week?"

Now, keep in mind, that her tone of voice contained every shred of "SHUT THE F*** UP" a woman can pack in, and with my wife, you know that's a LOT. She gets a lot of practice.

That stopped me, and it was like the moment in Good Will Hunting when Robin Williams says, "I realized something". She's right. It was ONE week, a week where I averaged like 5-6 hours of sleep and didn't do much on my midweek runs. Yeah, the bastard sitting on my left shoulder kicked my ass on every hill out there, for the last 3 miles. Yes, I have a headache. That's it. Next week, I listen more to the lil' dude on the right(eous) side, and it's all good.

NEW MUSIC SECTION:
"Who Stole the Kishka?" & "In Heaven There Is No Beer", the immortal Frankie Yankovic. You have no idea how badly I wanted to take the 2 dollars I spent on those, and go all Quizno's commercial and just eat them instead. In a related note, my Godmother is an evil, evil woman. Hey, who else has Auntie Joanne as a godparent in the family?
"Sweet Home Chicago" - I found a decent compromise version on iTunes. Sounds CLOSE to the Blues Brothers version, which is all I needed. I was NOT going with the version by Clapton (what is this, hump a limey week?) or that sung by Jim Belushi (gotta be Top 5, all-time, in "riding the coattails of a sibling" award voting, though he gets points for being a genuine Bears fan).
"King of Wishful Thinking", Go West. Joe dropped a donation on me, and said I should just download the entire movie Pretty Woman. As a man living with 6 sisters, his worldview has been skewed just a tad towards the estrogen side of the scale. Since he did, indeed, "Go West", and the song is on the soundtrack, it had to be done. It was that or "Must Have Been Love" by Roxette, the pride of Scandanavia!

Joe claims that Colleen can recite the entire movie. Then again, he made some rather off-color commentary about Colleen's ability to pull off some of Julia Roberts' outfits in that flick. DON'T TAKE THAT, MRS. LAREAU!!! Fight back!!! Donate in honor of all Cinderella-storied former ladies of ill repute who have since reformed after hooking up with a multi-millionaire. Both of them.

Yep, I'm instigating. Stirrin' the old pot. Please, you REALLY think Joe would go there? HE LIVED WITH 6 WOMEN!!! Any crack like that growing up, and he would have needed a deadbolt on his bedroom door and one of those fire-escape ladders to survive the onslaught. And that's just from Auntie Kathy. My mom claims that Uncle Bob has a temper. I don't think any non-Shea member of the family is buying that load of tripe. Wait, did I just say "load of tripe"? Okay, time for some more water, or a nap, or something.

Have a great week, those still slogging to the end of this novella!

peace love happiness,
Tom
2T4:7