Running In Place

How could I have thought that I fell out of love with running? Thank heavens that running is so patient and forgiving, and welcomes me back when my fickle heart sees its mistakes.

It was 46F today and sunny. This is some amazing shit for central NY. Not that we’re the arctic or anything but we can have some pretty intense weather in the winter, fueled by the lake effect. The winter started off in the usual manner but has really crapped out at this point. There are areas down the hill where I am seeing grass!! I suppose I should appreciate and enjoy these nearly spring-like days because it could all change in an instant. If it doesn’t, what the hell am I gonna do with my new snowshoes!!

Anyway, my last few runs have been in lovely weather, and I have been able to get back to the towpaths as there’s no snow or ice to navigate. It’s just like freakin’ summer – people walking their dogs, biking, running in shorts (not me – not just yet). I’ve just been relaxing, with no worries about speed or distance, catching up on the old episodes of Phedippidations that have been sitting on my mp3 for a little while and enjoying the being of it all. Sooner or later I’ll have to go run up some hills to get ready for the Chilly Chili. Last year, this was my first 5K, ever – either racing it or even running the distance. I am really looking forward to running this particular race again, not because I’ll probably run it in a little better time, but because it is such a warm reminder to me of what it felt like to begin. Now, in a less dramatic sense, I’m doing a little beginning again. So it’s fitting that this should be the first race of a new era.
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In other news, I’ve worked the night shift for the past 2 weeks (6:30 pm – 7:00 am) and have found that running on 3 or 4 hours sleep isn’t quite as terrible as you might think (well, just ask Wil, she of the not-so-much-with-the-sleep-and-still-training). In fact, it takes away that hangover feeling and makes functioning for the rest of the day quite tolerable. I think I’m going to stick with the day shift for the most part and just swing a nightshift or two now and then if they need me. Nightshift involves alot of Sleep Management, wherein I actually have times marked on my calendar when I will sleep and when I will not sleep so that I can be tired enough to sleep some other time that I need to. It’s very complicated.
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Ok, lastly – Siouxsie tagged me for four of some things, so let’s just see how fascinating I am…

Four jobs you’ve had in your life:
Legal Secretary – dictation and will typing is a drag
Bartender – Coyote Ugly style. No. Not really
Manager of a mall food court store called The Great Hot Dog Experience
Nurse – the hot kind with the short white dress and fishnets. Ok, again I’m lying.

Four movies you could watch over and over:
Sid & Nancy – but I can’t watch it when my husband is around because it always makes him cry
Super Troopers – that shit’s just plain silly
Night of the Living Dead – seriously – Romero rocks!
Any Kevin Smith movie – except I haven’t seen Jersey Girl so dunno about that.

Four places you’ve lived:
Westmoreland, NY
Utica, NY
Waterville, NY
Floyd, NY
(All within the same county – I don’t get out much)

****OMG, I am so tired of finding links for all this stuff! And not that you even asked for them, right?? You so know that if you want to know more about anything from this point on you can just google it – that’s all I ever do. I’m going to rest now. ***

Four TV shows you love to watch:
The Office
My Name is Earl
Family Guy
Six Feet Under

Four places you’ve been on vacation:
Cincinnati
Ireland
Tampa
Nebraska

Four websites you visit daily:
Bloglines – and subsequently many RBF sites
Barnes & Noble.com
Utica OD.com (local paper)
Mid York.org (local library site)

Four of your favorite foods:
Chicken wings hot enough to make your eyes water
Hot peppers
Chicken Riggies
Heidelberg (local bakery) sunflower raisin bread

Four places you’d rather be:
I actually love where I am right now – love my house, love my town, love my job – so four places I’d like to visit are:
Alaska
Scotland
Oregan or Washington State
Grand Canyon

Four albums you can’t live without:
Black Eyed Peas – Monkey Business
Warren Zevon – Life’ll Kill Ya
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Your Funeral, My Trial
Peter Murphy – Should the World Fail to Fall Apart

Four vehicles I’ve owned:
’74 Dodge Custom Deluxe pick-up truck
’74 Chevy Nova
’80 Mercury Bobcat – yes, I am that cool
’90 Jeep Wrangler

I don’t know if most everyone has done this already – I’m usually the last to get around to things. But if you haven’t done it, and you care to, please do. I love reading this stuff on other people’s blogs!