Marathon Training, Week 6

My brief flirtation with laziness ended on Wednesday night when I successfully hauled my ass back to the gym. I only ran 10 miles this week, but that was the plan. The focus was on my breathing pattern and heart rate as I went under 7 minute mile during my so-called speed training.

Monday: none
Tuesday: Fins swim practice (Corey)
Wednesday: 2.5 miles (20 minutes). Fire alarm. 3.1 miles (22:16 which may be a personal best)
Thursday: Fins swim practice (Corey ... Terri was a maniac)
Friday: Chest
Saturday: 5 miles (46:30 which may be a personal best); swim @ 12th (1000 yards total; with kick and pull drills)
Sunday: Fins swim pratice (Jen ... new people Julianne and Eric); rock gym

Overheard in Philly

I overheard lots of scandalous tales, but nothing compared to this Philadelphia story.

Marathon Training, Week 5

Lounging
Originally uploaded by reflexblue.

Week of Feb 12

I got lazy and didn't do my planned 22 mile run on Saturday. My "Great Diet of 2007" crashed as well.

Monday: none
Tuesday: Fins swim practice (1 hour only due to board meeting)
Wednesday: 3 miles (21:50 = my fastest time ever); chest with Chris
Thursday: Fins swim practice (great workout as Suzanne and Tim pushed me; first 75 meters free ever!)
Friday: none
Saturday: 8 miles on treadmill (63 minutes 50 seconds)
Sunday: biceps; rock gym

HRC Philadelphia Dinner

Click on the title above for photo gallery or the video below for a photo slideshow.

Weekend at Bernies: 2 1/2

Are we enjoying the real life remake of Weekend at Bernie's, starring the dead body of Anna Nicole Smith? I thought it was bad last year when Ronald Reagan's body was dragged across America. Now Vicki Lynn Hogan's dead body is being dragged around in courtroom battles as well as the "news" sections. In the name of Terry Schiavo, let this dead woman go! Let's hear Elton John sing another "Candle in the Wind" version.

Jagged Little Pill

Alanis Morissette and Ryan Reynolds
Kylie Minogue and Olivier Martinez
Anne Heche and Coley Laffoon
Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake
Lance Bass and Reichen Lehmkuhl


Love doesn't always last, and it's a good thing. For many of us, once we enjoy a security blanket known as couplehood, the easy way out is to stick with the relationship, no matter how unhealthy it may be. I, for one, feel indifferent about breakups, whether they happen to celebrities or to my friends. Breakups can be painful, but they afford a fresh start. They make two more people available for the dating market.

I look forward to Alanis Morissette's return to her angst-filled Jagged Little Pill era. I look forward to seeing photos of Kylie Minogue partying panty-less with Paris Hilton, Anne Heche's return to lesbianism, and perhaps a scandalous fling between Justin Timberlake and Lance Bass.

Speaking of love, my current favorite love song is "That's What Love Can Do," sung by Christina Aguilera.

'Cause love can lift you so high
Or it'll leave you to die
And it's not like you ever get to choose
(Which way that it leads you)
Ooh it can play with your mind
Or make you feel so alive
Either way you'll survive 'cause
That's what love can do
Ooh, ohh, ooh
That's what love can do

Serena Williams: Bootylicious

“I’m definitely in better shape than I get credit for,” she stated. “Just because I have large bosoms and I have a big ass. We’re living in a Mary-Kate Olsen world. I’m just not built that way. I’m bootylicious and that’s how it’s always going to be.”

Little Miss Sunshine

Wow, I haven't laughed out loud while watching an intentional comedy since the 1990s. Little Miss Sunshine broke the dry spell. This movie had my kind of humor and my kind of characters. It took tons of positive reviews and a baskets of awards and nominations for me to make time to see it, and I made a great choice.

Marathon Training, Week 4

Sofa 2
Originally uploaded by reflexblue.

It's nice to sit on my ass to reflect on my training this past week, knowing that I have tomorrow off. I have another fantastic training week. I went over 30 miles as planned and completed all my cross training sets, except for biceps.

Monday: chest / triceps with Chris; 5 miles (38:50)
Tuesday: Fins swim practice
Wednesday: 5 miles (39 minutes) morning; shoulders/back/legs (light)/abs evening
Thursday: 6 miles (48:26 minutes); Fins swim practice
Friday: none
Saturday: 15 miles in the cold, mostly with Dan. My pace was inconsistent. I was aiming for 8:30 but it swung between 8 and 10. My legs were still strong as I focused on my strides during the last two miles.
Sunday: none

Confessions of a Lane Six Swimmer, Part 2

Life in Lane Six, the slowest lane of the Fins, has drastically changed the the past month. Four of the faster swimmers have moved up to Lane Five. Other Lane Six swimmers haven't shown up for practice on a regular basis.

A few of the recent practices, I found myself swimming with some people who were just slightly faster, and a few who were perhaps even more novice. At this point, not only that I could swim 50 yards freestyle, I could complete and didn't feel like I was about to die. I wouldn't be able to do 12 x 50 with 10 seconds rest, but I could probably do 8 x 50 during the same set. My technique is still horrible. I still need to bend my elbows, press my chest down, stick my ass up, and spread my legs wider.

Why wouldn't I want to stick my ass up and spread my legs wider?

Why Black Girls Still Prefer White Dolls?

While I ponder the silliness of my Black Diva History Month celebration, racial prejudice is most definitely not a silly joke. Along with sex and sports, race relations in America facinates me. Over 50 years after the landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education, racism still rears its ugly head every day in this country. While we have prominent black women such as Oprah, Tyra Banks, and Condoleezza Rice, the sad truth is little black girls still prefer white dolls.

Spring Marathon Training, Week 3

Shiver by the River
Originally uploaded by reflexblue.

It was the most perfect training schedule week I had in at least six months. All my training activities were in sync. My diet was on track. I felt fantastic!


Monday: 3 miles morning; chest / tri with Chris evening
Tuesday: swim practice
Wednesday: 5 miles morning (40:38 minutes); shoulders / back evening
Thursday: 5 miles morning (39:58 minutes); swim practice with guest coach Ryan Smith
Friday: legs / biceps
Saturday: 13 miles in the cold (around 1 hours 50 minutes); indoors rock gym
Sunday: none

I pee eight times

Since I started my "Great Diet of 2007" on Friday January 19th, I have drank an average of 100 oz of water and gone to pee eight times during my 9-hour work day.