Saturday, June 16, 2007

Obligatory Saturday Post

I had been a little worried that it would rain this morning, but when I woke up, there were only patchy clouds. Although the Doppler showed a big green blob, it was well to the northwest for the time being. So I taped myself up and hit the road!

I did my Tanglewood run, which is starting to become a favorite. I stopped at Turtle Pond along the way (my name for it-- it’s part of an office park) and while I took a calorie/water/electrolyte break, the turtles bobbed to the surface and paddled over to look at me. No, I do not share my Amino Vital with reptiles. Sorry, kids. I caught one turtle trying to escape the pond and chased it back in, so it wouldn’t wander into the street and get run over. My good deed for the day.

After my break, I crossed the street and noticed the roadside garden at Memorial Drive and Chimney Rock is doing well. I saw a cucumber and lots of green tomatoes. The cherry tomatoes are starting to ripen and should be ready soon. It looks like it’ll be a good year for the figs and oranges, too. I saw the gardener himself, trimming one of the kumquat trees, but I had dawdled too long at Turtle Pond, so I didn’t stop to chat. I would like to know the story behind the garden, though. It’s just so bizarre to see all that stuff growing inches from the curb of a busy street, when the house and yard are more than sufficiently large for growing just about anything short of a redwood.

I ran up Chimney Rock to Tanglewood, to San Felipe. After I stopped at Rice Epicurean Market for some water, I did a little window shopping at the fancy drug store next door. I say it’s “fancy” because it’s one of those drug stores one often finds in these high-end neighborhoods, where you’ll never find a designer knock-off perfume or a pair of $5 flip-flops for sale. Since I had already run about 11 miles in the humidity, I was drippy and stinky at this point, so I didn’t go inside. But I saw through the window that they sell one of my must-have items that I have a dickens of a time finding at stores and usually end up ordering online: Frownies patches. Yay! Next time I’m running low, I’ll make sure to bring my credit card along on my morning run and buy a new box, which will fit into the pack I wear on my waist for long runs.

(Aside: For you ladies not in the know, these patches pre-date botox, and are cheaper and safer than having poison injected into your face. And what’s more, they really work!)

I got home from my run feeling pretty good. I wrung out my running clothes and hung them to dry, wiped myself off with baby wipes, and iced my legs. Dan was watching one of his video lectures for his summer class, and I flipped through a book about New Mexico ghost towns while listening to a wholly unrelated lecture about nineteenth-century American imperialism in Central America. How I didn’t end up concluding that William Walker conquered Colfax County is beyond me.

The big green blob I saw on Doppler early this morning had arrived by lunchtime, so my plan to buy a new desk chair got nixed. But a little water wasn’t going to keep me and Dan from our weekly Indian buffet, and the daal was particularly tasty today. And spicy potatoes—yum! Indian spices plus the quintessentially American food makes for damn fine eating!

This afternoon I read Motherland, the latest edition of Y: The Last Man. I was a little disappointed, since I had thought it would conclude the story. Instead, it looks like there is still more to come, and now I’m annoyed. Not only was Motherland not as good as the previous books (in my opinion), but now I’ll have to wait for the next book to find out if all the loose ends finally get wrapped up. I only hope the next book is out soon, so I won’t forget the story line.

And that concludes my long, rambling, Saturday post.

Todays Workout
15 mile run

10 comments:

Talia said...

I've never heard of frownies before, but I imagine 15 miles out in the elements would take a toll on your skin. Nice to hear of a safe alternative. The idea of injecting poison into my body always makes me sick.

I looked into it at one stage for a health condition (excessive perspiration). Other than putting up with it the other option was surgery but in the end I decided to resign myself to it. I don't think I'd ever find botox acceptable. Especially after hearing it is tested (literally) on guinea pigs

Crabby McSlacker said...

You always have the coolest product recommendations! Frownies, huh?

Though I'm not terribly vain, due to lots of sun exposure and bad genes I have way more lines than is typical for someone my age. I hate looking older than I am. So these things really help? I'll definitely have to check them out.

Ann (bunnygirl) said...

Talia, I'd worry more about skin damage if I lived in a dry environment. Houston is so humid that going for a morning run (70-80% humidity) feels like getting a steam treatment!

Crabby, Frownies work a lot like Botox, only more slowly. I was starting to get a crease between my eyebrows in my mid-thirties. I'm forty now and the crease is gone. I've also noticed that my "frown muscles" have atrophied a little. I can still frown, of course, unlike a botoxed movie star. But I really feel it when I do, and I can consciously stop so I won't encourage the development of more fine lines and creases.

I have no problem with aging, but I refuse to aid and abet the process!

somebunnysloveDOTcom said...

Frownies sound awesome. I do wish I could run as much as you do!
=:8

The Tower Hill Mob said...

Frownies and wrinklies can be purchased online through the Vermont Country Store. The link is vermont country store.com

Rachel said...

Great rambling post! It's so rewarding to get your run over with before the weather sets in. I love the turtle story. Once, I had to move a snapping turtle off the bike path so it wouldn't get hurt. That was fun.

Vickie said...

The Frownies thing looks interesting. I clicked on the link and saw they had a few other products of interest there as well, one in particular that is mainly for use post heavy sun exposure, which I am finding myself soaking up more and more in upping my training. I don't want to add 10 years to my face to achieve a race goal, after all.

Zinger said...

thanks for the inspiration - your workouts inspire the days when i cycled almost every day - it's time to start again! thanks! :-)

Unknown said...

WTG on your 15-miler! I really need to start increasing my mileage. Lately, I've been in the rut of doing 6-8 miles. The Frownies look interesting...I can think of a few places where I need them!

Una said...

had I not read back I would never have known of Frownies!

15 miles... wow good for you!

I almost convinced Steve to have Indian last week, but the last couple of times he's been reacting badly to the oil. Darn it! The Bombay potatoes are the best!

Really enjoyed your run description :)