I had no idea I was approaching 200 posts on this blog until a few days ago when I saw "197" on the screen. I guess it has been what, two years, of off again on again posting so 200 posts isn't totally out of left field.
Anyway, this post won't be much in the way of historical...maybe for my 300th post I'll put some more thought into making a memorable post.
I didn't get out yesterday or this morning because I've been going to bed WAY too late to be able to pull myself out of bed at 6 AM. Annie's rehearsals mean she doesn't get home until after 11 so we aren't in bed until midnight or later. It's totally unsustainable but she has two more days of rehearsal and then two shows before it ends (and then we go on vacation) so I'll tough it out.
I really should get a quick run in to keep on track with my recovery runs so I may go home and do a quick 1.5 mile loop to get the knee some action. Then I can try to get out tomorrow morning and take Saturday off to rest the knee, pack, and nap so I can stay awake on the drive on Sunday night.
After we get back from vacation, getting the right amount of sleep each night will be my top priority because I feel so much better when I actually sleep 7-8 hours. Oddly, I feel sluggish when I go over that length of time nowadays. I used to be able to sleep for 12-14 hours with no problem, but now I feel lethargic if I sleep even 9-10 hours (unless I'm jet-lagged, sick or totally exhausted.) I know that with more sleep, getting out of bed in the morning won't be nearly as difficult.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
CFA is Like Running...Kind of
CFA Level I exam results came out today and I literally, just barely failed. In some ways, that's worse than if I had failed by a wide margin because had I answered a few more questions correctly (assuming I'd eventually come to correct answer, of course), I'd have passed.
You don't get your actual score for the exam. They send you a letter that says Pass or Fail and then shows each of the exam's sections and a star underneath one of three columns denoting how many questions in the section you got right: <50%;>70%. I got more than 70% in three areas and between 51% and 70% right in the rest of the exam. They also assign you to a "band" of failing test takers on a scale of 1 to 10. 1 means that you were in the lowest decile of failures while 10 means you were in the top 10% of test takers who failed. I was in band 10, which basically tells me that had I done a little bit better on accounting, I'd be taking Level II next June.
So, what have I learned (aside from way too much about statistics for my tastes?)
Even though I studied hard, I don't think I studied as smartly as I should have. I didn't take as many complete practice exams as I should have and I started studying about three weeks later than I should have. I wasn't as organized and tactical in what I studied until it was too late, really. Starting to study tactically a month before the exam is not smart, but that's what I did.
This time around, I'm going to dedicate more time, but over more weeks, to the CFA. I don't have to start from scratch, which means I can read the curriculum this time through and master the advanced concepts rather than trying to keep my head above water with the basics.
In running terms, I tried to run a marathon without a proper base load of miles. And I bonked. Now, I have the base I need to start training to be competitive.
I'm going to work out a training schedule where I'm reading or completing a few questions each day, using targeted workouts to build endurance some days, recover other days, increase speed other days, etc. By the time I start to taper that final week before the exam, I should be in much better shape than I was this time around. The first step of all this is to sit down and think about how long the training plan will be (i.e. when do I start? September/October? January?) Then working out a weekly schedule leading up to the exam will be critical to ensuring I stay on target.
At the same time, I don't want to become totally consumed by the CFA again, if I can help it. The material is dense and challenging for me, who has never taken an accounting or corporate finance course. But I would like to create a schedule where I can keep making progress with running while also preparing for the exam. Maintaining balance is something that they don't highlight in the CFA material, but something which I think is critical to not burning out on the stuff by exam day.
Like I said, hindsight is 20/20 and I'm glad that I have the experience of taking the exam once already. I would feel much worse had I done really poorly, but with a little more polishing, next June I should be able to murder that exam...or at least pass!
You don't get your actual score for the exam. They send you a letter that says Pass or Fail and then shows each of the exam's sections and a star underneath one of three columns denoting how many questions in the section you got right: <50%;>70%. I got more than 70% in three areas and between 51% and 70% right in the rest of the exam. They also assign you to a "band" of failing test takers on a scale of 1 to 10. 1 means that you were in the lowest decile of failures while 10 means you were in the top 10% of test takers who failed. I was in band 10, which basically tells me that had I done a little bit better on accounting, I'd be taking Level II next June.
So, what have I learned (aside from way too much about statistics for my tastes?)
Even though I studied hard, I don't think I studied as smartly as I should have. I didn't take as many complete practice exams as I should have and I started studying about three weeks later than I should have. I wasn't as organized and tactical in what I studied until it was too late, really. Starting to study tactically a month before the exam is not smart, but that's what I did.
This time around, I'm going to dedicate more time, but over more weeks, to the CFA. I don't have to start from scratch, which means I can read the curriculum this time through and master the advanced concepts rather than trying to keep my head above water with the basics.
In running terms, I tried to run a marathon without a proper base load of miles. And I bonked. Now, I have the base I need to start training to be competitive.
I'm going to work out a training schedule where I'm reading or completing a few questions each day, using targeted workouts to build endurance some days, recover other days, increase speed other days, etc. By the time I start to taper that final week before the exam, I should be in much better shape than I was this time around. The first step of all this is to sit down and think about how long the training plan will be (i.e. when do I start? September/October? January?) Then working out a weekly schedule leading up to the exam will be critical to ensuring I stay on target.
At the same time, I don't want to become totally consumed by the CFA again, if I can help it. The material is dense and challenging for me, who has never taken an accounting or corporate finance course. But I would like to create a schedule where I can keep making progress with running while also preparing for the exam. Maintaining balance is something that they don't highlight in the CFA material, but something which I think is critical to not burning out on the stuff by exam day.
Like I said, hindsight is 20/20 and I'm glad that I have the experience of taking the exam once already. I would feel much worse had I done really poorly, but with a little more polishing, next June I should be able to murder that exam...or at least pass!
Monday, July 27, 2009
"Rehab" Run #2
This morning, after a relaxing weekend, I got back out for my second rehab run, of sorts. The idea is to take it really slow and short until I feel that my knee and the rest of my body had acclimated to not sitting around all day.
Today, I did a very short 1.5 mile loop at an easy pace. There was no pain in the knee and less of a weakness feeling in it as well, which is good news. I resisted the temptation to try to run faster because not only do I not want to mess up the knee I spent two weeks babying, but I want to make sure I actually build endurance, and that means running at a apace that I can sustain the entire run, no matter the distance. I have to remember that the objective of a half marathon or full marathon is to cover the entire distance running (at least that's my objective) and to minimize walking. To do that, you need first the endurance to run that far and then you can build speed. It's a long road, but that's fine.
My plan is to keep it to 1.5 mile loops the rest of this week (Wednesday, Friday and Sunday) and see how I feel. We leave for the beach on Sunday afternoon, so I have already mapped out a few short routes around the island we'll be staying at. We're spending three days with my family at a beach house in Isle of Palms, SC and then heading up to Myrtle Beach for three more days just the two of us. So, I need to map out some a route in Myrtle as well that I can hit one morning.
I had hoped to be up to running 3 miles at a time by this point to help offset all the good seafood I'll be eating next week, but that's the way things go sometimes. By the time we go to the beach next summer (maybe with her family), I should be back to half-marathon distance and with any luck, my speed will be much improved.
Today, I did a very short 1.5 mile loop at an easy pace. There was no pain in the knee and less of a weakness feeling in it as well, which is good news. I resisted the temptation to try to run faster because not only do I not want to mess up the knee I spent two weeks babying, but I want to make sure I actually build endurance, and that means running at a apace that I can sustain the entire run, no matter the distance. I have to remember that the objective of a half marathon or full marathon is to cover the entire distance running (at least that's my objective) and to minimize walking. To do that, you need first the endurance to run that far and then you can build speed. It's a long road, but that's fine.
My plan is to keep it to 1.5 mile loops the rest of this week (Wednesday, Friday and Sunday) and see how I feel. We leave for the beach on Sunday afternoon, so I have already mapped out a few short routes around the island we'll be staying at. We're spending three days with my family at a beach house in Isle of Palms, SC and then heading up to Myrtle Beach for three more days just the two of us. So, I need to map out some a route in Myrtle as well that I can hit one morning.
I had hoped to be up to running 3 miles at a time by this point to help offset all the good seafood I'll be eating next week, but that's the way things go sometimes. By the time we go to the beach next summer (maybe with her family), I should be back to half-marathon distance and with any luck, my speed will be much improved.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Weekend Video and Ironman
Meant to post this earlier, but the work day just got away from me with several meetings this afternoon including a portfolio risk review meeting.
Anyway, the knee is feeling oh so close to 100% now. I'd estimate it's around 96% with little soreness. So, I think I'm ready to get out tomorrow morning and see how it feels. I anticipate soreness, but it's recovered enough that as long as I go slowly in running from now on, it should heal up completely and not get worse.
On another note, the YouTube video below has been sweeping around the Internet this week and I saw it this morning. It's pervaded the online world enough that I got the link in a daily e-mail from an energy (oil and natural gas) company stock research firm as part of their Friday Humor section. Everytime I watch this video, I laugh because it looks like it was a great wedding to attend. Plus, everyone looks happy and that's what a wedding should be: a fun, happy party to celebrate. It was also a nice way to begin the work day, particularly with above-mentioned meetings on the horizon.
Should be a good weekend here in Charm City. Hot and humid and a high of 92 tomorrow, but I'll be at the office for the afternoon so no problemo. Then it's home to watch the Ford Hawaii Ironman on NBC! One of my favorite sporting events to watch. I like the way they cover both the pros vying for the title and ordinary athletes just trying to finish. Very inspiring. And truth be told, one of my ultimate, very long-term fitness goals is to complete at least one Ironman someday. The first step is getting my running back in decent shape so by "long-term" I'm talking 5 years or more. But hey, I'm not even 30 yet so I have time to hit that goal, I think.
Anyway, the knee is feeling oh so close to 100% now. I'd estimate it's around 96% with little soreness. So, I think I'm ready to get out tomorrow morning and see how it feels. I anticipate soreness, but it's recovered enough that as long as I go slowly in running from now on, it should heal up completely and not get worse.
On another note, the YouTube video below has been sweeping around the Internet this week and I saw it this morning. It's pervaded the online world enough that I got the link in a daily e-mail from an energy (oil and natural gas) company stock research firm as part of their Friday Humor section. Everytime I watch this video, I laugh because it looks like it was a great wedding to attend. Plus, everyone looks happy and that's what a wedding should be: a fun, happy party to celebrate. It was also a nice way to begin the work day, particularly with above-mentioned meetings on the horizon.
Should be a good weekend here in Charm City. Hot and humid and a high of 92 tomorrow, but I'll be at the office for the afternoon so no problemo. Then it's home to watch the Ford Hawaii Ironman on NBC! One of my favorite sporting events to watch. I like the way they cover both the pros vying for the title and ordinary athletes just trying to finish. Very inspiring. And truth be told, one of my ultimate, very long-term fitness goals is to complete at least one Ironman someday. The first step is getting my running back in decent shape so by "long-term" I'm talking 5 years or more. But hey, I'm not even 30 yet so I have time to hit that goal, I think.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
The Best Movie of the Summer!
Or, that's what just about every trailer for a movie these days says. Usually, when I see that, I know it probably sucks because most of the time studios take a quote out of context. They'll say Transformers II is "a knockout...you need to see this movie!" as quoted in the New York Times. But the review will actually say, "While Megan Fox may be a knockout, her acting is utterly terrible. There is no reason on God's green earth you need to see this movie." But it's really just a way to get poor saps to spend $10 on a bad movie.
Which is kinda what I wanted from that title so you'd read the post, although it has nothing to do with a movie. Running Warehouse is having a sale right now where most, if not all, of its apparel is 25% off. This doesn't include shoes, but who doesn't need a new pair of shorts or a new running shirt for racing season, right? I don't know where the link is for the discount on their site because I clicked through a link I got in an e-mail from them. But if you aren't familiar with Running Warehouse, check out the site (just do a Google/Bing/Yahoo! search for Running Warehouse). They have tons of shoes and apparel and other stuff for runners. The best part is though that they have FREE two day shipping, which is why I do the majority of my shopping there. (In no way am I affiliated with Running Warehouse, let it be known. I just really like the site, the free shipping and the generally reasonable prices made more so by this sale.)
Each time I've bought something from the site it's arrived on time with no problems. I got my last pair of running shoes from the site and fully intend to keep doing that as well. This time around, I bought two more pair of UnderArmour compression shorts since they work so well. IMHO, compression shorts help avoid chafing when paired with strategically placed Body Glide, of course) from by keeping skin off skin, and helps keep quad and hamstring and groin pulls down. I ran one half marathon without compression shorts and had enough trouble walking and sitting from chafing that I have never run without compression shorts since.
Anyway, I digress. Check out the site and sale. It applies to men's and women's apparel, by the way.
*****INJURY UPDATE******
The knee is much better. Somewhere in the 90% to 100% range but not 100% yet. I'm continuing to baby it in the hopes that two full weeks off will be enough to allow me to start back running to strengthen it. Steps (both going up and down) are no problem now, which is good, although the tightness in the morning has remained, but it's much less painful. I imagine that it'll be tight every morning for a few more weeks, but hopefully I can run on it and gradually strengthen it as it heals up that last 10% or so.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Still Resting...
The knee has gotten better, but very slowly. I think this might be a product of the tendon not having a very big blood supply. Without tons of blood, it's harder for the body to heal quickly. It's feeling a lot better than a week ago, however, which is a good sign. In fact, I have no pain at all when walking and the stiffness in the morning has decreased considerably. If I walk on it for a few minutes, the stiffness goes away completely, although when I walk and then sit (i.e. walking 1.5 miles to work and then sitting down at my desk), it tightens up. Stairs are also much more bearable now than they were even on Thursday and Friday, which is a good sign.
The slowness of the recovery is frustrating, but I haven't done anything strenuous on the knee since last Sunday and have been icing and popping Vitamin I consistently to help. I might get up tomorrow morning to jog just a little bit as a test. Nothing hard enough to set back recovery, but I have no idea how it feels when running or jogging so it could be valuable to find out how it feels at the beginning, during and after a run, even one just around the block.
No wonder recovering from something really serious like a torn ligament can take upwards of 6 months to a year! Depending on how things feel tomorrow, maybe I'll be back on the roads later this week.
The slowness of the recovery is frustrating, but I haven't done anything strenuous on the knee since last Sunday and have been icing and popping Vitamin I consistently to help. I might get up tomorrow morning to jog just a little bit as a test. Nothing hard enough to set back recovery, but I have no idea how it feels when running or jogging so it could be valuable to find out how it feels at the beginning, during and after a run, even one just around the block.
No wonder recovering from something really serious like a torn ligament can take upwards of 6 months to a year! Depending on how things feel tomorrow, maybe I'll be back on the roads later this week.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Medical Update
Went to the doctor today and thankfully the injury is minor. No damage and nothing requiring an X-ray or MRI, thankfully.
I need to keep resting the knee and only start back up running when the pain is all gone. That'll probably not be for another 3-4 days, I'd estimate based on the rate at which the pain has decreased since Sunday. At this point, the mornings are painful due to stiffness and steps are still uncomfortable. Maybe by the weekend I'll be in goo enough shape to head back out and get 2 easy miles in.
I need to keep resting the knee and only start back up running when the pain is all gone. That'll probably not be for another 3-4 days, I'd estimate based on the rate at which the pain has decreased since Sunday. At this point, the mornings are painful due to stiffness and steps are still uncomfortable. Maybe by the weekend I'll be in goo enough shape to head back out and get 2 easy miles in.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
To the Doctor...Ugh.
My knee, while not getting any worse, has not gotten a whole lot better and while I can walk on it, I can't do any sort of physical activity on it. The pain isn't overwhelming, but it hasn't lessened a whole lot. On the good side, I can sit with my knee bent normally, which I couldn't do on Monday.
I haven't tried running yet, but I know it just won't happen and I need to find out exactly what I did to myself. So, I have an appointment tomorrow morning with an orthopedic specialist to get the low down and find out what stupid thing I did to hurt myself after being back to running for all of a month. It's just a very weird injury because I can do almost everything normally but when I lunge on the leg, I have pain. When I go up and down stairs, I have pain. When I walk, I can feel that the knee isn't right, but have almost no pain. Full range of motion, no pain. Iassume that the foot strike of running would cause pain, but I haven't tried.
My uninformed best case scenario is that I strained a tendon and it'll take a week or so to heal totally. RICE being the medicine.
My uninformed worst case scenario is that I slightly tore my meniscus somehow and will need to take several weeks off, probably not getting back to running until after we get back from the beach the second week of August or longer. I have some of the symptoms of a tear (location of the pain, slight clicking sound when I bend my knee) but lack others (swelling, joint locking, feeling that the knee is going to give way).
Bottom line: I have no idea what I did, so paying the $25 co-pay and a small charge for a possible X-ray is probably in order. Regardless, it doesn't look like I'm running anywhere anytime soon so I need to build a cross training regime that will keep me moving towards getting in shape in the meantime. I'll be going to the Sports Authority to pick up a medicine ball and dumbbells for at-home resistance training as well as a jump rope to work on agility, once my injury heals enough I can do that without pain.
So, we'll see what the doctor says. I'm going to the Arnold Palmer Sports Health Center at Union Memorial Hospital here in Baltimore. They're the medical team for the Baltimore Ravens and the center got its name for treating a serious hand injur that Palmer suffered some years ago and came back from with a full recovery. If I get to see the doctor I want, I'll be even happier because she is a marathoner and specializes in knee injuries.
With any luck, I'll get not-so-bad news.
I haven't tried running yet, but I know it just won't happen and I need to find out exactly what I did to myself. So, I have an appointment tomorrow morning with an orthopedic specialist to get the low down and find out what stupid thing I did to hurt myself after being back to running for all of a month. It's just a very weird injury because I can do almost everything normally but when I lunge on the leg, I have pain. When I go up and down stairs, I have pain. When I walk, I can feel that the knee isn't right, but have almost no pain. Full range of motion, no pain. Iassume that the foot strike of running would cause pain, but I haven't tried.
My uninformed best case scenario is that I strained a tendon and it'll take a week or so to heal totally. RICE being the medicine.
My uninformed worst case scenario is that I slightly tore my meniscus somehow and will need to take several weeks off, probably not getting back to running until after we get back from the beach the second week of August or longer. I have some of the symptoms of a tear (location of the pain, slight clicking sound when I bend my knee) but lack others (swelling, joint locking, feeling that the knee is going to give way).
Bottom line: I have no idea what I did, so paying the $25 co-pay and a small charge for a possible X-ray is probably in order. Regardless, it doesn't look like I'm running anywhere anytime soon so I need to build a cross training regime that will keep me moving towards getting in shape in the meantime. I'll be going to the Sports Authority to pick up a medicine ball and dumbbells for at-home resistance training as well as a jump rope to work on agility, once my injury heals enough I can do that without pain.
So, we'll see what the doctor says. I'm going to the Arnold Palmer Sports Health Center at Union Memorial Hospital here in Baltimore. They're the medical team for the Baltimore Ravens and the center got its name for treating a serious hand injur that Palmer suffered some years ago and came back from with a full recovery. If I get to see the doctor I want, I'll be even happier because she is a marathoner and specializes in knee injuries.
With any luck, I'll get not-so-bad news.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Over Use? Really?
A good running weekend (I ran Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings) ended on a bit of a sour note yesterday as the weird tweak I felt just below my right kneecap slowly got more and more noticeable until it was a definite injury of some sort last night. I iced it and took some painkillers and dreaded waking up this morning, when I knew it'd be stiff as a board. I had already planned for today to be a rest day, so not a big deal on that front.
And sure enough, I limped out of bed and to the shower this morning. I walked to work and sat down at my desk and about 20 minutes later my knee was screaming. I went straight across the street to CVS and bought a reusable ice pack, ace bandage and ibuprofen, all of which seemed to help as the day went on. I also kept my leg relatively straight, which also seemed to help. Tonight it tightened up again but I've been icing it and popped some more ibuprofen.
I think I just strained a tendon that connects the kneecap to the femur, but I could be wrong. It isn't an incredible amount of pain, but I am skeptical if I'll be able to run tomorrow morning for my usual 2 miler. Game time decision. And the only thing I can think is that I just went too far too fast on Sunday. I only ran 4.5 miles, but it must have been too much for my whatever-is-hurting to take. Lesson learned: whatever mileage progression I think is appropriate, is too quick so slow it down.
It could be worse, though. It doesn't seem to be something potentially more serious like ITBS (which usually occurs on the outside of the knee), or a critical tendon like the ACL (honestly, it would have been impossible for me to hurt that considering how slowly I was running). Could always be worse so if I feel comfortable with the knee tomorrow, I'll run. If not, I'll just do my usual core workout and give it another 24 hours.
And sure enough, I limped out of bed and to the shower this morning. I walked to work and sat down at my desk and about 20 minutes later my knee was screaming. I went straight across the street to CVS and bought a reusable ice pack, ace bandage and ibuprofen, all of which seemed to help as the day went on. I also kept my leg relatively straight, which also seemed to help. Tonight it tightened up again but I've been icing it and popped some more ibuprofen.
I think I just strained a tendon that connects the kneecap to the femur, but I could be wrong. It isn't an incredible amount of pain, but I am skeptical if I'll be able to run tomorrow morning for my usual 2 miler. Game time decision. And the only thing I can think is that I just went too far too fast on Sunday. I only ran 4.5 miles, but it must have been too much for my whatever-is-hurting to take. Lesson learned: whatever mileage progression I think is appropriate, is too quick so slow it down.
It could be worse, though. It doesn't seem to be something potentially more serious like ITBS (which usually occurs on the outside of the knee), or a critical tendon like the ACL (honestly, it would have been impossible for me to hurt that considering how slowly I was running). Could always be worse so if I feel comfortable with the knee tomorrow, I'll run. If not, I'll just do my usual core workout and give it another 24 hours.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Crafting a Race Calendar
Getting back to running means (for me, at least), setting some goals for the coming months by choosing some races to run. Unfortunately, while my mind remembers how awesome it feels to work towards a large goal like a half marathon, my body is far away from being able to successfully (and safely) achieve such a goal. So, the Baltimore Half is probably out for this year, which is a bummer. But, the 5K that accompanies the Running Festival is well within my grasp. In fact, all the races I'll run through the fall will likely be 5K's since I know I'll be able to run them with some speed, which will make them more enjoyable. Then once the winter arrives (I don't even want to think about dark cold mornings right now), I will look to do the Celtic Solstice 5-miler, which is always a solid race. So, here are the races I'm thinking about right now.
September 11: Run to Remember 5K (run through downtown Baltimore to support charities associated with emergency response workers in Baltimore City).
September 20: Tunnel Run 5K (Never heard of this until this year but it's a race through the Ft. McHenry Tunnel that passes under the entrance to the Inner Harbor. Cool idea.)
October 10: Baltimore Running Festival 5K (Third year in a row for me running some part of the festival)
October 18 (maybe): Home Run 10K/5K in Rockville, MD (this is our first anniversary so maybe I can talk Annie into doing this in the morning...we'll see though!)
November 26: 100th Annual Cincinnati Thanksgiving Day 10K (we're going to be in Ohio for Thanksgiving this year so this would be a great way to burn some calories before my favorite holiday of the year!)
December: Celtic Solstice 5-miler (the end of the '09 racing season and a wonderful race all around...although bitter cold!)
So there it is, the preliminary racing schedule. With any luck, I'll be in good enough shape by December to crush the Celtic Solstice and start a half marathon training program in January...but that's many months away. Right now, I'm concentrating on getting up to go run the North Central Railroad Trail tomorrow morning!
September 11: Run to Remember 5K (run through downtown Baltimore to support charities associated with emergency response workers in Baltimore City).
September 20: Tunnel Run 5K (Never heard of this until this year but it's a race through the Ft. McHenry Tunnel that passes under the entrance to the Inner Harbor. Cool idea.)
October 10: Baltimore Running Festival 5K (Third year in a row for me running some part of the festival)
October 18 (maybe): Home Run 10K/5K in Rockville, MD (this is our first anniversary so maybe I can talk Annie into doing this in the morning...we'll see though!)
November 26: 100th Annual Cincinnati Thanksgiving Day 10K (we're going to be in Ohio for Thanksgiving this year so this would be a great way to burn some calories before my favorite holiday of the year!)
December: Celtic Solstice 5-miler (the end of the '09 racing season and a wonderful race all around...although bitter cold!)
So there it is, the preliminary racing schedule. With any luck, I'll be in good enough shape by December to crush the Celtic Solstice and start a half marathon training program in January...but that's many months away. Right now, I'm concentrating on getting up to go run the North Central Railroad Trail tomorrow morning!
Friday, July 10, 2009
A Beautious Day In the Neighborly Hood
I think that would be how Mr. Rogers would type out one of the lines from his opening number. Mr. Rogers brings back good memories for me of a simpler time. A time before I was forced at socio-educational gunpoint to begin my journey into responsible adulthood. Before I'd have to wake up early to go to kindergarten and learn my ABCs, followed by elementary school where I was forced to memorize multiplication tables (surprisingly my teachers were right...they DID come in handy), on to the downright awful three years of middle school that I have mostly blocked from my memory (I have yet to meet anyone who enjoyed being in 7th grade), followed by my first introduction to writing multi-page essays and reading non-fiction books with the objective of actually retaining their contents in prep school before becoming a legal adult at 18.
But yes, as a pre-schooler watching my daily does of Mr. Rogers, followed closely by 3-2-1 Contact, Mr. Wizard and Square One, I was always happy to see Mr. Rogers' house. It was totally awesome, what with the fish tank and working stop light (I pined for a working stop light in my own room for years...OK, honestly I still do) and easy access to the Land of Make Believe. And it was always sunny and warm but not so hot that Mr. Rogers couldn't wear one of those cardigans. I always tried to guess which color he'd choose today, based on the colors he'd worn the days before (an analyst from the beginning, sadly).
But this morning, and each morning this week has been what I imagine 6:00 AM in Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood must be like every single day: 60 degrees, low humidity, slight breeze, no clouds, quiet and fresh. I tried to get to bed earlier last night and was partly successful. Instead of getting to sleep at 11:30 or later (disastrous for my running prospects the next morning), I was fast asleep at 11:00. I slept so deeply that I woke up thinking it was Saturday...literally. I was really sad to realize that it was in fact, just Friday and I had to go to work. When you're watching Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, the only reason the day of the week matters is because he only comes on during the week and not on the weekend. Weekends would be, of course, for morning (but not too early!) cartoons. Obvi.
Anyway, I got out the door relatively on time after hitting snooze once and got my 2 miles in in great fashion. I don't know if it's a placebo effect or whether my body truly does remember what it's like to run, but each run I feel better and can run for longer. After this week, I'm going to tack on another mile to my run and gradually step up over the next month to really concentrate on building a base. My long runs will start this weekend at a very not-long 4-5 miles, but you have to restart somewhere and 10 miles or more is not in the cards yet.
This weekend is the last full weekend before Annie comes back from Arkansas, where she's been singing since late May, so I need to make the most of it. Tomorrow I'll do another 2 miler with my slowly evolving core workout afterward. Sunday I'm going to drive up to the Northern Central Rail Trail for a change of scenery to do 5 miles. Weather should continue to be mostly Mr. Rogers, although some humidity will return. Can't be perfect all the time, right?
Now, I need to return to my mountain of work and play Make Believe that I'm actually interested in doing it rather than going home and watching Mr. Rogers...which I would totally do if I could. Maybe he'll wear green today...although I have no prior history on which to base my call.
But yes, as a pre-schooler watching my daily does of Mr. Rogers, followed closely by 3-2-1 Contact, Mr. Wizard and Square One, I was always happy to see Mr. Rogers' house. It was totally awesome, what with the fish tank and working stop light (I pined for a working stop light in my own room for years...OK, honestly I still do) and easy access to the Land of Make Believe. And it was always sunny and warm but not so hot that Mr. Rogers couldn't wear one of those cardigans. I always tried to guess which color he'd choose today, based on the colors he'd worn the days before (an analyst from the beginning, sadly).
But this morning, and each morning this week has been what I imagine 6:00 AM in Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood must be like every single day: 60 degrees, low humidity, slight breeze, no clouds, quiet and fresh. I tried to get to bed earlier last night and was partly successful. Instead of getting to sleep at 11:30 or later (disastrous for my running prospects the next morning), I was fast asleep at 11:00. I slept so deeply that I woke up thinking it was Saturday...literally. I was really sad to realize that it was in fact, just Friday and I had to go to work. When you're watching Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, the only reason the day of the week matters is because he only comes on during the week and not on the weekend. Weekends would be, of course, for morning (but not too early!) cartoons. Obvi.
Anyway, I got out the door relatively on time after hitting snooze once and got my 2 miles in in great fashion. I don't know if it's a placebo effect or whether my body truly does remember what it's like to run, but each run I feel better and can run for longer. After this week, I'm going to tack on another mile to my run and gradually step up over the next month to really concentrate on building a base. My long runs will start this weekend at a very not-long 4-5 miles, but you have to restart somewhere and 10 miles or more is not in the cards yet.
This weekend is the last full weekend before Annie comes back from Arkansas, where she's been singing since late May, so I need to make the most of it. Tomorrow I'll do another 2 miler with my slowly evolving core workout afterward. Sunday I'm going to drive up to the Northern Central Rail Trail for a change of scenery to do 5 miles. Weather should continue to be mostly Mr. Rogers, although some humidity will return. Can't be perfect all the time, right?
Now, I need to return to my mountain of work and play Make Believe that I'm actually interested in doing it rather than going home and watching Mr. Rogers...which I would totally do if I could. Maybe he'll wear green today...although I have no prior history on which to base my call.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Pulling a Lazarus
After more than what, six months, I've finally gotten things in my life (professional life, I should say) in order enough to get back on the road. The last time I posted on my blog, I was still about six months from taking the CFA exam and my job was still very much in question. Well, I took the CFA back in early June and am waiting for the results, which will come at the end of July. I don't really know if I passed or failed (the pass rate for Level I is about 30%) but I can't worry about that at this point. If I pass, great...I'll start studying for Level II in September. If I fail, it'll stink but I'll definitely pass next year.
On the job front, with the markets doing much better and our own fortunes much rosier than they were back in February and March, I feel much better about my job for now. To be sure, the last 9 months has taught me not to take employment for granted, which I think my entire generation has learned the hard way now. But I count myself incredibly lucky by any stretch, as more than one running blogger I follow is still looking for a new job or worried about their current job.
Anyway, with my job schedule largely under control (I no longer have to be at work at 7AM, which frees up that early morning for running), and the CFA at bay for a few months at least, I'm determined to not only get back to running, but to really get myself back in shape. I'm definitely out of shape and softer than I was six months ago, and I want to get that fat off and my times down for the fall.
I have no illusions, though. Six months away from running takes its toll and I'm comfortable with the fact that I need to essentially start from scratch in terms of speed, distance and length of runs. Right now, I have a nice and easy 2 mile route mapped out that I intend to follow until it's truly an easy run. Right now, that's not the case, but that's OK.
I also intend to take advantage of the gym at my office. For $25 a month I get a well-equipped gym that I should really start using for cross training after work a few days a week. We move to our new digs in September, so I'm hoping that our new gym in the building will be bigger and better...and still absurdly cheap compared to the Maryland Athletic Club across the street!
So, my goal would be to run my third annual Baltimore Running Festival race, but I don't know if the half is in the cards. Granted, I have just over 90 days between now and then so who knows how things will proceed. At the very least, I'll be in good condition for the 5K and can maybe find some longer races during the fall with the hope of running the Flying Pig half or Frederick next spring...who knows. But at least I'm gotten back out there and I already feel so much better than I have for many months.
On the job front, with the markets doing much better and our own fortunes much rosier than they were back in February and March, I feel much better about my job for now. To be sure, the last 9 months has taught me not to take employment for granted, which I think my entire generation has learned the hard way now. But I count myself incredibly lucky by any stretch, as more than one running blogger I follow is still looking for a new job or worried about their current job.
Anyway, with my job schedule largely under control (I no longer have to be at work at 7AM, which frees up that early morning for running), and the CFA at bay for a few months at least, I'm determined to not only get back to running, but to really get myself back in shape. I'm definitely out of shape and softer than I was six months ago, and I want to get that fat off and my times down for the fall.
I have no illusions, though. Six months away from running takes its toll and I'm comfortable with the fact that I need to essentially start from scratch in terms of speed, distance and length of runs. Right now, I have a nice and easy 2 mile route mapped out that I intend to follow until it's truly an easy run. Right now, that's not the case, but that's OK.
I also intend to take advantage of the gym at my office. For $25 a month I get a well-equipped gym that I should really start using for cross training after work a few days a week. We move to our new digs in September, so I'm hoping that our new gym in the building will be bigger and better...and still absurdly cheap compared to the Maryland Athletic Club across the street!
So, my goal would be to run my third annual Baltimore Running Festival race, but I don't know if the half is in the cards. Granted, I have just over 90 days between now and then so who knows how things will proceed. At the very least, I'll be in good condition for the 5K and can maybe find some longer races during the fall with the hope of running the Flying Pig half or Frederick next spring...who knows. But at least I'm gotten back out there and I already feel so much better than I have for many months.
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