Mon 9/2 – rest
After getting in something that loosely resembled a week of marathon training, this was very welcome. Happy Labor Day!! 😀
Tues 9/3 – 5 mi / ~47.5 min
Here we find another run snuck in between time points by the skin of my teeth. I’ve been going back and forth about how I feel about this and I think it works for me. As long as I have what I’m doing in the lab under control, it’s nice to get out and get some fresh. Squeezing my stumpy swollen sweaty arms and hands back into the glove box’s vinyl sleeves and latex gloves is also super hot. Upon returning from my run today there was a very nerdy exciting present waiting for me —
Epindorf tube openers!!
Per the aforementioned glove box, I now spend most of my days flailing about like a trapped platapus…trying to open and close tubes and pipet precious small volumes of liquid in vinyl sleeves and latex gloves that are approximately 298754 sizes too big. Dr. JBdP to the rescue! Upon realizing and (kind of) coming to terms with my fate (not really, but never mind…) I went blubbering to my wonderful former groupmate at MN, Dr. JBdP. Upon hearing my sob story he packed up my three favorite epindorf tub openers and sent them off to NJ for me! These little treasures will facilitate the opening of approximately 9582 gazillion epi tubes by Platypus Trot over the next 3 years. Thank you!!
Wed 9/4 – rest
Thurs 9/5 – 10 mi / ~95 min
I was able to escape the platypus costume for a day and tackle a continuous (no timepoint breaks!! 🙂 10 mi run at the end of the day! Overall I things felt good. I fueled with 1.5 bags of gummy bears and 4 oz water. I was thirsty by the end (What? Hydrating with coffee isn’t the best MO?!?!) but not too bad. Cooler temps, 70ish, and dusk (read:dusk to night) we’re very helpful in this matter.
One thing I’ve found with training is that I hit the wall at three (progressively late) points during my training runs. Initially it’s at about 8 miles, then it’s more like 12 or 13 and then finally at around 18ish. I’ve been cautiously optimistic that I’m beyond the 8 mile wall and after today I can honestly say that I think I’m on to the ~half-marathon wall. 🙂 I guess we’ll see what happens this weekend!
Another important observation I’ve made is that the hobby of marathon running in combination with the insanity lovely job of being a postdoc results in the most flattering, classy and lab appropriate outfits possible…
Fri 9/6 – rest
Today is super exciting as I am driving up to CT for a weekend visit with my bestest marathon buddy Dr. Annebelle! This whole crazy running business began when we lived together in CT 3 years ago (my god! three years ago?!?!) so reminiscent weekend visit, here I come!
Sat 9/7 – 16.4 mi / who knows
As expected, we had an awesome long run (in matching outfits…although this should really just go without saying) along the CT coast.
We ran along the boardwalk and through some neighborhoods along the cost. It started off sunny and warm and just got warmer, but the breeze off of the water was great and this pasty skin enjoyed the rays (most of them anyway). I had 16 oz water overall, 1 bags of gummy bears and some honey chews from a friend of Dr. Anne that were crazy sweet yet still super yummy. Fueling went well. The lungs felt great and legs felt good until ~mile 13 or so. Here the knees and *gasp* left shin began to ache and *gasp* left calf began to cramp a bit. Overall the last 3 miles or so were quite a bit tougher than the first 13. I found my wall. 
Stretching and some deep tissue messaging will hopefully be enough to get through recovery and tomorrow’s run before resting on Monday.
I know I should have play-by-play pictures to share but I am too sweaty and too clumsy and too lazy to bring my shiny new phone with me on any runs, much less a +16 mile run. On the bright side, I am capable of taking photos while on imperative running-related shopping trips. 🙂
So you’ll surely notice Dr. Anne’s swirl Procompression socks in the professional photograph of the two of us above. This is one (very important) component of the uniform that our Dr. trotting group will be sporting at the Philly Marathon in November. Now while these are a very important component of our uniform, pants and a top will also be convenient accessories to have for the run. As far as we can tell, the plan is going to be for all of our team members to get whatever black (ruffled) skirt or shorts or capris suit them best and then wear the matching socks, top and arm warmers. Today’s mission: the tops.
This mission was actually a much tougher challenge than either of us professional shoppers had anticipated. We don’t have particularly stringent demands or anything, we just want something that’s <$15, comfy, cute, has a unique design/pattern and will look good with the socks. Nope, we aren’t picky at all…
Miraculously we did find some tops, but only two of the four that we need. It’s a real pity because they are wicked comfy and super cute (our shirts…oh come on! 2 shirts, 2 of us…coincidence? I think not!!…not us silly…)
Exhibit A
Another pitty…a much more serious pitty…was the pair of shorts that this top was being sold with. You’re thinking that they look ok in Exhibit A eh? Well….
Exhibit B
Horrific. Seriously Nike! W.T.F?!?!
On the bright side we scored matching shirts for Sunday’s run for $12 each and are now hot on the trail of something similar for our Philly Marathon team uniforms.
On another bright side (maybe even the brightest side) we had an amazing 2 pm brunch at Bella’s Cafe in New Haven. The entire menu looked amazing but we made particularly good choices with the…
Crunchy Breakfast Burrito
and the…
Fried Polenta
If you’re interested in all of the details, check out my Bella’s Cafe restaurant review.
While we’re on the topic of food, we also had a most gluttonous wonderful dinner at Tacuba’s taco bar.
Between the three of us (Yes, I can count. Unfortunately the waiter who took the photo of all three of us was dderrrunnnkkeerrr than we were and the result more closely resembled a lesser known work by Degas than a good mediocre picture of us. Thank you Mike for stepping up to the plate and showing him how it’s done.) we ordered a shit load of the menu and there wasn’t so much as one complaint. The
guacamole
and
lobster arepa
and
tacos ensenadas y vegetarianos con frijoles y arroz
and
tres leches
were amazing. Again, if you’re interested in all of the details, check out my Tacuba’s restaurant review.
Sun 9/8 – 8 mi / who cares
On Sunday morning we tackled our old favorite New Haven 8 mile loop. I think I can speak for the both of us in that we were pleasantly surprised about how we didn’t feel like total death! I was worried about the ramifications of Saturday’s long run and then Saturday’s eating adventures, but all went well. It was pretty warm (80ish) by the time we were done and, per usual, I was convinced that I was 2 ul away from becoming a human raisin. (Note: I miraculously evaded the transformation yet again.) The legs (shins included) and lungs fared well. But I mean really, how could they not when they look this good…
For lunch we grabbed sandwiches at our favorite neighborhood market (and marketeer), Nika’s, and headed home. Nika’s is a great New Haven neighborhood staple. There is no where else that I would have preferred to so thoroughly embarrass myself, but that’s another story, for another day…
With so much attention paid to running attire over the weekend, the tootsies and hands were starting to feel pretty neglected. Rightfully so, they are the ones doing all the works after all. Well, the feet are. Hands, WTH have you done? Anywho, neglected no more 🙂 …
Total mileage = 39.4 mi
A very good week. Got the miles in and enjoyed doing it. There really is nothing else to say (there actually may be less than nothing to say about those core exercises that keep creeping back into the tail end of these week recaps, but never mind…).
DrTrot 