I want to get back to my city by the bay

Oh boy. So much to update you all on! So sorry about my absence. Ok, maybe you haven't even noticed.
First, let's start with the kidney stone. I started to post this last week then I some how deleted it and didn't have the energy to rewrite it all. For those of you who don't know the kidney stone back story, it's here.
Thurs. after this incident, I was feeling mostly fine. I had planned on going out to Jersey with Ishii and running back over the GWB for my long run. Something different. Before leaving, I was starting to get that not so great feeling of having to pee every few minutes and having not much come out. As we drove over to Jersey, I was starting to think this run wasn't such a good idea. I wasn't in pain, I just felt a little weird. The pee things was annoying and I was feeling this pressure on my side where the pain was a few days before. The run went fine except for several pit stops (including one UNDER the GWB, cause I'm KLASSY like that).
I ran about 9 miles with Ishii then headed over to Central Park to finish. Where I ran into Rayk. Then Rayk's sister. See, NYC isn't that big of a town.
After my run, I just didn't feel right. I called my DR, who's office is still in chaos and got referred to a urologist. Long story short, he confirmed I had a stone. Good thing was, as far as he could tell, it had made about 98% of the trip out. He also gave me pain killers to take just in case, and Flomax to help with the peeing problem. And as a karmic payback for constantly making fun of those commercials. I was going for a CT scan the next morning, and while waiting for that, I passed the stone. It didn't hurt but was more like an odd sensation. They did the scan anyway to make sure it didn't have any friends waiting in the wings and all looked good.

Sat. I flew out to SF. The NYC winter is really getting me down this year. It's been cold. It's been wet and snowy. I'm over it. I needed a break so off I went. Before going, I found a race to do while out there. It's nice to race in different places. Sunday, I ran the Chinese New Year 10k. I enlisted my pal Meredith who I was visiting, to run as well. We were good friends when we were kids and have not seen each other in, well, an embarrassingly long time.
At the start of the race, it was about 50 degrees with a misty kinda rain. Perfect shorts weather for someone who's spent the last few months running in sub freezing temps. Perfect wear 5 layers weather for someone who thinks 50 degrees is cold.
This was a smallish race, which was nice. My only problem with it, besides a hill that wanted to make me vomit at mile 3, was the 5k and the 10k started together and was all gun timed. So I wanted to start close to the front but not get sucked in by running too fast with the 5k folks. I did a fairly good job. Threw a few elbows, managed to get clear. Ran my first mile in 7:10. Ooops.
Since coming back from my injury I really haven't raced. I didn't have any really huge expectations. I was thinking sub 50 would be good for this race. I felt pretty steady and the crowd really thinned out after the 5k people turned off to finish.
My time was 47:44, 7:42 pace. Not bad. It didn't kill me and was well under sub 50. Based on past times, I figured I could get a top 10 finish. I was 11th. Age group awards were under 19 and over 19 so that was so not going to happen, but over all, happy with the results.
After the race, someone came up to me and asked if I was Dog Pound. Funny as it sounds, it's not the first time this has happened and I always get a kick out of it. It was Jim. He and I both read and comment on Flo's blog and he recognized me. See, small world!

The rest of my running week consisted of a recovery run with Meredith on Monday, a 12 miler on Wed, and an unexpected tempo run on Fri. I was suppose to fly back to NYC on Thurs but with the snowicane or whatever they're calling this last winter storm hit NYC and my flight was cancelled. No real complaints from me about staying in CA another day. Before leaving yesterday morning. Me and my new west coast running pal headed out. I was planning on a tempoish run. I warmed up for 2 miles, then did 4 at whatever pace that was. I was hoping to stay close to 8s or just under but I was just over. It was 58 degrees and humid and I just felt sluggish. I'm just gonna write it off as it is what it is and not worry about it.

So now I've returned to the snowicane conditions I was trying to leave in the first place. Sigh. Oh well. It's not all that cold, there's just a lot of snow. Off for an 18 miler tomorrow where I will not be wearing shorts.

And I leave you with a picture of me and Meredith post race. Clearly, you can see who lives where by our outfits.

You come on like a flame Then you turn a cold shoulder

Really people. Enough with the winter. I'm over it. I think Bea may be over it as well. She went from running all over like a mad woman to ok, I've pooped, I'm going home.
I know how she feels.
I headed out for 11 today and cut it short at 8. It was snowing, which was fine. Around mile 4 it got to be wet snow and was sticking and making the roads in Central Park a mess. Mixed with the horse shit from those terrible carriage in the south end of the park, and well, yuck. Having that muck splash up all over yourself is gross. Plus, the footing was getting bad and Ishii and I could barely go below 10 minute miles. Just not worth it.
It's a good thing I cut it short too and here's why. I came home and I get cold pretty quickly when I stop running in the winter, even though I sweat like mad. So I got in a warm tub and I'm just lying there relaxing and suddenly, it felt like someone stabbed me in the side. I could barely get myself up. I managed to get to the bed with out even drying off and just laid there trying to figure out what to do. I called loren: got voice mail, same with my mom, called Ishii cause we had just run together.
After an annoying conversation with my Dr's office and considering a trip to the ER, the pain went away. There's a chance it was a kidney stone, who knows. I went to urgent care to play it safe. The Dr told me if it was a stone, it passed or I'd still be in pain and probably throwing my guts up. Man, it was BAD!
And here's where all my reading of RWOL has come in handy. He prescribbed Cipro and I had this moment: wait a minute...that's oh wait...Hey Dr, doesn't that have a side effect that can damage tendon? He wasn't sure so he looked it up and said, Huh, well look at that tendon ruptures. I wasn't surprised he didn't know that. How often you think it comes up? I was surprised that I remembered it and remembered reading about someone's bad experience with it. So, he gave me something else. Knowledge is power people!!!!

And now on to something totally different.
After my 16 mile run on Sat, I headed down to my mom's for dinner with her, my grandfather, my bro and his gf. Oh yea, and Loren.
My grandfather is 85 and originally from MA. During dinner he turns to me and says "So I hear you'll be running on Patriot's day this year". Only runners and people from MA knows this means: so you're doing Boston. He then went on to tell stories of watching the race when he was younger. Pretty cool! Just goes to show people who live where storied races like that take place also get a real kick out of it.

I'll be moving my long run to Thurs this week as a mini taper for my trip out to CA. Man, I hope the sleet/ice/crap is off the road for that. I can not wait to go someplace where there's no snow for a few days.

Can I handle the seasons of my life?

oops, I said I was going to post pictures on my bike and didn't. So if you clicky here you can see my beautiful new Calfee. Unfortunately for me, NYC is under almost a foot of snow, so it'll be a wall hanger for now. I'll have more pics when it's totally built up.
So yes, snow. The East coast got hit really hard over the weekend but it completely missed NYC. I mean, totally. I know my pals in Philly and DC/B'more got hammered. And then got hammered again yesterday. We got snow yesterday but it wasn't the oh my god locusts are falling from the sky variety some people thought it would be. It was actually rather nice.
As you can see, Bea has been enjoying it.


In running news, I had a wee bit of a chest cold. Just a hint of one. I know a lot of people think you shouldn't run which such things, but I disagree when it's mild. For me, it really helps to get things moving and I think helps getting it going on it's way. And who wants such an uninvited guest anyway?
Last Sat. I had my longest run post injury, 15 miles. And it was COLD. About 24 and felt like it was in the teens. And windy too. Lucky for me, Loren ran most of it with me.
Sunday, I did an easy recovery 4.
Tues, out with Ishii for 8
Today, I started with RayK then met Hilary. I did 11.
Generally, I have no pain in my foot. I'll feel a little ache from time to time, esp. after longer things, but the major pain isn't there. Also, I've been taping it for longer runs.
I must say as well, here in NYC, we're very lucky that Central Park is really on top of clearling the road in the park. It's awesome. The park is really beautiful in the snow and it's a hoot to watch all these older Upper West Side ladies break out their cross country skis and ski around the park. See kids slide down every little hill on everything you can imagine. Hawks flying beautifully over head. I've lived in NYC for so long, my I <3 NY moments dont come that often, but scenes like this are certainly one of them.

Marching forward with no doubt in his head

Wow.
Such a busy day! So much going on!
First, I volunteered this morning for the Empire State Building Run Up which is a truly insane (bordering on stupid!) race up 86 flights of steps to the observation deck. I volunteered last year as well. Loren was pretty sure I'd want to do it after working it.
Nope.
No desire. Pretty cool to watch, but just not my thing.
So after 4 hours of standing around watching people exit the stair case and try to resume some sort of natural running gait (not possible), I set out on a run of my own.

For a few reasons, one being familiarity, I am sorta following Pfitz's 12/55 training plan for Boston. I'm not quite running all the miles and not sure I will get up to 55, but I'm using it as a guide. Still being cautious about building my milage. Better safe than injured.
So today, was 8 miles with 4 at 15k/half pace. Well...I went a bit faster than that. More like a tempo cause my last half I intentionally ran as a long run and I'm not really sure where I am speed/fitnesswise. I was aiming for 8-8:15 pace in Central Park, which we all know: has hills! So my pals Ishii and Hilary joined me for the fun. I did 2 to warm up and then:
8:07, 7:55, 8:02 (with cat hill) 7:50
So a bit under 8. I am very happy about this. And I dont feel totally fried.
I am going to be in SF at the end of the month and am running the Chinese New Year 10k I'd like to go under 50 minutes and dont think that will be a problem.

And lastly, because Loren is awesome, she got me a new bike for my birthday. I've been riding for a really long time and have never had a road bike that actually fits. Mostly because I'm a short women. Anyway, that's another story for another time. So back in Oct. I went to get a soup to nuts fitting and sent off all the info to Calfee to see what they could do for me. Calfee has been building carbon bikes since 1987. That's a long time in the world of carbon bikes. You can read the history of geekiness if you're interested here. I've always been a steal girl myself, but I made the jump.
And today, well, today, my new carbon baby was delivered to me. And man oh man is it beautiful. I'll post pictures later this week.
I am so excited about this. It makes me look forward to spring and my post Boston life of being on my bike more.
Almost nothing beats NEW BIKE DAY!