30 June 2008

27 June 2008

Roses roses roses


Roses roses roses
Originally uploaded by WebSphinx.

Roses are roses are roses

Run! for ROSES!


P6210264
Originally uploaded by WebSphinx.

The Montgomery County Road Runners' Women's Distance Festival 5k

25 June 2008

21 June 2008

Re-TAGGED!

http://oscar065.blogspot.com/2008/06/tagged.html

Here I go, SECOND round of answers:
(This was my first set, a couple of weeks back:
http://jeannelouwho.blogspot.com/2008/06/tagged-myself-again.html )

1. How would you describe your running 10 years ago?

At first, I was a sporadic jogger, only running when I needed to take off a few pounds, or release the stress I sometimes found overwhelming as an actor in NYC. Then I started a continuous streak (running every single day), hoping to get my endorphins going on a regular basis. I never took a walk break, I had never HEARD of a walk break. I would jog in place at the redlights rather than stopping.

2. What is your best and worst run/race experience?

Best: Um....My first race was terrific. The Sierra Club Earth Day 5k in 2003. I had never run in a race before. The field was small, but to me, used to jogging along alone, it seemed so BIG, and hearing all those running feet at the start was a thrill. The park was beautiful, and the race trophies were awesome! It made me decide I needed to run MORE of these, so I could take home a trophy some day.
Worst: Falling on my face at Lake Roland Rumble and needing stitches. Of course, I was too damn stupid to go to the E.R right away. I finished the run, even though I was less than halfway done, my face was throbbing (although I didn't realize I was cut, I just thought I was swollen and bruised), and I was really READY for it to be over with...but it was a trail race and I just kept following the orange flags. When I finished, a woman said, "Maybe you ought to go look at yourself in the mirror", and another runner's husband (who just happened to be a plastic surgeon) checked me to make sure I hadn't broken my nose. I had NOT. But I was covered from head to toe in mud, and my face was bleeding and caked in mud. I needed 6 stitches.

3. Why do you run?

Never say die.
Too stubborn to stop.
I'm forcing myself to be optimistic about my running future. MARATHON, MARATHON....
I STILL would like to lose a few pounds.
Because I can't fly.

4. What is the best or worst piece of advice you’ve been given about running?

Best: Listen to your body.
Worst: Push through the pain.

5. What is something surprising about yourself that not many people would know?

I'm really very pessimistic at heart. (I may be fooling myself, and perhaps EVERYONE knows this about me already. But I believe that most people who know me think I'm basically an optimist. NOT TRUE, I stuggle all the time to look on the bright side, as my tendency is to see the down side immediately.)

20 June 2008

On location: Baltimore


On location: Baltimore
Originally uploaded by WebSphinx.

I'm an "extra" on the street outside the "holding area" for "My One and Only".
You won't find me in the movie, I barely made it on set at all. I guess I have bad "Extras Karma".

11 June 2008

Tagged myself again

I got these questions from here:

http://bestdayoftheyear.blogspot.com/

1. How would you describe your running 10 years ago?

Hmm... 10 years ago would be 1998, eh? I still lived in Manhattan , and when I was running (which I did off and on) I would run uptown 41 blocks from my apartment on 43rd Street, take a short stretch break at my turn-around on 82nd Street and West End Avenue, then run back down. Often I would then climb the stairs to my apartment on the 18th floor. All those flights only took me about 4 minutes total. I ran almost every day, with missed days only when I had schedule conflicts. I ran when it was cold, snowing, pouring rain, icy, sleeting, windy, hot, humid, anything, even when I was sick. Nothing stopped me. I never ran a race. I didn't even realize all those races were out there.

2. What is your best and worst run/race experience?

Best run? That's hard to say, because I have had many enjoyable running experiences. Perhaps my overall best was my 2nd marathon, The Vermont City Marathon in 2004. My sister was my support team, and she held signs for me and took video of me running along the route. It was the world's most perfect weather, after the night prior of cold, pelting, drenching storms. The race course is beautiful! And I took about 20 minutes off the time I had done for my first marathon.

Worst? Maybe the Springburst 8k last year. I had shinsplints but didn't know it yet, and I insisted on finishing the race because it was a grand prix race for a series I was running. I was in a lot of pain, but would not DNF, even though it was a 2-loop course and I could easily have have stopped before beginning the 2nd loop. I was hurting more and more as I continued, and limped my way to the finish. I came in dead last and crying. The year before I had won 1st in my age group. After that run, I finally got myself to a sports doctor. He, a runner himself, told me to stop running until I could heal, or I would end up with stress fractures. I missed months of races and training, including what was to have been my 12th marathon, The Flying Pig.

3. Why do you run?

It's about the only exercise I've found that I enjoy. It's pretty much my only social life, running and volunteering for my clubs. I keep hoping I'll get back my stamina, lose some weight, and begin to enjoy it again. I would like to be able to train and run more marathons.

4. What is the best or worst piece of advice you've been given about running?

Best - stay hydrated
Worst - ?

5. Tell us something surprising about yourself that not many people would know.

I performed in a play called EQUUS when I was a young NYC actor, and I actually had a nude scene. Yup. I've stipped to nuttin' in front of audiences. I was younger then. MUCH younger. lol

10 June 2008

Poor Bill


He was limping, suddenly and for no discernible reason on Saturday, so we took him to the vet. We were worried about glass from all the storm-damaged broken windows. We cleaned it up
as best we could, but there's still jagged edges around all the taped up windows.

Anyway, the vet found nothing, so perhaps Bill just landed badly from a jump. He's not a young spry kitten anymore. He seems fine now.

03 June 2008

Mood: maroon


Mood: maroon
Originally uploaded by WebSphinx.

Last fall's dahlias.
Just going through some of my backlogged photos on the hard-drive.

01 June 2008