It’s late Sunday night. Dunno, might be Monday morning. Oh, yeah, it is. I’ve got fiddle music playing low in the corner, and half a glass of red wine to my left hand. Adah and Digit are both sleeping, sensible creatures that they are. I’ve been catching up on my TV watching (doesn’t that make it sound onerous? It wasn’t). I had three Six Feet Unders stacked up, and Oh. My. God. That’s the only show during which I weep, and it’s not usually anything major that elicits the tears—it’s usually a glance between the siblings, or the mother sitting on a sofa, staring ahead. I’ve only had a total of one glass of wine—I can’t blame it on that. It’s just such a good show.
Dang.
My friend Marama and I ran ten miles today. I know! I’m terribly impressed myself. It was actually ten miles plus a little—we didn’t have an exact mileage, but it was a bit over. I like to think it was four(ish) miles over, but it was probably more like a quarter-mile or so more than ten. We ran around Bayfarm Island and then out to the ferry terminal and back again. The best view in the world, I tell you. Long paths along grassy areas, nothing ahead of you but the bay and the San Francisco skyline, the Bay Bridge, and Alameda. Sailboats. Pelicans. One lone, tall heron. A million squirrels. A few bunnies. One jackrabbit. We saw more wildlife than I’ve seen in months. (It was a little unnerving, actually.)
Ten miles is a long way, yo. But it only took us two and a half hours, and that’s including stretching and bathroom breaks. That doesn’t sound too bad to me. Actually, sounds pretty damn good. Then, of course, I’m struck with the thought that while we were running, looking at the City, Mariko was running IN the city, in the Chronicle Marathon. I believe she finished the 26.2 miles in three hours and forty-three minutes, according to Joanna. Holy crap. I can guarantee you that had I run another hour and thirteen minutes, I would have completed maybe half that much. Can you imagine? She rocks!
She and Joanna and I went into the City (yes, it DOES have to be capitalized) yesterday afternoon.
Joanna was signed up for the 5K and Mariko for the full monty, and they both needed to pick up their packets. I just wanted to watch how registration went for a Great Big Marathon.
It was pretty cool, actually. Did you know there’s a computerized chip that you pick up, that tracks when you start and when you finish? And I’ve heard that you can actually track on line where a runner is in our marathon. I don’t know if I want to tell you all how to watch me run in December. You’ll see every pitstop I make….. Every time I sit on the sidewalk and cry….. Eh. Shaking it off. Okay.
Then of course, since we were downtown and Mariko had never been to Mecca (as Ann calls it), we had to make a journey. I bought nothing. Neither did Joanna. Mariko took care of that for us. Hee. (That’s the sound of the enabler’s guilty giggle.) Then we headed back to Oakland, where we hit Article Pract. I think I was the only one to buy anything there. I need to make a scarf for the lovely, lovely man who is selling me two tickets to Strawberry Music Festival, and I’m making a Secret Thingie, too. All to be revealed in good time. Cromarty works apace, although she seems to go NOWHERE. I’m about half-way done with the front, the last piece. And I made a pair of socks last week for my dear friend Trish’s birthday. They had been on the needles a while, but they flew off when I put my mind to it (that, strangely enough, was right about the same time I realized I had missed said birthday. Damn it). I have to tell you: Bernat Denim Style is fabulous for thick QUICK socks. Machine washable and dryable. Who knew? I just pulled one ball out of my stash, and I’m so happy I did. And no wrong can be found with Wendy’s pattern.
Ack! I forgot to list and thank the Skinny Rabbit for sponsoring me, too! How could I have missed that? She bowls me over on a continual basis with her knitting and her beautiful boy and her dancing, so thanks, Becky! Mwah!
Enough typing. I think I’m tired. Oh, yeah. Ten MILES! And the shins aren’t bad at all. Swear. Ya-hooo!
Ten miles? I am SO proud of you!
TEN miles! Girl, you absolutely ROCK!
I just ran ten miles with my friend….she tosses off casually…and admired the wildlife along the way, SAY….just LOOK at that VIEW, wouldja?
Sweet Mother of GOD, Rachael, you have become a Real Road RUNNER!
The surest sign of course, is the comparative notation to racing times….
I am SO Proud….and a little exhausted, just Thinking about it.
Brick Joy looks very very happy to be in my CITY by the Bay, and aren’t the three of you just the Most Adorable Girls, ever….
sigh.
Go, Rachael!!!
Ten. Wowzie-wow-wow. That’s a lot of steps!
Goodness me! Ten miles. That seems completely impossible to me. I doubt I could run a half a mile. And to think, just a few months ago you were like me. It’s encouraging.
Isn’t Six Feet Under just the most awesome show on television? It always seems to leave me with my mouth hanging open and I’m telling you I do not move while it’s on. No popping into the kitchen and definitely no potty breaks. Just me in the middle of the couch and my husband being VERY quiet. I even yelled at my bro-in-law once for calling at 9:25 while SFU was on. (Okay, I didn’t yell; I just asked who in the world makes a phone call while SFU is on and the answer is my dorky bro-in-law.)
TEN! I’m all agog! And considering that I will unfortunately be nowhere near Hawai’i to actually watch you run, the idea of tracking you online is…well, now that I write it, it sounds pretty sinister. But I would do it. If only there were a way to IM you encouraging pep talk type things like “You can do it! But, yeah…go sit for a while. Now have some water. Now run, damn you, run!!”
Wow, 10 miles! How awesome! Do you feel good? A sense of accomplishment? I can’t imagine running for 2 hours. You are doing really well!
10 miles is glorious and you did in a great amount of time! Fantastic work! The shins were agreeable too! As someone else said above, you have become a real runner. You know that happens when you feel stressed and you think a good run would help me relax. That is when you have become infected with the running disease! I think you’ve been exposed and yea for yoU!
You are amazing. 10 mi? I am in awe. I don’t think I could run 10 blocks. I am right there with you when it comes to Six Ft. Under. I love love love that show. I don’t think I have missed an episode since season one. Rivoting!
You are amazing. 10 mi? I am in awe. I don’t think I could run 10 blocks. I am right there with you when it comes to Six Ft. Under. I love love love that show. I don’t think I have missed an episode since season one. Rivoting!
I LOVE Six Feet Under too. You’re right that it’s the subtle things that really get to you. I can’t wait until the next season comes out on DVD. Congrats for running 10 miles. That’s awesome! I don’t think I could do that in a million years, although I am going to take up swimming to work off the fat knitter’s behind that I’m developing 😉
Wow. 10 miles. Plus. I’m darn impressed!
well, I would just like to throw my “WOW” in the pot… Spiced with a little “Holy Crap, TEN?!?!”… and marinated with a bit of “You Are Very Inspirational To This Wannabe Runner.”
Congrats, Rachael! I can’t wait to cheer you on in December.
Ten miles..Good for you. Pretty soon 15 miles and then 26.2!!! Off to Lake Placid to do some mileage on ice. Say hi to Bethany.
Ten miles..Good for you. Pretty soon 15 miles and then 26.2!!! Off to Lake Placid to do some mileage on ice. Say hi to Bethany.
Rachael! Ten miles is unfathomably far!
I mean, you are the bionic woman.
Do you mind if I put your top down raglan in my new gallery? It came out so well.
-Stefanie.
Good for you on your 10 miles! Did your shin splint wrap thing work well? You know, I did not get my timing chip, and they wouldn’t give me another one Sunday morning, so I was not timed officially. Good thing I didn’t really care! We watched 6 Feet Under, too (after eating ramen and chocolate cake. Life is good). It was great to see you!
Ten? You go girl!
Way to go! 10 miles!
And what a cute bunch of woman : ) sounds like much fun.
Go Rach, Go! Ten miles is amazing–you’re progress in such a short time is AMAZING!!!
I gotta catch up on my SFU–I still need to rent Season 2. Maybe this week, now that the thesis is outa my hands for the next month!
OH MY SWEET JESUS!! your blog is soo fantasticmazing that it makes me wanna pee! i am pleasantly shocked and totally jealous of what you’ve made! i’ll be in the bay area next week — any yarn shops i should go to? i used to live in SF, but started knitting in tucson (weird, huh?). what knitting stores rock oh knitting guru? 😀
Woohoo! I’m so glad the shin wrap thingie works–TEN!! You’re incredible, and you’re going to be awesome in Hawaii. Thanks for a great day Saturday.