Mount Desert Island Marathon in Pictures

Sunday, October 19, 2008. Bar Harbor (Bah Hahbah,) Maine. C-c-c-cold at the start (for me, at least--it was about 30F.) Fantastic race, friendly Mainers (not Maine-iacs,) gorgeous scenery, awesome schwag, diabolical hills. Due to said hills, I was hoping for sub-6:30. I ran 5:44:20, which is awesome for me, a mere 2 minutes over my PR from flat flat flat Kiawah Island. Thanks to Kay for pulling my carcass over the line!

Pics from the day before, as we were wandering the village:

Me in front of Frenchman's Bay

Frenchman's Bay

I'm 99.7% sure that's Cadillac Mountain

Gazebo by the town pier

Church in town

Pics from race day:

Freezing, whiny Florida girls

Why I miss Up North

Bait shop! I loved the lobster on the building

Indeed....

Where do I check in??

Mickey Mouse hands. The gloves never came off

Still alive and in good spirits past the halfway point

Kirsten!! She walked the marathon, finishing in 8:02 and change

Somes Sound, right around mile 18. The wind kicked up mercilessly and the temp seemed to drop about 10 degrees, so the throwaway shirt came back on for a few miles

Happy finishers! I'm sporting the unexpected and much-appreciated microsuede windshirt that was part of our schwag bag. And dig my mylar-chic skirt ;)

Bling! Shirt and medal. Who the hell looks good in this color?? Whatever. At least it's technical fabric

Blurry close-up of the medal. The past two years' sponsor was Red Lobster, so there was a Red Lobster logo where the crow is. I prefer the crow, especially after the race director told us the story of how Crow Athletics got its name, how crows and runners are similar. If you'd like me to retell his story, hit me up ;)

This has GOTTA be some kind of record

It's October 16, and I'm already burned out on Christmas music :-P They set up all the Christmas stuff at work last night after I left.

It's gonna be a looooooong holiday season.

In other news, I'm running Mount Desert Island Marathon in Maine this weekend. I'm leaving for the airport at about 4:45 AM. If I go to bed right this second, I'll get about four hours of sleep :)

DONE!!

Since tomorrow is the end of the quinmester (and I'm ditching,) that means--I am FINISHED with the pain in the ass medical testimony class that has been the bane of my existence for the past nine weeks!! Maybe now I can stress a little less and worry more about my speed progression. I didn't pass my speed this quin, but I think I can make it within the next two weeks or so. God (and fingers) willing.

While I detested the medical class, I did really well in it. My instructor even wrote a note on one of my transcripts that medical testimony specialization may be in my future. Frankly, at this point, I'd rather take a stick to the eye, but I'm not completely ruling it out for the future. Never say never.

Random music note: This is my new favorite underplayed song on the radio. I wish the radio stations around here played some of the more underrated country artists rather than All-Kenny-and-Carrie-All-the-Time. As much as I love Keith Urban (and most of y'all know I do,) I really don't want to hear him three times an hour :-P

No reason, I just like it

I wanna be a bad ass when I grow up....

So how exactly does one develop an "edge," anyway? Perhaps life hasn't hardened me enough. Or is it something you're born with, and I'm shit outta luck?

Because I'm beloved by my family....

On my sister's latest blog post, these two pictures were labeled "For Shawnie."


As far as the second one goes, I guess when someone gets you, they get you ;-D

I have absolutely NO idea

where this came from:

But there it was this morning, on the left side of the front of my right ankle. Of course, most of you know an unexplained bruise is not an unusual occurrence for me, but this one is pretty big and it's kind of tender.

All I know is if I have some kind of weird, fatal blood disease and I only have, like, three months to live and I'm spending them working at the Hellhole and frustrating the hell out of myself at school, I am gonna be SO. PISSED. OFF. when I get to Hell or wherever I'm going :-P

Happiness

It's Mallomar season again, with all its chocolatey, marshmallowy goodness :) It's been a long summer without them. (And yes, I got into them before I even left the Publix parking lot.) Is it sad that something this small makes me stupid-happy??

Speaking of which, I've decided to go into my shift at the Hellhole with a good attitude today. I'll smile and mean it, make small-talk with the customers, and be nice (and not in a condescending way like usual) to Sparky the Ass Clown. I'm probably going to be stuck there for a little while(that's not to say I'm not sending my resume to a temp agency when I get back from MDI; that's still my plan,) so I may as well make the best of it.

The whole "power of positive thinking" thing actually worked for me yesterday. Melanie, who is working on her 225s, gave me some advice to practice more efficiently. I practiced a 2-1/2 minute dictation at 180 wpm, which is 20 wpm higher than what I've been working on. Even though it was complete slop at the beginning and the speed made me want to curl up in the fetal position under my desk and cry, I decided that wasn't going to get me anywhere, so I kept doing it. Lo and behold, the more I did it, the more words I could make out. After a while, when I slowed it down to 160, I only dropped a few words. Before that, I was tanking 150s. I stand in awe of Mel and her fantastic advice :)

Hopes and dreams for the future: BACK ON!!

Meme Time!

Swiped from Lisa. Thanks, Lisa!!
========================
A is for age: 34, but I usually claim 29
B is for beer of choice: Amber Bock, but I'm kinda digging Shock Top
C is for career right now: Retail Hell, but I don't consider that a "career." Court reporting student
D is for your dog's name: Lili (Great Dane) and Roscoe (MinPin.) Neither one is mine, but I'm kind of their surrogate Dog Mom
E is for essential item you use everyday: Toothpaste :-D
F is for favorite TV show: "The Office"
G is for favorite game to watch: Hockey and football. But I'll watch just about any sport except basketball (zzzzzzz....)
H is for Hometown: Detroit (Go Wings!)
I is for instruments you play: None. I'm painfully musically-challenged :(
J is for favorite juice: Cranberry
K is for whose butt you'd like to be kicking: Oh, there are a few butts that I'd like to stick my foot up right now....
L is for last place you ate: Like which restaurant, or which room in the house??
M is for marriage: One. Didn't stick. Again? Who knows?
N is for your name: Shawn Christine Gross Newton Walke Newton :-D
O is for overnight hospital stay: Never had to stay overnight
P is for people you were with today: Several co-workers--Wilson, Brian, Maura, Nidia, Lindsey
Q is for what's your best quality: How do you just pick one when you're as awesome as I am?? I guess humility ;)
R is for what are you currently reading: The Memory of Water. Chick Lit.
S is for relationship status: Unattached
T is for time you woke up today: 6:45 AM
U is for the type of underwear you have on: Bikinis
V is for vegetable you love: Spinach
W is for worst habits: Not filtering. I guess you shouldn't just always say what you're thinking as you're thinking it....
X is for x-rays you've had recently: Dental x-ray a couple of months ago when I chipped my tooth
Y is for something candy : (Why is Y for candy?) Take 5. Little-known fact: Secret ingredient is crack.
Z is for zodiac sign: Gemini

Suck it, Alabama!!

Paid my effin' speeding ticket this morning.

So the State of Alabama, its speed traps, and its 15-year-old Opie Taylor lookalike cops can bite my ass.

Have a fabulous day :-D

The Newton Girls

We're taking Steph over to the Mons Venus and gettin' her a job!

This is going to be my future Internet dating site profile picture...

LT's First Birthday Party - October 5

Yay! Presents!!

Obligatory Stupid Hat Photo

Nemo Cake!! The dark blue border didn't stain our tongues and teeth. Believe me, we tried...

Smash cake

This is how we ALL should eat cake

Obligatory Stupid Hat As Horns Photo (family tradition)

Baby Evel Knievel, Redneck Version ;)

Busch Gardens - October 5

Mom and me at the Hospitality House. Mine was Shock Top, hers was Bud Light

Montu

SheiKra

SheiKra

Pretty bird :)

LT in baby jail

(Okay, he was actually on a ride)

LT and Tony

Ten Second Book Review - I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell

Okay, this one might take longer than ten seconds. There's kind of a lot to cover. Let me start off by saying there's some adult content here. Don't blame me--I didn't write the book ;)

So the title caught my eye on the table at Borders. When I flipped it over, the first sentence on the back cover is, "My name is Tucker Max, and I am an asshole." Yeah. I *had* to buy it after reading that. At least the dude is honest. The guy is a dick with seemingly few redeeming qualities, as evidenced by the stories he recounts. But he's funny and his stories are entertaining. His life seems to revolve around getting blackout-drunk and having sex. A LOT. No one would ever accuse me of being puritanical, but this guy made me blush a little.

My favorite chapter was the one where he got kicked out of a minor league hockey game for fighting with the mascot on the ice (while drunk, of course.) THAT was some hilarious stuff right there. I also enjoyed the chapter of blowjob vignettes.

Not only was the book entertaining, it was kind of educational, too. For instance, did you know that it's difficult to wash ejaculate out of your hair? I didn't, but I do now, because he mentioned it twice. This is good information to have. I guess.

His writing style is good, although he uses the word "f*ck" WAY too much. Don't get me wrong--I've been known to drop an F-Bomb (or ten) on any given day, but when you're using it as a verb, a noun, and an adjective in the same paragraph, it might be time to expand the ol' vocabulary a bit. He could have used a bit better of an editor, too. I noticed several basic punctuation mistakes and a few spelling errors. Now, a normal person might not notice stuff like that, but since I've been trained to spot stuff like that as a profession, it drives me batshit crazy to see it in published works like this. My own little form of OCD.

A final thought: After doing some quick math, I determined that the author is about three years younger than me. As someone who was married to a guy 15 years my senior, I'm worried that this behavior is the norm for guys in my age range, which is enough to either keep me dating old guys or send me running to see if the nearest convent has room for a skeptical lapsed Catholic.

Anyway, it was a pretty good read. I give it 3.75 stars out of 5.

Makeup and Big Words

((Okay, y'all--count all the big words!))

So for the two of you who read this and aren't on my clandestine double secret-squirrel running list, here is a recap of a conversation I had with someone (not on said list) who has known me for over three years. I'm not even exactly sure how we got on the topic of guys, but when we do, it usually turns to the fact that I can't seem to find one that is acceptable. Or that finds me acceptable ;)

First she tells me that I should wear a little more makeup, because a lot of guys aren't into the "natural" look I've got going on. Now, I've never been a big makeup girl. A little mascara and lip gloss, and some concealer to attempt to cover up the dark circles and random zit. I don't see the need to trowel on a layer of goo to go to the grocery store. There is no reason I can think of for me to look like a Vegas showgirl every day, especially in the oppressive humidity that is prevalent here in Florida, where it will just melt off within an hour anyway.

The second, and more dubious, piece of advice I got from this fount of wisdom (who has the moral turpitude of an alley cat, but I digress...) was that I should basically dumb down. Her quote was, "If you use big words around guys like you do around us, you're probably intimidating them." **Blink** (My immediate response to her was, "Well, you could probably expand your own vocabulary if you read a book once in a while." Because I'm a bitch that way :-D)

Allow me to defend myself here: I do not walk around talking like Ms. Merriam-Webster 2008. But I read a lot, and I pick stuff up. I have a pretty good vocabulary. But I'm being told not to use it around a person I potentially could be spending the majority of my time with, because it might threaten him. And then I wondered to myself, "Who the hell is this girl dating that she thinks this is helpful??" because it was just so...stupid.

As far as the dumbing-down thing goes, I think my friend Lisa said it best: "If you dumb down, you get dumb guys. No thanks." AMEN, sister! I've already dated (and married) dumb. At some point, you want to actually have a conversation. But maybe that's just me.

Yet another reason to keep my moratorium on boys in place.

Milestone

A pathetic milestone, but a milestone nonetheless :)

After three years of flat-out refusing, tonight at the Hellhole I let W talk me into conquering one of my fears in life: I stood on the top of a 12-foot ladder, one leg swung over the bar, while he handed boxes of Aqua Globes or some such stupid shit up to me. My head was a full 17.5 feet above the ground. My balance is not ideal under normal circumstances. But I put those stupid boxes up on that high-ass shelf practically at the top of the store (go into any BBB if you don't know what I'm talking about--they're all laid out pretty much the same.)

I'm not afraid of heights at all--I've stood on the second-to-highest level you can go at the CN Tower in Toronto. I've ridden 300-foot-plus tall roller coasters over and over again until I was ready to puke. It seems I'm just afraid of ladders. More specifically of *being on* ladders. Mostly of falling off the top of them.

So one fear went down tonight. Next up: Public speaking.

Or maybe not....

Chopped

Carol, who actually remembered me this time, went just a bit shorter than we had discussed, but it's fine; my hair grows pretty fast. It'll be perfect in about a month.

Most of those who have seen it like it. Weird, slightly creepy moment at the Hellhole on Saturday: This middle-aged guy checks out and says, "Oh. You cut your hair. I liked it long." I have no idea who this guy was. I usually at least recognize the "regulars." Like the dude who comes in every Wednesday night with his wife, and wanted to sprinkle holy water on me when he found out I was a Cowboys fan. At least I *knew* who he was and forgave the moronic comment ;)

Minus Five Inches?

I have an appointment with my hair stylist tomorrow. She rarely remembers me since I only get my hair cut about every four months or so. Whenever I go into the salon with my mom, Carol looks at me a few times and then says, "You look soooo familiar...." Uh, yeah. You've been cutting my hair for the past three years. Anyway, the last time I saw her was right before my birthday. Memorial Day. Which explains why it looks like shit now ;)

I'm thinking of going with a medium-length, lightly layered bob, which would entail hacking off about 5" of hair. Since I don't have a boy whispering "Don't cut your hair! I *love* long hair!" in my ear, I'm currently 60% in favor of making the chop.

So what say you, readers (both of you?) So far, as of 4:25 PM, I have two votes for Chop It! and zero for Keep It!

And, yes, this is a big deal to me. Girls tend to get attached to their hair :)

Vienna

My all-time favorite song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YGh23ZEWcI

"Slow down, you're doing fine
You can't be everything you want to be
Before your time
Although it's so romantic on the borderline tonight"

Things are as they should be. Life is not random.

That being said, I'd *love* to "take the phone off the hook and disappear for a while." I can't tell you how many times I've been on my way to work or school and almost turned north and then west. I wonder how long I could hide out in Mexico on what's in my checking account? ;-D

Also, Billy Joel is a friggin' GENIUS. And I will argue that to the death with anyone :)

Ten-Second Book Review - Hidden

Just finished Hidden, by Paul Jaskunas. An excellent read IMO--kind of a mystery, a bit of a thriller. Did the husband do it? Will she ever find out what really happened? The mind and memory are fascinating things. Once you think you know something, you can convince yourself that it is the truth. But it's sometimes only the truth as you see it. And I could totally identify with the flawed protagonist, Maggie, who fell for a charming guy that *everybody* loves, a real Mr. Everybody's All-American type, who, in reality, is kind of a dick.

And extra props to Jaskunas for writing Maggie so well. It's rare that a male novelist can pull that off.

4.5 stars out of 5.

Sunk to a New Low

I don't know if I would officially call this "rock bottom," but I'm getting close.

E was making out the schedule for the week after next at the Hellhole this afternoon. I had a backup cashier at the service desk, and we were in a lull, so I sidled up to E and said, "You know, E, If you need me an extra weeknight next week, I'd be *glad* to come in." A nice smile, an ever-so-subtle bat of my eyelashes, a light touch to his shoulder.

Jesus H. Christ. I'm practically whoring myself for hours at a job I can't stand. And THAT, kids, is what $4 per gallon for gas will do to you.

But it worked. I got three weeknights and--hooray!--SATURDAY evening!! NOT Sunday.

If I'd worn a push-up bra and a low-cut shirt, I probably could've gotten a raise ;)

Hell, maybe I still got a little somethin' goin' on.

Ten Years

I don't really think about him that much anymore. When I see an old Thunderbird driving down the street, which isn't that often. On a run when I see a garage door cocked in its track. When we're telling redneck stories, definitely. I didn't remember him on his birthday back in February. (Well, not until March, anyway.) I didn't think about him on August 4. But I guess I couldn't escape him today. We would have been married 10 years today.

I no longer place the blame for the split squarely on his shoulders. It's never just one person's fault, is it? It was never quite right. Two totally different personalities trying to mesh, turning toxic toward each other near the end. Don't get me wrong: the chicken-shit way he went about things was completely ball-less. But I see now that it wasn't all him, and, as much bile as it produces to say this, he was right to leave. What else can you do when you don't really like each other anymore, much less *love* each other? You cash in your chips and leave the table.

After three years, there's nothing left. No more hate, not really any more hurt. I never got "closure," whatever the hell THAT is, but it's okay. If it weren't for him, at least partly, I wouldn't have become the person I am now, and I like me now. I learned a *lot* from our relationship, so I'll have a leg up if I ever get another chance at this love/couple thing. So even though my mom loves to remind me about how I wasted seven years of my life with him, I don't consider it a waste because I'll know how to avoid the same mistakes next time around.

"But the struggles make me stronger
And the changes make me wise
And happiness has its own way
Of taking its sweet time
Life ain't always beautiful
But I know I'll be fine
Life ain't always beautiful
But it's a beautifu ride"
--Gary Allan

Cousin Itt

Just screwing around with the camera instead of doing something productive.

I'm thinking of hacking the hair off, actually. Steph, I know *you'll* have an opinion....

Take Me As I Am

"We all live with the scars we choose
They might hurt like hell
But they all make us stronger

Slow to trust but I'm quick to love
I push too hard and I give too much
I ain't saying I'm perfect but I promise I'm worth it

If you want it, come and get it
If you want it, come and get it but understand
You take me as I am"
--Sugarland

Well then. Jennifer Nettles seems to have been reading my diary ;) After a small glimmer of hope with yet another Mr. Almost But Not Quite, the Boy Moratorium is back in place. ((sigh)) Maybe I need to move. Wouldn't it be a cruel cosmic joke if The Right One was in, like, Alaska or something??

For Steph :)

Go to the store, buy a hat, and hold the f*** onto it!

Is It a Bad Thing?

Like It's A Bad Thing

So my heart's been broke
So I keep on falling
I'm nothing but all in when I let go
I wear it on my sleeve
Yeah, they call me a fool 'cause I still believe
Like it's a bad thing

I don't know about you but I was put here to live and love
So what if I don't do it like everybody else does
They say I'm out on the edge, I'm too willing to risk
Every bone, every breath, they say all I am is a crazy dream
Like it's a bad thing

Ten-Second Book Review - The Doctor's Wife

Just finished The Doctor's Wife by Elizabeth Brundage. A really good read. Sex, abortion, extreme right-wing religious crazies, attempted murder, art. All the good stuff :) I'd give it four stars out of five.

I'm trying to decide on my next book. I've got it narrowed down to three: I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell by Tucker Max; Hidden by Paul Jaskunas; and The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt.

Or I may re-read The Sun Also Rises, which is an all-time favorite. One day I'll make it to Key West to see the Hemingway House...

Anyway, any opinions or other suggestions are welcome. Hit me up :)

Only Slightly Deeper Than a Puddle

Wednesday nights are mind-numbingly boring down at ol' Death & Beyond, so I have a lot of time to ponder life's mysteries while doing super-intricate stuff like making sure the citronella candles are lined up perfectly straight (LOVE the smell of citronella, BTW. So we can blame this post on the fumes.)

I'm aware that this is nothing new, and everybody and their dog has thought about this, but tonight I was thinking about the people who come into our lives, the ones with whom we choose to have friendships/relationships (however loosely defined,) and how they change who we are. My question is, are these people in our lives for a specific reason, maybe to teach us something, or to bring something that's been missing to us? Are we *supposed* to find these people, or is it just part of life's weird randomness that comes from the choices we made before? Would we have eventually found them anyway?

For instance, if I had married my boyfriend in Michigan according to The Plan (and there was *always* A Plan. And you must never deviate from The Plan or chaos and disorder will ensue. But I digress...) Anyway, if I had married him, I never would have moved to Indy. I wouldn't have met and married my ex. I might not have started running when things started to go downhill. I then wouldn't have gotten involved with the online running groups that have been such a great source of support, both in running and life in general. I wouldn't have moved to Florida. I wouldn't have become friends with Linae. And then I wouldn't have ever even THOUGHT about doing triathlons. (And God only knows where THAT is going to lead....) And there you have it; I'm not me. You play a few hands a bit differently and you've got a completely different life.

Then again, I may just be really really tired and overthinking things and assigning more importance to these things than is warranted ;) I have no answers, only more questions.

Oh well. If you're reading this, chances are you're in my life in some way, whether it's online only or in "real" life. Either way, I'm glad you're here, no matter how you got tangled up with me. Blame it on a weird hop of your dice ;)

All better now

So I had a bit of a meltdown this morning that had me seriously considering quitting CR school after three years, despite the finish line being in sight. (It's down a ways, but I can make it out...)A big Thanks! to my friends, both in person and online, for talking me off the ledge :) This is quite literally THE single most frustrating thing I have ever done. I mean, if I take a dictation, transcribe it, and capture 94% of it, including proper punctuation, that is a big fat FAILURE. 94% - No Pass. I have missed so many tests by, like, five words. EXTREME frustration, I can't even tell you. And then you pass, finally!! And you're elated for about ten minutes before it sinks in that you have to do it all over again, only 20 words per minute faster. And then you need a drink.

So between this frustration, the BS at work, picking up my cat's ashes yesterday, and some other random life things that haven't gone quite the way I would have hoped, it all came to a head this morning. A Perfect Storm of self-pity, if you will ;)

Of course, I'm not actually quitting. As usual, sitting there stewing about it just pissed me off and made me more determined to work even harder. More friggin' finger drills and speed ladders :-P

Letting it go

I'm tired. I'm tired of worrying about stuff I can't change. There are just things I cannot do a damn thing about:
*The fact that some people are sneaky, lying rat bastards who are able to go through life without a conscience. Congratulations, ass clown.
*The fact that, as long as I remain in my current employment, I'm going to continue to get jerked around, and I'm pretty much at the mercy of the aforementioned ass clown.
*How people feel about me. Or don't.
*My current living situation. It's only temporary, anyway.
*The fact that I have shoulders like a linebacker ;)

So I'm letting it all go. Not wasting any more time on it. Instead, I'll focus my energies on things I actually CAN do something about, like finishing school, finding other temporary employment, and shrinking the size of my ass. Besides, don't swimmers have nice, broad shoulders?

One final random thought: Much like Kid Rock, who is only a couple of years older than me, I grew up in the Detroit area, hanging out at the lake in the summer. Watching his latest video, it occurs to me that this depiction has little in common with how I spent *my* high school summers at the lake.

Must be because the boats I hung out on didn't have a stripper pole ;-D

T-minus 2 hours!!

Aaaaah, football season. My most wonderful time of the year. It has been a loooooong spring/summer. Welcome back, Romo, T.O., Witten, Ware, and the rest of the 'Boys. May you kick ass all season long, and perhaps I'll see you in Tampa on February 1. I may stalk you a little, but I'm harmless, I promise :-D

Yes, it's pink. I *am* a girl. But I still know as much about football as any guy, and more than many of them.

Another cheesy self-portrait :)

Pointless Rant

What is it with guys who seem to want to go out with me, but get scared off because of the whole marathon/triathlon thing? This has been the case for the last THREE potential guys (one of them turned out to be a douche, so no great loss there, but I digress....) The first one was thrilled that I had finished my marathon because then I could spend all my free time with him. Until he found out about the next two marathons in rapid succession I had coming up. I kept thinking, Dude--I've been doing this for 7 years; you've been around for 7 MINUTES. It's insane to think I'm going to give it up for you! I didn't hear much from him after that; just an IM every now and again to say hey when he sees me online. The Douche flat out told me I was wasting my time and money, that it was a pointless endeavor. All right then. Buh bye. And I don't think the most recent guy knows WHAT to make of me.

To be fair, it's probably at least partially my own fault. I don't just run a marathon once in a while; I run several a year, as well as a lot of shorter-distance races. I just got into the tri thing this year, but I'm already committed to an Olympic distance race next year, and I'm 95% talked into a half iron distance for next year as well. So I'm most likely a bit obsessive. It's well-documented that I shouldn't be around "normal" people, what with all my talk of PRs, split times, and bodily fluid expression methods (i.e., snot rockets.) One poor guy at work asked me how my tri went, and after I finished the story about puking on the run, I think he learned his lesson about talking races with me. (Disclaimer: this is not *all* I am capable of talking about; it just seems to come up a lot :) )

So either I'm a hopeless case or I'm just hanging out with the wrong people :)

Labor Day

Typical Newton Family Photo

Seeing this, it occurs to me that I need some clothes that actually fit. Too bad I spend all my money on races....

I didn't think it was possible, but I believe he's actually *whiter* than I am.

If the whole NFL linebacker thing doesn't work out, he's got a future as a plumber :)

Yep. I'm thinking defensive tackle for the Cowboys in 2028...

Lili, looking kind of weird. That's 130 lbs of love puppy right there :)

RR: Tupelo Marathon

Tupelo, Mississippi. August 31, 2008. Finish time: 6:04:06

===========================================

Marathon #14, state #13. Wow. It was brutal. It was hot. Humid. Sunny. With relentless hills, some of them really big (at least for me.) It ain't for sissies. The end result wasn't exactly what I was hoping for, but I find it difficult to be disappointed with my finishing time in those conditions. I earned that skull-and-crossbones.

I left my house in Central Florida at 4:15 Saturday morning. It was an uneventful drive through northern Florida and all the way up the middle of Alabama. 10.5 hours door-to-door, which was pretty good time. Got the the running store where packet pickup was, got my tacky neon-colored tie-dyed t-shirt and my chip and headed over to my hotel. I was bored, so I drove around Tupelo a bit.

Saw a Bed Bath & Beyond at a strip mall, and because I'm a glutton for punishment, I stopped in. (Even smaller than my store.) I never hooked up with the Tallahassee 50 Staters, so I just found a couple of slices of pizza and headed back to the hotel, where I settled in for the evening, reading and texting some friends.

Woke up at 3:30 AM again, got dressed, and headed out into the darkness to find the race site. It was out on country backroads, and I just assumed that the only people dumb enough to be out in the middle of nowhere at four o'clock on a Sunday morning were other runners :) Hung out, chatted with a few people, then went to find the starting line. Took off at 5:05 AM. In the dark. Pitch black dark. A few people had glowsticks and headlamps, but mostly it was dark. Which was good because it was hot, already in the high-70s, and very humid. But still a little eerie.

So the first ten miles were run in the dark. Then the sun came up. Then it started getting hairy. The eventual winner, Chuck Engle (certified hottie and all-around nice guy,) who pretty much owns this race, passed me on the out-and-back course when I was near mile 11, and he had just passed mile 15. I got his picture as he was running by. (Update: It didn't come out well. He was very small in the photo.) He told me I was looking good. Speedy lying b*stard ;)

Moving on up and down the friggin' hills, it was probably in the mid-80s by the time I hit the halfway mark, where the marathon runners turned and the smart people (those running the 14.2 miler) went on ahead to their finish line. We were off the backroads and in a really nice subdivision with ginormous houses for this part of the course. Not too many people out yet, but those that were were really supportive. Then it was back out on the roads. Around mile 15, I slowly reeled in this cute guy who was looking pretty ragged. He turned down my offer of Clif Shots and/or salt tablets, so on I went. I don't know if he finished. Right around mile 16, my race strategy changed from Run Like Hell and Don't Die to Just Don't Die. I decided to walk up the hills and run down them, and run the "flats." Not that there were many of those.

Around mile 17, I made my way up Mt. Kilamanjaro (or so it seemed.) This hill lasted the whole friggin' mile. I was not amused. Then at mile 18, the craving started. All I could think about was an icy cold pop. More than life itself, I wanted a fountain beverage, one of those Ginormo-Gulps. I'm talking 108 ounces of high fructose corn syrupy goodness. That thought spurred me on until mile 22, when the Calf Cramps From Hell started. Crap. Every time I started to run, both calves cramped right up. I'd stop and stretch them out, try to run again, and they'd cramp up again. My salt intake was good and steady, so I'm guessing the combo of heat and hills I wasn't completely used to. So I wound up walking entirely the last 3.5 miles, which pissed me off. This is NOT how I wanted to finish. But I just wanted to finish. At this point, I knew sub-6:00 was out of the question. I rolled across the finish line at 6:04:06, got my medal, and stood under the little sprayers they had just past the line, thankful to be done.

(Some cheering spectators)

They had a nice little setup: grilled hot dogs, the thought of which turned my stomach, and a cooler full of water, Gatorade, pop, and beer. I had one of each :) Chatted with some of the volunteers, stretched out in the shade for a few minutes, and thought about how disappointed I was with my time. But then I decided not to be, because just six months ago, I ran New Orleans (super-flat and not nearly as hot) in 6:28, and in April I ran Nashville in 6:24. I'm not sure how the hills stacked up, but Tupelo seemed worse. And Nashville wasn't nearly this hot. So I can't really be too bummed out with my time.

Went back to the hotel, cleaned up, and started my drive home. Got a speeding ticket in Alabama from a cop who looked to be all of 15 years old. I wanted to ask him if this was his after-school job, but didn't feel like being cuffed and frisked (although he was a cutie--red hair and freckles.) I just kept thinking, "I can't believe I'm getting a speeding ticket from Opie Taylor...." Made it home at about 12:45 AM.

Next up: Mount Desert Island in Maine. I looked at the elevation chart. Those hills are diabolical. Time to crank the treadmill up :-P

(Where can I NOT wear this bad boy??)

Lovely

Hmmmm. Looks like it may be time to move again. I hear Kansas is...oh hell, never mind :-P

Dixie Newton, 1997 - 2008

Her name was Dixie, though she went by many others: Dissy (Dixie slurred, lol,) Demon Cat, Evil Kitty, Pissy, Smelly Cat, Princess Furball. She was born in early April 1997. I decided April 1 was appropriate. We found her up a small tree at a friend's house near Danville, Indiana, in May of that year, right before my birthday. I told John I was keeping her. There was no discussion. She was mine.She was feisty right from the start. Some called her mean. I called her selective. She would let most people stroke her three or four times, then she'd bite them. I could get away with it for much longer. She liked getting her ears rubbed while lying on my chest, poking her head up underneath whatever I happened to be reading, purring and drooling. I had never seen a cat drool before. She was a weirdo. She and I went together like peas and carrots.
The dogs were scared of her, especially Lili, the Great Dane, even though Lili outweighed her by 120 pounds. A couple of smacks to the snout, and Dixie took control of the Animal Division of the Newton Family. She was a really cool kitty. She was my kitty.

When I took her to the vet yesterday for her shots, I was stunned to find out she was so sick. Her little lungs were riddled with cancer, her little heart failing, her breathing incredibly labored. Today I had to do the only humane thing I could for her. I had to end her suffering. After being her cat mom for over 11 years, it's extremely hard to let go. But it's all I could do.

So here's to my little Demon Cat, who I'm sure is up at Rainbow Bridge right now terrorizing her dalmatian brothers who went before her: Dugan (2004) and Barney (2006.) Give 'em hell, girl.

Damn Cat

So I took Dixie the Demon Cat in for her vaccinations and exam. I came home without a cat.

I told the vet that she hadn't been eating much over the past several weeks, and I had noticed last week that she was breathing funny, like panting for no reason. And she doesn't come out from under the bed much anymore. Dr. M. wanted to address that before anything else. She weighed her--6.5 lbs. She had lost about 3 lbs. About a third of her body weight. So she did an x-ray of her lungs, and they're filled with something. Whether it's fluid or tumors, she couldn't tell. So they're keeping her overnight and doing some bloodwork and giving her a shot to dry up her lungs, if it's even fluid in there, and then she'll do the x-ray again. I should know tomorrow.

None of the situations look good. It could be cancer, primary heart failure, or, best-case scenario, secondary heart disease from hyperthyroidism. It looks like I may have another horrible decision to make tomorrow. I'm not sure I can deal with this right now. But what can you do.

I know a lot of people will say, "She's just a cat." But she's been with me for over 11 years. Sort of the only constant in my life. When my husband took off, she was still there. When my parents didn't speak to me for two years, she was still there. She was there when I was fat. She was there when I dropped a good chunk of the weight. Through training for every marathon, for both triathlons, for my decision to go back to school, she was there, doing her 3 AM breath checks ("Okay, the Food Lady is still alive. There will be kibble in the morning.") Every book I've read in the past 11 years, she has plopped her big furry butt on and purred away. Sorry guys. She's not just a cat to me.

Sadly,
S :(

Holy. Mother. of. God.

My afternoon class is Medical Q&A. I have to stenotype words like antihypertensive, thrombophlebitis, atheromatous, costophrenic. Crap. I'm having enough trouble with, "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, a crime is a violation of a statute of this state."

:-O

My friend Melanie took this class a couple of terms ago. I've already offered her $20 per transcript ;)

Hurricane Panels

Here they are. Aren't they attractive?? The neighbors (and the homeowner's association) had better get used to them, because these bastards are staying up for a while. Maybe my dad will take them down when he does his Annual Cuss-Like-a-Trucker-Christmas-Light-Hanging Extravaganza (earmuffs, kids!!)

Update 8/19: Ummm, nothing happened. Barely even got any rain. Which is a good thing...

Laziness extended by one more day

Hillsborough County (where I go to school) has shut down the schools tomorrow, along with everyone else except Pasco (where I live.) That's fine; I was dreading getting up at 0430 anyway....

Brooke just called, and we were talking about what it was like when she lived in St. Pete for several years. I guess people would hole up in bars for the duration of the storm and make it one big party. Sounds kinda fun :)

Hurricane party at my house!!

Fay, Fay, Stay Away...

So this will be my first hurricane/tropical storm/tropical whatever. People around here seem pretty unconcerned about it, so I guess I won't panic. My mom, however, has pretty much gone into Defcon-We're-All-Gonna-Die mode. Every candle we own has a lighter in it and is on the kitchen counter. We know where all the flashlights are and they all have fresh batteries. We have enough bottled water to fill a swimming pool out back. The generator has been dug out from the back of the garage. The vehicles have all been gassed up, in case we need to make a hasty retreat to Alabama. And I was informed that we're putting up the hurricane panels on the side windows when she gets home from work tomorrow, which should be super-fun. She and I don't work that well together, so it's shaping up to be BitchFest 2008.

Ten bucks says we just get a good drenching, with no added drama.

You're probably saying, "WTF??" right about now...

TH-S/KEUPBD/-F/A/PWAD/TKAEU. EU/-PL/TKPWG/-RD/TO/SEUT/TPH-/PHAOEU/KHROZ/ET/SKP/KRAOEU/TPOR/A/WHAOEUL/TPHOU. HOEP/TPHRAOE/EU-L/AE/TKPWET/OEFR/TH-/PEUT/AOE/PAERT/SAOPB/SKP/TKPWET/OPB/W-/HRAOEUF/AZ/REG/HRAOE/SKED/-D.

It's real, I promise. Although I used regular periods rather than the steno FPLT. That is all I have to say about that.

If you can transcribe this, call me. 727-534-5791. We can discuss it ;)

SHAUPB (that's my name)

We both survived

The Great Babysitting Experiment of 2008 :)

He's walking pretty well already, which makes it difficult to keep track of him. This is why baby gates were invented (not just for dogs and for me to bust my ass on.)

(I would like it noted that the scratch on his face was there when I got him...)

Friggin' Neck....

It still hurts. I'm still not sure what I did to it, but I wish it would go away already :(

So in deciding whether to do my missed run from yesterday or to ride as planned, I asked my friends which I should do. Holly asked me what I needed to do more. I figure with a marathon coming up in just over three weeks, I needed the run more. It was not a pretty run. Cut it short at three miles. But it's better than nothing.

Song of the day: I'm completely digging this song and replayed it three times--Country Man by Luke Bryan. He's adorable and a goofball, so he earns Hot Country Singer status in my book.

(Hey, does the fact that I've actually *been* in a deer stand make me a bona fide redneck?)

Tomorrow is yet another long run. What the hell was I thinking??

Best Invention EVER

The Tide Pen.

Those of you who know me have a pretty good idea why ;-P

Hump Day Run

Broke in my new shoes on a hot, sweaty 4-miler this morning. They're kind of ugly, but they feel good :)

I wonder if I'll ever stop thinking, "Hey, I used to know a guy who could fix that" every time I run by a broken garage door. I also wonder if this super-sexy farmer tan on my legs will ever go away.

Yesterday's OCN: 45 minutes. Nothing exciting.

I work tonight, but I don't know who I close with, so God knows when I'll get out. I'll be available by text until at least 10 PM ;)

Song of the day: "Yee Haw" by Jake Owen. Just because it's that kind of day :)

RR: Top Gun Sprint Triathlon

**Linae got some post-race pictures from Saturday. They can be found here.

It was better. Much, much, much better than my first. Certainly still some room for improvement, but I'm happy with my performance.

Spent the night prior to the race at Linae and Joe's, where we had pizza, watched a goofy movie (I'm telling you guys--next time, Talladega Nights!!) and I made friends with the Dobie. Was finally able to get a little sleep, and woke up at 5:30 race morning. To quote Joe, "Nothing good happens at 5 AM..."

I'd been a bit anxious about this race, mostly from my prior experience: The swim still freaks me out; what if the G-D bike breaks? what if I get lost? But I felt a lot better after getting into Fort Desoto and seeing that this was a really well-organized event. That, and even *I* couldn't get lost in the park--there's one road, and volunteers/officials everywhere. I felt fairly relaxed going into the water. We were the last wave, which made me happy. Nobody to swim over me :) I did manage to swallow a decent mouthful of tasty saltwater, but I didn't drown, so it's all good.

The bike was fairly uneventful. I felt like I was going to retch through most of it. Around mile 8, I saw a dude blow past me. I thought to myself, "Does it say "86" on his leg??" Yep. I got passed on the bike by an 86 year old man. Note to self: More saddle time, please. ((sigh))

The run was hot. As usual, it took me about 1/2 mile to get the jello-y feeling out of my legs. And then, about 3/4 of a mile into the run, the dry heaving started. I got off the trail a bit, stopped, and there it was: the saltwater. Gross. Only the second time I've puked in a race (frankly, I thought it would have come much sooner.) The other time was the Kiawah Island marathon two years ago. I spewed on someone's lawn in front of the ginormous tree in their front yard. Anyway, I felt better and managed to finish in 1:45:28. Certainly not fast, but definitely something to work to beat in October :)

A few firsts: My first triathlon puke; first time I left the finish line with a guy on each side of me (okay, so it was Linae and Joe's friend Kurt and an Army guy of all of maybe 23 years old, but still ;) ) And it was the first time I've done tequila shots out of the trunk of a car at 10 AM. (Note to self: No tequila before noon.)

I'll be back at Fort Desoto in October. As I've been told time and again, "You can never leave The Firm." It seems I don't want to.

Jackasses

In the span of two hours at work tonight, three separate people came in and asked me where the Beyond section was. Hahahaha!! That's soooooo funny!! I've NEVER heard THAT one before!! So very clever!!

I think the rain makes people stupider.

Just another day in New Port Nowhere :-P

Mondays blow

Rode the bike today for an hour. No big whoop. Nothing exciting. Still look like a dork, butt still hurts, just another day, blah blah blah.

Ordered a new pair of running shoes this morning. My shins are starting to twinge a little, which usually means my shoes are wearing out. It's time--they have over 400 miles on them.

Song of the day: "Come a Little Closer" by Dierks Bentley. Mostly because I saw the video this morning. Crazy-hot song/video. Mmmmmm, Dierks.

Closed Down the Chili's

Work didn't go as badly as I had expected last night. It just went by mind-numbingly S-L-O-W-L-Y because we were completely dead. Afterward, my friend and I headed over to the Chili's in our shopping plaza and drank our troubles away for two and a half hours. There must be some good tequila in those Presidente margaritas, because I was goofy and giggly. It was fun, something I should probably do more often. Just maybe not drink quite so much next time :)

She's got me half-convinced to try the internet dating thing again, but with eHarmony this time. Maybe I will, but not right now. It's not that I don't want a relationship; I just don't feel like I have much to offer right now, what with me still being in school and my living situation being what it is and all. And I'm kind of obsessive about the marathon/tri thing, so I'm not the right girl for every guy. I've learned that from personal experience. I know there's someone out there who is right for me; I'm just not sure who or where he is.

18 Miles

Ran 18 miles this morning at 5:15 AM. Felt pretty decent for most of it, got a little hot with about three miles to go. I figure I'm supposed to ponder life and explore my deepest thoughts while running, but the deepest I got was, "Endorphins are a myth. At a certain point, this shit just hurts." Sorry. But if you'd like to know some of the inane things that ran through my mind this morning, read on.

*5 AM is really, really dark. Really.
*5 AM sucks, no matter what you're doing.
*Even at 5 AM, it's friggin' HOT.
*Frogs totally creep me out.
*When you're half-asleep, every twig that falls off a tree into the street looks like a snake in the shadows.
*Armadillos are kinda gross. Like possums with a hard candy coating.
*I really need to move. I hear the Yukon is nice this time of year.
*It's friggin' HOT.
*Since they're clearing that big ditch down the road, exactly *where* are all the gators and snakes that lived in there going to go? Running the neighborhood, most likely. We'll probably be on the news. (Looking behind me periodically to check for gators.)
*A Labor Day marathon in Mississippi was a FANTASTIC idea!!
*After 7 years, 13-2/3 marathons, and at least 10 half marathons, Gu STILL makes me gag.
*It's friggin' HOT.

After Thursday's hills, yesterday's brick, and today's run, my legs are tired. Since our AM was practicing creative scheduling, I'm working 5-11 tonight, so I figured I should get my long run over with today, but that leaves me with a free day tomorrow. Maybe I'll hit the pool.

Song of the day: "Songs About Rain" by Gary Allan. Come on--"I thought I was over you but I guess maybe I'm not; 'Cause when I let you go, looks like lonely was all that I got." There's nothing more deliciously country than that!
(**Wondering when exactly I became a redneck**)

Since it was a long run, I'm doing another one. Girl power song of the day: "Settlin'" by Sugarland. "I ain't settlin', just getting by; I've had enough so-so for the rest of my life; Tired of shootin' too low, so raise the bar high; just enough ain't enough this time." Yeah, baby.

OWorkN: I'm closing with the store manager, Sparky the Ass Clown, so the game of the evening will be Beat the Assistant Manager's Closing Time. He will see that E got us out at 10:05 on Thursday, so he'll make that his target. Except he's incompetent and too stubborn to hand the reins over to me, so he'll do it himself, which means that things will be done wrong and some things won't get done at all. And I'll just smile and nod my head at him. At least I'll get out early.
(Apparently I not only have low motivation for this job, I also don't respect "authority" figures. I think it's time to move on.)

Brick

Did a brick today, 10 miles on the bike, 3 mile run, which is what I'll be doing next Saturday. Took me about 1/2 mile to get my "road legs." The ol' stems were pretty Jello-y for a while. And since I'm still ambivalent about the bike, I thought I'd focus on the positive aspects, like I did with the treadmill.

*It's doing awesome things for my legs
*Hills are more fun. Well, going DOWN hills is fun. Going up still sucks. But not as much as running up them. At least there aren't any ginormous hills around here. Except for that one.
*Spitting off the bike is pretty fun (Yes, I spit. Get over it.)
*The neighborhood kids think the bike is cool
*Not ALL drivers are discourteous. Some actually leave for work early enough that they don't have to run over you to make it on time. Golfers late for their tee time, however, will run over any old lady pushing a carriage full of babies and puppies to get to the clubhouse (our subdivision is a golf course community.)

But my butt still hurts and I still look like a dork in my helmet :)

Now, I'm relaxing for the rest of the day. Going to the movies (by myself, yet again) to watch my movie star crush, Will Ferrell, which is mildly disturbing. What can I say? I've got a thing for funny, goofy guys. And tomorrow morning, it's 18 miles at the ass-crack of dawn. Yay. A Labor Day marathon in Mississippi was a FABULOUS idea.

Song of the day: "You Look Good in My Shirt" by Keith Urban. Just 'cuz it rocks :)

Good things about the treadmill

Okay, so I detest running on the treadmill. However, living in coastal Florida, it's the only way I can get some serious hill training in, so it's a necessary evil. Maybe if I focus on the positive aspects, I'll forget it's boring as hell.

*The dining room is climate controlled at 74F with low humidity
*I have three fans on me at all times (ceiling fan, floor stand fan, treadmill fan)
*I don't have to hose myself down with SPF 45
*I have to push myself a bit harder because it's a pain in the ass to stop and restart it on the hill program
*I have my own cheering section in the way of the Great Dane and the Min Pin (okay, so they're napping, not cheering. But I can see that they're cheering for me on the inside every time I look into their confused little eyes)

Ummm, that's it. Still boring as hell.

ORN - 4 miles of hills

Song of the day: "A Little More You" by Little Big Town. Appropriate, as there's someone I'd like to get a little more of. But, as with all my other ill-conceived mini-crushes, it ain't happening. Which is fine. He's probably too young for me, anyway ;)

Six Miles and Movies

Today's numbers:

Miles - 6
Time - 6:40 AM
Duration - 1:13:37
Temp - 77F
Humidity - 84%

Yeah, definitely NOT a dry heat. I was schvitzing within 15 minutes. Ah, the joys of training for a fall marathon in Florida :)

After a nice, cool shower, I settled in and watched The Other Boleyn Girl, which was really good. Who knew Anne Boleyn was such a bitch? (I'm sure some literary license was taken, but still...) So I have TONS of free time over the next month and a Netflix account. If you have any movies that you absolutely LOVED and feel I must see, hit me up, either here or at marathongirl74@yahoo.com.

Thanks!

Busy (but largely unproductive) weekend

So Saturday I worked 9-5 at The Hellhole, which was super-fun as always. It reconfirmed what I always knew--retail is not for me, and I probably shouldn't work with people :-P Although one customer told me I was very pleasant, which indicates to me that my acting skills are improving. One good thing: I got to work with one of my favorite co-workers, who had gotten a total of about six hours of sleep in the past 48 hours because his daughter is cutting her molars. He's even *more* entertaining when he's severely sleep-deprived. The goofiness level was dialed WAY up, which, of course, I enjoy immensely :) His Forrest Gump impersonation over the walkie-talkie gave me the giggles for the rest of the afternoon, and even made all the about-to-be-cranky people in line laugh. Still, I was glad to get the hell out of there for the evening.

Ate loads of Chinese food for dinner and watched "Fool's Gold." It wasn't as bad as I was expecting. One of those movies you don't have to think about too much, which was perfect after a mind-numbing day at the store. Plus, watching Matthew McConaughey run around on-screen largely shirtless isn't exactly a hardship.

Got up at the ass-crack of dawn Sunday morning, ran 16 miles in the skanky, humid, hot morning, got bitched at and dressed-down, took a nap, read for a couple of hours, and watched a marathon of "Deadliest Catch."

Today, I got up, rode 80 minutes around the neighborhood, practiced on the steno machine for two hours, went to the grocery store, watched "Definitely, Maybe" (a pretty good chick-flick,) went through my seemingly-weekly breakdown, wondering how the hell I effed up my life so bad and what I can do to fix it, then practiced for another hour, since that seems to be the only answer I can come up with to fix it. Aaaaaand now I'm here :)

Tomorrow's LSD

I'm running 16 miles tomorrow morning. Temps should be in the mid-70s with about 184% humidity. Anybody who wants to join me, meet me at my house at 5:15 AM. I'll be the idiot in the pink shirt wearing the Garmin.

On the plus side, I probably won't be fully awake until I'm about halfway done :-D

Night, y'all.

One more shot...

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Registration: Top Gun Triathlon VII (2008)
Purchase Date: 07/18/08
Category: Individual
Event Date: 08/02/08
Name: Shawn Newton

Summer Break!!

"School's out, the night rolls in
Man, just like a long-lost friend
You ain't seen in a while
You can't help but smile
And it's two bare feet on the dashboard
Young love in an old Ford
Cheap shades and a tattoo and a Yoohoo bottle rolling on the floorboard
Perfect song on the radio
Sing along 'cuz it's one we know
It's a smile, it's a kiss, it's a sip of wine
It's summertime, sweet summertime"

--"Summertime," Kenny Chesney

One solid month of not having to get up at 5 AM and fight the friggin' traffic 42 miles ONE WAY into Tampa. Hello, morning marathon and tri training!

Now I just need to stick to the schedule I made for myself so that I don't blow it by staying up all night reading and watching movies :-/