Category Archives: Running

Time to get serious

September 12, 2011 hannahviolin 1 Comment

Did you have a good weekend? If you missed my weekend posts, you should check them out. I’m especially proud of my post on 9/11:

Don’t worry, we aren’t about to forget

Happy Birthday, Jen

From South Carolina to Phoenix by Bike

Here’s the weather forecast for the week…looking good!

At dinner last night I was complaining to Chris how I felt like a total fraud runner and that I felt like I had been working so hard and wasn’t getting better. He (wisely) pointed out that the last month I hadn’t really been running very frequently. He also pointed out that I wouldn’t be complaining about sucking at the violin if I had spent the last month sick and injured and barely practicing. (Well, I probably would be, but I concede his point. He also told me to stop writing about him on the blog..sorry!)

Where did this girl go??

It’s time to get serious! I know where that girl went, but I know where to find her again. (She hurt her leg, got a nasty cold, and did some other stupid stuff.)

I am not sick any more, I am not injured right now, and I will be running 4 or 5 days this week. I will be ready to PR at the Rock and Rock Half at the end of October.

When I lived in Cleveland we used to carpool to play gigs in Canton, which was about 1 to 1 1/2 hours away, depending on how fast people drove. I would get into the car with my friend Jun and say “Show us the meaning of haste”. Okay, lame story. You probably had to be there. Basically we wanted to get home from rehearsal before it was ridiculously late. No, really, I suppose you just had to be there. I crack up every time I hear that quote.

Running

Happy Birthday to Jen!

September 11, 2011 hannahviolin 2 Comments

Today is Jen’s birthday. Jen is my friend and running partner. How much does it suck that her birthday is on 9/11?

Her mom left a message about how it was HER day and not the terrorists. How September 11 was a good day. It makes me sad. Jen—it’s okay to be happy about your birthday! Don’t let the terrorists win!!

(source)

Jen and I decided to run 9 miles today. However. I suck. I have been struggling with side stitches—I’m guessing from breathing issues? So we cut it short at 8 miles. We could easily have walked another mile but running just wasn’t happening any more for me. HELP! What can I do?

We were running on the paved, multi-use path of Forest Park. Often we are passed by bikers. One woman yelled “on your left” and naturally we moved over a bit. As she passed, she yelled at us “There’s a perfectly good gravel path for you over there.” I yelled after her “This is a multi-use path, BITCH.” Frankly we don’t care for the gravel path as well, plus there’s a part that is somehow mildly creepy as it goes through the woods. Plus the paved path is multi-use! I was SO annoyed at that woman. I hope she had a lovely day yelling at ALL the runners who were on the paved path.

After the run we headed to the Crepe place in the Central West End. I wanted to take Jen out to lunch for her birthday, and we LOVE going for Crepes after a long run. We split a sweet one and a savory one.

Last night was the second Chamber Project St Louis concert. It was a lot of fun! We hung out at the Tavern of Fine Arts afterwards (great wine, tasty roast beef sandwich). Jon wore a great T-shirt.

I MUST ask him where he got it.

Running

I’m a runner

September 4, 2011 hannahviolin

About a month ago I emailed with Kelly at foodiefresh.com about being on her "I’m a runner" feature. At the time I was feeling really confident about my running and about identifying myself as being a runner. Since then, things took a downward turn between hurting my leg/ankle and then getting an AWFUL cold. I don’t really feel that much like a runner at this time…EXCEPT that I am currently wearing my running clothes, on the couch, waiting to hear back from my friend Jen about when we are going for our long run in Forest Park. I think today is my first day feeling like a runner again in a long time, and I even drank a ton of water last night in anticipation rather than alcohol!

That makes it a PERFECT morning to be featured on Kelly’s blog. Click here to read my "I’m a runner" entry.. I do, in retrospect, wish I had included more pictures, but you’ve all seen plenty of me, right?

Can you believe my friend Sarah "drew" that picture? It’s of my cat.

In any case, I’d like to extend a hearty welcome to any new readers who popped over to check on my blog. It’s a pretty weird, random place. I write about whatever is on my mind, or what I’ve done, or what I’m planning to do. Basically it’s about my life, and I hope you enjoy reading it.

That’s me on the left, and some guy I’m marrying in January on the right. We don’t normally look nearly that awesome, but our photographer is a magic maker! And ordinarily I don’t have a photographer, that was simply for our engagement photos. I’m not a model or anything. I am a violinist and a violin teacher, and in my free time I blog, practice, play with my adorably fat cat, read, work out, run, and of course plan my upcoming wedding.

I’m off for a long run. We are shooting for 8 miles today.

Running

5 reasons I hate my trainer

August 31, 2011 hannahviolin 3 Comments

I had my first solo session with Mike (my trainer) yesterday in well, about 1 1/2 weeks. It was fine. I told him I felt like all my muscle had turned to fat and I was starting over. He laughed and said it would take longer than a week off to do that. He asked if I had gained weight. I told him I hadn’t been crazy enough to step on the scale lately!

Sometimes I complain to my friends about ridiculous things that he says or does. I’ve decided it would be fun to list some of them here.

5 reasons I hate my trainer (you all know I’m kidding and that he is actually not-so-secretly my hero, but for title purposes I’m going with it.)

1. He ran 21 miles on Sunday and complained that it took FOREVER. Aka around 2 1/2 hours. You know, less time than it takes me to run a half-marathon.

2. I mentioned I had a friend who finished an Ironman on Sunday and he asked if he was in good shape. I was like, really? He just finished an Ironman. Mike continued to wait for my answer. To be fair, he asked the same question about my dad when I told him my dad was riding his bike across the country. No, he’s totally fat and has never ridden a bike before!

3. He asked if I had run already that day. Or was I planning to run afterwards. As if I didn’t already feel bad enough about not having run in a long time. In fact, he ALWAYS asks whether or not I ran already or am planning to run afterwards. It makes me feel truly lazy when I don’t. Even though I just did an hour workout! WHAT SATISFIES YOU MIKE? NOT ALL OF US CAN SPEND ALL DAY WORKING OUT!

4. He once mentioned wanting to lose ten pounds in a week to improve his race time. I asked if that would be difficult and he said, no, I usually have to eat so much to maintain my weight it will be pretty easy.

5. The above picture was in a race. That he came in second. And still managed to mug for the camera in a ridiculous manner.

Random thoughts, Running

Forest Park

August 21, 2011 hannahviolin 2 Comments

Maybe running around Forest Park twice in three days is a poor idea?

First sign it’s too hot: you come out of the bathroom and an odd, short, sweaty woman deliriously approaches you and your friend, waxing poetic on margarita flavored shot bloks. "I didn’t even get any stomach cramping!" You manage to get away…barely…

You start running. It’s fine. Then the nausea kicks in. You fight through. You stop. You lean over. You WISH for anything to make it stop.

It comes and goes. Ultimately you and your friend walk the last two miles. You try not to feel like an abject failure. And you fail at not feeling like a failure.

You go to the convenience mart. Which is inconveniently sold out of low calorie Gatorade. Great.

You make it home. You shower. You go to Dressel’s and have the lamb burger. Chris suggests you are being overly dramatic. Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe you’re tired of the heat, of the summer. Or maybe you just don’t run well in the late afternoon.

You sit on the couch, still mildly nauseous. (No, readers. No.)

It’s 10:00 pm, maybe it’s time to hit the hay. Tomorrow is a new day.

Running

Guess I’m a runner

August 14, 2011 hannahviolin 1 Comment

Today I definitely feel like a runner. Why? Well firstly, I went for a run this morning, the first one in two weeks. But also because I MISSED it so much…I was getting really cranky, and now I feel like myself. Running makes me feel like myself. Ergo, I’m a runner.

Look at us! This was afterwards, hence the ridiculous smiles. Six miles around Forest Park (well, almost 6)…easy peasy. I’m ready to start running longer. Seriously, I feel so ALIVE right now. I suppose that’s the infamous “runner’s high” talking.

The “runner’s high” is slightly different.

Last night Chris and I went to Vin de Set for appetizers and then met Melissa at Trattoria Marcella. We had a great time, and had some FANTASTIC food. I surprised myself by ordering the “Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad” and it was delicious!