NCM

Friday I had a long 6 hour drive up to Ottawa and spent the night with my Granny in Kanata. I love her On Saturday morning I went for a short (very short < 2 miles) run, and relaxed for a bit.

Then off to the race expo picking up EWL on the way. It was really well organized and it was easy to get my race kit, bib etc., unfortunately it was HOT! Like sweaty-I-wish-I-was-wearing-nothing-hot. Met up with EK at one of the booths and saw a number of people from my clinic there. Oh, and I got a pair of my NB 765s (the 766s were no good for me) at the expo for $120 no Tax :)

Saturday night, we went out to EKs farm outside of ottawa and had a nice pasta dinner. Unfortunately my picky eating habits kept me from eating some of the meal, but I still had lots of pasta and bread.

Sunday morning woke up bright and early. And ate my breakfast and got myself organized. It was currently 12C with a forcasted high of 22C (but there was a very good chance of rain), so I went with the lighter weight, darker colour shirt praying for overcast skies, and we were off to see the finish of the marathon. The winner in both the men's and women's race looked awesome! They were so strong crossing the finish!

Then into line for 10 minutes for a porta-potty and off to the corrals to line up. There were ~7000 runners, so it was pretty busy. We found the 2 hour pace bunny, but it was so packed that we couldn't stand very close. As the movement started she was able to move foreward much quicker than we were, so we spent the first km catching up to her weaving though the people. The first km was way too slow for the 2 hour pace (6:05 when what we needed were 5:41ish), so she really picked it up over the next two kms, and by the time we passed the 3 km mark, we were not only back on schedule, but actually 20-30 seconds ahead of goal time!

The first 8 kms, we seemed to hold that 30 seconds ahead of goal pace (2 hours) that we had been training for. Then things really started falling apart. By the time we got to km 10 we were down to 57:34 which means we lost close to a minute in 2 kms. The heat and hills (not too many hills on this route, but all of them were between the 7th and 12th km) started to get to us. I didn't feel exhausted or sore, but I was beat.

I was too hot and couldn't cool down no matter how much water I took on (drinking or pouring over head). At the 13th km, we switched water bottles with EWL who met up with us and biked along with us for the next 5-6 kms. We stopped to walk to get EKs new bottle open. I lost it there and couldn't start back up. We probably walked for a good 3 minutes, and I used water from my EWLs bottle to help cool down and that kept me going. I was seriously ready to quit. I felt like vomitting and didn't want to be one of those people who continued running when they should have quit.

I made it through that horrible section and was okay for most of the rest of the race, but we fell quite a bit off our goal pace. The rest of the time I was HOT, but kept on getting shivers, I tried as hard as possible to take on as much fluid as possible and made sure to run in the shade where possible. When we got to one km left, EK picked up the pace, and I wanted to walk, so she went a head (finished in 2:08:39), and I stayed back and walked a bit to be able to put in a strong finish.

Starting at the 750 m mark, they started counting down... 750 m, 500 m, 400 m, 200 m, 120m... I kept on picking up the pace with every sign I passed. I was passing everyone around me, I kept on getting little cramps in my calves, but I said, "Not now! I'm finishing this race". In the last 500 m of the course, no one passed me, and I was blowing through everyone. My finish line photo had to have me RUNNING, not walking, not shuffling, dammit!. I made it through, and my last km was in the 5:15 range despite leg cramping and the heat and everything else.

I finished in 2:09:15. Am I disappointed? Nope. Not at all. My original goal for this race was to beat my time from the last time I did it (2:13:07) and then to beat 2:10. And I did that, so I am happy with that. I didn't get my PR, and I didn't get my 2:00, but I'm attributing that due to my sub-steller runs during my field school, and the weather. I'm already planning for my next half (going to do one in the fall during full marathon training). I'm going to blow that 2:00 time out of the water.

Other things to note that didn't seem to fit in anywhere else - everyone that I saw from my clinic was off of their goal time betwen 4 minutes for the small compact people, to up to 17 minutes for some of the people that were carrying around a little extra weight (height and muscle). I also had someone faint right beside me. Luckily the support friend was there, and she stopped and running partner and I ran ahead to get a medic. In the final 6 kms, saw at least 6 people on the side of the course that had to pull out. The results today show 100 walkers and runners DNFd in the marathon.

Not much...

Yesterday was another fun-filled day of journal article reading. My max seems to be about 2 a day, which isn't great, but considering how dry they can be, I guess it isn't too bad. Last night I went to see Monster in Law with MK (boss from summer) and PS. It was okay, I'm not going to say great, but it wasn't as bad as I was expecting, so that is good. I think that Jane Fonda really saved it from being too horrible.

Today is presentation day. I want to get my poster presentation and my power point done before the end of the day so that I can get it to my supervisor to look over. Hopefully it will (a) be okay and (b) not take all day since I want to get at least one more journal paper read today.

I just went to pick up my next set of assignments to mark and bashed the door into my knee (my bad knee). It hurts a lot right now, hopefully I haven't done any serious damage since my half is coming up this weekend.

Also, just want to clear something up, from my post the other day... don't necessarily want a longterm relationship, but dating would be fun.

Seriously Sick of Singledom

I can honestly say that I am READY to be in a relationship again. I don't know why I just thought about this now... other than the fact that my weekend was very uneventful and all the single girls seem to be talking about boys on their blogs these days. I don't have any guys that I have crushes on right now, haven't really met anyone new in a longtime...

Maybe I could just use a whack of single friends in town... that could probably work too. I didn't do anything on Friday night, Saturday night, or Sunday night. Nothing. Or Monday night for that matter. I really felt the urge to go out dancing or something on Saturday night, but alas, no whack of single friends around to go out with. I miss you all!!!!!!!!!!!

Nothing else... oh wait... The Ottawa half marathon is coming up this weekend. Yay! I'm not so excited about the race as I am about seeing Pandora again! I haven't seen her since Christmas :) I did talk to her last night.

New Layout, but nothing else new

Friday - Went to see revenge of the sith... unlike niki though, I wasn't very impressed. I thought it lacked on the plot and was excessive in the action... ditto my feelings of the 3rd matrix movie. I guess I just didn't think the transformation would be that violent. Friday afternoon I skipped out on work. Just went to pick up my stuff for the weekend. I played with my bike and went to dinner at my aunts and uncles.

Saturday - Went for a bike ride with EK http://webhome.idirect.com/~brown/webdoc1.htm. It was a great ride, but I probably overdid it a bit. especially since I'm supposed to be tapering! I rented the Stepford wives on Saturday night. I thought it was great! very funny. If anyone in W/loo wants to borrow it, it isn't due back until next weekend.

Sunday - Hmmmm... can I remember this one? I went for a run in the morning and went to square one in the afternoon for some shopping. Also got together with Jen for lunch :) Last night not much, just watched the season finale of Desperate housewives... I can't believe they left it like that for a whole season!!!!!!!

Today - since I took off friday, I'm marking and hopefully reading journal articles... oh yeah, I also have to prepare my tutorial for tomorrow!!!

Random thoughts

1) Saw Zachary last night. He is definitely a cutie... even when he is going poo (was holding him then!). tiny hands and nose, and well everything. It is fun to visit babies, but I don't want them for a LONG time myself. Just not at that point in my life yet. (Good thing too since there isn't any man! mind you, I could always go the Artificial way... but I digress, I'm not ready).

2) I've been trying to find my passport for like a week now. I need to send off my stuff for OGS (note, it is already like 3 weeks late) and it is nowhere to be found. So far I have looked everywhere I think it could be and I have stopped just short of tearing apart my apartment. Hopefully it shows up this weekend when I'm cleaning top to bottom, otherwise, I'll need a new one. :(

3) Election talk - will there? won't there? sounds like a no right now. Aparently another of the independents has said that he'll vote with the liberals and NDP so as long as all the liberals and NDPs show up today it'll be okay. Carolyn Parrish is sick (possibly with appendicitis), but is planning on sticking it out today for the vote. Wonder what this means as far as elections go? The liberals will win a confidence vote 153 to 152, but how long before the conservatives and the bloc force an election on a different issue? I'm happy though that the budget is going through, I think that it will be the best thing for canada, maybe we need an election, but we also needed this budget. (I'm actually going home to watch CPAC this afternoon cause I'm a nerd).

4) As for me feeling old? not really. I feel the same as I have always felt. I have always followed politics pretty closely (ever since like grade 8), so it really isn't something new for me. However, with that said, as every day goes by, I keep noticing all this young kids around me, and not really wanting to hang out with them. A few years ago it was the 18 year olds, but I think that they are now the 20 year olds, in another 5 years it'll be the 22 year olds, etc, etc. So I guess in that respect, I'm going to have to admit one of these days that yes, I am infact growing up.

5) Dinner Parties. Love them too JC! I've been itching to throw one for a while now, but my apartment is too small :( Maybe you, C-dub, and TE can come to KW sometime this summer for a dinner party, some board games and a movie :)

That is it for now I guess, I have to finish my assignment solutions for the class I am ta-ing incase any of the nerds come to me for help today (nerds because it was put up on the web yesterday at 4).

:D:D:D:D:D

You may be asking what is Laura so happy about?

I booked my trip for Africa this afternoon :D:D:D Yay! I leave August 22nd and come back on Sept. 13th. I have a couple of longish lay-overs, the longest being in Johannesburg for like 16 hours. I'm thinkin of going to a hostel, but I would feel much safer staying in a hotel... hey isn't Johannesburg supposed to be great for shopping ;)

Yay! other than that, no real news, mind you that is pretty big!

Ahhhh... freedom :D

Yay! Field school is finally over. I'll recap the highlights

Week 1: half in the field (in fridgid temperatures - it snowed more than once) and half in class rooms learning (most of it was review for those who have takem as many hydrogeology courses as me). On the first day I found out i was in a group with JSO the person I had troubles working with last fall... see this post for a reminder... http://laurajonesdiary.blogspot.com/2004/12/getting-seriously-mad.html#comments
NL (my billet) arrived on Monday night. She was super nice and we got along really well - we also had a bunch in common :) I'll definitely have to look her up when I go to Newfoundland.

Week 2: More time in the field... two day trips, one to Guelph, and one to Borden. Borden was actually pretty nice, I liked it. It will be super pretty up there in like another week when all the leaves are out fully... maybe I can talk my supervisor into giving me some field work up there :) Group dynamics are starting to get a little off. JSO had one question to do on the first assignment and he still didn't get it done until 3 am the night before it was due (at 7:30 am). KCW (another group member) basically had to do the rough draft for him, and he just made it look nice. Missed a bunch of runs, but still got in my 20K long run on this really nice path in cambridge. http://webhome.idirect.com/~brown/webdoc2.htm

Week 3: More group disention. This week was mostly just finishing up the assignments which meant working pretty much from 9 am to 1 am everyday. Note, that doesn't leave much time for sleeping, eating and half marathon training, so I missed another 2 runs this week, and way too much sleep. Mind you, the power outage on campus on Wednesday night did give me the opportunity to watch the amazing race finale that I had taped from the day before... have you seen it yet kbum? can I talk about it?

JSO took way too long to do everything we gave him. basically in the whole three weeks he 1) did the water table map (in good form - we did the rough draft for him) 2) did the organics assignment (that KCW and I had to spend 4 hours rewritting, reformatting and redo-ing all of his graphs) and two questions from another assignment, that again , I had to re-write. Now, when you compare this to everyone else, it was way below par. He spent 8 hours working on one question one day, just to come and tell me he didn't have the data he needed to do it. WTF???? and of course by that time is was 5:30 and the TA's had already gone home (note the assignments were due the next day). Grrrr... I hate group work. But we got everything done and handed in by 5 on friday. We were given an extention until 5 today, but JSO was the only one that could work over the weekend, and we didn't trust him, so we wanted our stuff in by friday. Okay, I'm done bitching now, sorry! There was another girl (MP) in my group, but she wasn't doing the course for credit, she probably did more work than JSO though.

Friday night, I went out with people from field school to celebrate being done, even through we were the only people actually completely done. It was a pretty good time. I think the people in earth science have more fun and are more social than us engineers. I was getting this wierd vibe from KCW all night long... wierd.

Saturday was the shower for Danielle and we had the bachelorette party that night. It was wierd being out in bville again, and seeing people I haven't see in years.

Sunday was back to w/loo and running again on that path from last week. 22km this week, furthest I have gone since march (?) of 2002. The run went okay for me, but I think EK was having troubles (not with the distance, but she just wasn't well enough fed or rested).

So today is back in the computer lab, and back to every day life. It feels so good not to have seen the people from field school since friday... I know that sounds kind of mean, but I just need a break from them.

Oh, and yay about J&G, I'm excited about them coming home from the hospital, I want to see the baby!!!!!

Long post, but I haven't posted much in like three weeks, so there it is :)

No New York for me :(

Marathon that is. They draw names since they only have room for half the number of people that want to do it. Didn't get in. I'm thinking maybe Detroit instead?

Second piece of news - blackout on campus today, so no power forced me home at 6. (got to watch amazing race!), but I have no clue when and where I am meeting my group tomorrow ?!?!?! Hopefully I'll find them.

Laura

t - 4 days and 5 hours

Till field school is over that is. Today we have a bit of semi spare time so I'm in the computer lab, eating my lunch and working on one of the assignments, thrilling I know. I have to do my recovery analysis, but I have no clue how to do it. I need Mary here to help me.

Oh well.

So other than field school, no real news. A family friend passed away last week when we were up in Borden, so that sucked, but I guess it happens, she had like a 3-4 year battle with cancer, so it is probably for the better, she didn't suffer and the end and quietly slipped into a coma at her home surrounded by her family. I went back to Belleville on Friday night for the wake, but didn't have time to stay for the funeral.

My TA and fieldschool, as well as a 20K long run were calling for me.

I did however buy an iPod shuffle this weekend. I'm listening to it now, it rocks :) wahoohoo (I'm listening to Bran Van 3000 - astounded).