Sp-sp-sp-speed
Well I hit that resolution a lot faster than I thought I would.
I think I was so fast* this time because it’s been a while since I’ve gotten to run outside and my body was just so happy about it that it wanted to go zoom!
A pace faster than 9:00 sustained for 26 miles is really fast for me.
Now my legs are going to fall off, haha.
Edit: MY QUAAAAAAAAAADS
*By “fast” I mean “subjectively fast for me.” This would get me laughed out of contention for any real competitive marathon race.
TEN THOUSAND
So as I’ve mentioned on here several times, my goal this year was to walk/run 10,000 kilometers, or 6,213.712 miles. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to do it, but all the marathon/ultra marathon training really boosted my mileage (as did bumping my daily minimum to 18 miles instead of 17…and bumping my weekly “off day” mileage minimum to 6 miles) and I was able to hit my goal today! I actually hit it during the first half mile of my marathon run this morning, so that’s pretty freaking cool.
And just to put some perspective on things, last year’s mileage of 5555.55 was the furthest I’d ever gone in a year before this year.
Now am I going to take the next two weeks off?
HA. NO.
Like everything else I do, I’m going to keep pushing it. I may not be able to get to the next biggest mileage marker of 6,500, but I should at least be able to add a few hundred onto what I’ve got so far.
Which is why I’m not doing any sort of big distance analysis today. I’ll save that for January 1st like I always do.
BUT WOOOOOO!
It’s LEIBNIZ DAY!
As always, the best day of the year.
Take a moment to pause and reflect on the greatness that was Gottfried Leibniz!
On a completely unrelated note, it’s the halfway point of the year, so let’s check my mileage, shall we?
*looks at spreadsheet*
I’m at 3,085.98, which means that if I keep the same pace as the first half of the year, I’ll get to 6,000 miles by the end of December!
However, I am NOT currently on pace for 10,000 kilometers, so that might be a goal for another year.
I guess we’ll see.
HYPE
This article’s got me HYPED UP, DAWG.
Oh my GOD I want to be able to run an ultramarathon. That would be such an accomplishment, especially for someone like me who is not “naturally” a runner.
WOOOOOOOOOO
New goal!
SO.
Running.
It’s basically my personality now, so of course I’ve already looked up if I can register for next year’s Calgary Marathon.
When I was reading about the ultra marathon earlier this year, I saw that the ultra marathon distance (50k) was being retired this year (I mentioned this a few days ago). That sucked, since I was going to make it my goal for next year.
HOWEVER.
Next year will be the 60th anniversary of the Calgary Marathon, and they’ve added a special 60k ultra marathon for next year only.
So THAT is going to be my goal.
60 kilometers is approximately 37 miles, which is quite a big step up from 26.2 miles. But if I approach it the same way I approached training for the marathon this year (26.2 miles is about 10 miles more than my typical run distance, so I just needed to add 10 miles to my usual run), maybe I can psych myself up for it.
It’s all much more mental than physical, anyway.
LET’S DO IT!
Calgary Marathon!
I finally did my first official marathon!
It was the virtual version, sure, but I did it on the same day as the in-person marathon and ran next to the marathoners during a part of it, so it counts, right?
My mom also walked the (virtual) Calgary Half Marathon, so we’re both too cool for school.
Pics!
(I was really slow because it was hot, haha)
The medals have the Calgary Central Library on them, which is one of the prettiest buildings ever.
Woo!
Edit: stupid freaking COVID, this looks so fun:
MARATHON!!!!
I did it, y’all!
The marathon distance was not on the schedule today (it was only supposed to be 25 miles), but I was feeling good near the end and wanted to push it.
So I did. And then I cried, ‘cause I’m pathetic like that.
I really didn’t think I could ever run a marathon.
Longest Run Update: 23 Miles!
WOOO!
Can I add another 3.2 miles to this to get to the marathon? It’s finally feeling doable, y’all.
La fin
So today was the last day of French class. The class was super fun and very informative. We went over a lot of the little grammar nuances in French that I didn’t get from Duolingo. At the same time, the vocab bank I’d gotten from using Duo really helped me during the course, especially at the beginning.
I don’t know if I’ll take the next course in the spring, since I’ll also be teaching AND my mom will be coming up for a month or so, but if I don’t, I’ll definitely take it in the fall. I’d love to get the certificate.
WOO!
Claudia’s Big Bad Year of Doing Stuff
So.
I have things I want to accomplish this year.
To help keep track of them (and to allow for a reflection on progress later), I’ll list them here. Note that this list may update as the year goes on AND that these things are in no particular order.
THING #1: Apply for tenure
The obvious big one. I can’t get tenure this year (the application process goes from May – May), but I can get my application in and hope I get tenure next year.
THING #2: Take at least two French classes through the Continuing Education program
One class is currently in progress; I’d like to take another either in the spring semester or the fall semester.
THING #3: Run a marathon
Preferably an “official” one (like the Calgary Marathon) and preferably in person, but who knows with COVID. I’d at least like to run the distance at some point.
THING #4: Beat last year’s walking/running distance
I guess is kinda sorta a New Year’s resolution, but I’m putting it here anyway.
THING #5: Go to a Coldplay concert
I love Coldplay. Being able to actually see them live would be SO FREAKING COOL. I’m putting this on here so that I don’t try to back out, assuming (again) that COVID is manageable via masking, etc.
THING #6: Do at least one full story revision
I’m partway through a big revision right now (I’ve got a lot to go, haha); I’d like to be able to do at least one full revision to make the story more cohesive and better overall.
THING #7: Apply for Canadian citizenship
I’m finally eligible for it now, so let’s goooooooooo
That’s it for now! We’ll see how it goes.
5,000 Miles for 2022
I hit 5,000 walking/running miles for the year today!
I’m too lazy to check, but I’m pretty sure this is the earliest I’ve hit that milestone in a year. I think it’s happened in December the last few times I’ve hit it.
So that’s cool.
That’s all, haha.
Walkie Talkie
Hey NERDS, so up until this point, I’ve walked 4,585.06 miles. At this same time in 2017 (my record walking year), I’d walked 4,573.77 miles. So that means (unless I royally screw up) I’m on pace to beat 2017’s distance of 5,100 miles.
YESSSSSSSSSSS.
(I live for this crap, sorry.)
Panic! In the Crisco
I did a thing and I’m not going to mention what it was yet ‘cause I bet it’s not going to work out but if it does it’ll be cool so yeah I’ll let you know if it does.
(Run-on sentences make me cool, right?)
So…Big News:
I’ve been super vague on this blog regarding this topic ‘cause I didn’t know what the outcome would be and didn’t want to jinx it, but here we go.
Back in June, there was a job posting for an instructor position in the math/stats department here at U of C. I was encouraged to apply for it, which I readily did. Last week I had my interview (it was just myself and some other dude who got to that point).
And today? I got the news that the job is mine!
Starting September 1st, I will be a limited-term instructor with a guaranteed one year contract. That might not sound like much, but that’s a big step in the right direction. I currently am a sessional instructor, which means that I’ve just been hired on a semester-by-semester basis. Zero job security, lots of panic near the ends of semesters, and way too much insecurity for a control freak like myself.
But now? I’m guaranteed work through next August. I have a set amount of classes to teach per semester (three in the fall, three in the winter, one in either the spring or summer). I get a semester off (either spring or summer, whichever one I’m not teaching). I’m getting paid a lot more. I get benefits and a pension.
But most importantly, I am one step closer in making this job a permanent, long term thing. I am one step closer to being able to say that I get to work my dream job for the rest of my working life. And I can finally (at least until next July or so, haha) stop spending so much of my energy on freaking out about job security and re-direct it towards teaching.
Because that’s what I love. That’s what I want.
WOOT.
5,000 Miles Revisited
Sorry, but I want to talk about this some more.
I’m not proud of a lot of things I’ve done in my life. I’ve “accomplished” “things,” but none of them have really meant all that much, either to me or to others or to anyone.
But these 5,000 miles? I’m proud of it.
Listen. I am Captain Mediocrity when it comes to everything other than being 1) a stubborn bastard and 2) punishing my body because it’s a piece of trash. Walking 5,000 miles this year allowed me to combine both of these lovely talents.
While I will probably never see another year that was more ideal for achieving this goal than this one, there still were a lot of obstacles that tried their hardest to prevent said goal from being met. I had to stubbornly ignore or actively fight against these obstacles.
The main one was the weather. It was ridiculously cold at the beginning of this year (mainly in January and February). As in, “it’s dangerous to be outside for more than 10 minutes at a time” type of cold. There were a lot of painfully cold walks, one walk where I was sure I lost my toe inside my shoe due to frostbite, and a good number of days where I had to spend four hours on a treadmill to get my daily miles without dying in the cold.
Then the summer got ridiculously hot. “Ridiculously hot” for Calgary is like in the 80s, but when you’re walking 15 – 30 miles a day, that’s hot. I was getting up at 4:30 in the morning to go walking before the heat of the day set in and the sun hit its peak. 4:30 IN THE MORNING. THAT’S USUALLY WHEN I GO TO BED.
Not to mention the smoke from the wildfires. There were a decent number of days where I probably should not have been out walking for 4+ hours due to the air quality, but I did it anyway. Again: stubborn bastard + body punishment.
Another obstacle was time. A 15-mile walk takes me about 3.25 hours. A 30-mile walk takes me about 6.5 hours. That’s a big time commitment. I was able to do the 30-mile walks in July/early August when I wasn’t working, but the 15-mile walks were done year-round. And that time commitment doesn’t include “prep time” (getting dressed, taming my unruly monster of hair, putting on sunscreen or winter gear).
Seriously. Considering I walked 15 miles a day 6 days a week pretty consistently throughout the year, that’s a huge amount of my time spent on this goal. Even if you like doing something (and I love walking), reserving four hours for it every day is a big deal. It was like having 20-hour days most days in which to squeeze in everything else I had to do. Sleep was the thing that got sacrificed the most, I think.
A third obstacle? Physical limitations, I guess. During the first month of the near-daily 15-mile walks, my body was like OH GOD WHAT THE HELL, but then it got used to the extra work. It was fine for most of the year, too, but I noticed right around the beginning of November that it was really starting to affect me physically. I wasn’t tired per se, but I was getting pretty worn out. By that point, my body was like OKAY I GET IT YOU LIKE TO WALK CAN YOU PLEASE TONE IT DOWN NOW?
And then, of course, there was the injury. I’m not sure if this was actually caused by all the 30-mile walks in July/August or if it just happened to be one bad misstep that messed something up in there. Hell, I still don’t know exactly what I did to my leg because I hate going to the doctor, but I do know that it still hurts more than I was hoping it would this far out from the actual incident. My guess is that I tore a muscle. I’ve never had any sort of physical injury like this, so I have nothing against which to gauge its severity, but I can’t imagine a strain or a sprain or anything like that hurting as much and as long as this has. I just know it’s not my knee. And I am very grateful that it’s not my knee. But I didn’t let it stop me. I walked through a lot of pain right after I hurt it so that I wouldn’t get behind on my mileage. But I do want it to get better. I hate walking as slowly as I currently am and I really miss running. I suppose I could, you know, do the smart person thing and rest it once this year is over.
Anyway. Sorry. I don’t mean to brag or any of that kind of crap. I’m just glad I was able to make this goal. This goal has been the only thing that’s kept me going at some points in this year.
FIVE. THOUSAND. MILES.
I did it, yo.
I hit 5,000 miles walked for the year.
I did it.
This goal has been work. This goal has been all-consuming, especially in the second half of the year when I really got serious about it. This goal has been very physically demanding at times. This goal led to an injury that I’m still freaking dealing with even though it happened back in August.
But it’s all been worth it. Because now I can say I’ve accomplished my goal. 5,000 miles in a year. How many people can say they’ve walked 5,000 miles in a year? It took me 356 days to do it…that’s an average of a little over 14 miles a day. Every day. That’s a lot.
Sorry for going on about this so long, but I usually fail at everything I try to do, so accomplishing this one goal, even though it is kinda stupid, means a lot to me.
Let’s see how many more miles I can get by the end of the year.
All I want for Christmas is my WALKING GOAL
GUYS
I HAVE FEWER THAN 50 MILES TO WALK TO REACH MY GOAL OF 5,000 MILES
ALKSDFJALDFAHGDFFDLF
TA TA TA-TAS
Nate and I just went on a 10-mile walk in ridiculously cold windy weather. I am very cold.
BUT.
I have a new walking goal idea for next year.
My original goal was to do the Calgary Marathon (which is more of a running goal than a walking goal, but it’s the SAME TYPE OF THING GIVE ME A BREAK). However, back in June or whenever the hell that was, my left knee started throwing tantrums whenever I ran. Pretty sure I had (have?) runner’s knee. Also, y’know, the leg thing.
So my backup goal was to walk the Sinister Seven (which is more of a “this will probably kill me” goal than a walking goal, but it’s the SAME TYPE OF THING GIVE ME A BREAK). However, now that I’ve got this leg thing, I’ve lost confidence in my ability to walk that far on that rough of terrain without re-injuring the leg.
SO.
My NEWEST goal, now, is to walk 100 miles in under 24 hours. This would be done around the city, so there wouldn’t be the rough terrain of the Sinister Seven, and I’m hoping my leg will be back to normal by the time I do this next year so that I won’t even have to worry about re-injury.
I’d say it’s possible; I did 50 miles in 10 hours and 16 minutes, and even with stops to use the bathroom/charge my iPod, my total time was still less than 12 hours. So assuming I can keep up a good pace for that long, I can totally do it.
Try and stop me.
I plan on doing it on the summer solstice so that I’ll have the most daylight possible.
So yeah. Hopefully I won’t have to modify this goal anymore. Though I’d still run the Calgary Marathon if I’m able to by next May.
Yay!
4,000 MILES
YO DAWGZ I just hit 4,000 walking miles for the year!
That’s about 300 more than I did last year, but still 1,000 short of my goal.
Can I walk 1,000 miles in a little less than three months? Surely. I’ve been keeping a pace of 400+ miles a month, even with Injury City, so it shouldn’t be a problem.
Unless the weather tanks. Which it might.
Alberta, yo.
Pain is just pain leaving the body
More specifically, my leg hurts.
But if you think I’m going to let pain get in the way of my walking goal, you don’t know me.
Hell, I was peeing blood in July due to how much I was walking. Did that stop me? Hell no.
(Sorry, this injury is my life now.)
NO PAIN NO GAIN
I will make my walking goal this year.
Nothing will stop me.
No one will stop me.
Injury? Hah. I will walk through the pain.
Whatever it takes, I’ll do it.
(Sorry, I needed to self-motivate today ‘cause I feel like lazy poops.)
SUMMER DAYS DRIFTED AWAY
Yo, party poopers!
So since it’s the end of August, I’m declaring “summer” officially over. Back in June I made a list of the crap I wanted to accomplish over the summer, so let’s recap and see just how big of a failure I was:
- “Walk until my toes fall off.” Haha. Ha. Pretty close, let me tell ya…
- “Clean the condo. My responsibilities are the bathroom and kitchen, which get the most visibly gross the fastest.” I actually did this! Maybe once, though. Now that my leg is a wounded animal, I’m afraid to bend it too much. Bending is a pretty big requirement for cleaning the bathroom, ‘cause I get all down and dirty and scrub every inch of the bathtub. I get it filthy with my gross walking feet; it’s only right that I clean it.
- “Consolidate my pasta.” DID IT! Now there’s only like 13 boxes in the cabinet instead of 20+.
- “Clean the little storage room in the back. There’s a lot of boxes back there. And cat litter dust. Time to sweep where no man has swept before!” DONE! LOTS of cat litter dust.
- “Clean my side of the closet. There’s a lot of boxes in there. Mostly shoe boxes full of dead Kinvaras.” DONE! I kept the Kinvaras, though. Stuck ‘em in a giant bag. I’m not a hoarder, no siree.
- “Draw more.” HA.
- “Organize my bookmarks.” DONE!
- “Read this amazing biography of this amazing human being yet again, because it’s getting to be that time of the year.” Didn’t do this one ‘cause Nate was busy reading it.
- “Rewrite my old calculus notes into one giant notebook combining calc I, calc II, and calc III.” Nope.
- “Do my 50-mile walk. It’s time.” DONE! This is the one I’m most proud of.
- “Organize the crap on my computer.” Mostly done, yes.
- “POST THESE BLOGS OMFG” I did the first round! They’re posted through the beginning of July, which is a pretty big deal considering how many that needed posting back in June.
Not too bad!
Mileage Update: Halfway Point
If I had walked 15 miles a day six days a week (as was my goal at the beginning of the year), my current mileage should be: 2,340
What my current mileage actually is: 2,433.19
Nice? But 90 miles a week won’t get me to 5,000 miles for the year!
To be on pace for the 5,000 miles, my current mileage should be: 2,500 (duh)
So I’m a little behind.
TO BE FAIR, I’ve had to take quite a few days off from walking entirely in order to get all my work done for teaching this semester. And since I don’t have anything else to do in July*, I’m going to try to not only make up the difference in miles but try to get ahead of pace.
So yeah. Hopefully I’ll be able to make it!
*“Get a job, you lazy bum,” you say? Well, I technically got paid for a whole summer’s worth of work teaching during spring. Plus, I’m still holding out and hoping that I’ll get another class to teach in the fall (pleasepleasepleaseplease). PLUS, I’m going to Moscow in August and then on a week-long cruise with Nate, and I don’t know if any job would be willing to give me that much time off right off the bat. So for now, I’m going to take advantage of the awesome opportunity I have to spend a whole month walking to my heart’s content. How many people get to do that?
Zeet Zeet I’m a Beet
HOKAY, so I’ve walked a total of 2,199.32 miles this year so far. I want to get to 2,500 by July 1st.
So can I walk 300.68 miles in June?
I should be able to. Heck, given what I’ve walked so far this year, I’m actually averaging 439.864 miles per month, which is way more than I’ve ever done per month in the past.
SNAZZY!
Also, have some Braves playing terribly.
OKAY SO NEW GOAL:
I want to run the Calgary marathon next year.
I had no idea that there even was a Calgary marathon (though it makes sense that there is, of course; most big cities have one), but when I went walking down by the river this afternoon they had one whole side of Memorial Drive (plus other roads) blocked off for the marathon.
The runners inspired me, so now I want to go for it next year.
Considering I can only currently run about 10k (6.2 miles) in a stretch, it’s going to take a bit of work to get up to marathon distance (26.219 miles). But considering I run a decent amount and walk as much as I do, I think getting to that point should be possible.
YAY GOALS!
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