Friday, October 19, 2012

Running hiatus, Jose Garces, and ZOOMA weekend getaway

It's been another ridiculously busy week for me.  Workdays ranging from 12-14 hours, back-to-back-to-back meetings and deadlines, early-morning PT appointments, catching up with out-of-town visitors.  I am STILL trying to fend off a stuffy nose and cough, too.  I said a week ago that I thought that I would be 100% in a couple of days, but my recovery has been painfully, frustratingly slow (and I don't think the stress of work has helped).

I still have not done any running since the Chicago Marathon.  Not a running step for almost two weeks (unless you count when I had to sprint for half a block to catch a bus that was about to pull away).  There was a period of a few days last week when I was getting the urge to run again, but that has now dissipated in its entirety.

For now, I am just content to enjoy the beauty of autumn without my running shoes.

A lot of folks have asked me if I have the post-marathon blues.  My honest answer is that I don't.  I do not miss the rigorous training schedule or the enormous amount of time involved with stretching, doing physical therapy exercises, foam rolling, etc., etc.  I still do want to run more marathons in the future, for sure, and I'm already thinking about running Chicago again next year.  But for right now I am really, really enjoying the mental and physical break from running that these last two weeks have afforded.  It's a little addicting to NOT run, actually.  Bad, I know.

Moving on from the post-marathon talk!  The next 36 hours are going to be quite the whirlwind for me.  For any Food Network fans out there, Iron Chef Jose Garces is hosting a cookbook launch party tonight at Kendall College (he is an alum).  He'll be doing a meet-and-greet, serving appetizers and drinks from his new cookbook, and then doing a cooking demonstration (hopefully with some samples for the audience!)  Adam and I have tickets to attend and I can't wait.

Iron Chef Jose Garces

It'll be very cool to meet Jose Garces in person.  I have all kinds of burning questions to ask him about being an Iron Chef (e.g. Do you REALLY find out about each show's secret ingredient completely on the fly?  Is Alton Brown really as much of a walking food encyclopedia in person as he is on TV?  Does the Chairman really make wind-whipping noises when he turns his head?)

Immediately after the conclusion of Chef Garces's event, I am heading up to the Lake Geneva area.  As I'd mentioned here, a big group of the Chicago Running Bloggers have rented a house for the weekend for the ZOOMA Great Lakes Half Marathon.



In lieu of running the race, I decided to volunteer.  This will be my maiden voyage as a race volunteer and I have been asked to be a course marshall.  It should be fun since I'll get the chance to cheer everyone on as I'm marshalling.  Although, unfortunately my excitement about the festivities has been dampened by my lingering cold and crazy-busy workweek.

Additionally, I am frustrated because as I type this, the race organizers still have not provided us any information on when or where I should report tomorrow morning.  I don't know yet where I'm supposed to park, how I'm going to get to whatever point I'm assigned on the course, how much time to allow myself, or anything.  I've followed up with the organizers twice now.  Both times have been told that they would provide more information soon.  But we are less than 18 hours away from the start of the race now, so this is not cool.  It's really not my style to dishonor a commitment.  But given everything that has been transpiring this week, I have to admit that I'm getting more and more tempted to cancel as a volunteer and just go be a spectator.  Sigh.

In any event, I am looking forward to a great weekend hanging out with other inspiring women and enjoying the beauty that Lake Geneva has to offer in the autumn.  (And who knows, maybe it'll finally inspire me to lace up my running shoes again in this lifetime?)

More to come soon.  Happy Friday!

12 comments:

  1. What a fun event tonight!

    I am sorry that they are not getting back to you. I wonder if they just expect all volunteers to show up early tomorrow am and take orders? Who knows :(

    Can't wait to see you! Think your cold will go away by tonight so we can HAVE FUN?!!?! Hee hee.

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    1. Thanks, Kim!!! I have more details to share about the volunteer experience... more to come soon. And I can't wait for the next running blogger getaway where I can actually run the race PLUS won't be battling a cold! Illinois or Wisconsin Half/Full, here we come!!!!!

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  2. Chef Seto...

    You are KNOWN...for you love of cheese but will you MELT in the heat of kitchen STADIUM?

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    1. I am feta cheese... therefore I do not melt!!!

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  3. Have fun pretty lady!!! I mentioned this like 19305203 times already but I am so envious of this amazing blogger meet-up! I totally should have volunteered but it didn't even cross my mind. Fail :( You deserve this break, so relax and enjoy it all!

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    1. Thanks so much, Irina!!! You'll have to attend the next running blogger meetup - we're looking at various spring half marathons... including the Illinois Half/Full!!!!! How cool would it be for us fellow UIUC alums to run a half at our alma mater!?!?!?!??

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  4. I also haven't run since Chicago. And it feels darn good- addictive like you mentioned. Although I'm in need of a change in my food intake or working out because I like to eat. A lot :)

    I hope you had a good time at the iron chef event. I've always wondered if the chairman makes those swooshing sounds too!

    Have a lovely time up at Zooma. I also have a cold and am happy to not have any obligations this weekend. Feel better soon- and I hope you get info on where you're supposed to Marshall the course. Stinks they seem kinda disorganized. :(

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    1. Thanks so much, Xaar!!! I totally relate because I like to eat a lot, too (and my waistband is already feeling the aftershocks, sigh). I'm sorry to hear about your cold but I wish you a speedy recovery, as well as continued speedy healing from your ankle injury!!! You'll have to attend the next running blogger meetup - there is consideration of various spring half marathons in the area. =)

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  5. After Chicago I barely ran for a month. After Las Vegas I barely ran for three months. It was really nice to have my free time back! So, I totally understand.

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    1. I am very grateful that you understand! I've been feeling bad that we haven't been going on our Thursday morning runs and may not be going for the forseeable future... but I hope to change that in the near future. =)

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  6. Jose Garces! Jealous!

    I'm glad you aren't feeling the marathon blues. I definitely did after my second one. (Although, that was also the hardest part of the deployment for me, so that could have been a contributing factor.)*

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    1. It turns out that Jose Garces is exactly the same in person as he is on TV, both in personality and in appearance! He is very down to earth, too, which was awesome.

      Sorry to hear that you were feeling the marathon blues after your second one - but definitely agree that your deployment probably threw a huge wrench into the mix. But you'll be doing a European marathon very soon, so that is something huge to start looking forward to!!! =D

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