Pet Peeve

Oh, surely I have many but on facebook my friend Lin asked today "What really annoys you?" in his status update. Of course, probably not unlike most people, a lot of stuff annoys me. Some stuff more on some days and then on other days I can be pretty mellow about most things.

No really, I can be.

Believe it or not I've actually had people describe me "as laid back." I know, I too just assume those people--the ones who think I might be laid back-- are really bad at reading people. But, I'm just making a point that, I--moi-- have come across as laid back. That there are apparently some people in this world that think of me as easy going. And to me that suggests that those people--the ones who think of me as "laid back"-- probably think I don't get annoyed about much. And of course, they would be wrong. But again, I think we already agreed that these were not the most astute people ever anyway.

Wait.
Did you see that?
Did you see how I was sort of polite about basically calling some people stupid?


Wait.
Was that annoying?
A little?

Well, truthfully I too find that annoying but I am use to it. It is a Southern woman thing after all. Southern women are awesome at insulting someone in such a way that it sounds exactly like a compliment but really what just happened is that they called you a slut when they said "You are such, a (insert thoughtful seeming pause) free spirit."

Right, I know. I'm not really all that good at it and admittedly I am often tricked by it too. This is why I avoid ladies luncheons and anything that involves a committee of women. You know they are speaking English but you are never sure what is really being said because it is smushed under some pleasant adjectives and said in polite and syrupy voice. But one quick trick in helping you decode the intention is be on the look out for conversations that start with "Bless her heart". You hear that and just know that something unkind is about to be said about someone.

Okay but that isn't what really annoys me. I know, the whole tangent thing I do can be very annoying. I can't help it. I just have so many useless things to convey! I would hate for you to miss one single thing. Do you know my nickname is Pooh? No? Well it is and there really is a Tao of Pooh and all I am saying is that later? There might be a quiz. So yeah, all these tangents are key information. So pay attention and don't skip ahead.


So anyway. . . as soon as I read Lin's question I KNEW what really, really annoys. I mean, this is something that never fails to annoy me. More so than when someone nearly causes me to rear end them when they pull out in front of me and then proceed to drive 10 miles under the speed limit. More than that.

My number one pet peeve is the cult of the little dog. And maybe this is just an Atlanta thing, or a northern suburb thing but it seems like every single time I am in a TJ Maxx or Target or Trader Joes there is some woman--and no it is never the same woman--in there with her little scraggly haired with bows lap dog in a shopping cart. And no, it is not the same dog. Just the same type of dog. You know it: the little dogs, the lap dogs. The ones with an outfit on and a froufrou hair cut and most likely they have that nasty black stuff under their eyes that little dogs all seem to have. More often than not the little dog is sitting on a pillow.

To be clear. I don't have a problem with people owning these types of dogs or wanting to dress them up or fix their hair (you know some people put colored streaks in their dog's hair?) or essentially treat them like a child. I don't even mind little dogs. I don't want one for myself but little dogs aren't the problem. I've decided that what I really have issue with is the women who own these dogs and treat them like an accessory to their outfit.(I have NEVER seen a man out shopping with his little dog and I have yet to see anyone pushing their Boxer or Golden Retriever dressed up in a shopping cart at Trader Joes.) I don't understand why they think it is okay to bring these dogs where it is totally inappropriate to have an animal. Aside from a service dog I can not find a single reason at all why you would take your dog to shop for clothes or groceries (or, for that matter, why you would want to.)

It is totally obnoxious and presumptuous to bring your dog into a clothing or grocery store and subject people who maybe don't want to be around dogs to be around dogs. And don't even try the "I feel the same about your loud and wild children in public" argument. No way. Not the same. At all. Unlike a child you can leave your dog unattended at home. You can even put them in a crate. My understanding is that DEFACS has some issues with crating children so that is not an option for parents like it is dog owners. Also, some people are highly allergic to dogs. People, while highly annoyed by children, are never allergic to them.

I am so tempted to dress up Lola and put bows in her hair and put her in a shopping cart and peruse the racks at TJMaxx. Wonder what would happen? Forget that it would be totally impossible for me to sneak my 60lb husky under my jacket and quietly squire her into a shopping cart as I imagine the little dog ladies do. I am fairly certain I wouldn't make it cross the store's thresh hold with Lola. Pretty sure if I show up with Lola at Trader Joes, or any store other than Pet Smart, we would be asked to leave the moment we entered. And I think if they wouldn't let me shop with my big dog then that would be discrimination if they are allowing customers with little dogs to shop with their dog. I mean, come on! What about the shopping rights of big dogs and their owners? Certainly, as a US citizen, nothing should annoy me more than discrimination!

And I guess maybe that is the crux of what annoys me about the cult of the little dog, or rather their female owners. These women, in toting their little dogs everywhere with them, suggests to me that they believe they are above the rules. That smacks of self proclaimed elitism and elitism-- especially unearned and assumed-- is always distasteful to me: always, annoying.

Feel free to list your pet peeve.

Tao of Pooh. Oh Bother.

For those that don't know my familial nickname as a child was "Pooh"--as in Winnie the Pooh. But only Aunt Boo stills calls me "Pooh."

I have 21 days until the Chickamauga Marathon.
I have the Silver Comet half marathon next Saturday.
Uhm, so yeah, I guess I am in the taper.

Ready or not I better be trained.

I am a little disappointed in my running mpw totals this training go around. For the most part they were in the mid 50 range but I was hoping/planning for them to be in the 60 mpw range.

Didn't work out that way.

And so, I worry that I am a little under trained.

But maybe not.

For my first marathon I think I only peaked at 40 mpw. For OBX and ING I did hit the 70 mpw range a few times but I also struggled (read hobble) a lot with over training injuries. Right now I feel pretty good but I also feel like maybe it has been too easy, like I didn't work hard enough. Like yeah, I know I can do 26.2 miles but I don't know if I can do 26.2 miles faster or even as fast as I have done.

So I worry.
I fret. That what if I have already peaked and now I am on the downhill spiral into slow, and next thing you know I'll be doing a half marathon with a walking stick?

So yeah, I am not too optimistic about a PR at Chickamauga or at Silver Comet. But ever the optimistic pessimist I am still hoping and aiming for a sub 3:40 nonetheless. And aiming for sub 1:40 at Silver Comet.

Okay. For shits, giggles and reassuring pats I need to do a check list real quick, bear with me:

So we have speed work, right?
Almost every week at least one run on the treadmill in the 5K-8 mile range @7-7:30 pace.
About 8 or so 12-16 milers.
And then there are the 5 long runs: The 21 miler, the 20 miler, the 23 miler, the 24 miler and the 21 miler (in the rain, ugh!)

I'm good, right? No? Yes?

What I am worried about: I have no runs at projected marathon pace. All my mid length and long runs are all about 45 seconds to a minute 15 slower than marathon goal pace (8 minute miles). Maybe recovery runs were at marathon pace. I don't know since I run those however I feel like.

SEE! I've been too lackadaisical about all this.

Oh, and then there has been my cheating heart doing all that biking and swimming.

Self sabotage?

I don't know. I don't know.

Okay, shaking it off;

Whatever.
Doesn't matter.
What will be will be come race day.
I will run.
And there might be terrible hills.
There might be horrible heat
Or humidity,
Or cold,
Or rain.
And, I've tried my best to prepare for all these possibilities.
But race day has always proven three things to me:
That there is magic.
That there is unexpected obstacles.
That no matter--however, whatever--I get through it. I get it done.

"Oh, bother," says Pooh.

I'll get it done this time too.

But really? I still hope that the planets will align and it will be that perfect race.
But no matter.
When I am done with it? I will still be happy however it all goes down just because I am done.
That's the beauty of 26.2.
Just finishing it makes you proud; even if it sucked ass the whole time.

So my last week of training finished up like this--no not ideal but it is what it is and I did my best:

Sunday: 6 miles general aerobic run. Then 2 cool down with dog. Puppy girl is lazy except when she sees another person or dog. Otherwise I pretty much have to drag her.

Monday: So fun. 5 or so miles easy. 36 rocking bike miles on the greenway. 20 minutes weights and then 1 mile swim.

Tuesday: Work day. No fitness.

Wednesday: Sad day where I bailed on my mid length run. Bad. Bad. Bad. 3 miles run of shame. Blech.

Thursday: 8 miles: 6 rolling and then 2 easy with slow puppy girl. And then 7 hours of hard landscaping labor hell. Dirt. Yuck. I'm a princess and I do not like yard work or dirt.

Friday: 21 unspectacular disappointing miles. First 8 or so miles was in the pouring rain. Then the next 6 or so I was getting splashed by the water on the roads and the humidity was just yucky and then the last bit was just bleck. Finished in 3 hours and eight minutes. I wanted to quit every single second of it. Then I had to go help set up for the garage sale.

Saturday: Did a garage sale. Mentally and physically draining. Had optimistically thought I could rally afterwards for a run but after all day on my feet and haggling I just wanted to crawl into bed. Which is pretty much what I did. But fabulously enough I got rid of stuff and made dollars--so, absolutely worth it.

Le totales:
Sie Run: 45 miles
Sie Bicyclie: 36
Sie Swim: 1 mile
mwah.
Now? Le taper.