And the winner is....

Scene: GMAA annual dinner. Very much like the Golden Globe Awards, in that people are eating dinner and drinking copiously while awards are presented and recipients give humble, yet incredibly self-congratulatory speeches for the cameras. (Minus the cameras, the speeches, and the copious drinking.)

Esteemed presenter announces, "And the winner of the Best Blog of Year is... '26.2 Miles - Because 26 Miles Isn't Enough'!" Crowd collapses in hysterical approval, standing ovation commences. The blogger steps forward. On cue she shakes her head no, surely hers was not the best blog of the year?! (Surely hers was, in fact, the only blog in contention. Much easier to win first in a one-person contest. Note to self: enter one-person races more often.)

The peels of applause soften as the audience gazes on the winner, matching the tears in her eyes as she accepts the coveted GMAA pint glass and Dunkin Donuts gift certificate.

"This is such a shock, I didn't prepare any remarks," she begins pro forma, glancing at her type-written notes. "Surely the other candidates were more deserving. Who can pass a week without clicking on 'gaga-4-gu.com' or 'runday-bloody-runday.org' ? It's an honor to be their company," she recites, almost convincingly. "I'd like to thank all the people who made this possible: Jess Cover, for believing in me and for maniacally tormenting me, thus giving me something to write about. Chad Shepard for actually reading the blog, even the posts that I don't bother spell-checking. Spell-check, for making the blog somewhat intelligible. And in particular, I'd like to thank all fast, naturally gifted runners who give me fits of envy and feelings of futility, and thus more material." Audience shifts in their seats, boredom sets in already. Did someone say there was desert? "I dedicate this award to all the people who dared to believe that they, too, could......" the orchestra strikes up, quite loudly actually. Clearly time for a commercial break.

Ooh, the pressure of winning my first-ever running award. And oooh, the irony that it's not actually for running. Brings back memories of the jar of BBQ sauce I almost received once for finishing in last place. I promise only to drink diluted Gatorade or protein shakes from my new, very favorite piece of glassware. I hope the celebrity doesn't go to my head.

No, We Don't Need Your Advice On Shoe Color

I went to the Fleet Feet store last Sunday, ready to make my renewed commitment to running financial: I needed new shoes, badly.

My last trip to Fleet Feet in the summer prompted this post, in which I embraced the superficial and shunned ugly shoes. This time, I figured the passage of several months boded well: they've probably received a new shipment, or maybe even a new version of my longtime favorites.

Shoe guy: "What are you looking for?"
Me: "Saucony Triumph, usually size 8, maybe 7.5."
SG: "No problem, be right back."
Me: "Oh, and I gotta tell you now, I'm kind of particular about color."
SG: "Color is a very personal thing. I'll see what we've got."

Shoe Guy comes back saying, "You're either gonna love this, or hate it. Personally, I love this color." He opened the lid and peeled back the tissue paper to reveal the hideous disco purple-and-silver shoes that had made me throw up a little in my mouth just a few months earlier.

Before he could pull one of the shoes from the box, I put my hands up, 'Nope, no way. Not even sorry to say, No. I know those shoes. I tried on those shoes. I even ran in them in the parking lot and tried to convince myself they aren't ugly. But the thing is, they are. Really. Ugly. Can't do it."

I asked him how often they order from Saucony, and if maybe I could consult on the colors they order next time. He either winked... or winced. Probably the latter.

SG: "Like I said, color is a really personal choice."

Shoe Guy did, however, have a pair in size 7.5, in a totally normal, acceptable light-blue-and-white color scheme. I've been running in them for a week, and they feel just about right.

This Monday is the second meeting of Marathon 201 - a lovely, small group of seemingly not neurotic runners (is that possible?). We'll be having a shoe clinic at Ski Rack and I will definitely be scouting out some color options.

All Day Long I Dream About Donuts

It is Sunday, day of the long run. Even though my runs are not long right now, Sunday still arrives with high expectations, and worries about not meeting them. I went to bed last night knowing that I would go to the gym today, since the Arctic front that the Eye On The Sky guys are so enthusiastic about has not let up for days.

Weirdly, my most memorable dreams in waking up this morning were of the fried dough variety. I dreamed I went to Dunkin Donuts and bought a cup of coffee and one chocolate frosted. Apparently, I wanted to eat many, many donuts but I was too embarrassed to actually buy them. So then I went to the grocery store and bought 7-8 huge frisbee-shaped donuts from a display case that was a cross between a vending machine and the DVD racks like they have at Waterfront Video. I have to believe my desire to buy secret donuts is wrapped up in my guilt over what I am and am not (yet) doing to get my butt in gear with my running goals.

So I went to the gym. I warmed up on the treadmill, and then went upstairs to the track to try my first speed work since training for Montreal. As I stood stretching at the edge of the track entrance I couldn't help but notice that, of the few runners passing by, each was wearing a shirt from some year of the Vermont City Marathon. Because really, who else would be spending a Sunday on an indoor track but people who really need to be there?

The speed workout went well -- I planned to do four 200s but I struck up a conversation with another runner and we raced one last lap. (He smoked me. Total hustler.) It felt good to realize I still have some speed, while the stinging in my lungs and tiredness in my legs were a good reminder of what sitting around for a few months does to your fitness.

Afterward, I went to Dunkin Donuts. Weirdly, they now sell mostly bagels.