Miles 591-594: A slight detour - Una mattina

When I first viewed the two videos by TSO Photography posted previously on this blog, the accompanying music stirred me as much as the beautiful photography. Especially the song in The Mountain. Luckily, we live in an era where tracing the string of an emotion back to its source is a simple hop skip and a jump.

The artist is a minimalist classical pianist named Ludovico Einaudi and the song was taken from an album called Una Mattina.

When I read the description, I impulsively purchased the entire album:

Italian composer Ludovico Einaudi's 2004 follow-up, Una Mattina, is inspired by a much more simple premise, his daily routine and the Piedmont vineyard where he resides with his family. The 12 autobiographical, contemporary, and minimalist classical pieces are all piano-based with the exception of two tracks featuring cellist Marco Decimo ("Resta con Me," "DNA").

Lucky for me, the song chosen for the video was not an anomaly on the album; Una Mattina as a whole is fantastic.

What I love even more is the depth the song titles provide:

1. Una mattina - One/A morning
2. Ora - Now/This Moment
3. Resta con me - Stay/Be with me
4. Leo
5. A fuoco - A fire
6. Dolce droga - Sweet drugs
7. Dietro casa - Behind the house
8. Come un fiore - Like a flower
9. DNA
10. Nuvole nere - Black clouds
11. Questa volta - This time
12. Nuvole bianche - White clouds
13. Ancora - More/Still/Yet/Again

The reason for this long tangent? It's winter, the nights are long but beautiful, and when I run these evenings sometimes my mind just wanders in non-verbal thought. If it had sound, I think those thoughts would sound something like this album. Recurrent yet varying melodic strains, hushed and wondering at the world and its boundlessness.

Yesterday I ran four miles at negative splits - 8:57, 8:52, 8:47, and 8:29. Negative splits was something I never thought I would do well.

Miles 591-594: Practice, practice, practice.

Miles 588-590: A punch in the gut

I had seen this clip before, but not this video. Because I run - and like all runners, have done so through pain - and because I have a cousin who runs for an university cross country team, I have an acute appreciation for this story.

ESPN: The Finish Line 2 - Short Feature from Evolve Digital Cinema / IMG on Vimeo.

Last night, after work, the sky was cleared after a strange blustery afternoon rain. It was warm and windy and I ran my three miles fast.

Miles 588-590: It felt really good and I was grateful.

Miles 584-587: Side by side

Today has been a most lazy day. After spending yesterday evening in the company of dear friends indulging in good food and (too much) drink, today has found me mostly on the couch, sometimes reading a book, sometimes watching TV.

After an unplanned nap, James and I went for a run.

It was chilly but not cold and we found ourselves running what we call our Regular Route, the four mile loop. Shaking off the sloth of the day felt good and I discovered that Friday's heart rate reportings were most definitely off. (152 makes more sense, methinks.)

Today I am grateful for my husband and our mutual love of running. Three years ago when we started running in North Carolina, we were both out of breath after one mile and forced to walk.

I rather like that we now have a Regular Route, that it is four miles and we talk breezily as we run side by side, only stopping to avoid cars.

Running is a gift I get to give to myself every day I want to. Running with someone I love just makes it sweeter.

May your Christmas's be just as sweet, filled with warmth, health, and love.

Miles 579-583: My Beating Heart

Merry Christmas Eve! Yesterday morning, after three chocolate chip cookies and three cups of coffee, I put on my new watch, my new running shirt, and my now familiar Spectrum of the Sky Album and went for a cruise. It was 63°F!

I'm wondering if the caffeine and the sugar had anything to do with my performance - it was a good run, I felt good on my feet, my lungs are almost completely cleared, but my HR averaged at 174. Maybe I just don't quite understand heart rates yet but according to my age and resting heart rate, 174 bpm is supposed to be me running all out, balls-to-the-wall. I certainly didn't feel that way. And 224 bpm? Shouldn't that be a heart attack?

Maybe I didn't seat the monitor properly. All in all, pretty cool.

Last night a group of us attended a Carolina Hurricanes game (in which they pulled out a win - good times!) and while on our way to Raleigh, we talked about what our goals for 2012 may be. At this point, I'm not really sure what I want to plan for myself, as The Plan was a bit of a flop.

But if I look at it as a roadmap for accomplishing some goals - and let's face it, all roads wander - I'm pretty happy with where it took me. 

I'm ending 2011 with a strong heart, strong legs, and some pretty awesome memories.

It has been a road worth traveling.

Miles 575-578: Hope for 2012

That's what this video fills me with:


The Mountain from TSO Photography on Vimeo.

Apparently I was a good girl this year, as I received a package in the mail with my very own Garmin Forerunner 405, complete with heart rate monitor.

On Tuesday, my hacking had subsided enough to warrant a test run.

As with my experiences with James's watch, it was pretty cool, hearing the little beep as the miles went by. Given my recent illness, the stats weren't all that impressive, but the geek in me is excited about having the stats.

Speaking of which, it's time for a run.

Miles 555-564, 565-570, 571-574: A Race, a New Route, a Night Run, and a Video for Winter

This post is not going to be nearly as long as the title.

I write on the tail-end of what I hope is my last sinus flare-up for 2011. Sadly, this has shredded any last bit of hope I had for puling out a victory on the 711 goal front. But despite falling short, 2011 has been a great year for running.

We rounded out our race season with my first 10-miler. I missed my goal of sub-90 minutes by 30 or so seconds, but the race was still amazing (and crowded with some fast runners!) and an awesome experience for our little gang.

The following Sunday, Glenna took James, David, and I to the Greenway, a neat spot in Smithfield. It's a nice out-and-back six miles and we warmed up afterwards with a Cracker Barrel breakfast.

This past Tuesday, James and I ran a quick four miles together in the still and chilly night. The tightness and dryness in my chest should have clued me in to the illness that was coming, but when you're feeling good and running well, you don't always want to believe your body's signs.

So since Wednesday, I've been resting and letting my body catch up on sleep and vitamins.

As Christmas draws close, I offer this beautiful video as a meditation on the gifts we are offered everyday.

The Arctic Light from TSO Photography on Vimeo.

Miles 550-554: Starry night

45°F, clear and calm. Nobody about, only random barking dogs.

Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might:

Let me finish The (modified) Plan.

Sunday the gang heads to Greenville for the 7th Annual Dash for Cash and I will run my first 10-mile race. My goal is to go sub-90 minutes. 

Miles 550-555: Fast five miles, 43:21.