Monday, March 16, 2009

The Thin Beast?

I just wanted to start off by saying thank you to everyone who wished me well and was praying for me this past weekend. It was hard but getting your comments and knowing that so many people out there cared for me made it a lot easier. Yesterday I was able to get in a 9 mile run, which wasn't what I had planned but my ankle is still healing from last weekend so I was happy with that. I am hoping to make this week my longest mileage week yet, coming in right around 50. Of course I am continuing my daily sit ups and push ups. My arms are so weak still, but I can tell that the push ups are making a difference. I am hoping for the best but we shall see how the ankle holds up.

I just tracked my Garmin package, I have a serious problem tracking packages, and I think it might even arrive later today! I am so excited to jump on the Garmin train and I will definitely be posting a review after I figure it out. I am sad to say that over 7-9 miles the Nike plus just doesn't hack it anymore.

Yesterday while out on my run on the beach path of Long Beach I noticed something different about my path. Ahead of me were a bunch of volleyball nets and a whole bunch of beach volley teams playing. A little back story here is that my college roommate and best friend is a volleyball player as well. In college for my 'work study' I was the volleyball team scorekeeper. We would always watch beach and sometimes, on occasion, she would let me play with her. She is really good at volleyball and though I miss her a lot, right now she is in Europe living out her dream playing for a team in Innsbruck, Austria. We still skype and chat online a lot and we try to send really random pictures to each other when we think the other is least expecting.

So anyways we've watched a lot of beach volleyball (AVP) together and both have come to love the THIN BEAST and his partner, The Professor. During the Olympics the Thin Beast was renamed the Beijing Beast, but I prefer the Thin Beast. My friend has even gone to the AVP and seen them play and she said yes, in real life, he's a thin beast. As I'm running I start to see that these players are legitimate and there are a few signs that say USA Volleyball. I didn't connect the two together until I saw him. I saw the Thin Beast. Obviously he was incredibly recognizable, a towering 6'9 is something you don't miss. I ran by and just watched everyone and then ran my loop and when I was passing again there was a stray ball coming towards the path I was running on. There was an older woman in front of me walking a small yorkie and I thought for sure she was going to give it back to the players but she kept on walking. Then I was the next closest person. I picked up the ball and thought about kicking it, but I was running in my running skirts, so I ruled that one out. I was a little cautious to hit the ball back to them but I threw it up in the air and luckily served it perfectly back to him and he said thank you. It was by far the highlight of my run.

It was crazy seeing them all out there though, but exciting for me at least. Today is a rest day for me and tomorrow I'm going to run 8 in the morning before work. Hopefully I can get out of bed. :)

xoxo

34 comments:

Jodi said...

That's so cool that you saw the Thin Beast and The Professor! I loved watching them during the Olympics. Glad you got a nice run in.

Marlene said...

What a neat little brush with fame - you never know who you're going to "run" into. I bet you couldn't wait to get online and tell your old friend!

X-Country2 said...

What a cool celeb spotting! I kind of developed a little crush on him during the Olympics. I do have a rule that I would never date someone with a smaller waist then me, and he might be a little too thin for me. :o)

Glad things are looking up for you. I may be the last person on earth without a Garmin, so I'm anxious to read how you like it.

Nicole said...

What a neat story. Good luck with your mileage this week! Hopefully your ankle holds up! :)

Vava said...

That's pretty cool about the volleyball encounter! And you're going to love the Garmin, though for me the addiction borders on the unhealthy - I cannot conceive of ever running without my watch and recognize that this is not only a problem now, but what if I should ever be without?!?! (Bit my tongue. Bit my tounge. No speaking of such terrible things.)

Niki said...

That is so cool that you saw the Thin Beast and The Professor! I loved them during the Olympics too!

Good luck with you big mileage week this week and I hope your ankle does well:) Have fun with your new Garmin!

Jocelyn said...

Thats awesome!
Glad things are going better! good job on your run

Anonymous said...

Hope your package does arrive today! You are going to enjoy the Garmin. You are doing great with the mielage have fun hitting 50 this week.

Marcy said...

Ohhhh gawwdd girl! I hear you with the tracking packages. I'm all up in that! LOL

You didn't hump dude's leg or anything like that? That's what my classy butt would've done :P (Kidding!)

Leila said...

enjoy the day of rest! my trainer beat me up this morning (despite the injured foot) so i'm taking it easy tonight. hopefully, tomorrow will be a different story and i can 1) make it out of bed and 2) get a run in before work. xox

Kim said...

How fun!

I once threw Andre Agassi's ball back at him as well. We were staying at the same resort and he was out playing tennis for a tournament coming up so I stopped to watch.

Christopher, Amanda, and Babies said...

You should have taken off running with the ball to see if they'd have chased you, then just when they caught up (That's assuming they could) you would turn around and say "Syke" and throw it to them then.

Yes, that's what you should've done!

You're gonna love the Garmin.

Run Sarah said...

What a neat story! I'm looking forward to your Garmin review, I have heard mixed things and am wondering if it's worth the money.

Runner Leana said...

I hope things are improving for you! Nice job on your run, and nice celebrity sighting too!!

Tara Gibson said...

what an awesome story! Glad your feeling better!!

runjen said...

What a great sighting! And yay for the Garmin arrival. You will love it!

RunToTheFinish said...

i love beach volleyball!! if i could do my life over again I would have pursued it with all my heart

Denise said...

Wishing you get your package today. I love presents in the mail, even if I had to buy them myself.

Kyla @ The Simpsons said...

Oh how exciting!!

ShutUpandRun said...

Hope this is a better week for you! Cool about the volleyball sighting. You are going to LOVE your Garmin. I am completely in love with mine. I'm new to running, but is somehow makes me feel like more of a runner.

The Laminator said...

Talk about an unexpected surprise. Awesome!

jlc said...

Running BEFORE work. Now that would be my absolute DREAM goal!

Ms. V. said...

ooooooo he's ADORABLE!

Middalia Wayman said...

Good job with your run! I hope you enjoy your Garmin as much as I am enjoying mine :) It will be very useful for these high mileage weeks.

J said...

Ahh that is so awesome! I love watching beach volleyball at the olympics! i can't imagine seeing one of those guys in person!

Enjoy the 8 mile run!!

joyRuN said...

6'9" is pretty darn unmistakeable! I never would've been able to serve the ball back - I'd have been a nervous wreck :)

Stuart said...

Gotta love the west coast beach path!

cody@codywestheimer.com said...

I'm a Nike+ --> Garmin convert too! I do miss those celebs congratulating me on the iPod! But I don't miss the Nike+ miscalculating everything. (!) You'll love the heartrate too! :)

Anonymous said...

whata fun little run that turned out to be! hope you're ankle is starting to feel better :)

Alisa said...

That is so awesome!

Leila said...

i left you a little somethin' somethin' on my blog :)

Aron said...

ohhh that is sooo cool!!! :)

Lindsay said...

i totally would have been the one awkwardly tossing the ball back looking as uncoordinated as possible! i'm glad the throw went smoothly for you :) what a cool run-in!

J.J. said...

That is cool! I really dig your blog.

BTW I am a new runner and just worked up to running 3 strait miles...and am running in a 10K in May. I enjoy reading your blog a lot :)