Baby, It's Cold Outside

So I have been making use of my tennis shoes for more than just ankle support and there's one thing I've noticed about jogging in the cold: it hurts like a f*cking b. Every inhale in is like daggers to the lungs. Every exhale is just as bad. With the weather like this, I don't even break a sweat. It could be that I am not trying very hard... details.

I have incorporated hill running into my daily jogs which has presented an even bigger challenge. Yes, they are necessary... But they're also hard. And the hills, which are small to walk and/or drive up, seem to get bigger and steeper when running. Pack on a couple of layers and a windbreaker and I might as well be the Michelin man climbing that hill. At least my ponytail is super cute & perky.

Ummmm.....

So yeah, I was a little motivated in that last post. The truth is, I didn't started running again. I also didn't sign up for the SF marathon that just passed - - I saw my friends pictures on facebook of the people who DID run it and thought... Oh yeah, that was supposed to be me. Fail.

The good news is I did loose a ton of weight, I had to give away all my big clothes (you're welcome, sister!), and I feel super comfortable with my body. Huzzzaaaah!

The bad news... I still can't run. Add that to my list of being tone death, having the voice of a seagull, and not being able to dance, you'd think I wouldn't mind. It's just one more can't... No! I do mind! I do! I wanna be a runner! It's like the easiest way to keep in shape and I am, by every definition of the word, lazy. I am also incredibly vain. Put the two together, you have girl that wants to run...

If only my lungs and chicken drumstick legs felt the same way....

My Next Race

Well, I haven't run since October and by the sounds of my last post, it was pretty challenging. However, the weather here has turned and I have been tempted to shed my winter jacket and use my running shoes. In fact, I've decided on my next race:

http://inside.nike.com/blogs/nikerunning_events-en_US/2010/02/26/2010-race-weekend-and-registration-information

I am not going to do the full marathon, just the half. It's a pretty penny in itself: $115. In the words of Nicole Jae Brown, that's bananas. Nonetheless, it was a promise to my sister after she gave me two sweet little nephews so I guess I have to. According to her, "You get really neat free stuff." That's her motivation... I don't have the heart to tell her a $115 is not free. My motivation? I already told you, keeping a promise. Duh.

So tomorrow, it all begins. Again.

Blowing The Cobwebs Off My Tennis Shoes

So today went as follows: woke up at five thirty, refused to get out of bed until six thirty, stressed stressed stressed, made a cup of tea, did some yoga, took a brief shower, put on some running gear, stressed stressed stressed, waited for my boss to pick me up. At eight thirty on the money, we made our way down to the 5k.

I had to chug some Pepto-Bismol before my boss arrived, followed by some water (hydration is key), because I was super anxious. It wasn't, "Oh, I am going on a light jog with Jen" but more of a "What the f*, I am going to a competitive race in the pouring rain WITH MY BOSS." In this case, only the strong survive.

When I popped in the car, I pretended to be happy to see her even though I secretly wished she had cancelled. We talked about throwing the entire thing off and just going to breakfast but we were already dressed so we made the effort. Upon arrival to the Lehigh Valley Parkway, the scene was chipper despite the rain. There were balloons (knocked over by the wind), pink shirts everywhere (hidden by ponchos), and a festive strech session (led by an overweight man). We made use of the toliets before starting to run our freezing toes off but I wasn't sure what was rain water and what was human water... Nonetheless, the coffers were empty, we lined up, the gun sounded, and out feet hit the pavement.... Errr... Mud.

The route was similar the Lehigh Valley Half Marathon but a little crueler. Right at the end of the first mile, there were two MASSIVE hills. The first mile is always the hardest for me with my body protesting the sudden movement. Objects at rest, for about twenty six years, like to stay at rest. The onset of the hills hurt. I admit, I had to walk at the top but once I hit the peak, I began to run again.

A similar thing happened at mile two but the hill was less steep so I managed to walk a little less and ran the rest of the way. Overall, I think I walked less than a quarter of a mile, which is pretty good considering that I haven't ran seriously since visiting Costa Rica in July. It's amazing what we can put our bodies through. Three months of drinking, occasionally smoking, and lots pizza still equates to an ok runner.

When we crossed the finished line, they yelled the time out to us. I heard 25 minutes, Jen heard 45, turns out we finished at 39 minutes. That's a 12.6 mile which I really don't mind since it was in the rain, uphill, both ways.

As soon as we got out of the herd of people that crowded around the end of the race, Jen looked to me and said, "Let's go." We did make an effort to pick up a free items, like water and a bagel, but beyond that, we had to bounce. Jen then took me out for a Mimosa breakfast. Nice.

There's No Bad Weather, Only Bad Gear

Ok REI, your motto is bull crap. Tell that to anyone who's been in a car accident. Did they just have bad all weather tires?? Surely that's driving gear!!

Here I am awake and petrified about running a 5k in 40 degree weather with INTENSE rain. The event is rain or shine and I'm running it with my boss so even though I want to chicken out, I can't. Layers. Lots of rain proof layers.

Yikes... Just Yikes

So tomorrow, I am off to run a 5k and it's SNOWING! The snow isn't sticking but it feels like ice outside. Brrr... And what's more, I haven't been running since Costa Rica (and I am not sure I ran more than three miles the entire time I was there) and I am running said 5k with my boss. This will definitely get me back in the game but I am curious how it will turn out... Any takers that I run the entire thing to prove I can?

Running in Circles Is SO Applicable

While I have not been running for some time, I have been very, very busy. This has allowed me to maintain my weight loss as being crazy is an excellent appetite suppressant. Firstly, my little sister had twins. YAY! Two big boys with red and black hair (fraternal twins - obviously). When I have down time, I am constantly shopping for them on diapers.com or the nursery section of gap.com. I NEVER thought I would be visiting sites of such a nature.

Secondly, I have severely upped my hours at the ad agency and this, in combo with the shoe store, has kept me busy. So busy that by the time I get home at night, I want to go to sleep rather than study for the GRE's - - which are coming up in seven, that's right, seven weeks. Yikes! So needless to say, running has not been the top of my priorities. I will, however, need to step up my game SINCE I am still running a 5K on Oct. 17th. Oh what a tangle web we weave...

Chipmunks, Death & Presents

This morning, while opening the blinds, I watched the cat chase something in the bushes. She looked up at me as to say, "Hi! Look at what I am doing!" And then, all of a sudden, she pounced deeper into the terrain and pushed out what I thought was a bird. It ran along the wall and up towards the porch with the cat following it. I went to the back door to see if the bird got away when I saw the cat coming up the steps... with a chipmunk in her mouth. I rushed over and closed the screen door - - I really did not want another dead chipmunk in the house - - and screamed for the boyfriend. There was an emergency and I really needed him to come downstairs IMMEDIATELY. He came down, sans clothes (it gets hot here at night), and sleepily stumbled to the back door. He's like, "The cat better not be doing something cute and that's why you woke me." Just as he said that, she turned her head towards us and displayed her kill - still in her mouth. The boyfriend chuckled, "Good girl, now you're mama's going to clean it up." No way. I did it once when he was bed ridden, that was more than enough. I don't do dead things. She eventually dropped the chipmunk and the boyfriend was able to pick it up to throw it away. Poor Alvin. Afterward, we thanked the cat for her present, as the polite thing to do, and went to make the coffee. What a start to the day.

September Slump

I don't know what it is about this week but I have not wanted to go jogging. I have the time and the energy, plus the weather is perfect, but I just don't have the passion. I think it's because I've developed a new habit - - coffee and cop shows. In the past, I wake up, am thirsty, slap on some running gear, grab a couple of glasses of water, and then head out the door for a jog. Recently, however, I wake up, am thirsty, grab a couple of cups of coffee, and sit in front of the tele scanning USA for whatever cop show they're playing. Today it was Monk. Yesterday, it was Law & Order: Criminal Intent. Both are pleasing. By doing this, I end up sitting in front of the t.v. for two hours rather than working out and/or studying for the GRE's. Sometimes, I fold laundry or run the Roomba so I can feel mildly productive but the rest of the time, I just work on getting the sleep out of my eyes. Why is that bad habits are so easy to make while good ones are so tuff? If we're really created in God's image, he's one lazy SOB.

Holy Trinity

I haven't decided whether I will run the 5k this weekend at the zoo since my usual running mate still has a bum leg. However, I am very excited to be running the Women's Classic 5K September 17th with two of my work buddies (one being my boss). Jen is incredibly in shape and Liza is more my speed (attempting to get in shape). Jen suggests we walk the race but I want to run it! Run run run! And with the three of us, maybe we can go at a faster pace than what I did the half marathon. After all, it's only three miles. See you at the finish line!

Army of Me

I finally got around to watching the Stephen Colbert episodes when he went to Iraq to support the troops. I have to say, these videos remind me of someone... I am not sure who but that person might be the author of this blog... The part where he attempts to go over the wall and the way he runs is pretty much me. Now, I am not IN basic training but I am trying to live my life in a similar manner... somehow his joke is my reality (and I totally have that iPod hat).

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Stephen Strong: Army of Me - Basic Training Pt. 2
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Protests

Save The Drama For Your Mama

My parental units were in town this weekend for their thirtieth wedding anniversary and my cousin's wedding in NYC. While they were here, I didn't do much jogging but somehow I still feel fit and trim. I think it has to do with all the prep work before and after the wedding. Since the boyfriend broke his leg, I'm the one that carries the luggage and the massive Williams & Sonoma gift around Manhattan, the one that cleans the house for parental inspection, and the one that picks up all the dry cleaning. The up and down with the luggage - on the bus, off the bus, onto the elevator, off the elevator - the in and out with the recycling - the clinging boxes full of bottles down one, two, three, four, five steps and then back up one, two, three, four, five steps for the next load - really toned my arms and legs. I even lost and inch or two around the waist from my sister's wedding as I wore some of the same outfits but they were much looser than what they were back in May. Since things have calmed down, however, I have returned to my regular jogging schedule. I'm losing a lot of water weight with this heat... the air is so thick you can cut it with a knife. And of course, there's still the putting away of dishes, the folding of clothes, and the cleaning of the bathroom that the boyfriend can't complete. I feel like this toned arms and legs thing will be around for a little while.

The Hamster Wheel

What is it about human nature that makes us ok with the status quo? I have been trying desperately to better myself without making any real effort. I mean, I am "looking" for full time positions, "studying" for the GRE's, and "training" for a marathon but not really spending a sincere amount of time on any of these. In fact, all I really seem to be doing is talking about it. The bottom line is that I am happy with the way things are: part time at the shoe store, part time at the ad agency, and full time mooch. I started watching How I Met Your Mother because of the way they portrayed unemployment; Marshall stopped wearing pants and played video games all day while Robyn made beer floats. When asked how her job search was going, she would remark tartly with, "Didn't you hear? I'm the lead anchor on CNN." Unfortunately, both these characters went on to gainful employment and the show stopped being relatable (that's not true -I still think it's legend-wait for it-dary). I just don't see why I can't have the motivation like the cavemen did when it came to the invention of fire. You think someone said, "Hey, Grog, stop playing with those sparks from the sticks and rocks. Our pelts are just fine." No chance. We need the fire like we need the wheel but do we need the full time employment? Maybe one day but today, I am happy running my mile and wearing my new Shuze shoes.

That A Girl!

Yesterday I really, really did not want to go for a jog. The night before I did it Sally Fields style and got white wine drunk. Apparently I am a little out of practice and jibber jabbered the entire night. I couldn't hold my liquor - but it was holding me. Clearly, when I woke up the next morning, I wasn't in tip top shape. BUT I did attempt to jog - I slapped on my sneakers, wiped the sleep out of my eyes, and headed for the door. As soon as I stepped out into the not so fresh air (this humidity is GROSS), I decided not to jog but rather go for a very, very long walk. And I did. It felt nice, I still worked up a sweat, and I didn't leave my tennis shoes feeling neglected.

Change Of Plans

I am unsure whether or not I posted that I have moved my marathon from October 2009 to October 2010 (as I am too lazy to check). Well, I have. I am being a little honest with myself and know that the months I took off to help the boyfriend severely set me back AND that I wasn't doing that well to begin with. I am taking the extra time, running a few more races, and will be extra prepared for the October '10 race. Plus, this gives me more time to save some dough (Mom, if you're reading this, I would be more than happy to start a savings account for the trip in your name.... with your money. LOVE YOU!). The races that I will be running this year include a 5K at the end of the month (in a ZOO! Monkeys throwing poop at you is a great motivator), another half, and maybe the Goofy Run in Florida. That one we still have to think about since the hotels are super expensive outside of Disney World (hey Moooooooommmm). Besides that, I really have to find out where to go surfing on the East Coast... And how expensive that is. I don't want to pass up the opportunity to be good at something. Plus, when I get to the shore after surfing, I'll run from the sharks that think I'm a seal and indirectly be training for my marathon. Win win.

The Heat Is On

Oh my, it's warm. So warm, in fact, that the cat gets snippy when I move in front of the fan. In hopes of beating the heat, I jogged with a water bottle. It's squishing annoyed me and rather than drinking it, I decided to wear it. Ahhhhh water. Nature's fruit juice (wait, isn't fruit juice nature's fruit juice?). Upon returning from my heat sweltering jog, I decided to do a little weight bearing exercise and discovered that I will never be cool again. No sense in putting on makeup since I was sweating through my shower. To be honest, I kind of like it... That's right empty calories, leave me, leave me through my pores. Goodbye water retention, we were once very close. I will not miss you.

Luster for the Lag

What is it about travelling that completely poops you out? I travelled the entire day this past Wednesday and feel like I am not quite awake today. The hours to Costa Rica weren't that different, just three, but the travel time it took for us to get home... Ouch. We were far out on the Costa Rican coast, took an hour and a half to reach Liberia airport, rode a plane for the three hours, fought in customs for two hours, road another plane for three more hours, fought with the luggage attedent and paking gaurd, drove home, and went to bed at three in the morning. Thursday came around and I felt like I ran into a cement truck. Friday came and it was more of a brick wall. Saturday and Sunday, however, it's maybe being hit by a small SUV or large sedan. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to wake up when the alarm goes off, rather than snoozing for an hour, and jog. After all, how lame is it that I ran more on vacation than at home? Stupid jet lag... Do you have to rub it in that I am four years to thirty??

Do You Love Me, Do You Surfer Girl?

Turns out I am a natural at surfing. While we were in Costa Rica, we took advantage of the location and enrolled in lessons. I was certain I would be anything but good at the sport especially since my family and I went to Hawaii and took boggie boarding lessons. I spent most of my time eating salt water, getting beat up, and listening to the instructor yell, "Don't turn your back on the ocean! Don't turn your back on the ocean!." I didn't exactly take up wind surfing, skiing, or even water skiing no matter how many times I've attempted those. Shit, I am still trying to be good at running. Yet, somehow, someway, I managed to surf fairly well. I road in standing every time I attempted to get on the board AND I managed to get up without the instructors help. I did so well, the instructor showed me a couple of extra tricks and techniques. Since finding a sport I'm good at has been a challenge, I am going to stick with it and take a couple more lessons. Yay athletic ability!

Hola Mis Amigos!

We've been in Costa Rica for two and I have been jogging for two days. The boyfriend's new mommy is a physical fitness guru and the first day we were her, she and her husband roped me into going jogging. She's such an amazing trainer - whenever she heard my breathing becoming labored, we would walk. When she saw that I was ready to go again, we were running. I've only been running one to three miles a day BUT in this heat, it's more than what I was doing at home. Being with someone so positive makes the runs fun and enjoyable, even if they are embarrassing at times. 

Size Queen

Two days ago I finally made it out to do some shopping... It was a pain in my ass. When I tried on my normal size, the clothes were way too big. Score, right? I'm so fit! I went for the size down and, well, it was like shoving ten pounds of flour in a five pound bag. What the h? How can one feel gigantic and small at the same time? I ended up taking whatever fit and skipped the bikinis. Why not go to the beach in jeans and a t? It's not exactly a busy location we're going to soooooo no E! TV to put me on the "don't" list.