Back at Last

Of all the things that I have accomplished in the last couple of months, keeping up with my running blog has not been one of them. It seems that the Christmas season came and went and somewhere in it all I lost the desire to run. Huh? Wha? I checked for fever, strains, and pains but there weren’t any. I just didn’t feel like doing it. So I simply didn’t. Then sometime last month I had a “What the hell am I doing” kind of moment. I mean really, I’ve come this far and ran this many miles and I was just going to throw in the towel and quit. I don’t think so dude! So I dusted off the running shoes and pulled out my favorite pair of tights and hit the road. It wasn’t pretty then and it really isn’t that pretty now. But for right now I’m happy with just putting in miles. I never started running to become elite nor did I do it ever to truly compete. Please, I’m just over five feet and still packing 15 extra lbs. of baby weight from a baby that turned 6 in January. Not too mention the boob issue yet again. Yeah, it’s still there and honestly I think I’m going to say to hell with expensive technical bras and buy a $5 one from Wal Mart and duct tape the bad boys down. Okay not really, but there are days when it’s tempting… Tomorrow there will be more, but for now I’m off to do yet another rain run.  Gotta love Spring in Virginia. 

Damn the Rain!

After an insanely lazy day yesterday, (Read that: I didn’t do a damn thing other than eat, open presents, make dinner, eat cookies, eat, sleep…Get the picture?) I had this nice easy 6 mile run planned out so that I could check out all of the Christmas lights that people put up at the last minute. But no, I woke up to torrential downpours; as in there is at least three inches of water in the road. With one pair of usable shoes at present, I’ll stay in the house thank you very much. Hmm, I think I’ll go have another cookie. I’m beginning to feel a little like this….

Favorite Post Run Snack

Lately Virginia is a heap of rain. Not snow, because that would be fun to run through. Just lots of drizzle. If I’m going to run in the rain I want it to be pouring. Everyone has preferences that’s just mine.  (Actually I’d rather be running in the rain on a tropical island somewhere, but whatever.) So lately as I start to build mileage again, I find that I must eat something as soon as I come through the door. My favorite refueling treat is a Raspberry Smoothie. This is my best imitation of the Raspberry Rush smoothie that they sell at The Tropical Smoothie Cafe.

1 cup apple-juice

1 cup raspberries (frozen)

1 banana peeled and chunked

1 good squeeze of lime juice

Blend until smooth and enjoy. It’s sure to chase away the post run hunger pangs and give lots of much needed vitamins and minerals.

All I want for Christmas….

 This is a not so subtle hint to my husband. I love your shuffle, but really I want one of these…..

 

And one of these….

I’m quite fascinated with all the tracking devices that Nike and Ipod offer. I found it a little sad that those really are my shoes in the picture. They were the shoes that I wore for my first half-marathon. It’s probably time to retire them. *sigh* 

Any who… On the Ipod this week I have the following to inspire me and of course make me faster.

Hip Hop Police - Chamillionaire  (The name kills me, but really it has a great beat.)

Chase This Light-Jimmy Eat World

Girlfriend-Avril Lavigne

Tambourine-Eve

Throw it on me -Timbaland featuring the Hives

Rule # 1

Never. ever. run when a  10  Year old is riding a bike along side of you. They may cajole you and cry and tell you that they just want to “spend time with their favorite mommy.” But really they don’t…. It’s all a conspiracy, really I promise. Why? You may ask….really it is okay to question, I don’t mind answering. Well….. because they will in fact dogmatically question every request that you make. Your run will in fact become less about you, and more about the weather (is it humid?), Zack Efron (Do you like his new haircut?), should scrunchies really be out of fashion? (Yes, hell yes! How did you come from my womb and still ask that question?  and the car (Insert Gasp!) that is careening toward us  safely on the other side of the road and waves to let us know that he does see us…..

One mile into said run, statements will be made like “I think I should have added air to my tires, do they look flat?” To which I say”No!” Gasp….. gasp…. “They look perfect!” I mean really….. do I ask her random questions like; do I look fat in my running pants. (Not that I would ever ask her that question because I am quite certain that she would give me an all too honest answer.) “Of course your tires don’t look flat!” Even though really, there is no human way that she will ever get back to the house on that bike. And yet amazingly she does. She opted out of the second half of the run, complaining that her legs were hurting. Gee, from what? 

It was all a bit distracting, but I wonder if I inflated her tires, gave her a stopwatch and a bottle of Gatorade if she would make a good training partner. I somehow think that she may be sadistic enough to shout out insults and bullies to let me know when I need to push harder and faster. Hmmmm…… Maybe Rule #1 should be rethought…. 

Autumn Weather

Though I would not call Virginia cool or crisp this time of year. I will say that last night was a wonderful Fall run. It was dusk, it had just rained and there were no bugs. Yeah! No bugs! As twilight settled in and I skimmed over puddles, I felt this renewed sense of energy. Virginia summer running is so tedious, but Fall is refreshing. Autumn is what I wait for with it’s crispy leaves underfoot and cooling weather. The only thing that could make me happier is to be able to wear running tights and not be hot. That would be absolute bliss.

Blah Blah Blah

I’ve had a long lapse, not from running, but from posting. I had a slight setback with an ankle injury but I still ran the Virginia Beach Rock and Roll Half Marathon as planned. I’ll have to post pics and stories later. It was quite possibly the best experience ever. I was completely overwhelmed by the amount of people and enthusiasm that was so prevalent.

For now, as the semester kicks bask in and as work remains a constant I am having a hard time putting in the necessary time required for long runs. I think that a few 5 K’s will be in my future. I just have to hop on and actually register for them.

It’s Nice to know

Picture it, the year was 2007, It was a hot July afternoon, the sun was beating down on a lone runner as she made her way down Main St. Dodging cars and avoiding several missteps i.e. the railroad track. The young runner stops at a street corner to survey the scene. However will she get across? The street is jammed with cars, many unaware that people can use their so called feet as a mode of transport. She slowly weaves through the stopped traffic. Crosswalk? What’s that!? Traffic Signal? Who needs it! Pedestrian right of way? Never heard of it here in the South.

Out of nowhere a man in a beat up pick up truck rolls down the window. The wind catches his hair and a wispy white comb over waves in the breeze. What? She thinks to herself. What sweet words could he possibly say to the her in her moment of need?

“Hey! Hot Stuff!!! Keep moving it!” Then a long whistle escapes his lips as the comb over rises higher and higher in the breeze……………

Wow, it’s nice to know that just in case my marriage to a not quite 30 year old doesn’t work out, I seem to be big with the 80-90 age range.

Long Run

Today I celebrated my first 10 mile run. I had this moment where I feel almost like I could tell someone that I have a running training plan and not have them sneer at me when I say it. Along with reaching the ten mile goal I have this renewed sense of confidence that I can and will make the half marathon point. I ran the most beautiful path along a river. It was very picturesque and I was so swept away by how peaceful and relaxing the whole thing was. If my digital camera was working, I would have taken pictures. I think that after my initial angst about the cross training program it is working. The hill walking especially helped today. I felt that the hills themselves were not as bad as last week, when I did the 9 miler. Overall two thumbs up to the new training program. Now if I could just crush this weight plateau I would be happy.

Favorite Quote of The Day