Crazy or Determined? One Girl's Quest into Running

Color Run!

2012-01-30T08:36:00.002-07:00

A new post...I know that's a rarity around here lately! Thanks to those who tagged me in their posts - I hope to get around to filling those out. :)

Anyways, this past weekend I did the first-ever (in Phoenix) Color Run! It was a freaking blast - definitely recommend it if it comes to your city! My only complaint is that I wish they would have had the race start in waves (there were 6,000 of us!) because it got quite congested at times. I'm sure they will make that improvement for next year.

This was our team "We Color Outside the Lines." Nice & clean to start off. :)

Since it was so crowded, this was the only part of our team that managed to stay together through the race. This was after two color stations.

And here we are at the finish - color everywhere! (Except for Joey who had already had his color blown off by a leaf blower - seriously.)

This was the after party - every 15 minutes people would throw color in the air.

Next to Warrior Dash, this was one of the most fun races I have done. And i use "race" very loosely, as it wasn't timed and was just for fun. But that definitely made the 3 miles go by fast!

So about that half marathon I was going to do in March - yeah, not going to happen. I slacked off and haven't been training. I've been going to the gym (!) but haven't been doing any long runs and don't feel prepared at all. Plus, it sold out before I could sign up.

C'est la vie!

My next race is the Warrior Dash at the end of April - need to start training for the obstacles. ;)

2012

2012-01-09T14:47:00.004-07:00

Ok, I'm a horrible blogger. But honestly, life just hasn't been too exciting lately & it's left me with nothing to blog about!

So, about that half marathon Tom & I were going to do in March....oops. I haven't been training. Well, correction. I have been working out and running, but I haven't been following a training plan like in the past. So I really think it's going to be a last minute decision if we run it or not.

Tom & I did go out for a 4 mile run on Saturday and it went really, really well! Maybe my time at the gym has paid off because we were running 12 minute miles without a problem!

Anyone in the Arlington, VA area? Because I command you to do this race!! I wish they would do something like that here in Phoenix!

Love The Run You're With 5k

Date: Sunday, February 12, 2012

Location: Pentagon Row, Arlington, VA

Start Time: 9:00AM

Distance: 5K

Grab your loved one, a friend, or even a stranger for the area's favorite Valentine's Day 5K! Now in our third year, this sell-out event boasts a fun Valentine's theme, great individual and team prizes, and a fabulous post-race party (Karaoke anyone?) you've come to expect from Pacers Events.

2012 Runner Premium

This year, we will be handing out commemorative blankets (see right) as our runner premium.

A great way to snuggle with your honey (or friends) this Valentines Day!

Wear your heart on your sleeve (or your chest)!

In the spirit of the holiday, registrants will select one of three categories:

Co-Dependent (registrant is in a relationship)
Stupid Cupid (registrant is single)
Love ‘em or Leave ‘em (well . . it’s complicated)
Individuals not stating their status will be assigned to the relationship category.

Runners will receive red (co-dependent), green (stupid cupid), or yellow (love 'em or leave 'em) bibs based on their category.

Oh, hai.

2011-12-25T18:44:00.003-07:00

Greetings from Virginia!

Can I just tell you that I have been here since Friday and not put on "real" clothes (aka not pajamas) since I've been here? It's glorious.

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve and Christmas - my dad was extra spoiled since his birthday is today also.

I decided after inhaling 9,576,422 extra calories since being here, I needed to go for a run. And my pops rode his bike beside me, which made me feel a little bit like Rocky Balboa.

"It's not ovah!"

But I was really glad he went with me, because I was too embarrassed to wuss out and walk so I made sure to run the whole way. :)

Maybe I'll do it again tomorrow.

....or continue eating the cheeseball, spinach dip, cookies, cherry cheesecake, etc.

Merry Christmas!!!

Beer is good for carbo-loading.

2011-12-19T08:54:00.002-07:00

So Friday afternoon we had our work holiday party. It was nice to get out of the office early and see all the white elephant gifts. (I still maintain the gift i bought was the best - a Waist Trimmer from the 99 cent store.)

After stuffing my face with half a quesadilla, a meatball, carrots & ranch and two Bud Lights, i figured a run would not be happening. But the weather was sooo nice (finally!) that i talked myself into it.

And it was a great run! Maybe I'm on to something with this beer & quesadilla mix... :)

I also managed to go to the gym yesterday to log 4 miles and do some weight training. The couple of runs I've done on the treadmill have been less than stellar; i guess I'm used to the asphalt now. (But i do like having the TV right there on the 'mill - genius.)

I'm sure the majority of us prefer the road to the treadmill, but do you find the treadmill a bit more challenging when you haven't used it lately?

I leave Friday to see my family in Virginia!! Hoping for no snowstorms this year. :)

Tom & I exchanged gifts already - we can never wait for the actually holiday. Imagine my surprise when i was presented with a pretty blue box!!! This is my first piece of Tiffany's jewelry...he did good. :D

Oh, I have a blog?

2011-12-14T12:30:00.001-07:00

Sorry I've been so quiet lately...it's the holidays, things are busy, it's still cold in Phoenix, blah blah. My posting will probably be sporadic until after the New Year, but I'll still be around!

I got a 7 day pass for a gym last night, since I knew I wouldn't be getting out to run in this crappy weather. I've definitely lost some stamina since taking a couple weeks of running, as evidenced by the 3 mile treadmill run. :P

I just need it to quit raining/being cold so I can get back into the swing of things! Anyone else struggling to run?

These guys are hardcore.

I am a WIMP.

2011-12-07T10:30:00.001-07:00

You guys. I don't like cold weather. Part of the reason I moved to Arizona.

And this past week, it has been cooooold. (for Arizona.)

Which has led to me not running. Because I'm a wimp.

Part is due to not having winter running gear and (the biggest) part is that I hate being cold.

So basically, i don't have anything to blog about because I haven't been running!

BUT - it's supposed to be warming up at the end of the week. And uh, I kinda have a half marathon to train for so I need to get my butt in gear.

I'm back to Vegas this weekend....just for Friday night. We'll see if the black jack tables are as kind to me this trip as last!

Pic from this weekend's Ugly Christmas Sweater bar crawl!

Proud.

2011-12-01T10:35:00.001-07:00

It's not much, but it's something.

The past two days I had a horrible headache - the kind that was a constant dull ache and makes you want to throw up. Tuesday night it was all I could do to just lay on the couch. But last night I felt a tad bit better and contemplated a run.

Normally, I would have talked myself out of it. But something has happened: the past few runs I have felt strong. I've found myself craving the turnover of my feet on the pavement and the rhythmic breathing.

So I strapped on the Sauconys and went for a run. A pretty decent three miler - when I was worried I'd barely be able to make it one mile.

I like it when this happens. :)

Brain dump Tuesday

2011-11-29T08:40:00.001-07:00

A look into my life the last week...

Vegas was awesome! Good company and good times. Plus, I won $115 at the blackjack tables one night!
I'm actually going back to Vegas in two weeks for Tom's company holiday party. (um, right?!) We are staying at the Cosmopolitan....suuuuuper excited.
Running has been going pretty well - I've just done a few 3 milers here & there. "Official" training starts this week. Not looking forward to those early Saturday mornings again. :P
High of 79 today. This is the type of winter I can get on board with. (However, it's only supposed to be 57 by Sunday. Boo.)
I have a wild desire to get a cat. I think the pups would love it. :) But Tom says it's a no-go. Bah humbug.

Sorry for the randomness...hope to get back to 'regular' posts soon!

Happy (early) Thanksgiving!

2011-11-23T08:13:00.001-07:00

Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! I will be celebrating it the traditional way.....by going to Las Vegas. Yup, it's true. Tom & I will be meeting a friend and his parents there for the long weekend. Nothing says Thanksgiving like Caesar's Palace Buffet and black jack! :)

Next week will start the "official" training for the next half marathon. I've been doing 3-4 milers here and there, but it's time to pick the mileage back up. Half of me is excited, the other half is dreading it. C'est la vie!

I leave you with a video of (one of) the things I am most thankful for: my doggie Spencer. I taught him to "play dead". Enjoy. ;)

PS. I am thankful for my other pup Kenzi, too!

Three Things Thursday

2011-11-17T08:32:00.001-07:00

One. I did something last night that I haven't done in close to a year: ran a solid 3 miles without a walk break! This past training cycle, I stuck to my intervals - so I was quite surprised when I went for my run last night that my legs actually wanted to run.

Two. The silly thing about this: I was only 30 or so seconds faster than when I use my intervals. Meh, I was hoping for a better pace but I guess I just need to throw in some speedwork.

Three. Ok, I'm a little (kinda a lot) embarrassed to admit what I'm doing tonight. I'll give you a hint:

These silly, silly books/movies are a (very) guilty pleasure of mine. So when a friend said she had two tickets to an advanced screening, I had to jump at the opportunity. Laugh at me all you want, I totally give you permission!

I might totally regret this....

2011-11-15T08:38:00.001-07:00

...but, i've decided to sign up for the Phoenix Half Marathon on March 3, 2012!

My friend Gerry suggested it - I can't find too much information about it other than it's supposed to be a flat and fast course. Works for me.

AND - Tom agreed to do it with me!

I still can't decide if I've totally lost my mind by signing up for another half so quickly, but what the hell. At least I'm not starting from scratch this time.

Here we go again...

The Big Question

2011-11-10T10:06:00.001-07:00

So, I'm now faced with a question most runners ponder after a race:

"Now what?"

Do I become lazy again and let my running fall to the wayside, or train for another race?

I really want to keep up the running habit I've created - but I find I need to be training for something, otherwise it's easier to talk myself out of.

December is pretty much a wash race-wise. The couple of races I want to to do, I will be out of town for. (One year I WILL run the 12 k's of Christmas!)

I signed up for The Color Run at the end of January - check out the website, it's a pretty cool concept!

But I need something "bigger" - I think I will train/do the Lost Dutchman this year. Hell, maybe this can be the half marathon I can talk Tom into. We will see. :)

What does your race schedule look like for the upcoming year? Do you think I should just focus on 5k/10k races for a while?

And my only decent picture from the course on Sunday (ie far enough away that you can't see my thunder thighs)

Race Recap! Women's Half Marathon

2011-11-07T09:41:00.003-07:00

Where to begin??

If you've been with me since this summer, you knew that this race was to be my "redemption race" from my crappy performance at last year's PF Chang's Half Marathon.

I felt confident in my training but knew things can always go awry on race day, so I was scared. Like, really scared.

I woke up at 5am, cursed the early morning, and started getting ready. I've been watching the Biggest Loser this season and have a slight (major) crush on the new trainer Dolvett.

Hello, gorgeous.

So I decided to write his catchphrase on my arm for an extra boost:

No, I didn't consume a Dos Equis before the race.

I managed to drag Tom out of bed, take my picture, and we were off.

Hi puppies! And hello pear shaped body. :P

Let me tell you, it is soooooooooo nice to have someone drop you off at the race as opposed to driving yourself or taking the shuttle. Thanks, Tom!! :)

Having only run Rock & Roll series Half Marathons before, I really liked that this was a smaller race. Comparison: 30-something corrals at the PF Chang's race, five corrals at this race.

I didn't have to wait long before we were off. My plan was to run to the first mile and a half and then work in my intervals. (.25 walk, .75 run)
Mile 1: 12:20
Mile 2: 12:47
Mile 3: 13:10
Mile 4: 13:21

I was feeling goooood the first four miles. I didn't start my intervals until mile 3 and was happy that the first two miles gave me some cushion time wise. I was supposed to see Tom at mile 3, but he didn't make it in time.

Mile 4: 13:21
Mile 5: 13:12
Mile 6: 12:31
Mile 7: 12:52
Mile 8: 13:24

What the heck was I doing mile 6 & 7? Flying (for me), evidently. I believe mile 6 had a downhill portion & I remember thinking "oh hell yes" and just took off. Definitely helped my time! Up until mile 8, I was feeling really good and knew I had the sub 3 as long as I didn't bonk the last few miles.

Mile 9: 13:40
Mile 10: 14:14
Mile 11: 13:34
Mile 12: 14:26

Ok, here's where it started to get tough. (obviously) Here's my only (two) complaints about the race: the course starting at mile 8. Once you got to mile 8, you were passing runners that were on mile 11. (it was a loop portion) It was inspiring to see them running towards the finish, but also a little disheartening because you knew you weren't quite there yet.

I wouldn't be lying if I said the thought crossed my head to just hop over with those runners.

And then the hills. The. Hills. They weren't major, but for God's sake. Who puts hills in the last miles of a race?! You can see on mile 10 where I was not having it. And mile 12. I tried chanting "Hard Work. Dedication." and it helped for oh, 15 seconds. And then I let out a string of expletives.

Tom catching me at mile 10. I'm making a gun motion towards my head.

Mile 13: 14:06

I could have given more in mile 12 and 13, but I was pretty toast at this point. And I knew I had my sub 3 regardless. Tom caught up with me again at the end of mile 12 and was worried because he saw the time clock which said four minutes until 3 hours. "You only have 4 minutes!! Go!!!" I told him I didn't start quite at 7am, so I was ok. But it was cute he was so concerned. :)

Running towards (my) victory.

I was SO toast crossing that finish line. I gave it pretty much everything I had out there and was so, so excited that I met my goal. Ya'll, that's a 9 minute PR from my first half marathon and a 14 minute PR from the disastrous half last year!!

Bib	FName	LName	State	Age	Sex	ChipTime	Overall	SexPl	DivPl
5302	MELISSA	MCMULLIN	AZ	29	F	2:54:49	2736	2684	353

So, I'm still riding high today. I'm sore (because I'm a doofus and didn't stretch properly afterwards) but it's just a reminder of what I did yesterday. So I'll take it. :)

Oh, but: just to swell my head back down to normal size, I shut my thumb in the door later that night. I'm an idiot.

I told Tom he's doing the next one with me.

Big honkin' medal and post race tradition: Mexican food & Dos Equis.

Thank you, THANK YOU for all your support and kind words. <3 <3 <3

Women's Half Marathon - A Quickie

2011-11-06T11:52:00.001-07:00

Well, as I'm sure you know, today i ran the Women's Half Marathon race. My goal was to finish in under 3 hours. After 5 months of hard, consistent training, I present you with:

Eeee!! Not sure the "official" time yet, but this is good enough for me. :)

Back tomorrow with a full recap!

Freakout Friday

2011-11-04T08:34:00.001-07:00

Allow me to freakout in bullet points:

My pulled thigh muscle is still bugging me. It's fine when I'm running, but when walk it flares up. And uh, considering walking is part of my plan for Sunday, I'm a little (maybe a lot) nervous.
Frankly, my legs are pissed off. My 3 miler last night was decent, but my legs felt tight and tired. They are totally over this running ish.
I have no idea what I'm going to wear Sunday. Weather calls for a high of 68, which is pretty sweet. I'd like to wear this shirt again:

But I also wore it to the last half marathon which, frankly, I'd rather forget happened. I'm a little superstitious and I don't want this shirt to bring bad karma!

It's times like this that I wish I had more (any) self confidence. Normal people would be excited and proud of the training - which I totally should be too. Instead, my mind is full of doubt. In the words of Drop Dead Fred, "BE GONE, EVIL ONE!"

In GOOD news, I will be going to the Expo tonight and get to meet Betty Bliss!!

Seriously?

2011-11-02T10:23:00.007-07:00

Oh, hello pulled/strained muscle in my thigh. What a lovely time for you to decide to show up!

$%#@!*

Last night's run sucked. I hobbled and cursed life.

Suck it, Wednesday.

Ready or not...

2011-10-31T14:10:00.000-07:00

Well, I did my last "long" training run Saturday morning - 8.5 miles. And thankfully it was a good 8.5 miles. I'm pretty sure I couldn't have handled another crappy run....especially since the race is Sunday.

Yup, Sunday.

Kinda surprised it's already here. And let me say this: I am never training again during the summer. (Ha)

I'm still worried about making my time goal...hell, i'd be happy with 2:59:59. But I'll give it all I've got and know that I did the best training I could do...(well, probably should have thrown some speedwork in there. Meh.)

Six days and counting.

One last picture of my best Halloween costume ever.

"I just run because I love it"

2011-10-27T09:51:00.006-07:00

Not sure if you guys happened across this article on msnbc.com today, but if not: here's your feel-good moment for Thursday!

Blind teen keeps on running, thanks to guide dog

Sami Stoner, who is legally blind, logs mile after cross-country mile with dog Chloe at her side

By Lisa A. Flam

TODAY.com contributor

Sami Stoner is running proof that adversity doesn’t have to keep you from the finish line.

A legally blind 16-year-old runner, Sami is traversing cross-country courses this season with her new guide dog, Chloe, and is believed to be the first high school athlete in her home state of Ohio to compete with an animal.

“I don’t run for time or place or anything, I just run because I love it, and I’m glad I can share my love of running with Chloe now,” says Sami, a junior at Lexington High School who’s on the junior varsity cross country team. “I love having Chloe. She’s helped me so much.”

Now in her fourth year running cross country, Sami won a waiver from the state high school athletic association that allows her to compete with a dog. The golden retriever puppy, who guides Sami through the crowded hallways at school, also takes her safely through the running trails of Ohio.

“She watches out for roots and she tries to pick the clearest path for me,” Sami says cheerfully. “The ways she moves, I can feel it in her harness, so she has little ways to signal which way to go and what to do.”

At the starting line, Sami and Chloe stay back 20 to 30 seconds so Chloe doesn’t get spiked by another runner, but they’re usually passing other competitors by the first mile on the 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) course. Sami is ineligible to score, and she must avoid finish-line chutes if they’re deemed too narrow, said Dale Gabor, the director of cross country and track and field for the Ohio High School Athletic Association.

“She gives a lot of hope to other kids,” said Gabor, who approved Sami's waiver and believes she's the first scholastic athlete in Ohio to compete with an animal.

Running with just some peripheral vision is scary, Sami says. But Chloe is highly focused, which has helped Sami feel secure enough to improve her personal record to 29:53.

“There is still a little element of being terrified you’re going to fall flat on your face,” Sami says. “She’s given me a lot more confidence in my running.”

Her dad, too, is wary when Sami, the youngest of his three girls, starts a race.

“It’s an amazing, scary thing to see her take off and all you can do it pray that everybody comes back safely. This is my baby,” says Keith Stoner. “She’s not necessarily up there collecting a medal at end of the race, but in our heart she does win them all.”

Sami began running cross-country in eighth grade, and by the end of that school year, her vision deteriorated and she became legally blind. She was found to have the untreatable Stargardt disease, which is similar to sight-robbing macular degeneration that affects older adults.

In high school, she worried she wouldn’t be able to compete, but teamed up with a friend, Hannah Ticoras, who ran alongside her as a guide.

“All I wanted to do was run, and running with Hannah gave me that opportunity,” says Sami.

But Hannah graduated at the end of Sami’s sophomore year, again putting Sami’s competitive future in limbo. Her mobility teacher thought she’d be a good candidate for a guide dog, and after a month of training over the summer, the Stoner family welcomed Chloe home in August.

Sami is grateful she’s still a part of the team she loves so dearly.

“I just hope people learn that just because you have a disability or some kind of disadvantage that it’s not the end of the world,” says Sami, who has a 4.0 grade point average this year. “You can still do stuff, you just have to find a way of doing it.”

Lisa A. Flam is a news and lifestyles reporter based in New York. Original article here.

The Good & Bad

2011-10-24T09:45:00.002-07:00

First off, the good.

Behold, my best Halloween costume ever:

Jareth, from Labyrinth!

Favorite childhood movie.

Please tell me you all have seen Labyrinth. If not, go to Netflix & watch it on Instant Watch. Like, now.

The Halloween party on Saturday was super fun. Everyone that attends takes the costumes pretty seriously, so it was awesome to see what people came up with. I have three (!) parties this Saturday, so Jareth will be making another appearance. :)

And the bad:

My 10 miler sucked. I think I am getting burnt out. I no longer look forward to my long runs & totally just give up halfway through. If i pull this shit in two weeks, there's no way I'll make my sub3. Sigh.

Odd as it sounds, I think my training plan was too long. I'm just ready to get this over with. One week from this Sunday...

What are you guys going to be for Halloween??

Tres Things Thursday

2011-10-20T09:40:00.002-07:00

1. Well after Sunday's epic fail of a run, my past two 3 milers have been pretty decent. I'm going for 10 (maybe 11?) miles on Saturday and hoping for the best!

2. Tom is off this weekend to Blizzcon in California, aka Nerdfest. It's all about video games - I mean I'm all for some Super Mario Brothers, but these boys are crazy about their games. I date a total nerd. It's ok.

3. Halloween party this Saturday! You guys, I'm so excited about my costume. Just wait for the pictures. I'll give you a hint: it's a character from a 1986 fantasy movie. And if you haven't seen the movie, my childhood weeps for you.

This is not it.

Definition of a FAIL.

2011-10-17T08:41:00.004-07:00

Fail (feyl): to fall short of success or achievement in something expected, attempted, desired, or approved.

ie., my long run this weekend.

Saturday morning I had plans of running 10 miles. The first sign of trouble was when my running partner for the day (Tom) had to be practically dragged out of the house.

This is not the face that greeted me at 5:30am.

My stomach started to hurt once we left the house, but I figured it would pass.

Wrong.

My dinner from the night before came back to haunt me. Tom & I made it 3 miles before having to call it quits.

So, fail #1. I decided I would tackle 8 miles on Sunday morning instead to make up for it.

Sunday started off good enough. I was trucking along at a pretty good pace my first mile. I didn't want to look down at my Garmin to check (didn't want to psyche myself out), so I waited until it beeped to signal I was done with the first mile.

And the beep never came. So I looked down and what do you know - I had forgotten to start it.

So I had to stop and fiddle with my Garmin - losing the groove I had.

The remaining 7 miles were a complete joke. It was like my legs had never heard of this thing called "running" and that we hadn't been doing it for the past 5 months. I could barely make it a quarter of a mile before having to stop and walk.

If I didn't laugh about how pathetic it was, I would have been crying. Fail, fail, fail.

I have two more weekends of long runs before the big race. My legs better wake up and remember what the heck they are supposed to do!!

(Not really) Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-12T09:34:00.002-07:00

It's Super Kenzi!

Had a great 3 miler last night. I felt like a "real" runner. Why can't they all be like that?!

A tough 8 miles

2011-10-10T12:45:00.000-07:00

Since we were headed to Tucson for Beerfest on Saturday, I decided to do my long run Friday night. I was (am) still feeling exhausted from the unknown plague, so I settled to just do 8 miles.

And what a tough 8 miles those were. :P

My nose was running the entire time, my legs felt stiff and I was just flat out tired.

But I ended up doing a lot better than I thought I would. In fact, my average pace was only about 25 seconds slower than my awesome 8 miler I had a few weeks back.

Go figure. I did feel like puking the rest of the night, though. Anyone else get like that after a tough long run?

I have three more long runs before race day. If all goes well, I'll do 10 this Saturday, 12 next Saturday and either 7 or 8 the following Saturday.

As long as I can kick this sickness for good this week, I think I'll be in ok shape. God willing!!

Even though I was still feeling crummy, I couldn't miss Beerfest. As promised, pictures!

Waiting in line for Beerfest to begin!

I think I'll keep him. ;)

Evidently Corey & I were the only ones who got the memo to not look at the camera.

And some random super hero guy. Who, of course, was the perfect photo op.

Phew.

2011-10-07T09:52:00.004-07:00

I went for a run last night, finally. Garmin was dead - and I think that worked out in my favor. I didn't care about timing or pace, just running to run.

And it was good.

Phew. So I didn't lose all my training after the bout of sickness. :)

Tomorrow marks one of the most wonderful days of the year: the 25th Annual Tucson Beerfest!! We have been going for the past 4 years and it is an absolute blast. Stay tuned for pictures.

I'm going to do my long run tonight instead of getting up super early tomorrow morning. (Thank you 70 degree temperatures!!!)

I'm a little nervous because I haven't run in the dark in quite some time. Well, I take that back. Part of my morning runs are in the dark, but the sun comes up pretty quickly. Wish me luck that a.) I don't totally biff it in the dark and b.) the run goes well!

Beerfest 2007

Beerfest 2008

Beerfest 2009

Beerfest 2010

Pity party, table for one.

2011-10-05T20:05:00.000-07:00

So I'm kinda OCD.

Maybe OCD isn't the best way to describe it, but I have a routine. And when my routine gets messed with, I get a little crazy.

Example: If I'm not in bed before 9:30, I kinda freak. And countdown in my head how much sleep I'm losing. (Yeah, I don't know.)

I have been pretty diligent with my training for the upcoming half. I haven't missed a single long run (except for last week when I was in WPB.) So when this sickness came around (a-freaking-gain), I panicked. Due to sheer exhaustion and not being able to breathe, I wasn't able to run Sunday, Monday or Tuesday. This messed with my routine.

And I panicked and started to think about how this was going to set me back so far and all my hard work was out the window. Crazy? Yes. Irrational, I know. I went for a very short run tonight, about 2 miles and it wasn't too bad. I need to do 3 miles tomorrow and 10 miles Saturday. I'm scared because I'm not fully recovered from this nasty cold, but i don't want to miss any more runs.

Basically, I'm spazzing because I want a sub 3 so bad. And it makes me mad that this is such a hard goal for me. I'm giving it my best and I just want that to be good enough. :P

#endpityparty

Back from the Beach

2011-10-03T08:32:00.003-07:00

Well, I am back from paradise!

The weather was perfect. Sunny, breezy days....gentle waves...fruity drinks.....sigh. I want to go back.

To make matters worse, I came back with a nasty cold. 2011 has definitely been the year of sickness for me. As someone who (used to) never get sick, this has been a horrible turn of events. I feel like Gwenyth Paltrow's character in Contagion.

I only ran twice while I was in WPB, which is better than nothing I suppose. I hopped on the treadmill after not touching one for about a year....and forgot how easy it is to run!! I mean good Lord, I felt like I could run for hours on that thing compared to running outside. Can I switch my half marathon to the treadmill instead? :P

I am really, really, really hoping this cold goes away by tomorrow. I am at the trail end of my training (one month till the race!) and I can't afford to miss any runs due to being sick. Please send out get well vibes for me! :(

Welcome, wildlife.

2011-09-27T08:53:00.002-07:00

So living in Arizona I don't see too much wildlife on my runs. A few wild bunnies, birds....and people walking their dogs. That about covers it.

However this morning, I had my first encounter: two coyotes trotting along! I was running in my neighborhood (meh, let's not talk about the run - why is it I can knock out a decent 10 miler, but suffer on a 3 mile run? &@#$!), so it wasn't like I was out in the fields or anything. But these little guys were running along the drainage ditch by the side of the road. As I got to the end of it, I looked over the edge to see if I could see them down below. I didn't & started to wonder where they had gone...

And then I look to my right and there was one about 15 feet away from me looking at me. Ha! Luckily I think he was more scared of me than I was of him, because he turned around and kept on going.

They looked a little like this guy:

JK. More like this:

What's the craziest thing you've seen on a run??

How I almost lost my boyfriend to a 10-miler...

2011-09-25T18:59:00.000-07:00

Ok, so that title is a tad bit dramatic.

But Tom decided to run with me, after not running in well over 6 months. And the run he chose to accompany me on? My 10 miler I had scheduled for Saturday.

Now usually when we've run together in the past, I end up getting frustrated with him because he likes to play to role of "Drill Sgt Tom" and pushes me to the point of where I want to strangle him. :)

However, this time was different. Because Tom was kinda ready to call it quits after 2 miles. Honestly - I can't believe he made it the full 10 miles...there is no way in HELL I would have been able to do that after not running for so long. But he -and I! - did it.

Since Tom was with me, I didn't run with music. I never, ever do this so I was a little nervous - but I really didn't miss it. We stuck to my intervals & keeping each mile under 14 minutes.Tom did great for someone who hadn't run in a while; it wasn't until mile 7 that he was really regretting his decision. (Ha.) Poor guy - even thought he was really struggling, it helped push me. I mean, I had no reason to stop if Tom was still able to go! He kept saying "I really think my pain is motivating you! You are much better than the last time we ran together."

Anyways, I was really proud of us. Timing was right where I wanted it to be:
Mile 1 - 13:11
Mile 2 - 12:45
Mile 3 - 13:22
Mile 4 - 13:12
Mile 5 - 13:14
Mile 6 - 13:24
Mile 7 - 13:42
Mile 8 - 12:59
Mile 9 - 13:54
Mile 10 - 13:32
Total Time: 2:14:47

His & hers. Mine are a little dirty.

Off topic, but does anyone watch It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia? Funniest show ever.

Three Things for Thursday

2011-09-22T08:19:00.000-07:00

1. I skipped my run this morning. Sleep just sounded sooo much better. I feel guilty now, of course. If it's not too hot out, i will try to get a few miles in tonight. And i will get up tomorrow morning!

2. "You're training for a half marathon? You must be losing weight like crazy!" Um, no. No, I'm not. Thanks for reminding me. I know I'm not alone in this run-crazy-miles-yet-drop-zero-weight, but it's still frustrating! I re-signed up for WW online since i obviously have no self control. :P

3. One piece of good news: I'll be in West Palm Beach next week!! I've never been to that part of Florida, so I'm really excited. Not so much excited to get in a swimsuit in public, but c'est la vie. I'm meeting my friend/sorority sister from college & we plan to just sun & relax for 4 blissful days :)

Running makes my feet ugly.

2011-09-18T20:18:00.002-07:00

So Saturday's 9 miler wasn't as blissful as last weekend's. I didn't feel as light & airy and was afraid to look at my time when i was done. However, I surprised myself - the pace was slower than i would have liked, but still on pace for me to get a sub3 come race time.

Turtle Times
Mile 1- 13:01
Mile 2- 13:15
Mile 3- 13:20
Mile 4- 13:19
Mile 5- 13:23
Mile 6- 14:10
Mile 7- 13:32
Mile 8- 13:21
Mile 9- 13:55
Total Time: 2:01:16; 13:28/avg

I tell you what - that last mile is a killer. I just felt completely out of steam and ready to throw in the towel. Anyone else feel like toast at the end of long runs?

Next Saturday is 10 miles - I'm hoping to be below a 13:28 avg pace, but we'll see what happens!

And as for the title of this post....well, i'll let the picture speak for itself:

ewwwwwww.

Now, before I get lectured on my running shoes - my feet get blisters regardless of the shoes. I've worn 4 or so different pairs of shoes over my running "career" and I always get blisters in the same spot. Must be in the way I run, I'm guessing. Some people lose toenails, I get blisters. Good thing is, they don't hurt! Just ugly.:P

Ghost Stories

2011-09-14T12:51:00.002-07:00

So, taking a break from the running talk today. This morning I listened to the "Anything Ghost Show" podcast (Thanks Christy for the recommendation!) and it put me in the mood for Halloween. :)

I loooove scary movies and being creeped out - kinda. My imagination totally runs away and sometimes I totally end up scaring myself. After seeing Paranormal Activity, I made Tom stay at my apartment for a week straight (this was obv. before we moved in together.)

Here is my "sorta" ghost story...

So about four years ago I was going through a rough patch in life. I was very depressed and there were a lot of external factors stressing me out. Just not in a good place at all.

For a period of about a week or so, I had the craziest experience. It happened on three separate occasions. I would wake up in the middle of the night and see this mass/creature/outline of something standing by my bed. Still half asleep I would start to get really nervous/scared and blink my eyes a few times and it would disappear. And i would immediately fall back asleep.

The last time it happened, it was the worst. I woke up that morning and saw my pillow laying across the room. I was really confused at first and then it came rushing back to me: i saw the "thing" again by my bed, but this time it was much closer and I felt much more threatened. I screamed and threw my pillow at it and fell back asleep.

That was the last time and it hasn't happened since. Creepy, huh??

Any good ghost stories to share?

Simply Amazing.

2011-09-10T13:48:00.001-07:00

Ya'll, this morning I felt like an honest to goodness runner.

And to think I almost shut off the alarm to sleep through the run.

Phoenix decided to step away from the center of the sun and grace us with cooler temperatures this morning. I think that made all the difference, really.

I stuck to my intervals like a bad habit and hit every mile under 14:00 min. And I felt great about it. Not once did I want to give up or feel like i was going to die. THIS is what I'm capable of.

I was starting to get worried that I just wasn't cut out for running the way I wanted to. But this run restored my faith. As i said on my twitter and facebook this morning: "Never, ever in my natural life did I think I'd say the following, but: I just had an *amazing* 8 mile run."

Mile 1 - 12:40
Mile 2 - 13:19
Mile 3 - 13:15
Mile 4 - 13:24
Mile 5- 13:25
Mile 6 - 13:12
Mile 7 - 13:07
Mile 8 - 13:36
Total Time: 1:45:59; 13:15 avg. pace

Great start to a Saturday! :)

The first mile.

2011-09-07T18:21:00.001-07:00

Is it just me, or does the first mile just suck? More times than not, the first mile for me is uncomfortable and frustrating. My legs are just waking up, it's like my lungs are learning to breathe again and I just want to give up. But once I get into the second, third mile it gets better. I dunno, it's just frustrating. Especially when some days I run the first mile in 12:00 and others over 13:00.

However, I think I am getting a hang of this running in the morning thing! Honestly, never ever would I think that I would be a morning (before work) runner. But I find I prefer it sooo much more.

Less than two months to go until the Women's Half Marathon...

Geeking Out

2011-09-02T09:43:00.001-07:00

Good news: I met my goal of waking up 3x this week to run before work!
Better news: It's getting easier & easier to wake up - never thought I'd see the day.
Bad news: Aside from Tuesday's run, the other two runs were....well, crappy. Heavy legs and humidity were the culprits.

Guess you can't win them all. :P

Yesterday two friends told me they are training for their first half marathon. I am SO excited for them!! I don't have any friends that run (besides Gerry!) and use this blog as a means of geeking out about all things running. I am so pumped to help them out on this quest and actually have someone in real life to rant and rave about running. :)

Plus, the tables will be turned as *I* cheer *them* on in January! They've cheered me on in every race & i can't wait to return the favor. :)

Showing support for my first half marathon. My two friends on the left are the ones taking on the challenge!

What about you guys? Any of your friends run, or do you rely on us virtual friends to geek out with?

Um, heck yeah!

2011-08-30T11:06:00.000-07:00

Day 1 of 3 morning running - complete!

AND my first mile clocked in at 11:55!

I leave you with "super happy dog":

Manic Monday

2011-08-29T08:52:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the short absence! This past week got a bit hectic.

I ran twice before work last week. Ya'll, this is a big accomplishment for me. I love me some sleep and the fact that I willingly wake up a full hour before i have to....well, it's big.
Starting tomorrow, I plan to run three times in the morning before work. Cross your fingers.
Saturday I had an 8 miler on the schedule. Nothing good nor bad to report. I was feeling really tired and decided to just make this a slow/easy long run. I'll do 8 again this Saturday and plan to push myself more.

And, here's this week's weather report - we are still in the center of the sun. It should cool down around, oh, October. :P

Center of the sun.

2011-08-23T13:18:00.000-07:00

Being met with this...

means Melissa will not be running after work this week.

And take it as a sign of the apocalypse, because I woke up this morning before work to get 3 miles in! And i plan on doing it on Thursday, too!

This coming from a person who loves her sleep. (ie i slept for 11 hours Saturday night and still took a 3 hour nap on Sunday. Oops.)

A surprising run

2011-08-21T20:03:00.000-07:00

So as i write this blog post, Tom is staring over my shoulder. This makes for a very awkward situation. Hi Tom. You suck. :)

Moving on. I was a bit dramatic in my last post. As you can probably tell, i get frustrated with running pretty easily. However, i stuck to my plan and got up before work on Friday to run 3 miles! It honestly wasn't that bad - but i also knew i got to leave early from work that day. Where i promptly came home & took a nap. :)

Saturday's run called for 7 miles. How'd i do?

Turtle Times
Mile 1 - 13:06 i felt good and knew this was going to be a decent run
Mile 2 -12:09 yeah, i have no idea either!
Mile 3 - 13:14 incorporated walk breaks starting here
Mile 4 - 13:21
Mile 5 - 14:01 started to fade a bit
Mile 6 - 13:19
Mile 7 - 14:19
Total Time: 1:33:26

My splits were kinda all over the place, but this was a good run in my book. I kept an average pace of 13:21, which is what i need to get that sub3!

Arizona is returning to the center of the sun this upcoming week, with temps between 108-113(!) all week. Sigh. This means i may need to do early morning runs again this week. Good thing i picked up some Monster Energy drinks at the grocery store today... :)

Three Things Thursday

2011-08-18T18:05:00.000-07:00

1. This has not been a good week for running. Tuesday's 4 miler was cut down to 2.5 due to calf problems again. It's so frustrating, having to hobble along when you know things can be going better. And tonight called for 4 miles....not only is it 111 out, we are in the middle of a huge haboob (dust storm) right now.

2. I'm going to try to fit the miles in tomorrow morning. I am not a morning person. And i don't have the best track record of waking up early on the weekdays. But I'm scared to not get my mileage in. :(

3. My half marathon is 2 & 1/2 months away. I'm having negative doubts about my time goal. I know I am doing the best I can and that's all I can ask....but I'm still worried. UGH. I just need some good weeks with good, consistent runs! Plllleeeeaaassssseeeeeeee....

Good run Saturday

2011-08-16T13:59:00.000-07:00

First off, thanks for the compliments on the headband! It's actually a Bondi Band - i have two of these and want to order more because they have some great patterns. I wear them to the pool, too. (Disclaimer: I do usually have to put a couple of bobby pins in to help them stay in place, though.)

So Saturday I went out for my 6 mile run. Not even a quarter mile in, I was already grumbling to myself about how tired i was (why hello, 5:15 IN THE MORNING) and how i didn't want to run. But i made myself go a mile and see how the rest went.

Surprisingly, it went well! After the first mile, i decided to walk a quarter mile then run the rest of the mile. Wash, rinse, repeat. This system worked well! I felt strong and wasn't really tired until the last mile (as usual). In full disclosure, i did stop the Garmin about every half mile or so to drink water/take a breather for about 15-20 seconds. Now i know i can't do this during the race if i want to meet my sub3 goal, but it really helped on this training run.

Turtle Times
Mile 1 - 13:04
Mile 2 - 13:23
Mile 3 - 13:13
Mile 4 - 13:19
Mile 5 - 13:51
Mile 6 - 15:27 (i forgot to stop my Garmin while i was stopping at a water fountain to refill. Otherwise, it would have been faster!)
Total time: 1:22:18

Tonight's 4 miles again - it'll be another hot one, but i got some new running clothes so maybe that will help. ;)

It happened!

2011-08-12T13:07:00.000-07:00

MelissainPhx Aug 11, 7:58pm via Echofon

Well kids, end of world is near. I just had a great run and Tom is actually watching football. Hug your loved ones.

That was my twitter status from last night. Last night was weird. I come home from my run to find Tom willingly watching football, which never happens, and I had just completed a great 2 mile run. These things are not in the norm. I embraced both of them. :)

6 miles tomorrow and 3 miles on Sunday....we are getting to the bulk of training now!

Sigh of relief...

2011-08-10T20:50:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I must have just been running like a straight up crazy person on Tuesday because I didn't have any leg problems tonight. (Knock on wood.)

But thank you for all the well-wishes! Hopefully it was just a fluke and it doesn't happen again! Tonight was 4 miles. And although my time doesn't really reflect it, i feel like it was one of my stronger runs this training period. I still needed walk breaks, but during the run I felt stronger. Still not where I want to be time-wise...but I'm going to try out some speed work sessions soon and we'll see if that helps.

Turtle Times
Mile 1 - 12:54
Mile 2 - 13:46
Mile 3 - 13:52
Mile 4 - 14:53 (damn this last mile! Every. Single. Time.)

Upon getting home, Spencer immediately went for my socks. Still can't break him of this habit. What can I say, the pup likes sweaty, stinky socks.

Shooting pain...

2011-08-09T14:14:00.000-07:00

Um, not so fast.

I went for a run last night and the wheels completely fell off. I have no idea what happened. It's as if my legs were not my own. Halfway into the first mile, my calves seized up. I had this problem during my first half marathon training, but not since. I decided to stretch & walk some to see if I could ease the pain, but walking was actually more painful.

Imagine your calves feeling like there are just blocks of solid clay in them. It's horrible. So i hobbled along into a jog and then got a shooting pain through my right knee down to my shin. Wth is going on here?! I stopped and stretched, tried to jog again and the same thing happened.

I hobbled home after 2 miles, feeling super disappointed & worried.

And the shooting pain has happened 3 or 4 times today, just sitting down.

Um, legs. Let's have a talk. This is not how you are supposed to behave. GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER.

Anyone else ever experience this? I'm not going to run again until Wednesday, but now I'm scared...

So, you're saying there's a chance!

2011-08-07T16:20:00.000-07:00

I believe Llyod Christmas said it best.

After a couple less than stellar runs, I was really hoping my 5 miler on Saturday would go decently. And it did! The temps that morning were slightly cooler and I think that helped. I went back to my goal of keeping each mile under 14 min - I didn't quite achieve it (stupid 5th mile) but my overall average pace was under 14, so I'll take that!

Turtle Times
Mile 1 - 13:01
Mile 2 - 13:47
Mile 3 - 13:18
Mile 4 - 13:39
Mile 5 - 14:30
Total - 1:08:14 (a full minute faster than my first 5miler two weeks ago)
Avg pace - 13:39

What i guzzled after my run. Mmm chocolate milk.

My Friend Gerry sent me a couple of speedwork options and I think I'm going to incorporate those into my training schedule next month (once the temps go down a little bit).

I just want to continue to hit my training runs and work on my times and just do the best that I can. That way I can feel fully prepared come November 6th. As you know, I'm training for a sub 3. I really, really want it to happen - but if it doesn't, I want to know I did everything I could.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-03T09:21:00.000-07:00

This pretty much sums up my past two runs.

You can sweat there?!

2011-07-31T15:51:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'm sure you've all heard this before: "Phoenix, it's a dry heat."

Well I'm here to tell you that is not true - at least not this summer! Maybe (probably) because this is my first summer training for a race, but dry heat my ass!! All of my early morning runs have been greeted with humid air and sweat....oh my, the sweat. This morning's 5 miler tried to kill me. I sweated from every inch of my body - didn't think it's possible, but man.

So let's back up. Last night i decided to go for an easy 3 miler - might not have been the best idea, since in less than 9 hours I was banging out 5 miles. My goal for the 5 miler was to keep each mile below 14:00 min.

After the first mile, that plan was toast. I moved on to Plan B - just survive. I don't know what the deal was, but all the elements were against me for this run. I was hot, I was sweaty, my legs were tired, lungs were heavy....yeah, blah. I've been carrying my handheld on all my runs now (even though i despise holding things in my hand while running) and i'm glad i've gotten over that stubbornness. Water is essential.

I love reading some people's blogs who talk about running through the sprinklers to cool off during their runs. I think "Oh, that's cute." because in Phoenix? 9 out of 10 yards are rocks. And cacti. Things that do not require a sprinkler. I guess that's why they call this crazy place the desert...

So my run was 4 minutes slower than last weekend's run. Honestly, I was expecting worse - and i know i am capable of more than this measly run. Just going to chalk this one up to an "oops".

Lazy and a Guest Post

2011-07-29T08:48:00.000-07:00

So far I have only logged 3 miles this week. Oops. I blame the heat. It's SO hard to get motivated to go outside and run when you know you will be sweating through your eyeballs in less than 2 minutes. The plan is to make up 4 miles tomorrow and run my 5 miles on Sunday. 5am, we shall meet again.....ugh.

A couple weeks ago, Jackie contacted me about doing a guest post on the benefits of exercise for cancer patients. I'm sure we have all been touched by cancer in some way and thought this would be a fitting post.

Hopefully I'm back tomorrow to tell you i had a kick ass 4 mile run! :)

--

Benefits of Exercise for Cancer Patients
By: Jackie Clark

Doctors prescribe an exercise regimen to help control many diseases for a reason. The body combines oxygen and blood to feed the muscles and during a workout these are needed in greater quantity. Exercise not only uses the muscles more efficiently, it strengthens the immune system, clears the way for the electrical system in the body to get signals to and from the brain, and induces a sense of well-being. When the mind feels better, the body improves itself. Heart patients, diabetics, those fighting obesity, and those mesothelioma benefit from an exercise regimen.

The National Cancer Institute, a part of the National Institutes of Health, reports on findings from a panel convened by the American College of Sports Medicine, or ACSM in 2009. Recognizing the benefits of exercise to cancer patients, researchers developed guidelines for exercise regimens for those being treated for cancer as well as cancer survivors. The panel found the benefits of exercise, on those actively undergoing treatment in addition to those having completed it, "incredible".

Improving the quality of life maybe prolonged with the assistance of proper fitness. Upon a mesothelioma diagnosis, the patient is bombarded with words he or she has to struggle to understand. In addition the emotional aspect of this type of diagnosis can be detrimental to the patient. As a result of the combination of emotions, physical characteristics result, such as fatigue and stress. Following a mesothelioma prognosis the proper exercise regimen can bring the patient a new sense of well-being for both the mind and body. Ones quality of life can improve, which will better help to combat the disease. A research panel found, in addition to quality of life improvement, that some cancers affect differing parts of the body and require other workout routines, or perhaps a cessation of them until the patient feels better.

Short gentle walks; yoga and pilates all have their proponents to overall better health. The benefits of each are strengthening the immune system so it will fight harder, aligning the body for the perfect conduct of energy flow, and bringing oxygenated blood to the muscles. Considering that the mind, body and spirit are all one entity, treating one while ignoring the others does little to heal the whole. Yoga and pilates workouts consider the whole entity.

This consideration is going to have an effect on the mesothelioma prognosis. The person hearing this is going to reach for any information he can get to fight it. The benefits of exercise will be the first thing he reads, thanks to the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute. He will have hope and he will have the will to make it better and he will feel its effects first-hand. Gaining confidence like that will improve his quality of life and chances of survival. This he can pass on to others and help them survive, too.

My 7 posts..

2011-07-26T11:29:00.000-07:00

Thanks Katye for tagging me! Katye was one of my first blogger friends when I first started this....she's an amazing runner and an all-around amazing girl! Check out her blog if you haven't!

There are 7 categories & I'm supposed to pick a post that best reflects it. This could be interesting...

Most Beautiful Post: Well, it's beautiful to me. :) That would be my post titled "I DID IT!!" - my recap post after my first half marathon!

Most Popular Post: I was interested in finding out what this was....looks like it was my "Warrior Dash!" post, announcing I would be doing the race. (The second most popular was the recap post)

Most Controversial Post: Ah, Lord. Luckily, I don't think I've really had one. The only thing that comes to mind is one of the comments that was left on my pre-recap of my second half marathon. And I really just don't want to go into that again!

Most Helpful Post: Hmm, can i cheat here? I've never really done a "helpful" post in itself...but i like to think that a lot of my posts are helpful in the fact of encouragement. I'm a slower runner and struggle...i hope that some readers who stumble on here can relate and find my posts encouraging! (*When I'm not complaining. ;) )

Post Whose Success Most Surprised Me: This one. And I thank you all for it. :)

Post That Didn't Get the Attention it Deserved: My second post ever - only because I didn't have any followers then! :)

Post I'm Most Proud Of: Let's go with my first post on this blog....I'm proud I started because I've gotten so much out of blogging and reading other blogs!

I'm supposed to tag 7,but honestly I'd love to see you all do this if you have the time! :)

5 Miles Dunzo.

2011-07-25T08:11:00.000-07:00

Oh, Monday. Does the weekend go by waaaay too fast for anyone else? And can you believe it's going to be freakin' August in a week?? Time does fly when you're getting older. :P

So Saturday called for 5 miles. I was a little nervous, but I got a good night's sleep and actually woke up at 5:20 without an alarm, which is a miracle in itself. I decided to take this run nice & easy - just see how my body wanted to run.

Luckily, my body was in a good mood! I ran the first mile in 12:30 and then did the 2 song/1 song interval. It worked well until mile 3 where i started having some stomach issues (naturally) but I was able to finish the 5 miles feeling pretty satisfied! Final time was 1:09:xx with around a 13:4ish average pace.

I'll be running 5 miles on for the next two weekends, so hopefully I'll see the times improve a bit.

If i can keep my average pace below 14:00/min during the half marathon, i will be able to achieve my sub-3....

Woah there.

2011-07-21T20:41:00.000-07:00

Do you see that face? That is a happy (and tired) face, my friends!

I don't know what got into me tonight, but I was determined to make this run a good one. Stepped out the door in the 106 heat (oy) and set off.

Legs felt a little stiff, but they always do for about the first mile. I was smart this time and brought my handheld. Stopped after 1.5 miles to take a drink of water and then started off again. Didn't take a walk break until 2.25 - and that was my only walk break!

I would like to think Smokey Robinson & The Temptations for getting me through the final stretch. Ain't Too Proud to Beg (one of my kareoke go-tos) came on & i powered through!

Final time - 39:05! Average mile - 13:02!

I'm getting there slowly but surely! I realize most of you can whip out a 13:02 average with 10 pound weights attached to your ankles. But that time is faster than ol' fatty mcgee has seen in a while!

Saturday calls for 5 miles - now I'm getting nervous.

I love Zappos.com

2011-07-19T20:42:00.000-07:00

I need to brag on Zappos for a moment. Sunday night i decided to order some new running shoes. Honestly, i chose Zappos because they had the lowest price. Right after i clicked "submit order", i noticed it had defaulted to my old shipping address.

Here it was 9:30 on a Sunday night and I knew there wouldn't be anyone there to help me. Or so i thought. As i was scrolling for a number to call the next day, I saw that they advertised Customer Service 24/7...even with live chat! In a matter of minutes, I was chatting with a rep, she changed my address for me AND upgraded me to VIP status. (Still not 100% what that entails..)

As if that wasn't awesome enough, I walk out the door for my run tonight and literally walk into a Zappos box! I wasn't expecting the shoes until Thursday. Y'all, that's faster than Netflix!

So, Zappos.com gets my endorsement 100%.

Ok, onto the shoes. I took them out for a 3 mile test run and so far, I'm in love. My feet, and legs, felt SO much lighter. In fact, i logged my first mile at 12:34! Not bad for 105 degree weather. (Yeah, that is not an exaggeration.) The shoes are really light, it was kind of hard to not run a little bit faster. My only worry is that the tread on the bottom might wear out faster than other shoes, but we shall see.

New kicks!

The first two miles of my run were great, but i fell apart the last mile. The heat got to me & i was once again stubborn and didn't bring any water. Training in the summer is a whole new freaking ballgame!

oops.

2011-07-18T09:33:00.000-07:00

Confession time.

My plan called for 11 miles this week.

I logged 6.

Um yeah. My only excuse is laziness.

I went out Friday night for a friend's birthday & ended up consuming several delicious beers. So a run on Saturday morning was not happening.

Then, we went to the late show of Harry Potter on Saturday night (super good...i might have teared up.) and i just wanted to sleep in on Sunday morning.

So that's what i did.

Eh, not beating myself up too badly. I can make up the miles this week - weather and body willing!

I decided to order some new shoes to try last night - the Saucony Kinvara! I used to run in Nike Frees & loved the lightness of them - I'm hoping i'll feel the same way about the Kinvaras.

These babies should be here Thursday!

Anybody else like the lighter, minimalist running shoes?

Not a morning person

2011-07-13T19:26:00.000-07:00

I say it all the time: I'm not a morning person. And my running backs me up! I always have much better runs in the evening than i do in the morning. Maybe because I'm fully awake and have been functioning throughout the day? I dunno what it is, but last night's 3 miler felt a lot stronger than Saturday morning's 4 miler.

Kinda sucks that all races start in the morning. :P

So our schnauzer, Kenzi, likes to give hugs. I wanted Tom to take a picture & this is what happened:

First all she wanted to do was lick my sweaty, salty face.

But then she went for the hug. :)

Thank you, Runner's World.

2011-07-11T12:33:00.000-07:00

I'm afraid i'm going to have to start waking up earlier than 5:30 for my Saturday morning runs...it was already hot & sticky by the time i stepped outside at 5:40. UGH!! I did remember to bring my handheld water bottle, so i didn't have any delirious hallucinations this time.

The 4 miles were just...ok. I felt tired at the beginning and ended up running overall about a minute slower than last weeks. I'm just not sure what my deal is. I feel like my "base" should be built by now and that i could kick out a solid 2 or 3 miles for each run. However, this usually isn't the case. Each run varies from the next & I never really know how they're going to go. Anyone else deal with this?

Throughout my run, all I could think about was an icy cold Slurpee from 7-11. Y'all, I haven't had a Slurpee in many, many moons - and the latest edition of Runner's World is to blame for my craving. Ever since i read that article about how (his name escapes me) drank a Slurpee before the start of "The Hottest Run", i have been dying for one like you would not believe!

So after my run on Saturday morning, i hopped in my car and got a refreshing Cherry Fanta Slurpee at 6:40 in the morning. :)

You can tell by my crazy eyes how happy I am!

And all was right in the world. (Even though i totally cancelled out the calories i burned by drinking this sugar concoction C'est la vie.)

Encouragement!

2011-07-08T09:18:00.000-07:00

So last night's run wasn't as bad as the previous nights. I really have nothing stellar to report about it. :P Tomorrow morning is 4 miles & i'm determined to not keel over in the 4th mile like i did last week!

If you would all be so inclined, could you go send my friend Kate some motivation for her race this weekend? She's training for the Chicago marathon & has a half coming up on Sunday. She's a little nervous (i think she'll do great) so she could use some encouragement! Plus, she's hilarious.

I mean come on, this is on her latest post:

Happy Friday!!

Rebellion

2011-07-06T20:20:00.000-07:00

3 miles were on the schedule tonight.

My body straight up rebelled.

Hell no, we won't go (three miles)!

The first few steps out, i felt like my shins were straight up shattering. Not a pleasant feeling. Moronically, i also ate dinner before running so i felt like i was 5 months pregnant waddling along.

Part of me just wanted to stop and turn around and call it a day.

The stronger part of me said, Just try.

I slogged through the first mile and then settled into a one song jog/one song walk ratio that carried me through miles two and three.

I didn't meet the time goal I wanted, but i overcame the feeling of "I can't do it." That in itself was a goal met!

For tomorrow's run, i will not be eating dinner beforehand.

And i'll kick the rebels out.

Happy 4th! & 4 Miles

2011-07-04T15:20:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July! Hope you all are having a fabulous weekend. Mine has been spent by the pool (yay!) and seeing the new Transformers movie (um..not so yay.)

So, this weekend i had 4 miles scheduled for Saturday & Sunday. Woke up bright and early at 5:30am (thank you dogs) both days. Saturday's run was ok. I felt fatigued and didn't have a plan for my walk breaks - just did it for when i felt i needed to. My time turned out to be around 56:xx something (accidentally stopped my Garmin halfway through.)

For Sunday's run, i decided to do follow a run 2 song/walk 1 song type interval. This method worked really well for me (up until mile 4) and i think i may try this for my longer runs. If i can consistently stick to this, i think it will make my sub 3 dreams all that much more closer!

So, the run. Well if i am one thing, it is stubborn. As i stepped outside, it was humid - much more humid than AZ is used to. (Thanks, monsoon season.) I thought to myself "Eh, i don't need to bring my hand held."

This decision would come back and bit me in the ass.

The first mile, felt great. Worked out the kinks in my legs & stuck to the interval. 13:05

Second mile, still feeling good. Starting to get thirsty & sweating a lot more due to the humidity. 13:05

Third mile, feeling a bit sluggish. Extend the walk breaks a bit & take it slower on the running. Really, really want a drink of water. 13:23

The fourth mile should be titled "Abandon all hope ye who enter this mile." I was absolutely toast on this mile. I had visions of dancing Gatorade floating in my head. Really hating my stubbornness & decision to not bring water. The interval plan went to hell and i think i jogged for like, one minute. 15:00

When i got home, i chugged two bottles of Gatorade. Remember that movie All Dogs Go to Heaven & they had those clocks that once they stopped, their time was up? Yeah, i felt my clock was ticking down.

I think i'd bawl if i watched this movie today. Loved it as a child.

This is what happens when you don't bring water.

Anyways, fourth mile excluded, i felt good about this run & will definitely keep using this interval for my long runs!

Eh.

2011-07-01T07:30:00.000-07:00

Well I was supposed to do 3 miles last night. However, i forgot I had a dermatologist appointment. The doc ended up removing two moles - she thinks they are ok, but wanted to send them in for testing just to be sure. Anyways, i didn't feel comfortable running with the wounds so fresh (ha, sorry tmi) so i pushed the run to tonight.

Um, yeah. About that.

Tom's mom has a treadmill & they are out of town this week, so i decided to head over there after work to get my run in. Much to my surprise, i discovered the treadmill was straight out of 1987. :) It was...interesting. I only made it to 25 minutes & said to hell with it. Needless to say, the run sucked.

So Saturday & Sunday call for 3 miles each, but I'm going to bump them up to 4 miles each to make up for the lost miles. Here's to waking up at 5:30am to beat the heat. :P

Here's a couple pictures from my trip to Virginia...

My family! Evidently the fair Irish skin skipped everyone but me.

My gorgeous sisters.

Tom survived the trip! :)

World's Sweatiest Run

2011-06-28T20:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm back in Phoenix. In the dry heat - and let me tell you, i prefer a dry heat over humidity!

On Monday morning (our last day in VA) i went for a run. I decided to go "au natural" - no Garmin, no iPod. (This is very foreign to me.) I was feeling bummed that i had to leave my family and thought a run would be good to clear my head.

Well, it definitely took my mind off things because GOOD LORD. THE HUMIDITY. How do you people do it?! Five minutes into the run and i am sweating from my eyeballs! I wasn't even exerting that much energy and this was definitely the sweatiest run to date. Yech. All ya'll that run in those conditions definitely have my respect.

Tomorrow calls for 3 miles - all i know is that while it may be 103 degrees, i know i won't be sweating as much. :)

Oh, humidity.

2011-06-24T15:57:00.000-07:00

Hello from Virginia!

Can we talk about how i do not miss humidity? My lanta...it's definitely a sick feeling. We went to Busch Gardens today (love rollercoasters!) and I'm pretty sure i was dripping with sticky sweat 5 minutes after we arrived.

Haven't ran yet...i need to get in 3 miles at least while I'm here. It will definitely be a night-time run and dealing with the humidity is sure to bring some extra fun :P

---
So you may remember my friend Kathy from my second half marathon race report. She's definitely got an entrepreneurial spirit and has come up with a new idea to display your race medals and race bibs. She decided to create something that reminds you of your running accomplishments every time you reach for your Garmin.

Kathy eventually wants to expand her site with other running product type ideas and her musings she thinks of when running. I'd really appreciate if you'd check out her product and leave her some feedback on her idea. What do you like/not like, think of the cost, suggestions, etc.

Her site is The After Hours Athlete and just click on "See what people are saying" to leave your comment. THANK YOU!

---
Stay tuned for my adventures in running in Virginia post... ;)

Columbia Sportswear Spring Field Test!

2011-06-22T20:57:00.000-07:00

So a few weeks ago i got an email from the Columbia team asking if i would like to participate in their Spring Field test. Um, heck yeah i would! Yesterday, i got the Cool Rules Short Sleeve Top to try out.

This shirt is made out of their new Omni-Freeze material that is designed to cool you down when it's really hot and to keep you dry and comfortable.

Let me say, they picked the right time to send me this shirt because this was the temperature when i headed out for my run tonight:

It's a "dry heat"

I really enjoy this shirt! It's no gimmick - it really does keep you feeling cool. There are little vent pockets around the edges & that helps the air circulate. It's really lightweight & i hardly felt it at all during my 3 mile run. The fit worked well for me too. It didn't ride up during my run, which is a blessing because trust me - no one needs to see the catastrophe that is my stomach!

Size large in Oxide Blue.

Um, ignore my chicken neck please.

My only complaint is that it's a little pricey. ($45) I received this product for free from Columbia for testing purposes - and if the price comes down a bit, i will totally purchase one!

--

Ok, so as i mentioned before it has been HOT here. Yes, I am crazy for running outside in this heat. But i wait until the sun is setting and I promise you it's not that bad. Sure, when a breeze comes through it feels like a hair dryer, but we have very little humidity & that helps a lot.

Anyways, i ran last night & tonight. One word for Tuesday night's run: Oof. I felt really sluggish and heavy and it was just gross. Tonight's run was a bit better. I worked on pushing myself more, even though my time was still slower than i wanted it to be. Eh, i'll blame it on the heat. :)

Turtle Times
Tuesday: 3 miles, 41:55
Wednesday: 3 miles, 40:26

Well, at 11:50 tonight I'm on the red eye out to Virginia to visit my family!! So if i'm a bit quiet the next few days, that's why. :)

Adorable Blog

2011-06-20T18:00:00.000-07:00

Thanks to miss Laura Belle of Beers, Dogs and Getting Healthier for nominating me!

Ten things about me...here we go:

1. I was born pretty much dead. I came out with the cord wrapped around my neck & blue. Luckily, Dr. Barry Gross (true name) was able to bring me back to life. ;)

2. I have two younger sisters. Back in the day when they annoyed the ever living you-know-what out of me, i took a cue from the movie The Labyrinth and told them the Goblin King was real and would come take them away if they didn't leave me alone. It worked for a little while.

3. I have never driven a stick-shift. Never even attempted.

4. I have thick hair. Well it used to be a lot thicker when i was younger. Somewhere in my crazy 7 year old brain, i became a self conscious freak about it and would come down to the breakfast table with a towel over my hair because it "looked ugly" when i woke up in the morning. My parents still laugh about it.

5. Also along those lines, obviously my mom was the only one who could do my hair. On the rare chance she was gone and my dad would have to put it in a ponytail, i would make my mom put it up before she left and would sleep sitting up so as to keep it perfect.

6. My second car was a 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse. Oh how i LOOOOOOVED that car. My sister got it when i went to college where she promptly totaled it. :(

7. I have never broken a bone. Or needed to get stitches. Knock on wood.

8. When i was about 8, i was chosen to be part of the Sea World act with Shamu. (at least i think it was Shamu, i can't really remember. One of the big fish ;) ) i got to put on wading boots and stand on the platform with the trainer. Jokingly, he said that i needed to jump in and he was going to count to 3. I distinctly remember thinking "Ok, that is a far jump and it looks pretty deep, but if he says so..." He counted to 3 and you bet your ass i was ready to launch in the air. Luckily, he stopped me - and a pretty hefty lawsuit, I'm sure.

9. I have two tattoos. Both are on my feet. My first tattoo was a shamrock on my right foot (I'm Irish) and my second tattoo was three stars on my left foot. (To symbolize me & my two sisters.) They freakin' hurt.

10. Lastly, I'm pretty sure Spencer was the cutest puppy ever. Try not to disagree. :)

I tag:
Running + Ridiculous
The Almost Runner
My Daily Inspiration

Have fun!

Week One = Complete

2011-06-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

Well if i can keep this up, training should be a piece of cake! (famous last words.)

I decided to do my Saturday morning 3 miler on Friday night. And folks, it was a good run! One were I felt strong and didn't have to take a short walk break until the third mile.

I did get up bright & early Sunday morning to run another 3 miles. And you know how after pounding out those first few steps, you can tell it's going to be a struggle? Yeah, that was this run. It was more of a walk with running breaks the first mile and a half. But my legs decided to be nice and loosen up for the second half of the run.

Now, here comes the fun part. Let's compare Friday night's great-feeling run with Sunday's not-so-great feeling run:
Turtle Times
Friday: 3 miles, 39:30
Sunday: 3 miles, 40:49

Well, hell. It's kinda disheartening to see that a run i struggle with was not even a minute slower than a run i felt good about. I guess running is funny that way.

I leave you with this super sweet picture of my Spencer. He's not a big cuddler, but I managed to capture him in the act the other morning:

Day Two in the Books

2011-06-17T08:03:00.000-07:00

Originally day two of half marathon #3 training was supposed to be Wednesday night, but i pushed it to Thursday since it was supposed to be a bit cooler. (by like, 3 degrees.)

This time I was smart, and waited until the sun had set before heading out for my two miles. It was still insanely hot (99 degrees), but not having the sun beating on me definitely helped. It was a decent run and about a minute faster than Monday's run. But don't worry - I'm still in turtle time.

I was trying to point to the sweat on my forehead,
but it looks like i'm shooting myself. Both are
applicable.

Saturday and Sunday both call for 3 miles. Which means I'll be waking up early to tackle these - which is ok, because I've been doing that for the past few weeks. Run, lay by the pool, come home & nap has been my schedule. :)

Thanks for the headphone recommendations. Hopefully I'll remember to purchase a new pair this weekend!

One day down...

2011-06-15T08:42:00.001-07:00

21 more weeks to go! (ha)

So Monday marked my first official day of Half Marathon #3 training. Schedule called for 2 miles - nothing to get too worked up about. Besides the fact that when i set out for this run it was NINETY NINE DEGREES, it was a relatively decent run. I did need to take a break to walk for a bit - due to the fact that steam was rising off my body.

Tonight is another 2 miles. Today's high is 107. That's right, 107. I believe I will be waiting until the sun sets before I head out. :P

Let's talk headphones. Some of you may not run with music, but i prefer it. I need that distraction/beats to keep me going. I've been using the standard iPod headphones and they are driving me crazy. The strap is too long and it ends up flopping everywhere during my run, or getting tangled on my arm or iPod or whatever external appendage it wants to attach itself to.

Recommendations for some good headphones please? :)

A post not about running

2011-06-13T14:11:00.000-07:00

Instead, it's about my best friend Sarah's wedding! While my time back in Arkansas was short (literally 48 hours), i had a blast. The wedding was beautiful, the reception was a blast and i got to see a lot of friends i hadn't seen in years.

These are the lovely bridesmaids and one of the flower girls. The girl in purple next to me is the Bride. :)

Ah, my little Sarah! We have been friends since high school. I still can't believe she is a married woman!

A great shot of high school friends (plus a few spouses). Some of these faces i hadn't seen in 4+ years, so it was great to catch up.

Oh, yes. They decided to change into their Loudmouth pants for the reception. If you knew this group, you would expect nothing less.

So, i don't dance. At all. Evidently this was after a few glasses of liquid courage. Throwing up the deuces? I have no idea.

Me & the Matron of Honor finishing up the night at the favorite bar of the bride & groom.

Seriously, a wonderful weekend. I'm ready for the next wedding! :)

Ok, and a little running for you: half marathon #3 training starts tonight! Here goes nothing...

Hot in Hurr

2011-06-08T18:41:00.000-07:00

Why, yes - i did just reference Nelly. I am just that cool.

I turned down a Happy Hour tonight to go running. Who am I?! Well, partly due to running. I still have done nothing for my trip tomorrow, so I knew i needed to take care of that instead of partaking in tasty beverages.

So, in the heat of 95 degrees, i went for a 2.5 mile run. Besides sweating out my LIFE, i had a pretty nice run. I did have to stop a couple of times to find some shade and catch my breath. (Yeah, I'm a genius and didn't bring any water with me either. Won't make that mistake again.)

I had all good intentions to run this morning in the cooler temperatures, but when my alarm went off at 6am i said to hell with it. Is it just not in some people's DNA to be a morning person? :P

Do you guys prefer handhelds or hydration belts for your long runs? If i could get away with it, i'd do neither because both kinda bug me!

Off bright & early to Fayetteville, Arkansas tomorrow morning, so i'll see you next week!

Pretty nice little Saturday

2011-06-06T09:53:00.000-07:00

I don't know what my deal is, but i tend to completely stay away from the computer during the weekends. I guess because i stare at a computer screen for 40 hours a week Monday- Friday?

Anyways, i had a nice 3 mile run Saturday morning. Loaded some new songs on my playlist, which always makes me want to go for a run. No fast (for me) miles this time, but i felt pleased with the run overall. Good thing too because half marathon training starts NEXT WEEK.

This Thursday, i will be traveling back home to Arkansas to be in my good friend Sarah's Wedding!

Since my family no longer lives in Arkansas, i haven't been back there in a couple of years. It will be great to see some old friends & of course celebrate Sarah's wedding!

Does anyone watch Game of Thrones? Tom & I have been watching it and actually i am just about to finish up the fourth book. I guess i shouldn't watch it right before bed anymore though, because last night i dreamt i was arrested for "treason" and they chopped off one of my fingers! Ha.

Due to my trip, workouts will definitely be light this week - planning on a run tonight & tomorrow & waking up early on Wednesday for a little Jillian action. We'll see how it goes. :)

11:52

2011-06-01T09:04:00.001-07:00

11:52, what could be the significance of that?

Time i wrote this post? Nope.

Time i went to bed last night? Negative.

BUT if you guessed the time it took me to run a mile last night, you win!

Guys, i know you might laugh, but this is one of my fastest miles to date! I usually hover anywhere from a 12:10-12:40 mile. Imagine my surprise last night when i looked down at my Garmin & saw 11:52!

....and evidently i was pushing it because the rest of my run was much, much slower. Ha.

But i consider this progress! At least I am getting a little bit faster, not slower. :)

50/50

2011-05-30T16:03:00.000-07:00

Well i did manage to get up Saturday morning & go for a 3.3 mile run.

Ok, that run actually turned into a walk.

Even though i was out the door by 7:15am, it was pretty hot. And for whatever reason, i just could not catch my breath. My lungs were acting like i had just run a marathon when in reality i had only gone half a mile. So i pretty much just walked the rest. Meh.

But today i got out there earlier & it was much cooler, which made for a much more pleasant experience. Still some walking, but much much less than on Saturday.

Hope everyone had a safe & fun Memorial Day weekend! Mine was spent mostly by the pool. Oh, and watching my new most favorite show ever:

My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding

Ya'll. This shit is unreal. I can't even think of words to describe my fascination with the gypsy wedding culture. You must watch. TLC. Set your DVR now.

PS. Official half marathon #3 training starts June 13. Color me scared/nervous/anxious/unsure

On the mend

2011-05-27T08:11:00.000-07:00

Whew, i think i'm finally back. Granted, I'm still all stopped up but i no longer have the cough or horrible sinus headache. I consider these a success. (But now Tom is feeling bad. Oops...)

Wednesday night, my lil' sis Princess graduated from High School. I'm so proud of her! She is part of the reason I did my first half marathon.

Last night I wanted to run, but it was blazing hot. (hello, 100 degrees) I did the Ripped in 30 instead. I think it's time to suck it up & join a gym so i can train this summer. That's my goal for this weekend.

Since i can somewhat breathe again, I plan on getting up early tomorrow and getting in a 3 mile run. Here's hoping the week off hasn't done too much damage. ;)

Yup.

2011-05-24T15:02:00.000-07:00

So you might have guessed by my absence that I've been sick - again. Before the plague completely struck me down, i went for a 3.3 mile run on Saturday morning. It would have been a GREAT run - if my throat and lungs weren't on fire. :P

Then Saturday night happened.

And i was knocked out for the rest of the night, all day Sunday and all day yesterday. I'm still not 100%, but I'm feeling a bit better.

Hopefully will be back in the week with some updates on running/catching up on your blogs!

Friiiiiiiiiiiiday!

2011-05-20T10:58:00.000-07:00

Thanks for all the feedback on my last post! I think I'm going to attempt another 1/2 marathon...or die trying. ;) I'll start my schedule June 1st. (I have a couple of trips scheduled in June, so this should make things more interesting.) I'm aiming to do the Women's 1/2 in November...so here goes nothing!

(Disclaimer: i haven't registered for the race yet. I think i will give it a month or so to see how my training goes before i bite the bullet.)

I have a wretched cough again. I can't believe this marks the 4th time this year i have been sick. This is so, SO rare for me - i never used to get sick and then this year comes along and knocks me on my ass. Hopefully it's nothing serious.

Should make tonight and tomorrow' run a bit more challenging - hoping i can power through!

Oh, and look what i got in my hair last night. :)

Feathers!

Tom is awesome.

2011-05-16T20:19:00.000-07:00

I asked Tom what i should blog about tonight and the title of this post was his response.

Moving on.

I'm not sure what's up with me, but my after work runs are always so much better than my early morning runs. Last week i had two solid 2.5 mile runs. Sunday morning i did 3.25 miles - and it was not pretty. And then tonight i did another solid 2.5 miles. I guess I'm not joking when i say i'm not a morning person...

New favorite song to run to? Beastie Boys "Make Some Noise"

Ok, as i toy with the idea for signing up for another 1/2 marathon, here are my top contenders:

1. Women's Half Marathon - November 6
Pros:

Women only
Cool medal!
Course doesn't seem too difficult

Cons:

Training will need to begin asap
Might still be on the warm side in November

2. Runner's Den/Fiesta Bowl Half Marathon - December 4

Pros:

I've run the 5k twice, it'd be cool to do the 1/2 course
Little more time to train
Temps will be much cooler

Cons:

Temps might be a little too cool. I was cooold last year.
Course has some hills, which could slow my time down

3. Lost Dutchman Half Marathon - February 20

Pros:

Lots more time to train!
Have heard nothing but good things about this race
Most likely the best weather conditions

Cons:

Not familiar with the course - looks pretty hilly
Race destination is about an hour from where i live

So...i don't know. I'm still kinda terrified to sign up for another half. I want a sub 3 so badly and am worried i just don't have it in me. Decisions, decisions!

Three Things Thursday

2011-05-12T10:25:00.000-07:00

1. Despite feeling like a stuffed sausage during last night's run (damn compression shorts) & the temperature being 15 degrees warmer, i had another solid run! In fact, i was about 30 seconds faster than Tuesday night's run...progress!

Don't be jealous of my MS Paint skills.

2. Mentioning heat, Running in Reese's did a great post about how to handle running in heat. Even though i live in the seventh layer of Hell (hello 120 degrees during the summer), I am lucky enough to not have to deal with humidity. Cely lives in the great state of Texas - home of big hair & 95% humidity. Yech.

3. I'm still torn on signing up for another half marathon. My new strategy seems to be: train for a half, as long as it takes to feel confident, and then sign up for one on a whim. I dunno, the idea of committing to a race when i know that will add extra pressure to my training makes me nervous. Do you guys like to have a race in mind, or just train until you feel ready?

Solid.

2011-05-10T18:57:00.000-07:00

You know how sometimes before you start a run, you just have a feeling it's going to be a good one? That was tonight's run for me. I almost talked myself out of it - but the weather was perfect and i just had a feeling it was going to be a good one.

I kept it short, but it felt good. My breathing was steady, legs felt ok, it was good. I finished two miles in 24:40 and lightly jogged another 0.5 miles.

Now, if only all my runs could be like that! Someday I'll get there. :)

I moved up to Week 3 of Ripped in 30 last week. Good God - each time i think Jillian can't get any crazier, she totally proves me wrong. Try 3 solid minutes of bear crawling & duck walks - quads. screaming.

I've made it a goal to work out at least 5 times this week. So far, 2 for 2!

RunEMZ!

2011-05-09T09:51:00.000-07:00

You guys might have heard, but in case not....

You have to check out www.runemz.com. This is a fellow Arizona runner who just logged TWENTY FOUR HOURS on a treadmill to raise funds for the Sojourner Center.

TWENTY. FOUR. HOURS.

This woman is amazing. Absolutely amazing. Check out her finishing video on her blog. If it doesn't give you chills, i don't know what will!

"Speed"work

2011-05-04T18:46:00.000-07:00

Erm, i thought speed work was supposed to be...speedy?

Tonight i set out to try speedy work. I found a flat stretch & proceeded to run faster for .20 miles & recover/walk for .08 miles. For a total of 2 miles.

Good & dandy, but my overall time was pretty much on par with what my overall time would be if i jogged the full two miles. Ha. I guess i definitely need to work on my speed.

Don't get me wrong - halfway through i kinda wanted to puke. I was running at a much faster pace than normal. I just kinda wish i was faster. (Story of my running life!)

How often do you guys do speed work? Do you think it helps?

And once again - let me just say to you runners out there that pull out 7, 8, 9, 10 minute miles:

I AM SO NOT WORTHY!!

Warrior Dash 2011

2011-05-02T06:08:00.023-07:00

We came, we saw, we left picking mud out of our nose and ears.

And everywhere else.

Warrior Dash was a blast!! I was worried we were going to have really warm weather, but it was perfect. Picture heavy post, so i hope you enjoy!

So the Warrior Dash is a 3.4 mile course, with about 10 or so obstacles set up. The end being a jump over fire and army crawling through a huge mud pit.

Our team, the Office Warriors! That's my co-worker Matus, Tom & me.

Waiting around for our wave to start. This is me telling the guys that we are "not in it to win it".

First obstacle! You had to hop over a wall, then crawl under a beam - about six times.

Proof that we did run - some. :)

One of my favorites - when else do you get to climb over cars??

This one wasn't too bad, a small wall you had to repel up & over.

Supposedly this pit was full of sand the day before, but for some reason on Sunday it was a muddy river? This is right before Tom faceplanted...hahaha. :)

Matus conquering the huge haystack!

I thought i was going to have trouble with the cargo net, seeing as how i have no upper body strength. But it wasn't bad at all really.

One of the easier ones - as long as you have good balance!

Shortly after this picture, a guy came barreling across the top & almost killed me.

Fire leap! Look, Tom is looking back to make sure i didn't catch fire. :)

And this is what you look like after the mud pit.

Mud EVERYWHERE.

But we survived!

Best part? The fuzzy viking helmet!! (and the free beer after the race)

A few battle scars from the day (the mud pit was full of rocks on the bottom, my knees & hands are tore up).

If you ever get a chance, i definitely recommend this race. It's a freaking blast & more fun when you have a group of friends. Typically I'm not one to do things like this, but i surprised myself & had a really great time.

Three Things Thursday

2011-04-28T19:04:00.000-07:00

1. Tonight's run was rough - because it was 92 degrees. Ugh. I tried to stick to the jog one mile, walk a quarter of a mile method, but a lot more breaks were needed this time. (Finishing with 42:31 for 3.25 miles) Needless to say, my face is bright red & i'm drinking a gallon of water.

2. I'm kinda getting the itch to do another half marathon. Why put myself through that torture again? I honestly couldn't tell you. I'll do a post later with the races i am contemplating...

3. I will not be getting up at 3am to watch the Royal Wedding. No offense, but i don't understand the big deal. I'll just see the pictures on People.com tomorrow when i get to work. :)

Now if you'll excuse me, I am off to spend some quality time with two VERY good looking gentlemen:

The Vampire Dairies

5k Monday

2011-04-25T19:01:00.000-07:00

I dunno, it kinda rhymes. :)

My new running shoes came in today!

Can you tell i like Saucony??

Maybe it was the new kicks, but my run has slightly improved from last week. My calves/shins are still a little tender, so i ran one mile, walked .25, ran another mile, walked .25 and finished off the rest running.

Time: 39:33

That's only about a minute & half slower than my "PR", so i guess i'll take it. I felt like i had a proper workout afterwards and the words "That will do, pig. That will do." echoed in my mind.

If i had photoshop, i'd totally superimpose my head over Babe's face.

Hope everyone had a good Easter!

T minus 6 days till Warrior Dash....

Friday...

2011-04-22T08:57:00.000-07:00

Does anyone else love this movie? I may or may not be able to quote 95% of it....

So yesterday at work we had a fire alarm go off. Which meant we had to evacuate the building. (Turned out to be nothing, btw.) I work on the 27th floor. Which means i had to go down 27. flights. of. stairs.

Granted, going DOWN 27 flights is much easier than going UP, but still. My calves definitely feel it today. And last night on my run - complete cement blocks. :P

Warrior Dash is next weekend!!! I'm a little nervous - our wave isn't until 11:30 and it's going to be HOT. Need to work on my outfit.... (we are going as Office Warriors.)

Hope everyone has a lovely Easter! (i have made it through the entire Easter season without one Cadbury Egg....i don't know how this is possible, but i'll take it.)

HOLD THE PHONE

2011-04-19T12:59:00.001-07:00

Just got an email for....

TINKER BELL HALF MARATHON IN DISNEYLAND

Ya'll.

I've secretly wanted to do a Disney race because i've heard so many good things from you guys. However, Disneyworld is too far for me.

But Disneyland isn't.

Ahhhhh......what to do?? Am i ready to train for another half?? Honestly, it makes me kinda cringe thinking about it.

And we all know how quickly these races sell out...

OY VEY. Anyone else out there thinking of doing this one?

Hot Mess

2011-04-19T08:49:00.000-07:00

Brain dump from last night's 3 (hot) miles:

Pretty sure Adele has the most amazing voice ever (always start my run with "Rolling in the Deep")
Uh oh...shin splints. Think it's time for new shoes. Anyone know of a cheap(er) website to purchase?
Holy crap it's hot. This "breeze" feels more like a hair dryer. (Thanks, Phoenix.)
I'm so slow, it's comical. In the time it took me to run one mile, half the people on my bloggy list would have looped me!
Wow, i just passed 4 cute little bunny rabbits. I don't think of them as a desert-dwelling animals, but evidently i am wrong.
I really need to work on my posture. "Melissa, stand up straight" is a phrase i heard more than once during my youth. Shoulders back, hips slightly forward!
Can't believe all those bad-asses that ran Boston this morning. Katye ended up with a torn calf at mile 11 and STILL finished the race!
Aaannddd....3.3 miles donzo.

Sweaty, bright red face: check.

Lazy pups. They did NOT run 3 miles.

One day...

2011-04-13T14:52:00.000-07:00

One day, i wish...

i can run a mile effortlessly on any given day
i can wear Nike Tempo Shorts without having to wear compression shorts underneath (damn chub rub)
Instead of thinking "Ugh i don't want to run tonight" 85% of the time, i'll think "i get to run tonight!"
To look down at my Garmin and see a 10:xx on my mile time
To be able to sign up for a race on a whim (a la Skinny Runner) and do awesome
To say "I am a runner" instead of "I'm kind-of a runner" followed by an excuse of how i'm not any good
To come in under 3 hours in a half marathon
To run with positive thoughts

Anyone else feel me?

PS. My 3 miler last night was pretty decent, so maybe i'm on the right track.

Three Things Thursday

2011-04-07T10:45:00.000-07:00

1. I think i need to train for something. Lately my runs have just been casual 2-3 miles - i don't really feel the need to push myself because i don't have any races planned for the future. (Except for Warrior Dash) While I'm still not sure i'm ready for another Half Marathon, i do think i should pick out a 10k or something. Only problem is, we are entering summer in Phoenix and that means no races because it is hotter than the 7th layer of hell...

2. I've decided to join a gym. I think. The one i mentioned a few months ago is running their special again of $24 a month for 24 months. I know i'm definitely going to need a gym this summer (ie, the hell reference i made above) but 24 months is a big commitment! Eh, i should just suck it up and do it.

3. Booked a trip to Virginia to see my family in June! And this time, Tom is coming with. It will be the first time he meets my parents (and one of my sisters.) Mwahahaha.

So how do you guys stay motivated when you don't have a race you are training for? Or are you always training for something?

Running free

2011-04-04T19:02:00.000-07:00

So my run tonight was without my Garmin. And guess what? It was one of the better runs i've had in a while. As much as i love my Garmin, sometimes it definitely plays mind tricks with me. Checking it every few minutes definitely messes with my head - I'm going so slow, i have only gone 1/2 a mile?!, etc.

Maybe i should take a break from the Garmin more often?

Today's running ensemble consisted of:

1. Bondi Band

2. iPod nano

3. Champion tank

4. Garmin (before i realized it was dead)

5. Nike Tempo shorts (i always order a size up - anyone else?)

6. Champion bike shorts underneath (for the dreaded chub rub)

7. Saucony Progrid Guide 3 shoes

8. Dri Fit socks from Target

Basically the only thing i don't skimp on is running shoes & my Garmin - everything else i am totally ok with getting at Target or on sale.

What about you guys - are you brand loyalists when it comes to running gear or ok with the cheaper stuff?

Three Things Thursday

2011-03-31T12:59:00.000-07:00

1. Last night i moved on to Week 2 of "Ripped in 30"
O
M
G
Have a feeling i will be doing Week 2 for quite a while - damn you, plank moves!
Also, while cursing Jillian's name, it is also quite comical to watch her "antics". In Week 2's workout, she made a reference to one of the trainer's "nice ass" no less than 3 times, slapped/pinched her butt no less than 2 times, and growled at her once.

2. I have definitely been sabotaging myself in the food department. Excuse me, self control? Have we met before? Didn't think so. Will a doctor willingly wire your mouth shut (medical reason be damned)?

3. And i shall leave you with this picture. I'm a warm-weather gal, but....I'm not ready for 99 degrees yet.

PS. 3 mile run tonight - i will most definitely be exhausted & a puddle of sweat afterwards.

The Good & Bad

2011-03-28T16:31:00.000-07:00

Weekend in a nutshell!

The Good:

Tom & I took Friday off work and attended a Cubs Spring training game - sun, beer, baseball...ahhh.
Went out for Mexican Friday night & the food was so spicy i only ate half my meal. (Ha)
Getting some pool time on Saturday
Took Spencer to get groomed & he looks like a handsome young gentleman again
Cute new sandals from DSW!

The Bad:

We had lawn seats for the Cubs game & halfway there i realized i forgot to grab a towel. We drove around for 45 minutes trying to find a place that had beach towels. Rage Melissa was in full force.
We attended a BBQ & Beer fest on Saturday and Reel Big Fish was playing at the end of the festival. I should have realized we were in for a real treat when the lines were literally wrapped around the corner on both sides. After waiting in line for 40 minutes for a drink, we decided to cut our losses & leave.
My second brilliant idea of the day after the BBQ fail was to see Sucker Punch. I thought it looked relatively good. Famous last words. I hated it. It was nothing like i thought it would be & i literally typed out on my phone "What the **** is this movie." and passed it to my friends. (And then apologized for making them see it.)

The title is quite literal.

Also The Bad? I haven't worked out since Thursday....oops. A run tonight, i promise! Even if i have to drag myself out there kicking & screaming...

She is no joke...

2011-03-22T19:36:00.000-07:00

Last night i got my copy of Jillian Michael's Ripped in 30 DVD.

Whew. Let me tell you. She is NOT messing around with these DVD workouts. Love her or hate her, this chick knows what she is doing.

This follows the same 3-2-1 circuit as the Shred, but instead of having three levels, it has 4 weeks of workouts.

sorry for the crappy iPhone pics

I am on my second time of the Week 1 workout and let me tell you - i don't regret buying this DVD one bit. It's a definite workout!

If you're not familiar with her 3-2-1 workout, here's how it's broken down:

Three minutes of strength training:

Two minutes of cardio:

One minute of abs:

ughhhh i hate planks!

You go through this three times, for a pretty good workout. While it's similar to the 30 Day Shred, i feel these workouts are a little more intense. Reading reviews online, i am to believe Week 4 is practically inhuman....

Here's my favorite things about the DVD:

I love the 3-2-1 breakdown. It's fast paced and you don't feel "stuck" on one move for too long.
There are a couple repeated moves from 30 Day Shred, but it's mostly new moves that target pretty much every part of your body.
It goes by fast. With the warm-up and cool-down, each workout runs about 30ish minutes.
Doing the Shred, i definitely feel stronger and my endurance during running is better - and i know this DVD is going to be the same.

Lucy Camden, is that you?

So, if you're looking for a good workout DVD i definitely recommend this one! Like i said, I'm only on Week 1 and am already hooked. :)


Spencer's fav part of the workout: stealing my sweaty socks

What about you guys: do you do workout DVDs? The Jillian Michaels series are really the only ones i've found beneficial...

Long May You Run

2011-03-21T10:53:00.000-07:00

So, i did pretty good on my workouts last week! I did the 30-Day Shred on Tuesday & Wednesday, and went for a run Thursday & Friday. I ordered another Jillian Michaels DVD (Ripped in 30) - anxious to try that sucker out.

My mileage is still pretty low - only 2.5-3 miles each run. I don't have any races on the horizon (except for Warrior Dash), so i'm not beating myself up too much that it's taken me longer to recover. But i am ready to get back to where i was before i got sick!

On Friday's run, this song "Long May You Run" by Neil Young came on. It's a slower song, not one to pump you up, but the chorus of the song is perfect for running:

Long may you run.

Long may you run.

Although these changes

have come

With your chrome heart shining

in the sun

Long may you run.

(Ok, so supposedly the song is about his first car - but let's just not focus on that, mkay?)

Long may we all run - as long as we are willing and able!

Happy St. Pat's!

2011-03-17T09:20:00.001-07:00

"It's St. Paddy's Day, everyone's Irish tonight!" - Boondock Saints (my fav movie!)

I swear, next year i am taking St. Pat's off work. I could be out having SO MUCH fun right now, instead i am a slave to the man. Sigh.

So i saw this fun handwriting thing on Beer, Dogs, and Getting Healthier...(awesome blog name, btw) and thought it was fun. So here you go!

1. What is your name?

2. What is your blog name?

3. Write: the quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.

4. Favorite quote

5. Favorite song

6. Favorite band/singers

7. Say anything you want

8. Pass it along to a few bloggers

The last 10 pounds

2011-03-15T20:28:00.000-07:00

So i think i have mentioned on here before that I am doing Weight Watchers. I've been doing the online version for a few months now and have dropped 15 pounds. (woo hoo!)

But these last 10 pounds i want to lose? Are being a.total.bitch.

I've been stuck at the same weight (give or take a pound) for about a month now. I know what i need to do - trade in my reduced fat wheat thins for salad, limit Mexican food to once a month, step up my workouts....but for whatever reason, i just can't find the motivation to do it.

Like most women would say, i've struggled with my weight for most of my life. I remember coming home at 10 years old after trying on jeans and bawling in my room because i was fat. And yes, i have had someone ask me before "When are you due?"

Sigh.

So, i guess i just need to suck it up and just do it. I'll soon forget what chips & salsa taste like......right? :P

(Almost) Silent Sunday

2011-03-13T09:30:00.000-07:00

This, friends, is my paradise.

I have caught another cold. I am never, ever getting a flu shot again. I never get sick - this year i take a flu shot and i am now on my third round of sickness. #@!*#&!

Speedy McSpeederson

2011-03-10T20:36:00.000-07:00

So tonight's run wasn't as good as Tuesday's, but it still went relatively well. It was much warmer for tonight's run - 85 degrees! - and i think that zapped my energy pretty quick. (And perhaps those Gobstoppers i binged on during work...but that's neither here nor there)

2.5 miles in 33 minutes

So towards the end of my run, i decided to do a little interval training. I picked a stretch and ran at a much faster pace than normal. Then walked to recover and repeat. During those sprints, i thought to myself "Huh, this must be what Hungry Runner Girl & SkinnyRunner look like when they are running."

Immediately followed by the thought "Holy crap how do they do this for 26 miles??!!" Charlie Sheen may have tiger blood in him, but he's got nothing on these speed demon ladies. (And all you other bad asses that run 7, 8, 9 minute miles!)

It's supposed to be 87 and sunny this weekend in Phoenix. I plan on taking these pasty white legs to the pool for some color!

New Plan

2011-03-09T20:08:00.001-07:00

First: thank you so, so much for all the kind comments regarding my Granny. I truly appreciate it.

So I've decided to try a new plan with my fitness. I'm going to aim for running 3x a week, but not consecutively - so every other day I will be doing the 30 Day Shred.

And just to clarify, i'm not that much of a bad ass, i won't be doing this every day. I envision something like this:

Monday - Run
Tuesday - Shred
Wednesday - Run
Thursday - Shred
Friday - off
Saturday - Run
Sunday - off or Shred

More than likely, Sundays will be "off" days too. :)

I think incorporating the Shred is going to improve my running. I feel stronger when i do something other than just running, so we'll see how this goes!

Thinking about signing up for another Half Marathon still makes me nervous, after the last disappointing race. But I'm getting closer to thinking about tackling it again...

Tough Times

2011-03-08T19:43:00.000-07:00

This past Thursday, i got the sad news that my Granny passed away early in the morning. She was 87 and had been diagnosed with cancer a few months prior. The fight became too much and she went to be with the Lord.

Granny with my cousin and his son John Curtis. Absolutely love this picture.

The funeral was this past Monday. Unfortunately the flights from Arizona to Arkansas were way too expensive. And to make matters worse, i already had a trip planned to St. Louis to visit some college girlfriends (some i hadn't seen in years.)

My mom told me to keep my trip, Granny would have wanted that, but of course i still felt/feel incredibly guilty.

Needless to say, these past few days have been tough. Add on extra stress from work and it's been a doozy.

While i love Arizona, it is so hard to be far away from family. I hadn't seen my Granny in 3 years - and i'm lucky to see my parents and sisters twice a year. Will someone invent a (affordable) Star Trek transporter machine already?! :/

------

I finally got out for a run today. I hadn't run since Wednesday of last week - and i think my body was missing it.

I ran 2.15miles in 26 minutes - this was also the first run since i got sick that i didn't have to stop and walk.

This run was exactly what i needed - i'm glad it was a good one.

I'm here!

2011-03-07T10:34:00.000-07:00

....i haven't forgotten about you guys! It's been an emotional few days - plus, i was out of town this weekend & didn't get a chance to blog or read your wonderful blogs.

I'll be back in a day or two.

Warrior Dash!

2011-03-02T09:05:00.000-07:00

So, thanks to my work buddy Matus, i am signed up to do the Warrior Dash on May 1st.

What is the Warrior Dash, you might ask?

Warrior Dash is a mud-crawling, fire-leaping, extreme run from hell. This fierce running series is held on the most challenging and rugged terrain across the globe. Warriors conquer extreme obstacles, push their limits and celebrate with kick-ass music, beer and warrior helmets.

Ok that description sounds a little scary, but fire-leaping, beer AND a fuzzy warrior helmet?? Hell yeah!

Have any of you ever done the Warrior Dash series? Any ideas for a fun outfit? (Because that's obviously a must.)

Oh, running.

2011-02-27T13:40:00.000-07:00

Well, this week's running wasn't as stellar as i had hoped. I'm still using a walk/jog interval. Some days i feel strong, but other days (like Saturday's run) i feel like i'm starting back at square one. I know practice makes perfect, but it's just frustrating.

I have lost my "groove" with running.

I know i need to keep at it - i feel like i just need a couple good runs to get my confidence back. We'll see how this week goes!

This weekend has been nice & relaxing. I went to Tom's soccer game Friday night, did a (medicore) 3 mile run Saturday morning and then met our friends for yummy Mexican food that night. And then they came back to our place and i made everyone watch the amazing documentary, "The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia."

It's on Netflix instant watch. Go watch it. Now. This family is so insane - you'll never question your own family's sanity again.

I hope everyone who ran the Princess 1/2 Marathon this week did great!! Can't wait to read your recaps. :)