E.T

The song, E.T by Katy Perry resembles a song that a comedy movie would make to put in the movie as a spoof. Sort of like in the movie Forgetting Sarah Marshall the songs that Russell Brand sings or even the Dracula song as the end. However, much like those comedy spoofed songs I really enjoy E.T. I find myself chair dancing to it at work. Yes, I am embarrased by admitting this, but I figure it is MORE embarassing that it is true than to announce it to the world. Plus, I have WAY more people in the cubicles surrounding me than people that actually read my blog so really whats the diff?

Weak?!?!?! Who me?????

I just got home from my first (of many apparently) physical therapy appointment. I was a little nervous and didn't know what to expect but it was not too bad at all. PT said that she didn't think it was runners knee but more of a weakness in my hips. Body Pump doesn't have a track for hips so I guess that makes sense. Legs, biceps, triceps, shoulders and back though they do have a track so therefore no weakness there!

PT gave me hips strengthening exercises as well as some stretches that I should be doing all through the day. My co-workers already thought I was off my rocker, now I really will be. I totally have all intentions of doing these exercises in my cubicle.

I am pumped that it isn't runners knee. Although, I am a little pissed that my poor hips were called WEAK. They feel depressed and pathetic. I am going to whip them into shape though and they will be the strongest hips in the world. My hips will not be lying!

On the good news - wasn't this whole post semi good news- PT said that as long as I didn't push the running I could POTENTIALLY run in the unplugged. I just have to stop and walk if I get pain and I can't push a ton and "train" for it. I have the mileage and know that I can do the 1/2. I might not have a stellar time but really, any time will be better than my first 1/2 time and my current PR (2:27:48). I said I can deal with stopping and not going all out. We will re-evaluate once it gets closer. I have to go back twice a week for a bit and that is fine with me as long as I can get to running as soon as possible. I might have mentioned several times that I was desperate and that I would - if was told it would help - rub poop on my leg as a new massage technique to get back up to running faster. Yes, I am pathetic. Another sign that I am pathetic, PT told me to hop on the treadmill and she would evaluate my running. I might have shed a tear of happiness at the mention of the treadmill and might have had a tear or two drop when I cranked the speed up and jogged for 1 min. Yes, simple things make me happy and filled with joy!

I will not be putting my unplugged bib up for sale on craigslist quite yet. I have high hopes of being able to run it and killing it! Who knows, if I haven't run in a while I might be filled with so much joy that I might get under my goal of 1:45:00. I am, for the first time in a while, really excited and not depressed!

Imagine my surprise...

I write down my calories and the food that I eat all the time. I weight myself every morning. Imagine my surprise this morning when I went up 1/2 a lb from the morning before. Today, I went over all the food I ate yesterday and the calories in the food. I also calculated how much calories I had to have burned in the hour of swimming and hour of spinning. Then I realized a large gaping hole of where the calories should have been written down for the peanuts I ate yesterday. Because I bought these in the bulk section and they didn't have the nutrition facts I googled: Calories in roasted peanuts. Imagine my surprise when the results were 864 calories in a cup. Umm I had to have had 3 cups of peanuts as a "healthy snack". I no longer am shocked at my 1/2 lb weight gain. I am stopping my addiction of all nut loved things. Good bye thai chili peanuts good bye maple bbq peanuts good bye *tear* justin's honey peanut butter good bye *tear* justin's maple almond butter. my bananas and apples will be plainer wihtout you however my pants will fit better and I like the way I look more than I like the way things tast. The old addage "moment on the lips is a lifetime on the hips" rings so true today. Depression has, yet again, set in. I really need to run!

What I'm Hating Wednesday (WIHM)

I totally am hating on all of my music lately. I want to download some new stuff but I can’t even think of anything. All the music I like is classic rock lately and if you didn’t know they aren’t making any more classic rock.


I hate being bored all day. I started training for a new position at work and I thought that would keep me busy. Not so much. There are a lot of gaps in between training sessions and we are supposed to read reference material in our down time. Umm Yeah that is really boring!


I hate my whole wardrobe. Half of it fits weird, slightly too big and just looks messy. I haven’t been shopping since before Christmas and I don’t NEED to go and don’t want to spend money unnecessarily since we are trying to save for a house etc. But just have been so annoyed every morning when trying to get dressed. I just am over all my clothes and the way that they fit and look on me. I am ready for spring / summer weather so I can wear some of my dresses. However those will probably look just as sloppy as everything else! Definitely a down side to downsizing my size is none of my cute clothes I have collected through the years fit and look nice anymore. Definitely time to hit the mall soon and get some staples that fit! Maybe someday….Like when NOTHING fits and it is a NEED!


I am still hating my knee but hopefully after today’s physical therapy appointment I will be hating it less. I think I am setting myself up for disappointment because I have my heart set on the fact that they are going to give me the go ahead to get back to running and that I can run the Unplugged ½ marathon on 4.9. Yes, I realize that this is setting me up for disappointment but I am trying to send positive energy into the world and see if it will come back to me. Clearly that has worked so well in the past (think HGTV dream house that we didn’t win…)


I am not enjoying the fact that I have been writing down all my food, and have analyzed every thing that I eat / drink and the calories in each morsel in an effort to make up for last weeks weigh in debacle and I am not seeing the numbers on the scale. I even did over an hour of swimming and an hour of spinning and worked really hard and I gained .5 lb over night. Really? I am just hoping its water weight or something and will go away by Sunday’s weigh in. If not, then oh well. I am not going to do anything drastic but just frustrating!


I hate how much getting certified to do anything costs. I went through a few years ago and got certified to be a personal trainer. I never really did much with that certification and basically let it expire. It makes me sad to think about the money I wasted on the certification, however, I got certified while I was unemployed and it gave me a purpose to get up in the morning. I had to study, I had to go to the gym, and I had to study some more. I want to get certified to be a spin instructor, but it costs over 300 dollars. I know the cost will pay for itself with getting a free membership at the gym and I am not looking to make money doing it. It just sucks that it costs so much. I guess since it is for two years it isn’t THAT expensive, but thinking of spending 300 dollars right not makes me nervous! I think I might contact my gym and see what their needs are for a spin instructor.

Dual-athalon

I swam today after work for an hour and fifteen minutes. I got out, showered so I wouldn't be too chlorinated smelling and then hopped onto a spin bike and did an hour of spinning. I had so much fun today at the gym. Probably the most fun I have had at the gym since not being able to run. I feel like I actually got a good workout in and got the endorphins flowing. Which is exactly what I needed.

My swimming today was a vast improvement since last tuesdays swim. I felt like I was swimming laps really well. Last week I did four laps and was exhausted. This week I did lap after lap and only tried to take breaks after 10 laps and would get some water and then start on my next set. I definitely didn't dilly dally at all. I think part of my laser focus was that I was told that I could only swim until 4:30 because it was reserved. I got in the pool a quarter to 4 and wanted to get the most out of the little time I had. Lucky for me, whoever reserved the lane bailed and I had it up until swim team came in at 5. I busted the through the time I thought I had and then ended up being able to stay in much longer. So nice. I definitely found my rhythm and that was great. On a side note, I started one of my laps and all of a sudden got a killer calf cramp. I haven't had one of those in soooo long. It hurt so bad I thought I would drown. I was seriously crippled with pain. My leg is still so sore from the muscle tightening so much. I felt my leg and it was so tight it felt like a bone! It was crazy. If I was out of the water and had my phone I totally would have taken a picture because I am sure it looked crazy!

After showering and getting into the spin room I was ready to see how my knee would do. I was able to really crank on the resistance and my knee only mildly ached. Which was so nice. We didn't do much out of the sadle so there wasn't too much pressure which I think helped a lot. I definitely was sweating up a storm in the class too and the music was amazing. Not what I would have thought I would want to be hearing when trying to spin but it was what I needed to stay in the zone. Lots of Dave Matthews and Zeppelin. Which, if you don't like that music the class must have sucked but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank God. I needed this day sooo badly.

For the first time I think I will be able to sleep soundly. Not working out has definitely effected my sleeping and giving me some insomnia. Sucks big time. I hope tonight for some sleep that is soundless and deep.

Tomorrow is my Physical Therapy appointment and I am nervous/excited. I want some good news and be told that I can start running again. My knee has been feeling a lot better but there are definitely times that is super stiff and painful and just aches when I am just sitting. I hope this will go away and I can get back to my true love - running. I miss running with SWP and seeing his stupid grin more than anything!

Sorry for such a long post but apparently I had a lot to say!

Just not cutting it

I did my body pump class sans squats and lunges. Let me tell you, that class was sooo hard when I would do it after running and loading up the bar to squat and lunge. Without running as a warm up, and without doing any lower body, that class is SUPER boring. I don't think I had one bead of sweat during the whole time. LAME-O!

I have my first and hopefully only Physical Therapy appointment on Wednesday and I am hoping that they tell me that I can push through and just ram out some runs and not worry about doing any further damage. I am hoping that I am told that running miles and miles are fine as long as the pain doesn't bother me then not to worry about it. I know the chances of that happening are slim to none but still.

I know I will get better and things happen for a reason. I know that I am not given more than I can handle and that going through trials and tribulations only makes you stronger. These are the things that I tell myself to stop me from crying. Yes, I am pathetic and cry that I can't run. Sorry, what can I say. I am pathetic!

Everyone cross their fingers that I am given the green light on Wednesday!!!!! I am also hoping that swimming and spinning tomorrow will release enough endorphins to shake this funk I am going through and can go back to being my normal, blissfully happy self!

Poor Alan

I noticed lately how grumpy I have been due to not running. I know that I am grumpy and say crabby things to Alan. I feel sorry for him. I feel sorry for him ALMOST as much as I feel sorry for myself.

I thought swimming would help to get some endorphins and to not feel so crabby. That might have helped slightly but not enough.

I am sorry Alan for how difficult it has been to live with me this past week. I am working on it and will continue to try to remember that just because I am bored and having a rough time doesn't mean that I need to make everyone else around me just as miserable.

Tomorrow I am going to go to body pump. Tomorrow will be hard because I have an hour between when I get out of work and when pump starts. Usually in that hour I change and hit the treadmill and pound out 6-7 miles. Obviously that will not be happening tomorrow. I thought about bringing my suit to swim some laps in that hour however, I don't think I will have THAT much time. Plus on Tuesday I signed up for a spin class and that starts 2 hours after I get out of work so I will probably swim laps in between that time and don't want to burn myself out with swimming and swim two days in a row. God forbid! So I will try to do the elliptical tomorrow and see how the knee does.

I am really excited for my Tuesday workout. I haven't been to a spin class in so long. Like over a year maybe. I gave up spinning because we got Sirius and he needed his exercise so selflessly I gave up my cardio on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturday mornings to do cardio with him. A decision I have not regretted. However, I forgot how much I loved to go to my spin class and am really looking forward to it. I guess it isn't ALL bad, not being able to run. I am getting to revisit some old friends of mine. Mr. Elliptical and Ms. Spin bike! However, I really miss my best friend of all, Mr and Mrs. Running! This is clearly the mind of a deranged lunatic that misses her workouts way too much!

So, I might have been crabby this past week but hopefully with adding spinning, going to my first PT appointment on Wednesday and starting back up at pump tomorrow my attitude will improve. Alan, it will get better, I promise. I am working on it and I love you!

Also, I want to give a shout out to Paula and everyone doing the Excellent Challenge (I am included but told her not to put my initials on her challenge board) Congratulations to all that have lost weight this past week. Job well done. I am jealous as I am one of the few that gained. I gained .9lbs this week which isn't too bad considering that right off the bat I gained 2! However, not running I have to basically re-teach myself how much I need to eat when not running. So this is good for me. Hopefully next week I will be apart of the crew that lost weight. So a round of applause to all that are participating and a huge applause to Paula for setting up this challenge. She is motivating countless lives and encouraging everyone to live a healthier lifestyle. I am so proud of her and all that she has accomplished this past year and am so happy to have her in my life and to call her a great friend of mine. So Paula, congratulations to you for all that you do and a great first week of your challenge.

they were willing to let go of who they thought they should be to be who they were

To be whole, let yourself break.

To be straight, let yourself bend.
To be full, let yourself be empty.
To be new, let yourself wear out.
To have everything, give everything up.

Knowing others is a kind of knowledge;
knowing yourself is wisdom.
Conquering others requires strength;
conquering yourself is true power.
To realize that you have enough is true wealth.
Pushing ahead may succeed,
but staying put brings endurance.
Die without perishing, and find the eternal.

To know that you do not know is strength.
Not knowing that you do not know is a sickness.
The cure begins with the recognition of the sickness.

Knowing what is permanent: enlightenment.
Not knowing what is permanent: disaster.
Knowing what is permanent opens the mind.
Open mind, open heart.
Open heart, magnanimity.

Clearly I am having some depression right now.....

On a lighter note, I was on the Ted website and I wanted to find some running things to lift my spirits - or to make me more depressed. I went into the talk section and then looked for topics. I clicked on "race" and couldn't figure out for the life of me why I was getting hits like Martin Luther King Jr. and Greening the Ghetto, or Black men ski. I figured it out with the video entitled doe race effect votes? I knew then that race and what I wanted to do -running race, were completely different.

Swimming, biking and walking

My mom and I had a great swim this morning. We did about 60 minutes of laps in the pool alternating between 10 laps of swimming and then 10 laps of using the kick board to strengthen my legs and to maintain my level of fitness. After using the kick board for so long I think I could tackle any hill that I come across. My legs were BURNING!

After I got home and showered Alan and I walked a little over 2 miles to pick up my bike from the shop. Sirius was happy to be getting some exercise and was so excited that they let him into the store! On the way back I rode the bike while Alan and SWP ran. I was super jealous that the two of them were running but was happy that Alan is enjoying it more and more and is getting so much faster and can run for longer. Super proud of him!

So not an amazing best workout of my life Saturday, but it is the best that I could do for today. Which is going to be my new theme. I might not be able to do my favorite thing - run - but that doesn't mean that I can't do the best that I can with everything else. So tomorrow is a new day, and I am planning on swimming again. My mom was a great teacher today and really helped me with my swimming form. I am ready to face those middle schoolers now! My mom was also impressed with how fast I can swim so who knows, maybe the swim team will want me to join! Too bad for them, they lost their chance!

It's Swimming Saturday

My mom and I are going to go to the pool today. I am actually pretty excited. Her and I used to swim all the time together. When I was young she would buy a membership at a hotel that had a pool because we didn't have any gyms or anything. Looking back I think its weird, but it seemed completely normal. Anyways, her and I used to go to the pool and swim laps and use the kick board and I had a blast. I loved to swim. How did I get from there, to here? Again, I am sure once I get swimming and can go more than four laps I will learn to enjoy it as I have learned to enjoy other things. I am just excited that I will have someone on my side if those mean middle school swim teamers are around! Just kidding, I know my mom will make more fun of me than anyone else. Is it wrong that I want my mom to re-teach me to swim? Its been so long. It is not like riding a bike. Err at least I hope not seeing as how Alan is dropping me off at the bike store today and I am going to ride the bike home!

Tomorrow I am planning on going back to the pool solo. I really need to get these workouts in as I am feeling soft and squishy in the middle and I do not enjoy! I am hoping that swimming, biking to work, body pumping my upper body will keep me in good enough shape to maintain my level of fitness. I would just love to know when I will be good enough to run again. Like weeks? Months?

I made a Physical Therapy appointment and my first session is Wednesday. Hopefully I will get some GREAT news from them and they will say, "why are you here? You are in great condition and your knee is fine!" I would do my ultimate happy dance! I can dream right?

My dear, inspiring friend Paula posted on my FB wall

"Joy always came after pain"

- so true. I know that this too shall pass and I will look back at my freaking out and laugh. I just want to laugh now!

Non Running Runner

I am slightly concerned with the reality that I MIGHT not be back up and running any time soon. I am, hate to admit it, but I am concerned with my weight as well. Like I said in my last post since Sunday I gained 2 lbs. Which sucks, but sucks more when I am doing a weight loss challenge. Umm 2 lbs is what I was wanting to LOSE this week, not GAIN. GRRR. Since gaining the 2lbs I have lost 1lb of it. So now I still need to lose 3 by Sunday. I can do that. Not sure if I can do it without running though.

I read Janae's Blog and she too is nursing an injury. Hers is her thigh I believe. I feel bad for her because she is a REALLY good runner. Like wanting to run a sub 3hours time at BOSTON! I am definitely a recreational runner. I love it, it's my hobby, but I am not GREAT at it. I am better than some but there are a ton that are faster than me as well.

Reading Janae's blog helps me realize that I am not alone. That there are other runners that aren't running. She said in her latest post that she is learning to love swimming. Ummm I am definitely not there yet. I definitely have a love hate relationship with it but I do not love it. I love that I can do it, but I hate that I have to do it instead of running. I used to not love running though. I guess once you do something for a while you learn to love it. Here is to hoping that I learn to love biking and swimming and get better at it so I don't get laughed at by middle schoolers.

Today after work I am going to hit the pool. I am also going to go again tomorrow morning with my mom. I tried to sign up for a spin class on Sunday but it was already full. I made a schedule of the activities and the days I will do them. It gives me hope that I will continue to lose weight, stay in shape and maybe get some great cross training in that will help me be a stronger runner in the long run. No pun intended.

Sunday - Spin
Monday - Body Pump (will nix the squats and lunges and only do upper body and abs)
Tuesday - Swim and then Spin at 5:30
Wednesday - Pump
Thursday - Swim and then Spin at 5:30
Friday - Swim
Saturday - Pump and Swim

at least that is what I am hoping to do. I am sure I will skip out on a few classes and take a rest day at least once a week. I really want to keep up my endurance and maybe even getting better. Swimming four laps tired me out completely so clearly spending more time in the pool will help build up my cardio and that will obviously help me with running!

I am trying to stay positive. I will have some dark days where I am depressed and be angry. Hopefully those will be fewer and far in between. Hopefully I will be back up to running sooner than expected as well. I don't want to push too hard too fast and ruin everything for the whole year, however, I don't think it is unreasonable to think that I can run the KBCM at the end of May. I do not want to let down my partner who has been working so hard!

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome "Runner's Knee"

The doctor said I have Patellofemoral which is Runner's Knee. He said that I need to not run and more than likely will not be running in the unplugged 1/2 on April 9th. However, I feel like I am a strong person, in good shape and usually heal fast. Plus, I feel like doctors are always doom and gloom and aire on the side of caution. I will wait until I have no pain, continue to swim and bike and HOPE I can keep my endurance up so that I WILL be able to run pain free April 9th.

We shall see.

I am hoping that now that the weather is warming up I can get back into my Vibrams and the pain should go away with that as well. I love my Vibrams and was afraid that this would happen in the winter season. It was actually my biggest fear going into the winter that once I stopped wearing my 5 fingers that I would get injured. Looks like I was right! GRRRR. I hate it when I am right aout something bad like this. Why couldn't I be right when I thought we were going to win the HGTV dream house?

If you want more info on this check out the runner's world magainze article about it. I actually learned a lot also from the comment section. Like Omega 3 is good as an anti-inflammatory. Who knew?

I hate the doctors office

I made an appointment to go get my knee checked out. This is huge. For those of you who know me, I rarely go to the doctors. I had a stomach pain/ache that would be crippling for over a year and I never went to the doctors. I even have a lump in my stomach above my belly button that I have not gotten checked out. Now that I can't run/work out - off to the doctors I go. You can make my stomach hurt so bad that I can't eat but don't you dare eff with my knees and stop me from running!

I will update and let you all know what the doctors say about my effed up knee. I am sure it is runners knee and nothing is torn or anything but just going to get a peace of mind and hope that they tell me I can run through the pain and wont cause any further damage. Yeah not holding my breath that they tell me that, but who knows, they might!

What I'm Hating Wednesday

I think I skipped a week between my first "what i'm hating wednesday" and this week. Sorry. Not like I think the 9 followers that I have truly care. Oops make that 10. Alan refuses to admit to the world that he is following his wife's blog but I know he reads it. He told me last night to keep blogging that I am (VERY) slowly getting better at grammar - i think he is just getting used to my poor grammar and inpropper usage of commas everywhere!

ANYWAYS, back to the goods...or the not so goods I guess.

1. I am TRULY hating my knee right now. I know I shouldn't say that, and I would really hate it if it had to get removed from my body and left me all alone, but I am just not wanting to hang out and chat it up with my knee. I am pretty upset that it isn't listening to me and getting better already.

2. I am hating how awkward my first pool experience was yesterday. However, my friends at work are really enjoying it so I guess that is good. If I can't bring joy and laughter in my own life at least my social awkwardness and humiliating experiences light the lives of others. I'm a giver, what can I say?

3. I am hating numbers. Especially these numbers....
7.1 - miles that i ran last
6 - days since my last run
13.1- miles I need to run
8 - days I have left until my first 1/2 of the season
42059840928509 hours it will probably take me to finish said first 1/2 as I haven't run recently and have no idea when I can run again.

4. I am hating that every season A-pod and I get into and watch on Netflix ends;
Jericho
Jeremiah

cannot believe I am admitting this and am only admitting it because i know it will give so much joy and laughter from Alan - BATTLESTAR GALATICA

However we will never run out of episodes to watch of dun dun aka Law and Order. We call it dun dun because that is what the theme sound or whatever sounds like. Yeah, you wish you were as cool as us

Dexter
Rome

Those are just a few. Basically if there is a show and it got canceled for being too cool for tv, we will watch it, love it and then be pissed that they canceled it for being too cool for tv!

5. I am hating how it is "spring" but clearly Vermont didn't get the memo. We got snow on Monday and we are back in the 30's. Be jealous! Although, I looked at the 10 day forecast and it is supposed to be in the high 40's next week. Hopefully I will be back to running just in time for the nice weather

6. I am hating that to have a day off from work I actually have to use vacation time. I wish you only had to come in if you have stuff to fill the 8 hour day. I think it would make people more efficient if you only worked the hours you needed to get stuff done. I am sure everyone could get everything done a lot quicker that way! Just saying.

That is all that I could come up with in the past few minutes. I am sure if I had more time this could be a lot longer however, I have chewed up enough negative time for the day. On to being positive. Or trying to be at least.

I came, I saw and I (did not) conquer

I "swam" laps today. It wasn't pretty. Nothing kicks you when you are already down than swimming next to the swim team. Said swim team is a bunch of middle schoolers that were swimming WAY faster than me and had obviously "swimmers" form. I did not. I am sure I looked SUPER awkward in the pool.

1. my bathing suit that I bought 2 years ago was baggy. Nothing says amateur than a baggy swimsuit!

2. My goggles had the stickers on them and I remembered at the last moment to peel them off the lenses.

3. I got kicked out of my lane....by toddlers (after school program)

4. Which put me in the lane directly next to the swim team

5. Teenage girls are harsh. Fairly certain that they were making fun of me as I was splashing the whole time and acted as if I was drowning. I basically was, as I am a HORRIBLE swimmer!!!

I used to think I was quite the swimmer. I used to swim with my mom a ton growing up. Not so much anymore. After splashing through 4 laps I had to take a breather. Good thing I brought my water bottle and had it right at the end of the lane. I definitely drank all 32 oz in 30 minutes.

Swimming is hard work and it would be very beneficial to my cardiovascular to incorporate swimming into it. Not just as an "i can't run so I guess i'll do this" thing.

I shared my lap lane with a triathlete. Her shoulder had a number tan line. I was ultra intimidated. However she was super nice. I told her it was my first time in the pool and if I got her in way to just kick me! She asked if I was a runner and I said yes, and that I was out of commission due to a knee injury. She said that is how she started swimming as well and that now she loves it. She said she'd see me at a race this summer. I thought that was really nice of her. However, that was before she saw me swim!

It got me thinking, maybe with my biking to work and trying to start swimming more I might try to do a triathlon. I definitely need to work on the swimming though. FO SHO!

What does a runner do when a runner can't run?

I called Alan this morning while at work and started crying. I have tried to put on a brave face and to suck it up and to cross train etc however, its really getting to me. What does a runner do when a runner can't run?

Alan suggested to NOT run today (again) and to maybe try swimming. We live basically next to the gym and they have open swimming all day long. I realized that wasn't such a bad idea and figured I would give it a go. He then added, "that is what a lot of people do after they have knee surgery!" - insert more tears. In my mind I went to a really crazy place. Is he saying that he thinks I need knee surgery? I told you that I went to a crazy place.

At lunch today I went back to Dick's and purchased a pair of goggles for my swim today. I figure even when my knee does get better -because I know it will get better- swimming will still be a great cross training workout. The only problem with swimming is how hungry I get. Like cannot get enough food in my mouth, chew fast enough to get said food in my stomach, hungry. So this should be interesting seeing as how I am trying to watch what I eat and lose the two pounds that has somehow found me since Sunday despite trying to LOSE weight to be on this weight loss challenge.

Depression hurts....and yes, I am slightly - ok if we are being honest I am really Depressed!

Stir Crazy

I am going bat shit crazy without running. My last run was Thursday. Today is day 5 of no running.

Yesterday I got the KT tape and last night I had Alan apply it to my knee. I didn't notice a difference as it doesn't hurt just walking around really. I am hoping though with the added support it will help it get better.

I am also going to try to run today on it. We'll see how that goes. I tried to just jog a little on it this morning when I took the dog out and figured it was less than 10 feet to go back inside. Yeah. Pain. So we'll see. I am just super bummed and really having cabin fever. I really need to get a good PAIN free run in to regain my sanity!

Also to add more insult to injury, I am semi partaking in Paula's excellence challenge for weight loss. I have to be the only person to gain 2lbs in 2 days while on a WEIGHT LOSS challenge! I tracked everything that I ate yesterday and I do see improvements. Basically I am eating way too many carbs than one really needs even when running miles and miles. Especially when I am not running I do not need that many carbs. So will be re-vamping my eating, and maybe adding more protein will aid in my healing faster as well. On the menu today, Chobani lemon yogurt (my fave!) Here is hoping to a better day today than the past few days and here is hoping to get a little teeny tiny run in today!

KT Tape

KT Tape = Kinesiology Therapeutic Tape

I went to Dicks Sporting Goods on my lunch break and bought a pack of black KT Tape. I am HOPING that I can put this on my knee and it will help me get back up running!

According to the packaging it reduces muscle pain, increase mobility and enchance recovery.

**From their website****
"KT Tape is a revolutionary sports medicine solution for treating and preventing common sports injuries such as ITBS, shin splints, plantar fasciitis, knee pain and more. Ultra-light, elastic, and strong, KT Tape is highly effective at providing pain relief, stability & support, & faster recovery for injured or sore muscles and joints-without sacrificing comfort or freedom of movement"

I am not positive that what I have is "runners knee" or if I twisted weirdly while dodging slush and mud on my Thursday run but I am willing to spend $13+ on this tape and will apply it as if I do have runners knee and HOPE that it will work wonders.

I wanted to get a fun color but Dicks had a crappy selection (5 rolls of black and 1 roll of beige) so I opted for the black. Beige is just so grandma panties of a color.

I will let you all know how it goes!!!!

***FYI I will be buying this online from now on from their website as there are a LOT more colors online and cheaper than it was at Dicks! Hopefully though, I wont need that much more...although, It might be a good idea to have some on hand at the house for just in case as it can be used for all sorts of ailments and apparently stays on for a long time!

No pump for me today

Mondays are usually treadmill and then body pump with maybe a little more treadmill for dessert. Not today. Today, I am skipping the gym. I will pick up Sirius from Alan's work and we will go for a walk. I am dreading this. I'm not dreading walking and spending time with my little boy. I am dreading, I guess depressed is actually the right word, depressed that I am not running AGAIN today and am not even doing my weight class.

Yesterday I tried to do a run on it but it was just painful and more discomfort then I think I should push through. So I spent the day with it elevated with ice on it. I also was popping some advil just incase anything is inflamed. I am hoping that after today I will be able to get back into running. I have 13.1 miles calling my name in a few weeks and I do not want this injury to side line me or to cause me not to finish. I have been working way too hard to not run these races to the best of my ability.

I guess only time will tell. I will put my time in and rest and hopefully I will get better faster and will have some great runs to boost my spirits and will be back to my old self just in time to get some PRs in the next races.

STRESSED OUT

I tried to run yesterday at the gym before Body Pump. I was ready for a good treadmill run. However, my body wasn't as psyched as I was. Not sure what I did on Thursdays run but ever since my right knee has been hurting. I didn't do anything Friday and thought that by Saturday morning I would be better. NOPE. Not only was I not able to run Saturday but I had to skip out on a lot of Body Pump (lunges). I was so annoyed and in a funk because of it.

My first 1/2 is in 3 weeks and this is NOT a good time to be having any issues what so ever. I am hoping that taking the weekend off I will be back to normal tomorrow. We'll see. I started to tear up today. I just feel like I have worked so hard and to be so close to the races and to feel so ready and then have a curve ball thrown at me like this is really frustrating. I am sure that I will be back to normal in plenty of enough time to run a great race. However, it is frustrating that all winter I ran through crappy weather and now that the weather is nicer and warmer I am side lined. GRR. I think that is what I am most frustrated about. Why could I not have had this knee pain issue when it was 0 degrees and 3 feet of snow? Why when its 50 and sunny am I sitting on the couch instead of outside with my sunglasses on and running up a storm. Oh well. At least it is not and not the week of the race! Trying to look on the positive!

Compliment of the day

"wow your twelve year old boy acne is looking a lot better today."

- Thanks.


FML

Also, I went home on my lunch break to get my bike so I can drop it off for a tune up. Well you can only imagine what 3 years of not riding and being hung up in a garage will do for a bike. I have never seen so many cob webs and the layer of dirt that has encased the bike is substantial. I can't even wait to see the grimace on the bike shop person's face when I roll that beauty in. Wondering if its even worth the cost of the tune up and the cost of all the fixes I am sure that I will have to pay for in order to get it up and running. Wondering if it will be better to bring it to the bike swap sale and to buy a new (last years) model. Something to think about when I get the quote back I suppose.

Awesome!

On a brighter note. Its firday and I am leaving work soon. And it is over 50 degrees today. Really starting to feel like spring. THANK GOD!

Amazing Run

7.1 miles / 54:30

I had a great run with Sirius. He must have taken my threats seriously because we had one of the best runs we have had in a while. We really picked up the speed and it felt great.

I wore a different pair of running shoes than I normally do (I usually wear my heavy north face ones because they are waterproof). I think my time outside is normally slower than the treadmill because the weight of the shoes are so different. My North Face ones are significantly heavier than any other pair of shoe I have. My feet felt so much lighter in fact I felt like I was doing high knees or something! Crazy. I noticed though that today's time was closer to what I normally run on the treadmill at so maybe the shoes did make a huge difference. Who would have though! haha.

Most of my splits were under 8 min/mile except for mile 4 and 5. Sirius was getting a little tired at that point and just kept wanting to get into the snow and roll around. I finally was able to get him back into "working mode" and keep going for the home stretch.

It was just so nice outside today. It made me realize that spring is just around the corner and warmer weather is coming soon. It was nice to be able to go out in regular running shoes, capris and a thin 1/4 zip top. I even wore sunglasses the whole time!

This run was exactly what I needed. I am feeling more and more confident in my ability to run the 1/2 marathon that is coming up in just a few weeks and not only am I confident that I will finish better than my previous 1/2 marathon time but I really am hoping to reach my 1:45:00 goal! We'll see. I know if I don't do it this first time I have a few more halves coming up that I can do it in!

ONE MORE DAY

I am exhausted and have been all week. This whole clock time changing thing really effects me in a negative way. Every year I just get so run down after the clocks change. Who would have thought one measley hour would drastically affect me so much!

On a more positive note; due to the fact that the clocks did change it is lighter longer in the day. However, it also means that I am drivng to work in the dark. FAIL. I cannot wait until it is light again in the mornings and with the warmer temperatures I can resume my runs in the morning. Hopefully that will also help my poor over heating husky!

I am going to attempt to take SWP out for a run today after work. It is going to be slightly warmer than it was on Tuesday (a high of 47 today!!!!) so we'll see how he does. Alan assures me that once he blows his winter coat he will do better. He better or else I am trading him in for a grey hound! Just kidding! I would never...Or would I?

I took yesterday off so I could run some errands. I haven't skipped a workout in a long time. Like a real planned workout. I almost always make it to the gym on Monday, Wednesday and Saturdays. Those are like the fixed days in my schedule so that I can run on the treadmill and also do an hour of my weight class. However, my knee was a little stiff, and I had so much to do. I was able to accomplish all my errands that would have otherwise been spread out the rest of the week. So thankfully, I don't have to do anything today after work except run! After my run I think I will take my bike to the shop and get the tune up it so desperately needs! HOPEFULLY once I get my bike back from the shop I will start riding into work. Its ridiculous how excited I am to start doing that! I haven't ridden a bike in SO long but don't think riding less than 5 miles to work will be too strenuous or take too long. I am hoping it will be around 20 mins? I figure if I can run 5 miles in less than 40 min I should be able to bike in less than 20. Hopefully I am not too surprised with how long the commute actually takes. That would suck!

Hope you all have a great Thursday and get in a great run. I know I am really looking forward to my run. I even warned puppy that if he didn't run well today that he was going to be dropped off at the house and be left behind. Just like they do in the Iditarod. If a dog under preforms they are left at the checkpoint and dropped from the race. I am sure I really scared him so it should be a great run for the both of us!

I am a runner

Sometimes when someone says something out loud and tries to convince you of something, they really are just trying to convince themselves. That can be a good thing when the things you are convincing yourself about are positive things.

For example, I say I run 7 miles on average a day. Somedays that is true and other days not so much. However, I view myself as a runner, and I run because I want to. I want to run 7 days a week 7 + miles a day. I say this because I want it to happen. Some days I do run 7 miles. Some days I run more than 7 miles. Some days, like yesterday I run less than 5 miles. I am sure it all averages out to about 7 (give or take) but I say it because once its out in the open its like I have to hold myself accountable to ensure that it is true. In a way, it keeps me honest.

On the other side, it can be a bad thing. Giving someone a nickname that isn't kind or telling someone that they are dumb also does the same thing. I once was watching a talk show and the mother kept calling her one child the "good one" and the other one "wild child". The talk show host said why do you do that? The mother responded, well the one is the good one and other is wild. They are their nicknames. The talk show host then asked, did you ever stop and think that they are living up to the expectations you have of them? The one that is wild is striving to be even more wild because that is the name and the expectation you gave them?

I saw that show maybe over ten years ago and it has always stayed with me. It is true. When someone says something enough to themselves or to someone else you want to live up to that expectation. If someone says to themself that they are fat and over weight then they accept that of themselves and assume it will always be that way and that there is nothing that they can do to change. If someone on the other hand says I am thin, sexy, beautiful and am healthy, then they will choose a lifestyle to help promote and to sustain what they see themself as.

I want to view myself as someone who is healthy, someone who runs for fitness and enjoys running. Seeing myself this way helps me choose healthier alternatives and to keep running and working out to help sustain the image I have of myself. So when asked, I will keep saying that I run, and that I love to run. That I run on average 7+ miles a day. Maybe one day I will even say I run on average 10 miles a day. Maybe I should start saying that so that I can live up to what I say about myself.

Sorry for the randomness today! Just something I was have been thinking about and has been on my mind for a while. I guess I am tired of hearing people say something over and over and over again but not doing anything about it. However, instead of feeling negative about that I shoudl see the positive. Maybe they are saying that thing over and over and over again more to themself because they want to do the thing that they are saying, or they want to feel the way that they say they feel. OR maybe I am just reading more into something that is nothing and getting irritated over nothing! It has happened before!!!!

Husky hating spring

4.40 miles / 38min

I was super pumped for the amazing weather today. I was the only one. I was excited for a great run today. I, again, was the only one. Sirius was a major diva today! Like way beyond! He had to stop every 1/2 mile to roll in the snow. Which is fine to roll around in the snow if you are hot and working hard, but trust me, he wasn't working that hard. I wanted to do 7 miles but knew that if I pushed him too much it would take us 2 hours to do the 7 miles as he just wasn't into it. He better get used to the warmer weather or he will be left behind!!!!

40 degrees and running capri's

Today is supposed to reach a inferno levels here in VT. It is supposed to be at least 40 degrees by the time I am set out to run! I don't even know how to dress for 40 degrees! I am thinking my running capris might finally make an appearance for the first time in 2011! I am so stinking excited for sunshine and a little warmth and less layers. I don't know how lil' Sirius Wiki will do in this heat. Anything over 20 degrees and he has his tongue out and is panting up a storm. He, I am sure, will even stop mid run and roll in the snow a bit. Oh well. I will have to let him. Hopefully not too many more days that he will be able to have a snow bath!!!

I am thinking 7 miles might be good for todays run. I have a great loop that doesn't involve going on the bike path at all - which is STILL not plowed!!!!! I am sure the side walks will be flooded but a little water never hurt anyones feet!

Speaking of wet feet. I bought a pair of North Face "winter running shoes" that are water proof. I LOVE them. They have lasted all winter and had great tread and prevented a lot of slipping around. However, they are getting too many miles on them, and the seam on the top right shoe is coming undone. The past two times I have run in them my right foot has gotten wet. I am slightly irritated and am even more anxious now for warmer DRYER weather. I will definitely be purchasing another pair of these next winter OR maybe a pair of the winter Vibrams!!!!! Either way, I might have to purchase two pairs of winter running shoes for next winter as I am sure to add more miles than this year. At least that is the hope!!!!

As much as I knock winter, and snow, I will really miss it. It has been great just SWP and I running together. Because it's cold not very many people are out so the paths and side walks are pretty deserted. Its just us, our breaths and our feet making any sort of noises. It has really evolved my love for running. It makes me appreciate that I can run. If you haven't run outside in the cold yet, I recommend it. There is nothing more beautiful than watching the sun rise, or set, and you can see your breath in the air. It's amazing and I will miss it. However, the spring, summer and fall also are amazing in their own way. I am excited to revisit each season with my shoes and my dog!

Vibrams

6 miles /1.0/ 46.30

60 min body pump

1 mile / 8:30 in Vibrams

I am so excited to be breaking out the Vibrams again! I am slowly trying to get used to them again and not rushing it like I did a month or two back. *I made the huge mistake of doing 4 miles one day and the next day doing another 4 in the Vibrams. My calves hurt like none other! Now I am slightly smarter and taking is slower, only ran 1 mile in them.

I ran all summer in these shoes and didn't have a single injury. No cramps, or sprains; nothing. I loved it. I felt free and connected to the world. I ran through Europe in them. I ran many races in them. I am so excited to get them back on and get back to running with them. They are like an old friend. You don't realize how much you missed them until you have a visit!

I noticed this winter from running in "shoes" again that my knees, hips, ankles, everything, has been hurting. I am hoping that weening back into my 5 fingers that those aches and pains will disappear like they did last summer. Here's hoping!

If you haven't tried Vibram Five Fingers yet, I highly recommend them. Especially if you have any running ailments then I really recommend them. They have vastly improved my stride and how I run. I feel like I have more of an appreciation of running and am thankful to them for that!

I think I just peed my pants!!!!!

I WANT THESE SO BAD for next winter. I saw these on a website and got sooo excited. I might have even squealed out loud and had to apologize to my neighboring cube neighbors!

The Secret

Last year I started to read the book, The Secret. I heard some great things about it and wanted to see how it worked for me. Well, just like a lot of things I do, I never finished the book. However, the mainstream shortened version I picked up was that if you think something will happen, it will. If you think it wont, then you're right. Kind of like that previous post I did about negative thinking. Anyways, I have mildly tried to do this in my life.

Example 1.
HGTV is having a dream home give away. I entered in twice daily for the two months and have been planning on how to rearrange the furniture so that Alan and I feel more at home when we win it and move in.

Example 2.
How great I will look in a bikini this year. I imagine having a toned six pack and well defined arms.

Example 3.
How great I will feel when I cross the finish line at 1:45 mark for my 13.1 I am running in a few weeks.

The whole idea is envisioning yourself doing something, or achieving something and sending those positive waves out into the environment and because you are surrounding yourself with those thoughts they will come true.

Sometimes I feel like this works. Other times I think its just coincidental. I guess I haven't really bought into the whole idea yet. Well, this weekend I definitely had a moment where it might be true.

I have been talkign to Alan about getting my bike tuned up and how I would like to start riding my bike to work. I mapped out the route and it would be along the bike paths for the most part and it would be under 5 miles to ride it. Not bad at all. Not only would it be some great cross training, but it would also save on gas and miles on my car. However, I need to get my bike tuned up. I basically haven't ridden my bike in 3 years. I suck I know. Well, I went and bought the Sundays paper yesterday and guess waht was on the front. A coupon sticker for a local bike/ski shop and its $20 dollars off a tune up! WOO HOO. I am booking an appointment today and taking it as a sign to stop saying and thinking about riding my bike and to actually ride it!

If the secret worked on my bike idea, hopefully it will work with that HGTV dream home in Stowe!!!! I promise you all can come and visit!!!!!

Running with Friends

5 miles / 48 min

Today I ran with my friend Liz. I haven't run with friends in a really long time and it was a great change. We ran and dodged puddles and snow together and chatted. It was nice. It makes me want to run more often with friends. It definitely made the time go by quickly as well. Thanks Liz for going on a run with me. SWP and I had a blast with you. Hopefully Sirius didn't drive you too crazy!

Wild Wet Run

4.5 miles

I went out with Alan for a little run/walk and to test the side walks for tomorrows run. Let's just say it was a little wet. Once we got closer to the colleges the side walks were better taken care of and not so wet but getting there you definitely had to cross some rivers, ice bridges and some water falls. Not even joking. We went out expecting to get wet so we dressed appropriately and had fun. It was great to get out with the dog and to enjoy some quality time with Alan. I really love our workouts on the weekends together and was bummed when I didn't think we would do one today. I am glad that he suggested it. Plus its 4.5 more miles for today!

Gym Etiquette

6.0 /1.0 / 47min

60min Body Pump

I got to the gym at around 7am, which is when the doors open. Hopped on my treadmill and had a semi decent run. Nothing stellar but it didn't completely suck either. I needed to get in some mileage and get back into running mode. This week has been a killer to my training. Not that I am following a training program by any means. Mentally, though, I felt just out of sync with running. With the crappy weather the beginning of the week and the lack of snow plowing on the side walks this week just has not been my running week. Hopefully with my run today it will just snowball and help me maintain my mileage and my speed and get to where I want to be for the upcoming halves that I have.

After I got off the treadmill I went across the hall into the group fitness room. I set up for body pump prior to my run and I always set up for myself, my mom and sometimes a friend. Today, I set up for my friend Liz, and my mom. I put my mom in the back row which is "her" spot. I was in front of her and Liz to my right. I got into the room 5 mins before class started and my step and stuff is where I put it, and so is my mom's however Liz somehow was up in front. Um. Ok. The lady that was next to me moved Liz closer to the front so that she could be in the back row! GRRR. Some people just have no sense of what Gym Etiquette is.

Let me list a few of "common sense" rules:

1. wipe off your machine when done using it!

2. Sign up for the machines!

3. DON"T STARE

4. Don't move other peoples stuff

5. Keep your stuff out of other people's way!

6. If you are a regular and know other regulars in the class, don't snag their spot in the class just because you got there 5 mins before them. You know they are in the same spot every class!

7. Don't grunt, and groan

8. Don't talk during a class

9. Maintain your own space and don't invade others!

10. Don't sing along to your own music on your headphones!

Those are just a few that come to mind. I used to think that people who went to the gym were happy people. I feel so agitated when I am at the gym with all the obnoxious people that are there. Which makes me happy to know that spring is coming and that I can run outside more and more and rely less and less on the gym. Although, I will still go to the gym three times a week for my body pump class. Hopefully the annoying people will keep it to a minimum those three days!

Best of intentions...

4 miles / 1.0 / 32 min

Best of intentions mean nothing sometimes. I had every intention to have a great run. I had charged my ipod all day, I had some new energy chews (free sample from FRS) and I was pumped. About 30 min before I was set to run I excitedly opened the package of the orange mango chews. I popped one in my mouth gearing up to open another chew. EW. Those had to be the grossest thing that has ever entered my mouth! Maybe it was the flavor? I tried the blueberry pomegranate. Just as disgusting! The consistency was gritty and it was like a never ending chewy thing. So bad. I didn't have any other energy gel/gu/chew so I was bummed. Oh well. I popped some hot tamale jelly beans and hoped that would help with my run.

I got to the gym and hopped on the treadmill ready to go. FAIL. Ipod was completely dead. ok. I can run long distances without music outside all the time. I never listen to music actually when I run outside. I only listen to tunes when I am on the treadmill and during races. I painfully ran 4 miles and wanted to die the whole time. I was so bored. The heat felt like it was on and blowing on me the whole time as well. Oh well. You win some you lose some.

Normally I would be annoyed that I didn't get into a groove and bang out a great run. Today, I am feeling ok with it. I know not every run will be stellar. I know not every planned run will work out. I know that some days you will feel like it and sometimes you still don't get a good run in. I know other times you dread the run and you end up having the best one of your life. When you run for fun does it really matter? You just want to have fun and if it doesn't make you happy oh well. There is always a run to do the next day!

Fueling

I have eaten 3 banans, and english muffin with Justins (obviously) peanut butter and LOTS OF GUM. I have also had 4 water bottles (32oz each) of water. I feel prepared for a good run today on the treadmill.

Wednesday usually are my speed workout because I am pressed for time. However, becaues of the not getting too much distance in this week so far and the fact that SWP isn't going to day care for a few weeks I am not pressed for time and I feel the need - not for speed - but for distance! Who knows, I enjoy my own personal 1/2 marathon so much on Sunday we might have a repeat!

What I'm Loving Wednesday

a lot of people do Triple Tangent Tuesdays, or What I'm loving Wednesdays, or Thankful Thursdays. Today's post is a spin off on What I'm Loving Wednesday but it will not be what I am enjoying right now. It will be what is driving me bananas!
So here is my first ever, What I am HATING Wednesdays!

1. I am hating that after my stellar run on Sunday night I have not had any mileage at all. Oh wait, I did run yesterday (less than a mile - thank you snow banks and unplowed sidewalks!)




2. I am hating that all of a sudden I have twelve year old boy acne! I have amazingly clear skin and never ever break out. I started to use Jergens gradual tanning lotion or whatever and loved it. I used it on my arms and legs and really noticed a difference and looked a lot tanner. Well they also make a face moisturizer so I recently bought that. Ummm yeah. Hello gross nastiness! It is actually quite embarassing and the only way I make it through the day is to laugh about it. But really, I am crying inside! Ok maybe not that dramatic....or maybe ....

3. I am hating that I ordered SEVEN yes 7 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies. What the heck was I thinking!!!! I don't even allow myself to buy chips or anything at the grocery store because I know my husband and I way too well. Once we buy something like that it is GONE. Plus it is a waste of money and we are trying to be really good about saving lately. So not only do we eat junk food way too quickly that it is a waste but it is a waste because then we have extra poundage. So as a rule I just don't buy junk food. That has been going on for years now. Well I must have been caught at a moment of weakness or something becasue I put an order in for 7 boxes of Girl Scout cookies. These 7 boxes will probably be the end to me! I hope they are well hidden at our house (Alan I know you are reading this - go hide the cookies!!!!!)




4. I am hating nail polish residue. Sunday I painted my nails a dark greyish black color and was really excited. I haven't painted my nails in SO LONG and wanted a little change. Well after I got back from the gym and showered and did the dishes they were PEELING off. Like the whole entire thing of polish peeled off my nails. UMM ok. So I peeled as much as I could off from the others and then used nail polish remover. I still have black on the edges. I used q-tips to try to get in the cracks. Nope. Nothing. Fine, I am over it!




5. I am hating how much I am loving Justin's Nut Butter. I ate a whole jar last week and still am in shock over my gluttony. But don't worry. I went to the store and bought two more jars! I needed one for home and one for work so the withdrawl shakes wouldn't be so bad! I also recruited another addict. Poor A-snizzle he didnt' even stand a chance against the powers of the honey peanut butter goodness! Sorry Love. Addicts love company! Welcome to the addiction! (if you haven't bought a jar of any of Justin's nut butter, I implore you to do so immediately so you too can feel powerless against the deliciousness!)

6. I am hating that I got up early to take the dog out and started my car so that it would be nice and warm this morning when I left for work and wouldn't have to scrape the windshield. Well that was a nice thought. I did start my car. However when I went back out to leave for work the ice was still on my windshield and other windows. I forgot to put the heat on so it was still cold in my car. What a ding dong I am! That was a fail!

7. I am hating my hair. Lately I just have not known what to do with it. I am tired of seeing it so blonde and straight but don't know what else I can do with it. I have been entertaining the thought of going darker. But I don't want to look like a vampire! (my complexion is rumored to be on the verge of albinoism!) I also am scared that it will take a LONG time to go back from brown to blonde if I hate it so much. I also really like my hair long, but latley it has been really sraggly at the ends. I even just got a trim and feel like the ends are back to being unhealthy. I blame the harsh wind and snow from when I run outside. If anyone has any great ideas let me know. I don't want to go short because I have been there (several times) and not wanting to do that again. I really like Blake Lively's hair, however it is long and blonde...

but I also really like this....

I really have no idea what to do with these locks. Part of me wants to stop being blonde to get my hair healthy. Part of me wants to stay blonde because I always have been. If I continue doing what I've always done I will continually get what I already have. Or something like that.

8. I am really hating how either retarded I am, or how stupid blogger is because it took me no joke an hour to write this post because of the pictures. I love to read blogs with pictures. The more pics, the more entertained I am. So I want to have my blog be a blog that I would want to read. So that means more pictures. For some reason the pictures are never placed where I want them to be. Instead they are always placed at the top. Which means I either need to get all the pictures put in first and then write my blog, OR I need to take an hour to make a single post. I have tried to use blogger in IE, Firefox, Chrome, Safari, nothing makes a difference. So clearly either blogger SUCKS or I am dumb and can't figure out a simple thing. (in my defence Alan couldn't figure it out either however he hates blogger so who knows if he even really tried....) If I continue doing this blog thing, then I will definitely be switching to something else....

Failed

I am not even putting how far I went today on my run. The reasoning behind this? Because it was under a mile. I was so excited all day because it was absolutely beautiful out. I couldn't wait to get home and change and go out for a run. Well, on my way home I scoped out the side walks. They looked bad but I thought maybe I could run on the road and go on roads that weren't too busy. Yeah that didn't work out too well. The roads are so narrow because of the snow banks that are taking the shoulder room on the roads and no side walks were plowed.

So instead of letting that ruin my day Sirius and I ran through snow banks and he had a blast burrowing through the snow and catching my snow balls I was throwing at him. I skipped my workout but I know tomorrow I will make up for it with a nice long run and body pump! Hopefully the snow storm we are getting on Thursday wont be too bad so that the plowing can start on the sidewalks and I can get to running outside again!

No rest for the wicked

Yesterday we got a huge storm. I think the final count was 25 inches of snow in less than 24 hours. Pretty ridic. It was the third largest storm in VT's history! Since the side walks weren't plowed (umm main roads weren't plowed!!!!) I knew an outdoor run was out of the question. I was hoping to head in doors for another treadmill run.

I live really close to one of my gyms locations and can walk there in less than 5 minutes so I didn't have to drive. I started getting mentally prepared to brave the weather and to trek the LONG trip to the gym when I got an email from the gym saying they weren't opening until 3pm. Ok. I can handle that. So I rested and relaxed for the morning. Then I got another email saying that none of the locations were opening except one. NOT the one that is near me. DARN. So, I opted for some other form of exercise. I pulled mine and A-sneezies snow shoes out and he and I went along the bike path. It was so pretty and SWP had a blast bunny hopping his way through the snow.

I felt like it was a great workout because there was so much snow and you really had to lift your legs up and push yourself through the snow. I also used poles so felt like I got some abdominal twisting action going on.

After we got back I knew I had to do the enevitable. I had to dig my car out from the snow. I had about 5 feet from the side where the plows didn't get too close to dig out from as well as the 3 feet in front and in back. I started shoveling and had to carry the snow around my car over the side walk to dump into the garden area. Digging, picking up, and carrying pounds of snow for 5 feet walks at a time is a lot of fun! I was definitely sweating up a storn and can feel it in my shoulders. Screw Body Pump. I need to weekly shovel snow apparently! I was cooking and digging up a storm UNTIL my shovel broke. The shovel was a small one that I kept in the back of my car for "just in case" purposes. It had an extendable arm and was really nice and compact. The handle broke up so I was left with only a 12 inch by 12 inch shovel area and a 1.5 foot long arm. UM ok. This is fun. Things went a lot slower then!

Note to self: get a new shovel! You live in Vermont!!!!

A pain as it was to dig out yesterday, it was a great workout and I had absolutely no issues getting out this morning! (they still haven't plowed!!!) Thanks A for helping me dig yesterday! I appreciate it!!!!

I am hoping that they do lots of plowing on the side walks and I can get out for a little run today after work. I know Sirius will enjoy it and I will love being out in the fresh air! My legs are craving a little run and I don't want to disapoint! If the side walks aren't plowed, then I will be hoofing it to the treadmills tomorrow pre pump I guess.

No workout today

we have, so far, 21 inches of snow. The gym's aren't opening until 3pm due to the storm and I can't get out of my parking lot due to how much snow is there. I had to shovel the snow from around my car just to open my passenger door to get dog food out. AY AY AY. I figured it would be fun to hike through the snow with my snow mutt but it was too deep for the both of us. Like to my waist deep! Ridiculous. It's March, shouldn't spring be coming? Oh yeah, I forgot. I live in Vermont where spring doesn't come until like May!

Good thing I had a great run yesterday because I don't foresee me doing any workout or run or anything tonight. Unless around 4pm I get another great idea to run 13 miles spur of the moment!

To all my VTers drive safely. Or better yet, don't drive anywhere! Stay inside where it is warm and dry!

13.1 via treadmill

13.1 miles / 1.0 incl. / 103 min

I was not feeling like doing anything all weekend. Yesterday it was Alan who dragged me outside for a run. Today I had even less motivation. The rain started and then the sleet and then after that the snow. There was no way I was going outside for a run in all that crap. At around 4 I was feeling really pathetic. I just got up from a nap and was bored. I checked the time that the gym near me closed and it didn't until 7pm on Sunday. FINE I will go to the gym. I can walk there and get in at least a few miles.

Once I got there it was like an out of body experience. I felt great. I was excited to run. I ran 6.55 miles and thought, "I can do more!" So I took a gu (thank goodness I always have an extra) and kept chugging along. After I got to 10 miles I said what is another 3? So I did.

I did a 1/2 marathon on the treadmill. I felt crazy. Not Charlie Sheen crazy, but still, crazy. I now feel like I am totally ready for my first 1/2 marathon and I still have a month left to train and improve my time. I am hoping for 1:45 but who knows, maybe in this next month I can strive to be under 1:40. Crazier things can happen!

To run or not to run...

So this sucks....

But maybe I can go out before it starts getting bad....
hmmm. Doesn't look too good at all. It has already rained and now it sounds like it is sleeting. So unless something dramatically improves in the next few hours I don't see a run in my near future. Good thing I ended up dragging my butt out yesterday and did at least a little run!

I guess I should cancel that farewell party I was planning for my good friend Winter

I guess we are supposed to be getting 8-16 more inches of snow. NBD. It was warm, not sunny or anything beautiful like that, but warm today. Like 44 degrees warm. LOVED IT. I only had to wear two layers for my run outside and my outer layer was thinner than my normal outer layer. It was amazing. I didn't wear a hat today either. It felt very liberating. However, It supposedly is going to be raining tonight and into tomorrow morning and then changing over to snow and the temp is supposed to drop from the 40's to I don't even know what but we will have 35mph winds. YAY. Sounds like an amazing day for a run if you ask me! Maybe if I start out early enough I wont be too much of a drowned rat? On the upside, the rain will soak me and so I wont be blown over by the wind that way!

Hope everyone is able to get a good weekend run in! I had a semi good run today and am hoping for a good one tomorrow. Hopefully I will get in a 7 mile loop before the snow arrives and turns the slippery ice into even more of a hazard!

Couples who run together...

4.5 miles

I didn't feel like doing anything and was in a funk. I have been in one for a while but today just didn't feel like myself at all. I slept in. I didn't go to the gym (Saturdays are my fave gym day!!!!) totally not me at all. It did feel nice though. Sometimes I get so into a rhythm that I forget to do something because I want to and not because I 'have' to. It was nice to take a breather and enjoy Saturday morning in bed and not rushing around and waking up to an alarm.

Because I didn't go to the gym and was in a bumming mood it was Alan who got me up and dressed and out the door. He and I did a 4.5 mile run/walk and it was great. We had a lot of fun slipping around on the ice and trying not to fall. We were joking around and throwing snowballs it was just so nice. It truly was a fun run. I think I had more fun than he did. He gets annoyed with me when I am constantly trying to push him to go faster or further. SORRY! He had to keep reminding me that it was HIS run and it wasn't about ME. haha. I hope he still had fun regardless. I know I did!

Running to make me happy

4 miles ish / 4o ish min

I took my Garmin. I started it and then after mile 2 it kept giving me a "lap error" whatever that means. Instead of fighting with it and putting myself in an even worse mood I turned it off and didn't think twice about my pace or anything. It was nice to run sans Garmin and just run.

I had a bad day at work. A lot of stuff just has been building up for a while. Like over a year. Today I just reached a breaking point. I didn't feel like going for a run at all. All I felt like doing after I got home was putting on comfy clothes and vegging and feel sorry for myself. I knew I couldn't let the dog down and I knew that I wouldn't regret a run.

I made myself change into my running clothes and I knew once I was dressed I would go. It worked, obviously. I got ready and left. The sidewalks were SUPER ICY. Like I fell, so icy. Oh well. No one ever died slipping on ice. (yeah that old cliche doesn't necessarily work in this situation.) I was lucky and didn't break or sprain anything.

After I got home Alan asked how I felt. I said I felt better and that I ran to feel happy again. It was the most honest statement. I didn't even think about that. It just came out. So true though. I had a great run. I didn't push myself or worry about my pace or which route to go on to get the most miles or anything. I just ran to feel happy. This was one of the best runs I have ever had.

32 oz in 60 seconds or less

I have heard of mindless snacking. But mindless drinking? I have a camelbak water bottle that has a straw which I am obsessed with. I feel like I drink a lot more when I have a straw than if I physically have to raise a glass or a bottle to my mouth and drink. That takes WAY too much effort.

When I am at work and reading something or bored and zoning out I tend to put my water bottle in front of me and I sort of just drink and drink and drink and don't stop until the water is gone. That just happened. I had a completely full water bottle and now it is completely empty. This whole process occured in a full minute. I mindless drank 32 ounces of water in 60 seconds.

My belly hurts.

7 1/2 hours to get motivation

It is currently a beautiful day with a high temp of 0 degrees. YES, 0 degrees. It is supposed to be a high of 15 degrees today. That is a heat wave! Can't wait! Hopefully there is a wind chill to factor into that temperature and it is actually below 0. That is a great day on the books if I do say so myself.

Living in Vermont, in the winter, is hard. There is nothing easy about the winters here. Being a runner in Vermont in the winter is even harder. There is not enough dri fit material that you can layer to keep you warm some days. Today, will be one of those days.

I haven't run with Sirius in a few days. I treadmilled it yesterday took the day before off. Treadmilled it Monday. Did an easy, 2 mile run on Sunday. I think the last time I ran with him, like really ran a good run with him was last Tuesday, the 22nd! THAT IS WAY TOO LONG. I love him, and he LOVES to run. He might be the sole reason why I now LOVE to run.

I don't have anything else to compare this to, but to run with a dog that was born to run is something almost magical. He literally was bred to run fast and far!

*side story - his mother was rescued from a Canadian sled dog musher. He used his team of dogs to do sled races and sled dog tours. He fell onto hard times. In my opinion, I believe that he wanted to try to save his dogs and to afford to keep them all, so he came up with the plan to breed them. He clearly was over his head when he realized that he had 30 pregnant dogs ontop of the 60+ that he already owned. (30 pregnant dogs would be almost 300 puppies!!!) It was the end of November when the Candian authorities stepped in. They rescued Jadzia (Sirius's mom's name that the rescue org. gave her) and she gave birth to SWP 2 days after the seize. You can read and watch more here *

Sirius grins when he runs; like a real happy, love life, this is the best thing that I could be doing right now, kind of grin. He puts his ears back, opens his mouth ever so slights and turns up his lips. He gets a sparkle in his poop brown colored eyes and he just puts his head down and goes. When we run together you can just tell that he is so in love with you because you are taking him on the best thing that could ever be done. He will turn his head and look up at you. Look right into your eyes with this stupid, happy, grin. It just makes you want to go further and faster than you planned on just to prolong that stupid happy grin of his. I live to run with him. He lives to run with me. Its a great partnership.

However, when it is 0 degrees or a high of 15 it makes it hard to get the motivation to bundle up and to get out there and run. Especially when there are snow banks and snow drifts and icy sidewalks. Makes for a very hazardous run! However, I need to run today. I need to run with SWP. He is at work today with Alan and so I have to run 3 miles alone to pick him up and then I get the company of him for another 3 miles. He usually only gets settled into a rhythm around the 2 mile mark so this run might turn into a longer one than expected. He enjoys 6 milers. So his 6 might be my 9. We'll see. First I need to get motivation to run today. Good thing I have 7.5 hours to think of all the reasons why I should run, and all the reasons why I want to run! Although the only reason I need is him sometimes!

Workout Wednesday

6 miles / 1.0 incline / 41 min

60 min body pump

I had a great run today. I felt really alive and ready for a great run. I hydrated properly all day and ate really great fuel; bananas, peanut butter and english muffins. I was ready and I feel like I succeeded. I listened to my new playlist and it totally helped. Sometimes all you need to have a great run is a new playlist!

Hope everyone had a great workout Wednesday!

what I'm listening to Wednesday - Playlist edition

I have been trying to make some new playlists as I have to do everything and anything to music, especially running on a treadmill. I run without music outside but races and treadmills require epic playlists!

I have been in a music funk lately and asked for some help from my brother. Here is what I like to call treadmill 3.0 playlist:

Lose yourself - Eminem
C'mon (catch em by surprise) - Tiesto
Savior - Rise Against
No Love - Eminem
Hey baby (Drop it to the floor) - Pitbull
Born this way - Lady Ga ga
Hello Good Morning - Diddy
Not Afraid - Eminem
We R who we R - Kesha
You be Killin em - Fabolous
Till I collapse - Eminem
Live your Life - T.I / Rihanna
Teenage Crime (axwell remix) - Adrian Lux
Peacock - Katy Perry
All of the lights - Kanye
How far we've come - Matchbox 20
Hot Tottie - usher
Heads will roll - Yeah yeah yeahs
On to the Next one - Jay z
I Need a Dr. - Dr. Dre
Uprising - Muse

quite an eclectic aray of music but hopefully it pumps me up and keeps me pumping my legs!

a little morning freak out session....NBD

I just realized that now that we are in March, I have only five, that's FIVE Saturday's before the 13.1 unplugged race. Ummm when did this happen? Where did February go? I know it's the shortest month, but geeze.

Yesterday I was looking at my running log notebook and realized that the whole entire month of February, all 28 days, I wrote January__ for my runs. So Clearly February never happened, so how do I only have five weeks left? THIS IS RIDICULOUS. I usually don't freak out (I can't tell if that is a lie or not....) but I am slightly freaking out right now.

It isn't that I don't feel prepared, it is that I feel under prepared. If that makes sense at all. I haven't run more than 10 miles yet; and most of my 10 milers were broken up into two parts with 60 minutes of weights in between. Does that even count as 10 miles then? Oh. EM. GEE. Clealry I need to put my tush into gear and really buckle down. Clearly we are in March, and clearly February will not be back until NEXT YEAR. I need to deal with what has already been done. I need to run more, and relax less.

Now that I have a plan in motion, I should be all set.....maybe.

Definitely running today at the gym! It better be a good run too OR ELSE!

You Wouldn't Get It, It's a Runners Thing

Sometimes I feel left out of things because people know that I run. The invites to go out to the bars become fewer and far in between on Friday's becaue you have declined too often due to having to get up early the next morning for a long run. You feel like you have less things to talk about becaues all you want to talk about is how your neck is sore from straining and grimacing so much from your first incline workout the previous day. You limp and lope around because your calves hurt and your co-workers tell you to stop running if its so painful and causes injury.

I get lots of advice without asking for it, and lots of grief and worried looks for no reason. I have been pulled off to the side due to my weight loss over the past year. Ummm I have been running and eating healthy. I have been told not to run so many miles. I have been told that when I am 40 I will have wished I didn't run so much in my 20's. I have been told to eat more sugar, and more greasy food to increase my calories. I have been told to do this or to do that. Why would I want to please someone that clearly has no idea what I am going through? I do not want to increase my calories via fast food and/or fried food just to make someone else happy.

People look at me weird when I pass on brownies or re-fill my water bottle that holds 32oz for the tenth time that day. I am so tired of the looks and the comments. I wish that I worked in a fitness industry where my weird habits of eating peppers and hummus for lunch wasn't frowned upon or induced concern. I wish that I could rave about my run from last night to someone, instead of fearing that someone will hear that I ran 10 miles the day before, just for fun.

It is hard to be a runner. It is hard to move through life amongst non runners. It is hard to not feel left out and to realize that you belong to a better club. A club that cares about well being and health. That black toenails signify winning a battle. That winning a lottery slot for a marathon is equal to winning a lottery of monetary value (ok maybe not like multi million dollar jackpots but you understand...)

I guess I am having an off day. I guess I am bored at work and feeling down in the dumps. I don't know. Just some things that have been on my mind lately. Sorry for the rant!