Today.....

we swam.  Kinda.

If by swimming I mean ingesting gallons of chlorinated water, gasping and spitting?  Yup, we swam.

Maybe I should have flexed.

It's Always Worth It

You know those runs where everything just goes right?  Where you're breathing easy, keeping a decent pace feeling you can just go on forever?  Yea?  Well, tonight wasn't one of those...

Today I was to do a short 4 miles, and in those 4 miles, run 3 hills all out.  Well, those that have run the cross country trails at Davidson College know that there are 3 (+ a few more) hills right at the beginning, and then it levels out into a nice figure eight type loop where you can repeat for as long as you want before you make the trek back.  My game plan was to get these 3 hills all out and out of the way so I could settle into a nice pace for the remaining 3 miles.  Well.  I ran the hills all out and out of the way, but I never did settle.

I was never able to catch my breath, foaming at the mouth and gasping for air!  Well, there was no actual foam, but I did have to spit.  I couldn't really enjoy the scenery

this was the view AFTER the hills of hell.

goats "hired" to keep the kudzu under control

or watch the goats watch me pass by.  I was cold, I was tired, my ears hurt from the wind and I couldn't catch my breath.

At about at mile 2.5, I wanted to stop.  Who would it hurt?  Who would know?  The answer?  Me.  Then I asked myself. "How in the hell are you going to get through 13.1 miles in April, when you can't get through 4 miles today?"  And then I answered.  "You're going to get through 13.1 because you are going to get through these 4 today."  

So, I put on my big girl panties, picked up the pace and finished my 4.  No more, no less, and I got the hell out of Dodge.  So.  Here I am, alive to run another day.  I made it through.  It's not always easy, but rest assured that it is ALWAYS worth it.  

What makes it worth it?  Today, it was a hot shower, jambalaya and my winnie pooh pajamas.  

Good night Friends.  See you out in the trenches!

TTFN

Well, can't turn back now....

It pays to get out of your comfort zone...

I had already planned on a 6.5 run this  morning.  I had already planned on doing it around 7:00am'ish.  What I didn't plan on was the opportunity to take a step out of my comfort zone.

People, when you get down to it, I'm a shy person and it takes a lot for me to go meet people I don't know.  Well, I saw a post on a local running group's Facebook page.  Normally I see posts like..."heading out for 10 mile run at a 8:30 pace" or "20 mile at marathon pace" or "doing any easy 6.....at the speed of sound".  These posts are intimidating!  These people are scary! Not them personally of course.  I'm sure they are lovely people, and reading their banter always makes me laugh and brightens my day. But let's face it.  I'm not near that capablity.  I don't have the distance and I don't come CLOSE to having the speed.  So...I take myself out and go at my own penguin pace.  Except today. 

Yesterday I saw a post saying "6-8 at an easy pace".  Well normally, their easy is my race pace times a gazillion.  And then I saw "10:00 or slower".  DING DING DING DING  I thought to myself, "self, you should throw caution to the wind, and give it a go."  So, though I worried about keeping up and talking coherently while I ran and my normal meet-new-people-anxiety, I went.  And I'm so glad I did.

We had a fabulous run.  It was a gorgeous day, and this may have been the fastest 6.5 I've ever run.  Not in actual time, but the companionship and the conversation made it fly!  Then, post run, we sat outside with a cup of java in front of the local coffee shop on a very busy Main St. It was nice to meet you, my new friends!  I hope we get to do it again.  Good times!!

So, to those reading.  Don't be afraid to move outside your comfort zone every once in awhile.  Sometimes it works out much better than you expect!

TTFN

Time to hop back on...

So folks, since I believe in nothing but honesty, I will tell you I had a rough time of it last week.  I took a nosedive off the nutrition wagon.  Mid-terms just about did me in this semester.  At first I thought I was handling it very well, I wasn't freaking out one bit.  But then I looked down and realized I was on my third bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch...and didn't stop there.

But that was last week.  Today is Monday and you know what I say about Mondays.  With every Monday is a fresh beginning!  So, to help myself get back on the wagon, I pledge the following:

• resume my food log 
• plan out my meals and go grocery shopping
• increase my water intake instead of alcohol intake
• keep the splurges to once in the evenings and not once at every meal
• keep to my workout schedule.  
• take my vitamins every day 
• to honor this pledge until Finals, at which time I reserve the right to take back everything I just said.  (smiles)

I'll let you know how it goes....

TTFN!

Time flies...

Wait...wasn't it just August?

Holy cow how time is flying.  I can't believe it is already October.  I can't  believe it's already mid-terms at school.  I can't believe it's only 50F outside and the leaves are starting to turn.  I can't believe it's almost time for our annual fall beach trip.  I can't believe Christmas is only two months away.  As each day's twenty-four hours goes by faster than the day before, it's time to take stock of what we've done before we lose track of what we've accomplished.  Get out a  pen and paper and write down the littlest of victories and the biggest of goals you've achieved in the last two months.  I'll do mine here, in no particular order:

1. I recovered from my injury and started back to the gym.
2. I paid my fall semester tuition.
3. I started my running back at a half mile and increased my mileage to 6.2 in 3 weeks.
4. I ran my first 10K at a pace faster than my last 5K.
5. I started to learn how to swim.
6. I can throw caution to the wind and wear a bathing suit in semi-public.
7. I quit smoking.  (2 months ago as of October 4)
8. I've been able to drink 80oz of water in one day.
9. I've been able to go tinkle 80 times in one day (yes, slight exaggeration, but not much of one)
10. I haven't had a piece of pizza.
11. I survived mid-terms.

I think that's about it.  Not a bad two months!  I think you'll find that you'll be pleased with your results too.  Just remember, it's not always about the big things.  You need to take pride in the little things too, 'cause boy do they add up!

Time to hit the hay.  I've got a strength workout in the morning and I'm going to REALLY TRY to do my run in the afternoon.  I have a hill workout planned, and it's way to dark to do it in the morning.  Cross your fingers for me.  There is a reason I do my workouts in the morning...once that clock strikes 5:00 p.m., it's quittin' time!

TTFN!!