Day 88

First week of intervals DOWN! Wahoo!!! And now I'm nervous about week two...

I am so happy that this 45 year old guy from California (Robert Ullrey) decided to make and publish these podcasts. I couldn't do this without him an his bizarre house music.

Today is my rest/X-train day. I think I'm just going to rest though. For reals. We have this nasty cold bug going around the house (Casey brought it home with him from college. Damn dorm rooms with their uber-illness bugs.) And we've had a few warm (20 whole degrees!) days so a lot of snow has melted and now re-frozen, creating fun ice slicks on which to fall an bust yo' ass. And since I need my ass to run this 5k, I think I'll stay in.

See? I can be reasonable.

Day 85

Second day of intervals!
I'm nervous. No idea why.
Feel like I want to stay home, curl up with a book. Where did the excitement go?
I was so jazzed yesterday. Went to the mall with a friend, went to the Nike store. So. Many. Cute. Things. That are super tiny. Like toothpick limbs tiny. Teeny. Ummm...I'm pretty sure there is supposed to be a difference between this:


And this:


Just trying to help, Nike, just trying to help.

Why is there so much math involved with running? I just want to go. I don't want to do equations and ratios. This is my 'brain-off' time. Are there any other runners out there like me? I go for distance. I want to run as long as I can, and then even longer. Time doesn't matter so much. Like, if it takes me 6 hours to go ten miles, I'm cool with that. Because I went the ten miles I said I would.

Off to the gym!

I don't even know what day this is...

75 days until 5k!!!!
I am completley shattered. Knackered. Exhuasted. Tired. Today I managed to do my mile on the elliptical. I'm starting to think that the elliptical is just harder than actual running. Actually I did it while listening to some stand up that I hadn't heard in a while, and it resulted in me almost falling off the damn thing while in hysterics. lol oh Dane Cook. You're funny for about a week. :)

Day 82

Wow. The holidays with kids is INSANE! Fun insane, don't get me wrong, but insane none the less. So insane that I couldn't run on Christmas day, we'll get to that in a minute.

Let's see...oh! I started my temporary YMCA membership (thankyou Santa!) and I LOVE IT! It's so hard to not go off topic here and tell everyone all about taking the kids swimming and Logan and I going down the HUGE waterslide! *Breathe* Running, running, this blog is about running. Ok. Running.

Christmas Eve I downloaded Robert Ullreys podcast that gives a voice to Cool Runnings 'Couch to 5k in 9 weeks' program. It's basically him talking you through the workout, when to start running, when to stop, words of encouragement. It's awesome. I did my first set of interval training today, it was challenging but not hard. Although my feet and legs felt awkward underneath me, that was not so much fun, but I figure the more I run the better that will get.

The more I do this the more I feel like anything (running wise) is possible. I'm pretty sure that with the right training I could accomplish any distance. And I'm going to. Starting with...duh duh duh!

The 'Irish for a day 5k' on St. Pattys day! It's held in St.Paul every year, and I think it will be a blast! I'm thinking race in the morning, some corned beef sammiches and pints of Guinness to celebrate my completion, and maybe some green fun for the kids later on in the day. I'm already getting excited! I CAN NOT WAIT for Sean to get paid so that I can register! CAN NOT WAIT.

http://www.mtcmarathon.org/IrishForADay/index.cfm

Day 75

So much has happened since my last post!
Most importantly: I GOT NEW SHOES!!!




No they aren't Pumas...BUT they do what I need them to do.
During my 'Foot Consultation' at the Running Room I learned that I don't over-pronate and the problems I was having were from my shoe being from a million years ago and it had a) totally died and b) my feet are now a lot different than they were in high school, so it goes with out saying that the same shoe wont do what I need it to do.
I know the Mizunos aren't lookers, but they do have one thing going for them...GLITTER! All the black parts on the shoe are covered in glitter! What makes this even more awesome is that this is a MENS SHOE! I think there are some fabulous man-runners out there and we need to be buddies.

I have also done another cold run, and have discovered that I like them.
Turns out: being properly prepared makes almost anything enjoyable (i.e. running in 8 degree weather) Mother in law found me some proper mittens (Thinsulate baby!) and a 'neck gaiter' in the mitten box. At first I was weary about the 'gaiter' (Wouldn't you be? It has the same name as a person eating swamp beast!) but I needed to be warm.


A neck gaiter. Fantastic fashion statement.


But I put it on anyway, along with this gem:

I was one sexy chick running around town. You betcha'. Again, warm is a NEED when running in the cold. Thank God it was dark.

All of that, plus two shirts kept me pretty toasty on top. What about the bottom you ask? I'll let you know when my butt cheeks thaw.

All in all I was very happy with my run and even happier when I found out I had eyelash icicles (I'm a runner! A REAL ONE! Yay!)

I wonder if anyone makes cute cold weather running gear? Hmmm...

Day 70!

Did my first cold weather run earlier. It was 8 degrees! I feel like a champ! Scratch that, I am a champ!

It was fantabulous. Here’s the run down, ha ha.

I warmed up by doing half a mile on the elliptical, and for some reason that was really hard. It took a lot of energy…maybe it's because all I had to fuel my body was mint M&Ms….teehee

Then I let Lou out of his cage, got him all psyched to go, and went to get ready myself.

I made sure to read about cold weather running safety (Did you know you are more likely to pull a muscle when its cold? I didn’t.). Anyway the gist was to dress in layers, stay visible, do finger, face and toe checks, wear sunglasses, and don’t push yourself.

While going through my closet I remembered reading somewhere that running in tights keeps you warmer, and I thought 'OH HEY! I have some support tights from when I was pregnant! How different can they be?' (I'm sure all of you seasoned athletes are guffawing at me right now, but fancy running tights don’t come in 1x, so there.) Anyway, I put on the thickest underwear I could find, the pregnancy tights, flannel jammie pants, blue stripey pants, taped my feet, put socks on, put on two bras, a long sleeve shirt, my fleece jacket, stole some mittens and a hat from my father in law, and out Lou and I went. Then we came back in because I forgot to Chapstick my lips, cheeks, and nose. Then we really set out.

It. Was. Fan. Tastic. Amazing. The fourth best experience of my life.

Lou was jumping around like a kid in a candy store, it was adorable.

The snow seemed to give me more traction. The air was crisp and clean, the sun was out ( I can see why sunglasses were recommended) the streets were pretty much abandoned, so we were free to go as we pleased. We did the first two blocks pretty fast. It was so great to be running again.

We walked a little, and did my favorite block nice and s-l-o-w. Slow enough to savor it. Like when someone eats something they love and their eyes roll in their heads and their tastebuds jump for joy and their muscles relax because they are just so happy?

Yeah like that.

Except I was a fat chick running down my favorite stretch of concrete in the middle of winter :) It was amazing. I felt like a gazelle. My steps were springy, I was having fun jumping over snow banks, and Lou was having a blast peeing every 30 feet.

So happy. It was over all too soon. And I’m positive were going out tomorrow.

Toe is doing well, still swollen and aches a bit, but no pain. (Until the Squee steps on it)

Day 69

Holy. Fuckballs.
This is what I did today:



Ok, not really.
I actually did this:


But today I put it on the hill setting. Oy.
Remember my first blog about my first mile? This was worse. It was difficult, and kind of agonizing. And sweaty, not the cute 'I'm-kind-of-overheated' glistening sweat either. I couldn't wait for it to be over. And stupid Sandra Lee was on TV. Ugh. At least Alton makes time go by faster. :)
Then, I somehow got my legs to work enough to carry me downstairs. I was too exhausted to go to the fridge and hold the little button for water so I grabbed an orange and peeled it with shaky hands (which is actually pretty difficult) and ate the bitterest most delicious orange of my life.

All in all: a physically painful but rewarding day :)

Day 63

I really need to sign up for a 5k. Or at least pick one to be my debut.

I don't think I have ever wanted something as badly as I want a y membership. I'm daydreaming about duffel bags and water bottles and ponytail holders that actually work :)

It's been a while since I ran, maybe I'll go out tonight? I am so tired of cross training that I don't care that it's 19 degrees out. I should wait until I get my shoes....

Here are some candidates:


or


How can you not win in gold running shoes?!


Man, puma is where it's at.

I'm feeling pretty gangster today sooo...




Wish me luck on not freezing to death! :)

Day 59

Mommy needs to run. Have had a day full of this:

And this:


(Couldn't find a pic of the Squee screaming, so this kid from Google is being a placeholder.)

And this:

And no this:


No. Not John Lennon. Well, actually it is John Lennon, who is a dead ringer for Hubby.

Although I need to give myself credit. Instead of completely losing my shit and freaking out at Logan when he didn't listen for the 10,000th time and was running around with a Santoku (no I have NO IDEA HOW HE GOT IT!) I calmly put him in time out, told him it was not ok to play with knives, and then calmly made myself a cup of tea, and filled the dishwasher. I have no clue as to how I didn't pop with rage and frustration. No. Clue.
I have this image in my head of the Elliptical sitting upstairs, emanating a golden glow, having choirs of angels singing around it. Ahhhh...I can't wait. :)

Day 58

Tom is important to the post today, you'll see why later :)


Going to try the elliptical today, toe is still pretty gnarly looking but feels better. In reality its probably a little better, not a lot better like my brain keeps trying to convince me. “You know that icy cold air you breathed in on the porch while putting your ten thousandth bowl of mousse out there to chill? Wouldn’t it feel great to hyperventilate that while trying not to fall down on ice? C’mon. You know you want to run. Hear the pat-pat-pat of your feet on the cement. And think of Lou. How much his little doggie soul would give to go out there and eat snow!”

And this is me: ‘No! NO! No? I think I’m just faking, yeah that’s right, I’m a big fat faker. I lied about my hurt toe? I have steel toes! Haha! I can run! Yes I can! No one can stop me!’

Hubby: ‘Why are you crying?’

Me: wipes tears “I am not crying. My eyes started to leak when I went to put on my shoe…’

Hubby: “Ashley! Your toe is still bright purple and scabby! You can’t even put on shoes, and you’re trying to go out for a run?!’

Me: “……………….sniff………yes?’

Hubby: ‘Gah!!’

Me: ‘Ok fine! I’ll just do the dumb elliptical!’

Hubby doesn’t say anything (bc hes smart) but he has the ‘you-are-completeley-ridiculous’ look on his face.

Run recap!

:D I wish I could make a smiley face even bigger! Oh wait, I can!

Annnnnd now I know what an ‘Mp3 emergency’ is, and why you shouldn’t depend on your device to drown out the sound of you huffing and puffing.

Speaking of huffing and puffing, I can not get Tom Jone's 'Sex Bomb' out of my head!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knyCUp3JofU

He is so hot! :)