A sicky with weak hips.

I felt like I had found a sort of groove for about 2 weeks. I was staying true to my resolution to move, whether it was running, walking or biking. I'd bike in the gym during my lunch break, then come home and try to lift some weights or walk or run. After my last run my shins killed me for about two days. When I mentioned it to the girls at work I was grilled about my running: what speed, how far, what surface was I running on, what incline (since I tread). I'd only done 2 miles at 6 mph and had thought (at the time) that everything felt great. One of the mother hens told me I needed to do some exercises to strengthen my legs and I needed to slow down until I get back into the swing of things. If I start out too fast too soon I could do some damage. So she told me that I needed to start by going 4.5 mph and only do a mile or so. "Are you kidding me? That's not even running." But I listened to her and that night I ran about a mile and a half and felt like I could have run all night. It was awesome. Unfortunately, that was the last time I ran. Family came into town and I got sick and everything physical is on the back burner for now. Boo.

In addition to my weak legs, my hips are really weak. WTF. How did this happen? I'm a young, relatively healthy chica that did several sports in high school and whatnot. Yes, I know that high school was like 10 years ago, but still. I guess now that I've put it that way it isn't difficult to understand why almost 10 years of sedentary behavior might've zapped my strength.

So I work in a clinic that specializes in joint replacements and a coworker and I started doing the hip circuit that some of the patients do and I was unpleasantly surprised to find out that I could barely eke out a few reps of each of the exercises. It certainly gave me new respect for the patients who range from their 40's to their 60's or 70's. We had plans to do the exercises at lunch on certain days but that has gone to crap since we've had lunch meetings and other stuff going on and since I haven't been at work since Monday. Like I said, my other exercising ceased last week when family came into town. We had a wonderful time but the snow outside (we got about 4 inches, which is crazy for The Boro) put a damper on the activities we had planned: hiking and walking on some trails near the house. I'm going to jump back into things full force as soon as I'm feeling better...which I hope is very soon. I don't think I have EVER missed more than one day of work at a time for being sick and now I'm at two and counting. If I don't feel up to going to work tomorrow I'm going to bite the bullet and go to a walk in clinic. If you know me well, you know that I have a stubborn, almost childlike distaste for doctors. I'd rather extinguish a cigarette on my face than go to the doctor. I just hate it.

This afternoon I sent an inquiry to a local gym about their spinning classes. I've always wanted to try it and a friend of mine mentioned she's started doing it again and she's really enjoying it. I'm hoping I am able to try a few classes for free. The gym is pretty close to the house and the group class/spinning schedule offers many different classes that I'd be able to attend either before or after work. I'm kind of excited about it. :) Happy Hump Day.

Back in the saddle

So I ran two miles tonight - yay! It's the longest I've run in quite awhile. Sad but true. I hopped on the treadmill after work. This afternoon I thought about running in the neighborhood but it was storming like a mother when I got home. The thunder was booming so loudly I heard it over my ipod a few times. The run felt pretty darn good. I think I did the 2 in just over 21 minutes. My legs were screaming a bit afterward with quite a bit of shin pain but after popping some ibuprofen and stretching I feel fit as a fiddle (what the hell does that mean, anyway?!).

I think my body might be trying to trick me back into running with how easily the miles and pace came tonight. I felt so good I could practically hear it saying, "Do you see how easy this is? Come on, you were made for this. Lets get together again tomorrow, hmmmmm?" I hope that feeling sticks around for awhile. I'd be ok with that.

So the end of my drive to work is on a beautiful road that's got a gentle roll and lots of huge trees and beautiful old houses. I see runners every day and it always make me a bit jealous that I can't run along that road in the early morning before work. :( Anyway, today I saw one of the regulars, Old Man Graybeard, who must run every single weekday b/c I can't remember the last time I didn't see him on the way in. What was so wonderful about seeing him today was that it was raining and he was the only runner out. As soon as I saw him I just started grinning and I wanted to roll down my window, pump my fist and say "You go, Old Man Graybeard! You rock!" I have no idea why it made me so happy but it did! I wished so badly that I could call into work, get some running clothes and just run around in the rain. It's one of my favorite things to do and I don't get to do it nearly as often as I would like. Maybe I should make my next personal day coincide with a nice rainy day. Now that's a thought. :)

Day two

So I worked out again today (if you can call my walk yesterday a workout). Yay. My goal is to simply MOVE everyday, whether it be walking, running, ellipticizing, yoga, whatever. As long as I'm off my bum and moving around for at least 20 minutes, I'll be happy. I rode the recumbent bike at work for 15 mins during my lunch break and then came home and got straight on the treadmill. I was on for about 45 minutes and did a mile and a half of running and 1.76 miles of walking with an incline. I only planned on being on for about 20 minutes which turned into 30. Then some old school Michael Jackson came on my ipod and propelled me for another 15 minutes. I know a lot of people hate the treadmill (and I certainly agree that the scenery doesn't quite compare to running outside) but I feel like I often stay on longer than planned because I try to make either the time or distance a somewhat "round" number. I doubt I'd do that on an out and back run or just a walk around my neighborhood. Score 1 for the 'mill.

I'm debating whether I should sign up for the Country Music 1/2 Marathon in April. It's wicked expensive: $105 (this is more than I paid for the Marine Corps MARATHON) and is only about 3 months away. I have read a lot of great things about the rock n roll marathon series, which this race belongs to, but am worried about signing up for another race after I crapped out on Chicago. That was a very different situation and wasn't 40 minutes away but I'm still feeling gun-shy. I guess I will give it a few more days. It would also help if anyone else wanted to run with me. Kim and her husband Jeff are sitting it out because it's so pricey and because she's in school and will have limited time to train. Hmmm. I will just mull it over for a few more days anyway. I feel like such a geezer but I'm whooped. Time for bed. :)

Deja vu

Here I am beginning again. My last "beginning" fell flat on its face and went absolutely nowhere. I signed up for Chicago last year and was super psyched about it but the plans fell apart. Many exciting things happened that contributed to the collapse of my Chicago '09 challenge. I got married (yay)...my husband and I bought our first home (yay)...ok so I guess that's it. By "many" I meant two big things. Anyway, too much life got in the way and Chicago became a no-go. I was sad about it. I still am sad about it because I keep getting emails from the Chicago Marathon peeps and Nike. Hell, I even got an email containing a link to print out my finisher's certificate. That was a good one.

Fast forward to 2010 and here I am contemplating my goal(s) for the year. I refuse to make resolutions. I feel like the word is cursed...I can't think of a single damn resolution I've ever kept. Maybe it's just easier to blame the word than my lack of discipline. :) Oh well. I digress. So for over a year I've done far too much sitting on my arse and far too little running, walking or anything in the physical realm. I hate it. Tonight I walked on my treadmill for about an hour. It felt wonderful. I really need to update my ipod...the songs that got me going 2 years ago have lost their fizz. EnVogue's "Don't let go" came on and rocked my world though. It was a lovely surprise that invoked my most heartfelt jam out session of the night - which also turned out to be a bit embarrassing when Dave poked his head in the garage to find out 1. whether cats were fighting somewhere outside our house or 2. if I had fallen off the tread and was screaming for someone to help me. Ouch.

I would have run but I did something this morning to completely jack up the right side of my neck. It hurts so bad when I turn my head that I have to instead move my entire torso to the side if I want to look at something to my right. So I'm hoping that gets worked out asap so that I can get my act together. Dave and I rearranged the garage so that the tread is now unobstructed. Until this afternoon, if his car was in the garage I couldn't use it. So the good news is that I can use it anytime I want. The bad news is that obviously I no longer have an excuse for not using it. Damn. I guess I'll have to get more creative. Mwahahahahahahaaa.

In terms of eating "right", I think my body has finally vowed not to let me eat what I want when I want. The concept of sort of feeling what you're eating has clicked with me. Yesterday was one of those days. It started out alright: toast with pb and jelly, milk, coffee, and yogurt. Then I went to a movie with Kim where we shared popcorn and drank water (maybe I'm finally outgrowing my soda cravings - yay). This was followed by an impromptu trip to a rinky dink bar called The Wagon Wheel where we each had a bottle of beer. Sidenote: I must tell you how much I love spending time with Kim. Time with her always yields something spontaneous and memorable. While we were driving to my house I made the comment that I really want to go into that bar sometime - simply because it looks like a total crap-hole-in-the-wall dive. I love places like that. So she responds with, "Right now?!" Me: "What, no..." We exchanged meaningful looks and after about 20 seconds she said "Ok, we'll do paper, rock, scissors for it. If you win, we go. If I win, I just take you home". Paper, rock, scissors, throw. We both threw paper. The obvious choice next would be scissors...if you're an amateur. Pffftttt. So I threw rock, which clearly smashed the hell out of her scissors and she promptly made a u-turn and headed to the bar. It was good stuff. So after that we decided to go to the store for beer to drink while watching the remainder of the Saints/Cardinals game. We also got chips. So that was my dinner: Coors and BBQ lays with the occasional mini peanut butter cup thrown in when things got too salty. Needless to say, I soon felt like horsecrap since I'd had nothing containing any nutritional value since the early morning. My stomach ached something awful so I decided to eat an apple in a pathetic attempt to make peace with my poor bloated body. Today I was much better. I'm too old for that shit. I need to get my act together. Anyway, it's time for bed. If anyone's out there, thanks for reading. If not, that's cool too. It feels good to kind of verbally vomit (pardon the term), as one of my favorite former coworkers used to say. I've missed this.

The beginning...again

Starting over kinda sucks. After running 26.2 it’s a real pisser to huff my way through a few lousy miles. I did 3 miles tonight, which translates to 1 mile of running, .75 mile walk, followed by another mile of running and then a .25 mile walk. During the last .25 of the second “run” I started to feel like my body was literally going to fall apart. It’s incredible how much my feelings can vary during a run. I started out pretty strong, trotting along, and then Dave got home. For some reason, every time he infringes on my “running space”, I immediately get distracted and have the almost irrepressible urge to STOP running. All of a sudden I notice I’m tired/sore/in need of water. It is quite irritating (the urge to stop, not Dave, he's awesome). I guess it might be b/c when no one else is there I let myself get into the zone. I stare straight ahead and am totally immersed in what I’m doing. Then he walks in and BOOM. I want to stop and talk to him or start cooking dinner or get online or whatever the hell else. His presence sucks the force right out of my body and my concentration goes out the window. I’m able to get my focus back but the phenomenon leads me to believe that I’m just a loner when it comes to running. During my last marathon I trained almost entirely alone (and on a treadmill). You’d think that having another person there to talk to would be a welcome distraction but that isn’t the case with me. I have to get into my own head and work things out. For awhile I have been convinced that I have adult-onset A.D.D. Seriously. I'm like a small child, it's ridiculous. I could provide at least 5 examples off the top of my head but it's late and Dave is yelling at me to come to bed. The A.D.D. theory may explain why I do well inside on a treadmill. There are a helluva lot fewer distractions (and things to make me feel self-conscious) in a room staring out the window than there are out on the road. Oy. Enough psychoanalyzing, back to the recap. There were a few times during the run that my step felt light and springy and I felt like I was a carefree 8 year old running around the neighborhood. I love that. I hope to have the feeling more often.

It’s tough to beat the feeling that comes over me after I’m done running. I feel strong, calm and pleasantly exhausted. Maybe if I write this down and read it repeatedly it will be enough to get my ass on the road (or treadmill) tomorrow. :)

Chicago '09

I just signed up for Chicago. Eeeeeee! So I've decided that my challenge this year, unoriginal as it may be, is to run another marathon, but to do it faster and in much better shape. I haven't decided on a firm time yet, but I'd like to do it under 5 hours, which would be a 37+ minute improvement from the MCM. My good friend Ana's birthday is the day of the race and a bunch of us are going to Chicago to celebrate her birthday and a few of us will be running Sunday. I hope she doesn't feel like her thunder is being stolen with the race going on Sunday.

Oh sweet Jesus, I'm nervous but I can't wait to see CHICAGO! The closest I've been is when connecting flights have landed at O'Hare. I better get some sleep so that I can get my training on tomorrow. :)

Where did the time go?

Somehow, four and a half months have flown by since my last post. More disturbingly, in about 10 hours I will officially be 27. Yeesh. The birthday challenge thing has been on my mind for months, or really ever since I successfully completed last year's. I have no idea what to do. A few things have come to mind but they're so boring that I'm ashamed to mention them. Beyond that, the ideas I've come up with aren't challenging enough to warrant an entire year dedicated to them. Furthermore, the ideas aren't related to a physical challenge. The physicality of the marathon challenge served (for the most part) to 1. make me proud to divulge my challenge to anyone who was interested enough to listen (or read) 2. get my ass moving, which is no small feat because unfortunately I am, in nature, an extremely lazy person (thanks Mom and Dad...just kidding) 3. carry me through the most incredible experience of my life to my proudest moment. The marathon was BY FAR the coolest thing I have ever done. The entire run went frighteningly well and part of me wants to pull a George Costanza and just quit while I'm ahead "Alright, I'm out. You've been great, thanks." But of course another part of me wants to do it all over again; maybe choose one in an exotic location or convince a few friends to run with me. As much as I wanted to do the Shamrock Run in VA Beach (it's next weekend), that isn't happening. I pretty much stopped running altogether. Ok, not "pretty much". I did. I just stopped. It sucks but oh well. A couple of weeks ago I joined the gym at work with a coworker and we've been going about 3x week. I'd like to get into a consistent routine and get healthy and fit and drop a few lbs before the wedding in May. I am hesitant to say "I want to lose weight for the wedding" because I want to institute a lifestyle change, not a temporary one designed to make me look good for a few days and a weekend of pictures.

So back to the challenge. It seems that a lot of people transition from marathons to triathlons but those don't appeal to me at this point. Maybe one day but not right now. I feel like whatever I choose to do it's got to be very physical and very tough. Unfortunately, I set the bar kinda high with the marathon challenge. How do I top that? Maybe I'm just not thinking hard enough. Maybe the 6 pack of Coronas from last night are impeding my thought process. A few people I've talked to about the challenge have tried to let me off easy this year: "Why don't you make the wedding your challenge?" Well, probably because that isn't a challenge, but a natural progression of a wonderful relationship over 4 years in the making. No bigs. I got that shit in the bag. Seriously though, does anyone have any ideas? Part of the problem is choosing something that isn't going to break the bank. It wasn't too difficult to buy running shoes, socks and sports bras. I also feel like the challenge must have a clear end point or win/lose decision. My 2005 "piano lesson" challenge left me able to tap out a few intros on the keyboard but I never got the feeling that I actually accomplished anything. Perhaps it was the nature of the challenge. It isn't feasible to think that I was going to master the friggin piano in less than a year, especially when I was not apt to put in the practice. I need some sort of finish line to cross or some other indicator that yes, I have achieved what I set out to do. It must be measurable. So there we go. It's got to be cheap and measurable. Hmm. Not quite sure what I can do with that. If anyone has ideas please send them my way. Until then maybe I'll just make this a fitness log (yawn). Must keep thinking...

News

I'M ENGAGED!!! Dave proposed last Sunday night after the marathon. His original plan was to do it after I crossed the finish line but due to transportation complications he changed the plan. I wondered why, a mere 3 hours after I'd run a marathon, he was asking if I wanted to take the metro into D.C. to check out some monuments. "Um, no. I can hardly walk. Why in God's name would I want to do anything but sit here on my tired, sore ass?!" Apparently he thought it would be cool to propose outside a monument. Indeed. If only I'd obliged. I think he started freaking out a bit but was good about hiding it and actually things worked out perfectly. We went to dinner with my aunt and uncle who ran the race, and another uncle who was up visiting. We devoured massive, scrumpulescent burgers washed down by a few frosty beers. Yum. Then my aunt told us about a cool waterfall park a few blocks away. We decided to check it out. It's difficult to describe but it's almost like a giant infinity pool that flows over a long wall. Just off the sidewalk there is a small vendor's cart where coffee and small snacks can be purchased, along with several small tables and chairs. Trees are interspersed to create a quaint and charming atmosphere. We decided to walk up to the second level so that we could look out over the small waterfall and enjoy the view. After we'd been there for a few minutes enjoying the view I asked if he was ready to go. To my surprise he said "Um, no, let's stay a few more minutes". I had a feeling something was up b/c it was fricken freezing and Dave is a FL boy with very little tolerance of temps below 70 degrees. He looked a little nervous but started talking..."Well, you got your medal today and I have something else for you. I'm very proud of you and I think we make a great team. I love you so much and want to spend the rest of my life with you. (gets down on bended knee) Jennifer Stills, will you marry me?" Of course I got all teary but managed to blurt out "Abso-friggin-lutely!!" I gave an excited little yelp and gave him a bear hug. I was secretly hoping he'd propose during that weekend. I'm so glad we were on the same page. :) He told me about all the 26's and how it just seemed perfect...it was Oct 26th. I had run 26(.2) miles, we were both 26 years old, when he filled up my gas tank prior to leaving the total was $26. I guess it was just meant to be. It was the absolutely perfect ending to a perfect day. When I told Kev, one of my BFF's, his response cracked me up: "You were very productive today. Most people just go to church on Sunday and you ran a marathon and got engaged." That's how I roll. The picture of the ring doesn't start to do it justice...this little fella kept blinding the camera. It's good stuff. Me likey.


Soooo, I'm still somewhat waddling around like a penguin and yet all I can think about is when I will run next. :) That surprises and pleases me. I'm considering doing the Shamrock Half in VA Beach next March. It's right around my b-day and I think it'd be fun to get some friends together and give it a whirl. I am so so so happy that I chose the MCM as my first marathon. I think it was a fantastic choice for me. I'm still trying to let the weekend's events fully register. It all seems so surreal. I just couldn't be any happier right now. :)

Thanks again to everyone who provided athletic support (heh heh, couldn't resist) via this blog. You guys are the best!!! I've got a ton of blog reading to catch up on this weekend. Happy Hump Day. I'm gonna take a hot bath and chillax.

Mission accomplished!

Wow, where do I start? I had the most incredible weekend of my life. I took on this challenge with apprehension and without a full realization of exactly what I would be doing. But I could not be more pleased with the results.

We arrived at my aunt and uncle's in Arlington around noon on Friday. Throughout Fri and Sat I kept having phantom pains all over my body: particularly in the legs and feet. I told my aunt about it and she said "Oh yeah, me too. That's normal". Good deal. The night before the marathon I was strangely calm. It was as if the gravity of the situation was nowhere close to registering in my brain. I had no idea what I was in for. We got up Sunday morning around 6. I forced down some toast with peanut butter and about 1/2 a banana. We left the house around 6:40 or so to take the metro to the race. My aunt and uncle were running as well and Dave got up to come with us so that he could see us off. By the way, if you are running a race and will be relying in public transit, it's a good idea to already have your fare paid for; the lines to get the tickets for the metro were out of control!! I was so glad they had tickets for all of us. We took the metro to the race and found the Coast Guard tent to put our stuff down (my uncle is a Coastie), used the porta potties and were off to the start line. We'd lost some time along the way and ended up getting to the line a bit late. I had talked to some of the Clif Bar Pacers at the expo on Saturday and was stoked to join the 5:30 group. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to find them before the race; I was walking toward the back of the starting line b/c I knew I had no business being around 3:30 and 4 hour runners. Before I could get anywhere near where I should have been, everyone started inching forward. So I turned around and started walking with everyone else. I was nervous but figured I could catch up with them later. I reasoned they would be easy to find with the bright balloons attached to a stick raised high into the air. You know what they say about assuming...

I knew I had to run as slowly as possible for the first several miles, and that I should probably do some sort of interval, but that was difficult to gauge without a watch. I'd been debating whether or not to wear one and decided against it figuring I'd have no need for it, "Some else will be doing all that work for me. I'm just gonna run and then walk when I'm told". Oops. As I ran under the puffy bright red arches I got a little emotional. No tears but damn close. I was finally doing it! The first mile flew by. I couldn't believe it. The crowd support was intense. People were EVERYWHERE. There were tons of signs and cowbells and people were yelling and cheering. I saw a few signs for JEN and although they weren't technically for me, for the first time in my life I silently thanked my parents for my ubiquitous name. My aunt and I had both written our names on pieces of tape with black marker and put them on our chests. That might have been my smartest move all day (other than applying Body Glide). Nothing in the world boosts you more than random people yelling "Lookin' good Jen, keep it up!!".

Around mile two, I remember looking to the left side of the course and seeing a line of guys relieving themselves among the brush. Penis envy set in even though I didn't even have to pee yet. It was just the principal. Miles two and three flew by. My mind was uncharacteristically quiet. I was very relaxed and was focused on just having fun. I enjoyed taking in all the sights: the spectators, the signs, the runners, the buildings around us. Everything was so beautiful. I saw a sign that said "Pain is temporary. Pride is forever" and I decided to make that my second mantra for the race, after "Have fun". Mile four took us across a bridge and at one point I heard "JEN, JEN". I followed the voice and saw Dave waving at me from behind a row of spectators off to the right. I got pumped. I was so happy to see him. I waved and continued on my journey. The view straight ahead of us was incredible! The tip of a tall steeple peeked out of the fog just on the other side of the bridge. No description or picture could do justice, however, it was at that moment that I really wished I'd had a camera.

Miles six and seven went by painlessly. Mile eight, for whatever reason (and despite the small hill - "flat" course, my ass), was awesome. It must've been the crowd support. I was just pumped. I felt great! People would yell my name and I'd flash a smile, do a few double fist pumps and yell "thank you!" I was lovin' it!! I couldn't believe how great I felt. I saw a few more signs that cracked me up: "Run like you stole something" and "Where the HELL are the endorphins?!" I got a good chuckle from both. I should mention that During miles 3-8, I was trying to incorporate walking breaks but had no idea what I was doing. For a while the pack of runners was so thick that I didn't want to walk and risk someone literally running into me. When a group near me started to walk I did the same. I silently counted to 60 and then began to run again. Although I was attempting to walk with some sort of regularity, it was thrown out the window b/c it seemed like there were many times I was about to start walking and the crowd support was just outrageous and there was no way in hell I was walking while people were yelling and cheering for me and telling me how great I was doing. Nu-uh. I think I had my first PowerGel packet around mile 8...maybe it was before that. I can't remember. There were water and Power Ade stations about every 2 or 3 miles. While I planned on walking through most of those, my plans were usually foiled by a Marine who would say something like, "You're doing great Jen, keep it up!" I would smile, yell "Wooo!!!", thank them, and start running again, just like that. Every few miles there would either be a clock, or a Marine announcing the time. I'd try to quickly do the math to see if I was on track for my 5:30-ish finish. I figured I was pretty close.

Miles 9-11 went by relatively quickly. A dreadlocked man shouted "DO THE DAMN THANG" to us as we ran by. I smiled. Around this time, I started to get a bit emotional (again) as I thought about what I was doing. I was about to run 12.2 miles farther than I ever had in my life and was going to do something that a relatively small percentage of the population can claim they've done. I thought about how we're capable of doing so many incredible things but rarely push ourselves to experience or achieve beyond what we're comfortable doing. I was so proud of myself in that moment. The balls of my feet started to ache a bit during these miles but the pain wasn't too bad. I took some Motrin around mile 11. I stopped a few times to stretch my IT band as my hips were starting to feel argumentative when I'd begin to run again after my walking breaks.

I was worried about 12-14: Haines Point (sp?). At the expo the girl at the pacer booth mentioned that I'd want to be with a group at this point b/c it can be a bit desolate: it's a long loop that runs along the Potomac. There aren't as many runners and it helps quite a bit to have company. I told her I'd need as many distractions as possible. Fortunately, it ended up being fine. There were enough runners near me to keep me distracted and there was an entertaining group of people on a speed boat that rode alongside us and waved and yelled.

Mile 15 was tough. I somewhat expected everything to go downhill at this point, reasoning that I'd never run that far and surely, bad things were just around the corner...thankfully I was wrong. Miles 16 and 17 were superb. There were tons of spectators and I did a lot more smiling, high-fiving and fist pumping as people called my name. I really hoped that I didn't have Power Ade or gel stained teeth and then thought "Screw it. I'm running a damn marathon. I'm supposed to look at least a little bit funky." I was running strong and feeling great and hoped that somehow I could hang onto that feeling at least until I saw Dave and the family and mile 23. I guess I was a little too pumped because as one person called my name and told me how great I was doing I did my smile/fist pump combo and after I shouted "Wooo!!" he told me to calm down and save it. He said "that's what I'M here for. Save your energy". What a nerd. No way was I gonna stop my random mini celebrations when I was feeling so good.

Miles 18-20 were ok. I got some interesting grub from spectators. People were lined up on the sides of the street giving away full bottles of water, Power Bars,candy, pretzels, you name it. It was awesome. Mile 21 was across a long bridge that I swore would never freaking end. It was awful. I did a lot more walking at this point. Spectators were fewer and farther between but I tried to do as much running as I could. A few times, I was scared I wouldn't be able to start running again after I'd been walking. My hips were sore and my body was starting to register more signs of fatigue.

Miles 22-23 went through Crystal City, which is where my aunt and uncle live. During these miles I had a brownie, a mini snickers bar (the girl shouted, "It's carbs, it's carbs" - SOLD!), another gel and some water. The road was split between those of us starting the trek through Crystal City and those of us finishing. I looked longingly at the other side. I was feeling good though. Brightly colored flags flanked either side of the road and there were tons of people cheering, ringing cowbells and holding signs. Oh, and on mile 22, there was a guy sitting in the median on a bicycle and he had a boombox on the handlebars that was blaring M.C. Hammer's "Can't Touch This". I smiled, sang, and somehow resisted the urge to perform the "Hammer-crab dance" as I like to call it. I typically only pull this move out during wedding receptions and only when I'm brimming with "liquid confidence". I charged on. I saw Dave from the opposite side of the road and started flailing my arms and yelling. He saw me and snapped a pic. I hoped it wouldn't be too long before the course would wind back by to where I was on the same side of the street with him. A few minutes after the turn I was approaching him and my G-ma and my uncle and cousins, with my uncle holding the awesome sign Kim made for me (pictures forthcoming. The sign read something like: "Jen - you're the worst runner in the world. FALSE. You're awesome. I love you! Make 26.2 your &%$@#!" (it's loosely based on a Dwight line from The Office). I started cracking up and held my hand out to give Dave a high-five. Apparently the girl just to the left of him thought I was trying to give her a high-five and after I passed her she yelled "Oh I'm sorry. You wanted a high five..." so I turned around, slapped her hand with gusto, did something ridiculous like a backward leaning double fist pump that almost bordered on a pelvic thrust, yelled "Yeahhhh, wooooo" and then turned back to Dave. He snapped some pics and I was off again.

My plan was to run the entirety of the remaining 3.2 but I couldn't quite make it. I walked more than I would have liked. My energy was waning but I was excited that I was so close to the finish. My pace slowed to a crawl but I forced myself to keep moving. At mile 25 I saw a guy sitting on the side of the course receiving medical attention. It looked like he was getting in IV. Yikes. Spectators were a bit scant in these parts but assured us that we were "almost there". I decided that I had to run the last 1.2. No exceptions. It seemed like most of the people around me were walking but I had to run...or shuffle along because at that point that's all I could manage. Someone yelled, "mile 26 is at the bottom of that hill" and I smiled and followed my aunt's advice to just "take it all in" and think about what I was about to accomplish. The finish line is actually up a small hill. What a sick joke. I felt myself picking up speed as I approached the mile marker and continued up the hill. Spectators were crammed on the side of the course like sardines and they were all yelling and cheering for everyone. I began to grimace as my right knee felt like it was about to give out. I thought about what I was on the verge of accomplishing and felt my face tighten and tears welled at my eyes. I breathed heavily and propelled myself to the finish line. The clock read 5:41 (although apparently my actual time was 5:37:11). I slowed to a walk and tried to enjoy the "congratulations" and "great jobs". I grabbed a bottle of water, a space blanket thingy and got in line to receive my medal. As I looked up at the person in front of me I realized it was the pace leader for the 5:30 group that I never found. I couldn't believe it. How the heck had I not seen them?! I smiled and congratulated myself for pulling this thing off all by myself with the same result I would have had with a group. Somehow I think it worked out better that I forged this on my own. My only goal was to finish and if I'd been running with anyone else, chances are I would have been inundated with other expectations. I finished and more importantly I had FUN! It was such an incredible experience.

I want to recognize the 4 outstanding "performance enhancers" that helped me on my journey:
1. Body Glide. Without you I would be a huge chafed mess. I walked away with absolutely no chafing. I was amazed!
2. Packing tape and black sharpie. Like I said, wearing my name on my shirt was a brilliant move and reaped many rewards.
3. Trident peppermint gum. I chewed one piece of gum the entire 26.2 miles. I swear to God, that gum must've been magic and I genuinely attribute part of my success to it.
4. The Marines and spectators. The race was so well organized and the volunteers and supporters were beyond fantastic. I can't find the words to accurately describe how wonderful everything was. I wish I had the opportunity to thank the Marines not only for their help and support during the race but for what they do every single day. They (along with the other branches of the military) make sacrifices I would never dream of and I thank them all from the bottom of my heart.

I feel like I have so much more to say but am afraid this post has already gotten too long. Thanks to everyone that has followed my journey and encouraged me along the way. I thought about you all during the race and am so thankful that I had the crazy idea to start this blog. The result has been nothing short of amazing and has buoyed my spirit and confidence. I hope to meet many of you over the years. :)

I must get some breakfast. I will write again later today or tomorrow b/c I have other news as well...

Catching the "Spirit"

I netflix'd "Spirit of the Marathon" last week and finally had the chance to watch it tonight. I knew it was going to be good when I turned to Dave with tears threatening to fall no less than 3 minutes into it. Nothing huge or miraculous happened; some guy simply said something like, "Running a marathon will change your life. You will absolutely be a different person after the marathon than you were before". BAM! Cue emotionally over-the-top overreaction. 'Grab some Puffs you little ninny!' The movie followed several people training for the Chicago Marathon (running gods/goddesses AND everyday people). I couldn't help but grimace during the parts where the runners are struggling through their 18 and 20 mile runs, thinking (me, not them), "Dammit dammit dammit. I shoulda done that! I am so screwed." What is it they say about hindsight...?! I was really impressed with the training program featured in the movie. It was a huge organized group that got together for long runs (if not other weekly training runs) and was broken down into pace groups. I think it was a 3 or 4 month long program. I had no idea that things like that (apart from TNT) existed in cities. That would be so fun, not to mention extremely helpful for someone like me with close to zero self discipline. Hmm. Maybe next time.

Today at work the marathon kept popping into my head; much more than normal. Every time I started to think about it, small knots would form in my stomach and I'd feel a little queasy. Good stuff. I can't wait to see how that intensifies by Saturday or Sunday. Yeesh.

Some fun facts about the Marine Corps Marathon:

*It's the largest race in the world that does not have cash prizes for the winners.
*Nickname: The People's Marathon
*4th largest marathon in US, 8th largest in world
*Date of first MCM: November 7, 1976
*Size of first MCM: 1,175 runners (by comparison NYC had 123 runners for it's first marathon in 1970)
*The race is now limited to 30,000 runners

That's it for now. Gotta hit the hay. We're leaving here tomorrow night after work to drive to D.C. G'night!

6 days. God help me.

The marathon is just six short days away. How the hell did it get here so quickly? I'm looking forward to the race, despite my lack of training and preparation, but can't help but feel like I've bitchslapped the very idea of my marathon. I've made a mockery of the training. I've dissed all those training plans I carefully studied and then discarded. I just feel kind of...bad about my lack of commitment. Maybe it's guilt. I also can't help but wonder if on some level I've sabotaged my training so that I can have an excuse if things go poorly. It's much easier to blame my poor performance on a lack of training (b/c my life was just waaayyy to busy to properly train. Er, yeah, that's it) than to say "Oh, yeah, I trained my ass off but 12 miles into it I got a hellacious cramp/ache/sprain/strain/whatever, that I simply could not recover from." But I'm not planning on having a crappy race. I really do believe everything will go well. At least as well as can be expected when you are pushing your body and mind far beyond familiar and comfortable territory. That's the exciting part though.

I just finished an awesome book that I hope to draw on for inspiration during the race. It's called "Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner". It was brilliant. I got it from the library last week and began reading it during commercial breaks of one of the Rays/Red Sox games (go RAYS!!). I couldn't put the damn thing down. I really couldn't. When it was time to brush my teeth I stood in the bathroom, book in one hand, toothbrush in the other. When I had to pee, I chilled out and read for a while. (I know that was TMI but I gotta keep it real). I stayed up late reading until my eyes could no longer stay open. The next day at work I read during my lunch break. I couldn't get enough of this book. Anyone who orders a pizza, cheesecake and coffee during a race and is able to consume it on the go immediately gains my respect. Dean Karnazes is un-freaking-believable. Although I realize that our levels of fitness are radically and vastly different (ginormous understatement), I am inspired and comforted by the feats he has accomplished. I keep thinking "If he can run 200 miles straight, surely I can run a measly 26.2 miles". Cake, right?! I have a feeling that one of my race mantras (and temporary tattoos courtesy of a sharpie) may be "never give up", which was certainly a resonating theme throughout the book. I know that I CAN and WILL do this. And I look forward to crossing the finish line and crying like a baby once I realize how much I've just been through mentally and physically. Good stuff. :)

I got tagged.

Rules: Each player answers the question themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blog and leaves them a comment letting them know that they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve answered the questions on your blog.

10 Years Ago (1998):
1. Sophomore in high school.
2. On the swim/dive team, soccer team, tennis team.
3. Got my dad's '95 Monte Carlo: "the MC".
4. Went to Alaska.
5. Got my first job...or was that '97? I can't remember.

5 Things on Today's "To Do" List:
1. Return jeans to the store b/c they made me look like I had "mom" jeans on.
2. Work.
3. Yoga or run.
4. Get package together to send to friend.
5. Watch 'How I Met Your Mother'.


5 Things that I would do if I were a millionaire:
1. Buy a house.
2. Take a month long (at least) trip around the world.
3. Pay off car.
4. Give some away to friends & family.
5. Invest.

5 Places I have lived:
1. Sebring, FL
2. Tallahassee, FL
3. Clearwater, FL
4. Murfreesboro, TN
5. ???

5 Jobs I have had:
1. Cashier at the "Big K"
2. Admin Asst
3. Office Manager
4. Pimp
5. Clerical Support Specialist

Now, I'm tagging....
I didn't really check to see who's already done this, so forgive and ignore me if I retag.
1. Suebob
2. Rachel
3. Emily
4. Irish
5. Julie

Nike = El Diablo?!

So my BFF Kim ran the Murfreesboro Half Marathon yesterday (GO KIM!!) and Dave and I were there to cheer her along. I decided to make a couple of signs the the the sign featured in the picture was my favorite. It came to me like a thunderbolt Friday night. I was trying to think of something funny and since I'm not witty enough to really come up with anything on my own I decided to use something from my favorite tv show - The Office. You can imagine my surprise when Kim approached us during the race and I noticed she was giving me "the bird". WTF?! It turns out she couldn't see what was underneath "Faster, Faster" and her first thought was "Dammit, I'm going as fast as I can. Don't tell me to go faster you bitch". Luckily she got a big kick out of it when she was able to read the entire thing. I have a picture of her laughing and pointing (at what looks like a Dr Pepper can on a traffic cone but I know she was really laughing and pointing at my kick ass sign). I was so proud of her and being in a race atmosphere certainly made me excited about my upcoming race. :)

Working at a physical therapy clinic definitely has its perks. One of the therapists has been asking me how my running is going (on a twice weekly basis at least), and seems to be amused when I say "Don't remind me!" after she conveniently reminds me "Only XX days left, Jen!" I've been complaining a bit about my foot and finally last Thursday she said "I'll take a look at your foot if you want me to". Hmm, let me think about this...free medicine. Sign me up! So she did an evaluation, which consisted of looking at and feeling my feet, watching me walk and making me do a variety of things such as standing on one foot (to see if I had to shift a lot of weight), doing a straight leg sit up while she held my legs down (no clue what the heck this was about but afterward she told me one leg might be longer than the other...wtf?!) and there were a few more things that I can't remember. I felt very self-conscious when she and another therapist were watching me walk. When I get nervous or overly self-conscious, I start grinning like an idiot. So as I was walking away from them I kept seeing my reflection in the floor to ceiling mirrors on the opposite side of the room. I tried to stop myself from smiling but I couldn't. It was ridiculous. I felt like such a retard. Anyway, it turns out my left hip is weak and I walk like a pigeon-toed ninny. Also, my super high arches are causing my foot pain b/c I'm over-pronating and the lateral part of my foot is trying to overcompensate for that. Somehow my weak hip comes into play. Apparently the weak hip always affects the opposite leg/foot. She gave me loads of information which I almost immediately forgot. Oops. She was also so kind as to give me a list of hip and knee exercises to do along with some therabands. Which reminds me I need to do those tonight. Booo.

When she asked me what kind of running shoes I had and I told her Nike she just shook her head and another one of the therapists held up her two forefingers in a cross as if to indicate Nike is the DEVIL (bum bum bummmmmmmm). They said New Balance is what they recommend to people as they tend to have the best support. Since I've had the shoes for over a month I don't imagine Fleet Feet will be too eager to take them back for me to exchange. I don't know what I'm going to do but I'll figure something out. I asked her whether she thought I should still run or not and she said I should try to get some different shoes but she doesn't think I'll hurt myself too badly...knock on wood. I ran thrice this week with minimal problems. I'm leaning more towards adopting a Galloway style for the race. That's how I completed my 10 miler a few years back with virtually no training, and it went pretty well. I'm hoping that since I have a decent, albeit smallish base, I'll still be ok. One good thing is that Kim's half mary piqued her interest in racing. I'm hoping that we can get together a few times a week (after my race) and run. I know that would be really good for the both of us. I still need to work on Dave though...

Less long runs, more pain and apprehension

Sooo, the 14 miler I last blogged about was my last long run. I was sore for 2 days and on the 3rd day my right foot started bothering me enough that I couldn't help but grimace as I limped around the house and the office. Not cool. I stopped 2.5 miles into my first run last week, unable to go any farther b/c my foot hurt so bad. Unfortunately, I didn't run again last week. Yeeaahh. I know, I know. I should have done 20 miles by now...or at least 18. I'm just gonna have to wing this thing bigtime. I've been thinking about joining either a much slower group or a Galloway group during the marathon. I haven't decided which I'm leaning towards. I'm just eager to talk to the peeps at the expo and see what they think (other than the fact that I'm a moron and a slacker).

I've done 6 miles so far this week and have had a bit of pain but nothing like what it has been. Honestly, I'm not sure what to attempt this weekend in terms of a long run. To be honest, part of me is saying "Screw it. How much good can it really do? Although you WILL finish this marathon, it's going to kick your ass so hard that a few extra miles probably won't matter". Ahh, yes, I'm known far and wide as the eternal optimist...or is it the eternal procrastinator/slacker/lazy ass? Something like that.

I don't have much else to report. We had some friends in town last weekend, which was wicked awesome. We did a corn maze, watched some football and went into Nashville where we drank way too much. Oy! Oh, and I learned an impromptu physics lesson Saturday night at the bar. Let me give you a quick background: we're at a bar where a live band is playing cover songs - most of which are country. The drink special was $4 pitchers of PBR (Pabst Blue Ribbon)...which were going down like water. Sometimes I get really into music, like, embarrassingly so, and begin to do things like play the air fiddle (my favorite), air guitar (not quite as common), or just jump around like a spastic moron on crack. Well, one of these "inspiring" songs came on - I have no idea what it was - but it was the kind of song that you just HAVE to get into. My chosen "dance move" at that particular moment was a sort of old-timey clap and leg slap: do a fast clap and then each hand slaps a leg in succession, then repeat very quickly over and over and over. I'm probably not explaining that well but I hope you get the picture. The problem was that I obviously couldn't do that with beer in my hands. Do I ask someone to hold it? Do I put it down somewhere? No. I put the plastic cup 3/4 full of beer in my mouth so that my teeth are gripping it. Guess what? Plastic cups flex and bounce. Guess what else? When plastic flexes and bounces (along with ones killer dance moves), whatever is in the cup splashes up (and into your face). I got maybe halfway through my second round of the quick clap/slap when the beer flew up and coated my face. We all had a good laugh. I'm glad I was good and drunk by that time or I would have been far more embarrassed (although my judgment probably would have been better than to do what I did). Anyway, the moral of the story is to simply ask someone to hold your beer before you get your groove on. Godspeed.

14 big ones.

So I officially had my first 20 mile week. I realize I should have surpassed that many moons ago but better late than never, right? I did two 3 mile runs earlier in the week, being sure to take it slow because I've been on the verge of having a full blown cold all week. As per usual, I'd planned on doing my long run on Saturday but that didn't work out. So after having breakfast, reading the paper and doing some laundry, I suited up and got cooking...er, running. I watched football as I ran and the first 5 miles flew by. I felt great. I swear, watching football is one of the best ways to pass time while running. It's so encouraging b/c in "5 minutes" in NFL time, I've usually run at least 2 miles. Good stuff. But I digress. So at mile 5 I stopped to stretch, drink some water and have a PowerAde gel packet. I hopped back on and did another 3 miles and took another water break and reset the treadmill b/c after 100 minutes it just stops. Since I was close I figured I might as well reset it. I did another 2.5 miles, took a break for water, did 1.5, break for water, 1 mile, break for water, and then the final mile. As you can see I was VERY THIRSTY. I guess I hadn't drunk enough water prior to running. It was very annoying. I chewed gum in a useless attempt to keep some moisture in my mouth but it didn't turn out to be very effective. Also, I was really starting to fade around mile 11. My ankles hurt, feet hurt and all I wanted to do was stop and chug a gallon of water. I ended up walking for 1 minute on the last two miles. Somehow, I managed to kick it up a little on the last .25 mile. I had been doing straight 12 minute miles and I think I ended up on a 10 MM pace for the last .25. Nothing groundbreaking, I know, but I was happy to have a little something to give. Then before I could finish recording my mileage, time and calories on the back of my "Learn Spanish a page a day" calendar I let my body fall backwards on the treadmill. I couldn't bear to stand a minute longer. My hamstrings immediately began to burn and ache and I figured I should probably not have just stopped moving like that but I didn't even want to think about getting up and walking or doing anything whatsoever. I laid there, grimacing, and took my shoes and socks off. A few minutes later I crawled over to my water glass and chugged. Then I got up and recorded the rest of the info. Of course, part of me was thrilled that I'd managed to do 14 miles but the other more dramatic (with good reason) part of me thought "Are you fricken kidding me?! That was just 14 miles. You will almost be running double that 4 weeks from today. How in the world is THAT gonna happen?!" Good question. I don't know. But I'm going to finish the damn race, whether it be on 2 feet, my hands and knees or crawling on my stomach. I'm hoping for the first option.

A few minutes later I was bending down to pick my phone up from the coffee table and felt like my nose was about to run. "Oops, need a tissue" I said aloud as I wiped my nose on my shirt (classy, I know). However, when I looked down I realized my nose was not running, it was bleeding. What the...?! I got some t.p. and stuck it up my nostril, took 4 Ibuprofen, got some frozen veggie stir fry bags out of the freezer and plopped down on the couch. What a sight I must've been. I still have no idea what the nosebleed was all about but it's better now. I was one salty dog though. There was a huge rough and slightly discolored patch on my shirt from where I'd wiped my face while running. Dave saw me a few minutes after the run and told me I had powder or something on my neck. I said "no, it's probably just dried sweat. No biggie." He was amazed and I'd like to think also a little impressed. :) I think I'm going to sleep very well tonight.

Yeesh.

Is it really almost October already?! Where is the time going? Not too much has been going on. I wish I could say that I've been so busy running my ass off that I've had zero time to blog about it. Not so. Last week was a bust. I missed my long run b/c as per usual, I put it off until Sunday even though all week I'd decided to do it Saturday so that I could avoid exactly what happened. I swear I'm just too smart for myself sometimes. Anyway, Saturday turned to Sunday and we had plans to go into Nashville to a sports bar to watch football. On the way there I kept telling myself (and everyone in the car with me) that I can only have a beer or two and then tons of water b/c I have to go home and run. Yeaaahhh. About that...one or two turned into several and I was enjoying myself way too much to stop and think about a freaking run. Then on Monday I felt like horse crap all day not only b/c my body felt run-down but because I was seriously racked with guilt over missing another run. I was not in a good mood AT ALL. I feel better today but still feel like a crapbag for having such a lousy week of running (or lack of).

Two weeks ago I cut my long run short and only did 6 miles. I guess the good news is that for the most part, I feel really great when I run. When I did 11 a few weeks ago, I felt like I could have easily continued. I know, 11 is still a drop in the bucket compared to what I will be doing in a month (oh my God, almost exactly!), but for whatever reason it makes me feel a teensy bit better. I will be doing at least 14 this weekend. I'm kind of at a loss for what to do b/c I know I have to increase my long runs (by quite a bit) but I'm worried I'll take that too far. I know the general rule is to increase mileage by 10% or some crap like that, but I'm going to have to throw that out the window and hope for the best.

My other concerns regarding the upcoming ass kicking of the year include the fact that I will NOT be:
1. running on a treadmill
2. while I watch tv
3. in the air conditioning
4. with my shirt off

Yikes. I am, however, excited about pace groups, which I read up on in the recent issue of Runner's World that was sent to me as a "free gift" (for 3 months - courtesy of Saturn). Has anyone used one during a race? It sounds like JUST what I need b/c every time I run outside I'm at a loss when I try to set my pace. It'll be much easier to have someone else set that for me. I'm pretty stoked about that and the prospect of having a cheerleader of sorts running with me for 26.2 miles. I really hope I'm not embellishing the role of the pace group in my head...I guess we'll see.

Yay.

I had a great run tonight and figured I should blog about since it seems like all I do on here is bitch and moan. ;) It was a 3 miler after work in my new shoes - details to follow later - and felt fan-friggin-tastic. My legs felt strong and all they wanted to do was go FASTER! My first mile was sort of a warm up but the rest were fast by my standards: 10:05, 2nd: 9:33, 3rd: 9:09. It has made a huge difference that I moved the treadmill so that it's not facing the wall. Now it is literally in the middle of the room...at an angle...so that I can see the tv. Priorities, people! I don't think the feng shui is particularly stellar and it looks like hell but it helps me run. So as long as Dave can tolerate it, I'm all for it. Now that that's out of my system I've got to go to bed. Happy hump day ya'll.

How not to train for a marathon

1. Don't select a plan. Why use something created by people who know what they're doing? Just wing it. Surely you, a novice who just started running, can make up a plan to get you through this process successfully without injury to yourself or others.

2. Don't pick a marathon too far away. Just started running? Give yourself less than a year - maybe 8 months or so. Why wait, right?!

3. Run by yourself. On a treadmill. Nuff said.

4. Don't worry about following the plan you made up for yourself. That's too much hassle. Just run when you feel like it.

5. Don't bother changing your eating habits. Runners thrive on pizza and beer at least once a week, in addition to lots of Mexican food, margaritas and more beer.

6. Don't cross-train or do any strength exercises. Why bother? That's just adding more crap to your list of things you already don't feel like doing...i.e. running.

That's all I can think of for now. I feel like a colossal jackass. My marathon is a mere 53 days away and my daily mantra has become "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea." I'm freaking out about this. My training is inconsistent and at times, nonexistent. I think I should have given myself more time, especially considering what went on this summer with us moving to another state and trying to get our lives in order. I really could sit here and "coulda, shoulda, woulda" all friggin night. The bottom line is that I need to crack the whip and get my run on. I just don't know how (obviously since I've been saying this for months now...) Ok, I'm done with the whiny self-loathing. At least for the moment.

Last Sunday I had 12 miles on the schedule. Since I haven't found a great place to run that far I figured it would be fun to break it up and do 6 or 7 outside and then the remainder on the treadmill. That didn't quite work out as planned. I did the 6 outside but was mentally worn out. I realized I had a problem when I told Dave (who was biking with me), "I think I'm going to stop and walk at the corner". Now, "the corner" was about .4 from where I was supposed to stop. I had no reason to make that my endpoint other than that I was being lazy. I realized that if I'm choosing a point to stop - instead of just stopping - I don't really need to stop. It's not as if I'm injured in any way and simply cannot go on. I'm being lazy. So I didn't stop there. I finished it out. Then when we got home I did 2 on the treadmill and stopped. Mentally I couldn't go any farther. I think part of it is that we recently got my treadmill from Kim's house and whereas it was in the garage in front of a tv when it was at her place, now it's facing a wall and it's driving me insane. I haven't been able to run more than 3 miles on it since we got it back. I need to rearrange or something b/c this isn't going to fly.

In other news, work is going well. I forgot how entertaining it can be to work with the public. Last week I was chatting with one of the patients and she was asking me how I was liking the job and if I was adjusting ok and whatnot. I told her it was going really well and I was catching on but it's definitely a lot to learn, blah blah blah. To which she replied, "I always used to get diarrhea when I started new jobs." Wow. Ok. I didn't see that coming at all. Thank you maam for telling me more than I ever wanted to know about you and your waste system. She's this sweet 65 year old lady and no, she didn't even lower her voice when she said the "d" word. It was nuts. Somehow I managed to stammer (with a straight face nonetheless) "Well, I haven't had anything like that...so that's good". I might have even held up my crossed fingers as if to say "here's to hoping...". Since bowel movements turned out to be a prevailing theme last week it's only fitting that another patient was talking about a "miracle bowel movement" she had. She literally used "miracle" and "bowel movement" in the same sentence. She was praising God for it and everything. I'm so upset that I didn't hear that firsthand. A few different people recounted the conversation for me. Ahh, good times.

I'm going to eat dinner now. My goal is to get up at 5 tomorrow morning and run. We'll see what happens with that. Maybe I should hire some kind of personal trainer or running coach or something. Hmm.

Double digits in the hiz-ouse!

I'm hella tired so this will be quick. I ran 10 miles on the treadmill last night...finishing up around 10 pm. I walked a bit, which I didn't anticipate doing, but I'm ok with it. My mom always calls on Sunday nights and I didn't want to miss her so I walked while we talked. I felt like I was going to ralph for a majority of the run, so I'm really surprised I mustered the will to finish. There were so many times I wanted to quit but all I kept thinking was how badly I needed to do this long run. I finally realized that I could spend all day coming up with excuses (and many times I have) but while I'm doing that I could be much more productive and just get the damn run over with. I downed some strawberry-banana Power Ade gel around the 6.5 mile mark and felt really good for about a mile and a half but then slowed down again. I was surprised at how "easy" the concept of going 10 miles was once I was over the 5 or 6 mile mark. I thought to myself, "Well you've done 8 miles before and that wasn't too bad. Surely you can do 21 more minutes or approximately 6 or 7 songs worth of running". And I did. Sure, my head was tingling (not sure what that was about) and my upper back was a bit stiff (anyone else have this problem? I think I might run like the Hunchback of Notre Dame or something), but dammit I did the 10 and am quite pleased. The worst part was showering later and feeling like I had a hundred tiny paper cuts on my legs - chafe much?!

Work is going really well. Everyone is super nice and I feel as if I've been there a lot longer than 3 days. It's very comfortable.
We've got company at the house right now so I've been unable to catch up on my blog reading b/c as soon as I get home from work (it's so nice to be able to say that again - finally) we're either preparing dinner or going out or running errands. I hope everyone's kicking ass with their running. I appreciate the support from you ladies about my last post. I think I'm going to print out the Hidgon schedule and enter my info into the Runner's World Smart Coach and see what kind of workout it generates for me. I really need to buckle down. Dur. I feel like I've been saying that for months. Anyway, g'night for now.

Working Girl

No more mornings sleeping in
No more daytime LMN*.

No more couch potato days
Spent lazily in my p-j's.

My green pleather sofa I will miss
But it's time for a goodbye kiss.

I'm once again a working girl,
Thank you Jesus, I desperately need the dollar bills.

:)

*Lifetime Movie Network

Unfortunately, I have no running achievements to mention but can proudly say that I (finally) start work tomorrow - at a physical therapy office! It only took 3 months after we moved up here but I finally found a friggin job. Yay! I'm excited (and a bit nervous) to get back to work, meet people, and get into a schedule of some sort. I found the job on craigslist - which was surprising b/c until now I'd thought almost everything listed on there was a scam or b.s. of some kind - and interviewed for it about a week and a half ago. I was told during the interview that they were going to do a "round 2" for whoever they wanted to interview again. It would be an informal interview to meet the other therapists and see how well the personalities meshed. I was extremely nervous as I was driving to the interview and almost wanted to turn around and go back home. My stomach was killing me, my heart was racing and I felt all gaggy. I arrived early and was pleasantly surprised by how beautiful the office was. It's a tastefully decorated, open area on the 9th floor of a huge building downtown Nashville. There are gigantic floor to ceiling windows that overlook rolling hills and downtown. When I met the interviewer I felt as if we clicked almost immediately. She completely put me at ease. There were several times during the interview that we'd deviate from the question she'd asked and start talking about anything from jewelry to "reality" tv. I felt so comfortable, in fact, that after she described her role in the office that I told her she was "kind of like the Michael Scott of the office". She didn't get the reference right away and I thought "Oh shit, maybe I should have reconsidered this". Then I asked, "Do you watch The Office?" and she said "Yes, I love that show". Looking back on it I'm lucky she didn't misconstrue my comment and think I was calling her a complete moron. Oy. After the interview as I drove home I was smiling the entire way. I felt SO good about the interview. I tried my best not to get my hopes up too high; Dave found himself in a similar situation back in Feb when he interviewed for a job and I would have bet $100 that he absolutely had the job...and then he didn't get it. So while I was excited about the experience, that situation was in the back of my mind the entire time warning me not to call off my job hunt just yet.

A few days later, I think it was last Tuesday, she called to see if I was still interested in the job. I said "absolutely" and she said "Although I planned on doing a second round of interviews, I had such a good feeling after your interview that I'd like to offer you the job". I was stoked! Not only did I want the job hella bad but was extremely flattered that I'd made such a good impression that she decided to ditch the second round of interviews. Score! It was funny b/c I told her how I left there and was in such a good mood b/c I got such a great vibe from her and the office and how excited I was about the job and she said "Me too! I was in such a good mood after you left and thought what a great way that was to end the week". Good stuff. The only drawback it that it's a bit of a hike: probably between 45 minutes and an hour each way. But I'm fine with it b/c I got a great feeling from the people and office when I was there and physical therapy is something that has always interested me. In fact, when I began taking college classes, I was actually taking prerequisites for P.T. Unfortunately, I was told by several people that the "supply had met the demand" and there wasn't that much of a need for P.T.'s. These comments, along with the fact that P.T. had recently become a Master's Program were enough to dissuade me from pursuing it. Of course now I wish I'd been forward thinking enough to realize that the pendulum has to swing the other way as Baby Boomers age, etc. Oh well. I'm hoping that my proximity to the field and other therapists will help me decide whether it's still something I'm interested in pursuing.

I had no long run last week. Boo! It's incredible how my weeks of running can be as different as night and day from one to the next. Two weeks ago I was absolutely pumped and was very focused on running and moving my ass in general. Last week I was more concerned with sitting on my ass than moving it. I couldn't seem to muster much excitement or motivation to move. I think I ran 7 miles the entire week. This week isn't shaping up to be much more promising. I've done 5 miles so far and contemplated doing 9 or 10 today but there is another part of me that is more concerned with fully enjoying my last day of freedom by watching t.v., reading, organizing the house, and cleaning (in preparation for company this weekend). I did do yoga, so at least that's something. I know I really should just do the friggin long run b/c there probably won't be much time over the weekend. God I wish I had a trainer or running buddy to keep me in line. Grr.

In other news I was on mypyramid.gov last week b/c for the life of me I could not think of all the food groups - which I feel like a moron for admitting but oh well. I noticed a link on the page for "MyPyramid Menu Planner" and thought that sounded interesting so I clicked on it. The page requires you to enter your height, weight, age, gender, and level of physical activity. With a bit of trepidation I entered the information. I know I'm bigger than I should be for my height but was unprepared to be taken to a warning screen that advised the following:

"The weight you entered is above the healthy range for your height. This may increase your risk for health problems. Some people who are overweight should consider weight loss. For more information about health risks and whether you should try to lose weight click here, or talk with your health care provider."

Ouch. I then had the option to view menu plans for my current weight or "to move toward a healthier weight". I guiltily chose the latter. I guess it's better to "keep it real" but it still stung a bit.

I guess that's it for now. I hope I have exciting running news to post in the next few days. If anyone in the Nashville/Murfreesboro area happens to read this and wants a running partner, please leave me a comment. I need you!!