OMG I have a half scheduled and I need to train

I know it's not until November.  Heck, the registration doesn't even open until April, but I am going to register on the first day and I am already mentally committed.  The opening of registration happens to fall on payday, it's fate, right?

I know I need to at least think about training because I really want to beat my last time.  However I also know I am NOT going outside in the cold.  I have deadly cold allergy.  During a period of insanity I said I would use the elliptical until the weather warmed up.  Now it's sitting there mocking me.  So after I finish my squats for the day I will hop on it and most likely let it teach me who is boss.  

Can't be worse than the very first time I got on one. I  was 300+ lbs and I said, I'll do this for 15 min and build up to an hour.  I last 45 seconds and it was the worst 45 seconds of my life.  I think it took me a week to get to 1 min where I didn't feel like I was going to die.  I have been pretty sedentary for the past few months, so I'm not sure how long I will last.  Again my goal is 15 min and then I'll get back to actual bringing in income work.  I'll do another 15 min after my workday and then another 15 right before bed.  Tomorrow I will do 4 sets of 15, giving me an hour with that particular machine.   It's a goal.  Not a lofty one, just a basic, get me through this week goal.  :-)

3rd Annual My Sorta Birthday 5k!

I'm closing in on 48 and that means it's time to starting thinking about my annual birthday 5k!

This year I've changed things up a bit.  You can run your race 48 days before or 48 days after my birthday, so you have all sorts of time.  From Nov. 3 to February 7.

I've also added some options.  There is the traditional trophy.  I like trophies.

Like always the trophies are personalized.

This year we are adding two other options.

A medal

I wanted to still be a little different, so I went with a military style pin on medal.  The back will be personalized and it comes with a presentation case.

Don't want a trophy or medal?  How about a couple of cool pins?

What's with the reading theme?  This year my birthday 5k will be raising money for Balloon Hats for Literacy www.4500hats.com  so I gave everything a reading theme.  

Also new this year will be teams!  A fun 5k is a great way to get together and have some fun. Walk it with your friends & family.  Challenge your running group to a mini race.  Team members save $5 per registration.  

As always there is a free option.  Just click on the tab at the top of the page and you can sign up for either the paid race of the free one!  

2 days in a row

I have managed to drag myself out of bed and hit the road two mornings in a row.  Tomorrow won't make 3 because I have to drag myself out of bed and go to work.

Some pics from my mornings - just flowers, but there isn't that much to photo in my neighborhood.  Oh and I wasn't take walk breaks ..... I was "documenting my experience"  LOL

even the morning glories were not up yet!

Yay! Just Yay!

Just looks like a pipe in the grass, right?  Well it is, but the direction it's pointing is why I am so happy this morning.  The last time I went this path they had it pointed to the sidewalk.  The jerks who own the home put the exhaust pipe for their sump pump to the side of the house and aimed it towards the sidewalk.  Nothing like getting an ankle sprayed with someone's basement water when you go for a run.  It wasn't always like that.  At some point a year or so ago, they made this choice.  The sidewalk there was disintegrating and walking or running past was not pleasant.  Especially in the winter when everything would be ice.  That part may still be a problem since as you can see, it' still close to the road and still causing water to cover the sidewalk.  

For today it was nice to be able to run past and not have water spraying at me, but at the grass instead.

Did a couple of miles.  My first run since the milk fast.  Felt good and the weather was PERFECT.  It was also nice that my whole family, well at least those that live with me, were out of the house and on the road by 5:30am.  Kid did 1 mile, I did 2 and hubbie did 5.  Big kids all slept in at their respective apartment.s  

A run

This image represents gout better than almost any I've seen.  Walking on a foot that's going through a flare up is a LOT like walking on cactus.  You know, only more painful.

I've held off on running since my last bout.  Wanted to feel 100% because as much as I love to run, I don't want to end up on the injured list for longer than I have to.

It went ok.  I walked the first mile to get good and warmed up and then did a walk/run for the second.  No tenderness really.  The biggest issue is that I have not run in months and need to get back on other fronts - not just the foot.  Slow and stead works for me though - so I'll give it another go and then again and then again...until I'm ready for my  next race.

Opinions Wanted

I have a friend who makes TuTus.  She's been working on some suited for runners who like to dress up for 5ks (and longer)

This is what she came up with for those night time neon/glow runs

It's a black TuTu with some neon panels.  The black makes the neon stand out and the the panels have pockets to hold glow sticks.  I loved the idea because I try to do the glow stick thing, but always end up losing them in the first mile.

Camera died right after snapping this - so another better picture shall be taken after it charges.

comment here or send me an email at shouldntsaythat@gmail.com

You can also message her directly on her facebook page at www.fb.com/gottahaveitkc

Moving Moving Moving

Not running, but getting several miles a day in with walking.  Running starts next week on Tuesday at 5am.

In my next race I want to be the guy on the left in the second picture.  :-)

Because I never look prepared for it.  Now, usually I am the guy on the right, except, you know - I'm a woman.  I've been passed by senior citizens, pregnant women, people with one or fewer legs.... you name it - they've passed me.  Right now I just want to waddle past someone and have them say "Oh S**t!  How did she pass me???????"

Running Outside Beats The Treadmill

Why do you think running outside (or inside if you insist) is better?

The good behind the bad

I've had computer issues so I have not been able to keep up with blogging and logging like I should.  Got that fixed and while not making myself log or exercise or write down a blog to type in later - something I totally planned to do, none of those "bad" days were like this one.

By all outward accounts not a single thing happened to make this a bad day.  I'm in a pretty good mood, nothing stressful.  What went wrong was my 3 mile walk/run.  It was HARD   <em>198</em>   So much harder than 3 miles should be for me.  I couldn't settle into a pace that was good.  I couldn't catch my breath (though that was probably mostly my head making my body react)  I ached, I hurt, I focused on all of that.

And I wanted so much to quit.

That's where the good part comes in.

I didn't.

I did the whole route.  After a certain point it makes more sense to continue than turn around anyway, because it's longer to go back.  Every fiber of my being from my mind to my body to my soul wanted to be done with this outing.

And now that I am done, sitting here with my drink and my 15k steps for the day so far - I feel good.  I hated it, I didn't want to do it and if I had been on my cell phone I would have complained the whole way.  But all of that negativity didn't stop me.  Once upon a time even the slightest owie would have been reason to stop or not go out at all.  I won't work through actual pain or injury, but I'm learning the difference between my mind trying to quit and my body actually needing stop

So in the end, my "bad day" was an NSV in disguise!

One of my favorite shirts from one more mile

find it here

http://onemoremile.net/collections/outlet-running-slow-is-not-a-character-flaw-quitting-is

Raffle coming up next week

Next week I will raffle off a free  entry into the See Jane Run half marathon (or 5k if that's your choice)

Check back starting Monday, March 10.  The raffle will run until Monday, March 31.

http://www.seejanerun.com 

Me too!!

I saw this on Scrambled Legs Running - facebook
https://www.facebook.com/scrambledlegsrunning

My version of running slower than a lot of people walk.  I don't care.  It's running.  :-)

Running for Beginners

There are a LOT of running plans for beginners out there.  Couch to 5k is a good one - but this one made me smile.  I love how it ends with Leap For Joy on week 12  That's how I see running.  It's fun.

Jigsaw of the day - Reasons To Run

Some reasons to run!

Run, Jane, Run!

I'm an Ambassador for See Jane Run again this year.  I'll be doing the half in Wichita, next September.  Next month I will hold a raffle to give away a free entry to the race.  Anyone who wants to join us is welcome on Team Coffee Run!

I'm excited.  Chocolate, Champagne and Running - what more could you ask for?

motivation puzzle - running sign

I've seen several photos of funny running signs.  This one is my favorite.  Probably because I've had to remind myself of just that thought during several races.

If you want a bigger board - just click the arrow in the corner of the puzzle.

slow is how you look at it

When I started it took me 35 minutes to do a mile.  And I was EXHAUSTED long before that mile was finished.  Then I got down to 15 on a good day.  I've not run in awhile, so it may be 17, 18 or even 19 now.  Still beats 35.  

To me at least.  I met a woman once who said that 15 might as well be walking.  I can see that but the motions are different.  I can actually walk faster than I run.  How odd is that?  While I do see where her thoughts were coming from, I was once again shocked by the number of people who like to discourage heavy folk from exercising.  It's like a mission with some of them.  Is it offensive that I try to exercise even though I can't always do it "right"?  What is it about a fat person trying to get healthy that brings out the need to criticize and put down?  I think maybe it stems from insecurity about what they are doing in their own life.  If I'm exercising and they are not, but they are fit and I am not - what does it say about them?  It's my best guess.  I don't care what other people do or don't do in their own life, and it annoys me when strangers feel free to comment on mine.

My goal is to be back down to that 15 min by the end of spring.  I'll set a new goal after that.