5ks

what do normal people do when they are stressed out?

because i most certainly just signed up for two 5ks. i mean what the hell?

maybe i will actually make it to these races. that would be good.

because so far this year, i have bailed on two races because of injuries. i suppose that it is smart of me to not run when injured. but man....i hate not being able to run.

yet most mornings getting up to run is like asking me to get shot. i just don't want to do it.

i am trying really hard to get motivated in the morning because it is absurdly hot in the afternoons, and because i know that my day will go much better if i just get up and exercise. it always makes me feel better, but for some reason i can't manage to do it....

silly.

so what do i do, i sign up for two 5ks and tell myself that i will train for them.

who wants to get up in the mornings and keep me accountable to running?

anyone? anyone? all by myself? yep, that's what i figured.

twilight.

yesterday morning (saturday) i woke up absurdly early. it's what i do.

i fiddle farted around and didn't go run until about 845.

i checked the weather and it was a balmy 64 degrees outside. i suppose i should have remember the rule of thumb of wearing clothing that is 10 degrees warmer when running, but i didn't.

well praia and i set out for a long jogaroo and managed to run mile sprints because it was too hot to be alive. seriously. 64 degrees, and i was melting. and poor praia. she was not having any of it. i had to drag her slow poke ass around.

i was so hot when we got back that i immediately laid down on the bathroom floor to cool off. i then shoved praia in the shower to cool her down....okay okay it was to give her a bath, she was absolutely foul.

once we showered and were all pretty and smelling nice again, i drove to athens.

sweet little praia had to have a day by herself, but she was wiped, so i am sure she didn't even know she had been abandoned.

a group of my friends and i went to athens for twilight. it's a big annual bike race and is basically an excuse for us to drink like we are freshman and watch people on bicycles fly past you at a million miles an hour.

my proof of actually watching the race.

drinking like freshman was not my best move. i was however asleep by midnight. that's how i roll. there of course was raiding of the vending machine first. i managed to eat 3 baked lays (that's chips not bags) and pass out. out like a light until about 6.

guess who couldn't get up then...this kid. the other 3 people in the room would absolutely not have appreciated me getting up then. i managed to hold my tongue until 8 and then i started giggling...

needless to say, i haven't gone running today. feeling a little worse for wear. i did play kickball...that was rough.....rough i say.

new obsession: pretzel chips and cream cheese

picture credit to my fellow enthusiast, bari.

back on my feet.

today one of my very best friends catherine (since 7th grade as a matter of fact) and i went running. prolific statement i know...

she told me about this program: back on my feet atlanta. i was of course intrigued. it involved being up ridiculously early and running. where could we go wrong here?

so we did just that. i picked her up at 515 sharp and we headed out into the great unknown of downtown atlanta.

it's a great organization and i highly recommend joining if there is one in your city. yes it's early, but it is really fun.

as the director told us, "if you don't love it, i will eat my shoe." as much as i would love to see someone eat  a shoe, i have to agree with her. i love it and it was very eye opening.

give them a looksee and see what all they do.

today was also the first day i have run since the beach. BOMF is probably the best motivation out there to get my ass out of bed and get moving.

3 miles. it felt so good. i forgot how much i like getting up in the morning and getting out there and pounding some pavement. the city is still sleeping, it's peaceful, and if you're lucky (or fast enough) you can beat the sunrise.

the only problems i have discovered with this is: voraciously hungry at about 910 and sleepy at about 815.

not the worst problems to have. i need to learn about eating throughout the day...who am i kidding i already DO that, i just need to quantify and healthify (should totally be a word) my intake.

if you are wondering, no i have not bought new running shoes. i am hoping a little mizuno fairy just sends me some. in the mean time i am diligently watching sales...glamorous.

cookiemonster
sleepypuppy

silly.

2.56 miles at the beach.

that was all. a measly 2.56. that's just silly. how did i only run that much? i mean in 4 days, that was it? silly.

well to be fair. saturday it was raining and sunday it was soo windy i couldn't walk forward, much less run.

but it was the beach it was amazing! that's all that matters. it wasn't atlanta and there was no work.

and beer. lots of beer. copious amounts of beer....

mizunos.......

3.77 miles. 30 minutes.

if you could call this a long run, then it was a long run. a pretty pathetic attempt at a long run, but i'll take it.

getting back into the running groove has been fun. i've been trying to push my times and my pace to see how fast i can get by october 7, but it may not be my best approach. whatever, i'm taking what i can get.

i leave tomorrow for candice's bachelorette party. i know i will run while i am there, but i cannot imagine they are going to be stellar workouts to say the least.

i may have just gotten distracted for the past 2 hours. talking on the phone with my mom (hi mom!) and baking cookies. i get easily distracted. so much so that i now realize that it is 10:05 and i haven't eaten dinner yet. good thing i have delicious left over mexican in my refrigerator.

i need to get new running shoes, but i grow ridiculously attached to each pair of shoes i own. i still have the pair i ran my first 1/2 marathon in. that was a year and half ago (almost). the second pair that i ran in two 1/2 marathons met their match. that match was tough mudder and they absolutely got donated afterward. i learned my lesson with those to get new shoes because my knee hurt for a solid 3 months after my 3rd half.

i should know better about getting new shoes, but sometimes...after i get back from the beach i will probably get new ones. it's just a matter of which obnoxious pair to go with.

i have a tough time deciding. i have the limited edition mizuno wave rider 15s and i adore them. they are offensively pink, but whatever. these two i just can't decide between. yellow is my favorite color, but the blue ones are pretty...hey mizuno want to just send me a pair? i promise to promote them everywhere...

there is also this option:

too rich for my blood, but soooo pretty.

these are the ones that hurt my knee because i am an idiot:

these were the originals that started the love affair. so much so that i took a picture of them....

okay so enough of my love affair with shoes. i have to go retrieve some oatmeal cookies from the oven....

*all pictures from amazon except the last - that one is mine.

3 miles.

so i actually got off my butt and went running after kickball.

win for me. my foot is a little tender and i've got my compression socks on. it's a good look.

i was going to make avocado pasta, but the avocado is bad. blast. looks like i'll just have to get another one and try again.

sad day in my life:

old trusty has a slice in her. i've only had it for about 4 years, but it's been through every race with me. the other day i was doing research on watches that have a gps built into them, and i think the basic timex knew something was up. i'm sad, but i am also not giving up on it, until it literally falls off my arm.

i also am not sold on the whole gps watch game. they seem so bulky. i like my little guy.

the run today was good. i ran it a bit harder than i intended based on the fact that i haven't run in over 2 weeks. i also started on an uphill. i thought i was going to die, but i kept pushing. then i hit the hill of death. (i have a long standing battle with this hill.) it's a silly easy hill, but it's the third hill in a row of them and i usually get exhausted about halfway up and want to stop. today i stopped. but i did 3 miles. which is pretty sucky and short for this kid, but i'll take it.

i stopped for two reasons. 1. it was hot and i was being a wimp 2. i could feel the pressure in my left foot from compensating for my right foot for the past two weeks. i decided that pushing it (anymore than i already was) wasn't in my best interest.

we won kickball. spring break theme was a success...

pool.pizza.

remember how saturday morning i was supposed to wake up bright and early and run my first 5k since i injured my foot in kickball? well one of those two things happened.

i woke up early. i did not run. i was a little bit disappointed that i wouldn't be able to run. and by a little bit disappointed, i was really really disappointed and went to target.

target is like the black hole of money spending. i went in there for soap. i came home with much more than soap. including this sweet new running top:

apparently that color is "military blue." i would call it more grey, but whatever.

i have a couple of target running tank tops that i am a fan of, so i am hoping i like this one as well.

after not running and going to target, i did my other favorite past time - beer drinking and pool lounging. it ended with ordering pizza to the pool and a 2 hour nap. fantastic. my phone died about halfway through the day and i never bothered to recharge it until about 1 in the morning. disdain for technology. my apologies to the functions i was supposed to attend.

yes. this happened.

nothing better than sunshine, beer, and cheap pizza to make you forget your foot doesn't want to cooperate in the whole running situation.

i am killing time until kickball, which is at 3 and is theme week. SPRING BREAK...woop woop. hopefully i can get a team picture of this ridiculousness. i have been listening to beachy songs all day in order to get in the mood. and because i'll be at the beach thursday. i.cannot.wait.

i'm going to try out that sweet new running tank top after kickball. because i clearly don't heed my bodies warnings of injuries. whatever. i must run. i'm losing my mind...

white.rascal.

tomorrow is my first official run since my kickball injury almost 2 weeks ago.

yesterday was my first bout with exercising again.

it started bright and early. 5 a.m. to be exact.

i do this weird thing where when i know i have important things to wake up for that i can't sleep. i woke up at 2:30 in the morning and freaking out. one because i had about 14 glasses of water with dinner, so it was violently urgent that i use the facilities. then i was just awake. i kept waking up sure that i had overslept my alarm. alas nope. just awake. and hot. really really hot.

finally it was actually 5 a.m. that meant i could actually get up and not this whole pretending game of sleeping. 5 a.m. yesterday was cold. COLD. it's april in georgia. cold is what it is not supposed to be. and not the it's 60 out and it's "cold." it was 43. that's legit cold.

i guess i should probably tell you why i woke up at 5 am. bootcamp. my friend catherine (HI!!!) invited me for bring a friend day. i of course agreed and then immediately remembered that yes i get up early to run, but i am usually out the door by 630, not 520. that's a whole hour later. whatever. let's do this.

i also wasn't sure how exactly my foot would hold up seeing as how it's still tender to the touch and i haven't done any form of exercise aside from squats in almost 2 weeks. could get ugly.

i will say. it was rather enjoyable (aside from the cold soggy grass- thanks for nothing drainage system at piedmont park....it's only been like 2 weeks since it rained...) i also surprised myself in how fast i actually am for short distances.

there was some hill work that i kept with the lead instructor and had to run an extra loop that no one else did....no bitterness here at all....and then managed to outsprint everyone to the finish.

to top it off, catherine and i won 1/2 off a month of bootcamp. woop woop. oh and becuause we are awesome and have known each other since 7th grade, we unknowingly wore matching outfits...

then, because you know i hadn't been up since 2:30 off and on, i decided to go rock climbing with candice. i haven't been in about a month and a half. needless to say it kicked my ass. KICKED MY ASS. i also forgot how much i loved it, and remembered that i have been missing it for quite some time.

now because i squeezed an entire weeks worth of nothingness into one day, i must get to the point. (not that i ever have one...)

i don't really understand this, but apparently his name is pete and he is the mascot of this race?

tomorrow morning i am running a 5k. this one - http://www.oakhurstcoop.com/ - i was supposed to run with andrew, one of my friends, but he had a last minute work meeting in the morning. he's run two other 5ks with me. he threw up at the st. patty's day 5k. he transferred his bib to my friend dekalb. who ran his first 5k st. patty's day and kicked it's butt i might add. but he went to the braves game tonight, so it's doubtful he will make it tomorrow....

so we shall see how this race goes. i previously mentioned i wanted to run it in 22 minutes. which i think is wishful thinking with the lack of running i've been doing these days. i don't think 1 day of hill work qualifies.

oh well.

i'll make a race update saturday/sunday. sunday kickball starts back again and it's theme week for the league and we are going with spring break. which means i get to wear my party party party tank top and a swimsuit. two things that make me furiously happy....

ciao.

p.s. i've learned my lesson. no shitty beer drinking tonight. that was yesterday at trivia. i also now have 3 places in atlanta that have my favorite avery white rascal....life is complete. if you haven't had it, DRINK.IT.NOW! i insist. and you can thank me later.

 source

party.party.party.

so we have officially past the week mark of no running.

i did go on a walk yesterday. i am not entirely positive that counts. oh i did hot yoga as well. but i think i consumed all the calories i burned off in cake and ice cream.

i have a race saturday, which may or may not get scrapped.

i had to e-mail the race director today because no where on the registration does it show where or when to pick up race packets.

this does not make me think highly of this race. the website says they are giving out prizes for winners, so in some way shape or form it has to be timed correct? and in an effort to support the environment the cups they are using are biodegradable.

clearly this race has been well planned and it isn't it's first year, but i am confused about packet pick up.

aside from coming up lame and not being able to do anything because of a kickball injury, i have been researching this nature box idea. here is a shot from their website:

in theory i like what it's about, but i am not so sure on my actual using of everything sent. who knows, verdict is still out. i like what they stand for and the idea behind it, so perhaps i really will begin this monthly box of surprises.

i also need new shoes. mine have a lot of miles on them. i just can't bring myself to get new ones. i grow bizarrely attached to my shoes when i run in them. last time i played that game, i hurt my IT band. i should really learn from my mistakes.....

the night of shitty beer drinking and dancing was a success (yes that was last thursday and yes i apologize...) my clothes were literally stuck to me and i had to take a shower at 1 in the morning i was so disgusting: hair washing and all. this little gem made it home with me.

it's actually neon yellow. NEON

i am in love with this atrocious tank top. i wore it to work the next day. you too can own one and we can be party friends...

tshirt

pool pining.

this whole kickball injury thing is totally throwing off my entire life.

i was searching around for a pool in atlanta and have come up super lame. why does it cost your entire life's savings, your first born, and your soul in order to get a gym membership? especially when i am going to go perhaps 5 times a month. (i am the worst about actually going to a gym...i prefer the outdoors.)

looks like we will keep with the immobility exercises. sweet. they are so exciting and all...

the cleansing diet got super derailed today. which you can read all about on my work blog if you care too. (i may get around to writing that one today...eek).

i didn't have time for breakfast. i keep a stock of high protein bars at my house and some not so high protein (ahem kids clif bars...that oatmeal cookie one. yum). so i grabbed a white macadamia nut clif mojo bar.

source

it wasn't great, but it wasn't terrible. i have certainly had better products by them. not too mention i was hungry about 45 seconds once i finished it and had no fruit handy. i ate the rest my apples and cuties yesterday.

luckily with work i had to make a stop at strabuck's and grabbed some trail mix. new favorite food: dried blueberries. who knew? yes i had caffeine today. i broke rule number one for me. no caffeine. i become a possessed six year old on caffeine. it's just not pretty.

lunch was on the later side and i dominated it. a sandwich from jersey mikes. good gracious i inhaled that poor mini sized sandwich. it never stood a chance.

now i am sitting watching terrible tv waiting for it to be an acceptable time to eat dinner. and of course avoiding the grocery store like the plague...in the meantime i am inhaling cheese and crackers. i should never be left alone with cheese and crackers.

any ideas on alternatives to boring indoor activities when you can't exactly extend your foot fully? i really wish i could go swimming. i certainly miss swimming. sigh.

now it's time to stop eating cheese (not because it's all gone...you caught me. it's all gone) and get ready to party. andrew w. k. concert tonight. if you ever are having a bad day, put on his music and you are guaranteed to be bopping around your apartment in your skivvies like an idiot. no? just me, well shoot.... 

here's to a night of drinking shitty beer and dancing.

injury.

that whole remain injury free.

#fail

i play kickball on sundays. it's a fun sunday activity. our name is time to sober up for kickball, if that is any indication to you as to how we play....

well this past sunday, i got injured. injured real bad. ha, not really, but i haven't been able to run, because i haven't been able to move my foot. it's swollen and purple. moving my toes toward my shin is excruciating. any tips?

i have a 5k next saturday (the 14th) and at this rate, i don't know if i can run it.

i ran a 5k st. patrick's day this year. i placed 2nd in my age division and 5th overall in women. i've never ever won anything for running. aside from the obligatory medal at the end of halfs. nothing at all. i have never been more excited about something in my life. it only took me until i was 25 to become competitive about my racing. go figure.

 

you caught me, these are mimosas...

you may think i am crazy for running on st. patrick's day, but that meant i got to guiltlessly drink beer in mass quantities. well not so mass because i had to run a half the next day. yes, yes i am a glutton for punishment....

now if i could just remember to not drink before a race, perhaps i could do even better. strange correlation there.

this 5k next saturday, i am aiming for 22 minutes. that's really really really fast for me, but whatever, all i know is i won't dry heave at mile 2 like the st. patty's day one. yeesh. and this foot injury may prevent it, but something about getting to that starting line and being around those people pushes me to my extreme...

hopefully this stupid foot can figure itself out so i can get back to training.

just keep running.

i read a lot of running blogs.

make that an inordinate amount of them.

i blog about work, so i decided why not blog about my life outside of work. which you guessed it revolves heavily around running, eating, and drinking good beer (with a side of really shitty beer and the occasional whiskey).

i've run 4 half marathons to date and countless 5k's. i ran in high school and sporadically (very) throughout college.

i went through a tough breakup 2 years ago and reignited the running fire.

i started training for my first half on my 24 birthday. literally that day. 3 months later, almost to the date i ran my first half marathon.

St. Jude Half Marathon in Memphis on December 4, 2010.

i finished, and wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry. so i did a garbled combo of both the moment i saw my dad. i then proceeded to pound any food i saw, and chug the grossest (best) beer i have ever had in my entire life.

nothing is quite as gratifying as that beer when you finish running. sometimes it might be the only thing that pushes me through the end. that and knowing the faster i finish, the faster i can drink more beer and take the world's most deserving nap...

second half was the Publix Half Marathon in Atlanta on March 20, 2011. PR'd.
third half was the inaugural Rock N' Roll Half Marathon in Savannah on November 5, 2011. PR'd.
fourth half was the Publix Half Marathon in Atlanta on March 18,  2012. PR'd.

i'll tell you more about those later.

right now i am signed up for some 5k's (again later), and a half on october 7.

my goal for right now is to remain injury free and see how fast i can get by october.

this it to keep me accountable and to tell my stories.

i'm working on cleansing my diet (aside from the chocolate chips i just inhaled), but i refuse to cut out beer. many other people follow my rule of thumb. drink beer and have fun.

here's to training, eating, and drinking beer.