In the Long Run

I may have mentioned that I'm a runner once or twice.  Extolled the virtues of getting out there and the mileage that I log and that I have a marathon coming up in September.  What I've probably neglected to share, the shame of my running life, is just how difficult actually getting out there is.  Maybe there are people who wake up and are super excited to bust out the door for their morning run.  Maybe running is easy for them.  Maybe they're fast and lithe and tall.  These are the people who keep track of their splits (or know what those are) and practice speed work on a track and don't eat cheese enchiladas.  
I am not one of those people.  While I'm an early, happy riser, my first thought is coffee and food not sweat and exercise.  So every morning that I am scheduled to run a little battle goes down in my head.  Sometimes it starts before I even push back the covers.  Usually it begins with me hoping it's raining because that's a valid, guilt-free excuse to not do it.  Then when I discover it's a clear morning I wonder about the cold/heat/humidity, maybe it's not healthy to be running right now.  But then my self has to remind my slacker self that no one has gone down from running at 70 degrees.  Then I think about what exercise I did the previous day.  Maybe Bob Harper's Ultimate Cardio workout kicked my butt and my legs are just too sore to run.  I feel sluggish and it's gonna be a slow, miserable 4 miles.  And my self patiently replies that it's a part of the training, there's a marathon I have to run in 12 weeks.  Gotta start building the mileage now so I can get through the 26.2. Just put on your running gear and then we're set.  
Somewhere between getting out of bed, eating my Ezekiel bread with almond butter and getting a little caffeine in me, both selves start to ramp it up and get a little more aggressive.  WHY do I have to go out in the heat/cold/snow/rain/sun and sweat/freeze when everyone else is sleeping? Running is hard and it hurts and I'm slow anyway!  BECAUSE YOU COULD STAND TO LOSE ABOUT 10 POUNDS AND YOU ALREADY PAID FOR THE STUPID MARATHON, JUST GO!  IT'S NOT TORTURE, IT'S FORTY MINUTES OF YOUR DAY!  PUT YOUR FREAKIN SAUCONY'S ON ALREADY!
9 times out of 10 the drill sergeant self (who yells in all caps) wins and I do put my running shorts and bra and wicking top and shoes and heart monitor and cap and chafing stick and iPod on and I make it out the door.  It's a pretty steep incline out my door up to the street where I can actually start running and this is always my warm up.  Florence & the Machines' Dog Days starts me off and my heart monitor says I'm fine and then I start.  And the first half mile is always pretty good.  Nothing hurts yet, I feel I've made the right decision.  I'm a runner dammit and it may be 7am but I'm out here watching as the sun makes it way up.   
But the battle doesn't end after the running begins.  Somewhere between the turn that marks the half mile the battle starts up again.  This time the issue is distance.  Do I really have to do 4 miles (or as was the case this morning, SIX!)?  What if I just do two?  Twenty minutes is still a good workout right?  I think my ankle hurts, I don't want to damage it anymore.  It's really hot, I'm going to get sunstroke.  I didn't eat enough and now I'm hungry.  This goes on until whatever the mid-point is.  And then a miracle happens.  My slacker self shuts the hell up.  Nothing to do now except run as fast as I can so I can get home.  My legs, which have been willing accomplices this whole time, are compliant.  And the second half of my run is always great and seemingly easier.  What were pains and possible reasons to stop minutes ago are gone now.  With all that quiet in my head, I usually come up with great ideas of things to write about or solutions to problems that have been puzzling me.  
My question is then, why?  Why can't I just get up, get dressed and start the damn run?  I know I'm going to do it.  I know I'll feel better once I do.  I know it's going to help me in the long run (pun intended).  I've never once been upset that I DID run although I've felt plenty awful about the times I've let myself talk myself out of it.  Maybe on Saturday when my eyes open I'll jump up and be super-psyched that I've got 10 miles ahead of me and I'll bust out the door with no hesitation...

Turkey Trotting into a Pothole

Hi Delicious-

Our first Thanksgiving here in Cincinnati, two years ago, we were on our way up to Hamilton to have the Big Meal with family and crossing the River from Kentucky into Ohio I saw thousands of people in a race.  It looked like so much fun and made sense to run right before doing all that eating!  I declared that I wanted to do that.  That was when I ran as exercise...maybe twice a week for 30 minutes and never seriously, as a chore.  Now that I run so regularly and have found that I love it for more than just exercise I remembered that race and was so excited to sign up this year. 

Especially when I found out that this race was the 100th annual running which made it the 6th oldest in the country and at 17,000 registrants, the largest Thanksgiving 10k!

I should have remembered however that 17000 people running means at least 20000 parking and walking around Paul Brown Stadium where it started and finished.  I'm not a fan of groups of people under the best circumstances but a chilly morning when I'm wanting to run?  Even less.  After FINALLY finding parking, getting my race number (don't wait til the day of, ever!) and depositing my warm sweater back in the car I TRIED to get to the start but that in itself was a hassle of a chore.  Finally making it to a place where I could at least stand without being sandwiched between people I had 4 minutes until the start.  When it started I don't know but it was supposed to be 9am.  By the time I got to the actual starting line and could even begin a slow jog it was 9:10.  The first two miles were basically a jockeying for space.  There were walkers and strollers and people with dogs and people power walking.  By mile 2 I feel like I had just gotten my stride and was getting into it about to go over the bridge to the Kentucky side and I went down.

My left foot got caught in a pothole and twisted mercilessly and my right knee caught my fall.  My phone went flying and two people were nice enough to stop and help me up and I told them to keep running.  I limped over to the side of the bridge, trying to get out of people's way and simultaneously NOT bust out crying.  My pants had a tear at the knee and the knee was bloody.  But the left ankle felt like it was going to bust out of my sneaker.  So I had two choices:  I could sit on the side and cry like a baby and then have to walk back to my car anyway, OR I could just try to get through the rest of the race and deal with the sprain after.  I'm dumb and I chose to finish that damn race.  That pothole didn't own me.  So I started walking on or, more acurately, hobbling and that hurt like a bitch.  From my previous shin splints I know once you get running it usually feels better so I started to sort of power walk and then go into a slow jog.  By the time I looked up I was at Mile 3.  I was halfway so I fast jogged most of the rest of the way.  Sometimes I got distracted by the fact that I could see that my ankle was swollen but since I had to get back to the car, I figured might as well do it this way.  And I did, I finished that stupid race running across the finish line and then limped to my car.  No water, no bananas, I just wanted to get home and take my shoe off.  With stopping and crying and walking and slow jogging I finished in 1:19 which really pisses me off cuz I was looking for a good time this go round. 

I guess I should stick to looking at the ground and my feet when I run...

Faux Fur, Talkative Judges & Covered Toes!

Hi Delicious-

This week has flown by, can't believe it's already Friday!!!  Here are some of my random thoughts from this week:

FAUX FUR
I was fortunate enough to hook up with the Welcome House in Covington, KY, a homeless shelter for women and children and start volunteering for them recently.  Of course when they found out about my background in events they wanted me to help them with their Ladies Night Out Faux Fur Fashion Show and Fundraiser!  So I made up some baskets and worked the registration table (God help me!) and then got to go be an actual guest which was an awesome change.  My friend D came out and we shopped the wonderful showroom of fabulously, luxuriant furs that looked very, very real.  We bid on a Chinese raffle and everyone was in love with a faux fur throw that seemed to be the hottest prize.  I never win raffles, like NEVER but I put my two tickets in anyway.  After the obligatory wine and cheese and the fun raffle show using ladies from the audience as models, it was raffle time.  Of course, I didn't get any of the other prizes but I WON THE THROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I got to pick out which print I wanted (coyote, and yes, I feel wrong even writing that!) and it's like 60x72 inches and it's being delivered next week and it's valued at $299!!!!!!!!!  That may be the most valuable thing I've won like that!!!  FUN, FUN, FUN!  Now I feel indebted to this charity forever!  So I've got to give a mad shout out to Donna Salyer's Fabulous Furs:

NEW RUNNING SOCKS
Thanks to @rhondapsd, I have those running socks that have a "sleeve" for each toe...kind of like a glove for your feet.  Once you get used ot the weirdness of putting them on, they're actually really comfortable.  I only wore them for two short runs so I have noticed much of a difference but I'm sure I will when I'm out there doing the 100th Annual Cincinnati Turkey Trot (6th oldest race in the nation, pretty impressive) (and, I'm guessing, COLD!)!

TV (SPOILER ALERT)
I know this is going to shock everyone, so just sit right down.  I am a little bit over SYTYCD!  The performance show was TWO HOURS people, not necessary!  If you only let one judge answer for everyone since they all agree anyway, we could keep this show under an hour and see more of what I watch it for...GOOD DANCERS!  And I have to say that the choreo isn't really blowing me away this year.  I know everyone loves some Travis Wall but he's got to give us something new, how many times can we be moved by the same routine??? (Altho Ryan and Ellenore were wonderful in it and I wouldn't mind if there was a scandal that he left the other less likable chick for her...THAT show would be worth two hours!)  The only other routine worthy of mentioning for me was the birdcage one...finally, Tyce is back...but then she went home.  wah, wah!


DWTS was pretty good but Donny Osmond in the finals?  Oh goodness!  I would have preferred Joanna's spiciness!  I'm just in it to see Mya win like I predicted!!!


FLASH FORWARD continues to confuse and creep me out...there's an endless amount of twisting and turning going on...but I'm kind of feeling like maybe the plot isn't moving forward so much as laterally.  I'll stick with it to see where it goes.


I still have many, many hours of stuff on the DVR...have to watch PROJECT RUNWAY finale (even though I saw a spoiler tweet about who didn't win!)...and we're like a month behind on GREY'S ANATOMY (I still don't know why Izzy left) and THE OFFICE & V...we'll never catch up!!!

"Hey, I put some new shoes on and suddenly everything's right..."

Hi Delicious-


I've thought about trying to do a wrap-up of my 37 years on this planet but that's trite and been done.  I mean, I'm not done yet...so, yes Friday was my bday (the 13th...oooooh....spooky!) and I did nothing.  (Not, I didn't not do anything special for my birthday, I literally did NOTHING)  That was my present to myself.  I took off work, put my phone on mute and stayed away from the computer.  I read, I watched TV (in the middle of a weekday!), I layed in the hammock (thanks to the lovely 70's we're currently having), I ate doughnuts and French Fries & I went to bed at a resonable hour.  It sounds horribly boring, but it was actually kinda lovely!  The only thing I really did was talk to all my friends and family who called and that was really the best part of the day.  Maybe next year I'll be moved to do something a little more celebratory but after years of partying and drinking and making a fuss, a non-fuss was nice.

Today, felt more like my bday cuz I took my bday $ and went and got new running shoes. (Hence the title line from the Paolo Nutini song...my feel-good song of 2007!) My original pair that I bought before I knew what I was doing and that now have toe-holes are through.  Say hello to my new Saucony Omnis:

They're not pink...but they are super-comfortable and with my over-prognation need all the help I can get!!!  I am so ready for my 8 miles tomorrow!

P.S. I also watched SYTYCD and I don't really have anything to write about---what a BLAH show!!! No one really stood out...the cane dance was pretty interesting but that's kind of it. The only thing I'd really be moved to say is please, keep Lil C off this show! He's a horrible judge and he's a choreo who either stole the premise of his routine from 2 seasons ago or doesn't watch the show enough to know that someone already did that and did it better!

Getting Started...

"The miracle isn't that I finished.  The miracle is that I had the courage to start."  -John Bingham

I read this in a running column and believe in it every day that I make it out to the beginning of whatever running path I'm starting. 

This morning, though, as I lay in the comfort of my warm bed, in the still darkness and have an internal discussion with myself on all the reasons why I don't HAVE to go to yoga today, I realize that it applies to more than just running a race or long distance.

Every time I quiet those voices with the great 'not to' reasons, I'm winning.  Every morning I get up in darkness and step out into coldness against that nagging, lazy part of me, I'm winning.  Every time I choose bravery over the fear that this yoga class is going to be too hard, that everyone will be better than me and that there will be things I can't do, I'm winning. 

The Moksha Yoga studio I go to has smaller classes than I've ever been to (ranging from 2-10 students) and while that's a great way to learn, it is so intimidating.  There is nowhere to hide.  Every other person in the room can see you and all your 'mistakes'.   But it's also making me better.  My instructor today said that the biggest lesson of yoga is to accept yourself.  Accept what your body allows you to do.  Accept your imperfections.

As long as I enter a studio or start a run, I will accept everything that comes after.

Sunday Fun Day

Hi Delicious!

Winding down another great weekend...hate when nighttime falls on a Sunday evening! But I managed to pack a whole bunch of show-watching, yoga posing fun in so I can't be too bummed. 

First off, the weather...in the 40's and low 50's...IT'S OCTOBER!  And there's snow falling in the mid-east?  Next week we better get the Indian Summer they're promising (although I haven't heard it from Cincinnati's Steve Raleigh, who is only the best weather man on the planet, so I'm not holding my breath).  This weather did NOT make me want to get out of my bed early this morning and dressed for yoga only to put sweats and Uggs over that!  But I did it...the hardest part is getting out of the house...then I'm home free.  Except maybe not today cuz I took an Ashtanga class with a dude, I think that was my first.  He was challenging and very different but it was a great class (are there bad yoga classes?  haven't had one yet!) and I left feeling SO proud. 

I also found two poses that I think my runner readers will appreciate and I can't wait to see how they affect my post-run stretches!  The first he called King Arthur's pose (probably because the real name is Eka Pada Rajakapotasana variation and it was very early!) and it streched my quads more than any other pose, ever!  Here's a great explanation of it, sounds complicated but I will do this after every run now: http://www.ehow.com/how_4444032_do-king-arthurs-pose-yoga.html.
To compliment this pose, he had us do Dolphins Pose which really got my hamstrings.  Yoga Journal has great step by step instructions at  http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/2462.

Yoga took up my morning but (shockingly) football took up my afternoon.  Mention of sports for me is minimal so please don't glaze over just yet.  I don't dig sports and football frustrates me because it's the most stop and start game.  I love to watch hockey because it's fast paced and there's lots of unchecked (pun intended) aggression.  But not so much with the football.  In a town like Cinci though, if you don't know what's going on with the Bengals, you feel left out.  For the first two seasons we were here they sucked too bad for me to have to care.  But football around here kind of is like pop culture...it's what people talk about, it's the clothes people buy, it's what they DO on a Sunday.  And I have to say, it's pretty entertaining.  Because I have a DVR and I can pause, go do other things, come back and fast forward when the other team is in possession of the ball.  I can fast forward through the stupid half time and commentary and now I love it.  Now I can make a game ACTUALLY LAST THE HOUR IT'S SUPPOSED TO!  And I know what's going on.  This Sunday the Bengals did not pull themselves out of their 11 point hole in the last 2 minutes like usual and the stupid Houston Texans (very creative name!) kinda kicked our ass. 

One thing I didn't forward through is my favorite commercial in a while.  The Bud Light "Too Light/Too Heavy" commercials are mostly dumb but The Breakup cracks me up!  "We can still be really good friends, we'll just be together a lot less...like almost never." HA!  I would hope to get dumped so nicely!

Next up, my week's wrap up of the shows I was able to catch up on...

Hungry, Active, Literate Couch Potatoes Apply Here!

Hi Delicious-

Sitting down (at the request of @caboomer) to put these random, harried thoughts to the screen I realized I did this by first putting pen to paper.  Old School!  Maybe I'm the last person on the planet that has to see the written (versus typed) word to know it's real.  IThere's something to be said for seeing your words and crossing them out and ripping them up and then putting it up on the screen as the finished product.  So when you think of me doing this blog each week, imagine a pink notebook being filled with all kinds of scribble from a fuschia marker for days before I actually sit at the laptop to present to you.

Also trying to decide WHO would read this blog???  Someone as obsessed with pop culture and all things tv, music and movie related.  But not just any couch potato...no, an ACTIVE couch potato!  Because I'm equally (ok, almost) obsessed with running (altho I'm on a forced hiatus right now), yoga (I just started a 30 day yoga challenge 3 days ago) and healthy eating (@Hungrygirl is my favorite thing right now! plus I've been a vegetarian for the last 15 years) and pretty much just eating in general (last night at 2am I had Fourth Meal!) I also really enjoy travelling (everywhere) and exploring (my new hometown Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky and it's surroundings) I love animals and have 7 of them...I am very sure you'll hear lots about them here!  Lastly, I guess, a LITERATE couch potato.  I am a voracious reader and always have a book (or two) going on (so far this year I've read 43 books) most of them on the English monarchy (random) but I love everything from Stephen King and Nick Hornby to Candice Bushnell and Anne Rice.

Still with me?