Am I a runner?

So after the 3.7 miles on Saturday, I was a little pissed. Honestly, 3.7 is so close to 4 miles, I wish I would have gone just a little bit further. So, on Sunday morning bright and early, I woke up with a mission: run 4 miles!!!!

No cold hot dogs this morning so all is good. I prepared myself with my must-haves before running (spark, O2 and tylenol) and then got ready for the run. What I realized during this run is that i am horrible at understanding distance. I can't tell you what a mile looks like unless it has been clearly marked out for me. Needless to say, when I add some streets onto my run, I have no idea how far I have ran until I get int the old car and mark it out.

Anyway, I added some streets on and thought I had done about 4.5 and was so proud of myself. I only did 4.1, but it is still the farthest I have ever gone. 2 records in 2 days!

At about mile 3 I realized I was getting a blister on the arch of my right foot! Not a great feeling. When I finished I realized I had a blister on the arch of both feet and on a toe. I asked my professional running friend what this was all about. I wore the same shoes and socks as I always do. (Remember, I hate change)

She basically told me that when she began running at about the same point I am at she started to have the same thing happen. So this got me thinking: Since she is a runner and does marathons, etc. Am I becomming a "runner"? I'm not sure the answer to that. I will tell you I don't think so, but I guess only time will tell.

hot dogs and running don't mix

Saturday, we had a busy day and by the time we got home, I was starving and am embarrassed to say, I shoved two cold hot dogs down. About an hour later I went running. First of all I ran farther than I ever had at 3.7 miles. I was feeling good. I got to about mile 2.5 and decided I was going to go a little farther today and try for 3.5. At about mile 3 my body remembered the two cold hot dogs. let just say, all that went through my head was "don't throw up!" I managed to keep everything down, but the thoughts of barfed up hot dogs isn't all that great while running! Gross!

Creature of Habit

I'm a creature of habit. I know I had plans of running on the path to help my shin splints, but I just couldn't do it. I took off yesterday with my same route in my head. I actually had my mind in a good place to go running today, which is usually my biggest battle. So while running I decided today would be the day that I would go beyond my routine and add 1/2 mile and do my longest run yet and do 3.5 miles! My legs hurt so bad, but I just kept on trucking! It's all mental and I had that part down. I was so proud of myself!!! Well, almost done with my 3 miles and my left foot went numb! Yes, numb! It was so hard to finish running and I decided not to do the 3.5 miles for fear of falling and then what the hell would I do? I couldn't feel my foot!!!! It was the craziest thing! So, I get done, a little disappointed I didn't get to do 3.5 and I see my friend and tell her what happened! She says, "Oh, tie your shoes like this." I changed the way I tie my shoes and instant relief. I'm such a dork! Who knew that simply tying your shoes a different way would be a trick to running? This running stuff is crazy!

Hopefully today I can get my mind in the right place to do my 3.5 tonight!!!

My comfort zone and cooties

So, I hate change! Let's just get that out there. So, I was running up and down the subdivision and was getting pretty comfortable with it. I do well running until I have to take a day off, then i hate starting up again. Anyway, I was doing well with the subdivision until my wonderful friend informed me that I wasn't really doing 3 miles. She would show me the way! So, two nights ago she ran with me. I needed her to because I knew I would quit on myself. I actually don't like running with her because I feel so bad for slowing her down. Last night she was off running her 6 miles, so I went out on the path she showed me. Half way through my run I see this body running up to me. She finished her 6 miles and came to finish mine with me.

So, I said, "There............was...........a.............cooties.............foot.........on.............the.............ground!" (I was a little out of breath)

She was a little confused, but I had to explain that I found a cooties foot from the toy, on the road. It's that kind of random things you see that really get your brain going while you run. Until she got there, what I was thinking was did a poor child carry around their favorite cooties toy in their stroller ride and drop a leg? Did a dog decide to eat a cooties and drop the foot? Did some parent get so frustrated that they thought the road was a great place to play the game cooties to add a level of danger to the game? How in the heck do these things get in these random places?

Then I moved on to more intense thought. Why do people put plastic flowers outside? Do they think you can't tell that they are plastic? Are they really that bad at remembering to water that this is there only option. I personally think it looks silly. Plastic flowers are too perfect, therefore totally selling themselves out as not being the real thing. I just wonder.

That was my journey yesterday. Today I have an off night so am just hoping to get a good walk in or maybe some Just Dance on the Wii.

I do have to note that for hopefully only a temporary time, the posts will actually be reflections from the Cedar Valley Nature Trail, as I have shin splints and need to take some time off the roads.

my butt is like a low ride car

I'm not skinny. I'm working on it, but I have some ways to go. I have decided when I run, I must look like one of those cars that has so much crap in the trunk that the trunk is only inches from the ground. That is how my butt feels. It always feels like it is pulling my back and down towards the ground. If only I could detach it! I would be so much faster!!! I'm not tall anyway, so it is close to the ground, but if I could just take it off and leave it at home for my runs, I could get them done so much more quickly.

The Beginning

I am not an athlete! I never really have been. I was a cheerleader in High School and you can get into arguments there, but never really coordinated enough for a whole ball and running type thing. I did run track in High School, but wasn't ever fast, nor did I really have any desire to put in the hard work. I just wanted it to come easy for me like it seemed to for the other people. Little did I know that it may have been a little easier for some (genetics and all), but everyone had to put in the effort.

Anyway, fast forward some years (many) and here we are today. Two kids later with about 50 pounds to lose and a friend that loves to run marathons and you get me attempting to start running.

I decided running would be good for a few things: 1. I had my friend that has all kinds of information about running to help me out 2. no ball is involved 3. it had to be easy right? One foot in front of the other and follow the road. I mean come on, even someone like myself can do this right?

I have been running now for a few months. Actually I have managed to even compete in 2 5K races. I decided to start writing down this journey. Not only for the random thoughts that cross one's mind while running by themselves with only their brain to keep them occupied, but also the trials and tribulations of someone, like me, doing something so out of character.