how to pull off the "runner" look

So, my costume is complete!

I got myself a snazzy pair of sport sunglasses. Now I am TRULY a runner.

I can't wait until Tuesday when I go for my run and I can wear them and all the other runners will probably fall over or trip over their own feet as they watch me whiz by in my amazing sunglasses! They will probably hang their heads in shame and cry for the rest of the day after they see a REAL RUNNER!!!

bawahahahaha!

track your run!

An interesting website where you can plan and track your running routes! Cool beans!

http://www.walkjogrun.net/

on celebrating the little things

I'm going to say it. I'll just be honest.

I REALLY like working out (aka swimming and running). My favorite part is strutting and flexing my new found muscles at the mirror and then singing along to Fergie's song "...up in the gym just working on my fitness!!" over and over again. Now, I'm not saying that I'm miss suave (hardly!) or that I don't still have a LONG way to go, but dammit I'm definitely in better shape than I was say, 6 months ago? That to me is awesome and something to be celebrated. Here's to the little things! (Like not having to suck it in to get your pants buttoned!)

I think its snapper time!! Cheers!!!

no more chafing

I signed up for a 5 K next week! And today I did some speed work during my usual run to get it use to running FAST!!!

I found a cool product for those of us with chafing issues: Bodyglide! Now I don't have to wear fat girl spandex shorts under my normal shorts on my long runs! Woohoo!!!

half....?

Bekah and I are training to do a half marathon in November. You all are of course invited to join us!

http://www.clarksburgcountryrun.com/

Hope we don't die.

the end.

death by pink Barbie car

She didn't look evil at all in her cute little pink car, golden curls the color of sunbeams shining in the late afternoon light. She couldn't be much older than 4, I thought to myself. It wasn't until I was a few paces away from her that she veered the Barbie car with its whining engine off of the paved path and onto the dirt I was jogging on. I realized she intended to hit me with her car. Luckily it wasn't fast in dirt and I had enough time to come to a stop, inches from her little pink bumper. She glared up at me, seeming disappointed she'd missed her target. As I stepped around her she slammed her dainty foot on the gas and spun her back tires until she was back on the path. I was almost hesitant to turn my back on the little devil. I never dreamed that a "close call with a car" while running would be in the form of a pink Barbie car with a four year old behind the wheel.

where I want to be when I grow up

On the eve of my upcoming birthday I had an epiphany...I'm going to be 28 and that means I only have two more years before I'm 30!!! *gasps and cue the dramatic music* I whine to myself....but, but I thought I'd be so cool by now!!! With the new quarter not even three weeks behind me I decided it was about time I started taking my life more seriously than my studies (please no one tell my advisor this).

As a result of my impending birthday I have decided it is time to meet some of those goals I set myself when I was like 12. By the time I am thirty I wanted to...

• be able to speak another language
  
• completed a triathlon
  
• written a novel
• be healthy (um, what does that mean?)
• play a musical instrument
  

There are more but I think those few are enough for now...no sense in overwhelming myself now is there?

So, three weeks ago I started on the list above. So far I've started cooking more delicious and nutritions foods (like, yesterday I made a delicious Mexican Bean Salad...so good!) . I also started working out three times a week and running.

While I'm nowhere near meeting the above goals I have at least started something. That's worth a little bit of celebrating right? RIGHT?!?!

on being a failure

Dude, this sucks. So I went for a "run" the other day and it really hurt and I mostly walked. I wanted to cry. All I could think about were the good old days (think last summer) when I was running 5 to 7 mile runs no problem and now I can't go around the block without my shines feeling like I'm running through fire!

Slowly but surely I guess, right??

Running

I'm making Jenny do the cowtown half marathon. Supposedly you get a cow bell at the end. I mean, HELL-O how could we NOT do this.

Anyway running sucks. I've gone 3 times so far this week and the first one I swear to God I am now 200lbs 'cause that's how much I felt like I was dragging down the street. The other two were much easier though, thank God, but they still sucked. I don't remember being this slow before.

I need new running shoes, though. Jess' face exhibited nothing less than horror when she examined mine yesterday. Hopefully that will help some.

Also, anyone who is anyone is doing the Bay to Breakers run in May, although, sadly, they have banned nudity and drinking this year. I highly doubt that will stop anyone...except the mail room man I know who plans to find a flesh-colored speedo and attach "something" to it. I hope he either runs a lot faster than me or a lot slower...most likely faster at the rate I'm going.

yeah....

Alright! Alright!! *throws hands in the air* I will admit, I've been lazy. I have ran probably three time since I've been back from my holiday. It just seems school holds your life screaming by the throat out the window of a fast moving car and says, "HAHA SUCKA! Now whacha gonna do!?!" I always give in and beg, "please just let me live!!!!" It lets me....but barely.

But that is over now!!! I am tired of letting this thing called school hold my life ransom!! I will rise up in revolution! (...me and my cells!) Together we will over come this bourgeoisie rule! ....wait...that's Marx, *cough* wrong revolution...but you get the picture. Anyway, so what really made me start thinking about how wimpy I am and how I need to whip this ass into shape is the 11 mile hike up the side of a mountain I went on last weekend at Pinnacles National Monument. It was awesome and I felt really bad ass once we were done and my whimpering had subsided. But the day after I thought I was going to have to ask someone to shoot me seeing I couldn't move, roll over in bed, sit on the toilet or NOT do anything that didn't make every muscle in my body scream bloody murder. Just so you can get an idea of how hard this hike was, here is a picture of Bekah and I half way up the mountain....


As you can see, we are suffering.

So, like I was saying I realized I'm a big lump and although I have a good excuse, scary professors who are ready to swoop down on your dying corpse at the first sign of weakness or slacking, I really need to get in shape.

After our hike I went to the gym the next couple of days just to help alliviate the stiffness of my muscles. What I found was after I went to the gym I was actually more productive and less stressed out. Picture me before the gym: hyped up on coffee and worrying about the state of her fieldnotes, do they have all the right details, did I remember everything, etc etc. Now picture me walking out of the gym: "I'm the king of the world!!! Hear me roar! Who gives a shit about fieldnotes! Actually, what fieldnotes? Those fieldnotes? Oh, I already finished them in my sleep!"

So yeah, at least I'm going to the gym now. Next step, running outside.

I am a running GODDESS! *not*

I ran yesterday and I have a bum leg to show for it!

I will PREVAIL!!!! *Shakes fist in air*


Coming soon to theaters near you: Jenny K's running makeover plan. Stay tuned!!!

on being sick and not running

I haven't ran in a week. *la sigh* Too much sickness in me. I wanna be healthy and be able to run again!!!

Lesson I learn from being sick: you don't realize how great your health is or how good you have it until you don't have it any more. As cliche as this may sound, its true.

running with friends

Last night I went for a three mile run with Val, a friend who's also in the soc department. It was my first run since the comp exam so it had almost been a week. And let me tell you one thing, that girl runs fast!!! Its all that long leg! It was a challenge for me to keep up, I knew she would have slowed down if I wanted to or if she could tell that I wanted to slow down a bit but I didn't want to run slower than her so I pushed myself and when we were finally done, was pooped!


That is all.

moving meditation

Normally when I get stressed I stop doing everything that is good for me, eating fruits and veggies, running, breathing, sleeping....all seem to stop and I turn into a zombie of unhealthiness.

With only four days to go until the beginning of the comp exam I feel I'm doing pretty good. I went running for the first time in a while on Friday evening and I felt as if a months worth of stress just melted away in those three miles. I went right about sun down so everything had a dusty overcast to it. The air was cool with just enough breeze and I felt so relaxed and the run felt effortless like I could just go on for ever and ever.

Yesterday I went for another 3 miles. It felt good but wasn't quite the "magic" my Friday night run had been. But I'm okay with that because they can't all be perfect! It still helped me calm down and just relax a bit after a stressful day. I've always been told I should meditate in order to decrease my stress level. But I always feel so much more stressed out sitting there doing nothing then if I were moving. Running is my meditation; moving meditation. Running makes you realize just how simple life really is: keep breathing and put one foot in front of the other...and most important enjoy the view.

on not running

I have been quite the lazy bum of late, I haven't ran in two days!!! And before that, only a few times last week. *sighs* Its all the scariness from my two day exam that is coming up next Thursday. I just get the freaks and can't do anything but wallow in my own self pity...and study.

So...I think I need a running plan for this week so I have something other than that test to think about!

Friday: run 3 miles
Saturday: run 2 miles, fartlek
Sunday: off
Monday: run 5 miles
Tuesday: run 3 miles
Wednesday: off
Thursday: 3 miles? First Day of test
Friday: 3miles? Second day of test, celebrate! Yay I'm done with the test!!!


So there's the plan, lets see if it works. I tend to do things that are down in black and white...just cause they are there.

Our race has been moved!!!

Well guys, we have a slight problem. Our race has been moved from December 20th to November 15th!!!

Bekah and I sadly cannot get to Michigan in time....as we will still be slaving away at the books.

So, your assignment: Find a new 5K race between the dates of December 15th and the 27th. Whoever finds a race first in or near Lansing gets a coffee date with me when I'm in Michigan!!! (Yay! I know how excited you are now!!!)

this is not fun, this is not fun, THIS is not fun

Why do I feel that after running only three miles, I ran ten? Why, while running, did I feel I was shuffling and grunting like an old woman trying to cross the street with her walker?

I don't know.

I hate bad runs.

I hate it when you go out for a good run and a horrible run sneaks up behind you and latches on like a five year old kid brother who you can't get off!

Oh well. I guess its a learning/character building experience or something "positive" like that! I just want to be fast and awesome all the time dammit!

Marathon pie in the sky

I really like this magazine. Its a little one that you can pick up for free around Davis. It isn't super fancy but has some great training tips and features REAL LIFE athletes!!! Wow! That never happens!!

This month they have a nice little chart of a twenty week plan to your first marathon! I looked it over and said to myself "hmmm, doesn't look too bad...I bet I could do this."

Me, do a marathon!?! Is it possible???

Let's ponder this together, shall we?

EAT YOUR VEGGIES! THEY BE GOOD FOR YOU!

more animals

But they make you grow stronger and run faster!!!

my first thirty this summer

I went for a 30 minute run last night. Usually I have to walk at least once, but this time I didn't! I ran the whole thing straight! I felt really good, it was weird! Nothing ached or was sore...or anything! I felt like it was a miracle! I wore my new chubby girl shorts...they were awesome! I didn't realize just how much that was bothering me until it wasn't bothering me anymore! I was like, Yes! This is awesome! I'm totally running 5 miles in the morning! I could run forever!

This morning I'm sore and stiff...so much for a 5 mile run! Oh well, it was a good run.