I've lost how much?

Nothing?  Really?  Yes, really.  I have to tell you that since I have run approximately 27 million miles (just a rough estimate) since the beginning of the year, I thought at least a pound would have left!  But noooooooooooooooooo, not even ONE pound!  Now, I have had some friends suggest I measure myself and go with that.  It really is a good idea because we all know muscle weighs more than fat (it just doesn't taste as good).  However, I have not done this.  Why you ask?  At first I just didn't get around to it, but as the couple days became a couple of weeks I realized I wasn't going to get around to it.  Honestly, I just don't think I could take both the scale and the tape measure not changing.  I will just continue to enjoy the running, know that my insides are healthier even if my outsides don't show it, and one day, perhaps, I will need different sized clothes.  At least that is the positive attitude I am taking today.

The voices- they talk to me

I have this great program for when it is just me running I just got.  I tracks the time, miles, speed, etc.  I can set it for a specific distance run or a time run.  That determines how the 'voice' notifies me of progress during the run.  I spent most of Wednesday trying to have the voice notify me of the completion of another five minutes at a different spot in my lap at the park.  I tried, and tried, but by the end decided I could have cut across the lap half way and it wouldn't have mattered.  There must have been some lady in a helicopter up top watching me, telling the pilot, "watch this, I am going to make Alex a bit frantic today". 

As I was headed back from the park home I realized that I probably needed to provide you all with some information.  Should you see an old lady in a black jacket with a Pooh ear warmer stumbling along, she is not drunk, lost, delusional (dangerously anyway) or confused and you do not need to stop.  She is just crazy.  However, if you see that same lady laying on the side of the road with her reflective sneaker up in the air (I have been trained to collapse in this manner as it makes it easier to locate the body) please consider stopping.  Unless of course you are an old boyfriend or buddy of my teenage son.....

She's a lady...

not so much!  My proper English Grandmother is rolling over in her grave.  While running the track in the park today I actually had to spit and I did.  I think this is probably only the 3rd or 4th time in my entire life I have done that.  Yep, so nasty and so not lady like, but I was only half way through and it was inhibiting my breathing.  I did look around to make certain no one would see, but really, what choice did I have?  A girl's gotta breath!
On second thought, what I know and remember of my Grandmother she would have said that sometimes you just do what you have to do.  I am pretty sure than not one of my Great Grandmothers would have approved though.

Race to Robie- ACK!!

It has taken me almost 48 hours to actually get to posting this.  I think it is a combination of denial and FEAR  and yes, I mean all capital letters FEAR.  There is a lot of competition to get one of the tickets to the Race to Robie each year.  There are a limited amount available and they are gone, literally, in 30 minutes or less.  This is not a qualifying race so it you get a ticket, you are in.  It is, however, considered the hardest half marathon in the northwest so a popular event. 
You can get more details on the website HERE if you want, but in a nutshell you go uphill 2000 feet in elevation over the first 8 miles and then back down over the next 5 miles.  It is basically for crazy people.  So, get the men with the white coats, I need to be examined!!!

In case I forget

now that I have had over 24 hours to recover, first I want to say- I WENT 8 MILES!  Second, what the?  Really?  I don't walk to Shopko and it is only half a mile.  Not only that, I set an alarm on a Saturday morning to do this.

I also discovered that after about mile 5- I get a bit silly.  Well, I don't actually know if it is me or the people around me, but today I SWEAR Betty and I saw a man put a rock in his pants.  I don't mean a pebble, I mean a rock about the size of a goose egg.  We could only imagine- and joke - what that was all about.  Is that a rock in your pants.....  Needless to say, the speed was slowed as we were doubled over laughing.  Let it never be said that you can't have fun while participating in self induced torture.

Up hill both ways in the snow

So today I ran 8 miles.  It was quite literally, up hill both ways.  If you run up a hill, down and up another then turn around you have to go up hill where you went down before.  As we were getting close to the end point, it started to drop some flakes of snow.  Not a heavy storm mind you, but still snow and it makes for a GREAT story!

I said WHAT?!?!?

Yesterday I did the unthinkable.  Yep, I did, I really did.  I said "only 3.1 miles" ONLY?

Do I look like THAT?!?!

Why yes, yes I do!

So today while Betty and I were on about mile 5.8 (yep those .#s count for a LOT) we were PASSED by a couple of gals who were literally stumbling along.  They were at a slow jog pace, but it looked as though one foot in front of the other was all they could manage and they might collapse any minute. (and remember, I said they PASSED us)  Betty asks "do we look like that?" and my reply was "yep- or at least that is how I feel".

Now despite this and as humiliating as it was, I also know that no matter HOW we look, we are out there DOING this.  Today, we went 7.2 (that .# again) miles.  In fact, if I knew exactly how far my car was parked from the beginning and ending point, I would add that in.  I am sure it is good for at least another .1!!  Every single Saturday we go farther and I am less sore later in the day and the next day than the week before.  I am not sure if I will still be able to say the less sore part come 12 mile week, but so far, so good and I have to tell you, I think Betty and I are pretty darn AWESOME!

The excitement of it all

I am so excited for my next workout, until the time to do it arrives.  What is with that?  I am actually still excited, just have a hard time starting/doing it.  I love the IDEA of it, and once I start enjoy doing it and how I feel after, why is just starting so hard?  For me it is kind of like cold calling.  I just can hardly bring myself to pick up the phone and dial the number.  With this, it is the actually getting to the gym or putting in the tape or changing clothes. I wish I could figure out what that bump in the road is made of so I could easily clear it out of the way!!!

However, I AM very proud that I was much less sore this last Saturday afternoon and Sunday than any other and it was the longest run yet, 6 miles, and involved pretty steep hills.  This means improvement!   YAY!!

uggh

It is dark outside, the alarm went off on a SATURDAY and it was for me and I am getting ready to go push myself physically and probably be sore after wards.  WHAT am I thinking?