I know that I am supposed to be cheerful so that people will donate to Team for Kids, but I do not feel cheerful.
I am SO SICK of running.
I'm slower than I've ever been.
I'm currently dealing with the following: Achilles tendinitis (better now with my new shoes and inserts, but still not great), this golf-ball looking protrusion on my right foot, and a major strain/sprain/who-the-hell-knows-but-I've-gotta-complain on my left calf muscle.
I always said that the reason I could stay so injury-free while training for marathons was that I cross-trained in a pool once a week. I think it's so good for the joints. But now I no longer have access to a pool.
I hope no one reads this. I am writing this to get it off my chest. I feel like I can't complain about marathon training because it's my own stupid fault I'm doing it. And it's not even like marathon training helps me get a sexier bod because even though I ran seven miles today, I also ate two ice cream sandwiches and a bunch of Oreos, which negates the whole run.
I do not know how I am going to run 15 miles on Saturday.
And then I have to give blood to save lives even though that is going to cause me to have a Major Meltdown.
I am pathetic.
And I have too much homework.
That is all.
I hope you didn't read this. =(
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
WHICH CELEBRITIES WILL RUN?!?!
What do all of these celebs have in common: P. Diddy, Katie Holmes, Anthony Edwards, Lance Armstrong, Ryan Reynolds, Edward Norton, and Alanis Morisette?!?!?
They have all run the NYC Marathon!
I really hope some celebs run the marathon this year...and I really, REALLY hope that they all run at my pace, and I get to chat with them!
[Do you think when celebrities run, they run with bodyguards? Probably. I probably wouldn't get to chat with the celebs even if they were running at my pace. Darn.]
They have all run the NYC Marathon!
I really hope some celebs run the marathon this year...and I really, REALLY hope that they all run at my pace, and I get to chat with them!
[Do you think when celebrities run, they run with bodyguards? Probably. I probably wouldn't get to chat with the celebs even if they were running at my pace. Darn.]
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
AM I REALLY A MARATHON MANIAC?
In short, the answer is NO.
The website "Marathon Maniacs" includes a set of questions designed to determine whether or not a person is worthy of the designation "Marathon Maniac." I shall now answer the questions.
1. Do your thoughts switch to the next scheduled race immediately after finishing a marathon? NO...I don't have multiple races scheduled.
Are you signed up for more than one race right now? See above.
Do you know specifics about many of the marathons? Dates, courses, years run, etc.? Not really.
Do you know the story of how the marathon got started? Also why the course is 26.2 miles? Yes, but that's because I'm a Mythology Maniac, not a Marathon Maniac.
Do you read books on marathons like Marathon and Beyond? Never heard of it. But I did read Marathon Training for Dummies four years ago.
Is www.marathonguide.com book marked on your computer? Do you look at the race schedule more than once a week? No. Hell no.
Do you start to feel down when you haven't run a marathon in a while? Sometimes...but only because I realize I need to do something to counteract my inability to stop eating sweets.
Are your closets and dressers filled with marathon t-shirts? I have a few...
Do you have so many marathon medals that you've run out of room on the hook they hang from? Haha...no.
When asked about your racing from none running people, do you find yourself talking with great passion to the point that the person that asked the question regrets ever asking? What is a none running person? *smile*
Have you run marathons on back to back weekends? Or better yet back to back days?
That sounds like a recipe for disaster.
Have you run a marathon as a training run? Or just to pace a friend?
No I have not. Next question.
When asked by loved ones what your plans are for the weekend, you feel guilty telling them your running another marathon so you tell them "it's only a half this weekend"?
No. This scenario has never once occurred.
Do you plan all your vacations around a marathon race? Decidedly not.
Well if you answered yes to any of these questions, you just may be a Marathon Maniac!!!
THEN IT GETS EVEN CRAZIER!
Here is the criteria to be a "bronze member" (AKA the lowest level) of the organization: two marathons within a 16 day time frame OR three marathons within a 90 day time frame.
If you want to reach the elusive "titanium" level (there are nine levels), you must do 52+ marathons in 365 days OR 30 marathons in 30 states, countries, or provinces in 365 days OR 20 countries within 365 days.
WHO CAN AFFORD TO BE A TITANIUM MEMBER OF MARATHON MANIACS? Forget the toll on the body; what about the toll on the wallet?
This non-marathon maniac is off to ice her Achilles tendon and grade diagnostic compositions! xoxo
The website "Marathon Maniacs" includes a set of questions designed to determine whether or not a person is worthy of the designation "Marathon Maniac." I shall now answer the questions.
1. Do your thoughts switch to the next scheduled race immediately after finishing a marathon? NO...I don't have multiple races scheduled.
Are you signed up for more than one race right now? See above.
Do you know specifics about many of the marathons? Dates, courses, years run, etc.? Not really.
Do you know the story of how the marathon got started? Also why the course is 26.2 miles? Yes, but that's because I'm a Mythology Maniac, not a Marathon Maniac.
Do you read books on marathons like Marathon and Beyond? Never heard of it. But I did read Marathon Training for Dummies four years ago.
Is www.marathonguide.com book marked on your computer? Do you look at the race schedule more than once a week? No. Hell no.
Do you start to feel down when you haven't run a marathon in a while? Sometimes...but only because I realize I need to do something to counteract my inability to stop eating sweets.
Are your closets and dressers filled with marathon t-shirts? I have a few...
Do you have so many marathon medals that you've run out of room on the hook they hang from? Haha...no.
When asked about your racing from none running people, do you find yourself talking with great passion to the point that the person that asked the question regrets ever asking? What is a none running person? *smile*
Have you run marathons on back to back weekends? Or better yet back to back days?
That sounds like a recipe for disaster.
Have you run a marathon as a training run? Or just to pace a friend?
No I have not. Next question.
When asked by loved ones what your plans are for the weekend, you feel guilty telling them your running another marathon so you tell them "it's only a half this weekend"?
No. This scenario has never once occurred.
Do you plan all your vacations around a marathon race? Decidedly not.
Well if you answered yes to any of these questions, you just may be a Marathon Maniac!!!
THEN IT GETS EVEN CRAZIER!
Here is the criteria to be a "bronze member" (AKA the lowest level) of the organization: two marathons within a 16 day time frame OR three marathons within a 90 day time frame.
If you want to reach the elusive "titanium" level (there are nine levels), you must do 52+ marathons in 365 days OR 30 marathons in 30 states, countries, or provinces in 365 days OR 20 countries within 365 days.
WHO CAN AFFORD TO BE A TITANIUM MEMBER OF MARATHON MANIACS? Forget the toll on the body; what about the toll on the wallet?
This non-marathon maniac is off to ice her Achilles tendon and grade diagnostic compositions! xoxo
Sunday, August 29, 2010
The Hilarious Video
Please watch this hilarious video of my husband interviewing me just after I finished a 12 mile run. I know I resemble a beached whale through the first half of the film (this was definitely NOT a flattering angle), but once I sit up straight, all is well again. Hahahaha. YOU MUST DONATE TO TEAM FOR KIDS BECAUSE I LET YOU SEE ME LOOKING LIKE A BEACHED WHALE! [P.S. I know that my water bottle looks phallic at the beginning of the video.]
Friday, August 27, 2010
AWKWARD!!!!
http://www.runwithtfk.org/Member/PublicPage/2472
I just sent out a mass e-mail to essentially everyone I have ever known requesting a donation to Team for Kids.
SO AWKWARD.
I've already gotten eight "delivery failure notifications." This is occurring because I am sending e-mails to ex-boyfriends' Vandy addresses when those addresses have not been valid in over 7 years!
I just looked through the list of people I sent the e-mail to and it includes various people I have not spoken to in years as well as Jared's customer service department. I wish I could write what I saved Jared's e-mail address as (if you know the battles we went through after Jared the Gallery of DISASTER sold us a defective ring, you would know that it is NOT a friendly term), but it contains the "f" word, and that is not appropriate for this cheerful blog!
Hopefully I'll be able to write about a successful 12 mile run tomorrow!
I just sent out a mass e-mail to essentially everyone I have ever known requesting a donation to Team for Kids.
SO AWKWARD.
I've already gotten eight "delivery failure notifications." This is occurring because I am sending e-mails to ex-boyfriends' Vandy addresses when those addresses have not been valid in over 7 years!
I just looked through the list of people I sent the e-mail to and it includes various people I have not spoken to in years as well as Jared's customer service department. I wish I could write what I saved Jared's e-mail address as (if you know the battles we went through after Jared the Gallery of DISASTER sold us a defective ring, you would know that it is NOT a friendly term), but it contains the "f" word, and that is not appropriate for this cheerful blog!
Hopefully I'll be able to write about a successful 12 mile run tomorrow!
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
WHY I HATE FUNDRAISING!!!!!!!
By: Allison Brown
I MEAN...
By: Allison Jackson
1. I hate fundraising because I sound like a COMPLETE TOOL all of the time. Today at lunch I heard myself going on and on about TEAM FOR KIDS, which has become the bane of my existence. This one dude has raised over $11,000 for TEAM FOR KIDS. Why can't I have some of his pledges?!?!?! You know that fool just has SERIOUS DIRT and exchanged his silence for a $10,000 donation!
2. EVERYONE IS FUNDRAISING. Today I did a quick Facebook check between meetings, and I saw THREE OTHER PLEAS FOR DONATIONS! All of the causes are so worthwhile. I seriously found myself feeling frustrated that my cause wasn't dramatic or deadly enough. UGH. That was the low point...
3. I also hate fundraising because IT IS NOT FUN. I SAY WE NEED TO PUT THE "FUN" BACK IN FUNDRAISING!!! (Much like I have put the FUN back in DYSFUNCTIONAL!!) Being required to raise a certain amount of FUNDS is not FUN. It is an insult to the word FUN to have it be a part of the words FUNDS and FUNDRAISING.
4. I do not like fundraising because in this case I am fundraising for a selfish reason: I wanted to run the NYC Marathon. When I want to do something, I want to do it RIGHT THEN. I forget to consider the consequences. [Side Note: I am only selectively impulsive. You would think someone with my level of impulsiveness would have tried lots of drugs and sexual partners. Not so, my friends. Not so.]
I PROMISE THAT I WILL NEVER DO "SELFISH" FUNDRAISING AGAIN! You have my word! I'm sure at some point in my life I will encourage people to give money to a worthwhile cause, but I will NEVER, EVER, AS GOD AS MY WITNESS (this is a Scarlet O'Hara moment, folks) sign up to RUN, SKIP, JUMP, ROLLER-SKATE, ETC for a charity that has a pledge minimum! DISASTER!
5. I do not like FUNDRAISING because I like it when people like me! No one likes people who are fundraising. Admit it. You know it's true. When you see someone who is actively fundraising, you turn and RUN in the OPPOSITE DIRECTION!
SO...why should you donate to TEAM FOR KIDS even though its ambassador is an embittered woman trying desperately to recapture her youth or pursue immortality or some other subconscious thing?!?!?!?!
ANSWER: It is not the kids' fault their ambassador is a dysFUNctional FUNdraiser.
HELP THE CHILDREN! THEY NEED PHYSICAL FITNESS OPPORTUNITIES! THEY NEED TO LEARN ABOUT HEALTHY FOODS...AND TO BE FED THEM! THEY NEED TO LIVE LONG, HEALTHY LIVES! THEY NEED YOU!
I MEAN...
By: Allison Jackson
1. I hate fundraising because I sound like a COMPLETE TOOL all of the time. Today at lunch I heard myself going on and on about TEAM FOR KIDS, which has become the bane of my existence. This one dude has raised over $11,000 for TEAM FOR KIDS. Why can't I have some of his pledges?!?!?! You know that fool just has SERIOUS DIRT and exchanged his silence for a $10,000 donation!
2. EVERYONE IS FUNDRAISING. Today I did a quick Facebook check between meetings, and I saw THREE OTHER PLEAS FOR DONATIONS! All of the causes are so worthwhile. I seriously found myself feeling frustrated that my cause wasn't dramatic or deadly enough. UGH. That was the low point...
3. I also hate fundraising because IT IS NOT FUN. I SAY WE NEED TO PUT THE "FUN" BACK IN FUNDRAISING!!! (Much like I have put the FUN back in DYSFUNCTIONAL!!) Being required to raise a certain amount of FUNDS is not FUN. It is an insult to the word FUN to have it be a part of the words FUNDS and FUNDRAISING.
4. I do not like fundraising because in this case I am fundraising for a selfish reason: I wanted to run the NYC Marathon. When I want to do something, I want to do it RIGHT THEN. I forget to consider the consequences. [Side Note: I am only selectively impulsive. You would think someone with my level of impulsiveness would have tried lots of drugs and sexual partners. Not so, my friends. Not so.]
I PROMISE THAT I WILL NEVER DO "SELFISH" FUNDRAISING AGAIN! You have my word! I'm sure at some point in my life I will encourage people to give money to a worthwhile cause, but I will NEVER, EVER, AS GOD AS MY WITNESS (this is a Scarlet O'Hara moment, folks) sign up to RUN, SKIP, JUMP, ROLLER-SKATE, ETC for a charity that has a pledge minimum! DISASTER!
5. I do not like FUNDRAISING because I like it when people like me! No one likes people who are fundraising. Admit it. You know it's true. When you see someone who is actively fundraising, you turn and RUN in the OPPOSITE DIRECTION!
SO...why should you donate to TEAM FOR KIDS even though its ambassador is an embittered woman trying desperately to recapture her youth or pursue immortality or some other subconscious thing?!?!?!?!
ANSWER: It is not the kids' fault their ambassador is a dysFUNctional FUNdraiser.
HELP THE CHILDREN! THEY NEED PHYSICAL FITNESS OPPORTUNITIES! THEY NEED TO LEARN ABOUT HEALTHY FOODS...AND TO BE FED THEM! THEY NEED TO LIVE LONG, HEALTHY LIVES! THEY NEED YOU!
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Jammin' Out While Running!
First things first...PLEASE DONATE TO TEAM FOR KIDS!
http://www.runwithtfk.org/Member/PublicPage/2472
I still need to raise $2,070 by October 8th. (The marathon isn't until November 7th, but the deadline for fundraising is October 8th!) I REALLY NEED YOUR HELP!!!!
People are always saying to me, "Allison, what do you do while you are on your runs?" (Actually, I don't think anyone has ever said this to me--as I'm sure they assume I run on my runs--but it's a nice segue, isn't it?) So this entry will focus on the special DANCE MOVES I do when certain songs play on my iPod. I'm sure that people look at me strangely when they see my awesome moves, but I need to have FUN when running, especially if it's before dawn!
I'm going to briefly glance through my alphabetical list of songs and describe some of my best moves!
"Ain't No Mountain High Enough"--When the line "ain't no mountain high enough" plays, I thrust my hands in the air...when the line "ain't no valley low enough" plays, I push my hands down toward the ground...and then--and this is the most important part--when the line "ain't no river wide enough" plays, I outstretch my arms and make a river-esque movement.
"Don't cha"--This one's fairly simple. I just make a questioning motion with my hands every time the words "Don't cha" play.
"Jump" (both the Van Halen song and the Pointer Sisters song)--This is extremely simple. I just JUMP every time I hear the word JUMP! It's really funny when one of these songs plays at the end of a very long run. I'm creeping along at a snail's pace and then BAM...I jump!
"Like a Prayer"--This one's not too hard. I just make sure I make a little praying motion at least one of the times I hear the words "Like a prayer." I don't imitate Madonna. I imitate Sue Sylvester (from GLEE!) imitating Madonna. Haha.
"Poker Face"--I spread open my fingers in front of my face and give my best POKER FACE. (I stole my moves from Lady Gaga on this one. Sort of. Picture a less sexy and more ridiculous Lady Gaga. Replace sensual moves with jerky ones. Add 40 pounds and darken the hair. Now have her running...THERE YOU GO! That's it!)
"Single Ladies"--I indicate my desire for an engagement ring (which doesn't work as well now that I actually have one!)
"So What"--My moves on this one look sort of like my moves for "Don't cha." The funniest part is that I sing: "So what? I'm still a TEACH-ER" (instead of "rock star").
"What a Feeling"--THIS SONG IS MY JAM! No matter how tired I feel, it always PUMPS ME UP. Seriously, if you are driving in Perry Hall and see a girl FLAILING HER ARMS...it's probably me! I get so inspired by the words: "TAKE YOUR PASSION AND MAKE IT HAPPEN!" In fact, that's what the sign above the entrance to my classroom says this year. On the first day of school, I'm BLASTING "What a Feeling," and the students have to fill out their PASSION IN LIFE on a card that says: "My name is ______________________ and my passion is ____________________!" Heck yeah!
(No transition.)
Ugh. I have to go. I've been going at 150mph (hyperbolic metaphor), and I have to wake up in less than 7 hours (hmm...it's technically supposed to be "fewer than," isn't it?) because I have to run six miles before attending a meeting with the superintendent and professional development sessions. HOLLA!
P.S. I wasn't sure if "Jammin' out" was the exact phrase for which I was looking, so I looked it up on Urban Dictionary. Here's the entry:
Jammin out:
1. when you and your friends hang out, rock out, etc.
2. when a person, preferably a hard-core rocker, gets onstage and totally kicks butt at playing the guitar or drums
3. when a person makes a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and loads all of the jelly in the jar onto his/her sandwich, and bites into the sandwich, and the jam falls on his/her lap and he or she doesn't know it
Haha. Definition #3 is the funniest.
http://www.runwithtfk.org/Member/PublicPage/2472
I still need to raise $2,070 by October 8th. (The marathon isn't until November 7th, but the deadline for fundraising is October 8th!) I REALLY NEED YOUR HELP!!!!
People are always saying to me, "Allison, what do you do while you are on your runs?" (Actually, I don't think anyone has ever said this to me--as I'm sure they assume I run on my runs--but it's a nice segue, isn't it?) So this entry will focus on the special DANCE MOVES I do when certain songs play on my iPod. I'm sure that people look at me strangely when they see my awesome moves, but I need to have FUN when running, especially if it's before dawn!
I'm going to briefly glance through my alphabetical list of songs and describe some of my best moves!
"Ain't No Mountain High Enough"--When the line "ain't no mountain high enough" plays, I thrust my hands in the air...when the line "ain't no valley low enough" plays, I push my hands down toward the ground...and then--and this is the most important part--when the line "ain't no river wide enough" plays, I outstretch my arms and make a river-esque movement.
"Don't cha"--This one's fairly simple. I just make a questioning motion with my hands every time the words "Don't cha" play.
"Jump" (both the Van Halen song and the Pointer Sisters song)--This is extremely simple. I just JUMP every time I hear the word JUMP! It's really funny when one of these songs plays at the end of a very long run. I'm creeping along at a snail's pace and then BAM...I jump!
"Like a Prayer"--This one's not too hard. I just make sure I make a little praying motion at least one of the times I hear the words "Like a prayer." I don't imitate Madonna. I imitate Sue Sylvester (from GLEE!) imitating Madonna. Haha.
"Poker Face"--I spread open my fingers in front of my face and give my best POKER FACE. (I stole my moves from Lady Gaga on this one. Sort of. Picture a less sexy and more ridiculous Lady Gaga. Replace sensual moves with jerky ones. Add 40 pounds and darken the hair. Now have her running...THERE YOU GO! That's it!)
"Single Ladies"--I indicate my desire for an engagement ring (which doesn't work as well now that I actually have one!)
"So What"--My moves on this one look sort of like my moves for "Don't cha." The funniest part is that I sing: "So what? I'm still a TEACH-ER" (instead of "rock star").
"What a Feeling"--THIS SONG IS MY JAM! No matter how tired I feel, it always PUMPS ME UP. Seriously, if you are driving in Perry Hall and see a girl FLAILING HER ARMS...it's probably me! I get so inspired by the words: "TAKE YOUR PASSION AND MAKE IT HAPPEN!" In fact, that's what the sign above the entrance to my classroom says this year. On the first day of school, I'm BLASTING "What a Feeling," and the students have to fill out their PASSION IN LIFE on a card that says: "My name is ______________________ and my passion is ____________________!" Heck yeah!
(No transition.)
Ugh. I have to go. I've been going at 150mph (hyperbolic metaphor), and I have to wake up in less than 7 hours (hmm...it's technically supposed to be "fewer than," isn't it?) because I have to run six miles before attending a meeting with the superintendent and professional development sessions. HOLLA!
P.S. I wasn't sure if "Jammin' out" was the exact phrase for which I was looking, so I looked it up on Urban Dictionary. Here's the entry:
Jammin out:
1. when you and your friends hang out, rock out, etc.
2. when a person, preferably a hard-core rocker, gets onstage and totally kicks butt at playing the guitar or drums
3. when a person makes a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and loads all of the jelly in the jar onto his/her sandwich, and bites into the sandwich, and the jam falls on his/her lap and he or she doesn't know it
Haha. Definition #3 is the funniest.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Friday the 13th: Double Digits, Baby!
Whew! I was really discouraged at the end of last week and my disastrous nine mile attempt. It was super frustrating not to be able to complete a nine mile run when I have to be able to run 26.2 miles in a few months! Thankfully, I really do think that the heat was responsible for my "epic fail." I managed a ten mile run yesterday morning with great success. (I define "great success" as being able to run strong the whole way even though I am slow! Haha.)
When I was training for my first marathon, every increase in distance was hugely exciting. Now I feel that a ten mile run should be easy for me. It's not. I have to remind myself that that's 40 laps around a track and nothing to sneeze at!
Please donate to Team for Kids! Yesterday my husband said that the greatest problem in our early marriage is Team for Kids. This is partially horrific--how dare he say that my attempt to run for charity (which will likely end in our giving hundreds or even thousands of dollars out of our pockets) is problematic--but I guess there are far worse problems! Hahahahaha. Poor Shelley.
When I was training for my first marathon, every increase in distance was hugely exciting. Now I feel that a ten mile run should be easy for me. It's not. I have to remind myself that that's 40 laps around a track and nothing to sneeze at!
Please donate to Team for Kids! Yesterday my husband said that the greatest problem in our early marriage is Team for Kids. This is partially horrific--how dare he say that my attempt to run for charity (which will likely end in our giving hundreds or even thousands of dollars out of our pockets) is problematic--but I guess there are far worse problems! Hahahahaha. Poor Shelley.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
EPIC FAIL
I do not like to fail.
What's more, I remember all of my failures. When I was in junior high, each of the few times I didn't do well on a test, I was always comforted with the line: "You won't even remember this in a year!" Au contraire. I still remember that I failed BOTH of the two pop quizzes in 7th grade science. (The minute I heard the words "pop quiz," I froze. I still remember that one of the quizzes had a question about the difference between primary sex characteristics and secondary sex characteristics. I just kept thinking: "WHY IS THE WORD 'SEX' ON A QUIZ?" even though we had clearly studied the concept.) I got a 72% on my test on verbals in 7th grade (2 points away from failing--and since I considered "B"s failing this one required a tearful "confession" to my father at work in the middle of the school day from the office phone.) In 8th grade, I got a 67% on my Honors Algebra I semester exam and was booted down to Accelerated Algebra I. These three junior high failures are still part of my psyche despite the fact that I had a 4.0 average at the conclusion of junior high.
ANYWAY...
This morning I was supposed to run nine miles (actually, the official nine mile run isn't supposed to be until this weekend, but we are going to be in Michigan for a wedding, so I was attempting to get my long run out of the way). I set my iPhone alarm for 5am. I woke up at 8:30. My iPhone was face down on the floor. I have no recollection of the alarm going off, but clearly it did.
Shelley alleged that it was actually "quite cool" outside, so I decided to go ahead with my plans despite the fact that it was no longer early morning.
I lounged around for a bit, took the corgis for a walk, and finally started running at 9:30am. My grand plan was to run five miles (2.5 miles out and back), grab a few swigs of water from my water bottle, and then run four more.
But for some reason, even though it was sort of cloudy out, I started feeling quite strange after three miles. My lungs were great (thanks to years of swimming and running, I am an very good cardiovascular shape if I do say so myself), my legs felt fine, but I was so dizzy. I looked down and saw little beads of sweat all over every inch of my body. My running clothes were sticking to me, which isn't unusual for a long run, but doesn't usually happen after three miles. I ran another half a mile...and then decided to STOP. EPIC FAIL.
I walked the remaining 1.5 miles to get back home. Even though it wasn't extremely hot (81 degrees), it just felt awfully humid and gross.
I used the self-timer to capture my epic failure, but Atticus thought it was the perfect moment for a photo opportunity.
The bottom line is that I will just have to TRY AGAIN tomorrow morning. (Hopefully I can actually get out of bed at an appropriate time!) But, there was really only one thing I could do to cheer myself up at the conclusion of today's disaster:
Yes, that's an MNM cone. Yes, I realize the irony of my eating an MNM cone as I run to fight childhood obesity. Yes, I will punch you in the face if you tell me not to eat MNM cones!
UGH!
PLEASE DONATE TO TEAM FOR KIDS SO I FEEL LIKE LESS OF A FAILURE!!!
What's more, I remember all of my failures. When I was in junior high, each of the few times I didn't do well on a test, I was always comforted with the line: "You won't even remember this in a year!" Au contraire. I still remember that I failed BOTH of the two pop quizzes in 7th grade science. (The minute I heard the words "pop quiz," I froze. I still remember that one of the quizzes had a question about the difference between primary sex characteristics and secondary sex characteristics. I just kept thinking: "WHY IS THE WORD 'SEX' ON A QUIZ?" even though we had clearly studied the concept.) I got a 72% on my test on verbals in 7th grade (2 points away from failing--and since I considered "B"s failing this one required a tearful "confession" to my father at work in the middle of the school day from the office phone.) In 8th grade, I got a 67% on my Honors Algebra I semester exam and was booted down to Accelerated Algebra I. These three junior high failures are still part of my psyche despite the fact that I had a 4.0 average at the conclusion of junior high.
ANYWAY...
This morning I was supposed to run nine miles (actually, the official nine mile run isn't supposed to be until this weekend, but we are going to be in Michigan for a wedding, so I was attempting to get my long run out of the way). I set my iPhone alarm for 5am. I woke up at 8:30. My iPhone was face down on the floor. I have no recollection of the alarm going off, but clearly it did.
Shelley alleged that it was actually "quite cool" outside, so I decided to go ahead with my plans despite the fact that it was no longer early morning.
I lounged around for a bit, took the corgis for a walk, and finally started running at 9:30am. My grand plan was to run five miles (2.5 miles out and back), grab a few swigs of water from my water bottle, and then run four more.
But for some reason, even though it was sort of cloudy out, I started feeling quite strange after three miles. My lungs were great (thanks to years of swimming and running, I am an very good cardiovascular shape if I do say so myself), my legs felt fine, but I was so dizzy. I looked down and saw little beads of sweat all over every inch of my body. My running clothes were sticking to me, which isn't unusual for a long run, but doesn't usually happen after three miles. I ran another half a mile...and then decided to STOP. EPIC FAIL.
I walked the remaining 1.5 miles to get back home. Even though it wasn't extremely hot (81 degrees), it just felt awfully humid and gross.
I used the self-timer to capture my epic failure, but Atticus thought it was the perfect moment for a photo opportunity.
The bottom line is that I will just have to TRY AGAIN tomorrow morning. (Hopefully I can actually get out of bed at an appropriate time!) But, there was really only one thing I could do to cheer myself up at the conclusion of today's disaster:
Yes, that's an MNM cone. Yes, I realize the irony of my eating an MNM cone as I run to fight childhood obesity. Yes, I will punch you in the face if you tell me not to eat MNM cones!
UGH!
PLEASE DONATE TO TEAM FOR KIDS SO I FEEL LIKE LESS OF A FAILURE!!!
Monday, August 2, 2010
Cross-Training with the Corgis!
Everyone knows it's important to do a little bit of cross-training each week while preparing for a marathon. Luckily, I've got one great husband and two great Corgis who like to spend time with me! We all went on a five mile hike at Gunpowder Falls State Park yesterday.
Happy hikers Atticus & Keleka!
I kept trying to carry Kiki (because I was worried that she would over-exert herself), but she INSISTED on hiking the entire trail!
The corgis loved cooling off!
I love this video because it shows that Kiki is just like her mother: a bumbling fool who is determined to succeed at whatever she puts her mind to! *smile*
Happy hikers Atticus & Keleka!
I kept trying to carry Kiki (because I was worried that she would over-exert herself), but she INSISTED on hiking the entire trail!
The corgis loved cooling off!
I love this video because it shows that Kiki is just like her mother: a bumbling fool who is determined to succeed at whatever she puts her mind to! *smile*
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Oops...I am in a little bit of trouble!
Well, I knew it would not be cheap to spend the night in NYC, but I did not realize that the entire city would turn against non-New Yorkers! All of the hotels require a minimum of two nights (and one night is expensive enough) and the Comfort Inn even gave me this cheeky message: "Sorry, this hotel has a Minimum Length of Stay Requirement of 15 nights starting on November 6, 2010." FIFTEEN NIGHTS?!?! ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME? Listen, I know the Big Apple needs to make money and thrives on major events like the NYC Marathon, but this is decidedly NOT COOL. Also, my so-called HUSBAND (I've decided to refer to him as my "so-called husband" when he is a little bit mean to me) said: "Sometimes I wish you would think things through before you do them." OH NO HE DIDN'T!! I think I will tape my husband snoring just like I did last night. I find this very amusing. Last night, Shelley woke up to my iPhone three millimeters from his nose and mumbled, "What's happening?" I laughed so hard I nearly died. Haha. Being a wife is FUN, especially when you are mature like I am! Anyway, I will sort the whole hotel thing out, but it is going to be a little bit more challenging than I thought. Hopefully tomorrow I will be able to write a post entitled "Cross-Training with the Corgis," detailing our awesome family hike this afternoon! Wahoo!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
My Arch-Nemesis: The Treadmill
As per usual, I slept later than I should have this morning. It was already very hot by the time I was ready to run, so I decided that I would run on a treadmill. We belong to an Anytime Fitness that's only half a mile from our house, so I always have easy access to a plethora of treadmills. The only problem is: I HATE TREADMILLS. They are awful. The only time I will do a training run on a treadmill is if it is only three miles. I cannot mentally stand any more than that!
I've read that running on a treadmill is supposed to be "easier" than running on pavement. I'm sure it's just in my head, but I do NOT find this to be the case. Here's a list of reasons why I hate treadmills:
1. The symbolism of a treadmill is awful. A person literally expends great effort in order to GO NOWHERE. I can't stand it.
2. A treadmill is a disaster waiting to happen. Maybe I just feel this way because I am the most uncoordinated woman on the planet, but the entire time I am running, I am thinking, "Don't fall, don't fall, don't fall, don't fall." Hate it!
3. The scenery never changes (and, despite the fact that there is a TELEVISION right in front of my face, I cannot get over this.)
4. There are always these super intense people around who are running extremely fast. On a road, these people would just run up ahead and out of sight. In a line of treadmills, their smugness is IN YOUR FACE every minute!
Here I am getting ready to battle my arch-nemesis:
Now, as I already mentioned, there is a television attached to each treadmill. Given my love of television, this should make the whole experience wonderful (it doesn't, but it does help!) The first thing I watched was the end of an episode of Desperate Housewives. It was actually the season finale of the season right before the show jumps ahead five years. Basically, we find out that Katherine's biological daughter died and that the current Dylan was adopted from an orphanage in Russia. I have no idea why I am writing about this.
Then it was time to watch a little bit of THE COSBY SHOW. The Cosby Show is my JAM. I love it! It is so funny and wholesome! It was the episode in which Rudy was The Great Ruidini and Cliff was trying to figure out how she did her tricks. Of course, as I am a ridiculous person, I captured this moment:
(I know it is blurry. It was probably also a bad choice as I have already mentioned that I am horribly uncoordinated, and this just added another dimension of difficulty!)
The other story line in this particular episode was that Vanessa was going on a date with one of Theo's friends. Theo was very upset because this particular friend had EXPERIENCE. He was talking to his parents about this EXPERIENCE as I finished the three miles. I did not stick around to see what happened because 1) I wanted to get as far away from the treadmill as possible and 2) I already knew what happened. Did you know that sometimes boys pretend they have EXPERIENCE when in fact they have NO EXPERIENCE? This apparently often happens in locker rooms. Hahahahaha.
The final picture in this post reveals what happens when a person tries to eat a sandwich after enduring 30 minutes on the treadmill and she happens to have two Corgis:
The Corgis were INTERESTED.
Well, it is time to sign off from this post. All that's left to mention is that it is now storming, which means that it will cool off considerably. I could have just waited a few hours and run outside. We English teachers call this SITUATIONAL IRONY.
Please donate to TEAM FOR KIDS!!
Love,
Allison
I've read that running on a treadmill is supposed to be "easier" than running on pavement. I'm sure it's just in my head, but I do NOT find this to be the case. Here's a list of reasons why I hate treadmills:
1. The symbolism of a treadmill is awful. A person literally expends great effort in order to GO NOWHERE. I can't stand it.
2. A treadmill is a disaster waiting to happen. Maybe I just feel this way because I am the most uncoordinated woman on the planet, but the entire time I am running, I am thinking, "Don't fall, don't fall, don't fall, don't fall." Hate it!
3. The scenery never changes (and, despite the fact that there is a TELEVISION right in front of my face, I cannot get over this.)
4. There are always these super intense people around who are running extremely fast. On a road, these people would just run up ahead and out of sight. In a line of treadmills, their smugness is IN YOUR FACE every minute!
Here I am getting ready to battle my arch-nemesis:
Now, as I already mentioned, there is a television attached to each treadmill. Given my love of television, this should make the whole experience wonderful (it doesn't, but it does help!) The first thing I watched was the end of an episode of Desperate Housewives. It was actually the season finale of the season right before the show jumps ahead five years. Basically, we find out that Katherine's biological daughter died and that the current Dylan was adopted from an orphanage in Russia. I have no idea why I am writing about this.
Then it was time to watch a little bit of THE COSBY SHOW. The Cosby Show is my JAM. I love it! It is so funny and wholesome! It was the episode in which Rudy was The Great Ruidini and Cliff was trying to figure out how she did her tricks. Of course, as I am a ridiculous person, I captured this moment:
(I know it is blurry. It was probably also a bad choice as I have already mentioned that I am horribly uncoordinated, and this just added another dimension of difficulty!)
The other story line in this particular episode was that Vanessa was going on a date with one of Theo's friends. Theo was very upset because this particular friend had EXPERIENCE. He was talking to his parents about this EXPERIENCE as I finished the three miles. I did not stick around to see what happened because 1) I wanted to get as far away from the treadmill as possible and 2) I already knew what happened. Did you know that sometimes boys pretend they have EXPERIENCE when in fact they have NO EXPERIENCE? This apparently often happens in locker rooms. Hahahahaha.
The final picture in this post reveals what happens when a person tries to eat a sandwich after enduring 30 minutes on the treadmill and she happens to have two Corgis:
The Corgis were INTERESTED.
Well, it is time to sign off from this post. All that's left to mention is that it is now storming, which means that it will cool off considerably. I could have just waited a few hours and run outside. We English teachers call this SITUATIONAL IRONY.
Please donate to TEAM FOR KIDS!!
Love,
Allison
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Reflections on Mortality
This morning all I had to do was a short three mile run. If I had gotten my rear end out of bed a few hours earlier, it could have been a nice, relatively-cool run; however, I pulled a classic Al Brown (sorry, I'm not ready to identify things as "classic Al Jackson," as she has not existed long enough to be a classic!) and fell back to sleep after getting ready for my run. Even though it was cooler than it had been, it's never a blast to run in 88 degree, humid weather.
But that is not what this post is about. This post is about mortality.
I knew I wanted to write a post about mortality on this blog at some point. I am confronted with my mortality each time I run because there is a lovely, personalized cross at an intersection less than half a mile from my house. A man named Eric died at that spot in 2007. He was only 36 (or 35 if he hadn't had his birthday. Drat. Why does my brain always return to the mundane even when I am trying to write a poignant post about mortality and how I mourn the loss of this man Eric even though I never met him? Time for a new paragraph.)
I always think about this Eric on my runs. I say a prayer for his soul and for his family. I wonder if he was married and if he had children. I wonder how his loved ones are coping with the loss of him. I notice from time to time that the cross has been adorned with new flowers, and I take comfort that he is being remembered.
When I started running again this month, I found yet another cross along my route. This one isn't as "nice"--it's two pieces of wood affixed together with the words "RIP BOBBY" spelled out in marker. (Of course, I fully understand that God doesn't care what the cross looks like or whether the name has been professionally-engraved or hand-written; I'm just trying to paint a mental picture for you.) I got very upset when I first noticed this memorial. I suppose I had been able to work my way through Eric (1971-2007)'s death, but Bobby's death stung fresh. (I should add here that OF COURSE I do not deeply grieve for these men as I did not know them. I don't want you to think that I in any way equate the bit of sadness I feel for the loss of these men with the earth-shattering sadness their friends and families feel. But I do feel sad.)
This morning as I started my run, I said my normal short prayer for Eric and his family. But, as I ran up the road, I noticed that Bobby's cross was laying flat on the earth, more than likely as a result of Sunday's intense thunderstorm. As I continued running, I had a great thought: when I passed by Bobby's memorial on the way home, I would put it back in the ground so it would stand correctly and more appropriately honor this man I did not know.
I figured I would write briefly about this experience, and it would make me feel better...like I had done something good for this man whose death makes me feel powerless and sad.
But then, of course, the whole experience turned into a tragicomedy. [Note: I am intentionally switching to present tense...starting...NOW!] As I approach the fallen-down cross on the way home, I feel the tingles of the Holy Spirit in me. I am an emotional person, and even this tiny little act is going to make me feel good and connected to the universe...
I stop running, reach for the cross, and...CANNOT FIND A SINGLE PLACE TO PUT IT! The ground is very hard and very dry. I search desperately for the hole in which this man's cross was originally placed, but I cannot find it. Then a thought strikes me: PEOPLE ARE GOING TO THINK I AM ATTEMPTING TO STEAL THIS MAN'S CROSS.
I panic. I don't know what to do. I don't have an instrument that will allow me to dig a hole. I start knocking the bottom of the cross against the hard earth, trying to break it (the earth) up. It's not working. It's not working and I can't honor this man's life and now I am probably going to break this cross.
I ultimately decide to place the cross against one of the guard rail posts, saying a prayer for Bobby and also asking God for forgiveness for nearly destroying a cross (even though I was attempting to do something good not bad).
So, what am I to make of this experience? Was God reminding me that even though the world can be a sad place and the thought of death is scary, there will always be moments of humor and hope? I'm not quite sure, but I hope that Bobby was looking down and chuckling at the site of a woman trying to re-position his memorial...and failing so miserably despite her best attempts.
Rest in peace, Eric & Bobby
Love,
Allison
But that is not what this post is about. This post is about mortality.
I knew I wanted to write a post about mortality on this blog at some point. I am confronted with my mortality each time I run because there is a lovely, personalized cross at an intersection less than half a mile from my house. A man named Eric died at that spot in 2007. He was only 36 (or 35 if he hadn't had his birthday. Drat. Why does my brain always return to the mundane even when I am trying to write a poignant post about mortality and how I mourn the loss of this man Eric even though I never met him? Time for a new paragraph.)
I always think about this Eric on my runs. I say a prayer for his soul and for his family. I wonder if he was married and if he had children. I wonder how his loved ones are coping with the loss of him. I notice from time to time that the cross has been adorned with new flowers, and I take comfort that he is being remembered.
When I started running again this month, I found yet another cross along my route. This one isn't as "nice"--it's two pieces of wood affixed together with the words "RIP BOBBY" spelled out in marker. (Of course, I fully understand that God doesn't care what the cross looks like or whether the name has been professionally-engraved or hand-written; I'm just trying to paint a mental picture for you.) I got very upset when I first noticed this memorial. I suppose I had been able to work my way through Eric (1971-2007)'s death, but Bobby's death stung fresh. (I should add here that OF COURSE I do not deeply grieve for these men as I did not know them. I don't want you to think that I in any way equate the bit of sadness I feel for the loss of these men with the earth-shattering sadness their friends and families feel. But I do feel sad.)
This morning as I started my run, I said my normal short prayer for Eric and his family. But, as I ran up the road, I noticed that Bobby's cross was laying flat on the earth, more than likely as a result of Sunday's intense thunderstorm. As I continued running, I had a great thought: when I passed by Bobby's memorial on the way home, I would put it back in the ground so it would stand correctly and more appropriately honor this man I did not know.
I figured I would write briefly about this experience, and it would make me feel better...like I had done something good for this man whose death makes me feel powerless and sad.
But then, of course, the whole experience turned into a tragicomedy. [Note: I am intentionally switching to present tense...starting...NOW!] As I approach the fallen-down cross on the way home, I feel the tingles of the Holy Spirit in me. I am an emotional person, and even this tiny little act is going to make me feel good and connected to the universe...
I stop running, reach for the cross, and...CANNOT FIND A SINGLE PLACE TO PUT IT! The ground is very hard and very dry. I search desperately for the hole in which this man's cross was originally placed, but I cannot find it. Then a thought strikes me: PEOPLE ARE GOING TO THINK I AM ATTEMPTING TO STEAL THIS MAN'S CROSS.
I panic. I don't know what to do. I don't have an instrument that will allow me to dig a hole. I start knocking the bottom of the cross against the hard earth, trying to break it (the earth) up. It's not working. It's not working and I can't honor this man's life and now I am probably going to break this cross.
I ultimately decide to place the cross against one of the guard rail posts, saying a prayer for Bobby and also asking God for forgiveness for nearly destroying a cross (even though I was attempting to do something good not bad).
So, what am I to make of this experience? Was God reminding me that even though the world can be a sad place and the thought of death is scary, there will always be moments of humor and hope? I'm not quite sure, but I hope that Bobby was looking down and chuckling at the site of a woman trying to re-position his memorial...and failing so miserably despite her best attempts.
Rest in peace, Eric & Bobby
Love,
Allison
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Where the Money Goes
Dear Friends,
I'm sure you are interested to know where your money will go when (I must be optimistic and not say "if"...) you donate to Team for Kids. Much like George Washington, I cannot tell a lie (unless it is to spare someone's feelings), so I will be honest about why I decided to run for Team for Kids. [Shelley refers to this phenomenon as "diarrhea of the mouth." He says that there is no need to tell everyone every single thing I am thinking and/or feeling and that choosing not to reveal a piece of information is not necessarily a lie of omission. My husband used the phrase "diarrhea of the mouth" each time we left a pre-marriage counseling session, but I am sure he meant it lovingly. Haha.] Anyway, the reason I chose to run for Team for Kids is that...drum roll please...it claimed to have the lowest pledge commitment. [I know, I know, much like Giles Corey in The Crucible "I'll burn long enough for that one." He, of course, is referring to accidentally tattling on his wife Martha. Oh, I must stop with these random digressions!] Anyway, here is a link to the "Where the Money Goes" section of the Team for Kids website.
http://www.nyrrfoundation.org/get_involved/team_for_kids/money.asp
I know that one of the reasons it is important to provide under-served children with access to physical fitness opportunities and nutrition education is the dramatic rise of childhood obesity in America. Let me begin by saying that it is difficult for me to talk about--or even write about--obesity. Society is so cruel to those who are obese, and we all know that the shape of one's body has nothing to do with the kindness of one's heart! I definitely do not think that the "skin and bones" look should be heralded as some sort of goal to attain (though we know that some people are naturally thin), and I know that MANY people struggle a lot with issues involving food. Taking up childhood obesity as a cause feels like saying that there is something wrong with fat kids. Of course, there is nothing wrong with the minds, hearts, and SOULS of obese children, but the truth is that their sweet bodies will live a lot longer if they are healthy. [I also must point out that I feel awkward representing this charity insofar as I eat A LOT of ice cream and French fries, adore Coke, and think most vegetables are completely disgusting. Furthermore, my body weight is right at the upper echelon of the healthy range for my height, and I have this insecurity-related fear that people will say that this effort is--if not the blind leading the blind--than the somewhat-nearsighted leading the blind. But, I digress...yet again...but WHOOPS...I also meant to remind y'all that we cannot let the insecure portion of ourselves overshadow the secure, confident portion of ourselves...because that's just silly. *smile*]
I've done a bit of research on childhood obesity, and I'd like to end this post with a few statistics that I found on the CDC's website. I'm sure I'll discuss childhood obesity more in the future, but I need the followers of this blog (if indeed they exist) to know that Team for Kids is doing something valuable.
According to the CDC:
17% of children/adolescents from the ages of 2-19 are obese.
One of 7 low-income, preschool-aged children is obese.
[People may think that "poor" children in America don't have access to food, but
often what they have is access to cheap, unhealthy food.]
In a population-based sample of 5- to 17-year-olds, 70% of obese children had at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease while 39% of obese children had two or more CVD risk factors.
Type 2 diabetes is increasingly being reported among children and adolescents who are obese.
Obese children and adolescents are targets of early and systematic social discrimination.
[This is so sad, but humans can be awful, and society can be wretched!]
What I like about Team for Kids is that it emphasizes the fun of healthy living rather than using scare tactics, complicated jargon, or finger pointing. Please support my run for Team for Kids; together we can help under-served children live longer, healthier lives!
xoxo,
Allison
I'm sure you are interested to know where your money will go when (I must be optimistic and not say "if"...) you donate to Team for Kids. Much like George Washington, I cannot tell a lie (unless it is to spare someone's feelings), so I will be honest about why I decided to run for Team for Kids. [Shelley refers to this phenomenon as "diarrhea of the mouth." He says that there is no need to tell everyone every single thing I am thinking and/or feeling and that choosing not to reveal a piece of information is not necessarily a lie of omission. My husband used the phrase "diarrhea of the mouth" each time we left a pre-marriage counseling session, but I am sure he meant it lovingly. Haha.] Anyway, the reason I chose to run for Team for Kids is that...drum roll please...it claimed to have the lowest pledge commitment. [I know, I know, much like Giles Corey in The Crucible "I'll burn long enough for that one." He, of course, is referring to accidentally tattling on his wife Martha. Oh, I must stop with these random digressions!] Anyway, here is a link to the "Where the Money Goes" section of the Team for Kids website.
http://www.nyrrfoundation.org/get_involved/team_for_kids/money.asp
I know that one of the reasons it is important to provide under-served children with access to physical fitness opportunities and nutrition education is the dramatic rise of childhood obesity in America. Let me begin by saying that it is difficult for me to talk about--or even write about--obesity. Society is so cruel to those who are obese, and we all know that the shape of one's body has nothing to do with the kindness of one's heart! I definitely do not think that the "skin and bones" look should be heralded as some sort of goal to attain (though we know that some people are naturally thin), and I know that MANY people struggle a lot with issues involving food. Taking up childhood obesity as a cause feels like saying that there is something wrong with fat kids. Of course, there is nothing wrong with the minds, hearts, and SOULS of obese children, but the truth is that their sweet bodies will live a lot longer if they are healthy. [I also must point out that I feel awkward representing this charity insofar as I eat A LOT of ice cream and French fries, adore Coke, and think most vegetables are completely disgusting. Furthermore, my body weight is right at the upper echelon of the healthy range for my height, and I have this insecurity-related fear that people will say that this effort is--if not the blind leading the blind--than the somewhat-nearsighted leading the blind. But, I digress...yet again...but WHOOPS...I also meant to remind y'all that we cannot let the insecure portion of ourselves overshadow the secure, confident portion of ourselves...because that's just silly. *smile*]
I've done a bit of research on childhood obesity, and I'd like to end this post with a few statistics that I found on the CDC's website. I'm sure I'll discuss childhood obesity more in the future, but I need the followers of this blog (if indeed they exist) to know that Team for Kids is doing something valuable.
According to the CDC:
17% of children/adolescents from the ages of 2-19 are obese.
One of 7 low-income, preschool-aged children is obese.
[People may think that "poor" children in America don't have access to food, but
often what they have is access to cheap, unhealthy food.]
In a population-based sample of 5- to 17-year-olds, 70% of obese children had at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease while 39% of obese children had two or more CVD risk factors.
Type 2 diabetes is increasingly being reported among children and adolescents who are obese.
Obese children and adolescents are targets of early and systematic social discrimination.
[This is so sad, but humans can be awful, and society can be wretched!]
What I like about Team for Kids is that it emphasizes the fun of healthy living rather than using scare tactics, complicated jargon, or finger pointing. Please support my run for Team for Kids; together we can help under-served children live longer, healthier lives!
xoxo,
Allison
Saturday, July 24, 2010
The First (Slightly) Long Run
This morning I had to run 7 miles. I know that most marathoners sneeze at running a "mere" 7 miles, but I consider anything over five miles significant. Actually, scratch that. I think ALL runs are significant...even the three mile "recovery" runs.
The problem about running today was/is that there is currently a "crippling" heat wave and a heat advisory in effect. According to weather.com, at 3pm it will be 98 degrees (hey! That's the name of a great musical group!) and will feel like it's 111. That's crazy! In order for me to complete my run before it hit 90 degrees, I needed to begin at 5am. If you know only one thing about me, it is that I AM NOT A MORNING PERSON.
Thankfully, the good lord woke me up at 4am in the form of a full bladder. (I had been aggressively hydrating in order to NOT DIE...please do not think that I have bladder control issues at the age of 29. ACK! Why are we talking about bladder control issues?!) Anyway, I just knew that if I went back to sleep, I might not get out of bed until 9 or 10 despite the three alarms I set. So I decided to just stay awake and PLAY WITH THE CORGIS until 5!
As you can see, the Corgis were only too eager to wake up and hang out!
I blasted some Black Eyed Peas "I Gotta Feeling" and danced with Kiki in the basement. She thought I was a little bit crazy, but as you are about to see, she is crazy too!
I thought I would do a little stretching on the kitchen floor, and Kiki started biting my hair!
The run itself actually went really well. I mean, yes, I am slow as molasses, but I am always slow as molasses. Sometimes I improve to being as slow as fast-moving molasses, but that's okay. I always say, "I can't run fast, but I can run forever." [As long as "forever" is defined as 26.2 miles.] I have LOTS of slow twitch fibers, but I don't think I have a single fast twitch fiber in my entire body!
Part of the reason that the run went well is because of my GREAT PSYCHOLOGICAL PLAN. When I start training for event (and the runs are short), I do not let myself listen to my iPod. Then when it comes time for the first longer run, I allow myself access to my iPod. Running is so much easier and more fun when you've got some great songs to jam out to!
Here's what I looked like around 6:15. Sexy, I know. Hahaha. Whatever.
It was VERY hot even at 5am.
Love,
Allison
The problem about running today was/is that there is currently a "crippling" heat wave and a heat advisory in effect. According to weather.com, at 3pm it will be 98 degrees (hey! That's the name of a great musical group!) and will feel like it's 111. That's crazy! In order for me to complete my run before it hit 90 degrees, I needed to begin at 5am. If you know only one thing about me, it is that I AM NOT A MORNING PERSON.
Thankfully, the good lord woke me up at 4am in the form of a full bladder. (I had been aggressively hydrating in order to NOT DIE...please do not think that I have bladder control issues at the age of 29. ACK! Why are we talking about bladder control issues?!) Anyway, I just knew that if I went back to sleep, I might not get out of bed until 9 or 10 despite the three alarms I set. So I decided to just stay awake and PLAY WITH THE CORGIS until 5!
As you can see, the Corgis were only too eager to wake up and hang out!
I blasted some Black Eyed Peas "I Gotta Feeling" and danced with Kiki in the basement. She thought I was a little bit crazy, but as you are about to see, she is crazy too!
I thought I would do a little stretching on the kitchen floor, and Kiki started biting my hair!
The run itself actually went really well. I mean, yes, I am slow as molasses, but I am always slow as molasses. Sometimes I improve to being as slow as fast-moving molasses, but that's okay. I always say, "I can't run fast, but I can run forever." [As long as "forever" is defined as 26.2 miles.] I have LOTS of slow twitch fibers, but I don't think I have a single fast twitch fiber in my entire body!
Part of the reason that the run went well is because of my GREAT PSYCHOLOGICAL PLAN. When I start training for event (and the runs are short), I do not let myself listen to my iPod. Then when it comes time for the first longer run, I allow myself access to my iPod. Running is so much easier and more fun when you've got some great songs to jam out to!
Here's what I looked like around 6:15. Sexy, I know. Hahaha. Whatever.
It was VERY hot even at 5am.
Love,
Allison
Friday, July 23, 2010
The Inaugural Run in Kaua'i!
I officially began my training for the 2010 New York City Marathon on July 7! I thought it would be fun to complete my first training run during the end of my honeymoon in beautiful Kaua'i. Here I am getting ready:
That is a lovely photo to be sure; however, it does not reveal the BEST PART of my running outfit. Check out this shot:
Hahahahahaha! Could you see the message? "WE RELISH YOUR BUNS." My awesome new running shorts were purchased from Bubba's Burgers in the delightful new Poipu shopping village. They are so PUNNY!
Of course, being the particular brand of fool that I am, I took my waterproof digital camera with me on the inaugural run! (This is good because it rained a little bit!) I took some video footage; here is the "edited" final product:
Well, I hope that everyone enjoyed witnessing my inaugural run. I have decided to reward everyone who contributes to my Team for Kids campaign with a "I RELISH YOUR BUNS" sign. Jill & Daryl, get ready for yours on the first day back to school! =)
PLEASE, PLEASE DONATE!!!!
http://www.runwithtfk.org/Member/PublicPage/2472
Love,
Allison
That is a lovely photo to be sure; however, it does not reveal the BEST PART of my running outfit. Check out this shot:
Hahahahahaha! Could you see the message? "WE RELISH YOUR BUNS." My awesome new running shorts were purchased from Bubba's Burgers in the delightful new Poipu shopping village. They are so PUNNY!
Of course, being the particular brand of fool that I am, I took my waterproof digital camera with me on the inaugural run! (This is good because it rained a little bit!) I took some video footage; here is the "edited" final product:
Well, I hope that everyone enjoyed witnessing my inaugural run. I have decided to reward everyone who contributes to my Team for Kids campaign with a "I RELISH YOUR BUNS" sign. Jill & Daryl, get ready for yours on the first day back to school! =)
PLEASE, PLEASE DONATE!!!!
http://www.runwithtfk.org/Member/PublicPage/2472
Love,
Allison
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