Yes, the party's rockin'

Have I ever mentioned that carb loading is the reason I got into running? No, I haven't.  Well it really isn't, but I pretend because it's my favorite time of race season.  When I am not trying to cut weight, I will bulk up the carbs steadily three days before a race.  BUT since I let myself climb on the scale, I scaled back the days allotted for carbing out pac man style. 

I started loading Thursday night when I found myself eating pretzels with mustard in bed. It was all down hill from there, which is something I wish I could say about Hospital Hill.  I think carb-loading is a delicate practice, especially if you are prone to GI issues that comes with runner.  It can be really beneficial and give you the necessary energy to get your through the most grueling course of your life.  OR it can give you an excuse to binge on anything bad for you and result in the worst runners gut of your life.  OR both, but hopefully not at the same time.  Unfortunately, in my case it's usually the latter. 

 I know that you guys are very aware that I struggle with balance, especially when it comes to food.  Trying to find balance in something that is named "loading" seems completely contrary to the point though.  However, you do have to approach this with caution and reasonableness.  It's not a warrant to eat every carbalicious thing out there.  It's not a warrant to park at the pasta buffet with a fork. 

But park at a buffet is essentially what I did.  Friday night, I met the lovely Megan B. and her friend Lori at Sweet Tomatoes for our pre-race dinner routine.  Next to the finish line, the our pre-race dinners rank as my second favorite part of a race weekend.  I love reminiscing about past races and describing the treachery we put ourselves through for mere bragging rights.  I also love being able to eat with people who fully understand a runners appetite.  A guilt-judgey-free meal.  It's amazing.  Sadly, this pre-race dinner was kinda a let down-not because of conversation, but because of food.  Sweet Tomatoes just didn't live up to expectations.  I had some salad, and tried various pastas-none of which were good.  I ended up eating a whole loaf of foccacia bread and some frozen yogurt.

 

Earlier that day I had picked up our packets for the race, and we went over the course map.  We talked about all the hills they would experience since Megan and Lori were running the 10k course.  We talked about the heat, the crowds, the road kill on the course.  All the while, I kept glancing at my left wrist.



Why yes, I did snap a picture of our race stuff in the bathroom stall!

My half marathon PR is 2:04, over a year ago.  It's reasonable to shave four minutes in a year, but I knew that lay ahead of me at Hospital Hill.  I knew it is hands down the most difficult course in the KC-area, yes-it is worse than the W&R.  A little knot in my stomach formed, but I wanted to go for it anyway. 

DO YOU PRACTICE CARB LOADING?
HOW DO YOU APPROACH IT?

DO YOU SEE THE BENFITS?

Yes, It's on and poppin'

As you can tell, I take weekends off from the blogging world.  Mainly so I have enough time to have semi-interesting things to write about it-but also because I am usually busy enough to not find time to introduce my fingers to a keyboard.

This weekend happened to be one of the busiest of my life, and in retrospect I don't know how I was able to cram it all in and manage to stay afloat.  The first weekend of June is always a busy one for me, but 2011 took to whole new levels.  My weekend started on Thursday, lucky me right?    Thursday I worked a half day at real work, and then drove to the Kansas City Beach Volleyball club for the second half of work-which yes I actually got paid to do.  We had a "Beach Bash" sand volleyball tournament with work, and myself and team mates played for almost four hours-in the hot hot hot sun. 

Volleyball is my true first love.  You really never forget it.  I played throughout high school and for the club team at KU.  I love the sport.  I really love it.  I have been playing in an indoor league for the past few months, which I failed to blog about because I was on hiatus, but if you play it right and you play it well, it's an excellent work out.  Volleyball works muscles in my arms and back that usually goes unnoticed. The jumping and quick sprints is excellent for different muscle development in my legs that endurance training doesn't provide.  A few months ago, after not playing for several years I played a pretty competitive indoor game and the next day my calves bricked so hard I could barely walk.  Soreness I no longer really get the pleasure of feeling with my lactate threshold.

I prefer indoor though, and I will show you why:

I really hate when I forget sunscreen.

This was really the last thing I needed before the hardest half marathon of my season.  Oh and the sand is a drag too.  My team ended up in third. 

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE SPORT TO PLAY?



W/E Menu 06.05.11

Week of May 30 through June 5

	BREAKFAST	LUNCH	DINNER	SNACKS
MONDAY	Bacado Omelet, hash browns, english muffin with butter, coffee	2 slices of BBQ Chicken Pizza,	Grilled chicken, leafy green sald wtih ranch dressing	Honey greek yogurt, pepper jack string cheese
TUESDAY	Coffee with brown sugar, 0% greek yogurt with lemon	Grilled chicken with grilled squash tossed in  a roasted tomato dressing	Cherry glazed pork chops, brown rice, romaine salad with ranch dressing	Apple with peanut butter
WEDNESDAY	Coffee with brown sugar, 2% greek yogurt with cherries, 2 clementines	Grilled chicken with grilled squash, plain 2 clementines	Shrimp Arrabiata over GF penne	Edamame, grapes, Apple with peanut butter
THURSDAY	Coffee with brown sugar, oatmeal with blueberries	Grilled chicken, romaine salad with roasted tomato dressing, 2 clementines	Protein Plus Power Bar, Fruit snacks, three nacho chips
FRIDAY-carb loading	Pumpkin Muffin, coffee with brown sugar	Grilled chicken, clementines, pretzels, gatorade	Salad bar, various pastas, bread sticks, vanilla frozen yogurt and cherry cobbler	pretzels
SATURDAY race day, 13.1 miles	Gu Chomps, Power bar Protein bites, banana	salad, chicken, gold fish, oatmeal cream pie, banana	2 beers, sweet potato fries, greek yogurt	I ate ALL day after ther ace
SUNDAY	Pineapple greek yogurt, 2%, coffee with brown sugar, peanut butter crackers	grilled chicken in buffalo sauce, dorritos, grapes, pepper jack string cheese	12 ounce steak, green beans, romaine salad with ranch dressing, edamame, pineapple fluff dessert	too much candy, string cheese

Never Gonna Run Away

Two-a-days is really starting to kick my butt, and it's only been a week.  What I'm told, it should get easier.  Yesterday, I did an easy run with Scootz for 3 miles in the morning and in the evening I swam 400 meters and then lifted.  None of which I can truly say I enjoyed, and by the time I came home to cool down and roll out my muscles I looked like this:

Why is that I am capable of running for hours, HOURS at a time-yet a simply, easy 3 miles can totally spank me?  At least I was able to sleep until 6am AND we had the pleasure of jaunting on my favorite trail, since lame-o replacement trail is closed for a week.  I didn't even know it was like National Runners Day, no one sent me a greeting card.  I am totally marking that for next year.  I digress, I was sweating more after that 3 miles than I was after the monster hill repeats from Tuesday. 

I have such a hate-hate relationship with the gym.  It is right across the street from my home, I can SEE it from my driveway.  There is no reason for me to not go, but it's ALWAYS packed until 10PM.  I really need to get as much swimming as possible in before the tri-but I am really embarrassed about my skill level, so much so the only stroke I'm confident about is breast.  When was the last time you saw someone swim open water breast stroke? Right.  I want to practice but I feel REALLY awkward that the sauna and steam rooms both have open glass doors that face the pool.  Last night, as I was finishing a lap I rested at the wall and faced the sauna only to see it was packed with people just watching the people swimming.  Insecure 8th grade Julia came out and imagined them laughing at me, and I didn't do my last 100 meters.



Pre-work out Green Foods!

When I dried off, I went to go lift-which I hate enough as is-but at peak hours, people are standing around waiting for cardio machines and watching the same free weights room.  I was doing dumb bell flys on a balance ball and this lady was standing directly behind me and watching me in the mirror.  I wish I was making this up, I followed her eyes follow me.  I thought maybe if I oogled back, she'd get weirded out and move along-but no.  So this is why I hate the gym.   It is not a problem for me to hop on a cardio machine, or do a class-but I have to be off on my own, I suddenly feel like I'm in a bubble.  I know I'm not alone in this, I know it's pretty common to feel this way.  I know it's probably one of the number one reasons people are discouraged by fitness facilities. 

I keep telling myself if I stick with it, and be more confident in my own skin I will be encouraging people to watch me work out-but in the mean time, I want to lift in complete darkness at 3am in a costume.

In otherrrrrrrr news, Miss Swell Mary cuts alls mai hurrs last night! How sad is my life that the only time I have to get my hair done is at 9:45 at night?  Anyway, I am SO excited.  It's like this huge burden has been lifted off my shoulders.  Do you know how much of a hassle it was to wash and blow dry my hair and then straighten it so it looks semi-decent TWICE A DAY?  Pass.  I am so happy to have manageable hair!  Yay!  Thanks Mary!!



WHAT GYM DO YOU BELONG TO?

DO YOU LIKE? LOVE IT? LOVE TO HATE IT?

They Don't Love You Like I Love You

I suggest you turn your volume down to watch this video....but Goliath is an epic Rock Band Contestant.

"Maps" by G-Bonez 

Dos What I Pleases

^^^THAT SUCKS! Especially when I was really looking forward to super duper long run with G-Bonez.  I refuse to run him on city streets and sidewalks, so I had to take him home and do my work out all by me onsie. 

I got a killer hill work out it.  Totally kicked my glutes.  Of course my garmin pooped out too so I have no real data for you guys, but trust me when I say it was GOOD.  I ran 1.75 miles to this quarter mile hill, and did repeats at full speed.  So 2800, with 400x8 incline repeats and 2800.  I just made that up, but it sounds legit right?

This is my: ZOMG! It's hotttt face.

It was seriously balls hott yesterday, and I fought myself to not jump into the city pool that was on my route.  It felt really good to push that hard.  During a work out, do you ever feel like you literally can't do anymore-like you are on the brink of passing out and then the second you stop you immediate think I could of gone harder/faster/longer? Running is constant battle with dissatisfaction and desire to go harder/faster/longer, but last night I was smitten.  I did exactly what my body would physically allow for.

That was my last hill work out before Hospital Hill Marathon on Saturday! So excited!

HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU'VE PUSHED AS HARD AS YOU COULD?

Guarantee It Will Go Down

How was your three day weekend? I am convinced that three day weekends are what humans are made for: One day for solid partying, one day for recovery and one day for getting schtuff done.  That's what I need at the very least and precisely what I did this Memorial Day Weekend.

After refusing to get out of bed on Sunday and watching Scrubs all day, Monday was business time.  Started bright and early with breakfast at First Watch.  First Watch is never anything to write home about, but my-goodness there's something about going out for breakfast.  I always have such a hard time deciding what I want.  Breakfast food isn't something I am crazy about unless it had 45290 carbohydrates and is drenched in syrup and butter, and by that I mean pancakes.  I ordered the Bacado Omelet, and when I saw how much butter they slimed on my English Muffin, I thought I might as well ordered pancakes because it's on my plate and I gotta eat it...

Home Depot should do tradesies

Once my belly was sufficient full, my day was officially ready to start.  Logan was replacing the timing belt and water pump on my car, and he was being so productive-which in my head meant Ugh, he's gonna whine about working hard all weekend so I should work hard too! Rational and normal, no?  We moved into our home in January and other than raking I've done very little to my yard.  So yesterday was the day.  I know this is a running dogblog, so the details will fall by the wayside, but I cleaned out five flower beds that were laden with weeds and rocks, resoiled, planted some perttty flowers and mulched.  Aromatic cedar was a wonderful choice, go me. AND in case you were wondering, rose bushes are beeyotches to plant.

gulp gulp

Watering was the best part because as it turns out Goliath loves to steal water from my thirsty plants.  Hilariously, he would jump in the path of the spray and bite at the water.  I cried from laughing so hard.  It totally pumped him up too, he gnaw at the fountain and then run in a circle around the lawn.  I even made a video for you guys that I will post soon.

You know us, we got covered in mud.  Which means it was a good day.  I proceeded to deep clean my house, and grill for us.  Can we say: Hello, four day work week?

My lunch all week!

DO YOU GUYS LIKE THE RETRO PHOTOS OR SHOULD I GO BACK?

WHAT DO YOUR ORDER FOR BREAKFAST?

Never Gonna Leave This Bed

  Warning: The Post is largely about food.  I feel like I spent the majority of my weekend eating.  Just me?



Emmers!



My favorite person in the entire world gradumatated from high school this year and my family had a big ol' party for her.  In honor of my sister, I drank a quarter of a keg and feasted like a Queen. My family makes some wicked good eats, not to brag or anything-but ain't no party like a Jane McQueeny Party.

I spent Friday and Saturday prepping with my mom for an open house for approximately 60ish people.  We themed it as a back yard bar-b-que, but some imposing rain decided otherwise.  Somehow my mom got out of like doing anything on Saturday, lucky.  Emily and I planted flowers for center pieces, set up tables and badminton net, made a table scape and the list goes on. 

Most importantly we organized, prepped and cooked the food.  On our menu: grilled burgers, chicken and Gouda sausage, cajun sausage, baby romaine spring salad with garlic balsamic dressing, roasted asparagus in a sun dried tomato sauce, fruit salad, potato salad, tomatoes with fresh mozzarella and cupcakes out the booty.  Most of which is pictured below. 

Delish salad

cheese!

to-die-for asparagus

Cappuccino Cupcakes

I did SUPER awesome...at first.  Isn't that how it always is?  You start out strong and you finish pretty weak.  It could be a marathon, it could be the longest level in Little Big Planet, it could be two hours in a move sitting next to your spouse eating licorice.  Whatever it is, however you start you have a lot of confidence and your defenses are high-but then after the prolonged stressors your self confidence walls break down. Sometimes there are even significant points that make you break.  For me, Saturday night was great-everything was under control-and the someone showed up with all my emotional baggage, which I immediately unpacked.

Long story short, I broke two rules: my drink limit and in turn the cardio penance. I was honestly in bed all day Sunday, a combo of the night before and my exhaustion-and really not having anything else to do.  Don't wag your finger at me and act all disappointed...I think sometimes people forget I am only 23.  I am not TOO OLD for anything.  I am TOO YOUNG to not enjoy myself and beat myself up all the time. 

At the end of Saturday, I am so proud of my sister for graduating and am looking forward too all her future endeavors.  She's the bestest!  Congrats Eeejers! Class of TWO FINGERS!

oh and by the way guys, badminton is a badass sport.  I am going pro.

WHAT DID YOU DO OVER THE WEEKEND?

BEE TEE DUBS

I AM SO ANNOYED WITH BLOGGER AND THE COMMENTS.

WHAT THE HECK.

I am gonna start a ra-ra-riottt

Back in Your Head

I am officially doing two-a-day works outs to become adequately trained for the triathlon.  Are you guys so over me telling you how tired I am?  Because, you should be prepared for the onslaught of exhaustion posts.  I am renaming the blog The Tired Tales of Go-Go Goliath and Naptime Julia.  Yesterday, I had that stinkin run in the morning that totally whomped my butt.  Then, I swam half mile after work.  Running is so easy.  When you compare it to swimming. Running requires sneakers and grit.  Swimming requires a swim suit, goggles, skill and coordination. OH, and the fortitude to not panic every time your head is under water.

Maybe I spoiled myself with oxygen the last two years running, but I REALLY like being able to inhale whenever I so decide.  The biggest thing for me with swimming and keeping a steady pace is that to keep form, I will only have a quarter of a second to inhale when I'd really like to turn on my back and float down a lazy current.  Are floaties allowed in a triathlon? 



I am pretty sure a certain gym could sue me for this picture...

Infringements aside, I really am enjoying all the cross-exercising this triathlon has forced me to tackle.  I tell myself over and over again to try different forms of cardio and to build new muscles, I just like...never get around to it on my to do list?  Trails will always be my first love, but it's nice that I've officially used my gym membership more in the last month than I have all year so far.

 



If you look really close, you can see a fellow blogger....ahah, prize if you know who it is!



 

Last week, I posted about how I am tackling the little weight gain monster.  So I am gonna briefly give you the low down on my week and tell you how I did with my rules, they aren't goals-and for reference you can find HERE:

1. My sugar intake is low. Not all time low, but I'm at a minimum.  I feel good about this.  Only one day this week did I find myself spooning ice cream out of the carton in my mouth.

2. Revolving my meals around nutrient rich foods has not been a problem in the past, and no real deviation as of late.  I am going to get around to have a food journal up on this blog shortly, but give me time-it's taken me a while to get back to regularly blogging.

3. I am pleased to report that this goal was met, I really focused on water.  I didn't even gorge on gatorade-which is crazy, because I am pretty sure I bleed fruit punch during marathon training.

4. My drink balance from last week, I broke even. This week I am +5 drinks, and check this: I've gone out three times.  Woah, there Charlie.  I think this week I really couldn't bear the idea of any additional cardio.

5.  Did not have to adhere, see above. HIGH FIVE!

OK, with that said I am amending my Constitution with the following:

6. You must weigh yourself weekly. Do not avoid the scale.
7.  No more weekly pedicure until you get back to 140.

DO YOU HAVE ANY RULES FOR YOURSELF?
WHAT ARE YOU PLANS FOR THE WEEKEND?

Me Not Working Hard?

Since I have fallen subject to routine, I have noticed one thing about my life.  I revolve my schedule around when and what I get to eat.  Do you do this?  I don't want to say my life = food, but I will say it.  MY LIFE = FOOD. I hate food, you run my world. I think a lot of it has to do with sleep debt and trying to keep my energy up, but then again I loved before I was busy.  and really...how busy am I if I am typing this? Such an exaggerator.

The amount of food I bring with me to work is laughable.  Early morning, I load up a reusable grocery bag full of schtuff to last me a solid hour at work and then I find myself roaming the halls scavenging for food and random parties to mooch to sustain me.  Bob on the 2nd floor is retiring? I AM THERE!

I am not picky about food. Except for a few things.  Well one thing.  Coffee.  I want my coffee so dark it gives me kidney stones on the reg.  I want my coffee strong enough to perk up a rhino.  This morning, after dragging my tootie outta bed and running three miles I made my morning brew.  Showered and went to revel in its caffeiney deliciousness only to find that I could SEE THROUGH IT. ick. Pass.  This required me to make a whole new pot delaying my awakening until about 8:00.

eets sooo eearrrllllieeee

Even though, I had technically been awake since 5ish to run-and yah, that's on about 2 hours of sleep (thanks Goliath for whining and gnawing on a raw hide all night!).  When I say I am not functional before noon, I truly mean it.  I run into walls.  I put onE shoe on and forget to the tie the other.  For goodness sake, last week after an early morning run I realized that I had not pulled my sports bra down all the way on one side, so one of the girls was free flying the whole time (thankfully I had a baggy sweat shirt on)-HOW DID I NOT NOTICE?! The answer: I am not functional before noon.

Which is why it's a sick joke for me to pretend like working out in the AM is something that I can do.  This morning, I ran 3 miles with Scooter and I complained the whole freaking time.  I can't breathe.  My calves hurt.  I need new shoes.  Why are we going so fast?  My legs are bricking.  Why do we have to run this early?  Wah! How and why on God's green earth someone can put up with that is mind blowing to me.  Yet, people continue wanting to run with me.  Heck, Megan B. has ran FIVE half marathons with me and my whineyself.  This is why running with a dog is beneficial, Goliath is none the wiser and he never complains...at least to my face.

Take a guess what I had for dinner last night....

I am full of excuses, but when it comes to eating I never am.  I will never find an excuse to not eat.   Like I said, I am not picky. 

And in other news, I am in desperate need of a hurr snippin'....who has some suggestions for me?



HOW DO YOU DRINK YOUR COFFEE?

WHAT DID YOU HAVE FOR DINNER LAST NIGHT?

♥

This is me....every day....

The Life I'm Livin' Now

Ok, so TBB isn't always about poppin' bottles and partying until 6am.   I promise we aren't always livin' like RAPTURE 2011. I will be completely transparent, Goliath and I do have a serious meditative side-but only for like an hour a day. The other 26 are used for pranks, ice cream and sarcasm.  And yea, before you ask.  There are 27 hours in my day. 

I wake up every morning, and get all my seriousness out on a mat.  You won't find me all new-agey and reading auroras except for this hour.  Yoga is a practice I picked up about a year ago, when I found myself repeatedly becoming injured and abused by running.  I was doing everything right,except the whole taking care of myself. 

 

Admittedly, I do not meditate with yoga.  I do not OHM.  I transition through poses, and listen to my body.  I very rarely follow a routine, except making sure what I do on one side has balance on the other.  Hate on me, partner, but I will do me and you can do you.  I know a lot of yoga enthusiasts will give me flack for this, but I'm cool with it.

Diving into yoga has been something that has been difficult for me.  At the onset, I left every class with a headache or I'd have great weeks and then suddenly I wouldn't be able to hold myself in downward facing dog for more than 0.2 seconds.  Struggle isn't something I am new to, but struggling in front of people is hard for me.  Like, impossible for me.  

Now doing it in the comfort of my home, at my own pace and with Wiz Khalifa in my ear makes for an enjoyable way to start my day.  One thing is for sure though, I never really knew why the pose was called downward facing dog until I had Goliath.  That pup knows that pose like he invented it.  Which is why I don't really mind him being my own personal yoga coach and crowding me out on my mat.

The benefits I have seen in the last year have made me a believer.  I can breath deeper, my cardiovascular system thanks me on long runs.  I can literally feel blood flow in my legs again, after so many years of muscle scarring and neglect.  My sciatica is essentially a thing of the past, this is also in part to weight loss.  I am legitimately inches taller due to posture improvements and core strength.  

DO YOU YOGA?

WHAT KIND OF THINGS HAVE YOU NOTICED ABOUT YOURSELF SINCE YOU STARTED?

Young, Wild and Free

So as you may have read, but probably not, because do people actually read this(??), that I am an active participant in my Kansas City Corporate Challenge.  Being a newbie to KCCC, I signed up for way too many events.  More than my little heart could handle. 

I do most of my thinking while I brush my teeth, which explains why I do a lot of things without thinking

One event that I signed up for was the TRIATHLON.  Which, admittedly was an accident.  I was trying to sign up for the team Tri, and do the running leg-but I unintentionally slated myself for the individual event.  Sure, I could bail-but that ain't my style.  So I decided, heck might as well train.  It's just unfortunate, that I only realized my mistake about two weeks ago and the triathlon is June 12th.  Not a lot of time, but I can work with it.

Here are my hurdles:

1. I don't REALLY know how to ride a bike.  The last time I really rode was for a bike ride for my Mom's birthday, and I ended up walking the bicycle 6 miles.  The time before that, I was on training wheels and I managed to fall off of that.  When I went inside to get a band aid, some jerkface stole it-and I never got a new one.  When lived in Honduras, we rode bikes all the time-but I rocked the handlebars and pegs. 

2.  The last time I REALLY swam was when I was like 13, and took swim lessons.  It's not that I am a bad swimmer, I just never took to the lap lane because not being able to breathe freely kinda makes me panic.

3. The tri is open water, and I will only have access to a pool until the week before the race, since the lake doesn't open until Memorial Day.

4. My classes will be back in full swing two weeks before the race, which knowing me is going to crunch my training.

5. My Swim suit is from the 80s and is cheesy.(see below)

Now, am I crazy?  or am I crazy?

I swam last night for the first time in a long time.  I finished a whole mile.  Holy balls kids, that was rough-but I lived through it.  Which I am pleased to report, that if I wasn't able to swim last night I was going to consider pulling out of the whole bag.  Since it went well, I am in.  I am doing this.  I can learn to ride a bike.   

I had a poopie day yesterday, so I bought myself a little treat: ipod shuffle.  I am so sick of trying to figure out what to do with my other ipod, I wanted something I could just clip and go!

WHAT KIND OF MUSIC PLAYER DO YOU USE?
WHEN YOU ARE UPSET WHAT DO YOU DO TO CHEER YOURSELF UP?



Race Recap: Kansas City Corporate Challenge 5k

Do you know what Corporate Challenge is?  Does your company do it?

What Corporate Challenge boils down to is several differnt athletic events that companies compete against and earn their company points.  It raises money for a good cause, and gives your company bragging rights.  This is my first year participating, and what I thought was going to be some good wholesome sporting fun turned out to be this major competive intense thing.  I signed up for a million events: Dodgeball, Volleyball, 5k, Distance Medley, 800 meter, 1600 meter, Softball, Triathlon, Swimming and Tug-of-War.

May 7th was the KCCC 5k.  Now, I've done my fair share of races but I was not prepared for this.  Unlike most 5ks or races: every participant had to check in the morning of, there was a male heat and female heat, and it was not very, um punctual?  I had to park about a mile away and walk to the start, when I arrived at 7:00 am for my 8:00 am guntime (yeah, that's right I was an hour early for a race!!) I immediately got in line for check in.  I stood in line for 45 minutes waiting and waiting to sign in and get packet.  So yes, by the time I was able to check in and my team as well (who were allowed to cutsie since they preferred teams to check in together and I was up first) it was 7:45 and gun time was in 15 minutes.  The men who were suppose to start at 7:30, still had not gone at this point which was worrysome since the females couldn't start until all male participants were off the course. 

So needlessly long story, females didn't get to go until close to 9am and the sun was out and it was hot.  I was not dressed properly for such heat since I was required to wear our cotton KCCC shirts-and mine stank from dodgeball the night before.

I will take this time to briefly mention, I had been playing KCCC Dodgeball untl 9pm the night before and then had to go home to make two dozen cupcakes for the Bridal Shower I was hosting the next day, and assemble 50 graduation invites for my sister.  So I didn't make it to bed until close to 3:30am.

So finally gun time came around, and we were off.  The first half mile was entirely downhill, and I flew.  I was totally determined to place to get PRA more points because top eight in each division gets more points.  I ran the first mile in 6:30, and that was a huge mistake.  As I was flying down this hill, it suddenly dawned on me that this was an out and back course and I am going to have run UP this hill during the chute.  I really tried to slow myself down, but once I get going it's way too hard for me to slow down.

That is to say until I come to an asscent of 500 feet.  Then I slowed waaayyyy down...to a crawl.  The second I slowed the blood flow in my leg bricked.  My left hip flexor had been bothering me since the OZ and it was definitely pissed now.  I saw my team mates pass me, and I knew my hopes of being the 1st PRA female was down the drizzain.

So my hopes went from division winner to division finisher. Like always.  Super challenging course.  I finished in 28 and change.  I placed 4th in my division.  Then I left.

Let's Bring it Back

I don't get out of bed until I'm good and ready for many people.  Unless, I gotta-you can wait until I've got sufficient shut eye.  There are very few people that warrant the importance of me losing beauty sleep.  My sister-in-law, Manda, is one such person.  I got up before 10am on a weekend and ran 3 miles with her.

Manderz is someone that I click with.  We were instant friends, and we instantly understood each other.  Our love has been going strong since 2005.  Recently though, we added one more thing to our list of "THINGS IN COMMON": running.

I like to think a little part of me inspired her to start running, but I know deep down this chick is so self motivated it didn't take any outside influence.  She's crazy enough to run circles on a track, get this she tells me she has to run 14 times in a circle to run a mile?  If that isn't commitment, I don't know what is. I told her I would feel like a hamster after one lap.  If that was my only opportunity to run, this blog wouldn't exist.  I would be 680lbs and Goliath would be miserable.

Two weeks ago, she ran her first 5k and then a week later she ran another.  I think it's pretty safe to say, she caught the 5icKness.  We are currently planning on running an 8k together in June... I think? HOPEFULLY!

yeah, I kissed that schweaty face after we ran

Ok, so honestly I didn't intend this post to be a big giant gush about my sister in law.  The reason I posting about her is because of this: she has reminded me this weekend that running helped me lose the weight once, so I can do it again.  I need to stop fighting it, and embrace it.  This little chickita has LITERALLY ran off 26 lbs and she looks amazeballs. 

Look at this skinny little lady!

It doesn't matter what you have accomplished in the past.  It doesn't matter what you know you are capable of,  until you see someone else do it, until you see someone else accomplish it-you won't try.

Speaking of try...I have a triathlon in three weeks.  More on that later.