Actual Knitting!

I finally finished and blocked my textured shawl! It's so soft and smooshy...of course...it's alpaca! I used Henry's Attic Alpaca Prime. This will be great to curl up on the couch with when the weather starts getting colder. As hot as it's been lately, I can only dream! I'll have to post the links later. The last part of a shawl seems to go on FOREVER!

In running news... I made it to 2 miles without walking...outside! Gasping? yes. Legs aching? yes. But I made it. It wasn't a fluke either because yesterday I ran 2.25 miles on the treadmill. I'm due to join up with a local running club this Saturday at 6:00am for a long run. I think that will keep me motivated as well. In one week the signups for the Aramco Houston Half Marathon will be up and I plan on entering. Sooooo...this may be a bit of a mid life crisis thing...running a half marathon...but at least it's not convertibles and wild behavior (more than usual). I'm serious when I say that never in my entire life do I remember running 2 full miles before!!

As the mother of a college aged child (gosh, did I really say that?) we tend to have a bit (a lot) of denial regarding their flight from the nest. I knew eventually she would leave home, but like Scarlett O'Hara "I'll think about that tomorrah!" Well, her current plan (that she recently burst my bubble with) would place her going away to college Spring of 2010. My sweet little bundle of joy that I can actually say I ENJOY playing room-mate to (except for the clothes and crap on the floor) will be leaving the nest in LESS THAN A YEAR. So, is a mid-life crisis warranted? You betcha.

Oppressive Heat + No Breakfast = Stupid Run

I woke up a little late this morning and almost didn't go for a run. I remembered that it was supposed to rain and drop the temps a little bit so I consulted with my outside thermometer that read 77 degrees. "Ah perfect" as I laced on my shoes and quickly geared up for a run.

The cacophony of cicadas (say that ten times fast) should have been the first tip-off to how hot it was going to be. If you don't know what a cicada is, watch any movie set in the South during the heat of summer when folks were fanning themselves on the front porch drinking lemonade and melting into their rocking chairs. In the background you will hear this undulating chattering noise from cicada bugs. The chatter increases the hotter it gets...but I digress...

I remembered that I had forgotten to eat something as I approached the track but decided to soldier on. After a half mile, my legs decided not to cooperate as I was breathing in huge chunks of hot, humid air. The cicadas were now giggling at me and telling their little buggy friends. I dropped the Ullrey podcast like a hot potato as I could not keep up, and walked the remaining mile back to my house to ABBA. Dumb run dumb run dumb run.

In better news, I went to go see my sister and new nephew! I apologize to any bitter infertiles out there, but I leave you with my too cute nephew holding up his head. He is one month old today!!!

Power song of the day: "Fake It" by Seether

A New Member of the Mile High Long Club!

I finally made it! I ran an entire mile without walking! I don't think I have EVAR done that in the history of my life even in school. In PE, I was usually one of the ones walking at the back complaining about having to run. Even in my adulthood I would joke that I couldn't run because my pantyhose might catch on fire. I.actually.like.running.now.

It was actually quite amusing this morning. I walk up to the track where 3 large football playa dudes were doing drills in the middle of the field. I meekly ask one of them "will it bother you if I use the track?". The biggest guy pipes up and says "go 'head on and get your exercise on!" (exact quote). As I rounded each quarter mile loop, the biggest guy counted them off for me "ONE!"..."TWO!" He didn't say three or four probably because he was into his own training at the time. When I finally finished the mile, I let out a whoop and kept walking and he retorted with an "alright!" The rest of the run I couldn't run past quarter mile because the sun was starting to beat down on me and I forgot to bring water. I didn't care. I just ran a mile!

I also went out and got a new "do" today and got about 8 inches of hair chopped off! Instead of a long swinging ponytail, I will have a ponytail nubbin. Then I went by Victoria's Secret where they were having a big sale, then went and joined my knitting friends. It was a good day. Oh! And I found the best T-shirt to go with my blog. I still need to lose a little more weight so it doesn't fit like a sausage casing. Perfect for Marshmarathon!

Run = Suck today

Today's run sucked big time. My calves just would not cooperate and out of 2 miles I only barely trotted for 5 minutes. This pain was not working itself out by walking, so I listened to my body and went home. suck suck suck. I totally overdid it yesterday. 

My sister had her baby (my first nephew) 6/1/09 and I went to see them yesterday. I blame the holding-a-newborn-baby endorphins for making me do something stoopid and running for 3 sets of 8 minute runs at a bit faster pace than my usual despite my calves protest. Did I think I could ACTUALLY progress as quickly as THE ULLREY wanted me to? Obviously not. I just hate to waste a day off from work by NOT running! suck suck suck.

But lookee!! My first nephew!

Why I Run (or try to)

What started out as a challenge from my daughter to run a marathon, has blossomed into a compulsion to run. It's hard to explain, since I was previously a self-proclaimed loather of all things athletic. I used to be content to sit on my couch and watch the boob tube and knit and make fun of people who exercised. "yeah, I don't run because my pantyhose always catch on fire" or some other quip of its kind. However, when the dishes in the sink are even trying to reach their own height record and the laundry can create its own dead lift maximum, I find myself wanting to set my own personal records. Will I be faster today? Will I run longer today? The laundry and dishes and even the TV will be there when I get back.

Lacing up my shoes, I start to feel the adrenaline surge and I feel powerful. I step outside and breathe in the outdoors. It is easy to forget the dishes and laundry and work and have this moment for myself. I leave the phone, the internet and others behind me. The only person who needs me, is me right now. I am untethered. As I jog or walk, I feel the lifting breeze around me. Even at 85 degrees I am not uncomfortable. The scent of a backyard barbecue wafts around me and I wonder what the occasion could be or what they are cooking. As I round the corner, the fresh cool, clean smell of a nearby yard sprinkler invigorates me as I run through the halos of rainbows and smile to myself. I turn down my music player so I can hear the mockingbirds at play watching me from nearby trees. 

A mile into my run, I hit my stride and focus on my rhythmic breath pairing with my footfalls on the pavement. I challenge myself. "Just a little bit longer" or "a longer stride" or "if I could just make it to that telephone pole". Although I still cannot run a full mile without walking a bit, I am feeling stronger with every day that I try. As I make the last stretch for home, I feel like a horse that makes sight of the barn at home and step up my pace for this last bit of the run. The clouds over the houses are alight with a pink and orange glow from the rising sun. I walk up the driveway to my house and although I have worked up a good sweat and my legs feel spent of most of their energy, I feel mentally lighter. I can now approach the rest of my day with a renewed focus. This is why I run.

Skinny Bitches Just Don't Understand

I could come up with the lyrics to go with Fresh Prince's "Parents Just Don't Understand" song, but nah... I'll just have a little rant about skinny bitches who have always been skinny, don't know what it's like to have trouble losing weight and who look down their skinny noses at us overweight women.  This rant brought to you by the letters F and U! 

I have nothing against thin people, just thin people who think fatter people must be lazy or lying about what they eat/don't eat. Some of us really struggle with this. 

How many times have I heard "just eat less and move more" or "calories in, calories out"? Way too many times to bitchslap someone about. Face it. Our bodies are not machines that leave the factory at a set point to burn a set number of calories per activity. Our bodies are meant to withstand famines and physical hardships and still stay alive! Metabolism is not a fixed variable. As females, our hormones actually encourage our bodies to deposit fat on hips, thighs and breasts so we can get pregnant or stay pregnant.

Many of my family members are overweight. Is it because we hork down McDonald's every day? No. I'm sure heredity plays a huge factor. I like to think that my Nordic fuel conserving ancestors could fall off of their Viking ship while their fat kept their body afloat and alive for 2 weeks without food on the high seas. 

My body just happens to be great at fuel conservation. I did 17 miles last week and ate pretty healthy and did not lose an ounce. But you know what? I'm going to keep at it. "Can't" is not part of my vocabulary right now. Difficult? yes. Trying? yes. &*%$@? yes. I'm not making excuses for being overweight, but am trying to understand WHY. That's the only way I can try to improve it. 

Inspired

Spirit of the Marathon should be required viewing for all runners and wannabe runners. This movie is truly inspirational and presented from the perspective of elite runners and everyday people like me. I dare you to watch it and not have a little tear in your eye or at least a swelling of pride and inspiration. 

Best line from the movie "People run the marathon to prove that there is still triumph and there is still possibility in their lives". This could not ring more true to me right now. 

I share with you the theatrical trailer. The movie is a free instant view if you have a Netflix account.