Foaming at the knees!

foaming at the knees! – 5.16 mi / 00:48 09:16 pace

its true i was foaming at the knees! for those who don't live in denver, it was pouring here this morning, not just a rain but complete down pour! while working my morning gig at Fedex i went back and forth on whether to run outside or hit the treadmill. well i decided that if i had to run a race and it was raining i would run right?! i bet Ryan Hall runs in the rain! when i got to the park i saw a few others getting it done as well! As the 2 or 3 other runners approached i got the head nod, "good job for toughing out the rain" head nod. OR was it "your crazy too!" head nod. either way it felt good and was glad i went for it.
about mile 3 things started getting REALLY wet and heavy! as i passed an approaching runner i gave her the nod and she looked at me, or should i say my knees, with a weird stare i looked down and ...what tha?? my knees were covered in foam!! the only thing i can think of is there must have still been detergent in my pants, now i know the nods had nothing to do with being tough!

this is the typical stuff that happens to me on a daily basis!

what should i eat?

WHAT SHOULD I EAT?
It amazes me how often i am asked this question. I'm not talking about the people training for athletic events but everyday people that say they want to be healthier. How can grown adults not know the difference between a healthy food and a not so healthy food. Maybe because i grew up in Maine with my grampa's garden suppling much of what went on the table or was i just lucky to have a mother that cared enough to teach me. I still find it hard to believe that people don't know, fast food is bad and fruits and vegetables are good. "eat your colors"- Big Bird

After getting frustrated with how often i have been asked "what should i eat", even after giving some people written list of healthy foods, a light went on! Maybe people are just asking the wrong question and what they really want to know is, "how can i add healthier foods to my meals but not do any cooking myself?" Now this question i can understand. People are busy! .....? ok People are lazy! I too live a busy life style, working three jobs starting at 4am and not getting home till 730/800 at night. But i still make smart food choices, prepare my meals, take them with me and always have a back up plan for eating something healthy when the original plan falls apart.(an apple in the car)

My biggest advice for someone who thinks they want to be committed to a healthy life style, PLAN! think about your meals, go to the grocery store and buy the foods to make your plan successful.

One of favorite excuses for not eating healthy..." i need to go to the grocery store" Come on people you KNOW you have to eat and the grocery store is probably the most logical place to help you with this task, stop being so lazy and get yourself to the store. Yes, grocery stores are open 24 hours!!

If you haven't been to the store in awhile i will tell you that most stores have made healthy foods very easy for us. The chicken is cooked for you, the vegetables are all cut up in bites size pieces, the fruit is right in front of you so if you think going to a fast food chain is easier then your just being lazy, get out of the dang car and walk into the store!!

Oh, by the way your children shouldn't be eating any different then you, teach them NOW!

The next time you "think" you don't know what to eat to be healthy, ask yourself, am i being lazy and not wanting to put time and energy into being healthy?

Crackers are not a healthy food choice!!

P.S. If you are training for specific athletic events nutrition can be more of a challenge, and i probably wouldn't consider you lazy. ;)

KILLED IT!

finishing with my final run of the month 6.5 miles! i couldn't be more thrilled with how my first 8 weeks of my quest, to become a runner has transpired, and we haven't even gotten into longer days and warmer weather yet! i signed up for my first real 5k and will be giving it a go on sunday (march 7th) i'm hoping for sunshine ! After my 1st race next week the next thing i want to conquer in the 8.5 miles around the Aurora Reservoir. I find myself getting caught in between wanting to run faster or run farther.... only time will tell i guess.

oh! by the way i'm at 112 miles before march even got started!

1 mile to go! yup i'm almost at my first running goal...whats next?

74 miles done! 26 to go!

still running!

I'm up to 63 miles of my first running goal to do 100 miles before the end of march. running has become an exciting hobby for me. I still wouldn't call myself a runner, maybe after my 1/2 marathon, but the days i have a planned run i get super nervous and sometimes think i don't want to do it. On the days i'm not supposed to run i miss it and can't wait for my next run. i now have some of the more expensive toys that real "runners" have. THE GARMIN! oh my, i just love this gps system that i wear on my wrist. last week i wanted to run fast and made myself sick, i feel like a little kid just learning life's lessons the hard way. first the shin splits because i didn't want to take a day off and let my body heal, then running so fast i over heated and the latest i can't seem to keep my heart rate monitor from sliding down to my waist. I have to ask the running gods of dailymile .com all kinds of silly questions, thank goodness they are all so helpful!

I still look forward to the day that i can just go out and run 6+ miles and have it be uplifting, then maybe i will call myself a runner!

GRRRR

just a quick note that i have added 5 more miles to my totally this week but got sidelined on Wednesday due to extreme pain in my shins, some say shin splints , just keep going, some say don't push you might get stress fractures.... so for the past 4/5 days i have been researching and trying to find answers on the pain itself, running form, types of shoes...i have gotten no where. SO i will listen to my instincts and today i will try a run on softer ground (dirt path) and take it day by day. i will report later how it goes!

100 miles by the end of March - run #6

OMG! i'm soo happy! i set out to run for 60 mins today, i have never run for more the 40. I DID IT! i might be able to call myself a runner pretty soon. I decided the best place for me to try to run for this long with no breaks would be on the treadmill. that way i could control my pace. I tend to start out fast and poop out after 30 mins. i forced myself to run an 11 min miles for the first mile then let myself find a comfortable pace. comfortable? ok, a doable pace. i did want to speed it up a few times but keep telling myself "hold on you still got a ways to go". My nike+ said i was running at 9'16" but the treadmill said 10'30" so i kept it there thinking i must some where in between. i was timing the 60 mins on my watch, watching the calories burned (i can usually do 100 cals every 10 mins) watching the miles on the treadmill, along with the pace and then every now and again i would check the nike+. my eyeballs got tired before my legs. ha! i had ATP from my favorite company, cyto-charge, and chocolate chip cookie before the run.

I fought through the lower leg pain, but other then that i think it was the boredom that was the toughest to deal with. wonder if i will be sore tomorrow?

what a great first week of running, total of 20 miles and 3,000 calories burns. i think thats 12 donuts! i'm looking forward to more....

77 miles to go!

100 miles by the end of March - run #5

Finally a good run. it was 15 degrees and i still don't have gloves. but this is the best i have felt. I still need to slow down but getting four miles, outside, is a step forward for me! i exceeded my goals for this week and i still might run tomorrow. (or might not) i did have pain in my lower legs (pretty bad) but never once felt like stopping. the fresh air and sun shine made for a happy run!

83 miles to go!

100 miles by the end of March - run #4

BRRR very cold out today, but i didn't run yesterday because it was snowing/cold. Couldn't wimp out 2 days in a row. This was an UGLY run, felt like i was going no where. i couldn't lengthen my stride, too many cloths and icey under foot, i have NO winter running gear and i ate mexican food 30 min. before the run. Snot was dripping out my nose, and down my throat and must say this is the closest i have come to walking ( and puking) while on a run. OH! and my shoe came untied!! try tying your shoe with frozen fingers and tears making it very blurry to see. I only got 2 miles in. BUT at least i stayed off the treadmill....

87 to go!

100 miles by the end of March - day #3

I ran outside! got off the treadmill, faced my fear and ran almost 3 miles outside, like a real runner! boy was i frightened!! i didn't know how to dress, its cold, but sunny and i had know idea where to run.

so i put on 2 long sleeves and my warmest pants and just headed out the door. I dodged the ice and went through a gaggle of geese, through the snow when i didn't have a side walk (not sure i should be running on the road), i went up hill, down hill, and the sun blinding my sight and then at my back. I had tears running down my cheeks (cold and wind) and snot trying to drip. BUT.... I did it! My plan was to run for min. of 20 mins knowing that would be at least 2 miles and a max of 30 min because thats what i do on the treadmill. Well i ran for 22 mins! 2.84 miles. Thats what my nike+ says so i will call it 2 miles just so i don't cheat myself.

I was uncomfortable, to many cloths, i pod in my hand was bugging me but the entire run i was smiling inside, thinking, I'm running outside!

89 miles to go!

DAY 2- 100 MILES BEFORE END OF MARCH

I was once again i was scared to start my run, thinking i wouldn't reach my gaol of 3 miles. i got moving and it wasn't so bad, the pace was a littler slower then i wanted but i told myself it was ok, don't think about the pace, just relax and get a rhythm. Like yesterday the first mile was hard but once i hit mile 3 i felt great! If i could learn how to clear my head while running i might actually start to like this running thing. My head is very loud when i run! I hit my 3 mile goal before my 30 mins was up so i figure i would just keep running till i hit that 30 min mark, well once that came i thought oh gee i can get 4 miles...but in the back of my mind i kept thinking, i have to teach spin in 40 mins... AND i was hurting all over from yesterdays run so i ran 4.39 miles and called it quits. Then i thought i should have just made it an even 4.5 miles, i always say that when i stop! i took 20 mins rest and went and jumped on the spin bike. I should sleep well tonight! I really don't have to run tomorrow but just might any ways. If i can run 3 5k's a week i should hit my goal...but like always, i got to do better then my goal

91.6 miles to go!

100 miles by the end of March-day #1

I was so exciting get started on this personal goal but at the same time i have this huge fear of failing... how could i fail, i have run for 20mins many, many times. This goal is very easy to reach, really, i know people who run 100 miles in 2 weeks. running 20 mins 5 times a week, come on! I always feel like i have to run farther and faster then the time before. This is my biggest head game right now. I must learn to be comfortable with an easy pace and enjoy the run!

SOOO DAY #1

i got up early, put on my long shorts (its cold here in colorado) and headed to the gym, i really look forward to the day i don't have to use a treadmill but don't want to lose my pace of 9 min miles. My head is all over the place can't seem to get comfortable and stay focused. the first 12 mins were hell! but i refused to stop after 12 mins, gosh! how whimpy that would have been! then i caught the rhythm!! phew! i was trying not to look at my nike+ and just feel the pace. well i was getting close to the finish and thought i would check my pace on the treadmill, SHOOT! i hit the stop button and the treadmill just stopped!! i keep my feet moving to the rhythm i had in my head and jumped off and hit the indoor track...OH! what a great way to transfer my runs from the treadmill to the road. why didn't i think of that before?

Boy did it feel good to lengthen my stride and relax into the pace. I ended up running faster and longer then i set out to do that day. It wasn't easy and i pushed to keep the pace quicker then comfortable, my lungs were on fire BUT! i was very happy with my results !

4 miles down, 96 to go!

I wonder if I'll ever be comfortable just stepping off the door step and going for and easy 10 miler? ha!

2010

don't have a lot to say but its the first day of 2010 and thought i better write something.... uhmm... well.... i could write about the the typical, new years goals, ... yes i have some but don't feel the need to broadcast them. I will say i think about my goals everyday. how about this...

1. i love my morning oatmeal

2. i wish i was as witty as my brother

3. my dogs bring me so much joy

4. i can't wait for spring!

there i posted!

I bet things will get much more interesting as i work towards my goals for 2010! ;)