the dreadmill

My good friend, Mandy, calls her treadmill, the "dreadmill." I get it. I have been running on one for two weeks. I have had a bad cold and cough, so I thought staying out of the wet, freezing cold would be a good idea. An hour on the treadmill is L-O-N-G!!!

10k

In the spirit of challenging myself and keeping my head in the game, I decided to make last week 10k week. I ran a 10k each day, Monday through Saturday. I ran in the bitter cold every day. I logged about 38 miles. It was super fun, and I think it pushed me a little, I was sore for the first time in many weeks.

I have been a little stagnant lately, so it was great for me.

Now I just need to think of a challenge to get me out of bed this week...

asked out

This is just funny:

I was running at the track the Friday after Thanksgiving when I heard a runner come up behind me. I thought it was just a guy who would pass me, but he didn't he pulled right up beside me and proceeded to make small talk. He asked me how my Thanksgiving was and we chatted for a bit, when he said:

"you are really attractive and in great shape and I was wondering if you'd like to go out with me."

I almost died. It's been awhile.

I told him thanks, that is flattering, but I'm married. He was a little embarrassed, but to my surprise spent the next half mile running by my side and complimenting me on my level of fitness and running skill. I was dying. I didn't know what to do, so I just kept running, running, running......

I guess meeting chicks at the track is preferable to a bar, huh?

Give n' Gobble

This year I participated in the Give n Gobble 10k in Sherwood. It was tons of fun to get out and run in the rain (of course, only rainy day of the week!). I felt great, and finished at about 54 minutes. I came in 4th in my age group, which I felt pretty good about. Geoff, Crystal, Jaide, Tage and Olivia did the 5k and all finished in great time. It was a great family event and a tradition I hope we will continue year after year!

I'm reading it....

This book is awesome. It gives real, solid information about how to change your current or adopt a new running style that will allow you to run all you want without pain or injury. I am trying to apply it to my running, although I have no pain (beyond muscle soreness) or injury, but I'd like to keep it that way for many years to come. I think Danny Dreyer has something great here....

More to come!

boo hoo

No running to report. Hubby is gone. Need to run tomorrow for sure.

close call

Today I almost got hit by a car. Well, not really, but I'm pretty sure there is still one heart beating way too fast out there somewhere. Here's how it went down:

I was crossing a busy street, on a crosswalk. The car closest to me waved me on (I always make sure I make eye contact, since many drivers don't see runners...which brings me to the bumper sticker I need Start Seeing Runners). I started running across when another car was moving forward, they saw me mid-intersection and slowed for me, but the car to the right of them was not watching at all. Luckily I saw them and stopped for them, but man when they saw me it scared them so bad that they slammed on their brakes and did a real, live Dukes of Hazzard fish-tail about 5 feet away from where they thought they would hit me. Oh dear.

Not my fault at all, but so sorry about the cardiac arrest you almost experienced. Just START SEEING RUNNERS.

happy birthday to me

Today was my birthday, and I gave myself the gift of a run around Oswego Lake. How freakin' lucky am I to live in this beautiful area?! The run around the lake from my house is about 8.2 miles, and full of hills, but so worth it for the amazing sneak peeks of lake amidst the trees. The sun shined for me, and the leaves crunched beneath my feet, making it the perfect autumn run. My husband loaded my i-pod with a new CD he bought for my birthday: Five for Fighting's new one, and it is so good. I got to bed so ridiculously late last week, and after a stressful week, somehow couldn't sleep. I woke up feeling like a zombie; like I was in someone else's skin. But then I donned my running gear and did just what I didn't feel like doing, and it made me feel fresh and new again. So much better than a nap.

camaraderie

Ah, runner's camaraderie. I heart it. It's so fun to be out on a long run, and pass others who are going the distance too. You look at them and just see it. They are runners. You are a runner. You have something great in common. Something tangible and real. An achievement. You are cheering them on in your mind. Good job, just a few more miles. You are doing it! All you do is smile or nod or maybe say good morning but what passes between you is so much more than that. It's like a club.

Walkers have a separate club entirely. They often don't even look at me when I pass them. Maybe they feel an aversion to me because of my running. I think walkers are the "stop and smell the roses" type. Runners, well I am generalizing now, are overachievers; get-things-done types. I feel antsy when I walk. I don't say that to brag, it's probably a character flaw, but it's the truth. I feel a need for the pounding, the quick steps. A need to cover more ground. And, I feel like other runners get that.

So, here's to all my running buddies, whom I've never met, nor spoken a word to, but who are absolutely on the same page as me. My running brothers and sisters. Let's keep going the extra mile!