That Girl Is A Running Fool

I guess God had other plans...

2012-01-22T09:36:00.000-06:00

We're just over half way through January and it already looks like some of my resolutions for this year aren't going to make it. Last Thursday, after a week and a half of hard core gym hitting and mostly good eating I had a major setback. Everyone knows that I had breast augmentation and lift back in September and then I had to have a revision surgery in November, well, I somehow developed a pretty nasty seroma (seromas aren't really uncommon with the surgery I had but they also aren't expected either). So, on Wednesday I got to have 250cc of lymphatic fluid drained from my left breast (which sucked) and then Thursday evening I got another drain put in. At this point I don't really care about the seroma or the drain or the fact that I will need another surgery now because the seroma was so bad that it stretched out my incisions from before; All I care about is that my husband will be home for R&R soon and I do not want to be recovering from anything while he is here.

I'm going back to my doctor tomorrow to see if we can figure out how long I need to keep the drain in and when I can schedule the next surgery (hopefully, AFTER my hubby is back in Afghanistan). I'm going to need at least 6 weeks after to recover before I can start running again so it's looking like my plans of running a half in May are going to be scrapped. Since it looks like I'll be missing out on peak running time here in Germany I'm considering having my tummy tuck sooner rather than later. I think I've reached a maintainable weight since I've been unable to run and go to the gym for most of the last 5 months and my weight has only fluctuated by a few pounds. The hardest part is picking which time of year will be best to recover in and, knowing that I am already going to be losing out on run time from my other surgery, it just seems smart to double up.

I'll definitely be posting my plans here as soon as I know them but, once again, I'm letting you all know that I am out of commission for running until further notice. :(

I'm not dead.

2012-01-08T06:45:00.000-06:00

The holidays were rough this year, a lot harder than I thought they'd be and I pretty much crawled under a rock except when my friends dragged me out. I missed my husband, I missed my family, the weather was crappy and I really just wanted the whole thing to be over. Unfortunately, I have children so that wasn't an option and I had to pretend that it was the most wonderful time of the year.

We did have some great times like when we took the train to Rothenburg's Christmas market on a snowy wintery day. We also made a trip to Ramstein to shop at the big PX and eat at Chili's! We all got sick from eating greasy American food but it was worth it. We also had Christmas dinner with our wonderful friends here in Germany and we spent New Year's Eve with even more friends. We are truly blessed to have met such great people and I know the holidays would have been 10 times harder without them.

I'm happy that 2012 is finally here though, everyday is a day closer to seeing my husband and the kids seeing their dad, they miss him terribly. But 2012 also means that I get to refocus myself and start working toward real goals with my running and my fitness in general. So, I'm going to share my 12 goals for 2012:

1. Cross train. I've already started doing Spin class twice a week, it's such a different workout than running and other than my butt being ridiculously sore, I love it. I am also weight training at the gym and doing a step aerobics class on Fridays.

2. Run at least one half marathon. There is a half marathon in Würzburg on May 20 and I would really like to run it but I don't know yet if it will work with my schedule. There is also one in June in Stuttgart that might work and then there is always Berlin in September, I would love to do all of these but I'll be happy with just one.

3. Lose 25 pounds. I'm 25 pounds from being in the normal range for BMI and I'm sick of being considered obese.

4. Run more with my husband (obviously after he gets back). I love running with my husband and also hate it. I'm super competitive and he pushes me and I think he is the key to improving my running.

5. Spend more time outdoors. It has been rainy and cold and wet here for months now, we missed this part of winter last year so I don't think I fully appreciated Spring and Summer in Germany. This year I will make the most of the sunlight and warmth.

6. Travel more. I haven't traveled as much as I would like because Luis has been gone but once he gets back we have to make up for lost time, we have so much to see and only 2 years left to do it.

7. Keep working on my German. I had stopped with my German lessons but I'm starting back next week. I know enough to get by but I want to learn more conversational German.

8. NOT cut my hair. I know for most people this doesn't have to be a goal but I've been wanting to grow my hair out for years and I always end up chopping it off. I will not chop my hair off this year and by next year I will be able to do all kind of cool hairdo's that I wanted to do last year but couldn't.

9. Be more affectionate. I'm not an affectionate person at all, I have to remind myself to hug my children. That's sounds horrible, I'm not big on people touching me but I'm working on it. I'm hoping that if I keep working on it then it can become a habit and maybe one day it will become second nature instead of a conscious decision.

10. Cook more. A lot of my lack of cooking has been due to Luis' absence, the kids and I just don't eat enough to make a big meal, especially since they usually complain about some aspect of it and won't eat it. My first week of cooking has already gone well, I'm making healthier food and we can always use that.

11. Read more. I enjoy reading but it always comes in spurts. I'll read everyday for a month or two and then nothing for a month or two. I want to be more consistent and give myself reading time everyday.

12. Spend less time on Facebook. I know I have sucked at blogging since I moved but it's not because I'm never online, I'm always online in some way, be it on my computer at home or on my phone that is always with me. I'm just always on Facebook, it's a great way to stay connected with my friends and family in the states but I waste a lot of time on Facebook and I'm going to try to reduce the hours spent staring at status updates this year.

Nails, nails, nails

2011-11-23T01:14:00.001-06:00

Since I haven't been running much lately I haven't written a whole lot on the blog either, I honestly don't know what to say since most of you are running junkies and don't stop by for my opinions on Demi and Ashton or Kim Kardashian (for the record, I couldn't care less about any of them). I have my second surgery coming up next week and I know that this means at least another month without running, it's driving me crazy. So, I have come up with a new hobby thanks to Pinterest (if you haven't checked it out yet, do it. If you need an invite, let me know.). I've become a bit of a nail whore. It works perfectly for me because I spend a lot of time on the computer chatting with my hubby (in case you're new here, he's deployed) so it gives my nails plenty of time to dry. I use Pinterest to give me ideas and that is also where I found this awesome blog that tells you how to do some really awesome manis. Here are some pictures of manis that I have done since I started this obsession. Enjoy.

Still no running :(

2011-11-08T02:09:00.000-06:00

I feel bad for not posting but I'm going to be honest here, blogging here makes me think about running and I'm going crazy not running right now. The weather here is perfect right now, the leaves are gorgeous and I'm going slightly mad with the hubby deployed, I think a nice long run would solve all my problems....except I'm not supposed to run yet. To make matters worse, I've got to have another surgery. Chances are I won't be running again until closer to the first of the year. Right now I'm taking online classes so I haven't had all that much time anyway but once my English class is done in a few weeks I think I'm going to start walking. I walked a 5K with the kids back in October but it was so hard to make myself not run. I figure walking is better than nothing and hopefully it'll get me back to running quicker.
My next surgery is scheduled for the 29th so I might try to run a little before if it doesn't hurt. I'm really missing racing right now. I need my hubby to get back so I can plan a half marathon and start training...but I guess I need to also be able to run. One step at a time.

Lucy is turning 12!!!!

2011-11-04T18:00:00.002-05:00

Hey everybody, I just wanted to let you all know that Lucy activewear is turning 12 this year and to celebrate they are having their annual birthday sale. The whole store is going to be 25% off on Saturday plus they'll be giving out goodies to shoppers. Be sure to stop by and check it out...then come back and let us know what you got.

2011-09-28T10:28:00.001-05:00

So, I made it out of surgery and I'm back home now, I'm hurting quite a bit so I'll wait to discuss everything later but I just wanted to stop by and say hi. Thanks for all the well wishes, I'm hoping to be more myself come Friday when I get the drains out. Take care and run some miles for me. :)

One day at a time.

2011-09-25T07:57:00.000-05:00

Ever since school started for the kids I've been running a lot more and definitely going to the gym a lot more. The gym has always been something that I enjoy but I've always enjoyed running more, it's just easier to step out the door and run than to drive to the gym. I know that seems a little lazy, which is partly why it's so funny, but I've been trying to make it to the gym 2-3 times a week. Well, with my surgery coming up I've been working extra hard and man, has it paid off. I've been working my legs more, doing lunges and upping my weight on all the machines and I really noticed the difference in my running this week.

I had my awesome 3 mile run followed by a super kick ass 6 miler! I've run the exact same route before, it's ridiculously hilly and I've always had to stop and walk at some point. Well, on Wednesday I decided that I was going to run the whole time, no matter what. There were some times that I really had to dig deep to keep going. I'm not really the kind of person that talks myself up to things, my style is more like I tell myself, "Quit being a pussy and just do it!" but on Wednesday I was running, trying my damned-est to get to the top of that hill without walking and I told myself, "You're a rockstar! You can do this. You are a beast!" and as silly as I felt talking to myself on that road, I did it! I was so proud of myself, I killed that 6 miles and I felt great afterward.

The hardest part is now, I'm so happy with my running and I pushed myself so hard and now I'm not going to be able to build on it because I'm going to have to recover. I know I can get there again, I have to but I always have this fear in the back of my mind that I will use this (or anything) as an excuse to fall back into old habits. I know I've been running for 2 1/2 years now and I really can't imagine a future without running in it but I still have that irrational fear. It would be too easy to go back to being a couch potato but everyday is a choice: to sit on my butt or to go out and move my body?

Right now my plan is to walk through my recovery, I have to be careful and I have to stick with low to no impact but as soon as I can get back in the gym I'm going to build back up to where I am now and keep on trucking. Onward and upward.

P.S. Tomorrow is my surgery, I should be out of recovery by the time most of you wake up but I'll be sure to do a mobile post just as soon as I feel up to it to let you all know I made it out okay. Thanks for everyone's support, you have no idea how much I appreciate it.

The Final Countdown

2011-09-20T02:52:00.001-05:00

I officially have less than one week till my surgery and I'm starting to feel the nerves, finally. Up to this point I've just been ridiculously excited and gauging all measurements of time as "before surgery" and "after surgery" like, "the kids will take their school pictures before the surgery" and "I have to pick up my prescription refill after surgery." It seems completely unreal right now, like it's never going to get here. I guess I've waited 11 years for this so I'm just in disbelief that is is actually going to happen.

I've been hitting the gym hard lately because I know that I'm going to be out of commission for a little while and I guess I don't want to lose too much fitness....I'm not really sure if this works but it makes sense in my head so I'm sticking with it. I'm really concerned about when I will be able to get back to running, I've been having some really amazing runs lately. I've been focusing on my breathing when it starts to get tough and it has really helped me get past the discomfort and get my second wind. Yesterday I managed a 3 mile run in 29 minutes even, I felt amazing. I really didn't feel like running but I knew that I would regret it if I didn't so I got myself out the door. The weather was a little chilly (ie perfect running weather) and I never felt like I needed to walk, it doesn't get much better than that.

Ever have the perfect run on a day you didn't even want to walk out the door? It kinda makes your whole day.

A little bit of this, a little bit of that.

2011-09-11T14:48:00.001-05:00

So, I survived the 9.11K...barely. It started at 2pm and it was an unusually hot day here in Schweinfurt. The race wasn't planned too well because the routes weren't marked very clearly (lucky for me I'm not a front runner) AND they ran out of water. Running out of water was inexcusable to me. I was really peeved that they ONLY had water, I think anything over 5K should have something other than just water, heck, I would have been happy with Gatoraid which I abhor. It was just way too hot and people were sweating way too much to only have water out there. Two people ended up getting carried off by ambulance and this was a tiny race so that was a lot, I'm really surprised it wasn't more than just those two.

I was in no way prepared for this race so I had to run/walk it, I might have been able to run the whole thing had it been run in the morning or if it wasn't hilly but 85º with no shade whatsoever and super hilly, there was no way I was going to be able to run it all. I ended up finishing in 59:54 which gave me an average pace of 11:15/mi. Not horrible, I'm fine with that. The shirts were nice, I'm not sure I'll wear it much over here (just because I don't like to point out that I'm American for safety reasons) but I could definitely see myself using it as a workout shirt for the gym on post.

What do you think?

So, in my post last week I mentioned that I had a surprise, well, I've been waiting for some time to mention this but now that things are in motion and I've got my date set and everything is paid for I wanted to mention that my running is going to be having a setback soon. It's a self-induced set back because I'm going to be going in for my first surgery. I'm finally getting nipped and tucked from my weight loss. My first surgery will be my breast lift and augmentation (nothing too big because I don't want it to affect my running) and then hopefully sometime in February (I want to drop another 15 pounds before) I will have my second surgery which will be my tummy tuck.

I know there are a lot of differing opinions on plastic surgery, some people really don't approve, but I worked my butt off to lose the weight and I'm even more self conscious since I've lost 75 pounds and still have all the skin of my former self. I'm doing this for me and I'm really happy about it . So, that's my big surprise, I'm going to be unable to run for a few weeks but I plan on getting right back into it as soon as I feel ready and I'll be updating on here to let you guys know how it goes.

What did I do?

2011-09-05T04:30:00.000-05:00

There is a 9/11 Memorial run going on here at the Army base next weekend and I knew that I wanted to get in on it. It's a small race, mostly just the community here in Schweinfurt, which is very, very tiny but I've been dying to race. I knew that I wanted to do the 5K so I've been running just a couple miles at a time and working on getting faster, not too worried about distance because after running for 2 years now I can do 5K, so I wasn't worried.

Well, on Saturday I went to sign up at the PX and I saw that they have 3 different distances: 3K, 5K and 9.11K. Now I'm in a pickle, I've been preparing for a 5K but I really like the idea of doing 9.11K for a 9/11 memorial so of course, I was like what the hell, and I signed up for the 9.11K! Shit!

Saturday evening I went for a run and set out to do 4 miles knowing that I needed to run more than 5K but not so much that I would be sore. I hit the tank trail, which is my usual stomping ground but it gets much hillier the further you go. I was surprised at how good I felt, I walked a little in my 3rd mile but started feeling so good at mile 4 that I decided to add a mile. I didn't realize how much I missed running longer distances.

Sophia starts school tomorrow and I'm finally going to have time to run without having to pay for a babysitter, I can't wait. I've already made plans to run on Wednesday with a friend I've met here that runs, she's a beginner but it will be nice to help her out and have someone to run with finally. Things are definitely looking good for me.

I've got an announcement later this week but I don't want to jinx myself by saying anything yet but stay tuned for big news!!!

26.2 minus 10 feet

2011-08-20T08:13:00.000-05:00

I was chatting on facebook with my hubby the other day and we had a conversation that I, never in my wildest dreams, thought we would ever have.
I have to give you a little background info to make this make sense: When I first started running 2 years ago my husband was really proud of me but he always thought I was a little but crazy. He would constantly tell me, "Running isn't fun, why do you do this?" I tried to explain to him that it isn't always about fun but he still thought I was crazy. He said he would never run a half marathon, "Why on Earth would anyone want to run for 13.1 miles?" Obviously, he changed his mind since he ran the half marathon with me in Houston in January. He said he actually had a good time but he would never, ever run a full marathon "Why on Earth would anyone want to run 26.2 miles?"

So, our facebook convo went a little like this:

Luis: Hey babe! How are you?
Me: Good, you?
Luis: I want to run another half marathon.
Me: Ummmm, okay. That was random.
Luis: I've been thinking about it and I think it would be good, I want to do another one.
Me: That's awesome, you know I would love to have you do another one with me.
Luis: cool
Me: You know Meredith (she's my best cousin) is doing the full this year in Houston? Isn't that awesome?
Luis: Yeah, I want to do a full too.
Me: WHAT?!?
Luis: What?
Me: But you said you would NEVER do a full marathon, you said you would never run 26.2 miles.
Luis: Well, I'm going to stop like 10 feet from the finish line.

Back again.

2011-08-16T18:08:00.000-05:00

Yeah, so, the whole running in the Alps didn't happen. I actually arrived at the hotel totally and completely exhausted and thanks to the most uncomfortable beds in the world, I never got any decent sleep on the whole trip. I spent all 3 days on tours and as soon as the bus got back to the hotel I promptly ate, showered and tried to sleep despite my bed being overtaken by a 5 year old (because it wasn't uncomfortable enough without Sophia smack dab in the middle of it).

Next time I go to Garmisch I will be doing to more adventurous tours but since my mother was with us this time we stuck to castles, churches and shopping. I definitely want to hike next time and go paragliding, I was so jealous of all the hot pink parachutes floating around.

This was the view from our patio.

Another view from our room.

The Swarovsky Giant

This was a nice little garden area at the Swarovsky Crystal factory.

This was a maze at the Swarovsky Crystal Factory in Innsbruck, Austria. The kids and I made it through before I went up top to get a picture of it.

Neuschwanstein castle

The kids on our way back down with the castle in the background.

This is where I want to stay next time I visit Garmisch. Gorgeous!

Running on Water

2011-08-07T04:37:00.000-05:00

I've covered a lot of miles this summer, unfortunately, very few of them have been in running shoes. I didn't run at all while we were at Disney Paris, I didn't even bring my running gear and I really regretted it the first morning. We stayed at the Davy Crockett Ranch in a cabin and it was so lovely being in the "woods." There were a ton of runners out and I felt a pang of envy every time one crossed my path. Next time we go I will most definitely be running every morning.

I did bring my new hot pink Kinvara's with me last week on the cruise we took. I was in awe as I was running as we were pulling into port in Koper, Slovenia. It was just breathtaking.

I also ran as we were pulling into Dubrovnik, Croatia. Just check out that view.

I was so lucky to get to experience this and I definitely plan on cruising again. I pretty much had the track to myself at 6am and also managed to not gain any weight despite eating ALL THE TIME!!! I got to run on water, how cool is that?

Tuesday I'm heading out again, this time to the Bavarian Alps. I'm bringing my gear and hopefully I can run a little, despite the elevation. I'll be sure to post some pictures when I get back on Friday.

Come September, the kids go back to school and my mom goes back to the states so things should calm down for me and I can start back on a schedule. I've got a race coming up on September 10th (a local 5K) and I really need to get back in shape. I'm looking forward to catching up on blogging, I've got some exciting things coming up, so be sure to check back.

2011-06-30T16:09:00.000-05:00

I'm leaving in the morning for Paris, I can't wait! I'm not sure if I'm going to be doing any running (definitely lots of walking though) but I'll be sure to get my sweat on when I get back. I hope everyone has a safe and happy 4th of July weekend, I promise to return with pictures!

Stuffing My Face

2011-06-27T07:00:00.002-05:00

Today I'm talking about hunger, since I slowed down on my running I had forgotten about how ravenous I get when I run. It's silly really and I know it kind of makes sense but I go way overboard. I really thinking keeping my eating in check is one of the hardest parts about running for me. I ran on Saturday (SYTO 5K) and again on Sunday (sprints, yuck!) and by Sunday evening I felt like I could eat everything in our entire pantry.

I tried to keep it healthy at first, opting for a low-fat cheese stick, then an hour later I had a yogurt.

Yes, I lick the container because that is how good this yogurt is, it's banana with schoko crunchies (aka crispy rice covered in chocolate), by far this is my favorite thing about living in Germany.

After the yogurt I had a glass of milk...then some crackers...then a Kinder chocolate...then some left over homemade Mac and Cheese (Paula Deen's recipe, you can imagine how healthy it is)...then another Kinder chocolate. My point is, I cannot stop eating.

The thing is I feel like I have no self-control when I've run and it kills me because I know I had it at some point, you don't lose 75 pounds without some freaking' self-control. So, I want to know, do any of you have this problem and if you do what do you do to help minimize this effect? I'm already thinking that I might need to chug some water as soon as I get done, I know I don't drink enough right away but maybe you guys have some tricks that work better, let me know because lord knows my ass cannot keep up since there is no way I burn that many calories.

Race Report: Sweat Your Thorns Off Virtual 5K

2011-06-25T07:06:00.000-05:00

I'm not very good at following through with things, back in the winter I was supposed to do the Freeze Your Thorns Off Virtual 5K but somehow completely forgot (or maybe I was just being lazy, I don't really remember). When I saw that Adam was hosting another one this summer I thought it was a great chance to redeem myself...also a chance to challenge myself to actually stick to something I said I would do.

I hadn't run in almost 2 weeks but for some reason I still set some unimaginable goals for myself, I wanted to finish somewhere in the 28's and of course, no walking! I failed on both accounts but I'm still pretty happy since I'm used to failing my ridiculous goals and usually find satisfaction in what I actually accomplished.

I prepared by not getting drunk last night when we had friends over and instead I only had 2 glasses of wine and preceded to kick everyone's ass at Dance Central on the Kinect (you do not want to challenge me, I can crank that Soulja Boy!). I still didn't get to bed till almost 1am so I decided to make today's 5K and afternoon run and of course as I was getting my running clothes on it would start raining. It's been raining for days here but on the plus side: there wasn't that much sweating involved in the Sweat Your Thorns Off 5K...well, at least not until I started running. It was only 54º when I started (that's Fahrenheit, I still don't know Celsius even though that's what Germans use) and with the rain (more like drizzle) it kept me pretty cool for a run in the middle of June.

My Before Pic

My goals were kind of dependent on each other since I probably would have made it in the 28's (hey, 28:59 is still in the 28's) if I hadn't chose to walk up that hill. Instead I finished with 29:24 as my final time but the most amazing part to me was when I plugged in my Garmin when I got home and saw that my first mile was 8:48!!! Amazeballs!!!

Mile 1: 8:48
Mile 2: 9:24
Mile 3: 10:15
.1 Mile: 0:56

That's one happy running fool!

I have decided to make a virtual 5K part of my monthly running plan (I didn't have a monthly running plan before now, lol). I'm going to use the same route to see how I improve (or don't) and hopefully that will keep me motivated. I'll be doing my next one, most likely, on July 9th so hubby can do it with me. He's a great motivator since I have an overwhelming urge to kick his butt at everything but running just seems to come naturally to him... oh yeah, and he's in the Army so he does PT and runs all the time. I'll post more about my next virtual 5K as it gets closer. I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend and I hope all the other participants of the SYTO 5K kicked my ass because I'm supportive of my fellow runners like that. :)

Songs I'm Digging!!

2011-06-22T04:46:00.001-05:00

I'm kind of a music junkie...but I don't listen to the radio. I find that Germany is kind of stuck in the 80s and even when they play current music it's a lot of the same stuff over and over again. I spend a lot of time on iTunes, I always listen to what they "recommend for you" and usually it leads to something that is my taste. That's how I originally found Owl City (you know, Fireflies, but that isn't even close to their best song). Anyway, I'm digging their newest album right now, All Things Bright and Beautiful. Check it out!

I also fell in love with Beyonce's 1+1. I think Yahoo posted this video that Jay Z recorded on his phone of her warming up for a performance and WOW!!! That woman can sing and I am in love with this song now.

This is the perfect song to listen to on a nice long run, when I'm not worried about time and I just want to relax and enjoy myself.

Recap!!!

2011-06-21T04:45:00.000-05:00

This morning I sat at my desk for 2 hours and tried to read all the blogs in my reader, I'm not going to lie, I skimmed ALOT! That's what happens when I hit over 300 posts to read, I'm sorry for neglecting you guys and I'm sorry for not commenting more, I'm trying, swear.

It's been over a month since I posted so I thought a recap was in order.

RECAP

-My mommy is going to be here in a week!!! I am so freaking' excited about this, I can't wait to show her around Germany. I've been getting ready for this for weeks and I still have a couple rooms left that I want to paint before she gets here. Nothing like having company to make you get your house in order, I mean, we moved in 4 months ago! It's time.

- This year we are celebrating America's independence in France. I booked our trip to Disnayland Paris for July 4th weekend. I have never, ever, ever been to any Disney park, to say that I am excited is an understatement. The kids are pretty stoked too.

- Sometime in the very near future my hubby is deploying. I'm okay with this, it's what he wanted and I don't really expect people to understand that but don't feel sorry for me/him, I just thought I should mention since it's a really big deal.

- Due to hubby deploying I'm not really sure how my half marathon plans are going to work out, I can't exactly drag the kids to Austria and leave them for several hours while I run but at the same time I don't know anyone that would be willing to take them overnight for the weekend. I guess I'll worry about that when it gets closer to September.

Well, that's what's going on here at the moment, I'm already working on another post, let's see if I can blog 4 times in the next 30 days? LOL

It's that time again...

2011-05-18T00:24:00.000-05:00

...and I'm not referring to finally blogging again (although this is long overdue). It's that time that I start craving a race. I haven't raced since January and the Houston Half Marathon wasn't exactly my best race, I was injured, overweight and frankly, exhausted from getting ready for my international move.

I'm finally rested, I've dropped 20 pounds and I feel like I can no longer fight that urge to run with all these beautiful Spring days here in Deutschland, but running without a goal makes me lazy. Lucky for me, I have a blogging buddy I met through my other blog, years ago, who lives in Austria and she's taken up running as well. She did her first half marathon last month and is already looking forward to her next, The Wachau Half Marathon in September. It's too perfect not to do it with her, I'm looking for a race, I'd love to meet my bloggy friend face-to-face and I haven't been to Austria yet.

Time to start training!

Wowzers!

2011-04-09T14:37:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the grainy photo but I woke up the other morning to this.

That would be a 1 at the beginning of my number...that hasn't been a 1 in over 10 years!!

Well, that was unexpected.

2011-03-23T01:51:00.000-05:00

As many of you know on here, I have struggled with my weight my whole life. I lost a lot of weight when I started running but then I just got stuck at a number and couldn't seem to push past it. I sat at that weight for over a year, still running and eating somewhat healthy. While we were moving I managed to put on a few more pounds and by a few I mean, nine freaking pounds!

I arrived in Germany on February 7th feeling like a cow, my pants were tight, my face looked bloated and I genuinely felt like crap. In the month and a half since I've managed to lose 17 pounds and the crazy thing is I wasn't even trying. I didn't have a scale because it was being shipped with our stuff so I decided that I would just enjoy the German food and worry about losing the weight later, after the novelty wore off. The first week we were here I ate a pastry every day, once we got our house I started buying milk...whole milk. I also bought full fat yogurt and a box of Kinder chocolates so I could have chocolate whenever the mood struck me. I tried German ice cream and gelato, I ate doner sandwiches and schnitzel, I thought for sure I would pack on some (more) pounds.

I'm guessing the walking has saved me, before we got our car it was normal for me to walk between 5 and ten miles in one day. Now that we have a car I walk a lot less, I still walk my son to the bus stop and back everyday and I still walk to the grocery every (or every other) day but that alone puts me walking 2 miles a day. That doesn't include when I actually get out to run (which is difficult right now since hubby is in the field) or play volleyball.

I'm just amazed at how effortless this has been, I wish we walked this much in the US, I know we wouldn't have the obesity issues we do if people just got off their butts. I see old people here, very old people, walking around, they use their walker, they hop on the bus and walk to the market. They're much more active in their old age than Americans and they seem to live long lives because of it.

It helps that there are sidewalks and bike paths everywhere, I think Americans would be more inclined to walk or bike if they felt they had a safe designated area to do so. We could definitely learn a thing or two from the Germans and I hope all this walking is something I take back with me to the US.

If you want to see my house in Germany...

2011-03-22T08:47:00.002-05:00

...then click here!

2011-03-20T05:59:00.000-05:00

So, I know that I said I was going to keep posting over here in Germany and I still plan on posting but things have been hectic, I'm running shorter distances now but I'm also playing on a volleyball team that takes up 3 nights a week. I feel like I don't have much to talk about as far run-related topics go so I'm mostly going to post on my other blog, Friday Night Ambulance. Like I said, I'll still be posting here every once in awhile but I don't want to post fluff that doesn't really have anything to do with running since this is, after all, a running blog.

I also want to apologize for not reading blogs right now, I had well over 1000 posts (probably closer to 3000 but reader only counts to 1000) and it seems that every day I get another 100 posts. I'm sorry but I just don't have time to read that much, I do skim until I get tired and hit "mark all as read." I had a lot more time when I was living in Oklahoma and honestly, I don't want to spend my time here in front a computer. I go out everyday even if it's just to the grocery store but next month is just going to get busier when I start my German language class. I hope I'm not letting you guys down but like I said, if you want to see what's going on here then you can check in on my other blog. I'll probably load a lot of pictures and just talk about the interesting things about living in Germany.

This isn't goodbye but I wanted to warn you guys that my posting will be fewer and far between. I appreciate each and every one of you and of course if anybody ever wants to get in touch with me please email me allieisarunningfool (at) yahoo and as always I'll respond.

Cheers!

This is for you, Jamoosh!

2011-02-25T15:30:00.001-06:00

Frozen pizza and a Radler, it's Friday night in Germany!!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

A few pictures for you.

2011-02-23T12:48:00.001-06:00

I decided to download an app to our iPhone so I can blog from the house now. I can also add pictures from here.

I haven't taken many pictures on this phone so I don't have a lot to choose from but here are some from this past weekend in Ramstahl. We ate at this awesome restaurant that has been around since 1806.

This is the guesthouse that has been open as long as the restaurant.

This was the entrance to the restaurant, it was beautiful.

This is the kids at the edge of town (we needed to take a walk after all the delicious food).

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Finally, running again.

2011-02-23T07:01:00.000-06:00

On Sunday I went for my first run here in Germany. It wasn't that special, I just did a couple of miles, I mostly wanted to see how far it was from our house to the military post so I did what any normal person would do: I strapped on my Garmin and ran there. For the record, it's just over a mile and hilly!

It was great to get out there and sweat again, it was cold and I forgot to bring a long-sleeved shirt to run in so I was pretty frozen for the first half mile and after that it was just my face and hands that were cold. Today I decided to go for another run, taking a different route to post (more hilly) and I wore a bondi band over my ears and my regular Isotoner gloves, it was colder today but I felt a lot warmer.

I also found out as I was walking out the door for my run that my next door neighbor also happens to run, yay for new running partners!!

I know I promised you guys pictures but we still haven't gotten our stuff and it's still going to be awhile, thankfully we got a home phone though and I'm finally able to call my family. We also got an iPhone so I've been using that to get my internet fix at home. I'm so ready to get our things. I'm going crazy with only 4 sets of dishes and silverware, it's also really difficult to cook a decent meal with only 1 pot.

This weekend we're going to go out to explore Germany again (we went last weekend to a 205 year old restaurant in a tiny little German village, aaaaamazing!), we're hoping to find a castle or something exciting, we'll see.

Well, take care everyone and I'll try to keep checking in periodically.

Willkommen in Deutschland!

2011-02-14T02:33:00.000-06:00

Guten tag! Just wanted to drop in and let everyone know that we arrived in Germany on Monday and we are getting settled in. We have a house already but we won't be getting our things until March 28th. I'll try to stop by the library periodically to blog but unfortunately, I can't post any pictures yet.
I haven't gone on a run yet but I'm planning one either tonight or tomorrow sometime. I have been doing a lot of walking however since our house is about a mile or so away from base. I'm definitely going to need to stay on top of my running because I have yet to taste anything bad here. The pastries, OMG, they're delicious...and doners, don't get me started, even their milk tastes better.

Anyway, be expecting a post with pictures at the end of March...lots and lots of pictures! :)

I hope everyone is doing well with their training, comment and let me know what's going on with you since I can't sit down right now and read everyone's blogs (my internet use is about 30 minutes). Talk to you guys again soon.

Ciao!

Finally, I got to a computer!

2011-01-25T10:38:00.000-06:00

Thanks to everyone for entering my CSN giveaway, sorry this took me so long to announce a winner but better late than never. Out of 71 entries, using random.org the winner is number 6, the Crafty Jogger!

Congratulations and stay tuned for more giveaways.

Last Chance!

2011-01-21T13:46:00.000-06:00

Don't forget to enter my CSN Strores giveaway, I'll announce a winner tomorrow!!!!

I'm homeless!

2011-01-18T18:28:00.000-06:00

Okay, I am officially moved now. I'll be in Houston on Friday and I'll be borrowing computers (like I am now) to choose the winner of the CSN stores giveaway. I'll be scarce until I get internet in Germany but I'll be checking in as often as possible.

Stay tuned for awesomeness!

Another Giveaway!!

2011-01-17T06:51:00.001-06:00

It's been giveaway central here lately and I'm super excited about this next giveaway, they have anything and everything you could be looking for. I'm talking about CSN Stores, I know you guys have seen them around and maybe some of you have even ordered from them already (I have). They have furniture, bedding, and even modern decor. They have tons more stuff too, in fact, they have so much that it would be almost impossible to list it all here. So go look around, drool over things you want, be sure to make a list because the winner of this giveaway gets a $35 gift code to use at any of the 200+ CSN stores.

Here's how you enter:
1) Mandatory: Become a follower or let me know that you already are, leave a comment.
2) Click on the link above, look around and let me know something that is on your wish list, leave a comment.
3) Post a link to this giveaway on your blog or tweet about it (2 possible entries), leave a comment.

You have until Saturday-ish (I won't have internet so it might be Sunday till I can get on a computer), good luck.

GUess who won.

2011-01-14T18:09:00.000-06:00

Today was a fairly hectic day, the movers came for our storage goods. Mostly they took the crap that we won't have room for but they also took some major appliances that we just won't be able to take with us like our washer and dryer and our microwave. I'm adjusting to not having a microwave just fine but I hate not having the washer, I've already managed to dirty up 4 towels and every scrap of laundry in our house was clean as of 8 am this morning. We basically have one week left here and on Monday we'll lose access to the rest of our stuff. I hate moving...but I'm soooo happy to be getting out of here!

But I know you guys didn't come here to listen to me complain about moving so the winners of the Gu are (That's right, that's winners, with an -s):

Chris at Evolving Through Running

and

Marilyn at Lipgloss and Spandex

Email me your adresses and I will get your Gu in the mail ASAP!
allieisarunningfool (at) yahoo (dot) com

I'd like to thank the academy...

2011-01-12T21:22:00.000-06:00

I got an award, y'all!!!

I was nominated by Thirteen Point One Miles for the Stylish Blogger Award, how cool is that? And I'm not even stylish.

So, the rules of the award are:

1. Make a post + Link back to the person who awarded you this award.
2. Share 7 things about yourself.
3. Award 5 recently discovered great bloggers (it did say 15, but she changed it to 5 so I will stick with that because it was a good idea).
4. Contact these bloggers and tell them they’ve won!

7 Things About Me:

1. I'm running my 3rd half marathon on the 30th, I plan on running my heart out since my last one I didn't finish. I'm looking for redemption.
2. Most likely 2011 will be a year that I focus on the 5K.
3. I really want to run a 5K with my hubby.
4. I hope my son will do another 5K with me (he doesn't want to right now), I was so proud of him. I still am.
5. I plan on exploring Germany through running and this blog will more than likely end up having A LOT of pictures over the next 3 years.
6. I WILL RUN the Berlin Marathon while we are there, probably not this year since hubby will most likely be deploying.
7. Next week the kids are going to be at my mom's and I can run whenever I feel like it...except when the packers are here...or the movers...or when I have appointments. I really hope it warms up.

So, that was 7 things, it took me all day to think of that (I know, my brain is fried). As for picking 5 bloggers to pass it on to, well, I can't choose just 5 of you, I love you all. You guys are like my dolls when I was little, I slept with all of them because I didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings. Since this is blogland I can't sleep with all of you (and that would make me a whore) I'm giving each and every one of you reading this a stylish blogger award. You have to be pretty awesome to be reading this blog and for today, awesome = stylish.

Attention Gu-bers!!!

2011-01-11T07:00:00.000-06:00

So, I'm pretty sure everyone knows I'm moving soon (not because you guys are so into me or anything but because I won't shut up about it) and the movers have really strict rules about packing food items. Well, I have a box of Gu Roctane that there is no way I will be able to finish in 2 weeks, especially since I'm officially in taper due to some hip discomfort going on.

I'm sure you can see where this is going...

So, if you would like to try out Gu Roctane in the Island Nectars flavor (it seriously tastes like a Mai Tai) then please leave a comment. I'll randomly choose 2 people from the comments section on Friday 1/14.
If you are a follower then you get an extra entry so comment again to make it easier for me (I'm lazy).

90...or something.

2011-01-10T07:00:00.002-06:00

I was looking through my archives the other day and I saw my 10 x 10 post from April 2010 when I promised 100 things about me. Well, I counted and turns out I never finished, I only did 80 so, I decided to do 10 things to catch people up to speed with what's going on right now and to eventually finish up that 100 things.

1) A lot of times I don't finish what I start (like this post for example).
2) I'm moving to Germany on Feb 3, eeek!! What? Have I mentioned this before?
3) I'm really starting to doubt my ability to run a marathon.
4) Some days this blog is the only thing that gets me out the door to run. I feel like I'm letting you guys down if I don't.
5) I'm really excited about moving to Germany but I'm also secretly terrified because I don't speak a lick of German and every time I try to practice I find myself speaking Spanish (which can be very confusing).
6) My husband and I have absolutely no clue about where we're going to live when we get out of the Army.
7) Up to this point I've only ever lived in Texas or Oklahoma.
8) The running community will play a major role in our choice of cities to live in when we get out.
9) I feel like I need to run a marathon in the next year or I never will.
10) I'm going to be without a cell phone and computer for possibly a month (or longer) and that really gives me anxiety.

Great deals and winner!!!

2011-01-08T10:07:00.000-06:00

I got a Visa gift card from my parents for Christmas and I've been checking out a lot of websites for running gear and I found some great deals along the way that I thought I would share with you guys.

1) Nathan Speedbelt 4 at REI $26.93

2) Saucony SonicLite HD Jacket at REI $54.93

3) Sugoi Zap Jacket at Sugoi.com $50 - This one is only in larger sizes...so I picked one up for myself. :)

And now for what you guys are really waiting for...

The winner of the Cafe Press $30 gift code is

Shooting Stars Mag!!!

Thanks everyone for entering and if you didn't win Cafe Press is offering 20% off sweatshirts and hoodies right now with the code WARMUP, so go ahead and get your shop on.

It's That Time of Year

2011-01-07T12:12:00.002-06:00

Resolution Time!

This isn't a post about my resolutions, I'm actually going to wait for my resolution post, it'll probably come in February since I don't really know how realistic my resolutions will be. Meaning: I don't know what living in Germany is going to be like so I don't know how much running is going to be possible. I'm going to be running no matter what but weather, where we end up living and possible deployments for hubby will affect how grand my resolutions will be.

Anywho, today's post is about other people's resolutions, namely, non runners who have resolved to do a race or start running or just be more active this year. I decided to do this post because a lot of my friends IRL have asked me for advice on running and I thought this would be a good place to share that info.

So, here are some things that I wish I had known when I started running:

1) Keep your toenails trimmed, 9 out of 10 black toenails are from you toenails being too long and catching on the inside of your shoe. Yes, I made that statistic up but I'm sure if someone wanted to waste their money by doing a study it would be found true.

2) You don't have to pay for a training plan, there are tons of websites out there that offer free training plans for all different distances. I used this one when I first started running and learned a lot of stuff.

3) You can buy as much "junk" or as little as you want. The great thing about running is you really only need a pair of shoes (clothes are appreciated, but they don't have to be running specific).

4) Set goals, even if you're not a "goal setting" kind of person...and just saying "I want to run more" is a cop out. If you didn't run last year then running once is technically running more, set a real, attainable goal.

5) Tell people about your goal and if your goal is a race then sign up for it, possible embarrassment is a great motivator.

6) Don't do too much, too fast. If you've never ran before then you need to ease into it otherwise you risk getting injured or worse, burnt out.

7) It's going to be uncomfortable and that's okay, just stick with it and you'll start to crave that discomfort.

8) Listen to your body, if you think you're injured take a break and see your doctor. A lot of running injuries start small so it's good to tune in to your body.

9) Sometimes take the headphones off, you'd be amazed at how not-miserable it is running while unplugged.

10) Have fun. You're more likely to stick with running if you enjoy it so don't be too hard on yourself and just try to have a good time. You'd be amazed how much more fun you have running while wearing a tutu, just saying.

I really hope that was helpful to some of you newbies and I hope you find the same joy I did in running. If anybody else has some advice that they'd like to include just leave a comment. Happy New Year!

EDITED TO ADD:
11) Spandex can be your best friend, especially if you have thighs like mine and if spandex doesn't do the trick Body Glide can be a savior for chub rub...don't act like you don't have any chub.

The Cafe Press giveaway ends tonight at midnight so be sure to enter!

Advice Needed: Cold Weather Gear

2011-01-06T11:08:00.000-06:00

As some of you know, I'm originally from Houston, not exactly a winter wonderland. I've been living in Oklahoma for the last 2 1/2 years and have gotten accustomed to colder temperatures but I'm starting to get really worried my running is going to suffer in Germany. It's COLD there!

I have some cold weather running stuff like 2 pair of Under Armor tights, a couple long sleeved shirts and a free ear warmer I got for the 2010 New Year's 5K. I've noticed lately that my toes have been getting awfully cold when I run, my Injinji's are awesome but they're not very warm and I don't have a single jacket to block the wind (which is killer here in OK). This is partly why it's so hard to get out the door in the winter for me so I want some advice from you hardcore people that run in the cold. What do you wear and what would you consider your winter running staple?

I have a gift card from Christmas that I was going to use to buy a Kindle but I've decided instead to use it on running gear so I can hopefully be ready for this!

For those of you that didn't see the translated version of that page, it's the Berlin Marathon on September 25th, mama's got her eyes on the prize!!

Don't forget to enter my Cafe Press giveaway, it ends tomorrow at midnight!!

Caution: Extremely Awesome Song

2011-01-04T08:16:00.002-06:00

This is the song that gets me going right now and I wanted to share it with you guys.

Rock on!

PS I know the format is too large but I don't really feel like messing with it right now, LOL.

PPS Don't forget about my Cafe Press giveaway, it ends on Friday!

Cafe Press Giveaway!

2011-01-03T10:00:00.002-06:00

Recently, I was lucky enough to be contacted by the nice people at Cafe Press to try out a product of my choice. If you've ever visited Cafe Press then you know how difficult that decision can be. Cafe Press offers personalized gifts for any occasion where you can find millions of sweatshirts, water bottles, stationary and ornaments. Seriously, MILLIONS!!!

I personally chose an apron because I love to cook and they had such cute designs. I had a really hard time narrowing it down to one. Some of my favorites were:

Keep Calm and Carry On apron

Choose Your Weapon apron

Eventually, I had to choose and I must say I'm very happy with my apron, I just LOVE it! I wore it during the holidays to make Christmas dinner and I used it last night to make cupcakes for Sophia's birthday (Happy 5th Birthday Sophia!!!).

Because the folks at Cafe Press are so nice, they want to offer one of you a $30 gift code to try one of their products. All you have to do is comment for your chance to win.

Here are the different ways to enter:
1) Visit CafePress and tell me what you would get if you won, leave a comment.
2) Visit CafePress' facebook page and "Like" them. Comment to let me know.
3) Follow CafePress on Twitter. Comment to let me know.
4) Become a follower of this blog and comment to let me know.

You have until Friday at midnight to get all your entries completed, I'll select a winner using random.org on Saturday. Good luck!

Here's another one of my favorites to help get you started. ;)

It's perfect!

Happy New Year....and stuff.

2011-01-02T20:08:00.001-06:00

I hope all of you had a wonderful holidays, I know I did. We spent a week in Houston with my family and cherished every minute of it, it's funny how different your perspective is when you know you won't see these people for at least 3 years. The typical annoyances of family seemed not to bother me at all this visit...or maybe I'm just finally growing up.

I did manage to get in several good runs with my cousin and her family and despite a hurt back Luis managed to join us for most of them (to include a 10 miler the day after Christmas). I loved the way their family gets together to run often, I really hope someday our family will have something active and healthy that we all enjoy (I'm crossing my fingers that it's running).

I got in one last run for 2010 when we got back to Oklahoma bringing my yearly total to 515.84 miles. I know I was trying for 600 miles last year but my injury screwed that up for me (and my slacking in June). I'm happy that I was over 500 miles and I still ran a lot more than I did in 2009. I'm going to be doing a post all about my goals for 2011 later this week (or possibly next week) so stay tuned.

PS You'll also want to stay tuned for a giveaway tomorrow!!!!!

The marathon will have to wait.

2010-12-11T14:26:00.000-06:00

Well, today I decided to listen to Jamoosh and do what's best for my body instead of my ego, I have officially dropped from the full marathon to the half marathon. I already feel the stress melting away. A marathon is still a goal of mine but right now doesn't seem like the time. I want to be able to continue running in Germany and I'm worried another DNF will crush me.

I feel good about doing the half, I know I can do it and it will allow me some more healing time. I really wish the race wasn't sold out because Luis would love to run it with me and then at least I'd be marking something off my goal list, running a half with my hubby. Oh well, I feel a lot better now and I feel like I can continue to focus all my stress on our move, LOL.

Checking in and checking out.

2010-12-10T10:58:00.000-06:00

Well, as you can tell things have been really busy around here, it seems like forever since I've posted on here. I am running again but shorter distances, I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to run the whole marathon in January but I'm not ready to give up yet. I have until the 19th to decide if I want to drop to the half marathon but I can't help but think that would be me punking out. I just don't know if it's in me to do 26.2 miles right now.

We've been so busy getting stuff together for the move. Our house is a wreck because we're getting rid of so much stuff and now I don't know where to keep things, all the clutter is driving me crazy! Some cool stuff has also happened, we got a new car that we will be shipping over at the end of the month in hopes to get a jump on the shipping. We figure the sooner we get it over there, the sooner we'll get it and here we at least have another car to drive, once in Germany we will be without a car for about a month (it would have been 2 though if we didn't decide to ship early). I am not looking forward to sharing a car but you gotta do what you gotta do.

I'm going to try to update when I get closer to the marathon but as you can see, don't count on me for many posts, I have precious little time these days and most of it is spent at appointments and filling out paperwork. I hope you are all doing well and I wish you all a happy holidays.

Quick Update

2010-11-23T10:15:00.000-06:00

The half did not go as planned, I did however get to meet Shana and Kirsten and had a lovely pre-race dinner. I'm so happy that I went to Tulsa even though I got my first DNF. I also got to ride in a cop car for the first time in my life, it was scary and fun at the same time.

Currently, I'm in Colorado visiting my BFF and family so I'll make sure to give the full update when I get back.

Spoiler alert: I'm going to schedule an MRI as soon as I get back.

Whew!

2010-11-16T14:16:00.000-06:00

Yesterday's trip to the doctor was a little scary for me, I was worried about my ankle but I was also worried about actually telling my doctor how I hurt my ankle. You see, my doctor hasn't exactly been on board with my running. The last time I went to visit him he expressed some concern about the impact on my joints. I'm not exactly a small person...or even a normal sized person, I'm tall, I have a large bone structure and I'm overweight. He understands that I like running but he's been lobbying sometime for a lower impact way to drop some more weight before he can really condone my running habit.

So, when he asked yesterday how I hurt my ankle I had to tell him that I was running. Kudos to him for not giving me the stink eye right away. He listened to me and asked if I tripped or twisted it, I explained that it seemed normal for the first 6 miles (his eyes got wide) and it was the last 6 that it really started to bother me.
He incredulously asked, "You ran 12 miles?"
I replied, "Yes."
"Why?"
"Because I need to be ready to run 13.1 on Sunday."

Then he asked what I was running from, not in a "trying to get into the mind of a runner just to find out I have Daddy issues" kind of way. He honestly couldn't grasp why anyone would run 12 miles unless they were being chased by a rabid, man-eating squirrel.

After going over goals and reasons for running (so I can eat chocolate) he ordered some x rays and turns out my bones are just fine, he prescribed rest for the rest of the week and then if I'm feeling better I can run the half on Sunday. I had to promise to stop and walk if my ankle started hurting which is fine with me since I'm a total pansy.

I also contacted the shoe specialist that helped me at Luke's Locker in Houston and have made the arrangements to return the evil shoes when we go back next month. For now, I'm just lounging around, catching up on Tivo'd shows with a very cold, elevated ankle while obsessively check the weather for Tulsa this weekend (so far it's looking wonderful). Thanks for all the well wishes, it worked and of course, I'm sending them back to all the other poor runners out there that have been sidelined, a glass of wine and Gossip Girl will do wonders for you!

Oh Crap!

2010-11-15T10:04:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was my 12 mile run, at 11.8 I stopped running because running while crying from pain is just stupid. My left hip was killing me, like on FIRE!! I got home and did my usual ice bath and my hip felt better but once my hip stopped hurting I realized just how bad my ankle was feeling.

I RICE'd it all evening and even popped a pain pill wishing, hoping and praying that it would feel better in the morning. Well, it's better but unfortunately it still hurts. I have a Dr. appointment at 11:45. I'm pretty sure he's going to advise against running the half on Sunday but I'll see what it actually wrong to make that decision. Regardless, there will be no running till Sunday to rest it up just in case.

Please send good vibes my way, I'm really looking forward to Tulsa this weekend and adding another medal to my wall.

Weekend Recap: Halloween in Houston

2010-11-01T19:44:00.000-05:00

I'm back from Houston now, we had a really busy weekend so I'm completely exhausted. I was pleasantly surprised to see that I have a bunch of new followers that came over from Forward Foot Strides. Welcome to all the new followers and thanks to Katherine for sending them my way.

So, here's a quick recap of my weekend:

We started off in San Antonio for hubby's doctor appointment. It went really well, still no more cancer, yay! While he was at the doctor the kids and I hit up the park and had a blast.

After we left the park we got back on the road, Houston bound.

While in Houston I managed to complete my 11 mile training run with Luis on Friday morning. It was a great run and it was really nice to run with my hubby. Afterward I even convinced him to try an ice bath. If he ever decides to run 11 miles again (not likely) then he'll definitely do another ice bath.

I also headed over to Luke's Locker on Friday and picked up some new shoes. This was my second fitting since I started running a year and a half ago and they were quite contradictory. My first fitting (back in February) said that I pronate and needed a stability shoe, this time (a different store) they said that I'm a neutral runner with a collapsing arch.

When it was all said and done, I ended up with these beauties.

I'm just so happy because they aren't men's shoes even though they are blue. Maybe some hot pink laces will girly them up?

Saturday we took the kids to the zoo, we didn't know trunk or treat was going on so that was a nice bonus. The walk around the zoo really helped both of our legs loosen up so we were feeling fresh for the party Saturday night.

That's us in our costumes.

Sunday the weather was great so I took a quick 2 mile jog in my new Asics before I had to get the kids ready for trick or treating. Nicholas was a zombie this year so it took a lot of makeup and time to get him ready but I think it was worth it. He was one creepy zombie.

I hope all of you had a great weekend and hopefully I'll get a chance to catch up on all your blogs tomorrow, you guys are some writing fools.

PS When we got back tonight, our computer had finally bitten the dust so tonight's post was written on this:

Totally wicked!!!!

PPS If anyone knows how to copy and paste on a Mac, I would really appreciate the info. :)

3 Months

2010-10-30T07:24:00.000-05:00

Three months till the Houston Marathon, I think I'm going to puke.

Moving Right Along

2010-10-27T08:41:00.000-05:00

I've sat down and tried to write a post 5 times this week but something always going on that makes me leave before I'm finished. There is so much going on right now, lots of paperwork, things to schedule, trying to get a list together of things we're taking and things we're leaving. I can't believe we're moving to Germany!!!

One thing that I've made sure to make time for is my running, I haven't missed a long run yet and the only short runs I've missed we're from illness. This past weekend I ran 10 miles, I had forgotten what it was like to run that long. My neighbor has been doing long runs with me which has been really awesome. He's a lot faster than me so we talk AND pick up the pace, I think it's really going to help me out with the half marathon on the 21st. It's really great having someone to run with also, really, really nice.

I'm at a point where I have to do an ice bath after my long run, my legs are super sore the next day if I don't. I'm working on stretching more, like before AND after my run and sometimes even during if my calves feel tight. I suck at stretching so I'm really trying to make an effort.

I'm going to be in Houston this weekend, visiting family and partying for Halloween. To make sure I get my 11 miles in, I'm running on Saturday morning with my aunt (she's going for IronMan in May) and my hubby (he's not). I'm finding that I'm much more committed about my training with the full marathon, when I was training for the half I felt like I could miss a run and just make it up the next week. I'm really worried about making the 6 hour time limit, I'm actually training for a 5 hour marathon but I just really worry about not finishing. I think I'd be devastated if I don't finish. So, I'm not slacking on training at all, it going to be here before I know it.

It better stick this time...

2010-10-19T12:47:00.000-05:00

So, you guys know about how we were supposed to be moving to Germany in March? And then the Army screwed up a bunch of our stuff and we weren't going anymore? Then we were stuck in limbo not knowing what was going on after I already took my dog to Colorado to live with her new family (my BFF)?

Well, some things may have changed in the last 24 hours. Germany is officially back on! Only this time we're not going to Baumholder, we're actually going some place much cooler, Grafenwoehr (henceforth known as, Graf). We found out yesterday and instead of March we have to report by February 10!!! That means we have very little time to do a whole lot of stuff. It also means that I WILL be making my marathon, but by the skin of my teeth (Houston Marathon is Jan 30th).

I'm excited about the move, Germany is something we have been wanting since we got married (8 years ago, wow I'm getting old) but it's also bittersweet. Last week my best friend found out she's pregnant (squee!!!) and although I don't live in Colorado with her I would still be able to visit and throw her a baby shower and do all the fun best friend things you do when your BFF is having a baby. Now that we're going to Germany I'm going to miss it and not just miss the birth but basically miss the first 2 years of his/her life. She's going to have a child that doesn't even know me and that breaks my heart. So, I'm a little torn right now, I feel guilty for being excited and I feel guilty for not being excited, it's weird.

As far as this blog goes though, nothing changes. I'll still be running and I'll still be blogging...maybe I'll even be racing in some far-off, exotic place?

Another Week Down

2010-10-18T08:20:00.000-05:00

Last week was an amazing running week for me, I really pushed myself on my shorter runs and it paid off. I'm feeling great, my confidence is back and I feel like a runner again. I completed week 7 of my 22-week marathon training and so far everything is working out perfectly. I'm really glad that I opted to do a plan that only runs 3 days a week, it has kept me fresh and looking forward to every run.

This weekend my long run was 9 miles and it went by effortlessly because I managed to ~~sucker~~ talk my neighbor into running it with me. It was great to have someone with me to talk to, we chatted the whole 9 miles and it was over before I knew it. I totally understand why people love having a running partner.

A little later in the evening Luis wanted to go for a run with the kids so I got into my running gear for the second time that day and did another 2 miles. My legs hurt but I figured it was good practice running on tired legs. This morning I am sore, not ridiculously so or anything but I can definitely tell yesterday I did 11 miles. I'm making today's rest day really count, I'm probably going to sit on the couch and fold laundry all day (yay!).

I hope everyone had a great weekend and I hope that everyone that raced kicked ass (like Andrew, 5 minute PR, wohoo!!!).

What a Weekend!!!

2010-10-12T11:02:00.000-05:00

I had a wonderful Columbus Day weekend, Columbus had absolutely nothing to do with it but I'm thankful for his discovery and all...promise. I ended up doing my 8 mile run on Saturday even though my long runs are typically on Sundays but I knew Sunday was going to be really hectic for us. Anywho, my first 2 miles were slow but then I managed to hold a 10:30/mi pace for the rest of the 6 miles so that was when I decided I CAN RUN FASTER...I just have to work for it.

Fast forward to Sunday: the kids were doing a kid's marathon here in town where they log 25 miles before and then on race day do 1.2 miles. Nicholas killed it!!! He did 1.2 in 10 minutes and finished 5th (these numbers all came from hubby because I was busy walking it with Sophia while she screamed "I NEED TO GO TO THE BATHROOM MOMMY, MY BUTT HURTS!!" at the top of her lungs for everyone to hear, gotta love kids).

So, after the race we quickly sped home and showered and hit the road for the Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine. We had decided at the last minute to take the kids out of school on Monday since Luis actually had the day off (he never gets 3 day and 4 day weekends like everyone else) and spend it together doing something totally awesome. The kids had a blast and so did the adults, it was nice to get away and do something special with the kids for no reason.

I was worried all the stairs would make my run this morning suck but as it turns out when I push myself I actually perform sometimes...I know, amazing! I decided to set a goal for this morning's 4 miles and it was to finish in under 40 minutes and I did, I finished in 38:54 and felt like superwoman afterward. I'm going to keep up with this on my shorter runs and try and gain some of my speed back, lord knows I'm going to need it trying to finish a marathon in 5 hours.

Oh and PS I reached 400 miles ran this year on Saturday!!!

Soon

2010-10-08T15:21:00.000-05:00

Hey guys, I'm really sorry to leave you hanging like this, I've tried to sit down and write out a decent post, something, anything but I just can't seem to do it. I've got writers block or something like that. I've got reviews to do, I've got some points I want to talk about as far as training goes but I just can't seem to gather my thoughts to write it down.

I've been doing a lot of busy work lately to try and really sort through my thoughts but instead I just end up putting on my headphones and zoning out, it's like my brain went on vacation. On the plus side, I managed to refinish 2 dressers and 2 nightstands and pretty much redecorate 3 rooms in my house. I'm not quite done with the finishing touches but when I am I'll post pictures, so at least I've got that.

I'm going to promise you guys a post next week, I promise to sit down and hammer out one decent post about something at least mildly entertaining (if I can't manage entertaining then I'll fill it with cute pictures of kittens playing the piano). I know I suck, trust me, but I plan on making a comeback. Right now I'm like Britney with a shaved head, I'm working on getting my extensions, swear.

I'm not dead.

2010-09-17T11:11:00.000-05:00

Hey guys, I just wanted to let you all know that I'm alive and doing fine I've just been super busy lately. I know I said in my last vlog that I was going to get my act together and read some blogs, clearly that never happened. I'm sorry. I've been a crappy blogger lately and I'd really like to tell you guys that it's over but the truth of the matter is I'm in a rut, not with my running, my running is fine, but with the rest of my life. I'm having trouble balancing the whole mom/wife/runner/blogger and unfortunately, when something has got to give it's blogging. Since Luis is in school right now it has really upset the balance of things. It's not a complaint, it actually been really nice but my previous blogging time has been taken over with family time. I'm hoping to be back to normal in a couple of weeks when his class is over but I'm not making any promises because I never know what could happen. I do promise though that I have not forgotten about you guys and hopefully this weekend I'll get to stop by some of your blogs to say hi, it's been awhile.

Another video for you.

2010-09-14T14:27:00.003-05:00

Nicholas' 5K Race Report

2010-09-09T07:15:00.003-05:00

So, this past weekend was Nicholas' 5K, we did the Devil Dog Run, it supports the Marine Corps detachment here at Fort Sill. Nicholas was so excited on race morning, minus the getting up early part. LOL We got there early to pick up our packets and then we decided to eat our breakfasts in the car. We went with a fruit cup and granola bar and lots of water.

Nicholas was so excited to get his number for the "adult race" (his words, not mine).

After hitting up the port a potties, which he informed me did not smell very good, we walked over to the start line. He got pretty antsy with the pre-race talking and just wanted to start running and eventually we did.

We had practiced our water stops and so when mile 1 was over I passed him the hand held and he decided to just drink and not stop running. He took another drink at mile 2 and that was it, I attribute this to his much faster time. He got a lot of cheers from people and a lot of people asked me how old he was. When we almost reached the finish he told me that he was so happy I was his mom and I started running so that we could do fun stuff like run races together, my heart almost burst.

When we rounded the corner and the finish line was in sight he asked if he could run as fast as he can and of course I let him, I was so so proud of him. We made our way to the gatorade where he proceeded to drink, I swear, a gallon of that crap. A really nice woman in line with us told Nicholas that she was so impressed with him and that she had been trying to catch him the whole race but he never stopped running so she never did. I think he enjoyed all the attention and I told him someday, if he worked hard, he could get a medal like all the people at the awards ceremony did. He really wants a medal now. LOL

The course was a little short, actually, a lot short, it was only 3 miles but we finished in 30:27, that's a 10:09 pace!

Momo, this is my blog. Blog, this is Momo.

2010-09-08T09:58:00.000-05:00

My First Video Blog Post and a winner!!

2010-09-07T12:13:00.000-05:00

Taking Care of the Girls

2010-09-01T07:57:00.000-05:00

Welcome to all the new followers...now we're going to talk about boobs!

A while back I was in Red Coyote in OKC and I picked up a new sports bra. They had a great selection of Moving Comfort bras and I had been wanting to try out the Fiona since I checked it out on their website. They have this awesome tool to help you select the right bra, you really should check it out. Now, I love Moving Comfort already because my favorite pair of compression shorts are made by them and the quality is amazing. I've had these shorts since my first 5K and I run in them A LOT! They really have no signs of wear other than the writing on the inside of the shorts has worn off, seriously, that's amazing.

Anyway, I picked up a Fiona bra which I was lucky enough to be able to try on, I actually went down a size from what the website suggested after I measured myself. This is the most comfortable sports bra ever! It's great because the first time I ran in it I asked Luis if this was what it was like to be a man and run, they didn't budge. This is now my absolute favorite bra and the next time I make it up to OKC I will most definitely be picking up another one...or five.

So, if you're looking for a new sports bra then you really should try this one out, they're great!

FCC disclaimer: I purchased this bra myself and the opinions in this post are my own.

Also, don't forget about my Yurbuds giveaway.

First Day of Marathon Training...and a Giveaway!!!

2010-08-31T07:18:00.004-05:00

Did you see that title? Three exclamation points, this is going to be an awesome giveaway (for those of you that have already caught on to the fact that I always use three exclamation points, you shut your whore mouth).

Today is my first day of marathon training, I'm super stoked about it. I know in a few months I'm going to be well, less than stoked, but right now I'm on top of the world. This week my long run is going to be shorter than my other runs because I scheduled it to coincide with Nicholas' 5K. Basically, I'm running 4 miles today and Thursday and then doing 3.1 on Saturday (normally my long run will be on Sunday but I made an exception for my awesome little running stud to rock his first real race).

Today I wanted to talk about something that really gets me through my long runs, music! I'm doing this by myself, I don't know a single other runner in this town so I don't really have the option of running with a buddy so my buddy for long runs is my iPod. When I first ran with my iPod I tried to use the ear buds that came with it but I guess my ears aren't cool like all the geniuses at Apple because they do not stay in my ears at all, especially while running.

I was lucky enough to win a pair of Yurbuds from Beth several months ago and they have become one of my running staples. People ask me about them all the time what they are then I show them how these suckers do not fall out. You can seriously fling your head all around and they do not budge, for a runner that is the shizz!!! (Three exclamation points, again.)

Yurbuds fit over your ear buds and protect your headphones from perspiration. The protective silicon also keeps out rain or humidity. When you order Yurbuds you get a custom fit specifically for your ear, they do this by having you send a picture of your ear next to a quarter or with an ear bud in it. This way they ensure you get Yurbuds to fit you.

So, when I have something that I really love and feel like I can't live without (Yurbuds definitely fit into that category), I want to share it with you guys. The people at Yurbuds are so nice that they are going to give one lucky reader a pair of their own to try. Isn't that nice?

How to Win:
1) Follow this blog and leave a comment to let me know.
2) Become a fan of Yurbuds on Facebook and leave a comment to let me know.
3) Follow Yurbuds on Twitter and then leave a comment to let me know.
4) Follow me on Twitter and leave a comment to let me know.
5) Post about this giveaway on your blog or tweet about it and include @alliebear (1 entry for each) and then leave a comment to let me know.

You can use this if you like:
Win a pair of @Yurbuds at @alliebear 's blog http://tinyurl.com/2eawpbo

I will choose a winner via Random.org on Sunday September 5th, you have until I roll my lazy butt out of bed on Sunday to enter, good luck!

My Little Corner

2010-08-30T07:24:00.000-05:00

On Saturday I finally got my sh!t together and finalized my training schedule, I took 2 different ones that I liked and then added a couple of weeks and sorta combined them. I start officially training tomorrow with a 4 mile run. I went with a schedule that has me running 3 days a week and cross training 1 day and the option to cross train another day. I'll also be weight training at least once a week and doing my hard core workout 3 days a week.

This is my schedule with some stupid exclamation points to make me excited when I really want to crawl back in bed and die.

This is my little corner where I have my running log and training schedule (that's also my Garmin cord that isn't plugged in so it will probably say "low battery" and then die on my next run).

When I was training for my half marathon back in March I actually started to gain weight in the end so this time I'm going to work really hard to keep my eating in check. Running makes me HUNGRY!!! I have a plan this time because I actually want to lose weight during training. Right now I weigh 213 (I know, gasp, I told you my weight and it's not a cute little number) and by the time I do the half marathon on November 21st I want to be at 200, that is goal #1. Goal #2 is to be around 180 by the marathon.

I know that weighing less will help me run faster but I also have another reason to lose the weight, I have a consult with a plastic surgeon. After losing weight I have a lot of excess skin so I need a tummy tuck and I might do something extra for me too.

Now, I want to mention that I'm all for you being happy with your body and I'm not saying you should go out and get plastic surgery but in my case I've worked really hard to lose the weight and I actually look worse now than I did when I weighed 260. So yeah, I'm doing this for me and it's kind of a big deal so I couldn't exactly not mention it on my blog.

I also wanted to tell you guys because when I hit 199.9 I'm probably going to throw a party or something. I was 204 all through high school, in college I briefly got down to 201 mostly because I was starving myself so I could afford my rent, so under 200 is a HUGE deal to me. I know I can do it, especially with all the great support I get here.

It'll be here before you know it...

2010-08-27T08:36:00.000-05:00

I'm not talking about a race, or anything to do with running. I'm talking about HALLOWEEN!!!!

At our house we are a little crazy for Halloween, it's our favorite holiday. For one, it's in the Fall which is by far my favorite season and two, you get to scare kids for fun. We love decorating and going all out, we actually built a lot of our decorations because we couldn't find exactly what we wanted at the store. Unfortunately, when we moved to Oklahoma they broke a lot of our stuff. I'm not sure what we're going to do this year but I guarantee it will be awesome!

This past weekend the hubby and I were at the mall waiting for our movie to start (Scott Pilgrim Vs The World was a great movie if you like video games) and we decided to look around the book store, well, we found this awesome book A Zombie Ate My Cupcake.

We decided that we would get it and go home and start practicing for Halloween. Well, here are pics of our first batch of gruesome cupcakes. They are red velvet with buttercream icing and a cherry reduction sauce. Yum!

These are the cupcakes without icing, they were a little dry. (note to self: more butter)

Right now they just kind of look like intestines.

It's amazing what a little "blood" can do.

Brains, anyone?

Finally, a post about running.

2010-08-26T15:10:00.001-05:00

First off, thanks to everyone for all the nice comments on yesterday's post. I wasn't fishing for compliments, I swear. I actually hate some of those pictures but you guys are so sweet...especially my girlfriend.

Anywho...

I've finally started running again. I actually started running on Sunday and I've run for 5 days straight. The good thing about being slow to begin with is that I didn't lose any "speed." I'm taking it easy since I did have surgery in my abdominal region but I'm really surprised that I've had no pain at all while running.

I did my Hard Core workout on Sunday and that kind of screwed with me a little. I'm feeling good again so I'll probably do my core workout again tonight. It's just hard for me because workouts are supposed to hurt but I have to be really careful to make sure that it's the right kind of pain I'm feeling. My mom will give me so much crap if I rip an internal stitch, she was not on board with me working out so soon. I did get my doctor's blessing though so I'm not too worried (he's a runner so he understands).

I took a picture of myself this morning so y'all can laugh at me. I run while Sophia is in school so it's really hot already, basically, I wanted to wear a visor but I look ridiculous with my hair flopping around so I decided to try and pull it back but it's too short so I had to go with pigtails. Shelly, if you think you look like a puppy dog with your pigtails (which you totally don't) then I'm not sure I want to know what I look like, a dying cat maybe??

Ridiculous!

The Evolution of Allie

2010-08-25T10:47:00.000-05:00

I was going through my computer and weeding through all the pictures and I realized that I probably change my hair a little more than the normal person. Here are pictures from just that past year. Enjoy!

August 2009

September 2009

October 2009

November 2009

December 2009

January 2010

February 2010

March 2010

April 2010

May 2010

June 2010

(This is the only pic from June I could find, I know you can't see my hair.)

July 2010

(That's my best friend with me.)

August 2010

(This is what I look like now.)

First Day of School and a Winner!

2010-08-20T12:35:00.000-05:00

Today was the kids' first day of school, Nicholas started 1st grade and Sophia started Pre-K. Pre-K here is kind of a joke, it's only 2 1/2 hours but it's the most time I've had to myself in almost 7 years so I'll take it. Here are some pictures of my little dorks (that's a term of affection in our house)!

On the count of 3 close your eyes.

Jazz Hands!!

Who's rockin' the Chuck Taylors!

I took some pictures with the kids but of course we all looked like total nerd heads so I didn't post those. I did get this great picture of myself last night looking geek-tastic!

Hubby's Army issued BCG's, fabulous!

And now for the giveaway winner...

I used Random.org to choose and the winner is...

Quinton from Q on the Move! I don't even know if they have sun in Canada!
Be sure to email me with your address at allieisarunningfool (at) yahoo (dot) com, eh!

2010-08-19T16:53:00.000-05:00

Tonight is your last chance to enter my Scape giveaway, it ends tonight at midnight.

I promise to start writing something worth reading next week, also I'll have another awesome giveaway. Sorry I suck!

Updates

2010-08-17T12:11:00.000-05:00

Today I'm wearing jeans for the first time since my surgery. I've finally gotten rid of some of the water weight
I put on, I had about 7 pounds but now I'm down to about 2 pounds. I hate being swollen and bloated especially since all my clothes are tight and tight clothes hurt me.

I'm hoping to start my Hard Core workouts on Friday, the doctor pretty much told me I can start working out and running again whenever I feel like it. The only stipulation I have is that I can't lift anything over 20 pounds. My mom is in town right now helping me out and since she's had a hysterectomy before she's freaking out about everything I do. She won't let me take out the trash or do laundry or even vacuum. I'm fairly certain that our trash, laundry and vacuum all weigh less than 20 pounds but it's been nice having someone tell me to put that down and sit down. I'm sure she's going to freak on me when I try to run next week.

I hope everyone is having a good week so far, hopefully I'll be back to talking about running real soon. Don't forget about my Scape giveaway that ends on Thursday and be sure to stay tuned for another giveaway real soon. Also, I'll be updating the giveaways on my sidebar this evening so leave me a comment if you want to be included. Happy Running!

Woo Hoo!

2010-08-16T07:21:00.001-05:00

So, yesterday while I was doped up and laying in bed I checked my email and saw that I had something in my inbox from MarathonGuide.com. I didn't know what it could be so imagine my surprise when it was my receipt for the Chevron Houston Marathon.

That's right people, I am officially embarking on the marathon journey, I got in! I'm really excited because on January 30, 2011 I will finally be able to put up this sticker I won in a giveaway from TMB a long, long time ago.

Woo Hoo for 26.2!!!

As for my surgery, I'm recovery nicely. The morphine drip was lovely while it lasted but I really haven't had too much pain. I have managed to retain about 5 pounds worth of water weight which is a little uncomfortable but I went shopping yesterday and Saturday to keep myself moving and that has really helped. Thanks for all the thoughts and kind words, I'm hoping to be running again next week. I've got a marathon to get ready for!!!

Don't forget about my giveaway!

I wonder...

2010-08-14T07:00:00.001-05:00

When I'm out running sometimes I start thinking about some really deep, heavy stuff.

Like:

What is the meaning of life?

What are my dreams and aspirations?

What will I be remembered for?

Did I make an impact on anyone's life?

I also reflect on my past, decisions I've made and I think about whether or not I'd do things differently now. Well, on Sunday when I was riding my bike I started thinking about running and how much my life has changed since I became a runner. Two years ago I would have never dreamed of getting on my bike if it was 99F outside but there I was pedaling my little heart out and loving every minute of it. Two years ago if it was hot or it made me uncomfortable then I wouldn't think of doing something, something like biking...or running.

Sometimes I get mad at myself for not getting my sh!t together sooner. I wish I had tried running, really running, when I was younger. But then I also wonder if I had tried it when I was younger, if I would have enjoyed it? Part of me thinks that I found running when the time was right for me and that's why it's been so special and I can really appreciate it. Maybe if I were younger I would have taken it for granted? Either way, I'm thankful for it now and I guess that's what really counts.

I guess I never really come to any conclusions from all this thinking but it definitely keeps my runs interesting...of course, I also have runs where I blast the music and think of nothing but the words to "Rock Your Body" by the Black Eyed Peas. Hey, I can't be Ghandi everyday.

What about you? Do you ever have deep thoughts like that when you run? And if so, have you figured out the meaning of life yet? Because I'd appreciate you dropping me some hints.

PS Don't forget about my Scape giveaway, click on the 'My Giveaways' tab at the top of the page for details.

A giveaway that could save your life.

2010-08-13T07:01:00.000-05:00

A couple of weeks ago the nice people at Scape labs sent me some of their awesome sunblock to try out. I was really excited about this opportunity because practicing good skincare is something very important to me and my family.

Four and half years ago Luis was diagnosed with stage 3 metastatic melanoma. You're probably thinking, what the heck does that mean? and trust me four and half years ago we were thinking the same thing. Turns out, it was pretty serious stuff, like worrying about dying serious! Most people dismiss skin cancer and think it's no big deal, trust me I have heard tons of people refer to Luis' cancer as just skin cancer. Well, melanoma is the most deadly kind of skin cancer, each year more than 50,000 people in the U.S. learn they have melanoma.

With early diagnosis of melanoma your chances of recovery are significantly higher. Unfortunately, in Luis' case the cancer had already started to spread. Melanoma is a very aggressive cancer and moves very quickly. Because Luis' was more advanced and had spread to lymphatic system he had to have all his lymph nodes on his left side removed. Luckily, that was as far as it had spread, after the lymph nodes melanoma tends to target the lungs, liver and brain, all very significant organs.

After 6 months of chemotherapy Luis was given a good prognosis. Since melanoma is so aggressive it tends to come back within 5 years if it comes back at all. So basically, we get to wait 5 years, with regular checkups, and hope for the best. Luis will reach his 5 year mark in March and we couldn't be happier.

In dealing with his cancer we learned a lot about proper skincare and sun safety. Did you know that melanoma can be genetic? We're super careful with Nicholas and Sophia when they're in the sun, they both wear UV protective shirts when we're swimming and always wear SPF 30 or higher, usually higher.

I know sometimes it's hard to wear sunscreen when you know you're going to be sweating a lot. No one wants to be running a race only to have the burning feeling of sunscreen in your eyes. The great thing about Scape is that it's sweat proof and water proof, perfect for runners, cyclist, triathletes, or any kind athlete.

I tried their face stick which is like a giant lip balm for your face and has SPF 50, I really like this because it was really easy to apply and it didn't run at all.

I also used the sunscreen lip balm, SPF 50. I always use a lip balm before I run so this was super easy for me to transition to an SPF lipbalm.

Lastly, I used the regular cream sunblock, SPF 30, for my body.

Luis, the kids and I all tried Scape on several of our runs and I noticed that I never felt like I was wearing sunscreen. Normally, when you put on sunscreen you get that heavy, slimy feeling once you start sweating but Scape was different, I forgot I even had it on. I guess that's what happens when you wear a sunscreen that is designed for athletes.

If you want a chance to try Scape then you're in luck, one lucky winner will get a chance to try all three of the products I got to try and see for themselves. There are 5 ways to enter:

Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

1. Become a follower of this blog or let me know that you already are.
2. Become a fan of Scape on facebook, leave a comment.
3. Become a fan of That Girl Is A Running Fool on facebook, leave a comment.
4. Follow Scape on Twitter, leave a comment.
5. Visit this webpage to see what to look for in your moles and be sure to see your doctor about any suspicious moles, it could save your life. (I know this one is like a freebie but I'm going to trust that you did it, I learned about the ABCDE's of melanoma and that is probably the only reason my husband doesn't have a giant tumor in his brain/lung/liver right now).

The contest ends Thursday, August 19 at midnight, the winner will be chosen using Random.org and announced on Friday. Good luck!

I've got a secret.

2010-08-12T07:30:00.001-05:00

I need to come clean with you guys about something and no, I'm not going to tell you that I'm secretly a man or anything. On my post on Saturday Kim, a super awesome and inspiring blogger/runner, commented about this picture I posted without makeup.

Kim said, "Oh and for the record...I wish I looked half as good as you sans make-up! =D"

Well, Kim (and everyone else), my confession is that I always have some make up on. I've actually been wanting to post about this because I know some runners out there that love their makeup (cough, cough, Jamie) and wouldn't leave home without it. Well, I can't leave home without it because mine is tattooed.

So, I technically didn't have makeup on but also technically did. My eyeliner and eye brows are tattooed and maybe someday when I get the nerve I will get my lipstick tattooed as well. The great thing about tattooed makeup is if you're an athlete you never have to worry about sweat causing your eyeliner to run. My eyeliner is actually very subtle, I chose a brown color and went with a very thin line because I like for my makeup to look natural but you can choose almost any color and go as heavy as you like.

As you can see, I really need them to start tattooing foundation, LOL.

Now, I know the first thing people ask me is, "Did it hurt?" Well, it is a tattoo but they used a topical cream to help numb the area first. It was very uncomfortable but it's more from the idea of someone with a needle so close to your FREAKING EYEBALL!!! My first session (yes, you often need 2 sessions) was awful because I tend to work myself up over stuff like that, but my second session was much better because I took a vicodin before to chill me out.

Now, I'm not suggesting to you guys to go out and get your makeup tattooed. I just wanted to make sure people know that I have a little extra help when I'm really not wearing any makeup and if anyone was thinking about getting it done, I'm here if you have any questions. I personally am really glad I chose to do it almost 3 years ago (before I was even a runner) but I know plenty of people think it's insane and would never (in a million years) think of getting it done.

Whew! Glad I got that off my chest. :)

PS If you missed my post on Saturday because you were off doing wonderful weekend things you really should check it out, Nicholas ran 3.1 miles!

PPS Tomorrow I'm going in for surgery so I'm not sure how long it will be till I can run again, doctor says 2-3 weeks. I'm hoping for a speedy recovery because I have the most important 5K ever coming up on September 4!

A Little Redecorating

2010-08-11T07:04:00.004-05:00

You may have noticed that things have changed a little around here (unless you are reading this in your reader, then it's exactly the same and your lazy butt is going to have to click to see what I'm talking about). This isn't the final product, I really want to change my header. I tried to recreate my old one with my new shoes and I failed miserably so I'll keep trying to do something awesome. I've also de-cluttered a bit, adding tabs at the top to help you find things easier and clear up my sidebar.

I've also been working on getting an actual blogroll on here but there were just too many blogs I read to put them on my sidebar so I wanted to create a page that you can click on to see all the running blogs I read (there is also a tab for that). Check it out if you're ever looking for some new blogs, these are all straight from my Google Reader. Also, if you are on there and I somehow messed up your name or didn't link correctly, please comment or email me. There were A LOT of blogs and I was bound to make a typo or two so just let me know, I won't think that you are being a bitch about grammar (because I kind of already wear that crown).

If you aren't on there and you want to be just let me know, I try to return the favor to all my followers but sometimes you guys have Wordpress blogs that I can't get a link to, I love to read your blogs and know what's going on in your lives and your training. Also, if you are on there that means yes, I read your blog, I don't always comment because as it is I spend over an hour a day just reading and commenting but know that I am a faithful reader even if I don't always act like it.

So, I hope you like what I've done with the place and you'll stick around, if not check back in a few weeks and it might have changed ...or you can suck it! :) (I find a smiley after a bitchy comment is endearing, don't you?)

Jealous Much!

2010-08-10T07:24:00.000-05:00

On Saturday the hubby and I loaded up the kids and headed to OKC to get him some new running shoes. With Bryan's suggestion we decided to check out Red Coyote. We had such a great experience and hubby walked out with a brand new pair of Brooks Ghost 3s. I'm super jealous because not only are they awesome shoes but they're pretty cool looking too.

Now, Luis isn't a runner but he does run when I take the kids to the track, he usually stays around 2 miles (maybe it's because he's in the Army?). I wish I had a picture of his face when he put these shoes on, it was like the clouds parted, angels sang and the hand of God reached down and touched his feet. He may or may not have said that he would consider running more in shoes like these. I'll be sure to let you know if he runs longer than 2 miles now.

"A good pair of running shoes should make you feel like a super hero."
~Allie the Running Fool (I said that and you can totally quote me.)

I get my kicks on Route 66

2010-08-09T07:12:00.000-05:00

So, if you don't follow me on
Twitter...
or Facebook...
or Daily Mile...

or if you just happened to be away doing awesomely wonderful weekend things...

then you might not know that I decided to add the Route 66 Half Marathon to my racing schedule.

I've started getting a marathon training schedule together and by getting together I mean I'm using the beginner marathon schedule from the OKC Landrunners website. I really liked that it was 3 days of running and only one 20 mile training run. I've read a lot about over training and how that really puts you at risk for injury so I decide to try a "light" version for my first marathon.

Anywho, the Route 66 half marathon in Tulsa happens to fall on the week of my 13 mile training run so I thought I would make it a little more interesting by getting a medal for doing it. It also gives me a chance to possibly meet (or miss, again) Shana since she'll be doing it as well. Shana also did RNR Dallas but we never got to meet (she's so fast that I never saw her).

The only thing I'm a little worried about is that the race falls on Nicholas' birthday, I think he'll have a really good time cheering me on but if he doesn't then I'm going to feel like dirt for ruining his birthday. If nothing else though, the kids really love going out of town and staying in a hotel so that will be fun for them. If they hate watching the runners then Luis can take them back to the hotel and they can swim or something.

Speaking of hotels, I'm not making the same mistake I made in Dallas either, I've already booked our room at the Doubletree which is 1.4 miles from the start and they're the host hotel so I don't have to worry about parking or figuring out how to get downtown on race day. The best part is that the hotel is attached to the convention center so I can check in and just walk over to the Expo. Oh, I love expos, I can't wait!

So, is anyone else doing Route 66? If not, you should consider it, check out the awesome medals this year.

Just like Mommy

2010-08-08T14:41:00.000-05:00

When I was in Colorado I bought these for Sophia. Aren't they the cutest?

The funny part is that just like mine, they have a tiny pocket for her keys...because she's super important.

So, so proud!

2010-08-07T09:54:00.000-05:00

This morning I took my fuel belt on a 3 mile run, overkill much? Well, I wanted to make sure I had plenty of water and my hands were free so I could carry a camera to take pictures of Nicholas' very first 3 mile run!!!

We got up early (6:30am is super early for us, I'm not a morning person) and headed to the "adult track" as Nicholas calls it, or the 3-mile track as I call it. It's my favorite place to run on post because there are usually other people out running or walking too and you're not staring at the same thing for 3 miles.

Nicholas was super excited about our special early morning run and couldn't wait to get out there and pound the pavement.

When running with my son I figured it was only appropriate to wear my "Run like a mother" Bondiband. (sorry no make up here)

We made sure to stretch before the run (don't worry, we stretched after too).

Then it was time to get to running.

1 mile done!

My favorite part of the 3-mile track, and now Nicholas' too, the bridge.

2 miles done!

The sun was really starting to beat down on us, "How much longer, mom?"

Almost there, that was supposed to be a thumbs up but I'm not very good at action photography.

Finishing strong!

3 miles done! (Shhh, don't tell him he really did 3.1.)

Proud Mama!

We had a great time running, I really hope that Nicholas wants to keep running after his 5K but I'm going to leave that up to him. I've really enjoyed our running time together and I think he does too. I know he loved all the attention he got on the track today. Every runner and walker we passed cheered for him and congratulated him and he made sure to ham it up. I'm so, so proud of him and now I really can't wait for the 5K because I know he's going to kill it!

Cue: Oooohhhs and Ahhhhhhs

2010-08-06T11:32:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I got something really awesome in the mail...(wait for it)

...a Sweaty Band that I won from H Love.

I was so excited to try it out because I have major issues keeping headbands on my head. The only reason my BondiBands stay on is because I wear them more on my forehead to absorb the sweat. Anywho, this sucker really works, I wore it all evening and it didn't budge.

It's so cute also, I love the multi color dots because it will match so many outfits. I'm going to be wearing this even when I'm not running....like today.

I also wanted to take this opportunity to tell you guys about a great website for bloggers, especially if you like putting pictures on your blog (something I'm trying really hard to do more often). It's called Picnik, I love this website because you can do all kinds of fun things with your photos and best of all, it's free! There are some features that are only available if you upgrade to a paid account but there are tons of free options as well. Just look what I did with the same picture from above.

You should definitely check it out, it's so much fun...even if you're not a blogger.

I have a new favorite sock.

2010-08-05T14:42:00.002-05:00

I've been meaning to try out Injinji socks for awhile now, like months, but I never made it into an REI to pick some up. Well, when I was in Colorado a couple weeks ago I finally picked up a pair.

When you first put them on they feel weird, I mean, I'm not used to having to put each toe in it's own individual little sock. At first they felt just like the rainbow toe socks I used to wear as a teenager (you know you all did too, maybe not you Jamoosh, you probably wore socks made out of beer). You really notice the difference when you slip your tootsies inside your shoes, it feels like it's literally impossible to get a blister. Each toe is protected from the other so there is no rubbing of any kind. I also love the way the toe of my shoe never felt so roomy because I can actually spread my toes.

This is what Injinji says "Engineered with AIS: technology and constructed with a wicking fiber made of CoolMax® and a resistant outer shell of durable nylon, the Performance tetratsok protects, prevents and out performs any ordinary tube closed sport sock."

The first day I wore them just with my tennis shoes when we went "hiking" at Garden of the Gods. I never ever run first in a new pair of socks. You could definitely tell these were no ordinary socks, my feet felt dry and comfortable all day.

Next I decided to take them on a run, they felt good inside my shoes. They're the perfect thickness for me, I don't like really thick socks because they get too hot. Injinji socks kept my feet cool and dry and protected. I definitely give them two thumbs up. Now I just need 4 more pairs because these are my new favorite socks...and maybe a pair of the compression ones too?

I purchased these socks myself and was in no way compensated for this post. The opinions are entirely my own and I highly recommend you try these socks. Find out where you can pick up your own pair of Injinji socks here.

Running A Little Behind

2010-08-04T07:30:00.000-05:00

So, I'm kinda behind on my yearly mileage...100 miles behind to be exact. I'm trying not to stress about this because I know that if I end up getting in the Houston Marathon then I will exceed my goal of 600 miles this year. What worries me is if I don't get a spot, what will I do?

Luis thinks I should pick another marathon. We both know this will probably be a one time thing, I'm really not cut out for the time commitment it takes to train for a marathon, I'm also quite lazy by nature. But I really really really want to run the Houston Marathon. I guess I just need to keep my fingers crossed until the 17th and hope for the best. But could you guys do me a favor and try and think of some alternative marathons in January/ February that are pretty flat and also near Oklahoma, maybe if I'm prepared then I won't need to worry about it.

PS If anyone is in the market for a Road ID you can use the code ThanksAllie818835 for $1 off your order. Have you seen all their awesome apparel? It's so cheap. Someone has a new Road ID hat coming in the mail and her name rhymes with Schmallie.

2010-08-03T07:24:00.002-05:00

I came across this incredibly moving post yesterday. Sometimes we take things for granted, like vacuuming or even walking but I know I am guilty of taking running for granted. I complain about the heat or that I'm tired or that it hurts and I never once think that maybe someday I too will try to grasp on to that feeling again. Carpe Diem people, because you never know what tomorrow brings.

Officially Official

2010-08-02T09:07:00.000-05:00

Nicholas and I are officially signed up for his very first 5K! We're going to be doing the 17th Annual Devil Dog Run here at Fort Sill, I did this one last year. Nicholas is going to love it because they shoot off the cannons for the start and there are tons of soldiers and Marines running. It's a pretty flat course and it's mostly shaded so hopefully he'll have a great first race, be prepared for lots of pictures.

I have just under 2 weeks till my surgery so I'm going to be running as much as possible to try and be in tip top shape. I'm hoping for a quick recovery but just in case I'm not able to run, Luis has offered to run the 5K with Nicholas (it would be his first 5K as well).

I ran the 3 mile track here on Saturday and was really disappointed in myself, I had to stop and walk after 2 miles, I hate having to walk. I still managed to finish the 3 miles in 33:05 but then I ran it again yesterday without walking and finished in 33:45. I'm really upset about how slow I've gotten but I know once the weather cools down I'll be able to speed up.

Here's a picture from Saturday's run, what a beautiful sunset.

I also know that dropping some weight will help me in the speed department so I'm starting to focus on my eating again and hopefully I can drop 20 pounds by January, I know I can do it I just really need to make it a priority.

I Want You...to help me find a training schedule!

2010-07-30T09:54:00.000-05:00

In anticipation of a possible marathon in my future I need to find a training schedule. My hysterectomy is scheduled for August 13th so I won't be able to start training until September but I was wondering if anyone could suggest a schedule for me. I'll have roughly 5 months to train and I have a base of around 3 miles right now.

It's been over a week since I've ran and I'm really itching to get out there and pound the pavement but unfortunately it's not going to happen today. Hubby has a lunch meeting that I'm supposed to be cooking for and then we have a party to go to this evening. I'm hoping to get at least 3 miles in on Saturday and possibly some miles on the bike as well. I gained weight while I was in Colorado, nothing huge but I'm still upset about it, I need to burn that fat!

I'll leave you with a few pictures from my trip. Enjoy and have a safe weekend!

This was taken from Garden of the Gods, you see that line going up there? That is called The Incline, Apollo Ohno runs that when he is in town, in fact, a lot of people do. When I move to Colorado Springs (hopefully, after we get back from Germany) I'm going to do The Incline. It's crazy!

This is one of the kids taking a break in the shade, Nicholas insisted on taking off his shirt and showing off his muscles. This is also at Garden of the Gods.

This is me and my bestie out for a "hike" (it wasn't really hiking as we were on fairly flat paths).

The kids in a creek in Manitou Springs.

Nicholas and Sophia at the park.

What Did I Just Do?

2010-07-27T10:46:00.000-05:00

So, you may know that I am from the great state of Texas, I love everything that is Texas and it was a big deal to me that I did my first half marathon in Texas. Well, I happen to be from Houston, Texas and if I ever run a full marathon I would want it to be the Chevron Houston Marathon. This morning I did something crazy, I signed up for the lotto. I know that I'm not training for this but I guess I'm going to start when I get home. I'm a mix between scared and excited, we'll find out on August 17th if I have a reason to be. God help me.

Just checking in.

2010-07-25T15:11:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone, I'm still here in lovely Colorado, the kids and I are having a great time. On Friday evening we went to the farmer's market in Manitou Springs, it was so much fun. We had homemade tamales and fresh lemonade for dinner and then the kids played at the park for hours. Later, we walked down to the custard shop and introduced my kids to the most delicious frozen treat on the planet.

Manitou Springs is the most adorable little town, it really is like stepping back in time. The last time I was here visiting my BFF we went to Old Colorado City and I fell in love so this time she knew if I loved Old Colorado City I would really love Manitou, she was right.

One thing that has been really hard on me is the elevation. I'm having a little trouble catching my breath, it's so hard because I really want to go run but I'm worried since I get light headed so easily. I've also been super jealous of all the cyclists I've been seeing. I'm really wanting a road bike but unfortunately we are nowhere near being able to afford one.

One day this week we are going to be heading over to Garden of the Gods with the kids and maybe even the zoo as well. I'm looking forward to a little easy hiking with the kiddos and then hopefully on Wednesday we'll be going to Denver to visit my cousin and her kids. The only way this little vacation could be any better is if Luis could have been here too.

Next time I post I promise some super adorable pictures for you, until then happy running!

Leaving (not on a jet plane)

2010-07-22T08:07:00.000-05:00

Okay peeps, this is the morning that I set out on a 9 hour (usually ends up being 10 hour) road trip to Colorado. I can't wait to see my bestie and her little Princess, the kids are super excited. Even Susie is excited about a road trip, even though she has no idea she won't be coming back with us. Okay, I'm not going to to cry so I'm going to go now. I hope everyone has a great weekend and hopefully I won't be so busy shopping and having fun that I can still check in on your blogs (who am I kidding, I can't go that long without at least peeking). Good luck to anyone racing and stay safe out there.

Peace out.

And the winner is...

2010-07-21T09:32:00.000-05:00

There were 52 entries and random.org chose number 23, so...

The winner of the vanilla 10:10 Monkey Shake is

Shelley

from My Journey to Fit, congrats!

Shelley, please email me your address at allieisarunningfool(at)yahoo(dot)com. Thanks to everyone for entering and stay tuned for more giveaways.

Give Me A Streakin' Break!

2010-07-16T08:11:00.002-05:00

Well, my streak is over. It was great while it lasted but I chose not to run last night because my Achilles was still sore. I really don't want to hurt myself and to be honest my streak was going to end in a week or so anyway. Wednesday I had an appointment with my "lady doctor" (if you follow me on twitter then you already know and possibly unfollowed me for mentioning "gyno" in a tweet). Well, it looks like I will be having surgery in about a week or two, nothing serious, just a routine hysterectomy. Unfortunately though, that means I will need time to recover before running again, lucky for me I'll be recovering in Colorado.

I'll be heading to Colorado Springs to visit my BFF and relinquish my parental rights to our beautiful lab, Susie. We're not going to be taking her with us to Germany because we're worried she won't be able to take the stress of the flight since she's old. Luckily I have an awesome friend who loves her just as much as we do and is going to be her new loving family. This is probably going to be the hardest day of my life, I get teary-eyed just thinking about it, but I know it is what is best for Susie. It sucks we're having to do this in July when we won't be leaving for Germany until February but we won't be able to make it to Colorado again before we leave since the kids can't miss a day of school this year. I'm going to be in denial up until the second I leave her.

So, yeah, I'm hoping to run this evening but I just have to wait and see how I'm feeling, maybe I'll try for another streak up until surgery if my ankle agrees with me. What is your longest streak you've had? Mine was 12 days.

PS If you haven't entered my Monkey Shake giveaway, do it now!

This should clear up any confusion:

2010-07-15T08:41:00.001-05:00

"If you run, you are a runner. It doesn't matter how fast or how far. It doesn't matter if today is your first day or you've been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run."

-John Bingham

I know I used to worry that if I called myself a runner I was lying. I know it seems silly but I felt like by calling myself a runner I was taking credit for something I had no business taking credit for but the truth is I am a runner. I enjoy running and even though I'm not super competitive and I'm kinda slow I still deserve credit for it.

So, are you a runner? Say it loud and say it proud!!!!

Don't forget to enter my Monkey Shake giveaway.

Let Me See Your Monkey Shake! GIVEAWAY!!!!!

2010-07-14T07:59:00.001-05:00

When I was in Houston ~~being lazy~~ recovering from my injuries I got a phone call from my hubby telling me that I got a package from the great folks at 10:10 Wellness. In case you guys have never heard of a Monkey Shake I'm going to tell you all about them today.

A Monkey Shake is a recovery drink or meal replacement drink (MRP), it is recommended after 30 to 180 minutes of strenuous exercise. This is primarily the reason it has taken me so long to review because I haven't done 30 minutes or more of strenuous exercise, I've made it to around 20 minutes and then died of heat exhaustion. Lucky for you, I regenerate.

Back to the Monkey Shake. A Monkey Shake is made with 100% rolled oats, whey protein, chia seeds and RenewPro, proprietary native whey protein concentrate. "Renew Pro contains the full range of fragile immune modulating and regenerative protein components naturally present in raw milk."

Basically, a 10:10 Monkey Shake is packed full of awesomeness and is perfect to help your body recover quickly. Just check out the nutrition info on their Cocoa Monkey Shake:

The hubby and I decided to try the Cocoa Monkey Shake after a tough workout on Sunday. First, we had to decide how we were going to make it, there are lots of different ways to make a Monkey. We decided to keep it simple and just use milk and ice, afterall it was already a Cocoa Monkey.

After blending it all together (with my adorable pink blender, isn't is cute y'all?) we each poured a glass and thought long and hard about it.

I said pour a glass, dammit!!!!

I'm thinking about it.

We both take our taste testing seriously.

The consensus was that we both loved the frothy mustache we got.

We also loved the light chocolate flavor. Hubby said it tasted like granola to him, only liquid. I agree, the oatmeal definitely comes across in the taste and we both loved it. It was nice because I can see how if you wanted to add a banana or peanut butter or both it would really complement the flavor but it tastes just fine by itself as well. We also decided that a scoop of vanilla ice cream and some Kahlua would be pretty tasty too.

We can't wait to try the vanilla next, thanks to 10:10 Wellness for giving us the opportunity to try your Monkey and if you want to try it also you can use the discount code RUNNINGFOOL for 10% off your order.

Or you can win a bag (with 2 servings) of the Vanilla Monkey Shake right here.

There are 5 ways to be entered, the contest will run until midnight on Tuesday, July20 and I'll use random.org to choose a winner on Wednesday, July 21.
Here's how to enter (Please, please, please leave a separate comment for each):
1) Become a follower of Running Fool or let me know that you already are (mandatory entry).
2) Tell me why you'd like to win. It can even be for a stupid reason like, that I touched the bag and you would add it to a collection of things I've touched.
3) Become a fan of Running Fool on Facebook.
4) Link to this giveaway on facebook, twitter or your own blog (that's technically 3 ways right there).
5) I want your honest opinion on if you would be interested if I started including my family in more posts. I'm not just talking about my handsome Vanna White from this post either, there would be kids too. And if you are interested and have some ideas for me about what to blog about then include those also.

Check, check, check it out!

2010-07-13T08:16:00.000-05:00

Hey guys, in case you just read this blog in your reader I wanted to point out to everyone that there are a ton of really awesome giveaways going on right now. Check out my sidebar for the links and good luck to everyone.

2010-07-12T09:00:00.000-05:00

I'm reposting this from my other blog because well, I thought it was a funny story and it's not like I'm writing anything for today on here. LOL

I love the weekends, mostly because I get to sleep super late. A lot of you don't know just how lazy I am, I know some people think 'but you're a runner, how lazy can you really be?' Well, the truth is that I am the laziest person I know, especially on Saturday mornings.

My husband and I have this thing that goes on between us on Saturday mornings, he wakes up early and I stay in bed, it's great. Well, eventually I wake up but I'm too cold to get out from under the covers (which is totally his fault for making me keep the AC on 63). Anywho, he comes in and asks if I'm going to ever get up and I tell him I will just as soon as he turns off the fan. Now he usually eventually turns off the fan and then I still lay there under my snuggly blankets until he calls the kids in the room to tickle me and drag me out of bed.

Well, one morning I called him in the room and he wouldn't come to turn off the fan so I called his cell phone to get him to run in the room. Ever since he's been real hesitant to come in the room when I call him. This morning we used Sophia shuttling the phone back and forth and the Notes app to have this conversation.

Me: I need you, please come here!!!!
Him: Why, I don't trust you?
Me: Why not??? I would never ask you if I didn't really need you.
Him: Yes, but we are in disagreement over what "need" is.
Me: But my favorite part of Saturday morning is seeing your handsome face.
Him: I need food, I am going to die.
Me: But my fan is on!!!!!!

You guys, he came in the room and turned my fan off. Best husband evah!!!!!

Something to do on a hot summer day.

2010-07-10T08:29:00.001-05:00

It's been so stinking hot this summer that I've been doing most of my running really late in the evening, which is really screwing my sleep schedule BTW, but, it's also given me quite a bit of free time during the day. Since I have no interest in frying eggs on my front porch I've found myself sitting on the computer browsing the internet. I've found a lot of really cool things lately, especially after looking at CSNstores.com, you can find everything there including the bathroom sink!

As many of you know, we're going to be moving to Germany in the Feb/Mar time frame and so we're having to downsize on the kid's beds. Currently, Nicholas has a totally rad bunk bed with stairs leading up to the top but unfortunately, it won't fit too well in a European apartment since it's GINORMOUS!!!! After looking at CSN Stores I found a bed that would be perfect for both of the kids, it's very minimalist which is exactly what we were looking for.

There is so much great stuff to find at the over 200 CSN stores on their website, so even if you aren't looking for a bed or a sink, you're sure to find what you're looking for.....and probably even something you weren't looking for.

Blame It On the Rain

2010-07-09T11:01:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I noticed that the clouds were rolling in around 4:30pm and I thought it would be a great time to run with them blocking out that damned hot sun. Hubby wasn't home from work yet so I knew the kids would have to come with me, I went into their room and frantically yelled in my best drill sergeant voice, "Let's get dressed in our running clothes, GO! GO! GO!" Oftentimes my children think I'm insane.

Anyway, we quickly got dressed and headed out the garage to stretch when we noticed that it had already started sprinkling. Darn! Then I looked carefully at the sky and saw that there was no lightning so I asked if they wanted to run in the rain? They loved this idea so off we went.

The loop around my neighborhood is 1.1 miles so we did one loop but the rain felt so good that I knew I wanted to do 2 miles. Sophia is 4, I am amazed that she can get out there and run 1 mile so we stopped off at the garage and Sophia hopped on her bike while Nicholas and I did another loop.

It started to really pour on our second loop, in the beginning we were trying to stay out of big puddles but eventually the whole street was a big puddle so we were stomping in the water, laughing and having a good ol' time. My son actually complained that he was a little cold, can you believe that? Running in July and being cold. So, I completely recommend heading out for a run in your next downpour and if you take your kids with you it will be an unforgettable experience.

Somewhat related (since it's about running): Today will be day 7 of a running streak for me that I didn't really intend on starting. I don't really know how long it's going to last but I'm going to keep it going as long as I can.

Also, I'm a liar. I got the Garmin out the other night even though I said I wasn't going to. I've lost some speed but not a whole lot. I guess it could have been a lot worse.
2.1 miles: 22:47
10:17/mi

I hope everyone has a great weekend and happy running!

Making A Comeback!

2010-07-06T15:37:00.000-05:00

I've now run three days in a row, tonight will make it four and after tonight's 2 miles I will have run more miles in July than I did in all of June. I know a lot of people that run more than that in one run, heck, I used to be one of those people but with the bum foot, summer heat and busy traveling schedule I turned back into a couch potato.

Things started to go south when I stopped having a goal, I need a plan and when we got the news that we were going to Germany I think I let that be an excuse. Just because I'm not going to be doing a race doesn't mean that I can't have a goal. I want to get back to that place I was when I was training for the half. I used to run the 3 mile track effortlessly, now I feel like I ran 10 miles when I only ran 2.

My plan is to run every day this week, I started with one mile on Saturday. Sunday I did 2 miles but I took a break between the miles, yesterday I did 2 miles with no break. I was tired afterward but the important part was that my achilles didn't hurt and didn't swell. Today I'm going to do another 2 miles and we'll see how I feel and if I decide to up my mileage to 3 on Wednesday. I've decided to leave my Garmin at home this whole week because I'm worried it will be too discouraging to see how slow I've gotten.

Next week I'll start timing myself again and see where I stand, for now I'm just happy to be running again and enjoying it....even if I do feel like I'm going to melt. :)

Give Me a Freakin' Break, Will Ya?

2010-06-30T11:20:00.000-05:00

So Monday I had a great workout with the hubby, while I was away he created a workout routine for me. Have I mentioned that my hubby is a weight lifting freak? He goes to the gym everyday for his lunch hour and then comes home and works out with me or, if I'm being lazy, by himself. So he's been trying to get me to start lifting for awhile now, I know I need to but I keep being lazy about it. I finally gave in and told him he could be in charge of my routine and I've gotta say, it was pretty great!

After we did our weights we took the kids for a mile run and then played basketball. Of course, while playing basketball I did something to my back and I was basically laid up yesterday, high on vicodin. My back is feeling a lot better today and I'm hoping to get some abs in since that's what I was supposed to do yesterday.

I'm getting really tired of getting hurt all the time. It's like I went a year running and never got hurt and now I'm making up for it all in a few months. I think once I build my strength up again I will decrease injuries but I just have to be patient to get there and not overdo it so I don't get hurt again. All this recovering sucks though.

2010-06-27T18:55:00.000-05:00

Hey everybody, I'm finally back from Houston, my one week trip turned into a 3 week trip, go figure. Anyway, I'm not going to bore you with the details of my trip, it was mostly hanging out with my family and a week of swim lessons for the kids. We had a blast but we were very happy to come home.

While I was away I ran one time, I did 5 miles on the bayou and my achilles swelled up so badly that I was limping for two days after. I've given my achilles plenty of rest now and I'm hoping to get in a mile tomorrow with the kids, back on track for Nicholas' 5K training. I know I've been gone a long time but I promise I'm back!

Smell Ya Later!

2010-06-08T11:13:00.000-05:00

I'm leaving for a much anticipated trip to Houston today, I'm looking forward to seeing my family and checking in with some friends. It's kind of sad too because I know that there are only a couple more trips after this one before we move to Germany. We'll have one more trip to Houston, one more trip to Colorado and possibly a trip to California and then we'll be gone for 3 years (possibly more). There is so much pressure to see everyone and cram as much fun as possible into these trips, I really hope I don't disappoint.

Well, I still need to finish packing, load the car and get the kids shot records together because I scheduled a doctor's appointment for today (I'm a genius). I probably won't write while I'm gone (I might but I doubt it) so I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe week. Good luck to everyone that is racing this weekend and as always, happy running!

No Running on Running Day WTH!

2010-06-03T13:02:00.000-05:00

My kids and husband ran last night but hubby wouldn't allow me, my knee is feeling better but since it's still not 100% Luis made me stay home. I was really bummed out but I got on my bike and cheered them on. The kids did a mile again, I'm so proud of them, they're driven.

All this healing is making me stir crazy, I really just want to get out and run or get on the skateboard again but I'm not even going to try anything till at least Monday. Instead I went to the skate shop and picked out a new board, talk about rad and totally me, check out what will someday be my board.

I know it's a small pic but it's the only one I could find. I'll be sure to get a better pic when it's mine and all put together or you can see it here.

I really hope I can write about running again real soon, until then you guys might be getting some crappy posts...or maybe I'll finally finish the 100 things about me list. I'm a procrastinator though so don't hold your breath. Ha ha!

An Injury on Top of an Injury

2010-06-01T09:59:00.000-05:00

I had been taking it easy since my skateboarding debacle, my knees were still a little swollen from the fall. Yesterday I decided to try out a run, it was the first day of 5K training for the kids so we just a did a nice, slow mile, I figured I would be okay. My knees felt fine during the run so afterwards we decided to take the kids to the basketball court, big mistake on my part. It probably would have been fine if I hadn't decided to go in for a lay up, I came down on my right leg and I jerked my knee funny. It hurts to straighten my leg out but as long as it's a little bent I can still walk on it. I came home, elevated, iced and took a motrin, I'm going to give it a couple of days and see how it feels. If it's still hurting then I'm going to go to the doctor, I really hope this is just a weird sprain and I'll be better soon.

May was a craptastic month for my running, with a total of 19.95 miles, I'm pretty sure that is my lowest month since I started running. June will be better, I promise (as long as my knee allows it)!

Not About Running

2010-05-28T08:50:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I went to Walmart and got a cheap skateboard. I've wanted to learn to skateboard since I was little, I always thought it looked like a ton of fun but I'm not really the most graceful person and I never thought I could do it. Well, I added skateboarding on my summer "To-Do List" so I thought I might as well get a jump on it.

I had so much fun, I started out just going back and forth in my garage until I got the hang of it. Mind you, it is a crappy $9 skateboard from Walmart so it's really slow, basically great for a beginner. After I got comfortable in the garage I decided to venture out into the street...where people could see me. I loved it! It's a great workout and did I mention, a ton of fun? My neighbors think I'm off my rocker but I don't mind, I'm doing something I've always wanted to do and having a great time doing it.

After skating back and forth on my street yesterday I was feeling pretty confident, then I hit a rock and it shot me off the skateboard, I was fine, I got back up and kept on skating. A little later I was in the middle of pushing off and I hit another rock and this time I wasn't as lucky.

I tried to get back on it but I was a little too sore. I'm anxiously waiting to heal up so I can get back out there, this is way too much fun!