The price of looking AWESOME!

After work today, I stopped by the mall for some legitimate errands (my Nike plus isn't working and I was hoping to get it fixed or replaced).  Since I was at the mall, I thought I would check out my favorite athleticwear store and see what was new in the running section.  I happen to believe the cuter you look, the faster you run, so I thought I would try on their snappy running pants.  The new ones are all tapered at the bottom and the theory is that tighter fabric is better for muscles and recovery and blah blah blah.  I've tried them on a few times in the store and I can't help but agree, they do feel like there would be less stressful and a faster recovery after a stressful run.  I can't actually test it out on an actual run though, because frankly the tapered legs make my butt look big...ger.  I feel more comfortable in either flared pants or a capri with a flare right below the knee, and um...they have to be snug so my cheeks don't smack together while I run, OK?

Anyway, after being horribly reminded that I have legs that look like ice cream cones, I got all distracted by the tops they had.  Since we are running outside frequently and the days are getting shorter and colder, I thought it would make sense to check out some long sleeved tops in bright colors so I'm easier to see early in the morning...I do have one yellow number that can almost be seen from space, but I can't wear it on consecutive days (yeah, not only do my cheeks slap together when I run but I sweat like a hog on slaughter day.  I need all the pretty outfits I can get to detract from all the scary)  Oh, and safety first! Lulu did not disappoint, they had tops in this great orange that I really liked.  I find out later from their website that the shade is called Alarming, heh. I spent 5 minutes in the change room trying to decide if I looked awesome or stupid in this:

Orange jacket

It's made of a fabric that I have on another shirt that I love and wear a lot, it's a crazy color, has reflectors, a hood and hand protectors, so it would be great for outdoor runs.  Plus, it makes me look all cute and thin and has some interesting lines on it.  But...maybe I don't want a hood flapping around me as I run, and maybe it's just a bit too flashy for me.  After preening for a few minutes, I decide to buy it anyways and get a second opinion since I am largely incapable of making any adult decisions on my own.  On my way to the till, I spot this:

Other orange jacket

I try it on, and I've suddenly lost 20lbs and seem to be some kind of super athlete!  It's the same color as the other jacket so it's good and bright for outdoors, plus it has pockets and a high neck to keep me warm and a zipper for when I get TOO warm (this happens around 3 minutes into a run).  It's not the same fabric as the other one, but it's probably a bit warmer.Plus the guy behind the counter sees me try it on and says "oh, honey, if you were wondering? YES YOU CAN wear that color, it looks great on you!", which totally validates what I was thinking, and made me feel like I was on Sex and the City or something.

I panic.  I ask what their return policy is, and am told I have 2 weeks to decide.  Rather than buy neither and come back after I decide to find they are gone, (this has happened before, I won't let it happen again!) I buy both and leave the store in a haze of excitement and terror at what I have just done. I can't keep them both, since they're the same color, but I don't know what to do, they're both that great. Ahh!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PRINCESS CRYSTAL!!!

Today is Crystal's birthday!! As everyone knows, it's just plain crazy to work out on ones birthday, or really do anything that isn't cake related. So, this morning, Christi and I stuck to the (non birthday) schedule and ran our 3K (racing on a treadmill) and then did weights, while Crystal got to sleep in and show up at work all pretty and ready to leave at noon for the start of a fun filled birthday weekend!  Besides, our workout felt as hard as if we'd split hers between the two of us...more than once I found myself lying face down on my mat, too exhausted to move.  Plus, she got a pedicure last night, so we'd hate for her to scuff it up in her sneakers anyways! 

Not a lampshade, but she still knows how to party!!

Have an AWESOME birthday and a fantastic birthday weekend extravaganza Crystal, we will see you next week on the running path!

UPDATE: Birthday seems to be going OK so far...

The only better than fries or cake is CAKE MADE OF FRIES!!!!

Do You Know the Way to San Jose...I mean Chachis?

So the very first post on our blog was July 29, 2010. It’s now 33 days later and quite a few degrees colder outside and we have finally today began to follow our training schedule for the pre-marathon 10k race in Phoenix. And what better way to begin training than to decide to run to the airport and reward ourselves with Chachi’s sandwiches, chilled dill pickles and cheesy, gooey mac & cheese?!! Bizarre idea you say? No way! It was fabulous and well worth the 2.72kms to the airport, Christi keeping a close watch on the killer hawk that now gives her daymares at work and Felicity and I trying to be brave and show no fear to this bird with the 9ft wing span! Well, that’s at least how big it looks in the shadow circling our heads.

We mapped it as 2 separate runs because we stopped in the middle. Also, because we can do basic math!

Never the less, we arrived safely at the airport and Christi and I built perfect sandwiches (Fliss was eager to get back to her amazing Sunterra lasagna) and we were on our way again. Now you would assume we brought a bag or small backpack to put said sandwiches, pickles and Mac & Cheese in, but no, we football carried the subs in one hand and held the Mac & Cheese and Dill Pickles in the other. I’d be lying if I said it made the run easier. It really messed up our stride! And to make matters worse, pickle juice was running all down my arm and then the Hawk was back again, hovering, just waiting to grab one of us by the ponytail and fly off into oblivion with us and our tasty lunches!!

Running for our lives! I mean lunches!

Clearly since I am writing this, we did make it back the remaining 2.31kms unscathed and Chachi’s sandwiches never tasted so good! All finished off with 100 calorie oreo cookie ice cream treats and I would call this first day of actually training a success! Princesses 1 : Hawk 0!

I’m starting to notice a pattern here in these blogs; less about running, and more about food!! Nom, Nom, Nom!!

PS...Fliss here...if Crystal's shorts look familiar, it's because they're Christi's! Hahaha!

The fallacy of carbo-loading

Yeah, this IS a real video game!

Last night for dinner, I had a lovely (portion controlled) piece of fresh vegetarian lasagna (thank you Sunterra!) and HALF A LOAF OF BREAD. And not some mamby-pamby wonderbread, no, it was half of one of those giant fresh baked Tuscan loaves you find at your local bakery or independent grocer. I couldn't stop myself.  Not only was I clever enough to put out softened butter to go with it, but also a plate of olive and walnut oil infused with toasted pumpkin seeds and fresh sage (no, I didn't make that either. I'm not gourmet, I just masquerade as one in real life) and I kept slicing and dipping, slicing and dipping until before I knew it, the whole loaf had vanished, leaving only a thick dusting of crumbs all over my patio table.  After a 17 minute nap (yeah, 17 minutes I said, and it was awesome! I rule the mininap!) , I headed out to soccer practice for 90 minutes of waddling around, clutching my bread belly like it was an overstuffed money belt around my midriff and gasping like a fish out of water.  I do NOT recommend consuming roughly 800 calories in entirely bread before a medium to high intensity workout.  Like, this bread was bigger than most cats.

Instead of feeling all fueled up and glycemic-ready, I actually felt like bread was leaking into my lungs and trying to kill me.  Lesson learned, I guess. Even now, the next day, my belly looks like one of those fetish websites. Maybe I can try to make a few bucks on the side while I "train"?

C'mon get Physical!

So, we've been at this for almost a month without any sort of concrete plan...sure, we've registered for the race and started running, but other than that...have just been avoiding falcons and eating pasta, both great ideas to be sure, but maybe not getting us towards our goal of running 21K in roughly 6 months.

Well, today that all changes. Behold, our training schedule!

Now, I know you're thinking "WTF? That's a 10K schedule, those big liars aren't running a half marathon at all!"  Well, after careful consideration, we decided that since we have lots of time to get ready for this, we would start with a 10K for practice...this way we start a bit smaller without being overwhelmed and work our way up to 10K first, have a practice race under our belts and get some race experience before the big shebang in February...oh, and go to Phoenix for a weekend to do it!  Yes, we've decided on the Phoenix 10K race on November 7 because it's in 10 weeks, will be good weather, AND is in a city with a Target and a Jack in the Box. We'll have time to sneak in a hockey game too, yehaw!

Got right on track this morning with 30 minutes of cross training.  Hopped on the elliptical machine at the gym and watched sports highlights. One day down, 68 to go! I've added this schedule below as well so it stays on this page.