Oh, running.

Well, this week's running wasn't as stellar as i had hoped. I'm still using a walk/jog interval. Some days i feel strong, but other days (like Saturday's run) i feel like i'm starting back at square one. I know practice makes perfect, but it's just frustrating.

I have lost my "groove" with running.

I know i need to keep at it - i feel like i just need a couple good runs to get my confidence back. We'll see how this week goes!

This weekend has been nice & relaxing. I went to Tom's soccer game Friday night, did a (medicore) 3 mile run Saturday morning and then met our friends for yummy Mexican food that night. And then they came back to our place and i made everyone watch the amazing documentary, "The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia."

It's on Netflix instant watch. Go watch it. Now. This family is so insane - you'll never question your own family's sanity again.

I hope everyone who ran the Princess 1/2 Marathon this week did great!! Can't wait to read your recaps. :)

ABC..

easy as 1-2-3!

Still slowly working my stamina back up. Went on a 2.5 mile run tonight - difficult at first, but i finished strong.

Now, everything you ever wanted to know about me...(ha)

(A) Age: 29. Ugh :(

(B) Bed Size: Queen - i really want a King, though. Sharing a bed with the boyfriend & two dogs can get quite crowded!

(C) Chore You Hate: All of them? I mean, there isn't one i like...

(D) Dogs? 2 - Spencer & Kenzi!

(E) Essential Start Your Day Item: Kisses from Spencer. They are the best. :)

(F) Favorite Color: Green

(G) Gold or Silver? Silver

(H) Height: 5'8" - although i think i might be shrinking.

(I) Instruments You Play: None, sadly. I kinda wish my parents would have made me when i was younger.

(J) Job Title: Marketing Coordinator.

(K) Kids:  No kids now or never. :)

 (L) Live: In the desert...aka, Arizona. (Despite what the media may have you believe, it's really not that bad here!)

(M) Mom's Name: Gayle!

(N) Nicknames: Melis, Mel, Lissa, Michellissa.

(O) Overnight Hospital Stays? None yet - knock on wood!

(P) Pet Peeve: Slow drivers. I might have a serious problem with road rage.

(Q) Quote from a Movie: "No regrets, that's my motto. Well that and everybody wang chung tonight." - Out Cold

(R) Right or Left Handed? Righty

(S) Siblings: 2 younger sisters: Sarah & Lauren

(T) Time You Wake Up? 6:37. I'm weird & have to have my alarm set to obscure times.

(U) Underwear: why yes, i do have some.

(V) Vegetable You Dislike: Cauliflower. It doesn't have a taste?

(W) What Makes You Run Late: I am usually early - i hate being late. If i'm late, chances are i got lost.

(X) X-Rays You've Had Done: i can't even recall the last x-ray i had...

(Y) Yummy Food You Make: I can make some good chicken enchiladas. And that's about it. ;)

(Z) Zoo, Favorite Animal: Ah, i like them all! Maybe elephant or giraffe - just because they are so exotic.

Happy running this week!

Lost Dutchman 10k Race Review

Erm, not so fast.

This actually is not the Lost Dutchman 10k Race Review. Because i did not run it. It is, however, the Lost Lazyman 10k Race Review!

Yeah, so Tom & I wussed out & decided not to run in the chilly, drizzly weather Sunday morning. But i told him we were going to do our own race the next day to make up for it.

Enter: the Lost Lazyman 10k Race.

We truly are lazy.

No frills here - there was no goody bag or water stops along the way, but we made do. :)

I told Tom it wasn't "cool" to wear the race shirt to the race, but he didn't care. ;)

Bring on the pain!

The weather was perfect today. Sunny and in the 60s. We decided to do a double loop course around a lake by our neighborhood. Really pretty and there are always people out walking, biking or jogging.

After the first mile, i decided to do a walk one song, jog one song. It worked pretty well - i still felt i was getting a good workout. Tom had gone on and met back up with me on my second loop.

You can view my Garmin stats here if you are so inclined, but i finished our "race" in 1:28:04. That's practically 8 minutes slower than my 10k PR, but i knew i wasn't going for time on this one. Just wanted to get the miles in!

Nothing to brag about, but we completed it!

So, there you have it! I am a little embarrassed that we were such babies & didn't do the Lost Dutchman, but there is always next year. :)

This week I am going to focus on geting my miles in and building my stamina back up. Maybe I'll tackle the Lost Lazyman in a few weeks and see how much my time has improved??

Bonus: Caught off guard by Tom.

Community cracks me up.

Anyone else watch that show? The story lines are so ridiculous, but it never fails to make me laugh.

Ok Phoenix - I am not amused by your weather this weekend. Seriously, of all days, you pick Sunday (day of the 10k) to be rainy & cold? Not cool. Not cool at all.

So i went on a 3 mile run tonight & kept it nice & easy:
4 songs = jog
1 song = walk
3 songs = jog
1 song = walk
2.5 songs = jog

Splits went a little something like this:
Mile 1 = 12:42
Mile 2 = 13:47
Mile 3 = 13:40
3.27 miles = 43:17

Obviously i am not writing these times to brag - just for documentation only. I think by next week I will be back where i was before i got sick. (Plus, i always get excited when i (very rarely) discover a blogger with similar times to me. So maybe someone out there feels the same!)

I feel like if i keep this strategy up for the race on Sunday, i shouldn't hate life too much. ;) Well, besides the crappy, crappy weather...

Woah.

I dunno about you guys, but sometimes i stumble across blogs & think "Wow, i am SO not pretty/thin/motivated/creative enough."


#randomthoughts

Baby Steps

So i set out for an easy 2 mile jog last night. Thankfully, it wasn't as horrible as i was envisioning. You know what really sucks about taking two (unintentional) weeks off running? You kinda have to start back at the beginning. :P

Tom & I will be running the Lost Dutchman 10k on Sunday.

• I will definitely not be PRing this race.

• I think i will let Tom leave me in the dust (it's his first race!), as i already know it's going to be a walk/jog combo for me.

• Right now, they are calling for rain on Sunday. Let's hope this changes - otherwise i will not be racing!

Let's talk gyms for a moment.

I've been seriously entertaining the idea of joining a gym - especially for the summer months, which in Arizona pretty much starts April.

There's a gym i have in mind: women only, lots of classes and decent equipment.

However - I am not thrilled about paying a $200 enrollment fee. I tend to like my money (what little i have of it) and that is a big chunk of change! Anyone know if these enrollment fees are negotiable or tricks to talk them down? I know they run specials, so maybe i'll just have to keep my eye out for those...

!!

I am BACK!

I am no longer on my death bed!

I swear, if i just jinxed myself again...

I finally got a Z Pack last week & let me tell you - complete life saver. I am still stuffy & have a bit of a cough, but feel sooooo much better. Ahhh.

Yesterday it was GORGEOUS in AZ. I laid at the pool for a couple of hours (jealous?) and then Tom decided we should go for a run since, you know, we plan on doing a 10k race this Sunday. (Yikes)

And we decided to take the dogs with us.

70 degree weather + almost 3 miles + doggies + me recovering from the sickness from hell = kinda a disaster.

i think we almost gave our dogs heatstroke. We may or may not have had to carry them part of the way. :)

The run was a little rough for me, not gonna lie.  I plan on going for another 2-3 mile jog tonight, probably going to use my 2 songs/1 song interval again.

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Tom & I are not big "romantics" in any sense of the word - so it's just another day around these parts. But i am going to eat chocolate & not feel guilty about it. ;)

Insert cry here.

I can't catch a break.

Evidently saying "I'm feeling better" on Sunday totally jinxed me. I left work vomming on Monday & was out yesterday too. I came back to work today, but still feel like hell.

It has now been a week & a half since i've ran. Or done any physical activity. Ugh!!!

(I have lost 1.5 pounds though, so there's that.)

DEAR GOD PLEASE LET ME FEEL NORMAL AGAIN.

Wigged Out!

So my wigged out party was a success - everyone played along! I'll let the pictures do the talking:

Spency partied too hard.

I am FINALLY feeling better. I'm going to go for a run tomorrow after work. It's gonna be rough, but I'm excited to actually get out there!

New Half Marathon PR!

Bet that title caught your attention, huh? :)

So tomorrow is my birthday & it's a tradition at my work to decorate people's offices/cubes for their bdays. So imagine my surprise as i walk off the elevator this morning & see a sign for "Mile 1".

I thought "Ok that's weird - some sort of race in the office today??"

As i got closer there were more & more signs & even a water station - ha! They had totally decorated a half marathon race for my bday!

 

How cute is this?? So i'd totally like to thank my team for helping me reach a new PR on the half marathon! ;) 

PS. I'm still fighting this nasty infection/cold from hell. I haven't been able to work out all week. :(

Three Tangent Tuesday

Thanks again to the lovely Hungry Runner Girl!

1. I'm still sick. :( This may or may not have been my breakfast this morning:

2. Tom & I both stayed home sick from work yesterday and thanks to Netflix on demand, watched 8 episodes of Spartacus: Blood & Sand. I actually really dig this show. Gory and raunchy, yes....but excellent eye candy. 

3. My birthday is this Saturday! While i am not pleased with the age i will be turning (29...ugh.), i am throwing a fun "Wigged Out" bday party. Everyone is encouraged to wear a fun wig. Can't wait to show you pics!