So I have been slacking on the blog posts, but fear not, I have not slacked with my running. This past week has been a bit of a mental challenge for me though, and I know what you're thinking, if my conviction is wavering now, how will I ever make it to 13.1 miles? I've asked myself that question a few times, but eventually found the drive to get through my doubts. Last week I just found myself tired, and unexplainably discouraged. My legs were sore and I didn't think I would ever get past the four mile mark. When running, I don't usually stop to walk or rest, I just muscle through it and get it done. I tell Kristina, don't stop unless you are going to throw up or pass out. Last week I had a run where I was about 5 strides from both, and it was only at the 2.5 mile mark. This was a mental kick in the face for me. I was flooded with self doubt. Why the hell am I doing this to myself, I'll never make it to 13. miles!

But I refused to throw in the towel just yet. My legs have been feeling tight and my mind has been rocking the defeatist thoughts, but my conviction and desire to finish this made me rethink giving up. My friend Ammie had asked me a couple of weeks ago to run a 10k with her at the end of August. It was this morning; it kinda snuck up on me. I agreed, but 6.2 miles was farther than I had ever run before, and I was nervous. Appropriate preparation for taking on this task would have been sufficient hydration leading up to the race, with good rest and nutrition to ensure optimal endurance and general good feelings. So what did I do?! I went out drinking ALL day yesterday. Literally all day. My friend Julia and I hit up several wineries and did wine tastings all day (not good for hydration). When we were finished with that, we went to the Irish Festival. I feel as though the name implies the libations of choice for such an occasion. I got home sometime around midnight ( I think), and then had a two hour phone conversation with a handsome fellow. So basically, I did the exact opposite of what would have been best for me. For those that know me, you are currently not surprised in the least, and may even be surprised at the fact that I slept at all. But alas, I did in fact sleep until 6:30am, and headed to the race to register myself, because, in true Tina form, I waited until the last minute to register. So with my happy lil' hangover (possibly still buzzed), I signed up for a 6.2 mile race. Yea, I must have still been drunk.

The race started at 9:30am. As the seconds ticked away waiting for the horn to sound to start the race, I was getting a bit nervous. What if I couldn't do it? What would that mean for the impending half marathon? Lucky for me I had my dear friend Ammie for some awesome moral support. She reminded me that it was more about finishing than charging through it. If I needed to walk, then walk, and then get moving again. It was all about getting done, and being proud that I finished my first 10k. She reminded me to pace myself, and just have fun. I had almost forgotten that this was supposed to be fun because I had gotten so wrapped up in all my self doubt. I enjoy running. It should be fun! So the buzzer sounded, and we were off.

The weather was AMAZING, cloudless sky and a gentle breeze. The course was relatively flat with paved roads beneath my feet. I was feeling good by mile marker one. I found a pace that I knew I could sustain, and put a smile on my face. This was fun! I was surrounded by runners and families and beautiful weather. Mile 2: done. Feeling great! The day-before drinking decision didn't seem to be effecting me! I AM AWESOME!! Mile 3: jiggly thighs are not happy, but the rest of me is. This is where I start to pay for my gallivanting; in all my reckless abandon, I forgot to do laundry. This means all of my compression shorts were dirty. This means my thighs rub like those of a cricket on clear night. Chaffing is evil. But No! I won't let this stop me, I feel great about everything else! I will keep running! I put a smile on my face, and keep my legs in motion. Thank god I wasn't in corduroy or I may have started a blaze. I finished the race in 1 hour 1 minute and 31 seconds. Not too shabby.  I didn't stop once to walk, and felt so proud of myself after that I found new resolve for this running thing.

For a bit of extra encouragement, I discovered that Ammie is also doing the half marathon, and we decided to train a bit together :-) She also invited me to do the Dirty Girl Mud Run in two weeks. Today initially seemed crazy and maybe impossible. It was daunting, but I am so glad I did it. It pushed me past my rut and gave me new found excitement for running. Ammie's encouragement and excitement for running  was just what I needed to rekindle the fire within.

Ammie and I after our 10k:

Ok, so I know I missed a day. I felt oddly guilty about it, as if anyone would notice. Yesterday was supposed to be a cross training day, and I had every intention of getting my butt moving. My butt, along with the rest of my body, on the other hand, had very different plans.

I got home from my Wednesday overnight shift on the ambulance at 6 am Thursday morning. I could barely keep my eyes open. I collapsed into bed, and slipped into a 2 hour coma. Before I knew it the alarm was screaming, and I was running late. I made myself presentable, and hurried off to the fairgrounds. I pulled through my little four hour shift, and headed right home. By the time I pulled into my driveway, my eyes were glazing over. My legs felt like they were made of lead and my feet were sore from standing. I managed to exert just enough energy to get myself changed and crawl under the covers. After that, I was spent. Out cold. I woke up with only 30 minutes to get ready for work. I barely made it there on time. Last night was my "short shift" clocking in at 10 hours. It kind of dragged, but was made better by my favorite dispatcher and a good partner to work with. Even still, when 3 am hit, I was ready for bed. Yesterday wasn't supposed to be a rest day, but sometimes, ya just gotta listen to your body, and mine was screaming at the top of its lungs.

So today, I was bound and determined not to slack, and get the ball rolling again. Two days without running made me fell lazy, and honestly, really cranky. By this afternoon, I was agitated and a little anxious. My legs are still sore from Trainer Jenny's latest workout, but I really needed to get moving. Lucky for me, I have a friend that wanted to move too.

Enter the lovely Kristina. Kristina has decided to take on this half marathon challenge with me (God bless her). I met Kristina at the University at Buffalo last year through my American Sign Language course and club. She and her husband rode in the Tour de Cure, and she did a Color Run with some of our other friends. Knowing that she dabbled in running, I asked if she wanted to join me. When she said yes, I was excited and surprised (why would anyone want to torture themselves with me?!). We decide to train together when we could, and motivate each other when we couldn't. Today was our first day running together. Kristina had been away camping and returned earlier this week. She had text me last night confirming our running rendezvous. I was suddenly even more pumped to have company on this journey. So many times people say they want to do something like this with you, and back out. She really was going to run with me (hearts and stars in my eyes)! But that wasn't the kicker; last night she had text me that she had run/walked three miles on Wednesday, and was feeling discouraged and began questioning her decision to do this. She then said that she read my blog and all its posts and felt inspired and realized that she could, in fact, do this, and she would be successful. I wish I could put into words how overwhelmed with happiness and joy I was at that moment. This blog may seem silly to most people, but if I managed to inspire one person even once, then all the running and typing is completely worth it. So thank you Kristina, for not only reading this, but for embarking on this awful/wonderful journey with me! We will be successful and we will be proud of ourselves!

Kristina and I met at Delaware Park this evening, and set out on our run. She was concerned because she said she had not made it very far without stopping and walking.  So we set goals: we would run for one mile, without stopping (this included a decent incline) and then take a short walk, and start again. The loop around the park is 1.7 miles. I told her that was our big goal, and one mile was our small goal. Not only did she rock the small goal, we also managed to make it a total of 3.75 miles (2 and a half laps), with very minimal walking periods! We smoked our goals and felt awesome! The smile on her face when we were finished was the best inspiration for me. I was so inspired, I came home and ran with Layla for another 3 miles! While I am now exhausted again, I feel great.

Running with Kristina today reminded how important it is not just to set goals, but to set attainable goals, and celebrate them when reached. Saying I am going to run 13.1 miles is great, but if I don't start small and work my way to that big goal, all while setting smaller goals along the way, and celebrating each victory, then I will never get to that finish line. I am happy every day that I run, and happier when push myself farther, or encourage someone else to push themselves.

Remember:
 

Today was a rest day, so naturally the weather was PERFECT for running. And that is no exaggeration. 63 degrees, blue skies, with occasional puffy white clouds passing by, and a gentle breeze. I wanted to run so bad today I could've run right outta my skin! But no, I must rest once in a while. I never thought I'd be faced with this overwhelming desire to run, that is unless something was chasing me. But low and behold, here I am jealous of those trotting by on the sidewalk past me. And to add insult to injury, of course I woke up at 7 am this morning; all on my own, all bright eyed and bushy tailed. And ready to run no less. SERIOUSLY?! That NEVER happens. Gah.

Like I said before, my rest days are active rests. I took Layla for a walk and to the dog park. We strolled leisurely along the bike path through the park and took in the nice weather. We ran into an old friend and his dogs in the dog park, and then on the way back to the car, we passed by and stopped and visited with a friend from high school. It was nice to just enjoy being outside and social.

While today was supposed to be a rest day, I had an appointment with Trainer Jenny. We were supposed to meet Monday, and needed to reschedule. So we planned for a half hour session today. No big, right? Thirty minutes of strength training. Easy. Or so I thought. (Remember, the last two day I have been running in new shoes and using new muscles) My legs felt great today. No soreness from the new shoes or the longer run. I dodged the "breaking in" phase of new shoes, I am awesome. Lies. All lies. I thought I was awesome, until we started our leg day workout. Squats went well. Even lunges weren't so bad. Then we started one of my (legit) favorite exercises; its a glut exercise. Using a squat machine, you kneel on all fours and lift one leg behind you, like this,
but pushing up a weight bar with the top foot. It AWESOME and (literally) kicks your ass. Half way through this super workout, my butt cramped. Yes, cramped. Nothing is more painful and weird than an ass cramp. I almost fell over from the above position, face first. I immediately rolled over and tried stretching it out. I made it through two sets of these, and had to call it. I never quit. I felt like a huge sissy. We finished our workout with mountain clumbers.
With this, you are switching legs as quickly as possible while avoiding falling on your face or throwing up. I did 79 of them, and then suffered ass cramps again. Awful. Just awful.

So I didn't avoid the strain of new shoes, and got too cocky too quick. I've been stretching since I left the gym, and my butt still hurts. Lesson learned today: when its supposed to be a rest day, take the rest day and be happy.

Tomorrow is a cross training day, and I am hoping for a nice bike ride. Lets hope the weather cooperates. Until then, enjoy the weather, get outside, and be happy :-)

Hi and welcome back! Today was a pretty exciting day for me! I am celebrating a few small, but exciting personal victories. If there is one thing I have learned over the years, it is that you must celebrate even the smallest of victories to make life truly exciting.

Today started out like the rest, and my alarm clock and I are no closer to becoming best friends. I had an 8:30 doctors appointment with my Orthopedist. Back in June, Layla and I were out for an early morning run (maybe this is why my body refuses to run early) when something spooked her, and she crossed my path unexpectedly. I couldn't compensate and went down on a bent knee mid stride. I tore up my knee and hand pretty good, but got back up and walked home. I continued to run and work out, but there was excruciating pain in the back of my knee. It felt like it was going to EXPLODE every time I bent my left knee. A month after the fall, I was having trouble kneeling, bearing weight, and even bending my knee to put on pants. I went to see an Ortho, and there was concern of a torn PCL. My stomach dropped when I heard that. That would have ended my running before I even really got started. I was sent for an MRI, and the week it took to get the results was like an eternity. To my delight, there was no tear, and the MRI was clean. YAY! A few weeks of physical therapy and I would be right as rain. Today was my follow up. I told my Ortho about my plans to run a half marathon, and he was not only super supportive, he gave me some great advice for strength training and prepping for the event.  Best doctors appointment EVER! And a great way to start the day. After that, I was off to the fair.

Gloomy weather kept fair-goers to a minimum, so the shift there went by slow like molasses in January. It was windy and chilly, and I wished I had pants on (fear not, I was in shorts, and not running around in my skivvies). After my fair shift, I had no agenda. That almost never happens in my life. I usually always have some commitment, or place to be. So with my free, unscheduled time, I decided to take a turn about the fair and see what it had in store for this year. My lunch had been generously paid for by another event staff member, so I opted for Chivetta's chicken. If you aren't from Buffalo, you may not be familiar with it. Chivetta's is a marinade, and it's, well, AMAZING. It makes chicken tender and perfect and fall off the bones. The smell is heavenly and makes your mouth water instantly. I've been breathing in sweet Chivetta's air since last week, and couldn't resist any longer. I sat happily at the table, quietly falling in love with every bite. Yea, it's that good.

When my lunch was finished, I strolled the fairgrounds for about an hour and a half, people watching, checking out vendors, and just enjoying the sun that decided to warm air around me. When I got home, I lazily crawled into bed for a brief evening nap, because, why not. After about an hour, I woke up and found the sun had gone again, but the wind and chill had lingered. I wanted to stay in bed. It was warm and that perfect kind of comfortable that makes it physically impossible to want to move. Lucky for me, I have my lovely Layla to insist on my getting out of bed. I won't lie to you, today I did not want to run. I knew it was going to be a longer than normal run, and staying snuggled up sounded way more appealing than pushing through the wind. But then I thought of you; any followers I have, even a single reader, and I thought, I can't let them down. I can't be lazy. So thank you, whoever you are, if you even exist, for being my motivation today.

So I hoped out of bed, donned my running gear and new shoes, and set out. The wind wasn't so bad, and the cooler air made the run refreshing. I set out to add one mile to my regular run. I didn't care about time, it was about getting it done. And get it done I did. I completed 4 miles in 38 minutes and 42 seconds. That really isn't terrible, and I was carefully pacing myself because I wanted to be sure to finish. And in all honesty, when I was done I felt GREAT! It was like a new running high for me. I set out to accomplish something, and I did. Nothing feels better than that :-)

My next accomplishment involved making all this effort and talk official. Yep, today I registered for the Niagara Falls International Marathon (the half marathon portion). The cost was a bit steep though. I'm a broke college kid who works as a paramedic by night. What that equates to is flat freaking broke. The registration fee was $95! I had no idea where or how I was going to come up with the extra money, especially because I had just bought my pretty new running shoes. Another stroke of luck in my life is that I have been blessed with the most amazing and supportive parents. They tolerate all my crazy endeavors and hair brained ideas with more enthusiasm than a bunch of high school cheerleaders. They are truly crazy, beautiful, wonderful people.  My parents offered to pay my registration fee. I was so excited, I could've cried. That's a lot of money to spend on something intangible, but they know what I means to me, offered their support. How lucky am I?

While today may not have been comical or filled with heart-racing excitement, it was still an amazing day. We so often dwell on the things we don't have, can't get, or have to deal with, we sometimes lose sight of what great things we have. Today was a perspective day for me. A clean bill of health, the ability to push myself farther, and the support of my amazing parents; those are all things that I think I take for granted everyday. So many people don't have any of these things.

So today I am happy, thankful, and filled with love for my quiet, simple and wonderful life.

Monday. The most notoriously unhappy day of each week for most people. My Monday, however, was pretty alright :-) I woke up too late to run (of course. I really should stop saying that and just have it be standing knowledge that morning runs are like flying cars; a great concept, but never going to happen in my life time). Anyway, I started the week with another day at the fair. The day started out beautiful, weather wise, and quickly turned overcast and somewhat muggy. Lucky for me the mugginess was minimal, and when I got home, I geared up for a run. To my delight, just as I headed toward the end of the driveway, the UPS guy approached.
Last week, when I went to Fleet Feet, I was sized for "good running shoes." What made them so good, you ask? Well, the particular shoe I liked was a support shoe that compensated for pronation and heel strike. If you're not a runner I imagine this face right now:
Don't worry, I'll elaborate. Pronation means I'm "pigeon toed" or that my toes point inward when I walk. This has always made me notably clumsy and I trip over air a lot. Embarrassing on its own, worse in stilettoes and hazardous and potentially painful when running. These shoes are supposed to help correct that, which also may mean I won't wear through the toes as quickly, which happens when your feet are always running into each other.
Heel strike is pretty self explanatory; I run like a herd of elephants. All by myself. My poor roommate lives in the basement, and gets to hear me hulk stomp through the kitchen every morning. He particularly hates high heels. He fears one day I may come through the floor.
So these nifty new shoes have rounded heels to keep me from hitting hard on the heel with each stride, which will in turn save my joints and back some massive shock injuries. Instead, these shoes promote hitting the stride mid-foot and pushing off more with the toe. This is a good thing.
Well I was sized for these fancy shoes, and then found out they were $120. This is about average for good shoes, but I'm a broke paramedic/college student. I was going to have to hold off. So that day I went home and wanted to research these shoes more online to make sure they were worth the price, and to see if I could find a better deal. As luck would have it, I did. I found them half off through Finish Line's website! A few clicks later, I was anticipating my new kicks, and today, the man in brown brought them to my door! And what better time than right as I am ready to run?!
So here are the newest addition to my footwear collection:

Aren't they bright and lovely!? So right there on the porch, with the dog all leashed up and ready to go, I plopped my butt down and changed my shoes. I was overwhelmed with excitement! My running was about to instantly improve!
(If you are a runner, and you have ever purchased new and different shoes, you are now laughing at me. I deserve it.)
BAM! Layla and I are off! These feel so different; its awesome! Then I hit the half mile mark. Ooo, my shins; they burn a bit. Haven't felt that in a while.
One mile. My calves; they might explode.
1.5 miles: Work those thighs.
2 miles: OH MY GOD! MY BUTT!
At this point every muscle from the waist down feels like it is on fire or going to tear away from the bone. I think I may have even discovered a few muscles I didn't know I had.
I push through to three miles, and waddle the last block home. By the time I hit my driveway, I am sore and am walking like I just got off a horse and had a pole shoved up my butt. (Visualize. Giggle.)
So, the fun part about shoes that change the way you run is that they change the way your run. Yes, that was redundant, but what I mean is that changing the mechanics changes the muscles you use. Therefore today was like running for the first time all over again. It was as awful as it sounds, and I'm the genius that pushed it for three miles.
In hindsight, I should've broken these bad boys out on a rest day, where a little jog would have been acceptable, and prevented my lower extremities from turning to Jell-O. Lesson learned.
But despite this silly first timers faux pas, I really do love my new shoes, and can't wait for them to be all broken in and for my body to get comfortable running in them. Until then, there will be lots of stretching and walking funny. I am not looking forward to how sore my legs will be tomorrow, but regardless, I shall run on. Tomorrow is my first "long run," which for now means adding a mile to my current distance. Hopefully, my legs wont fall off with my new shoes attached.

Ah Sunday. The original day of rest, and rest I did. Well, kind of. Today I celebrated the upcoming marriage of my beautiful friend Carrie and her wonderful hubby-to-be Sam. It was a lovely bridal shower with delicious food, and to-die-for homemade Italian cookies. Amazing. I was gluttonous and ate WAY too much. I had decided to make today a rest day because I am starting a schedule my friend Leanna suggested last week, and it will start Monday. What I didn't plan is how much I would indulge and how guilty I would feel. I could probably run and work out forever, but I will never lose weight at this rate because my nutrition sucks. This is Trainer Jenny's biggest aggravation with me. I am getting stronger, but no thinner because I love food.
Now, saying I love food does not mean I spend everyday stuffing my face with anything available. I enjoy the flavors of good food, and really love carbs and dairy. That's my down fall. Delcicously prepared food is not always prepared by the most healthy means, and those calories, fat and carbs add up quick. I've got the focus and motivation to get my butt moving, now I need the conviction to change my eating habits. *sigh*
I know I'm not the only one with this issue. And then there is the problem with emotional eating. I do it, I'll admit it. Sometimes, food is just so comforting. And yes, I should go for a run or excercise to deal with emotional issues, but lets be honest, sometimes, you just don't want to. And those annoying people who say shit like "nothing tastes as good as skinny feels" are assholes. First of all, I've been skinny, and lemme tell ya, there were something's that tasted so damn good, skinny didn't hold a candle to it. Yes, taste is temporary and lean and healthy are long term, but dammit, I'm human and never claimed to be perfect.
Rant aside, I do need to become more mindful of my food choices. But here's the thing, diets don't work. They are a waste of time, because you either become bored or discouraged, and then quit and gain the weight back. If I've learned one thing over the years of losing and gaining weight, it's that either way, it has to be a life style change, or you're doomed.
Now, please don't take me to be an extremist with life style changes. I live with one of those. My (awesome) roommate decided he was going to lose weight, and, being the genius he is, researched the science of metabolism and how food works in your body, etc., etc. He tries to explain it to me, but like most people, I glaze over and don't follow. He is extremely disciplined and doesn't mind the same bland food every day, and he cycles like a million miles a day. He's lost like 70 pounds, but seriously who has the time for that? And bland food every day!?! Former fat kid me will have none of that. I want flavor and happiness. I want to have a little love affair with my meals, and enjoy every bite, especially if I have to cut back on what I eat. If I'm cutting portion and calories, you bet your sweet ass I have to love every bite.
So what do I do now? I know weight watchers doesn't work for me. Super science bland diet won't cut it. And my food free for all is destroying my wardrobe, training or not. Do I drink the Kool-Aid and join the paleo cult, or start small with portion control and better choices?
I have 11 weeks until this half marathon, and about 9 weeks until my friend's wedding. I'm going stag, and would like to look fabulous when I do it (if I'm going alone, I need to own it, and being self conscious isn't owning it).
If anyone actually reads this and has any suggestions, I'm always up for advice. Otherwise, stayed tuned to see if I'm conquered by food, or prevail over the Yummy Monster ( that lil feeling you get when you justify stuffing your face with yumminess, even when you're not hungry or know you could make a better choice).

So this post is coming extremely late, but that's because today ended up being really busy. I don't object to busy days though; they go by quickly, and don't leave much time to worry about silly things. I'm an aimless worrier so keeping busy is really good for me. Anyway....
I was all set to wake up early this morning and start the morning run routine...the alarm was screaming for a solid ten minutes before I even noticed. This was at 6am (6:10 by the time I got to it). Knowing my infatuation with my bed and pillows, I had foresight last night and set a second alarm for 7am. I woke up at 8. Crap. Well, that gave me just enough time to get showered and ready to go work the Erie County Fair again today. There was no morning run. *sigh* As I am driving there I am even more disappointed because the weather is finally perfect; cool, no humidity, cloudless and sunny. Double crap. To add salt to my no-run guilty wound, as I arrive at the fair I realize today is the Fair 5K, and I have to walk right through it to get where I need to go. Seriously. The running gods were smiting me. Luckily, the shift passed quickly, but there would be no run after, because I was meeting a friend for coffee after.
This was no ordinary coffee date. I met with my dearest high school friend Nikki. We have been friends since we were 15, and she is a runner. So while I was not running, we met to talk about running. Close enough, right? (yeah, not even close, I know). I have seen Nikki in FOREVER, and I called her out of the blue when I decided to do this half marathon thing. Turns out, she is running the same event, but the FULL marathon. I would die. Literally. But we decided to meet up to catch up and chat about gels (some gooey stuff to keep you from dying while running until forever). I found out she reads my little blog (HI NIKKI!!!!!!!!!!) and said she would run with me once in a while! We started talking about shit runners think about while running. I was glad to see I wasn't alone. Here are some examples:

• When you start running, you're initially THRILLED. You feel strong and confident and glad you are doing something good for your health
• 5 minutes into the run you wonder how far you've gone, only to realize its only been a half mile. WTF.
• By 10 minutes in you wonder why the hell you're doing this. It's hot, you're tired. [insert extremity] hurts and you're making it worse.  
• By the second mile, you're rationalizing reasons to stop; that running is totally not worth it, and you would rather be fat and happy on your couch.
• By 15 minutes in, you being to play mental games with yourself; to the end of the block; 5 more minutes; you've gone this far.
• By 20 minutes, you turn on yourself; keep moving fatty!; omg, don't be lazy; seriously, you're wussing out now?!
• By the last leg of your little running adventure, you find new confidence in yourself; YOU GOT THIS; YEAH, ALMOST DONE; I'M KING OF THE WORLD!

I have concluded that being a runner is just being periodically bipolar. But by the time you're finished, you're happier than a fat kid with an ice cream cone.
So after coffee with Nikki, I had about 30 minutes before I needed to start getting ready for work. Usually I would take this time to power nap, and then have to peel myself from the clutches of the demon comfy bed. But all that talk of running made me super motivated. So I threw on some shorts and tank and my running shoes, leashed the dog and took off running in the neighborhood. The weather was still great and I couldn't waste it.
Well, like I said, I threw on clothes for running. It was a haphazard effort. I donned a pair of shorts from Target; they have what are supposed to be spandex compression shorts attached to mesh shorts over them. The idiots guide to compression-wear. About three strides into my run, the spandex part rolled right up and hid under the mesh like the socks of the wicked witch after a house fell on her. Whatever, no time for this. Keep running. One more block into the run, and my crotch apparently got hungry and started eating the mesh part of the shorts. Ladies, if you are not a super model and your thighs touch even a little, you know what I am talking about when I comes to shorts. Screw it, keep running.
As a topper to this lovely ensemble, I was rocking a blue sports bra with slightly less than ideal support, and a bright pink racer-back tank with a flower and the one strap. I was a running fashion disaster. Don't care; must run.
By the end of mile one, I was sweating and panting. As I begin the last leg of my brief afternoon run, I come upon a neighbor having a lovely gathering. As I pass the populated yard, who else but a group of shirtless, perfectly-toned-physique gentlemen litter the yard. I run past, smiling awkwardly, sweating, panting, with my shorts-devouring crotch, overly jiggly boobs and barking dog. FML. Must. Run. Faster.
I round a corner to my relief, only to be confronted again, not my one house party, but TWO on that block. SERIOUSLY!?
I completed my little 2.11 mile run in 18 minutes and 34 seconds. I probably could've moved faster if my shorts weren't seeking refuge in my lady bits. I think I'll stick to morning runs from now on, no matter how great the bed seems.

Good morning and happy Friday to everyone out there. Today I woke up unmotivated. My legs are super sore, and all I wanted was another rest day. I was laying in bed rationalizing reasons it would be ok to rest today. If you know me, you know I can rationalize anything. The weather this morning was not a huge help either; its gloomy, rainy, warm and muggy out; not exactly get up and run weather.

So where did I find my oomph to get out of bed and go? Ah, good ol' Facebook. and, as always a silly boy. He wasn't exactly some significance in my life; he lived far away and I never really expected more than a friend to talk to. We talked a lot. It was nice to have someone to chat with again. But then he started with the "you're so damn cute" shit. Blah blah blah, whatever. I still wasn't anticipating much from this guy, but he kept harping on getting to know each other better, and visiting and shit. Well, as I lay in bed this morning, casually thumbing through a newsfeed, there it is....he's in a relationship all of a sudden. Whoa, whoa, wait what?!?! That's all fine and dandy, but why the hell was he FaceTiming me and telling me how awesome I was just on Monday? That's what bugs me; the dishonesty. Men, you should never be telling one woman how cute and amazing she is, while starting to date another. That's just messed up. And men wonder why women get jealous and crazy. Ladies, I know at least some of you can relate to this scenario.

Lucky for me this wasn't some heart wrenching event (I'd need a heart for that), only surprising and mildly aggravating.  But what it did turn out to be was just the right amount of oomph to get my ass moving. It's amazing what can motivate you; apparently my trigger is aggravation. Cool. Good to know.

So the weather made running outside out of the question. I tried that humidity thing the other day. It's a no go. TO THE GYM! I hopped my pudgy butt onto a treadmill and ran with a bit of conviction. Mind you, my legs are still killing me, and kinda making me walk funny, but whatever, I was on a mission. I really dislike running on a treadmill; the scenery never changes and it gets boring quick. However, the upside is that you cant slack in pace, or you get shot out the back of it. Visualize that. Now stop giggling. Anyway, I set my pace and took off. This morning I pounded out my 3 miles in 26 minutes and 10 seconds. Best time yet!!!! I really need to be annoyed more apparently.

When  my run was all said and done, I came home to stretch. Yesterday, I did make it to Fleet Feet and not only got sized for a good running shoe, I made the best purchase ever. I bought a ProStretch. The nifty lil contraption was first introduced to me in physical therapy. It is the ultimate calf and hamstring stretcher EVER. It looks like this:

 I am seriously in love with it. I have never been able to stretch my legs so well, and with all this impending running, this investment (at only $30!) is totally worth it! If you run, workout a lot or just have sore tight legs, it really recommend this thing.

Well, now that I've completed a little rant, and touched briefly on running and stretching, I now need to get ready for the day. Todays agenda includes working the Ford Display at the Erie County Fair (come visit from 2-6!) and then attending a benefit for a wonderful woman who has been fighting the good fight against breast cancer. Sounds like there will be an awesome turnout, and I can't wait to see everyone.

Have a wonderful Friday! Get out and enjoy the world, and maybe sneak some exercise in there to make the day better. And if something is bugging you, just do what I did, and run through it. You'll be surprised how much better you feel after :-)

Ok, so today is now Thursday, and it is a rest day. And a much needed one at that. Between the cycling and running, and Trainer Jenny's leg workout yesterday, and butt and legs are good and sore. Yesterday's leg workout highlight was the wall sit portion; for those unfamiliar with wall sits, you stand against a wall, legs in front of you, and bend your knees to 90 degrees until you are in a seated position, with only your back against the wall. It looks like this:

How can you make these "better" you may ask? Try holding up one leg at a time! Oh the burn! And then hold each leg for at least 30 seconds, switching legs for 2-3minutes. Yea, that was at the END of our work out. Our workout finale was a plank off. This is a plank:

Get in this position, and hold until forever.

So needless to say, I am a bit sore today, and am giving my muscles a day of rest. Now, please don't confuse that with lounging on the couch. It will be an active rest, with lots of water and stretching and a walk with the dog.

But exercise isn't the only thing on my agenda. I have two papers to write to keep my brain strong too. Like I said in my profile, I am a full time student. I just recently finished an internship with a Public Relations firm in the area (I loved it and wish they would hire me one day). Now I have to write a paper so that I can receive school credit for it. Once that is finished I will be hammering out a paper for a scholarship. Doesn't my day sound exciting?! You should be jealous.

So back to thinking about running, like I mentioned yesterday, I spoke with a friend that has completed a marathon in the past, and she gave me some good advice. Leanna advised no heat runs, so I'll be getting my butt out of bed earlier than usual from now on. Thank goodness I have a fury four legged alarm clock that doesn't sleep past 6 am.
 This is Layla, my running buddy:




Leanna also said to only run 3 days a week and one cross train day. Keep the long runs to either Saturday or Sunday, and most importantly, get good running shoes. So for this week, my schedule is a little screwy, and I will be running/training more than four days, but by next week I should be right on track.

Today I think I will also take a ride to the running store (yes, we have a store totally geared toward running here) called Fleet Feet. Maybe price a new pair of kicks ;-)

Thanks for checking in today, and remember, drinks lots of water to stay hydrated in this summer heat, stretch often (even if you haven't worked out today. Its just good to do daily, and makes your feel a little better), and smile, just because you can :-) See you tomorrow!

So apparently the photos did not upload yesterday, so lets try again. Can you tell I'm new to this whole blogging thing?

Ok, so this was me about 6 years ago:

 

and then this was me after I lost the weight:

 

and now I am somewhere in the middle :-/

Ok, so if you've made it through that first post, thanks for stickin around! Let's talk about this running thing I plan on doing.
So I looked around buffalorunners.com and found a race. The trick for me will actually be signing up for this race, so I can't cop out half way through this adventure. So the marathon starts in the city of Buffalo and makes its way up to Niagara Falls, Canada. It will take place on October 27. That is exactly 12 weeks away. I have 12 weeks to not only physically, but mentally prepare for a 13.1 mile run. Oh boy. I think I can I think I can I think I can.
I search around google and found several different plans for training for this endeavor. I finally found one I liked that happened to span 12 weeks. Perfect. I started this week.
Monday was my first day of getting moving. I rode 23 miles on my bicycle and worked out with my awesome trainer, Jenny. She is always sure to kick my ass and make my workouts count. Jenny rocks.
Tuesday I rode 24 miles, and ran at the dog park. Here's a tip: running on loose gravel is MUCH harder than running on pavement. My time was drastically slower, and my legs were killing me after only two miles. This will be good strength training, but I will hate very minute of it :-)
Today is now Wednesday. I ran this afternoon. Humidity is EVIL. Just sayin. I also hit the gym with Jenny. I told her about my plan for the half marathon. She seemed excited, while I seemed scared. I'm glad she's confident in me.
So now everyone is caught up with my activities, I can show you the plan I'm tentatively following. I only say tentatively because I've been getting some advice from friends that have run full marathons, and will be using their advice to modify and make my workouts more efficient.


So there's the general gist of things. It's going to be an interesting 12 weeks. See you at the finish line :-)

Hi there! My name is Tina. I'm starting this little blog more for myself than anything else. If I end up with followers, that's great! But I'm keeping this blog as more of a journal to make myself accountable. Ya see, I'm a former fat kid; at just over 5 feet tall, I used to weigh close to 200 pounds (185 to be exact). No lie, I was a size 20.

So I joined Weight Watchers and was exceptionally disciplined and lost 50 pounds. I felt awesome and was so happy! It only took about 8 months for me to get to my lowest weight and smallest size (135 pounds and a size 6).

Well, over the past 5 years, I've managed to find some of that weight I lost; 20 pounds actually. So more than some. Yea, I quit smoking, which is awesome, but I can't use that excuse forever. I'm a stress eater, and there have been some shitty break ups and I went back to school. Lets pile on that stress, which can only be comforted by pizza, ice cream and the couch. Shit.

So now here I am at almost 160 pounds, and miserable. I decided I needed to do something. 

First, I tired Weight Watchers, again. That didn't go so well. I didn't have the same conviction. Then I got a personal trainer. This is great, unless you only work out that one day a week, and blow off your diet, which is what I did...fail. 

So just as I am getting completely discouraged I meet this great guy who is active and encourages me and makes me super motivated! I'm watching my diet and working out like crazy; I feel great! But still no weight loss. WTH!? I say screw it, who cares, I feel great and that's what counts! I figured I tweak some things and get past my plateau. Easy, right?! Well, instead he breaks up with me. Enter my week long relationship with my couch and take out. 

What the hell am I thinking; letting some guy dictate my emotions and life. No, no I won't be this girl anymore. This is where I decide to not only stop dating, but also to stop making excuses and relying on some jerk to keep me motivated. Aren't epiphanies awesome?! 

So where's the running come in, right? Well me and the latest jerk had talked about running a marathon together. I started running when I was super thin, and always loved/hated it. I figured with him supporting me, I could totally do it. Well he's gone, but I refuse to let go of the notion that I can do this. So my first step is getting to a half marathon. 

I did some searching and found a 12 week training schedule. I also found a half marathon here in Buffalo in exactly 12 weeks from now. Convenient. 

Now I could bombard my Facebook friends with my workout and progress, but lets face it, most don't care. But I need to be accountable and not slack, so I decided to start this blog. Even if no one reads it, at least I will feel compelled to journal every day, and therefore work at training every day. So if you're interested, please stay tuned, and feel free to throw some advice, words of encouragement, and any other lil tidbits at me. If you made it this far into reading, thanks, you're officially my support