You Can't Teach An Old Dog New Tricks...Or Can You?

Today I managed to get a short run in this time with my older sister's yellow lab "Cash." To his (and her) credit he is a MUCH better runner than the puppy was, however, that is likely because those dogs are trained and ruled with an iron fist. The nicest part was that he walks with a "loose leash" meaning he basically stays beside you the whole time. He also sits and stays prior to crossing the street and won't release unless you give him the command. (FYI, my brother-in-law is trained almost as well as their dogs.)

Its a nice run with little traffic around my parents neighborhood in my Small Town, North Carolina. Cash set a good pace for the first 1/2 mile or so. You could tell he was happy to be out in the sun and nice weather. We were making good time, and on this route there is only one hill. (Obviously this route was chosen on purpose). However, this is one heck of a hill. I haven't ran the last two days as I was distracted by my 3-week old nephew who I did not want to put down. Because of this, the 1.5 miles I was running was a bit difficult. Running with Cash was a nice distraction, that is until he decided to stop. 1/2 way up the hill. At that point, Cash decided he was tired of running, and sat down. I'm sure it was quite a sight to see me trying to pull the 80 pound yellow lab the rest of the way up that hill. And once we got to the top, Cash was ready to go again...setting the pace for the rest of the way home. In short, he unknowingly (or knowingly) foiled my plan to have him pull me up the hill. Instead he turned the tables. Out-smarted by a yellow lab. Yep, that's me.

Tomorrow's run will be a family affair. My mom, sisters, nephew, and the 3 dogs are all heading down to the park. My plan, one dog per mile. That is, unless the dogs gang up on me, and out smart me again...

*Belle*

Pure Torture

I didn't do anything this weekend...probably because I have had some personal things going on that kept me curled up in a ball and not wanting to deal with reality. Since I knew Belle wouldn't be able to call me with a "pep-talk" early morning phone call on Monday, I had my fiance do it. He works at Starbucks and often opens the store early...so I knew it would work. Well....not so much. He called, I answered, then went back to sleep. So after a long day on Monday, I came home and did a quick Biggest Loser "Power Sculpt" workout. (Love you Bob and Jillian!!)

Today I woke up on my own (praise God!) and headed out the door to greet the chilly crisp fall air that felt great. I started my ipod to get going....and it said "No battery power remains. Please connect ipod to power." Then it started playing "Gold Digger." I thought, "Sweet, its going to give me a little juice to get started." Nope, it stopped before I even started running. So there I am, running with an ipod in tow...but no music. I thought about singing to myself, but that quickly ended when I started hearing myself breathe. I thought, "Oh, I'll listen to the rustling of the fall leaves...but wait, I can't hear them over myself BREATHING!" What torture! The whole run sucked, needless to say. I did run 3.1 miles....so be proud of me for that.

The Hills Are Alive...

So I was horrible in my training last week and hadn't run since Monday. I'm in North Carolina all this week, so trying to get ready to leave work for a week, and my new found social life caused running to be put on the backburner. In my defense, I did play volleyball, so I wasn't a total lazy worthless couch-potato. On Friday, at volleyball, I pulled my quad because I jumped in to play without warming up. (I'm obviously not as young as I used to be.) Taking yesterday off, left me feeling ready to go today. So I grabbed my little sister's 7 month old puppy and took off for a run around her apartment complex. (I made her drive around the complex yesterday to measure the distance -- accurate I'm sure.)

The puppy and hills of western North Carolina made an interesting run. First, the puppy set the pace of: Sprint. Stop. Sprint. Stop. Sprint...you get the picture. So by default I ended up running intervals. Second, I have forgotten what its like to run up a hill. My Town Near the Beach is FLAT. The only hills you are going to find where I live on on the bridges, and I haven't graduated to bridge runs yet. Western North Carolina is the foothills of the Appalachian -- pronounced "App-a-latch-in" for you Yankees -- so its ALL hills and boy does that make a difference. On the bright side, when I head back to Florida next Saturday, my 6 am runs should be a piece of cake. Mmmmmmmm, cake...anyway...since I am home and both my sisters have dogs I plan on kidnapping one of the dogs each day and taking them on my runs. The plan: the dog can pull my tired body up all those hills.

*Belle*

Lessons.

So this week has been insane, and my running has suffered greatly. My "come hell or high water" statement yesterday. FAIL. Its been a lot of late nights and early mornings trying to get ready to go on a week vacation, as well as super busy at work. Lessons learned:

1) There is always a reason not to run.
2) Its easy to decide not work out.
3) I'm lazy.
4) I'm lazy.
5) Thank god for volleyball.

Hopefully I can get all my excuses out this week. If not its going to be a long race or a waste of a good chunk of money.

*Belle*

All my hexes live in Texas

I woke up this morning just in time to get ready for my part-time job..so of course I didn't run this morning. After I got done, I came home and decided the weather was nice enough to run outside, plus I didn't want to chance a 10 year old being on the treadmill again. So I mapped out my 3.1 mile run, walked to the front of my apartment complex, and started running.

Now let me say that I love the state of Texas, I was born and bred here, and I plan on staying here for a very long time (don't worry Belle...Florida is still an open door!). This morning when I got up, it was about 45 degrees out, sun was shining...felt pretty nice. By the time I started running, it had probably warmed up to about 55 or 60, so I wore a shirt and yoga pants. So I take off running, and the wind decides to start blowing like nobody's business. I thought "Did I just transport myself to Chicago? It must suck to run in Chicago....this sucks!" My hair was blowing in my face, out of my face, and sideways. Great....where was this wind this morning? I would have chanced the "broken" treadmill had I known I was going to be running in place! So I turn down a street, thinking "Finally...the wind will be at my back." Nope, wind turns directions...and guess which way? That's right - AGAINST ME! Not only against me, but gusting at probably 30 mph....(could be slightly exaggerating...)

Then what to my surprise is ahead of me on my run? A hill. Are there supposed to be hills in Texas? Where the crap am I? So I start up the hill....

[cue gusting wind in my face]

I make it up the hill, and turn around to run back down the hill. All the sudden, the wind stops and now it's like 80 degrees outside. I am in black pants! I'm thinking, "What just happened here? Does Mother Nature hate me? I swear I don't litter...and I scoop the poop!" So I continue on, now sweating like crazy and thinking the black pants were a bad choice. Then I feel a knot start to form in my shoulder blade....

[cue wind, cue pain]

I am thinking "I'm almost done, about a mile left to go...I can do this!" So I press on, feeling pain and practically running in place. I turn down the last street and I am on the homestretch, but wait...now what?

[cue ridiculous heat, wind exits, cue pain in neck and shoulder]

I am now experiencing pain in a weird region, right between your neck and shoulder in the front...right above your collarbone. Ya, that's me, the weird one with all the weird ailments...ask Belle, she'll tell you ALL about my weird illnesses....

I finally finish my run - look at my stopwatch, and.....

[cue excitement]

I ran 3.18 miles in 28:51....sweet! Maybe pain is gain...and wind is my friend!

~Pocahontas~

I love kids and all but.........

So my day started out with a phone call from Belle who decided to not run this morning...which then in turn made me decide I didn't want to get up and embrace the cold weather this morning either. So I went back to sleep, only to wake up with just enough time to get dressed and out the door to teach my 8:00 am class (who came up with that time anyway? I mean, seriously!). This class had an exam this morning, which I was 5 minutes late to thanks to my comfy bed continuing to whisper to me that I didn't have to get up....(thanks bed).

After that it was office hours and then teach an 11 am class where we talked about menopause and erectile dysfunction. Seriously...I didn't think college students were so immature, but they are. So anyway, after that class I thought I would run on the treadmill on campus (they have TV's on them, which causes me to be motion sick, but at least I can watch TV!) because I had to coach for my other job this afternoon, so I had my workout clothes...or did I? Check my bag when I get up to my office and there lies my sports bra, t-shirt, yoga pants, socks, and....NO SHOES! Ugh! Thanks to my seductive bed I walked out of my apartment with no shoes...so I couldn't run...poo!

So I call the fiance who is sweet enough to meet me halfway and bring me my shoes while I scarf down a Subway sandwich. Then its off to coach the crazy kids. Literally, these parents must feed their kids crack and Apple Jacks before I show up, because these kids are C to the Razy. So as I am explaining how to dribble a soccer ball, one kid says, "I see your butt!" Very funny, coming from the kid who told me I stink a couple of weeks ago as she hugged me right in the crotch area....then another kid says, "Michael showed me his underwear!" Good job Michael, go be a perv somewhere else...But wait...my day is not over yet, I still have 2 more classes to coach after this...oh yay me!

So then its off to the worst elementary school ever...the kids hate exercising, even though we play fun games, and they are all extremely disrespectful to me. So after I spend an hour and a half coaching there, the head teacher says, "Tell Miss Mallory Happy Thanksgiving!" Yep, been there for almost a year and she can't even get my name right...awesome.

After a long drive home, I finally pull into the parking space and think...ahh, I can go running now. But wait, it's pitch black outside (even though it's only 6:00 pm) and we have homegroup dinner at 7:30. So I think, I will go run on the treadmill for about 30 minutes...that will be a good 3 mile run...I'll take a shower and head out the door. But it only gets better (or worse....)

So I enter the apartment complex workout room. There are 2 treadmills, one elliptical, one stairstepper, and about 4 weight machines. When I get there, a mom is working out on the elliptical and her daughter, who is like 10, is WALKING on the treadmill. So I get ready to step on the treadmill next to her, and mom tells me that it is not working....so great...what am I supposed to do? I'll do the stairstepper....fun..... (all the while I'm thinking, lady, kick your kid off the treadmill...she really doesn't need to be "working out" with you).

About 5 minutes into my "awesome" stairstepping workout, the girl gets off the treadmill. Now I have the type of personality that I worry about what other people will think about me all the time, so I decided to wait a couple minutes and then go get on the treadmill so I don't look like I was just waiting for her to get off. Well, in walks "Mr. Cool" during my two minute waiting period, who then gets on the treadmill and starts WALKING! Seriously dude, walk outside...in the dark...you're a MAN!!! So I think, maybe he is just warming up, and he'll get off in a minute to work his biceps....Gee was I wrong. In walks his girlfriend, who steps on the "broken" treadmill and begins WALKING on it. Oh ya, it wasn't broken, but gullible, worry about what others think about me didn't want to attempt to try the treadmill because I would look stupid if it was broken and tried it anyway...right?

So I'm pissed off walking on the stupid stairstepper. I did 25 minutes on the thing...to learn at least I know I can climb 352 floors in 25 minutes! That means I could walk up and down the Empire State Building and then some...but can I run a half marathon? No, because some mother thinks the treadmill serves as a babysitter.....

Hopefully I will have a better day tomorrow -

~Pocahontas~

Sometimes Life Gets In the Way...

So I was supposed to run yesterday, but overslept. At the time, it didn't seem like a big deal since I figured I'd simply run last night. Aaaaaaaaaaaaand, that didn't happen. NOTHING went as planned yesterday. So I figured I'd run this morning. Aaaaaaaaaaaaand that didn't happen either. I woke up, called P to wake her up, tried to convince P that she didn't have to run either, and went back to sleep. (A bit of a counterproductive phone call, ya think?) So tonight I'll go play volleyball and tomorrow I'm forcing myself, come hell or high water, to get up and run...just wait, I will!

*Belle*

And the Biggest Loser is.....

So today is my cross training day. After laying in bed until it was too late to work out this morning, I decided to do my Biggest Loser Power Sculpt DVD this evening. I LOVE the Biggest Loser, and I love the workout. I find myself talking to the trainers as I am working out, which is really funny when my fiance is sitting on the couch doing homework - semi watching me work out. So I tell them they suck, that I hate their workouts...because the last 5 minutes of the last workout kicks my tail. It's basically pushups and sitting in plank position for what seems like 5 years.

So I grunt, yell, scream, and tell Bob Harper that I hate him. For the record...I love you Bob Harper! Thanks for making my arms feel like rubber, and for giving me the luxury of slightly vomiting in my mouth after I'm finished, and making me feel better about myself.

Looking forward to an early run in the morning...hopefully I can run outside!

*Pocahontas*

Catholic guilt, minus the Catholic.

I got up this morning with a million different things to do at the office and decided that running would have to go on hold for a few hours. Because I only ran twice last week, the guilt of not running combined with the double cheeseburger from Steak and Shake I had for dinner last night sent me over the edge. Thankfully, this morning was relatively smooth and I finished up with my tasks just before noon today. With no more excuses to make, I ran upstairs and changed into some warmer running clothes and took off! Week 2, day 1 is complete!

Since my actual "training" doesn't start until January, I don't quite feel a fire under my tush. I've made it a goal to run 4 days per week until December and then 5 days per week until January. I think its a reasonable goal without having to worry about peaking too early (like I did with my last 5k)!

Thanks to Belle (and her awesome P.T.), I am looking into getting a new pair of Asics in January. Right now I am running in a relatively older pair of shoes (1 yearish). They got me through this past summer and seem to be comfortable for the time being.

I also want to welcome Pocahontas to the blog! Like Belle, I am positive she will bring alot of fun experiences to the Triple Crown Princesses blog :)

*Mulan*

I like that Boom Boom Pow....

Ok, so it's no secret that I am conservative in nature. I grew up in a Southern Baptist household with conservative roots. I never explored my dancing roots....(possibly because I am white, but probably because people said that's how you get pregnant) and I listened to good music, but rather conservative. I noticed that when I run, I get the best runs in when I listen to good rap or hip-hop. I catch myself singing Kanye's "Stronger", Chamillionaire's "Ridin' Dirty", and one of my favorites, Black Eyed Peas "Boom Boom Pow."

I have always seemed to be this way when it comes to athletics and music. The dirtier it is, the more amped up I am to run, lift weights, play...whatever. I even get caught singing parts of songs...even though I still don't say the curse words. (Usually I buy the "clean" version) So this morning...after waiting 30 minutes to get out of bed and realizing that the wind gusts would have literally made me run sideways, me and my trusty iPod took a trek to the apartment complex workout room. I found myself singing "It's getting hot in here" and "They try to copy my swagga..." in the midst of my pounding feet on the 80 year old treadmill. Fortunately I was able to belt it out because no one else was in there, but singing these songs has gotten me in trouble in the past. A few months ago, as I was running my long run with my friend, I had gotten ahead of her and was waiting at a stoplight to cross the street. I was listening to "Hot in Here" as I belted this small part of the song..."I think my butt gettin' big" only to turn around and be greeted by two men on bikes. Awesome.

So sorry mom...I enjoy the dirty music...not only for the beat, but somehow it makes me feel good to sing the "decent" parts of these songs while running or working out. No worries, no man is involved while I'm half dancing/half running, so I'm pretty sure I'm not pregnant!

6:00 a.m.

[Alarm sounds]
[Hits snooze button]
-- 8 minutes passes --
[Hits snooze button]
--another 8 minutes --
[Looks at clock...6:16 am]
"ugh, I need to get up"
"I need to call and wake up Pocahontas"
[Calls P...]
[Talks to P about not wanting to get out of bed]
[Hangs up phone...looks at clock...]
[Contemplates resetting alarm for 8:00 am]
"I do not want to get up, but I won't be able to go back to sleep anyway. I should get up."
"I just want to lay in bed even if I can't go back to sleep"
"Its cold out"
"Maybe its raining!" [Listens quietly]
"...nope, not raining..."
"I DON'T WANT TO GET UP"
[Looks at clock...6:30]
"I could get up at 7:00 and still run and make it to work..."
"I could run tonight!...wait...no I can't..."
[Heads out the door to run at 6:45]

Week 2 -- and it only takes me 45 minutes to talk myself into getting out of bed...

*Belle*

Small Steps

In the training program (that I technically start in December) my long run day will be on Saturday. With that in mind, on my modified training this month I've decided to follow suit. So today I ran 2.5 miles along a route known (in my head at least) as "The Loop." I've lived at my current place for around a year and a half, and have ran The Loop relatively frequently though the frequency varies based on my fitness routine. I've ran it enough, however, that its a pretty good gauge of my fitness level. Sometimes its been easy (yay me!) and sometimes I've not been able to finish. Well, today...it was most certainly not easy. However, I did finish. Right after the 1.5 mile mark, I hit one hell of a wall. Its was quite the reminder that I'm out of shape...despite that I was able to talk myself into finishing the run and it went something like this:

Ok, you are passing the place you usually stop, keep going.
See, now you can see the stoplight, get there.
8/10 of a mile left, make it to the first apartment complex
1/3 of the way there, get to the second fatso...
2/3 of the way there, wow you are out of shape!

So, it might not have been nice, but I pushed myself and finished...and I'll try not to pull a muscle patting myself on the back...

*Belle*

"Professional Runners"

Thursday may become my new favorite day since it is my day off. That means I get to sleep in, until 8:00 am. Now that makes me feel a bit old, to think that "sleeping in" means 8:00 in the morning...Anyway...

Today on my run I noticed that at 6:00 am there are a couple of types of people that are out and about (excluding those that are one their way to work). There are the people out in their P.J's that are up walking their dogs (which is the exact reason I have cats) and then there are the people that are up to exercise. Now these people fall into their own sub-categories. The "walkers" who are generally of an older generation and I have to say admirable as they power walk along -- often moving faster than I do when I run. There are the "professional runners" and then there are people like me...the ones that are in between.

Now these "professional runners" are of a different sort. They are the people who LOVE to run, who have all the 'gear' and they run along at an ungodly pace probably already 150 miles into their morning run. They are also the people who pass by you with a big grin and say "good morning, how are you?" as they whiz on by. The problem is, while I appreciate their friendliness and feel like they are including me as part of the crew, I'm relatively early in my training and um...can barely breath. Therefore, I can't respond. So I feel rude. So, for you professional runners, I'm sorry if I don't respond to your inquires, and please don't take my attempt to smile as some sort of sneer. I don't hate you, in fact, I want to BE you. Hopefully, by March 7, 2010 I'll be a member of your 6:00 am -- I love to run -- happy club. Until then, thanks for understanding.

*Belle*

P.S. Hello Fall! Welcome to Florida! Its nice to finally see you. Please come in, make yourself at home, and stay a while...a while being more than 1 week.

Tastes Like Chicken...Smells Like Roses...

Bugs that is. Big. Black. Cloud. Of gnats, flies, some type of little black bugs with wings. Oh, and Rotten Eggs.

The last few days I've gone out to run after its rained most of the night. The grass and streets are wet, the morning is quiet, its beautiful. Today...not so much... I guess it didn't rain last night, or if it did, it didn't rain hard enough. My morning run started off nicely. I'm clomping along, about 1/3 of the way into my 1.5 miles, thinking about the depo I'm taking early this morning... and BAM! I run through a big cloud of gnats with my mouth open. In November. Thank you Florida. These little guys were black with wings. How do I know? I was wiping them off my tongue for the next 2/3 of the run, all 150 million of them. Oh! AND sometimes the water from the sprinklers in my Town Near the Beach, Florida smells like rotten eggs. So right after I managed to reach my protein quota for the day alla bug inhalation, I got to run right past a large group of nice, swampy, vacant lots that smelled like rotten eggs...

Florida, I love you...but you showed your dirty side today. Please redeem yourself on Friday with a run filled with beautiful sunrises, and maybe throw in some unicorns, butterflies, and rainbows for good measure. K - Thanks.

*Belle*

If the shoe fits

Day 2 down, 164 to go. I am proud to report that I no longer have a case of the ass jiggles. Its amazing what one day of running can do for your butt!

So, I've decided that I really need a good pair of running shoes. Its not that my feet hurt when I run, but if I am going to commit to running a 13.1 mile race, I should at least give my feet the courtesy of comfortable shoes. I have no idea where to even start my quest for a new pair of running shoes considering I've always picked shoes for the way they look or the color they come in. I'm sure this goes without saying, but shopping for running shoes is just not as fun as shopping for a cute pair of heels! I know Belle agrees with me here. She always has the cutest shoes! Regardless, I must start my quest for a good pair of running shoes. Off to Google I go!

*Mulan*

You Can Take the Girl Away From Volleyball, but You Can't Get Her Out of the Spandex...

Day two. Done and done. Obviously it was a bit harder than yesterday. My legs were tired! And, ironically, my arms are sore. I wonder if that's supposed to happen? However, instead of discussing my run or my new interest in tackling a few 5ks over the next couple of months, I feel like there is a more pressing issue...I'M AFRAID OF THE ASS JIGGLES!!!

So, thanks to M, I now have a new fear about working out. ASS JIGGLES. Since I haven't looked in the mirror while working out in a VERY long time (add that to my list of perks from yesterday: running outside or playing volleyball means no knowledge of ass jiggles) I don't know if my ass jiggles! I do know that I still work out in my volleyball spandex. From college. Four years ago. (yeah, lets not get into a hygiene discussion please...when I shop, its for shoes. Stilettos actually.) The problem is, not only do I run in spandex. I also play volleyball in them. Volleyball = jumping. Lots. Of. Jumping. If my ass jiggles running...ugh...

I'll run in the morning and go play volleyball tomorrow night. I'll be one of the only girls and I'll be wondering every time I jump "Is my ass jiggling." Maybe I should just ask someone...or maybe I'll just go shopping for running shorts...

Hell, maybe running shorts will keep my "athletic" thighs from rubbing together...but that's another story for another day...

*Belle*

Baby got back

Welp, I did it! After a long day of work, I motivated myself enough to run 1.5 miles on the treadmill. Unlike Belle, I don't have the fortune of running in gorgeous weather year-round. Yes, I am bitter. By the time I got home tonight, it was pitch black out and I really didn't feel like getting hit by a car. Hence the trusty ol' treadmill. Its so sad because we have had unseasonably warm weather for the past 3 days here in Ohio and I couldn't even take advantage of it! I'm talking 70 degree weather in November. What's next? Sasquatch running down my street in a pair of spandex shorts? Ohio never ceases to amaze me.

So I made an embarrassing observation tonight while on my run. I have a case of the ass jiggles. Yes. I said it. ASS JIGGLES. Having not ran for exactly a month, combined with sitting on my tush for 8-10 hours per day really took its toll on my backside. Anyway, my ass jiggles made me laugh because of something my mom told me this past spring. When I told my mom I started running practically everyday, she asked me if I could feel my butt jiggle around. My response? Duh...of course I could! She said when she was training in the Air Force that she had the same problem. Moral of the story? Ass jiggles are genetic.

*Mulan*

Day One Down...

So I did it. I got my butt out of bed at 6:00 am -- well more like 6:20 am (after pressing snooze 2 times, cursing my decision to run this half marathon, and praying that the sound outside my window was a torrential rain and not the fountain) -- and ran 1.5 miles. The good news is that I didn't die and actually it wasn't that bad. The bad news is that I've figured out that getting out of bed is half -- um, 85% -- of the challenge. The weather was amazing -- shorts and a t-shirt weather -- which is one of the perks to training in Florida even in November. (Sorry M, that's what you get for moving to Ohio.) And another unanticipated perk is that I was at the office before my bosses. So, if I can keep this up for the next 118 days, we can add "good for my career" to the list of benefits. (Which include being in better shape, weight loss (maybe...see next paragraph), telling people I have actually ran 13.1 miles at one time, and finally being 1/2 way toward running the real deal.)

Now the questions is, how far do I go? Do I add eating as though I'm training to the list, or take the excuse that I'm running a lot to eat the food I like -- with the fair in town that would include fried cheesecake, fried pickles, fried oreos, chicken fried bacon, and if I'm brave, fried butter...

*Belle*

I don't have the runs...yet

Like Belle, my first run was supposed to be today. Instead, I spent the day running errands and working. I have a feeling tomorrow will be the day. The Kentucky Derby Mini-Marathon is at the end of April. Which means I have a little over 160 days to train! The last time I ran was just over a month ago when I did the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Louisville. My timing? Not so impressive. My determination, spot-on. For now, I will be getting up the the endurance to run 3 miles without dying. To get there, I will be running 1.5 miles to 3 miles per day through December. January is when the real training begins - just one month after Belle.

The real challenge? Surviving a hardcore running schedule without puking up all the delicious holiday treats that will somehow find their way into my belly.

*Mulan*

The Beginning.

So tomorrow is my first day of training. It was supposed to be today, however, a 3:00 am bedtime last night and a free ticket to the Jaguars game today put that on hold. I'm paying my entry fee for the Disney Princess 1/2 Marathon on Friday. Its in early March so I have just about 16 weeks to train. Right now, I can probably run a mile...if I push myself. So, I'll start out slow. To start the 12 week training program I'm following, you need to be able to run 3 miles comfortably. So, for the next two weeks, I'll be cutting the first week training runs in half and working my way up to 3 miles. The goal is to get all my running overwith in the morning, so I have the rest of the day to live my life. 6 am running here I come!

*Belle*