6.5 Mile Redemption

Ok, here's the thing. I have 6.5 miles scheduled to run tomorrow. When I think back to the last time I ran 6.5 miles it almost killed me. Mind you after that, 8, 9.5 and even 11 miles came and went fine. But those 6.5 miles were brutal.

At the time that was the longest distance I had ever even attempted to run. It was hot and I didn't exactly have my training down to know what to do when I'm running for an hour or more. Where I run, "down by the river", there's a small water park by a playground that the kiddos can go cool off in the summer. Or Where I can scare parents w/ their kids by walking into the water park fully clothed panting like a maniac, face flushed from the heat, sun, dehydration, or all of the above. Yep, I stripped off my fannypack and ipod, dove in and cooled my sweaty @ss off. I feel a little more prepared now, but still. I have to admit I'm nervous.

Nervous but determined. I'm going back to that 6.5 mile run. I'm going to run the same route as last time and show that 6.5 miler who's boss!!

Training in Winter S.U.C.K.S

So I haven't been this super start athlete for long. In fact, I really started my training right before the heat of the summer in Texas. Heat I can handle, I can dress for heat and know how my body will react in the heat. It will sweat... A LOT...

Winter is different. It rains. I.don't.do.rain. and it's cold. I know some people would love to have a balmy 40deg day to train in but that's my cutoff point. 40 is cold to this Texas Girl. When it's cold the cold air burns my throat and lungs and that's no fun. I suppose I could train on the dreadmill but I don't like that option either. You never get anywhere. After really getting out there and pounding the pavement there really is no substitute.

The running gods have been against me lately. It rained all weekend. It's raining now. It's been cold. I even got up this morning, got dressed and got out in the rain to go for a dreadmill run at the gym. The gym is supposed to honor the fitness program I signed up for through my insurance company. When I got there the front desk guy (who looked like he wasn't 100% awake) had no idea what I was talking about and turned me away since a manager* wasn't there. See... it just wasn't meant to be. I went home and did Jillian Michaels 30day Shred. Gotta cross train right?? Better than stopping at Starbucks or Daylight Donuts for a kolache mmmm kolache. So this morning wasn't a total waste.

*yes I called and talked to the manager and everything sorted out. RPM tomorrow baby!!!

I'm baaaaaack!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, so I've taken a little hiatus. But I've been thinking about so many things to post I decided I just have to get back into this bloggy world and have at it. So...here's a recap of what I've been up to: (in no particular order)

* I joined Twitter!! (I'll add that gadget later)
* As far as my goals post.. Haven't accomplished a 1 but they're still out there and I plan on working on them this year
* I rested as planned over the holidays and am back pounding the pavement (Side note: Winter training sux!)
* Christmas was great w/ Conway a.k.a. Kb *MWAH!! Love YOU!*
* We spent New Years in Bandera and Fredricksburg w/ our new travel friends Tk and Judyjudyjudy (she says anyone that wants to travel w/ us needs to have at least 3 travel references - more on that later)
* Deer season was a SUCCESS!!! 1 Buck and 1 Spike. My 1st Buck EVA!! Talk about buck fever! That stand was a shakin'! We now have plenty of meat in the freezer for the year.
* No, I haven't sold my house in da Hood yet..
* I signed up for Rock n Roll Dallas!! Come on Big 'D' - got a couple of recuits too, my hairdresser and some of her friends.

That's all for now. I'll try to get up to date on everyone's blogs and get back in the game. Happy Hump Day Everyone!!

Got Goals?

Since I started this running biz I've found I'm much stronger than I gave myself credit for. I put a goal out there, had a plan of attack and stuck with it until my shin splint flared up. I got all the way up to 11 miles before my leg crapped out on me. If you had told me, "Jenn, in '09 you're going to get a crazy thought in your head and train for a half marathon even though you aren't an athlete, have never trained for anything before and are pretty uncoordinated" I'd say "B, you so crazy!" But here I am, I mean mentally, I feel like I can do anything as long as I hold up physically. Thinking about and training for still my 1st HM, I've decided to put out a couple of more goals. I'll be expanding on them in the coming days. I feel like if I say it out loud I'm more accountable so here goes...

1 - Run that 1/2 Marathon that has so far eluded me

2 - Lose 20 pounds (I know, right now isn't the best time to work on a weight loss goal but I'm kidding myself if I say I'll eat what I want now but after New Year's is a whole other story. No, I'm pretty sure I'd be miserable. )

3 - Pick a charity to volunteer with (I said I was going to do this last year. O Where has 2009 gone?)

4 - Run in more local charity 5ks

5 - Run in another Rock n Roll 1/2 Marathon - Maybe San Antonio? (I really want that Rock Star Medal)

So these aren't all exactly the most S.M.A.R.T. goals but I plan on breaking them down. Once I do, I'll use this as a diary to keep me honest. Wish me luck!

Taking it slow...

Hey All!! I'm back! Yeah, I know it's been a while but I've been busy, I promise. I'm not sure I know exactly what I've been busy doing but apparently it hasn't been blogging or running for that matter. Good News!! Running and I are back together!! We're just testing things out right now and taking it day by day but I just feel better being out there. I even have a running group! My hairdresser wants to run in her 2nd Half Marathon and asked if I would too! Yeah! I love having something to look forward to. She has another friend she's training with so we all meet twice a week at 530am and with long runs on the weekend. We want to run in the Inaugural Mardi Gras Marathon in New Orleans. It's in February which stills gets me in under my stated goal of doing this before my next birthday. I like getting my runs out of the way in the am but DAYUM it's a cold motha freaka out there! I haven't mastered the art of layering yet. I'm either way to warm and sweaty under my layers or the wind whips though the light layers. I'll figure it out though.



BTDubs - I ran in my 1st race ever!! It was the 5K Turkey Trot through Cameron Park. Yes, I returned to Cameron Park even after my last experience , I figured I was safe with all the people out there. Surely someone checked the bathrooms and made sure everyone had their clothes on. It was rainy and kinda cold and it was only my 2nd time out for a run after the Dr told me to lay off for about 4-6 weeks. The hills there are K.I.L.L.E.R., I was pretty slow and had to take lots of walk breaks. I came in close to last of the runners and behind a lady with her stroller but before all of the walkers. YAY FOR ME!! Actually, I LOVED IT! I wasn't the most comfortable in the rain but when I came to the finish, there were volunteers standing around in the rain cheering all the participants on. I felt really accomplished. I said I was going to do something and despite weather not cooperating, my leg not feeling 100%, and knowing I was going to get my tail kicked by the route, I did it. Don't you just love reaching your goals?

A House for Sale in Da Hood

Going to the highest bidder... Yep ol 43rd Street is going up for sale. I've had it!! It's my first house and I bought it all by myself a little over 5 years ago. I remember when I was looking for what I could "afford" and it wasn't much. The houses weren't in great areas, they all had orange or green shag carpet. The walls were either the lovely shade of pea green or were dark and paneled. Wow! That was depressing. I made an ok living but the Baylor Student Loans I was and still am paying back limit me on what I can shell out every month. Thanks BU!! But then I stepped it up a little and decided I would pay a little more for a house that didn't need as much work and didn't have bars on the windows. Then the realtor took me to 43rd Street. I fell in love immediately. It was in a decent neighborhood, had normal, neutral carpet and neutral color on the walls, a great yard, great trees and a line of hedges in the back that made my yard feel secluded. I could even live with the sea foam and forest green tile in the bathroom. (at least it wasn't salmon pink) When I was looking at it and deciding what to do another buyer pulled up and was waiting on me to get out of I my house!. I looked at the realtor and asked what I needed to do. Off we went to his office and an offer was made. While the negotiating was taking place I had to go across the street to Johnny Carino's for a glass of wine to calm my nerves. That's a big deal for a 26 year old single woman!! I had 5 great years in the house and Conway helped me remodel this year.

Sad to say my car has been broken into twice this year and the last straw was when my license plate was taken over the weekend. That's all I need is my license number and name being called over a police scanner for being involved in a drive by shooting or bank robbery get away car. I spent most of Monday making reports, getting my new license plate and then putting the sucker back on. They took the whole bracket and screws!! Seriously? So that's it! My wonderful first home has been tainted and I've been violated so I'm OUT! The next house has a few musts!!
1 - 2 bathrooms it's not so bad when you live alone but since Conway's been back you just don't have the privacy
2 - Washer and dryer must be inside - no, it wasn't in an attached garage that you could get to through a door in the kitchen. It was in a detached garage in the back yard.
3 - a garage I can actually park my car in - Hopefully this will reduce my car insurance if I stop replacing windows.

See, I'm not real picky. Conway and I are already looking at a few possibilities. Cross your fingers my house will sell soon!!

Dirty Love Burger at 1am

**Before I start my fun recap of the week gone by I just want to take a minute to honor those killed yesterday at the massacre at Ft Hood. We have an office in Killeen and many of those have family that work on the base and I know yesterday was horrific. Please keep the families of the victims and all our troops in your prayers**

Good Lord where has the week gone. I've been super busy and haven't had time to post or catch up but I'm doing so slowly. Here's the cliff notes on what's been going on so far...

Running - Still injured but I may have found some new running buddies, which gives me hope that I'll still have the motivation to finish my 1st Half by my Birthday in May. Until I can start running I'm stuck at the stinky boring gym and just don't get the same satisfaction. Plus it has been PERFECT weather here. That makes the gym that much worse.

Halloween - Halloween in Cowtown was a BLAST!! Conway and I went to the Ranch Bash at Sundance Square and saw Roger Creager, Ryan Bingham and Charlie Robison. (ok, Conway got his name when I threatened to dress him up as Conway Twitty for Halloween. Ya know, tight shirt, gold necklace, 70's aqua net boof hairdo and trucker hat. This would be funny if we were going to a friends house that would know we were dressed up, as it was, we went to Ft Worth and dressing up as a redneck country singer really isn't much of a stretch, so I'll have to keep that until next year)

One of the best costumes I saw was a chick dressed up as Box Wine. She made copies of the lables big enough for the box she was wearing and even had a pour spout. I got nervous when I saw her trying to light a cigarette but somehow she managed. Genius. The winner of the costume contest was a dude dressed up as Lt Dan from Forrest Gump. Except he wasn't actually an amputee but had his legs tucked in and you couldn't tell until he started jumping around when he won. It was still hard to look at him for fear you were staring at a cripple. Which he wasn't, but he made the most out of that wheelchair all night.

After the concert, we headed back to the stockyards and hit up the White Elephant. Before turning in at the Stockyard Hotel we got a burger from the Love Shack. Not just a burger but the Dirty Love Burger. WOW-ZA!!! Chef Tim Love has a restaurant in the Stockyards called Lonesome Dove, it's a nice Texas-y place with game on the menu like buffalo, kangaroo and rabbit, but he also has the Love Shack. A walk up, order a beer and a burger kind of place. We got the Dirty Love Burger. It was a cheese burger with love sauce and a fried quail egg. YES AN EGG AND IT WAS DA'BOMBDIGGITY!! I don't know what was in the "love sauce" but it may have been laced with crack because I'm starting to need a fix. Yum-O!! Juliane cut fresh french fries with sea salt. At 1:00am after an all day beer fest it hit the spot. The best was when Conway was getting ketchup out and the one was trying to open must have had a pin hole in it since it was spewing ketchup all over the wall of the historic Stockyard Hotel!! Good times folks!

It's a state holiday tomorrow in the Lone Star State. Opening weekend of Deer Season. Ok, maybe it isn't an actual holiday but hunters think it should be. Conway and I will be in the stand early, early tomorrow to see what kind of critters come our way. Things get crazy at the deer lease so stay tuned for some good stories. Have a great weekend all!!