Return to Me

Dear Running,

Yes, its been a while, I know.  No- I wasn't trying to give you the slip, briefly making eye contact with you in the hallways and ducking into the bathrooms real quick so you didn't see me.  I know you probably feel left out, with all the time that walking and I have spent together over the past few week.  Walking and I became very very close last week, I won't deny it.  We spent way too much time together.  So much so, that I actually had to take a time out from walking every once in a while and be friends with something called a cab.

But don't worry running.  We're not in a fight.  I'm back  to my old routine now.  Yesterday didn't go so well did it?  You and I just can't seem to find any middle ground ...  its either nothing at all, or a pained brief existence together.  Hopefully the rest of the week goes better than yesterday did.

I'll see you again on Wednesday.

Spring Break???.....

Wow, I honestly did not think that it had been this long since I blogged.  I write all these great snappy things in my head as Im working out- and apparently that has tricked me into believe I actually make it to the computer to download them from the ole brain onto the ole blog. -heavy sigh-  and they were so funny too.  Well, I thought they were anyway.

So, I'm on "spring break" this week. Um, yay?  Yeah.. not so much.  Apparently "Spring Break" has become synonymous with "you have a week of no classes so guess what, you get to write research papers. Are you kidding me.  Its like ridiculously gorgeous outside, and what am I doing? Trying to devour 400 page books in order to spit them out into a semi-sensical 10 page paper, by Saturday.  I love school.  I love school  I love school.  No really, if I say it enough, it will be true right?  Wait- if that's the case "I love a million dollars....  I love a million dollars... I love a million dollars"... oh wait.. even more "I love a size 8 body.... I love a size 8 body (Id even take a 10..or even a 12... hell who am I kidding I'll take a 14!)

Ok, enough with the silliness.  Its week two of Tri training.  Can I tell you how never endingly tired I am?  I swear, every morning I curse myself for not sticking with a training regimen through the winter.  I think my entire body is in complete shock.  I ache all over, all the time.  Im hoping that by next week my body will finally stop throwing a temper tantrum and just put up and shut up.  Of course, next week, I won't be around all that much.  I have an "employment conference" that I'm attending in hopes to network and see if I can find a job through non-traditional means.  I'll try blogging from the hotel room, but I can't promise much.  I am planning on bringing my workout clothes with me- and I can say "oh yeah, Im going to work out every day"  and I sincerely hope I can stick with it while Im gone, but Im not so sure about that either... but we will try and keep positive.

That's really it for now. I heard its going to be almost 80 tomorrow and I am so taking my bike out for a ride!  I am loving this weather.  Though knowing what a jerkface mother nature is, I have a feeling she is going to dump me with a mid-April blizzard or something - at a time that will really screw up my training- I can just feel it.

Alright everyone-  get out there and enjoy the gorgeous weather!!!

Allergies... or am I sick, again?

So- I dont know if its because the wind is blowing and there wasn't really a winter, and so lots of dead moldy stuff is all over the place (and of course I decided to take on running outside in the wind).. but oh my goodness. If I am getting a sinus infection I swear I'm going to be so ticked.  I seriously JUST got over that super virus that everyone was getting last week and now block sinuses, never ending sneezing, blocked ears.  Im going with allergies (Im praying its allergies)  but it is seriously putting a damper on my training (I mean, a girl needs to breathe in order to exercise).  So, today's workout was cut short.  Grr.  In all honesty I should have probably picked bike over swim, but I figured I would try to swim first (hoping the chlorine would dry out the ole sinuses)  and it didn't.  The inability to breathe only made me more miserable, and after twenty minutes (hey, at least I got the required in)  I gave up.  Instead of heading upstairs to the bike machines, I went home.  Not a good way to start out week one.  So, tomorrow, will be running and biking instead of just running.  I'm also so bummed that with as beautiful of a day that it was outside (temperature wise) the never ending rushes of wind prevented me from enjoying a bike ride outside.  I had so wanted to train in the warm weather.  Maybe tomorrow will be rain-less and warmer than they are expecting!

Anyhow, unfortunately I have nothing pithy nor entertaining to say.  It's late, I'm tuckered- and I still have stinkin homework to do.

Against the Wind

Dear Running,

No, really there is nothing I enjoy more than getting an extra hard workout running in 40 MPH winds.  I mean, it's character building right?  So what is my headphones kept getting blow out of my ears, that the wind was blowing so hard I couldn't hear the tone change on my c25K IPOD program signaling between walking and running changes, and lets not forget the actual effort involved in trying to work with you whilst fighting against the wind.  I know I only spent a scant 90 seconds with you today before I left you for your friend, walking,  but it wasn't personal today.  I mean honestly, when faced with those kinds of conditions who really wants to spend any time with you anyway?

Thursday will be better, hopefully.

The Eye of the Tiger (aka Triathlon Training, Day 1)

I'm looking at the lyrics to "Eye of the Tiger" and really it doesn't *quite* fit for day one of a 16 week training regimen but hey, we'll go with it.

Day One.  At almost ten o'clock all I can say is, owie.  I felt fine earlier.  Now, I'm a tad sore and seriously cursing my winter laziness.  How Im going to meet up with the Mean Girl tomorrow, I have no clue.  Thankfully my mean girl time tomorrow is only a blessed 12 minutes.  However,I have been contemplating this all day.  When it says "run: 12 minutes:  does that mean twelve minutes of attempted run(wog) time  or twelve minutes TOTAL.  Because the Couch to 5K has a 5 minute warm up followed by 12 minutes of Wogging (well its longer than that- but I would stop it at 12) -  but that means Im doing a total of 17 minutes and not 12.  I don't remember what I did last time I trained.  I think I am just going to do 17 since 5 is just walking to prep for running.

It seriously feels like March came out of nowhere.  I still cant believe its already time to start training.  I thought I had a few more weeks, therefore I am not mentally prepared at all, which is seriously hampering the old motivation.  It took me at least thirty minutes this morning to psyche myself up to get out the door and go workout.  Not a good way to start down a 16 week path, thats for sure.

But I'm just gonna fake it til I make it.  One of these days, the  motivation (hopefully) catches up with the action.  Until then, well all I can do is keep on keeping on.

Just to refresh...  I'm following the 16 Week Spring "balanced" plan on Beginner Triathlete.com

This was Week 1, Day 1:

12 Min Swim ( I actually did 15 because I like rounder numbers with more defined cut offs)
24 Minute Bike (I stuck with 24 minutes on this one lol)

15 Minute Swim:  I managed 750m  (which is the Tri distance. So, yay me for not slipping over the winter.  I can only go up from here)
24 Minute Bike:  I did roughly 4 1/2 miles in 24 minutes, which comes down to about 6 minutes a mile.  This will have to improve big time. But, it was my first time riding in a while- so the stamina can only build from here.  I seriously forgot how badly riding hurts your rear end when you aren't used to it.

Alright, this tired lass is heading off to bed.

Hollywoods Definition of Beauty

We bid adieu to awards season this past weekend.  It is, my favorite time of the year.  I have to say however, that I am so excited to see mainstream designers now working with plus sized actresses for their red carpet moment.    And when I say designers, I mean- the heavy hitters.  The ones whose names you hear being dropped from the super skinny actresses as they strut down the carpet.  Names like Bagdley Mishka, Marina Renaldi and Tadashi Shoji.

Nikki Blonsky in a dress from IGIGI

If you remember back to 2008 when Nikki Blonsky was nominated for her role in "Hairspray"  the award season Red Carpets were essentially a fat free zone.  I still cringe thinking about poor Nikki having to discuss (repeatedly, as I believe she wore them through the whole season)  that she was wearing "IGIGI"  -  not that there is anything wrong with IGIGI  I have worn them often to weddings and special events-  but thats the point  *I*  Have worn them.  Me-  with my normal, non celebrity paycheck.  The Oscars (and all the other award shows)  are something special for these actresses.  Something that they dream about from the time they decide that they want to be actors.  EVERYONE, regardless of size, should be catered to in the same manner.  A plus sized gal shouldn't have to (like Nikki Blonsky did)  purchase a dress off the rack, that every other plus sized woman out there has either worn or seen.

And Finally *FINALLY*  designers are seeing the light!  They have decided *HALLELUJAH* that "you know what,  those big girl deserve to be princesses for the day as well."  -Sound the  trumpets-!

And look at the beautiful dresses that the plus sized gals came out in this year

Melissa McCarthy in Bagdley Mishka

Melissa McCarthy in Marina Renaldi 

Octavia Spencer in Tadashi Shoji

Octavia Spencer in Tadashi Shoji 

And, who can forget Gabourey Sidibe and Mo'Nique last year at the Oscars 

In Marchesa 

Mo'Nique in Tadashi Shoji

So BRAVO to the fashion industry for FINALLY allowing the plus sized girls a moment to sparkle as well.  If you could see me, I'd give you a standing ovation for finally cracking open that mold, tossing it aside, and realizing that BEAUTY  and TALENT  are SIZELESS.