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FITTINGIN130's Recent Blog Entries
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Monday, September 19, 2011
I sort of think of my tan lines as running badges of honor. Because if I don’t, they’re sort of depressing and sad.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
It's finally "cooled off" some in the valley of the sun. Meaning it's hovering just UNDER 100 degrees Fahrenheit (for real) and therefore it's totally acceptable to run outside more.
This is the best news ever. I can't wait to go for my run. I feel like the monotony of the dreadmill is broken. Next week is supposed to be back over 100 again, but to actually get to be outside so much this week? It's incredible. I couldn't be happier to be running outside again.
I'm going to go out and let my body do the leading, not my brain. 4 miles tonight. Last night's run was supposed to be 5 and ended up being over 6.
Feet, where will you take me today?
Who's joining me in their runs/walks today?
UPDATE:::
Tonight's run, even better than the night before.
There is something about Valley of the Sun folks that people from elsewhere may not get. I don’t love it here. But there is something to be said for hardy desert folk who consider anything between 90-100 to be comfortable and reasonable for outdoor activity. Runners are out again. The park was full with dog walkers, a softball game (that I totally wanted to join!) and kids playing on the playground. It was after 6, around 90 degrees outside, the sun was going down, and there was a light breeze playing through the trees and my hair.
I ran through that park, the one where kids used to make fun of me for being fat, and I passed people. I ran for little girl Tonya again. I ran thinking of those people who can’t run, who don’t run, who don’t know what they’re capable of. I had a real smile on my face again. Not everything is easy. My food is still a struggle, but running is always there to guide me back to sanity.
I am so incredibly happy running outside again. I feel lucky that the 100 degree temperatures broke (at least for this week) and I get this moment to be re-energized.
Tonight my run went like this:
4.05 Run at 11:59 — THIS IS A PR AND A PB
Mile 1: 12:54
Mile 2: 12:26
Mile 3: 11:18
Mile 4: 11:24
1.01 Mile Walk/Cool Down 20:46 (I was on the phone or it would have been faster)
All the hard work is finally paying off, yes? Yes.
Thanks for your encouragement, motivation, and inspiration y’all.
-I also had a great trip to Whole Foods today (using my Living Social deal!) and as per usual, spent an hour and less than $40 on groceries (total - including the Living Social coupon). I love that place. I want to get a group together to eat and get adult beverages there. Cheesy? DGAF. Let’s do it, Chandler/Tempe/Phoenix/East Valley dwellers!
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
The view from my house as I set out for my run:
# 
The "DRY" part of my run, as I rounded the second to last corner by my house:
The muddy lot next to my house:
My not so "dry"-veway. GEDDIT?
And finally, 
Me, in all my splendid, sprinkled glory. When I got home, my Cardio Trainer tried to tell me I had run over 8 miles but in actuality, it was over 6. I don’t know what happened to the app but it’s all good by me.
I set out to do 5. Obviously, I’m very happy with this. This was my best run ever. Why? I went out with the attitude that I was going to listen to my body, go as far as I wanted to at a comfortable pace and walk whenever necessary.
I didn’t walk. I didn’t even want to. I meant to start walking earlier than I did (to cool down) and forgot until I decided to take some pictures for the blog. I kept thinking about how much I wanted to tell you all about this run.
It’s funny because I posted on Spark People that, since it was only supposed to be 97 (yes you read that right, ONLY) after I got off work, I would go for a run right away, outside, instead of going to the gym or waiting until the sun went down. Because it’s only 97, and that’s a dry heat, right?
Well about a mile and a half in, it started to rain. I saw some lightning but it was far enough away to not pose a threat. I mentally planned a route out that would give me adequate shelter if the storm worsened (read: if we got a haboob!) but it didn’t happen. I got a mostly light misting with a cool breeze, no dust and no thunder to scare me. I didn’t feel fatigued or like I was pushing myself too hard. The temperature and weather definitely makes a huge impact on how well I can run. Some of you may not like to run in the rain but since it was mostly just sprinkling, it just lowered the temperature and helped to keep me comfortable and not dehydrated. Crucial.
My speeds weren’t anything spectacular; it took me 86 minutes to do 6.34 miles (average pace 13:56) and I don’t know my splits because my app went wonky on me and made one mile about 3, but regardless of records, pace, speed, or splits, this was a personal best.
Friday, September 09, 2011
I never posted on my runs in California, which is a damn shame because they were the most amazing runs of my life. Not because I ran faster or felt better than I ever had before, but because of the things I got to see and the incredible strength of character I felt for the first time in my life.
On vacation, I ran over 12 miles. I ran through the Richmond District of San Francisco, down through the Presidio, across the Golden Gate Bridge into Marin County (only a few feet in but still), and back. Across the fortresses built to protect the city and the country from invasion during World War II. Literally, over rooftops and across hills. I went in San Francisco with my best friend, who I call my brother (not to be mistaken with my biological brother who is not in my life).
This is the only picture I took on my runs because I was hoping I would see the world through both my eyes. (John Mayer reference, check). (That’s Chip and I).
I wish I could tell you how I felt running hills, trails, in the cold, humid weather, with my hands free for once (no need for a water bottle) with my best friend (figuratively) by my side (he runs faster than me). I think a lot of you probably know this feeling. The sudden awe you experience running in true nature for the first time. The feeling of being small you get when you run across the Golden Gate Bridge. The annoyance at tourists who are in your way and don’t understand the power of running across the landmark instead of just taking pictures on it (though this picture was taken on the Bridge). The sheer ire you feel when a bicyclist hits the back of your foot (while you are standing still) and then blames you for taking him down.
This was my longest run ever. 7 miles plus 1 mile recovery walk (and a little extra because I made a wrong turn). It wasn’t easy but it was worth it. And beautiful. I did one solo, short run in San Francisco, where I got lost on a golf course and acted like I belonged there, then the following week, I ran in San Diego. In the middle of the day. It was hot, not humid, and I still didn’t take water, I don’t think. The hills were worse in SD than in SF and I thought my legs were going to mutiny. I made it a little less than 3 miles but I am glad I went. The hike in to and out of the nude beach on the final Saturday of my trip was probably one of the best workouts I have ever had.
And the kicker was talking to my friend in San Diego about how, now that I am a runner, I don’t ever have to be bored. I don’t ever have “nothing to do.” I don’t have to waste my days being lazy on vacation. I can go run and see things in nature and in history that I would never have known were there if I were driving by on my way to a destination. I can just pick up, wherever I am, as long as I have my shoes and my bra, and go outside and get moving. It might be slow. It might be hot. It might be cold, or humid, or tedious, or painful and irritating because of the hills and the stupid things that people yell at a woman running by herself, but ultimately, I did things on vacation I never could have done.
Bucket list items completed on my vacation:
-run the Golden Gate Bridge
-go to nude beach
-be awesome (this is an on-going item)
San Francisco stats:
Golden Gate Bridge:
8.38 miles in 1:53:34
1234 calories burned
13:32 pace
-Mile 1: 11:47
-Mile 2: 13:35
-Mile 3: 12:32
-Mile 4: 12:28
-Mile 5: 12:26
-Mile 6: 13:09
-Mile 7: 13:59
-Mile 8: 15:04
Short Solo Run in San Francisco
2.84 miles in 34:57 minutes
414 calories burned
12:18 pace
-Mile 1: 12:01
-Mile 2: 11:44
San Diego Run
2.73 miles in 35:57 minutes
403 calories burned
13:10 pace
-Mile 1: 10:34 - personal record
-Mile 2: 14:10 - back up hill!
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Member Comments About This Blog Post:
Love your good attitude.
It's cool here today, very Fall-like. I got in a lot of walking earlier today running errands -3 hours. So I joined you :-)
run!! Glad you didn't have a heavy down pour!
