So about that 10K...

The good news is that WE DID IT! And... we didn't walk! Well, in the interest of full disclosure, Sal + the tweenster walked for about 20 feet while slurping back some H-two-the-O... we weren't as talented as Liv at the whole pinch-the-cup-and-keep-on-truckin' move. Anyway, our lil' group crossed the finish line and agreed to make a tradition out of running the same race each year.

But we should also explain that, while we did complete the race, it certainly wasn't pretty. We huffed and puffed and marveled at how the road seemed to never end - it was deceptively long and constantly playing tricks on us, convincing us that we were closer to the finish line than we really were.

The lows...

• Watching a friend loop back for her final leg of the race while we were still on mile 2.5 (she ended up finishing first place in our division, we might add! Go Blur!)
• Mile 3 - the course was a down-and-back with mostly uphill on the second half
• Sal had to pee the entire time.
• Mile 4 - Liv's left ankle started hurting real bad and couldn't figure out why - she thought she was running with good form. Luckily all was well after the race and it wasn't even sore the following day.
• Thinking about having to do that race 4.5 more times when we finally run the 2011 MCM. Ugh.

The highs...

• The weather! It was a beautiful day with race temps in the 60s - couldn't ask for more at the end of November.
• The pre- and post-race camaraderie with all of the other folks from around the 'ham
• Running with Sal's bro and tweenster niece/keeping each other company for the first half of the race
• Watching the tweenster take-off while on a total adrenaline rush and crush the finish line. Also watching a boy in the tweenster's class complete the race in a wheelchair
• The knowledge after the race that there was nothing left to do that day other than EAT!

The Footsy gals' first official race couldn't have been better was a great start! Though our goals were meager - a) to just finish and b) to try and complete it without walking - we accomplished them. And we even ran a pace to be proud of...finishing the whole shebang right at an hour. Clearly we won't be breaking any records anytime soon, but we earned our Turkey Trot tshirts and will sport them with pride.

Victoria's Not-So-Secret Fashion Show

Aww cuss! It's that time of year again when bronzed beauties like this descend down on earth to make our lives miserable. And of course they would choose to air this thing just days after Thanksgiving - the one time of year when we convince ourselves that there is absolutely nothing wrong with second... or third... or fourth helpings.

The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show has "become known as the 'Super Bowl' of fashion shows" and with good reason. These women are not human. And they clearly provide unrealistic expectations for us normal folk.


Even so, it would be easier to hate the models strutting their stuff in practically nothing if we didn't know how hard they worked to squeeze into those g-strings. Now, don't get us wrong, the girls are CLEARLY blessed with a healthy genetic pool; however, the Fashion Show also serves as a good reminder that, with the right determination (such as, say, walking down a sea of glitter wearing this) and the proper balance of exercise and healthful eating, it is somewhat possible to whip ourselves into [better] shape. Now BY NO MEANS do we have any intention (or realistic expectation) of ever looking like these freaks of nature fine young women, but we're at least inspired enough to kick up our workout routine a bit. Aaaand, we'll be doing just that this week, thanks to these training tips from Victoria's Secret Trainer Brett Hoebel:

1. NUTRITION! Cut out the caffeine and alcohol (or at least limit it), limit your intake of the "white devils" (white flour, sugar, bread). PUT DOWN THE SKINNY LATTE.
2. If you can't do a full push-up, use a raised platform (such as a body bar on a squat rack) and continue lowering the bar until you could do a full one.
3. Always perform a talk test to ensure that you¹re working hard enough. If you could easily have a full conversation, work harder! [sidenote: yeeeaahhh... this one isn't a problem for us. Sadly, liv + sal run out of breath at the 1 mile mark]
4. Get out of the mindset that more time at the gym equals better results. On the contrary, a shorter workout with more defined movements is much more effective.
5. Focus on compound movements that target multiple muscles at once (such as the squat/press).

Tune in tonight for a little depression inspiration.
 
lylas,

Just Another Girl Talk Monday

We just got back from celebrating Turkey Day down south and we're feeling a bit like butterballs ourselves. We could provide a rather lengthy list of things we'd rather be doing this week other than running, but instead, we'll just crank out some new tunes to kick us into gear. This week is dedicated to the new Girl Talk album (coming soon to a city near you!) 

Now, you should know that this album is intended to be listened to as a whole (which is quite convenient for running purposes, we might add). So we highly recommend that you download the full album FOR FREE as one seamless file. But if you're a bit more traditional and prefer individual tracks, you can do that too. You can download the whole shebang here.

Prefer to listen before you download? No problem. You can also stream it online here.

Click the album cover to download

lylas,

Back on My Feet

BOMF DC in the 2010 Fannie Mae HTH Walkathon

Last weekend at the Help the Homeless Walkathon, there was a large and enthusiastic group (800+ to be exact) from Back on My Feet, "a nonprofit organization that promotes the self-sufficiency of homeless populations by engaging them in running as a means to build confidence, strength and self-esteem.

"Back on My Feet... does not provide food nor does it provide shelter, but instead provides a community that embraces equality, respect, discipline, teamwork and leadership. Back on My Feet is much more than just running. It is a comprehensive program that offers connections to job training, employment and housing, but these benefits are not free. Members earn the opportunity to move forward in the six month to nine month program by maintaining a 90 percent attendance rate at the morning runs three days a week"

Source: Good

First of all, we think this concept is pretty awesome. We found our newest inspiration in Eric Fair, a homeless man and Back on My Feet team member who recently completed the Philadephia marathon. He was a promising athlete in his high school days, but drugs and a number of other stumbling blocks got in his way. In an effort to piece his life back together, he began training with Back on My Feet - and though we haven't been able to confirm it just yet, it looks like he completed the race in 3:49:32.

An impressive time? Obviously. But it's even more astounding when you consider everything Eric had (and still has) to overcome just to be able to run...

"His years of drug use have ravaged his body, leaving him with high blood pressure, kidney problems and a slew of other health concerns, but he says he always feels good when he is running."

His doctor was clearly worried about his decision to run the marathon, but his response to those concerns won't be easy to forget...

"I have to [run]. After all that I've been through, I would rather die on my feet than sit on my butt."

We are extremely thankful for organizations like Back on My Feet and inspirational runners out there like Eric Fair. Thank you for reminding us to stop making excuses and start focusing.

Gobble Gobble

Happy Turkey Day, folks! We've migrated south for the holiday, so we'll be hitting the pavement in our hometown.

As Thanksgiving officially kicks off the holiday season (read: non-stop eating, drinking and being merry and/or stressed), here's the ever present dilemma: 

How do we enjoy the holidays, while not putting our selves into food comas (thus, less likely to go out for a nice 4 mile run), and not succumb to the holiday weight gain? Especially when all of our favorite holiday traditions revolve around food!

Popular answers might include but are not limited to:

• Self-discipline (Ha! Easier said than done)
• Portion control (Again - not exactly one of our strong suits)
• Run a holiday themed race (i.e. Turkey Trot, Jingle Bell Dash)
• Run/workout more so we can eat more (but it's so much easier to hibernate and store up for winter)
• Don't go to a party every night (enough with the tacky Christmas sweater parties, people)

We'll be developing our plan....just as soon as we wake up from our post-turkey naps! 

Gobble Gobble,

Turkey Trottin'

Ha! Well, leave it to the Footsy gals to already be breaking our training schedule. Sal hasn't run in over a week because of a lingering bug that can't seem to get enough of her. And it's quite possible that both gals may or may not have overindulged in, not one, but two Thanksgiving potlucks in less than 3 days. And NOW, we're completely skipping the whole "run a 5K" in December step of our pre-training training schedule, because Sal's big brother (yes, the same big bro) and tween-aged niece signed up for the Sam Lapidus Montclair 10K Run in Birmingham and, frankly, we don't like to be left out (read: we can't say "no" to anything).

There is no doubt in our minds that we are completely underprepared for a 10K. After all, we're still struggling to hit the 3 mile mark. Even so, it will be a good way to kick start our training and re-introduce us to the racing culture. And more importantly, it will make us feel less guilty about stuffing our faces afterwards.

As Sal's much wiser and always inspiring bro so eloquently put it...

"I have no empirical data to analyze, but my hunch is that it will be quite the struggle for this tub o' lard. Don't care....doing it anyway."

Gobble Gobble! Wish us luck!

Not so Pretty Lady in Red

Lately, whenever I go for a run, I've been feeling a bit like this afterwards (minus the obnoxiously large smile and overly abundant enthusiasm)...

Like any good hypochondriac, I couldn't help but worry that something might be seriously wrong with me. I see people running all around me whose faces look perfectly normal, and yet, mine looks like it's reached its boiling point and may spontaneously combust at any given moment. So, I investigated the many questionable resources out there on the World Wide Web, and found out the following:

First and foremost, it's okay. I'm (relatively) normal. 

And I'm not alone. 

Whew.

But why is it happening, you ask? Well, according to Buzzle.com...

"Our body heat is directly proportional to our effort and the intensity of the physical activity. So as you put in mile after mile, or pedal away faster and faster, your body starts heating up from inside. Now it is important for the body to get rid of this heat and regulate a normal body temperature from within. This to a large extent, happens through the process of sweating. In addition to sweating, what our body does, is circulate the warm blood closer to the surface of the skin, so that the internal body heat can be radiated outside. Due to this, a large amount of blood collects near the face (in addition to a few other parts of the body). But since the face tissue has a lot of capillaries which are superficial (i.e. located close to the surface of the skin), the sudden arrival (and the collection) of this increased amount of blood is much more visible and noticeable (as compared to other parts of the skin)."

So what, if anything, do I do about it?

Nada - so long as I'm not also feeling excessively dizzy too. But FitSugar also says, "Drinking an adequate amount of water before and during exercise may help reduce the redness by ensuring you're hydrated enough to sweat to properly cool yourself down."

So, many apologies to my fellow Sport + Health-ers out there. I promise I'm not about to erupt - I'm just a new and (absurdly) awkward runner taking my recently discovered motivation out for a spin in a body that isn't quite ready for a test drive.

Just Another Musical Monday

Arrgh! It's cold out there. Here's the latest and greatest to put some pep in your step and keep your mind off the frigid temps...

1. Run with the Boy - Carl Barat
2. Walking on a Dream - Empire of the Sun
3. Psychic City - Yacht
4. Gimme Shelter - Rolling Stones
5. Golden Phone - Micachu
6. The Bleeding Heart Show - The New Pornographers
7. Bang Pop - Free Energy
8. Animal - Neon Trees
9. No Cars Go - Arcade Fire
10. Cousins - Vampire Weekend

lylas,

Help the Homeless Walkathon

Yesterday Liv + Sal and thousands of others woke up bright and early for Fannie Mae's Help the Homeless Walkathon. We're lucky to work for a company that is so involved in this program - that raises money and provides resources to over 12,000 people in the DC area who are homeless. The 2.5 mile Walkathon looped around the National Mall and served as a generous (and much needed) reminder that the holidays are about more than stuffing our faces and buying and receiving gifts. 

Yesterday was for walking, but today we'll get back to running. Thank you, DC, for the lovely weather - today is our day! We're off and away!

Foodie Friday: Fall Comfort Food

This week's meal is coming at you from Cooking Light! We LOVE Cooking Light and Cooking Light recipes. We love Cooking Light because at one point our own Sal worked there. And when she worked there she may or may not have been in charge of the Cooking Light Ship Shape Cruise, and she may or may not have brought Liv along on the Cooking Light Ship Shape cruise her second year of running it.

And on this particular Ship Shape Cruise, we may or may not have become besties with running coach extraordinaire and ship shape cruise talent, Jenny Hadfield. But that's a little teaser...for future stories.

Back to the dish at hand. We love Cooking Light recipes because while they are light yes, they do not compromise taste. It's like they figure out the optimal level of healthiness and tastiness simultaneously.

Today's cooking light recipe is "Roasted Butternut Squash and Bacon Pasta" - perfect use of one of our favorite fall vegetables! Even the hubster who claims he doesn't like butternut squash, was a fan. The one way in which I altered this recipe is where it called for penne pasta, I used whole wheat penne pasta. I thought it was an easy way to make the dish even healthier without sacrificing taste. So without further ado....the recipe:

Yield: 5 servings

Ingredients

• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash
• Cooking spray
• 6 sweet hickory-smoked bacon slices (raw)
• 1 cup thinly sliced shallots
• 8 ounces uncooked mini penne (tube-shaped pasta) - or whole wheat penne, healthy grains and tastes great too!
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded sharp provolone cheese
• 1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°.

Combine 1/4 teaspoon salt, rosemary, and pepper. Place squash on a foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with salt mixture. Bake at 425° for 45 minutes or until tender and lightly browned. Increase oven temperature to 450°.

Cook the bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 1/2 teaspoons drippings in pan; crumble bacon. Increase heat to medium-high. Add shallots to pan; sauté 8 minutes or until tender. Combine squash mixture, bacon, and shallots; set aside.

Cook pasta according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain well.

Combine flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. (note - I do not have a Dutch oven, yet I've got a Le Creuset one I've been drooling over on my wish list. But a normal sauce pan worked just fine) Gradually add milk, stirring constantly with a whisk; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add provolone, stirring until cheese melts. Add pasta to cheese mixture, tossing well to combine. Spoon pasta mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray; top with squash mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until cheese melts and begins to brown.

Okay - tisk tisk, shame on me....I'm, still training my brian to remember to take pictures after my adventures in the kitchen, and with this one I plum forgot. So picture credit goes to Cooking Light.com (which is, I'm quite sure, much better than the one I would have taken myself.)

Bon Appetit!

Pre-Training Training

We've done a pretty good job thus far focusing on just about everything BUT the actual running part... whoops. But that's not to say we haven't been running. We just haven't been running far... or fast... or well. Our pre-training training program is off to a very slow, but very steady start. Fortunately, we have an entire year to prepare for the big 26.2, and the serious training won't start until next June. So for now, we're taking it step by step and day by day.

Here is our "Pre-Training Training Program:"

• November
• Run 2 - 3.5 miles at least 3 times a week
• Cross-train on off days
• Be able to comfortably & consistently run 3 miles by the end of the month without wanting to (or actually) throwing up.
• December
• Run 2 - 4 miles at least 3 times a week
• Cross-train on off days
• Be able to comfortably & consistently run 4 miles by the end of the month.
• Avoid egg nog and fruitcake at all costs.
• Run a 5K in New York!
• January
• Run 2.5 - 5 miles at least 3 - 4 times a week
• Cross-train on off days
• Be able to comfortably & consistently run 5 miles by the end of the month and hardly be able to remember the days when running made us want to throw up.
• February
• Run 2.5 - 6 miles at least 3 - 4 times a week
• Cross-train on off days
• Be able to comfortably & consistently run 6 miles by the end of the month and shake our bad attitudes about the bitter cold weather.
• Register for the 2011 Marine Corp Marathon!!
• Liv to lose 10 lbs (we included some extra time to accomplish this after the holidays)
• March
• Run 3 - 7 miles at least 3 - 4 times a week
• Cross-train on off days
• Be able to comfortably run 7 miles by the end of the month and rejoice about the slightest snap of warmer weather, but then remember that DC won't truly get warm until May.
• April
• Run 3.5 - 8 miles at least 4 -5 times a week
• Cross-train on off days
• Be able to comfortably run 8 miles by the end of the month without feeling completely burnt-out.
• Run the Cherry Blossom Festival (10 miles) and finish before the sun sets. Throwing up acceptable.
• May
• Run 4 - 8 miles at least 4 - 5 times a week
• Cross-train on off days
• Run 9 miles at least 2 times within the month (preferably in the Virginia countryside with a trip to the vineyards afterwards).

Oh, and to look like this by summertime. Psyche!

lylas,

Just Another Musical Monday

Here's our set list for the week. And yes, if you've noticed that our taste is rather obscure and a wee bit random, well, you are not mistaken. We don't really subscribe to any one genre or type of tunes - we just like to keep it as interesting as possible to keep our minds off the aching pain of every. single. step whilst running...

1. Show Me the Light - Mystery Jets
2. Real Love - Delorean
3. Black Dog - Led Zeppelin
4. Treatment of the Sun - The Pass (sidenote: if this video doesn't make you smile - nothing will)
5. LOV - Fitz and the Tantrum
6. Coquet Coquette - Of Montreal
7. Animal - Miike Snow
8. O.N.E. - Yeasayer
9. Rebellion (Lies) - Arcade Fire
10. Good Day - Jukebox the Ghost

lylas,

I've got the "my calf hurts, my foot hurts, and oh by the way...I have a fever of 101" blues

Oh woe is me!! What a week it’s been – quite a lot of bang ups and hang-ups in this one. Let’s rewind to last Sunday. It was a gorgeous day for the footsy gals to hit the pavement together for the first time in a long time. Even though it wasn’t effortless, we ran a solid three miles and I felt pretty good about it, until…Monday morning! I woke up andmy left calf was uber sore!! I chalked it up it being my first run outside in months and took Monday as a rest day.

Tuesday morning, with my calf still super sore, I ran for 40 minutes on the treadmill before I did a little cross training session with my trainer at the gym. Cut to discouragement about my run, as now the bottom of my left foot started hurting. Negative thoughts started entering my mind such as “oh this was fun while it lasted…just a few runs and my body falls apart.”

I talked to my trainer about my ailments and we stretched my calf out really well and he noted that sometimes, foot pain could merely indicate the need for new shoes. So I thought back and realized that indeed, the last time I’d purchased new kicks was a little over 6 months ago and they were looking a little beat up.

So I took Coach Jenny and the Penguin’s advice from their book I’m currently reading, Running for Mortals: “always start your running career with a new pair of fitted running shoes. They will support you mile after mile and decrease your risk of injuries.” That night I went to Georgetown running company (i.e. Heaven for runners and a store I will be frequenting,) and made a new friend! He put me through the ringer; doing the entire gait analysis letting me try out different pairs by running down the block.

Come to find out, I am a neutral runner, meaning I don’t over or under pronate. I also was enlightened to find out that since the last time I bought shoes I bought them myself and wasn’t properly assessed; I purchased stability shoes when I didn’t need them. The stability shoes were actually causing me to over pronate a little, thus the explanation for the outer edge of my foot hurting.

Oh yeah, and all that whining about my calf….turns out I have the treadmill to thank for that. Since my running relationship had been strictly treadmill save for Sunday – my first outdoor run in months; my body had grown accustomed to treadmill propelling me forward instead of my legs doing the hard work for me. Thanks treadmill!

So here I am – like a kid on her first day of school, brand new supplies and armed with new knowledge. I planned to bear the cold and do an early morning run outside (thanks to daylight savings and the fact that it now gets light around sixish instead of seven). I had a great run outside with my new shoes and a great Pilates reformer session afterwards.

Cut to noon that day, all the sudden I’m feeling awful! My throat is killing me, I’m suddenly a sword swallower with no training and my head feels like it’s been hit by a Mac truck. So I leave work early that day, head home to find out I have a fever of 101. I haven’t had a fever or a serious case of something other than the common cold since I was in college – i.e. I revert to an infantile state of someone that doesn’t know what to do with herself and needs her mother.

Don’t worry – all of this drama, but I’ll survive. I plan to take it easy today – exactly one week from my weary decline – with an easy run. After all, these miles aren’t going to run themselves. But I do think this was a real lesson in forcing myself to take it easy. It about kills me whenever I can’t do a work out- much less a run when I need to. BUT – I do know that it’s important to listen to my body, so this has been a very humbling exercise of, "ok body, what’s wrong with me today?"

Foodie Friday: Let's talk lunch

Don't mind my uber cool lunch box

My husband might be a bit of a penny pincher. Which, as much as it drives me crazy sometimes - it's actually needed to keep me in line great that he is thoughtful like that. One of the ways that he watches our wallets is by insisting suggesting that we bring our lunch to work every day. While packing the tin pail definitely helps the bank account, I've realized that it also helps my waistline. Nobody loves to eat out as much as this girl, but it's clear that bringing my lunch every day keeps the calories consumed down and the portions in check.

Even so, I like to keep things interesting. My husband could eat a turkey sandwich every day of his life and be perfectly content - but I need a little more variety. One night for dinner last week we had fajitas (I used whole-wheat tortillas to make our meal a little healthier). As I was planning out my weekly trip to the grocery I got an idea to use the left over tortillas for my lunch this week - so I will be having wraps instead of the usual sandwich. And then I got a little more creative and decided to add more vegetables to my lunch (which was clearly needed considering this not-so-lovely article from Health this week).

I purchased some humus (the roasted garlic kind - yum!), a red and green pepper and a red onion. I also got the usual turkey - for the hubster - and a few slices of havarti cheese from the deli.To make my mornings easier, I sliced up all the vegetables Sunday night and put them in baggies.

For Monday I went the vegetarian route [editor's note from sal: thanks for NOT thinking of your vegetarian running/blog mate. and yes, my pb+j was perfectly scrumptious. why thank you for asking!] and spread a thin layer of hummus on the tortilla and then added a slice of havarti and all the veggies I wanted.

For Tuesday I left off the hummus and did a little mayo, two slices of turkey, cheese and veggies.

Wednesday I wanted to try the whole shebang, so I did a think layer of humus, a slice of cheese, a slice of turkey and a few veggies. I loved how each day I could mix up the wraps and make them different. 

I got mega-sick before I could add more, but in the future, I’ll be adding some 'shrooms, maybe some spinach or arugula, or even sprouts. Love that the options are endless. My lunch looked so good that I even had a co-worker ask if I bought it from a nearby deli. Yay for a successful and veggie-filled idea: I was able to use the leftover tortillas and now I’ve got another option for my lunch routine.

Nightmares on 30th St

This is for realsies what my dreams feel like

For the past 3 nights in a row, I’ve had a recurring dream that Liv + I are at the race but can’t find the starting line. We’re there and ready to go, but the race begins and everyone takes off in different directions and we can’t figure out where to go. Last night, my mom and aunt were even there to cheer us on – while knitting (because clearly that makes sense) – and ready to give up on us because some racers were already crossing the finish line before we had even started. 

A) of all, anxiety much?? Obvi I’m having some issue getting my head around the fact that I’m committed to this race now and there is no turning back. And B) of all, does anyone else ever have this dream/nightmare?? Seriously, what the cuss is wrong with me? 

How did I get to this point? In less than two weeks, I went from swearing that I’d never do a marathon to thinking about running non-stop, even while I’m fast asleep. And while I’m not particularly stoked about the nature of my dreams, I do like that our decision to run next year’s MCM is beginning to alter every corner of my lifestyle. While my immediate goal is to cross the finish line next year, my long-term objective is to transform my approach to health and fitness. And I think it could be a good sign that my dreams are now reflecting that decision. Or maybe it just means that I’m beginning a slow and debilitating mental breakdown (eep!)

Regardless, it's time to put one foot in front of the other. A few mental breakdowns here and there are a small price to pay for crossing the finish line – and thankfully I have an extremely driven drill sergeant BFF to help me contain the crazy.

Photo Credit: http://www.savagechickens.com/tag/existentialism

My Romance with Running

Let’s talk history folks. I need to divulge my past relationship....with running. For Liv - it’s been an on again/off again kinda thing. She used to love to run....like in elementary school. I was one of those kids that actually liked the mile run for the presidential physical fitness tests every year...because I was awesome at it! I mean, I set the record for the mile at our elementary schools’ 6th grade track meet - just the stuff of legends, nbd. Sadly, last I heard it was broken, but that’s neither here nor there. I could run a six minute mile, now I’m lucky to run a ten minute mile! Whuck the hell happened to me?

But I was always a distance runner- never a sprinter. I think it was the endurance that I built up swimming competitively for 8 years of my life. Alas - it wasn’t swimming, or running that I stuck with...it was cheerleading. That’s right folks, I started cheering in the 7th grade and didn’t stop until my junior year of college.

Throughout high school and college I still loved to run - and could run well - 3 to 6 miles at the drop of a hat. But somewhere along the way I either stopped being good at it or stopped enjoying it so much - basically we broke up...and we didn’t remain friends. I think my knees had something to do with it. The two years I cheered in college involved countless times of being popped off of a stunt from 8+ feet in the air. Sure the guys slow the girls down by catching them at the waist - but you’re still striking the ground every. single. time.

Now I’m having those feelings....those long lost feelings about my old boyfriend running. And I’m missing the way we were, and those good times that we had, and I want him back. So where are we now? Well I’ve called him a few times.....but it’s strictly treadmill. But there is hope for us still...I ran three miles straight on the treadmill the other day.

The immediate roadblocks I see when we take our rekindled relationship outside...hills, and me stopping to walk. What is it with me being able to run three miles on the treadmill and then coming up with any excuse to walk after like 3 minutes of running outside? I’m fairly confident I run the same. I think it’s my reliance on the pace setting aspect of the treadmill. When we go outside I start to take things too fast, I’m thinking “ooooh, maybe I’ll let him get to second base tonight” and he hasn’t even taken me on a real date. I’m hoping that’s where our relationship counselors Sal, and Garmin (the watch) will come in handy.

Other possible problems on the horizon....my side love afair with Equinox, my gym. That’s right - I admit it....I’m a cross-training/class loving ho! (But more on that later).

Hello lover!

lylas,