Cross Training

Or how I was too lazy to run without the pressure of meeting someone, but did manage to get to the gym.

Since I am also lazy about what I do on the elliptical machine (US Weekly just isn't conducive to a fast pace) and freakishly obsessed with my new ipod (and by new I mean I got it two years ago and made Leah help me take it out of the box and set it up two months ago) I downloaded this coached workout from itrain. So for 40 minutes I have a dude named Kevin telling me when to sprint or jack the resistance and telling me I can make it for 30 more seconds to some pretty terrible music. And it works for me.

If I start talking back to Kevin, you may start the intervention.

Virgin Post!

Despite the pressure to be funny, which, to tell you the truth, I am not feeling at 9:24am, I need to bite the bullet and post. First of all, I am flattered, honored, and generally flush with happiness at my inclusion in Project 3035. I just turned 30 so I think I am technically gumming up the works, but if you all (like "y'all" if you are from the Northeast) will have me, well, I am in it to win it (or at least finish with little permanent damage to any joints).

Two things I learned while running this week.
1. If it looks like Lake Lady Bird is flowing upstream, it is probably too windy for a peaceful run.
2. You simply can't run with your mouth closed. You can try, but it doesn't work. And the moment you try to breath you'll run through a swarm of gnats. Protein!

bold move

Just signed up for a 5K on Sept 8.

Arts Run '07.

a reason to shower and Millie

So, I'm working from home these days and it turns out one of the major downsides (at least from my new hubby's point of view) is that there is no longer a real motivation to shower every day. Who cares if my hair looks greasy? Only the dogs (and aforementioned) hubby will notice. And my dogs lick their private parts (and the aformentioned hubby probably wishes he could) so we aren't talking about witnesses with very high standards for cleanliness. To get to my point as it relates to the topic of this blog...running in Austin, Texas in August provides real motivation to shower. I'm sure Steven will be glad to hear we'll soon be running 4 days a week...that's four guaranteed showers.

On a completely unrelated topic, we took new dog/Millie/Tillie/other dog with us today and she is a champion jogging partner. Seriously, unbelievable. Right on my heel the whole time and never pulled forward or held back (well, unless another dog ran by). It confirms my theory that she is part dalmation because I read that they were originally bred to accompany horse-drawn fire carriages, "running alongside the coaches, or under the rear axle ofthe moving coach. They'd keep up with the team as far as it ran, sometimes over 20 or 30 miles a day." There's your intersting fact for the day.

Holy crap y'all, we might actually be getting in shape! (In shape to run 2.5 miles, but still.) This morning's run actually felt really good (not including the stairs by the Four Seasons, but even those felt less bad.)

In other exciting Project 30/35 news, we have recruited (i.e. forcibly drafted) Leah to join a half marathon training program with us and blog. This should dramatically increase the quality of blog posting since while I am hilarious in my own mind, Leah is actually funny to other people. Also, we joined the above-referenced half marathon training program, which should guarantee that we will eventually run more than 2.5 miles.

Miles: 2 on Saturday, 2.5 on Monday, and 2.5 on Wednesday

Things I learned at training: Not only are there running shorts that look like the Texas State Flag, there is a sports bra - and some people wear them together! I love Texas, but my love reamains at flag sock level.

back in action

Howdy folks. Been awhile. Maddie - thanks for carrying the torch. I agree that we are actually improving. The fact alone that we have run this many weeks in a row (even when we had to take a week off because of weddings and illness) is a good indication that we may actually stick to it this time.

The big question is - will we push it up to 3 miles next week? I know you wait with bated breath. (And by the way - I looked it up and both 'bated' and 'baited' are acceptable spellings).

I realize you all might think that running on Town Lake twice a week could get repetitive, but fear not! Maddie and I are committed to mixin' things up. Like today for example - we decided to run in the opposite direction. Turns out this direction should be known as the "all uphill all the time" route. Which would be good if we were equally committed to getting in shape as we are to making fun of weirdos and women jogging without sports bras. Unfortunately, we are not. Hills (and stairs!) really cramp your ability to use your best mockery voice because you're too busy trying to get your breath back so your friend doesn't have to perform CPR on the bat bridge. In other news, we did actually pass a fellow runner for the first time today. So she was in her 60s....

Number of hours it took all my sweat to dry: 2 hours.

We may not have been blogging, but we have been running: 2.5 miles both Monday and today and it's actually starting to feel kind of good during the run, and not just immediately after it's over. However, to quote Sarah, "humidity sucks butt."

Only on Town Lake: A group of people running with poles across their shoulders who may or may not have been connected to the guy repeatedly blowing a whistle. Also, construction of the Red Bull Flutag ramp.

Times at which Sarah's dogs woke her up this morning: 4:00 a.m. 6:00 a.m.

Definitive proof that I am a giant dork: When I heard KUT announce that they were picking up "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" the news quiz, I actually said "yay" out loud.

AWESOME FRIENDS TURNING 30 TODAY: Leah! Happy Birthday!

Miles on Tuesday: 2.5 I think we have officially passed our previous record for number of consecutive weeks we actually managed to run.

Weird Stuff on the Lamar Bridge: Dude running towards a ground level camera (and cameraman.) Probably for some kind of proper gait demonstration, but I'm sure there's also a community of ankle fetishists out there.

This Is Why My Sister Should Have a Blog

She's getting married tomorrow, and the block with the salon where she's getting her hair done was struck by lightning last night and has no power. Lightning. Seriously.

Miles: As many as the world's slowest runner can cover in ten songs on an ipod.

Miles: a slow and crappy 2.5, Sarah is definitely the pacesetter.

A note to my shins: Listen you ungrateful little bastards, I felt that tight twingey feeling that's your little threat to start the pain; don't even think about it! I'm being nice to you - slow buildup, running on dirt not concrete - do you remember what happened the last time you made me stop running? Do you? I got stressed out and depressed and moved somewhere that's 110 in the shade all summer and you've been carting around like 20 extra pounds for four years. I swear to god if you start ripping away from my shinbones and burning like fire I will take a sledgehammer to you Kathy Bates in "Misery" style.

P.S. If you have not bought The National's new album, do it now.

Top 5 detractors from my plan to run this morning:
1) dogs who wake up at 4 AM
2) dogs who wake up again at 5 AM
3) dogs who wake up again at 6 AM and this time one of them has chewed up one of my favorite pairs of shoes (those cute j.crew espadrilles with the hot pink and white straps :( )
4) waking up with "lone star beer belly" and worrying about getting too far from home - I think we all know what I mean here...
5) not having made a plan to meet maddie and therefore letting these other reasons bring me down

You know those articles that are always on the cover of Runner's World, "Motivation: 101 Reasons to Run!"? They're crap. Here's how you get motivated to run:

1. Go to Broken Spoke. Drink plastic cups of Lonestar.
2. Announce that you're going to drink more Lonestar, Sarah and Steven are giving you a ride home, and that you'll run back in the morning to get your car.
3. Drink more beer and get ride home from Sarah and Steven.
4. Wake up. Think longingly about breakfast tacos and asprin.
5. Remember your car is at the Spoke.
6. Invent three new obscenities. Kick things.
7. Put on your shoes and run.

Actual miles: 2 Felt like: 1000

After whole minutes of thought, I have to concur with Sarah; it's tough to be interesting and funny about a 2.5 mile run. While the Lamar bridge is usually a source of excellent Austin freakiness, even flute playing dude was not quite as interesting as woman walking her monkey (in a cage on a wagon), or our personal favorite, guy who drops and does pushups mid-bridge while his girlfriend pretends not to know him.

Both funny and interesting? The epidemic of dirty dancing at James McMurtry last night. Seriously. Because nothing says "freak me baby" like songs about meth production and rural poverty.

Our first post. Wow...this is going to be a lot of pressure. Talking about running isn't all that interesting or funny. We'll have to enlist Leah as a ghostwriter cause she is funnier than us.

Today we ran 2.5 miles. It's really humid. (see - nothing funny about this)