Born To Run

Through the magic of TiVo, I recorded E:60 on ESPN - I love that they have a news magazine that kind of rivals Real Sports on HBO with a round table discussion format (a la TMZ - not like I watch that trash... often).

This was a particularly haunting piece on Ryan Shay... B and I watched it and it just gave us chills.

Winning Over a Crowd In One Easy Step

My husband will be the first to admit I'm crazy. And he'll admit he's crazy. But tonight, I actually got called crazy in public.

Scene: Urban Flats, cute little restaurant, with a Jacksonville Zoo "Wild Things" fundraiser attended by the UVa Club of Jacksonville.

Random Girl: "I'm bummed my friends can't make it but Tuesday's not good for any of them."
Me: "Tuesday's like the only day that's good for me."
Random Girl: "Oh yeah? What do you do?"
Me: "I'm training for a marathon. Monday and Wednesday are my running days."
Random Girl: "A marathon? That's just crazy!"
Random Girl's Husband: "How far is a marathon?"
Me: "Twenty-six point two miles."
Random Girl: "Wow."

So after I explain length of training, Vegas terrain and weather, weekly mileage, how far I actually run before I run 26.2 miles, etc, I adjourn back to the bar to get another glass of wine and tell Billy about what happened. We talk to a few more random folks (I tell the "War Eagle" story to a girl who wasn't sure what Auburn's official mascot is - Tigers, people, tigers) and we say our goodnights. I stop by the table where Random Girl, Random Girl's Husband, and three other girls were sitting. As we were saying bye and we'll see them at the next event, the whole "crazy runner" thing starts up again. We talked about the Gate River Run (one of the girls was a volunteer), and the lone (novice) runner at the table talked about how good it felt to run. This made me think:

Sanity is so overrated. And with that, I give you my new header quote (see above. Way above.)

There She Goes Again...

I am always coming and going, as my friend Mike likes to point out.

The cruise was AWESOME! I'll take any excuse to be in Key West, even for a little while, and it was so worth it (see the pineapple pancake and the stretchy cat below - I wanna be that cat!) Of course, all it did was make me want to go back for a few more days. And I did get Michael McCloud to play "She Gotta Butt" for the low low price of 2 cds and a $10 tip.

Cozumel was super fun, too - I actually did an adventure park! Climbing, rappelling, bridges, ziplining... and, okay, my butt hanging out in a Bridget Jones kind of way (If you've seen it, you get that) so I'll spare you the pics and link you to Flickr when they're ready - you can check them at your own risk! We also finally found the coolest, non-touristy bar in Cozumel - appropriately named, No Name Bar. It sure beat watching the 50-something year old ladies embarass themselves at Carlos'N'Charlies.

On the boat, I didn't eat too badly (not TOO TOO badly) or drink too much, but still somehow managed to gain about 6 pounds. So, since I feel "heavy in my running shoes" (read: sluggish and huge), I tried a detox cleanse I found at the natural foods store. It's not the nightmare people always tell you it is, and when you're coming off a massive food binge it might not be a bad idea. Just do your homework and know what your body can handle.

Enough with the overshare. (Sorry, I come from a genetic line of oversharers. My mother and brother are the worst!) ((Blogger's note: Sorry, Mom, but you know it's true.))

Oh... did I mention I got a PR? Oh yes I did! In fact, Billy, Mike, and I *all* got PR's at the Corporate Run! I was beginning to wonder how well they measured the course, but my mom seems to think we all PR'd because we're so good! (See? Momma said Nikes were my magic shoes...) I realize 37:11 isn't most people's idea of a great 5K, and that the guys came in a full 10 minutes ahead of me, but you know what? PR's make me happy, and y'all I am happy about this one! A full two minutes and change ahead of my time from the Race for the Cure in October. (Billy has a great write up on his blog about the run - and even though this is a running blog, he's a better blogging runner).

So, on to two more running-related topics: The Minnie Marathon and the Vegas Marathon.

I don't know why they call it a Minnie Marathon - it's a 15K, folks. But this is the last year they are doing it, and the last chance for a Minnie medal. Someday I want to have all of the Big 4 Disney World Running medals - I already have Donald, and I need Mickey and Goofy. Maybe in, say, 2010. Leana has all 4 now and is getting her second Minnie this year - and I hope I run into her at Disney! If not - GOOD LUCK, GIRL!!! (And good luck to Billy, who is running the Go Red For Women 5K - supporting the fight against heart disease in women!)

And when I come back from the Happiest Place on Earth, it's time to start training for Vegas. Oh boy! (say that in a Mickey Mouse voice). I have slacked off a little lately, I confess - the week of the cruise, I lifted weights once in the gym, once on the cruise, and ran and took a spin class on the boat (see? I did good on my vacation! Else I would have gained like 10 lbs...) But even with that, a PR, a 7 mile run this weekend, and a 1.5 rain-out run last night, I still feel like I need to REALLY get myself in gear for training. It's going to be a little more difficult than training was last year with the Galloway group - it was great to be surrounded by motivated people, even a few experienced marathon runners, at an organized place and time, with a map, water stops, and all the encouragement. Instead, I have B, Mike (who has been kidnapped into training for the Jax Bank Marathon and just doesn't know it yet), and Darcey and Rhonda by remote. However, I like challenges, you get to show just how tough you really are. Am I tough enough for 26.2 miles of potentially boring, dry-heat running through the desert? Can I turn down In-N-Out burger the first two days I am in Vegas? Can I run 20 miles in Auburn on my birthday when I'd rather start the tailgating at the crack of dawn?

Abso-freaking-lutely.

Here's my Galloway-inspired training plan, complete with my "extra curricular runs" I'm doing this summer:


This shouldn't be so hard after all...

You have new Picture Mail!

You have new Picture Mail!
Originally uploaded by holo wahini

I should have counted his toes.

You have new Picture Mail!

You have new Picture Mail!
Originally uploaded by holo wahini

Blue Heaven Pineapple pancake. What God eats for breakfast.

Point A to Point B

So I am kind of jealous that Leana can ride her bike to work, so I mapped out what my route to work would be on a bike.



I am not so sure I would really want to ride this route, but between the price of gas, saving wear and tear on my car, getting more exercise and riding experience, and validating my wanting a new bike, it's worth thinking about.

Of course, I could always chicken out and take JTA if I got too tired/hot/intimidated by traffic.

Snake #2

Snake #2
Originally uploaded by holo wahini

I tried sending this last week but it never went

Yahoo News - Blood and water fuel Maasai warriors' marathon

In honor of this weekend's London Marathon, here is an interesting article about some not-so-typical marathoners. This makes me appreciate my Nike's.

Their website is maasaimarathon.org.

Destination: Atlanta (again)

When I was about 12 or 13, I had this obsession with entering contests in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. I actually won three of them. One was the elusive Peachtree Road Race entry. Now, clearly I entered these for the satisfaction of winning, not the acutal prize. But when I got my number I was dead set on being able to run - only I was one of those sedentary, Oreo-eating, watching Brady Bunch reruns after school kind of kids; overweight and not remotely athletic. I couldn't run 100 yards, let alone 6.2 miles up two large hills downtown. I played fullback on the soccer team because it required the least amount of running (and the most amount of tackling, which is why I was so good).

My, how times have changed. That was half my life ago, folks.

This year is different: Billy and I both got accepted into the race via the lottery system. And finally, 13 years and countless miles later, I will lace up my favorite Nikes on July 4th and run the Peachtree Road Race.

Bring it on.

SPF - Some People Forget

...about last year's hideous sunburn.

...about bra straps digging into fried flesh.

...about the risk for basal cell carcinoma or melanoma in people with a history of sunburns being more than twice that of a person without a history of sunburns.

...that when you run, your feet, tops of your thighs, and anything covered by your running clothes needs a base tan even after your legs and arms get dark.

...that people who live in Florida or Arizona can show signs of photoaging in their 20's (no matter how good their mom's skin is...)

...that after you spray your husband's back with some SPF 30 spray, you should probably turn the can on yourself.

Which is why I look a little bit like this...


Oh, and I got some of my info from The American Academy of Dermatology, The CDC, and my own apparent stupidity.

And now, the moment you've all been waiting for...

The Flickr album of my ING Georgia Half Marathon 2008 pictures!

Viva La Off-Season

Running has a lot of benefits people don't tell you about. Sure, you've heard about bone density, muscle endurance, increasing your oxygen intake, weight loss... the ability to eat tons of ice cream and still look stick thin (assuming you were stick thin to begin with, but I digress). But I think there's one you don't often hear about:

Running, and the health benefits it gives you, causes you to want to keep that up. Running makes you healthy, and, in turn, you want to do other things that make you healthy.

I am really proud of all the positive changes I have made. I have stopped drinking soda, and mostly only drink water or tea and the occasional beer, wine, or latte (notice I said "occasional" - so not daily like I used to before I started running). I pretty much stopped eating meat except for special occasions and instead seek out soy protein, dairy, more vegetables, and grains to keep my body healthy from the inside out. I go to bed before 11 most nights, I don't drink very much when I go out, and I usually only watch interesting things on TV and not just crap to fill my time. I even started taking better care of my skin! And, best of all, I am not spending my off-season sitting on my butt in front of the TV eating everything in sight - tennis, weight lifting, walking, cycling, swimming, yoga, pilates. Trying lots of new things and loving every minute of it. I am even looking into fun things to do on my upcoming cruise that involve getting out and having some fun - can you imagine me on a zip line in the jungle? :o)

The Universe Knows More Than I Do

... I find that out more and more every day as I get to know more of it. But either way, I think this quote from Runner's World sums up my weekend in Atlanta:


"Big occasions and races which have been eagerly anticipated almost to the point of dread, are where great deeds can be accomplished. " -Jack Lovelock

The Fear

Okay, I am a bad blogger. I know. But I have a good excuse. Since my last post, I have been keeping a secret from all of you. A secret I was afraid to even admit to myself.

I was scared of Atlanta.

My 11 mile run was horrible. Pure torture. Hot, overwhelming, slow, painful, torture. I walked most of it, dehydrated, sunburnt, and miserable. I knew Atlanta wouldn't be hot, but it would have hills, something that's completely foreign to Florida runners unless you like to run bridges (no thanks).

I had told myself for so long that I would take Atlanta seriously, train hard, get ready, and face it for the amazing opportunity it was: to go back to the city I loved as a child, to run a half marathon with my best friend, and to push myself as hard as I could. But I was scared to death that I couldn't make it happen; that I would once again disappoint myself.

And you know what? I didn't.

I got a PR instead. 2:59:11. I broke the 3 hour mark. And it feels so damn good!