Sing "Soft Kitty" To Me

So, it's no secret that I am a dork and a nerd. I had fought watching Big Bang Theory for a LONG time but I finally caved last year which brings me to the title of the blog.



I am sitting here, a week and a day after my stupid car accident. I totaled my car last week, and what's worse, I'll be getting no help from the insurance...long story for another day. The airbag deployed in the accident and I am still a bit sore from the accident, and my chest is still bruised. Bella is still a little sore from the accident too. To add to the fun, I have messed up my wrist and I am stuck in a splint for the next month and I'll have to go to physical therapy for it. Oh and I need to buy a new car.... glad to be getting a new car but definitely don't want to spend the money on a car right now. In summary, I am just a little bit sad and I have had a hard time shaking it off.

I've had peeks at cool and awesome things. I got 100% on my first theatre appreciation assignment, and my professor posted it as an example of what he was looking for from the assignment. I won tickets to go watch The Producers tomorrow night, which is exciting because I LOVE going to the the theatre, especially The Fox in Atlanta. Plus, it's a night out with some friends of mine, and that doesn't happen often.

Due to the accident, my first run of the new running plan was delayed. I walked on Monday then today I walked with spurts of running. The running hurt my knee's that is still hurting from the Hot Chocolate 15k (report to come) and the accident where I jarred it, and running hurt my bum as well. On a good note, I did decide that it's time to work on strengthening the lower body and my core since my wrist is out of commission right now (typing this has been fun one handed). This was another bright spot in my day which I needed.

Now, I have taken the happy pills the doctor gave me and I need someone to sing me "Soft Kitty" to make it all better. Injured and drugged is a kind of sick....

Back To School

On Monday, I went back to school. OY VEY! It has been a long time since I was last in school and since the school I'm at right now will not accept any of the credits I received back in Canada, so I am really starting fresh.

So, Monday I was a ball of NERVES, so I hit the gym for a run and weight training. My run was alright, I tried pushing myself a little. More than anything, I just needed to work out a little bit of the nerves and stress I was feeling about school. I even hit the weights, it had been a LONG time since I had touched the weights and I knew that I would feel it on Tuesday and did I ever but it was a good hurt. My return to the gym on a regular basis in a non Zumba teaching capacity has been long over due, and it feels great to be back. I even went back for another run and more weights and core work on Wednesday... bad ass, I know. Tuesday and Thursday, I just had a date with the elliptical because I teach Zumba on Tuesday and Thursday nights and I didn't want to do anything crazy.

Guess what I am going to do on Sunday.... the Hot Chocolate 15K. I'm excited about the race because there's chocolate at the end, and you know the whole running thing is pretty cool too. Did I mention the chocolate? I hope the race doesn't disappoint because the expo/packet pickup today was kind of disappointing. I'm optimistic that it'll be a good race and a great time will be had by all.

BAM! Welcome 2013!

It's 2013, what could be more exciting than that! It's a new year, and a chance for a fresh start. Already I've started out the year with being mindful of what I've been putting in my body and working out. Back on a running plan, back to teaching my Zumba classes and what a Zumba class I had last night. Oh yeah, did I mention that I start school on Monday?! Yes, I'm going back to school and because nothing from my previous Canadian university experience will transfer, I have to start fresh. It's going to require some hard work and sacrifice but I have to get my degree and have a career.

2013 is going to be the year we lay the groundwork for an EPIC 2014, how's that for planning ahead.

In 2013 I plan to....
- have my lap band surgery
- run at least 3 half marathons
- participate in at least one sprint triathlon
- get faster!
- generally be a bad ass

Because in 2014 I plan to
- finally finish a marathon
- run a sub 30 5k
- participate in an Olympic distance triathlon
- be even more bad ass!

Let's go! Ready to make this year my b*tch!

No Witty Title

So, 2012 has been the year of suck, or at least it's felt that way. The thing is that no one can make you feel bad about yourself except yourself. I've let the negativity take over this year and I've let the proverbial rain cloud sit over my head. When did I come to this conclusion? Over the weekend, I was doing some serious thinking, reflecting, about this last year while doing laundry. I was looking at my massive pile of race shirts from 2011 and in contrast my piddly little collection from this year. Yes, I had set backs this year but I still managed to eek out some half marathons. During the course of my pity party, why couldn't I stop and realize how awesome a feat that is in and of itself? The negativity was further fueled by training alone, not blogging, generally not letting others in. Why? Mainly, due to being embarrassed about how slow I am, how I haven't lost any more weight, generally stupid things that I let get to me. The thing is I am surrounded by some incredible, awesome and generally kick ass people, I don't know why I didn't rely on them instead of putting myself in a sort of self imposed hermit state. I'll be the first to admit that I can be the mayor of Crazy Town but I managed to out do myself this year, with regards to running and food. I obviously have some issues with food, and all the negativity I let in was just fuel for the fire. Now, who was responsible for my crappy year? No one but me, that being said, I am not going to beat myself up, I have spent the last 11 months doing just that...it doesn't work. There is a Dolly Parton quote that says "if you don't like the road you're walking, start paving another one." That's just what I'm doing, I started today. 

I took be butt to the gym and knocked out some time on the elliptical because I'm still trying to be gentle with my foot since Tulsa. I've made better albeit not the best food choices, but at least it's better than it has been. I turn 32 in 10 days, I'll be damned if I spend another year being a miserable jerk. My thirties are supposed to be about being an awesomely epic bad ass, and being a miserable jerk doesn't go we'll with that. So here we go, a new path and this time this for real because at the end of the day if mom isn't happy, no one is. 

It's Time For Me To Return...For Real This Time!

I know, I have been MIA for some time now. I have been wading in a funk for a number of months, running by myself quite often, avoiding people I know when running waddling. Why? I honestly was embarrassed for people I know to see how much I still suck at running. The thing about sucking is that it is really relative. I may not have made any great strides on the scale, I may still be slow as molasses but I am also still active and moving, which at the end of the day is still more than a lot of people can say. I guess I thought that if I hid, I wouldn't have to be accountable for how much I have been sucking.

I was in Tulsa, OK this past weekend at the Route 66 Marathon weekend. This Sunday was supposed to be the day I would no longer be a marathon virgin. As it turns out this was not going to be the weekend for me to lose my marathon virginity. I won't give you all a huge race report because I am still in the middle of a pity party that might go on for a few more days. My foot started hurting during the race, and by the time we got to mile 10, every step was like a death march, there was no running at that point just walking and SLOW walking at that. When I got to the marathon, half marathon split at mile 13, I just crossed the finish and called it at the half marathon distance. After the finish I was so happy to have finished another half marathon but so sad because I FAILED at the marathon. Don't get me wrong, I do not regret calling it at the half marathon because I am not sure I could have made it with the pain in my foot. I am being a whiney baby, pouting and generally being miserable. Looking at race pictures didn't help matters either.

Ok, so I have been having this self imposed isolation when all the while I have had a wonderful network of supportive running moms. The other runners coached my my coach, the Racing It Off team have been there but I haven't leaned on them when I've needed them, they are mostly in the Dallas area but we have a facebook group where we all connect. Locally, I've had the awesome moms from Moms Run This Town, they have been supportive but again, I avoided in the beginning them because I didn't feel like I was good enough, fast enough to hang with them. Lately though, they have been a huge source of support and love, and it has meant the world to me. In fact, Pam the founder of the organization is actually responsible for me blogging again. Her kind words, love and support showed me that it was time to return to the blogosphere.

So, there it is, I am back and on a mission to stop sucking and be more awesome! I have some big things coming up in my life, I have applied to go back to college in January, I am having lap band surgery in March and lots of other exciting things all to help me stop sucking and be more awesome.

Half Marathon# 7 Race Report - Inaugural Niagara Falls Women's Half Marathon

This race was AWESOME!!! It was one of my favorite races ever, and it was my first international half marathon to boot. The decision to run this race was made a day or two before online registration closed, and a few days before B and I headed to Toronto to visit my parents. I am so glad that I decided to go with my gut feeling and signing up for this race. Let's break it down...

Packet Pick Up

My mom, B and I drove down to Niagara Falls the day before the race and hit up the packet pick up at the Great Wolf Lodge. I thought little head would explode when she saw the resort, it broke my heart to tell B that we weren't staying there. Even with the resort being so busy, packet pickup was REALLY quick and easy. I picked up my number, checked to make sure my chip was working, got my tee and then came probably the BEST SWAG BAG EVER! It even included a bottle of wine (for the runners that are 19 years of age and older, the drinking age in the province of Ontario). Check out the swag bag contents... note the press on toe nails, I thought it was a HILARIOUS touch. Yes, this race won me over with wine and candy. What more could a girl ask for?!

Pre-Race

I took a cab from our hotel to the start/finish area because my mom and B could not be bothered to wake up early to drive me. Seriously?! Sleeping in? What's that about? On the ride over I was getting really worried because it was chilly and rainy,  I wore a tee and didn't bring anything to help keep me warm. I got there ridiculously early but thankfully there was a tent where I was able to wait and make some new friends. Guess what happened while I was in the tent? I started talking to a lady who said she liked my shirt, then we started talking and she said that she remembered seeing me at the Disney Princess Half Marathon in February (I wore the same shirt at both races).... SMALL WORLD! So, this race had some neat port-a-potties, they had quotes on the wall and flowers in the urinals, there were also products from a local lavender company as well. I went to the bathroom twice just so I could snap some pics because I didn't think to when I saw all the stuff in there. 

The rain started to subside and we headed to the "start wine", the race was relatively small which had me a little worried because I am so SLOW. As it turned out, the race was beyond supportive of everyone out there, runner, run/walkers and walkers, it was so refreshing! 

The Race

We were off, and I just settled in and decided that I wasn't going to try for a PR, just enjoy a morning run. How often do you get to run by Niagara Falls?! We ran by the falls pretty early in the race but not before running by a harpist, because it was fancy pants like that. The only down side of this race was that after you run by the Falls, there is a part of the route that just was less than scenic before we hit the beautiful town we ran through. 

Along the way, I made friends with an KICK ASS chick who was doing her first half marathon. At first, I thought she was going to drive me crazy the whole race because she would pass me, I would pass her, and so it went until she and I started chatting. One thing lead to another and I made a new friend with whom I still keep in touch. She and I laughed, chatted and had a pretty incredible time. Oh did I mention that one of the water stops on the way back had orange slices and Timbits?! What are Timbits you ask? Well, they are donut holes, and so very tasty... they had me at Timbits.

 

Anyways, my new friend and I motored on and made it to the finish where Bella was waiting and ran with me across the finish. That in and of itself was well worth it because when else will I get to run with her across a half marathon finish line?! With that half marathon #7 was DONE and in the books.

Check out the BLING!

Guess What Is Just Around The Corner

Marathon training! I am heading to Crazy Town yet again, and I am super stoked for marathon training to begin. I am going to BRING IT this time around, I am ready for training, I am ready to show everyone what I am made of. I am working on the weight loss, the speed, and my strength because I want to be able to give the marathon my all.

I think that watching the olympic marathon this morning didn't hurt either, it was something else. I was inspired watching those women give their all for all 26.2 miles of the race. I'll be honest, I got a little teary eyed at the end of the race, they were all incredible.