Goodbye from the Blonde Bullet :(

I started this blog for two reasons: 1) I wanted to become a runner. 2) I wanted to become more comfortable with my voice as a writer, especially on the web.

I cant believe I'm going to say this but, mission accomplished! It's been a year and a half since I started this blog. When I started I couldn't even run a mile, my asthma was horrible and acting up daily, I was partying most nights out of the week, and I wasn't writing even though I love to write. I was unhealthy and stuck in a rut.

How things have changed. Now, I can run at least ten miles, I can run an 8 minute mile if I try really hard, I run 3-5 times a week, I ride my bike, I walk everywhere, my asthma rarely bugs me, I eat MUCH healthier and I take care of myself. I'm no longer the unhealthy, unproductive party animal. And even better, I've been writing stories, guest blogging, publishing here and there and working.  The point is that I have improved. I've changed. I've accomplished. 

But now I'm at another pivotal point in my life. Thinks are stable, and moving in the right direction but it's time for me to really focus on the accomplishments that I dream about. I no longer need to focus on becoming something, I now need to focus on doing more. Doing what? Publishing. Blogging. Taking pictures. Learning. Finding gigs. Racing more. Running more. Reading. Expressing my passions. Getting closer with my friends. And unfortunately, theBlondeBullet.blogspot isn't moving in the same direction. It's become dispassionate and stagnant to me.Not to mention, I don't feel like I can commit to the time or focus this blog needs to be good.

This community has taught me so much. You've all inspired me, taught me, made me laugh and motivated me to keep running. Without this blogging community, I honestly don't know if I would have continued running. You all taught me what to expect and how to stay motivated. And now, I can't even imagine my life without running! So thanks. And gosh darn-it, I'm keeping this profile and I WILL continue reading and commenting! 

Who knows, maybe I'll start the blog up again or maybe I'll start a completely different one soon (this is likely). But either way, I'll miss this community and I'll miss this blog!

Run: Downtown Haiku

I moved downtown and I love it. Tuesday, I went for my first city run, and... sometimes, a haiku says it better.

Downtown run was fun--
Until a car pulled out fast.
Jump, screech... but no smash.

Lights, people and sounds:
Energy of a city.
But pollution: yuck.

Another stop light!
Must pause my Suunto again.
Training is ruined.

Shops, food and culture
Although  there's nowhere to run,
I love this city.

Run: Beans, rice and broccoli

I am so stuffed. I mean STUFFED. And the best part is, I'm not stuffed with a greasy pizza or massive burrito. I'm stuffed with healthy food. Mmmmmmmm.

I have already mentioned that I haven't been very motivated to run lately, and I think a lot of this is because my runs haven't been very fun. As in, I've been feeling out of shape no matter how much I run,  and I've been feeling tired after only a mile or so. What gives?

Of course I assumed that I've suddenly became the worst, most out of shape runner ever, but then it hit me: DUH. NUTRITION. I'm not getting the nutrients I need!

The past few weeks an average weekday has looked like this:
Breakfast: Coffee, Oatmeal
Lunch: Carnation Breakfast Shake with Almond Milk
Snack: Peanuts, and an occasional vending machine binge consisting of Cheez Its or Crackers
Dinner: About a cup of rice and some veggies, 1-2 glasses of wine

The weekends, of course, look something like this:
Breakfast: Coffee, Oatmeal
Lunch: Tacos or bar food, beer, chips, candy
Snacks: Chips, candy, peanuts
Dinner: Pizza or pasta, chips, candy, wine and/ or beer

Now both examples aren't very nutritious, but honestly I'm more concerned about the former. Although I was trying to lose a little weight, cut out junk food and save money by drinking the Carnation shakes for lunch, I don't think I'm getting even remotely enough nutrients.

See, the thing about being a vegetarian is that I need to be extremely intentional and meticulous about what I eat if I want to feel my best (especially while running). This isn't as easy as it sounds. Vegetarians not only need to make healthy choices, but they need to pair different foods each meal in order to get the same nutrients that someone who eats meat would. For instance, a meal of rice and broccoli is good, but there isn't enough protein. Add black beans, more veggies and possibly some cheese and I might as well be eating a chicken breast. 

The other thing is that although it's obvious a vegetarian must eat a lot of vegetables to make up for a lack of major vitamins one gets from meat, the vegetarian has to eat much larger quantities of those vegetables. Each meal should contain a green vegetable, and not just a handful. The veggies should be a huge part of the meal. They should often be the main course!

With that said, I was definitely not getting enough nutrients during the day, and, especially since I run after work, my runs have been suffering. On top of that, it's practically pointless for me to be restricting myself during the week, because I make up all the calories on the weekend!

So now that I've had that epiphany, it's time to make some serious changes. I foresee something more like this:
Breakfast: Coffee, oatmeal with raisins
Snack: Fruit and nuts
Small lunch: Steamed vegetables, salad, rice and/or tuna
Snack: Carnation shake
Post work (or am): Have a GREAT run
Dinner: Rice, beans, vegetables and dairy (cheese or milk) with some orange juice OR pasta with veggies, olive oil, and fake meat. 0-1 glasses of wine during the week. Splurge a little on the weekends. 

I'm off to a good start. Tonight I made myself a WHOPPING serving of a nutritious and yummy concoction:  1.5 cups brown rice, 3/4 cup black beans, 1 teaspoon of grape seed veganaise, 2 cups of broccoli, 1/4 cup of parm cheese, a few sprinkles of salt, pepper, garlic salt and Mexican chili powder. And a cup of orange juice.

Hopefully I will feel better on my run tomorrow. Fingers crossed!

Run: It's hot again. Dangit!

It must be nice having a spring. I wouldn't know. Ours lasted about three weeks. If it doesn't cool down one more time before summer, I might have to head North ASAP and soak in some cooler weather before permanently adjusting to 100 degrees plus.

It's been 90-95 all week. FUN. What does this mean for my running? GOOD QUESTION. This means that I must passionately convert to early-birdism. I must become a morning person. And not just a roll out of bed early and go to work person. I must start waking up at 445-5, put on my running shoes and bust out a great workout before heading to my cubicle. I really want to be that person. I really do... But my bed is just so comfortable and my dog is so cuddly and it's so dark outside! UGH!

It also means I have to carry water even for a short 30 minute run. So this weekend, I had to bust out the trusty fuel belt. Hello fuel belt, I've missed you! The fuel belt is pictured above. Sorry for the grainy picture, and I'm growling in the picture... in case you weren't sure. RAWR. Anyways, I like to fill one bottle with an electrolyte water, and the other bottle with just water. Typically I end up pouring half of the untainted water all over myself. I'm convinced this helps. I ran the other day when it was about 90 degrees out and I ended up soaking wet by the end of the run. I'd say half sweat/half water. It's times like these that I wish I were a cyclist... at least they get some wind in the heat!

 What about you all? Any tricks to staying cool? Do you wear a fuel belt or something else?

Rest: Dallas Trade Show

This weekend wasn't much of a weekend due to the fact that I was working for most of it. Lucky me right? Don't feel too bad for me... I get a comp day on Friday. Yay for three-day weekends!

One of my newest challenges as a runner is learning how to fit in my workouts while I'm on the road. This is something I fail at miserably. Loneliness of hotel room + time difference + me NOT being much of a morning person no matter how hard I try + leg exhaustion due to walking all day + not much extra time = NONEXISTENT WORKOUT

See, post-tradeshow running is especially challenging because the reason I'm traveling is so that I can walk around tradeshows... meaning I am on my feet, walking around ALL DAY LONG. It's tiring... even for a runner... really. However, I have been slowly improving my travel workout record.

Very Slowly.

Slooooooooooooooooowly.

Still, I won't admit to you my weekly mileage for last week... it's kinda embarrassing. Anyhoo, low and behold the awesomeness of a tradeshow:

At times... it feels like a fantastical, amazingness wonderland:

Or a complicated ballet that only well-dressed women, men in tuxes and fat female statues can do...

But really it's kinda like an overzealous shopping mall:

And it's also very, very lonely :(

Run: My return to blogging. Part 2: Why I run

Every once in a while, it’s always good to sit back and remember why we do the things we do. Truthfully, the last two weeks I have not been very enamored with running (I know, great time to start blogging again, right?). My runs have been dull and long. My speeds are slowing and my mileage grows shorter. My motivation is low. It must be. Spring. FEVER.

But taking into consideration my re-entry into the wonderful world of running blogs, I can’t help but think this is a good time to evaluate the reasons I do run. Some are shallow and some run deep, but all keep me moving.


I run because…

1. I have horrible anxiety when I don’t. There’s nothing like a hard workout to get me feeling normal again. You’d think post-great-workout I’d feel tired and lazy… but it’s actually the opposite. I almost always experience clarity in my thoughts and a zealous sense of motivation.

2. I like the feeling of being (seemingly) in total control of my body. I get this feeling especially in my long runs. That cliché “it’s just me and the road” feeling is oh. so. true.

3. When I run, I can eat more. I have been known to eat an ENTIRE 12” pizza all by my little self.

4. I like having calf muscles. They’ve only recently become a part of my life. Let’s give a hand to my growing calf muscles.

5. I’m already in constant competition with myself to improve myself (how vain, I know), so why not focus that energy into the art of running. I run to see myself improving at something. It makes me focus with a strategic plan. Ahhhh, plans. I just LOVE coming up with plans.

6. Running gives me endorphins. I’ve even been known to be that creepy girl smiling in the middle of a run while cars drive by—passengers gawking and scratching their greasy mustaches.

7. It helps me lose or maintain weight. This obviously varies due to the wonderfulness of #3.

8. I like working hard….alone. I was never good at group work in school. I was the kid who would either end up doing the entire project or absolutely nothing. Balance isn’t one of my fortes. Running let’s me work my little buns off and work towards specific goals without the distraction of other people.

9. It’s good for my health and asthma. Nuff said.

10. It’s fun. Racing is fun. Running up hills is fun (and horrible). Sprinting is fun. Running 10 miles or more is fun. Reaching a PR is fun. Watching my body transform is fun. Being in the sun is fun. Running. Is. Fun.

Next: Run: My return to running. Part 3: Evaluation bloggonation station

Run: My return to blogging. Part 1: The Ys

 

I may be well-rested, but turns out, hibernation is kind of boring. I missed it here, and I know you’ve missed me cyberworld... haven’t you? Today marks the day of my official return to the world of blogging. And what better way to dive in then to provide you with a three-part series featuring yours truly? I know, you’re so excited you can’t help but quiver.
Part 1: The Y’s 
5 Reasons why I needed a break:
1. I started my first 9-5, which =  an exhausting, exciting, daunting, embarrassing and consuming change to my life. Daunting because the idea of only having 16 extra days off a year makes me want to puke. Embarrassing because I feel like a sell-out for choosing a career that does not saturate my being in writing, reporting and art. Consuming because it takes a lot of focus to be good at any job. Exciting because it’s fun, I like it and I’m good at it. (I think exhausting is pretty self explanatory.)

2. My words became dull. I started blogging to force myself to run while forcing myself to write. I started to blog because I knew it would be good for my well-being, and I liked having a venue to express my experiences with my new-found sport. But somewhere along the line I started writing for my readers (I love you… but that’s not the point). I was writing posts that I thought might sound good to other runners instead of posts that I enjoyed writing.  And the thing is, they were getting increasingly more boring. So screw that!

3. I felt like I was too slow of a runner to be writing about running. I know, tisk tisk. But don’t worry, I’m over it. We all have to start somewhere!

4. I didn’t want to write about running anymore. I mean, I love running… but running isn’t the center of my life. It’s a major part of my life, but it’s not everything. I would like to write more about how running has enriched my life, rather than how my life revolves around running. 

5. I wasn’t sure what I really wanted to write about.

5 Reasons why I am back to blogging:

1. I kept running! Even though I wasn’t blogging, I kept running. I’ve improved my time and mileage and I am enjoying it more and more. This means, that I was not merely running so that I would have something to write about. This means that I love running. I really do. [Insert inspirational music here and photo montage here.]

2. I’m hoping you will still like me if I write about other things that don’t involve sweat, sun and my hear rate. As sexy as that sounds, I have other redeeming qualities. I promise.

3. I really, really do miss writing. I miss all sorts of writing and I intend to consume myself in all genres of expression, but I really do miss this blogging community—reading your blogs, making friends through comments and learning from your accomplishments and mistakes.

4. I realized that I can write about whatever I want. There’s nobody making me write boring posts about my weekly mileage (no offense to similar posts… mine are just boring due to lack of impressive stats). Neato.

5. I have time now. I have adjusted to my life schedule.  Way to go me.


Next time: Run: My return to running. Part 2: Why I run.

Rate: Christmas is [Mr.] Wonderful

I just wanted to take a minute to announce......

I GOT AN AWESOME HEART RATE MONITOR!
 
Mr. Wonderful did good.

I am now the proud owner of a Suunto M5 heart rate monitor and foot pod (which measures distance and speed). Isn't she cute (see above)?

On top of that, my mother (aka Santa Claus) got me a nice pair of running capris and and a running shirt and long-sleeve top layer. And I must say, she bought it for me just in time... it's like 40 Degrees here today! I know all you East coasters are facing a blizzardy death, but I've been enjoying the breezy and beautiful 75 degree weather.. until now. Ah, but I do love the built-in hand warmers in my top later. Delightful.

Well at 5AM this morning I sported my new clothing and my new Suunto and all the passing cars and pedestrians may have mistaken me for a pro... until I started running at turtle pace. 


But good gear = good runner... right? 

I'll be super fast in no time... right?  

I WISH.  However I have been diligently doing my PT exercises and I am feeling better and better. I'll bring you up to speed in the next post. Promise.


Now here' s a question for y'all.... How does one start rowing?! I would really like to try rowing and my knees would greatly appreciate it if I took it easy on them sometimes. So please rowing experts, advise!

Run: 5K FAIL

Pre-race. I'm on the left.

First of all, Hello running friends! I miss you! I've been a very bad blogger, but you've all been there so let's just forgive me and move on. Splendid.

As of December 18th, 2010 at 9:30 AM (MST), I have officially run my third race. Clearly, I can now go pro.

Clearly, I can now run a six minute mile without breaking a sweat.

Clearly, I weigh 95 pounds and my diet consists of only rice, beans and vegetables.

Clearly, I have arrived.

.......

................
 

........

....Oh wait, I lied.

Today was in fact, a BUMMER. Let me explain. Problem number one lies in the fact that I have no monitoring device. I have no shiny Garmin on my wrist and no Nike chips in my shoes. I do have an ipod, but the app I downloaded most definitely does not work (I know I'm slow, but a 30 minute mile is a bit ridiculous, right?!). So basically I have no way of training efficiently. I base my times off of MapMyRun, a stopwatch and a hunch (ex. I feel like I was running pretty fast today. Must have been a 9 minute mile kind of day). This is a very ineffective way of doing things and I do not recommend it. Basically, I may be much slower than I thought.

Problem number two: I came down with a cold last week. Perfect. And the fun little thing about being an asthmatic is that most head colds turn into chest colds... AKA BRONCHITIS. So although yesterday I was feeling springy and almost 100% over my cold, today I woke up with four pounds of phlegm in my chest and a wicked cough... cough cough.

And so I head to the Jingle Bell 5K ready to rock it, thinking that I clearly run 8 minute miles. I end up coughing my way through the first mile, and spending the next two miles wincing away my chest pain and desperately trying not to vomit due to lack of oxygen. Already phlegmy asthma lungs covered in new phlegm just don't work they would they are supposed to. I couldn't run fast if my life depended on it.
 

And so I ran an embarrassing 30 minute 5k. I know many of you run 15 minute 5ks so please don't laugh. I'm fragile. And I have bronchitis. Probably. So there.

So here's the plan. With any and all Christmas money I get this year (got to love the grandparents) I'm buying a Garmin. Then, I am going to COMMIT to 2-3 days of speed work a week along with my regular workouts. I am not going to focus on distance for now because my knees just aren't ready for it. My goal is to run two more 5Ks in January and at least a 10K in February (if my budget will allow). I'm also going to drink a lot of vitamin C so that I never get sick again.

The end.

Rate: Asthma in the cold

I'm a firm believer than physical activity and exercise substantially minimizes asthma symptoms. I believe this for a number of reasons, but the most recent being that since I have started running by asthma has improved greatly. I used to have attacks weekly, and I was constantly using my inhaler, and now I rarely have a major attack and for the most part, I only use my inhaler before and after runs.

Well that was until winter came. But for some dang reason the cold air really gets my asthma riled up. (that may not be a scientific statement... but I swear it's true!). And this has really affected my running routine. I'm trying to incorporate speed work into my running schedule (did a fartlek workout yesterday-- so much fun!) but it's difficult when I start wheezing within a half a mile with no other logical explanation besides the cold air is making my lungs angry.

So what's a girl to do? Just keep running.

So now I'm learning to continue running, even after I am wheezing and slowly bringing my shoulders to my ears as it becomes difficult to breathe.

Well it's always good to have a new challenge to over come :)

And that's all, I just wanted to share. Any one else have trouble breathing in the cold (especially any of you asthma folk)?

(Disclaimer: I'm on my lunch break and therefore didn't have time to proofread this thoroughly so I apologize for any typos or poor grammar).

Run: Turkey Trot 10K

The Mi Amigos, Red Mountain Turkey Trot was my first "real" (timed and fast) race... not that I really raced it or anything; I just ran it. My ITB is still very fragile so I had low expectations. I did however, have higher expectations for my pre-race routine, which failed miserably:

6:00 AM: Wake up; real excited 
6:15 Am: Have somehow gotten ready at lightening speed, however I'm sadly out of coffee filters 
6:16: Drive to Starbucks, buy coffee, get gas, drive home 
6:50: Pack up bag, drink protein shake 
7:00: My cousin arrives 
7:05: Can't find keys 
7:06: "Oh, they're where they should be" (on key hook).  
7:07: [in car] "Oh sh**, where are my keys? I just had them!" 
7:08: Walk inside, grab keys (still on hook) drive to deep east Mesa (45 minute drive).  
7:30: "OMG! [step on brakes] Am I on the wrong 202?! (There's two 202's in Phoenix... God knows why) 
7:32: [After two minutes of panicking, pull off road, check GPS on phone, realize I am indeed on the correct 202, flip a U, and get back on 202.] 
7:50: Arrive at Red Mountain Park, race destination 
7:51-8:00: [Realize my water bottle leaked inside my bag. My running cap, which keeps my ears warm, which is a CRUCIAL necessity to my running capabilities, is soaking wet.] 
8:05 Walk up large hill to sign-up booth, realize I forgot cash 
8:12: Jog back to car 
8:20: Jog back to sign-up booth, sign-up, jog back to car to prepare and stretch
8:30: I have to pee 
8:45: The line for the bathrooms is too long. Must hold it. 
8:46: I forgot my inhaler in my car 
8:48: Run back to car 
9:00: Run up to starting line, seconds before the race starts with a very full bladder 

Next time.. I'll be better prepared.

I ended up having horrible ITB pain in the last 3 miles (probably because of all those warm-up runs to the car) but I didn't walk even though at times it was excruciating. We started off at a fairly fast pace for me, and it felt comfortable and good, however as soon as the knee pain kicked in, we had to take it down a notch.
 
To make a long story short, I apparently overcompensated profusely and ended up pulling a muscle on the bottom of my right (not the leg with ITB pain) foot. I've been limping for days.

I think the lesson there should be not to push myself too hard, but hey, it was my first race and I'm glad I ran through the pain! So there. 

I am not as glad that I am apparently the most forgetful person on the planet.

Run: Why I carry pepper spray

No, I didn't get attacked by a pervert. That would've been a better story. BUT I did get attacked.... sort of.

You see, I live in what Phoenix likes to call "Central Phoenix," which is a big word that describes downtown, uptown and midtown, all of which, are far from mimicking a real city feel. But Central Phoenix is the closest thing we've got to a real city. I live midtown. It's fun, I love it. There's lots of cute restaurants, thrift stores, coffee shops, antique shops, and random specialized shops. Ya know typical city stuff. There's also a lot of homeless people and crack heads. And I run at 5:30 AM, when it's still dark. So I carry pepper spray, just in case. (It's really a safe neighborhood but you've got to be safe, right?)

I dread the day I have to use, said, pepper spray.


So I'm on my way back from a 3.5 mile run. The sun is barely rising creating a beautiful "midnight blue" landscape... if you will. The birds are starting to chirp. The air is cool and refreshing. I'm listening to my ipod in runner's bliss; basking in the wonderfulness of not having knee pain.

And then I hear a faint noise through my music. It sounds like someone screaming. It sounds like someone screaming, "watch out." And as I peacefully glance behind me I am shocked at the site of a 20-pound, screeching, angry little mut running towards me with his fierce, little fangs shining out at me. Who would've thought such a small dog could look so evil.

And then I hear the most inhuman sound. It's a deep, loud but breathless sound, likened to the voice of Chubaka. Oh God, that voice is mine. I'm screaming "No." And then I wrip my head phones off and clear my throat and let out a few stern "NO's" while aiming my pepper spray into his eyes. But I do not pull the trigger. No, I just aim it at him with a steady hand, ho[ping he'll back off. Finally, the dog freezes; alarmed at my ability to discipline. His owner calls, and he meanders back into her arms.

"Is he aggressive?" I ask.

"Yes!" she replies, "sorry."

Hey, no problem [jerk].

Run: Trails and kicks

First of all, behold my new KICKS! They are the Adidas AdiZero Tempos. They are much lighter than my old Sauconey's and they hug my foot in a wonderfully soothing way. So far, they've felt comfortable, light and supportive and my knees feel pretty good too. I just LOVE getting new running shoes... or any shoes for that matter. Don't you?

Sometimes I catch myself smiling at them, admiring their wonderfulness. I even show them to my friends, my non-running friends, with enthusiastic glee, "Aren't they rad?!" And the said friends agree -- because they're my friends.

 

Second of all, I did some trail running today. I mean, for the first time in my running career, I meandered away from the asphalt, sidewalks and that cushy, weird pavement-like material found near a lot of city parks, and hit the trails.

Needless to say my new shoes are already quite dirty.

Ah, but it was so wonderful. I ran through the Phoenix Mountain Preserve through a rocky set of paths named "Dreamy Draw." The preserve was relatively vacant, the trails were narrow, rocky and packed with hills, rivets and rocks and storm clouds were bubbling over the horizon. It was perfect.

And I man-handled those paths. I did. I ran up, down and side-did and I pretended I'd been trail running for years. I sucked in that beautiful, clear air and I soaked up the scenery consisting of cacti, rocks, dirt and Palo Verdes. It was freeing, really. And if it wasn't already beautiful enough, I ended the run just ahead of the storm but right in the middle of the calming sprinkle.

Ahhhhhh, picturesque.

My knees, however, might spitefully turn on me and kill me in my sleep.

Rest: Back in the [running] [life] game

Oh running, how my body hates you... and yet loves you.

This weekend I:
Partied with the parents and Gma
Babysat my adorable nephew
Packed for Tucson
Realized I left my wallet at work with my money, license and registration in, said, wallet
Un-packed for Tucson
Cried (b/c I'm dramatic), drank a beer, did my laundry and waited for Mr. Wonderful
Mr. Wonderful and I went to Los Dos Molinos.... again (my name is Kelsey and I am a Mexican-food-aholic)
Bickered about what movie to watch for about an hour
Went to sleep
Ran 5 miles
Ate Bruschetta
Mr. Wonderful left and I again cried, as per usual.

The most important part of this series of events? RAN 5 MILES. Do you know what that means? That means that I am back in the game. That means that I can start training for a marathon again. That means that I can run a 5K faster than a turtle pace. That means that I can once again center my entire life around my running schedule.

And this time I won't push myself to hard. This time I will only increase my mileage by 10% weekly and this time I will not do any hills or speed work until I am good and ready. I will also stretch... if I must.

So hopefully this blog is about to take the turn for the better while I re-center myself my love of running. Question! Being in Arizona where the weather is all Topsy-turvy, when exactly is prime racing season for the rest of the nation?

OH and I leave you with this fun fact: Here in Arizona, we don't do day light savings. But apparently Apple doesn't know that. So everybody's iphone automatically switched today and people were late for life... because we don't do daylight savings. HILARIOUS. Glad I don't have an iphone.

Toodles!

Rate: First week back for realsies

 (Mount Lemmon, Tucson AZ)

It's good to be training for something again, even if what I am training for is to be able to run for more than 30 minutes without knee pain-- that's something!

Monday: Ran 20 minutes and felt pretty good. I have to run really slow, I mean I think someone could walk faster than me if they wanted to. But it was worth it because I didn't have any knee pain until the last five minutes. My lungs felt good, my muscles felt good and me knee felt like it was improving. I stretched before and after, iced after and the pain went away almost immediately, which is exactly what my PT wants to happen. Which means I'm free to run two more times this week! Yippee.

Tuesday: Decided that since I'm virtually broke, I should become a commuter. So I packed my backpack with high heels, makeup and an extra shirt and hit the road at about 2:00 PM. I was heading for Tempe, about a 13 mile ride, which should be easy, in order to meet the ladies for our weekly girl's night. It has cooled down quite a bit here... but it's not THAT cool. In fact, it was 95. When you're so accustomed to triple digit temperatures, you start to think that 95 sounds refreshing. Also, Phoenix is far from bike-friendly, so I ended up hauling it as fast as I could to keep up with traffic on very busy streets in order to avoid getting hit or at least in order to get honked at less. So to summarize, I was pedaling as fast as I could, in jeans and a tank top (as in, NOT a kit) and in 95 degree weather. Brilliant. Well 5 margaritas later... I took the light rail home. But I still most definitely consider that a decent work out for the day.

Wednesday: Drove to Tucson, messed with camera. Will make up for the lost day over the weekend. Oh and for those who were curious, it's a Minolta Maxxum 5 SLR. It's kind of old, but I'm so excited. I'm going through a photography book and teaching myself all there is to know. Should be splendid. Also received notice of an interview today!

Thursday:* Ran 20 minutes. Tucson is a bit hilly, so that put some extra strain on my knees, but it was pretty much the same as Monday. Now I must do some strength training. Splendid. Killer abs here I come.

Friday:* I know it's not Friday yet. But I am absolutely positive (ok unless there's an earthquake or I have an asthma attack or something) that Mr. Wonderful and I are going for a ride tomorrow morning. Should be about 30 miles with a few small hills. He suggested we do Mount Lemmon.... ya right.

So far, so good! 

 *The above days are a bit switched around from my initial schedule. This is only because I usually need a week to get in the swing of things. I am doing all the workouts on the schedule, I just mixed up the days a little.

Run: Rehab

My PT says I MUST start at 20 minutes every other day, and move up very slowly from there. So this is my somewhat pathetic climb back to being a distance runner. I've only schedule about a month out, because I have to see how the pain goes. I'm also training for a short bike tour with Mr. Wonderful.

The schedule includes riding, running, stretching (which means 30 minutes of intense stretching) and my PT exercises, which include the foam roller (oh the torture) and many other strengthening tricks she taught me. My rides are usually about 30 miles with a few hills, but I have left the exact mileage blank so that I can fill it in as I improve and whatnot.

It's going to be torture to train this slow... but it'll be worth it if I can run again!

Rest: I miss running

 (photo courtesy of Melissa Young)

I miss running.
I miss having a stable job.
I miss Mr. Wonderful.

Oh, to be human.  I have not been blogging this week in order to spare you my sob-fest (you know how honest I can get).  So sit tight, the oh-so-cheery BlondeBullet will be back shortly. Your patience is greatly appreciated :)

Run: My weekly attempt to run again

I was feeling rather rambunctious on Saturday and I thought I'd see if my knees could handle a little two-three mile run. I mean, two-three miles is nothing right?! I should be fine. My physical therapist said that I should only do about 20 minutes of cardio that engages my knees so I don't get too inflamed. So I'm thinking sweet, I can AT LEAST get in two miles. (Oh how my goals have changed..)

I head out the door and I'm a little stiff, but feeling good. My ankles need a a couple minutes to warm up, and then I fall into my pace. I feel a smile creeping onto my face, Oh running, how I miss thee.
 
And then I hit the sidewalks. The ground is really uneven and it puts some pressure on my right knee. No problem though, I'm allowed to keep running if the pain stays below a "3."
 
Man, I'm not even breaking a sweat! I'm still in great shape. Yippee! Maybe I'll do five miles instead. I mean if I feel okay, why not?
 
And after about about ten minutes, my left knee starts to tinge a little. Both knees are creeping up to that "3" threshold. It's definitely the ITB, not the tracking problem. So that's good... I guess. I'm good though. I'm good. Must. keep. going.

11 minutes in: Ouch! The shot up pain runs up the outside of my right knee all the way up to my hip. I stop and walk it out. Maybe it will go away?
 
So I walk for a few minutes and then try to get in the groove again. But, sadly, no can do. The pain is entering the "4" and "5" zone so I have to stop-- unless I'd like a severe lecturing from my PT.

20 minutes into my run/walk, I am clearly nowhere near five, or even three miles.

Boo knees. Boo.

The good news? My lungs felt great. True, it was only a couple miles but I think all this cross-training and gym time will pay off because I didn't feel out of shape at all. I felt a little stiff, but I think if my knees would have been able to handle it I could have easily busted out an eight mile run. Or so I tell myself.

Wulp, I get an A for effort. I think I'll try this again next week. Now it's back to the gym.

Run: Personal Training and Cross Training

So after days of moping, eating and coping with the loss of my training plan. I'm ready to move on. Best case scenario: I cross-train my butt off for the next month, fly through physical therapy and as a result will be able to do a 14-week marathon training schedule, which, being a newby to running, is pretty short. Worst case scenario: I have to do a marathon in February or March instead. No big thang. Either way all is well.
 
So my new training schedule looks like this:

M,W,F: Spin class at the gym and/or cycling at night with cycling buddies 
T, TH: Running 1-2 miles until there's pain; strength Training and such with Personal Trainer 
Other stuff: yoga, swimming and physical therapy and a strict diet 
Goal: Lose 5-10 pounds, tone up and get in fabulous shape to start training 
Mid October: Start Marathon Training Plan!! Woot! Woot! 

And here's some stuff in my head concerning running:

* There's something so peaceful and wonderful about spending two hours with just me and my thoughts, pounding my feet against the pavement and canal dirt, fighting through the pain and letting my thoughts wonder. I miss it already.

* It's about time for a new shoe. I'm thinking I'm going to go minimalist. I think it will be good for me. Any thoughts?

* I passed out again. I was with my personal trainer and I passed out. Someone explain to me why I pass out on random occasions. I don't think it's often enough to be considered a condition. But it is scary. And it's horrible. Fainting SUCKS. I get nauseous and clammy beforehand, and when I wake up I have no idea where I am and my body feels like it weighs 500 pounds. And it happens at such random situations. I mean always when I'm working out, but never when I'm overly fatigued. It's usually when I combine resistance with cardio, but it also happens at other times. So who knows. Blah. I hate it. Boo.
 
* I'm sorry that my running blog doesn't only concern running. But to me, a blog should be a personality encompassing platform. That's why we like blogs, right? Because they've got personality. So if I only blogged about running, that would be a completely inacurate portrayal of myself. I would be lying to you. Because, believe it or not, I don't think about running all that much in comparison to the rest of my life. I mean gosh, I hope that's not a mood killer for ya'll but it's only one part of me and... I think I'm rambling. You get the idea. I just think we like blogs because of the people who write them. And I don't like to write only about running.

* I'm really jealous of people that have been running their entire lives. I'm jealous of them for a long list of reasons, but one of the biggest ones is that they're fast. I'm never going to be fast, I just don't have that many miles under my belt. That's fine. It is. But I do love the thrill of competition. It must be such an amazing feeling to win a race. So for those of you that win races, cherish it. For those of you who might be able to win a race some day, cherish it. For people like me, it's all about accomplishment and PR's. Which again, is fine. But it's not the same.
 
That's all for now. I love running. I love life. I love this blog.

Toodles!

Run, Rest, Rate: Knee Problems