Category: gear

Funnel Cakes and cross training

So I survived my foray into the fair. Ate too much junk food and spent too much money, but hey, it only comes once a year right? So I countrified myself up and had some fun. I wore my shitkickers (haha!) there and they served a dual purpose. I fit in better, 🙂 and they helped support my ankle or shin, still debating which. Didn’t feel a thing all night. As opposed to its loud grumbling when I took my boots off. Not cool.

So Saturdays plan for a nice run was postponed 😦 Now I am fine with being a Slacker Runner when it is being lazy of my own volition; that is just me being me. However, taking it easy because something hurts just makes me cranky. It suddenly makes me want to run more! Anyone else like that?

It happened to be a rest day for the squat challenge as well, so that worked out. I figured if I couldn’t run, or shouldn’t, I would do some cross training. I had a funnel cake to work after all. I know that I should do cross training and I have it in my training plan, but I hate it. I really do. This is how I usually end up having 3 rest (slacker) days a week. So today I made myself get back on the bike. Stationary bike that is, did 8 miles and called it done. Ugh. So hoping to get in a few miles on the track tomorrow. Fingers crossed!

On the upshot, I had this awesomeness made at the fair on Friday. Super nerdy, I know, but I love it.

When the pain begins

So I followed through and went for a run this morning. Getting out of bed was so hard to do; sleep was not my friend last night. Finally managed to drag myself out and hit the road. I could feel my ankle as I started down the driveway, uh oh 😦

I did a route from my house and my mother came too. Usually she walks most of it while I run ahead, usually circling back to her again. She has been adding more running into though, nice! I was dragging today. My ankle hurt, I was tired and it was already getting hot at 9:30 in the morning. Seriously? On the upshot, I got to test my new shorts!

The run route takes us by a cemetery, up a few hills, and down a few hills. Then there are alleys to run through as well as a school, with a few more inclines. I really should be better at hills than I am.

Today’s run was very slow going, but I completed just about 5 miles. While I may wish it was faster, (a lot) it still adds to my training. 😦 I also completed the required 155 squats for the squat challenge that I started on July 1. What was I thinking? I then spent part of my day slacking and icing my ankle. The pain needs to go away.

I was planning on running a few tomorrow but I may push that back to Saturday. My town is currently being invaded by the barely controlled chaos that is the fair. BBQ, funnel cakes and carnies abound!!! I have tickets to a concert tomorrow so I am going to walk down do the fairgrounds and wander around for a couple of hours. That counts right? Ha! Maybe if I wasn’t also planning on consuming one of those afore mentioned funnel cakes. 🙂 And maybe a pretzel. Eating healthy can get back on track on Saturday too. I thought it was hilarious that Word Press chose to highlight the last picture in my last post. All that yummy, fatty goodness right up top 🙂

On a side note, I made a Facebook page for my blog. It’s just getting started but go check it out, and share something!

Frustration leads to…

After the great race on Saturday morning and the festivities later that night, I made Sunday a very lazy, slacker day. Got to say, it was very nice. 🙂 Official chip time was also announced- 57:17, hell yeah!!!!

My left ankle was fighting back on Monday so I decided to take another rest day. I figured that since I had a split volleyball schedule, I could hopefully get in at least 25 minutes of running between matches. It wouldn’t be a lot but I figured it would be an easy jaunt that would test my ankle.

I have to say that I love the camaraderie of the running community. 🙂 The majority of runners I meet are good people and they are just as excited as you are when you do well at a race. I wish I could say that holds true in a women’s volleyball league. By the end of the first match I was so frustrated I was going to scream. So I lost the knee pads, changed my shoes and ran it out. Oh and I was wearing these socks-

Perhaps running when frustrated or angry is not best idea, at least not when the goal is to take it easy. I set the timer on the Nike+ app for 25 minutes and was off. My ankle protested for about half a mile and then it was quiet, woo hoo! Brought in my first mile under 9 minutes, oops. That’s not easy. Slowed down a little and kept going.

Turns out I didn’t know the area as well I thought, got a little turned around but worked it out. Towards the end of my run, I saw a crowd a people a block ahead but thought they were just bbq’ers. Nope! It was a drug bust or probation, didn’t get close enough to read the vests. Turned around when I figured out there were about 10 cops and 3 police cars milling about. So, yeah, that’s a new one. I ended up doing shy of 3 miles in 25 minutes. So maybe running cranky is a good thing. Who knows but I’ll take it!!! And I played the next volleyball match in much better mood:)

The good thing about my training plan is the flexibility, so this week, I am adjusting my two week day runs to Tuesday and Thursday. Starting today, I am on vacation until next week, so yea for morning runs!!! Today I did a little shopping in a nearby town and came back with some new running gear. Always exciting!

I also ate my post-race reward meal this afternoon. After most every race, I go to the same restaurant and get a burger. However after Saturday’s race, scheduling made that impossible so I postponed until today. Oh so yummy 🙂

So what about everyone else? Any post-race traditions?