"If there's a prize for rotten judgment, I guess I've already won that"

Note to self: Blogging inspiration may strike, but doing it while tired probably isn't the greatest idea. Hence the title coming from a Disney song.
"I Won't Say (I'm in Love)" from Hercules, if you hadn't figured it out.

And yet I can guarantee it will happen again.
Nothing says dedication like writing a blog and then dozing off in the middle of a sentence, right?

DH and I got up today and, after seeing my dad for a little bit (me getting the usual Holiday Barbie of the year, DH getting a tie chain, my dad getting some landscaping gloves and heavy work gloves) before he and his go out of town, I felt it: the inspiration to run. The desire to run.

Granted, I felt it a little last night, but I've been so tired lately that it just wasn't gonna happen.

So I got up, got ready... Realized I hadn't eaten at ALL, despite having been up for a couple hours already (see: not good), had a bagel thin with peanut butter, digested for a little bit... And I ran :)

I don't know what it was today, but hitting that 4.01 miles on the treadmill (yes, that "dreaded" thing for some people - I rather like it)... It wasn't bad. Really. Considering my last run was 2 weeks ago and I don't think I even made it to 3 miles, and before that I think it had really been over a month... It was pretty dang good.

I keep telling myself to not be disappointed, that 13.1 will come sooner than I know it - and it will, as long as I keep working toward it.

It has come to my attention that, with the exception of a few months ago where I hit somewhere around... Honestly, I don't remember. According to my watch it was 6.79 miles, so in reality it was probably between 6.25-6.5 miles?? But basically I'm normally somewhere around 4-4.5 miles, on average.
I think maybe part of it is related to the training program I've been using, seeing as when I hit the 6+ miles I was also doing the longest run of the current program.

By the way, I don't regret these compression calf sleeves. Not for a minute. It's been a couple weeks, so I was expecting a little bit of the awful itchy leg... Nope. Not a bit. I am so psyched about these sleeves that I would love to go get another pair, but for now I'm going to see how these shape up.

Bonus for the day: The hubs will be running with me quite a bit more in the future, starting tonight :)

Cross your fingers I don't fall out in that run! (Kidding! Well, sort of)

Oh, dear, Nike+

They weren't lying on the packaging/website for this watch that the watch gives you a message when you haven't run for a while.
I woke up this morning, looked at it, and it said something like "Are we running today?"

Better yet, I wouldn't have been able to see the clock on it until I hit "ok". Oh goodness :)
After I hit "ok" the next message was "Looking forward to it!"

I really wish I'd taken a picture of it. It was certainly something else.

I've got plans to run after work.
Looking forward to it.

I am... Making a change

"If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always gotten."

I don't know who originally said that, or when I first heard it, but I know when I first *remember* hearing it. I was a freshman in high school and, of all the people to say it, I heard it from my choir director. And let's be clear: such a statement goes with more than just learning how to read the music and sing what's on the page correctly.

Becoming a runner hasn't been the easiest journey ever. It was easy enough to make the decision that it was something that I wanted to do, and having it as a goal that I want to keep is pretty simple... But often the consistency just fails me.

I also realize that I, like many people, tend to do better when supported by others, and especially when I have the opportunity to run (or exercise in general) with somebody else. Often that's what's missing - not the support, but having someone there who's along for the ride (and hopefully enjoying it). Of course, I have yet to transition to running outdoors. I'm sure that a change of scenery would be good, but I'm just not to that point yet.

That said, I did make a change regarding getting a small piece of gear that will help encourage me, and keep track of what I'm doing in addition to the app(s) that I use for training as far as the run-walk-run progression.

I posted previously that I'd purchased the Motorola MOTOACTV. Well, in the end it really wasn't the watch for me. It just didn't feel... Right. So last night, after owning the MOTOACTV for less than a day, I returned it. I ended up getting the Nike+ SportWatch GPS, and this is a transition that I am MUCH happier with. I'm glad I decided to change it up, and I am super excited to use it!

Plan: Running after work today. It may very well end up being a solo run, but if this is a change I want to make for myself then I need to hold myself accountable, huh?

Here's to making a change!

(and yes, this is my wonderfully bright Nike+ SportWatch GPS, with a horribly wrong date/time that I finally got set up correctly!)

"If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always gotten."

I am... A Runner.

It's been far too long since I've posted, so I figured I'd post about some changes in my life :)
I can't for the life of me remember if I talked about getting into running before, but I have finally, well, *gotten* into running! It's a very new and exciting change for me, as I was always the kid who said she couldn't run. I was slow, I was out of breath, I just couldn't do more than a quick jog or sprint...

But I'm happy to say that, with the help of the 5k Runner iPhone app (HeavyDuty Apps) I have gotten to the point where I can do a 5k. I may be slow as hell (approx. a 13-minute mile) but I can be consistent at my speed. I may not be too happy with myself at the end of such a run, but I'm amazed with myself and super excited. And proud. And happy. Exhausted, but feeling awesome.

Next month DH and I will do the Jones Bros. 5K-ake Challenge... You have to eat a mini cupcake every mile before they let you continue! Am I a freak for being excited for this? Haha

And now I'm continuing on through their 10k program (6.2 miles) and then I'll continue through the 21k program (13.1 miles AKA a half marathon).
I'm training with one of my best friends for Disney's Princess Half Marathon Weekend. It's the weekend of February 23 next year (2013). And I'm excited.

Nervous and terrified, because what if I don't finish? What about everybody else, when most of the people have probably been running longer than I have (6-7 months)? What if I'm the slowest?

There's a whole lot of concern there, but I'm chucking it off of my list with a few simple things:
1) I want to do this run. Absolutely.
2) I want to dress up for this run. Yes, I said dress up for it. I'm totally going to dress up as a Disney princess (Tiana, who else? She's awesome!) and my friend and running mate will be Belle... Now if only our other friend would do it... She could be Rapunzel! Lol
3) I want to be able to say I can do it. Too many people spend their time doubting others, and that's part of it. But mostly I want to prove it to myself. To say that I can do it, and know that I'm RIGHT. Sure, it'd be nice to impress other people... But I didn't make this change in my life to impress others. I made it for ME :)

That said, I've got plenty of time to train for the half... I'm just striving for some consistency.

Last night DH and I went to Best Buy and I actually got a GPS running watch. It was a somewhat terrifying commitment to make ($150 for a watch?!) but one that I knew I wanted to make. I ended up with the Motorola MOTOACTVotoactv, which was on sale for $100 off.
Yes, you read that right.

However, after much debating, I think I may exchange it for the Nike+ GPS SportWatch. They're both great and they both have pros and cons, but I'm concerned about battery life. I've read numerous reviews that say the MOTOACTV is amazing, but that the battery drains quickly. It's not waterproof - not like I'll be running in the rain NOW, and I definitely don't plan to go swimming in it, but some races go on rain or shine. That concerns me, and makes me wonder about the stability of it when it comes to sweat.

I may be female, but when I get running for a long period of time, I SWEAT. No shame, but I don't want to have to worry about that.

It's amazing that this thing comes with a music player, but it's a music player I don't need. I just need a watch with GPS that can track my runs.

And then the vanity aspect... I've always preferred smaller watches. Don't get me wrong, it's an awesome watch... But now I'm thinking it may not be for me.

Both watches have a heart rate monitor and count calories, and can work indoors and out... And like running, I want to make sure I make the best choice for me.
So today? I'm going to test out this watch, wear it and test the comfort...

And see if this watch really makes me tick.

Pun intended ;)

(included is a shot of my new Motorola MOTOACTV)