Walk Don't Run?

Brad was out working the other evening, and I was being a slug.  Actually, I was slugging through a bunch of magazines I hadn't touched except to put them on the coffee table.  I made progress, went through a number of them, and sent most to the bin (the recycling bin).

But I kept one, June's copy of MORE, for an article on walking (in my mind I'm adding "versus running").  I'm now in week 5 (again) of the Couch to 5K program.  I do it all on my treadmill because 1) it's hot, 2) there's no timer on the sidewalk, 3) no dreaded shin splints, and 4) no one, and I mean no one, needs to see me run.

Can I tell you (again)?  I hate running.  I loathe it.  I despise it.  I like to be able to say, "Oh, when I was running this morning," and the other day someone told me I have "runner's legs," when she saw a very hazy photo of me in shorts.  It's GREAT to have run, to check off the days that I do with a satisfied line through it...run, but I don't like doing it when I'm doing it--I feel like I may die with every step.  And I'm only at nine minutes of running.  So this article about walking really captured my attention.

The cache of being a runner would be removed from my life.  Okay, not many people even knew I was doing this again.  But I don't want to run any more 5K's, I just wanted to be able to run 5K.

This information is making me rethink that want:

"When you walk, muscles have to generate energy for every step. In running, you're temporarily airborne, and you fall onto your leg which acts like a spring...Even at speeds above 4 or 5 mph, walking is much easier on the joints than running is."

Did you catch that mph?  Four or 5.  Today I walked at 4-4.2, and I was able to get through it more pleasantly than the running I did at 4.4 for nine minutes the other day.  And, though my lungs and heart seemed to stay in place, my legs did feel it more.   The idea of walking 5 mph blows me away, but right now I'm happy with working on getting a good walk on at 4.4 (my running speed).

Am I ready to give up running?  I just may be.

I could aim to better my time, in time, by walking.

Here's the link to the walking plan.

I Wouldn't Call Myself a Runner, Yet

    To benefit sick kids with an "orphan disease."

     Back about six years ago, I decided to train for my church's spring 5K.  Non-athletic me, I couldn't even run from one house to another in my subdivision, so I decided to start inside.  I jumped rope many mornings from November to February to build stamina, and then in February I started running outside in the dark early mornings or dark early evenings. 
     I took me a while, but I got up to three miles on pavement in the dark and cold.
     Less than a week before the April race, I got a stomach bug.  Still wiped out on race day, I ran some and walked some.  It was hot, it was daylight, and I was weak.  I found I wasn't up for running after that.
     Bounce ahead a few years to when Brad and I acquired our treadmill, and I acquired another decade.  I decided last summer, 2010, to try running.  I used the Couch to 5K program, got to 5K, and then school got the better of me.
     Disgusted with my couch potato life, I decided this summer to again do the C25K program, or at least a version of it, with the date of October 2nd in my head.  A run/walk to benefit the Histiocytosis Foundation.  One of our students has just started his fifth remission year, free of this cancer like disease.
     Here's what I learned yesterday.  Running on a treadmill watching lame, distracting TV is much easier than running on hard pavement hopping curbs, assessing tilted walkways, avoiding walkers, and being grossed out by spit bombs.  My shins hurt before I reached half a mile.  Though I used to love running in the cold, I hadn't yet run anywhere but my basement, and the 40 degree morning hurt my lungs.
     Verdict?  My body wasn't ready.  I walked much more than I ran.  I walked about as fast as I run.
     I am not a runner yet.
     Solution?  Keep working on the treadmill.  Do some real rope jumping (on cement).  Run outside on weekend mornings in the daytime until the snow falls (ours is not a safe neighborhood to run through in the dark--mostly due to traffic).  Sign up for another 5K.
     I have a healthy body. It's essential to push.

Horace and Then Some

     It's Friday, and even though it's summer, I'm fragmented.  But it's a good kind of fragmented.  It's summer, so what's there to complain about?  Except that it's going by way too fast.

~~On Monday morning, we had a ridiculously strong thunderstorm.  It sounded like the siding was blowing off the house.  Instead, a baby robin blew out of a tree in our little yard.  I didn't find him until Tuesday.  My neighbor showed me how to feed him, and I believe we saved his life. On Wednesday I fed him again and named him Horace.  His mom started taking care of him later that day, and he just may make it.  Here's what he looked like when I first found him:

~~Mom flies away any time we go near our patio window, so here's a view from our upstairs office window of her and the plate of mushy bread plus two worms from my compost bin. Can you see her?  She's the big lump on the left.  (Plush green grass, eh?)

~~We're having a party on Sunday because Mac is home.  I bought these plates at  Dollar Tree.  I love Dollar Tree, the only store where everything is a dollar.  I figure, to be green and eventually frugal, I'd spend the $36 to get these and never have to buy paper or plastic plates for a party again!  (Local?  Feel free to borrow them.)

~~Napkins are paper though.

~~Plates (check), napkins (check), know what I'm wearing (check), not much food purchased  but some planned.  Brad's cleaning the house, love that, so as soon as I hit "publish post," it's party planning time.

~~Mac brought his girlfriend Anneke (like Monica without the M) home.  She brought me a hostess gift, wrapped in repurposed paper (love that).  It's an apron she made.   Of course Mac had to tell her I don't like seafood, and these are Louisiana crawfish, but I think it's so sweet!  (I thought they were lobsters.)

~~My friend Andi is working on obtaining a grant.  Andi taught at our school for two years, read at my wedding (explains the photo), and since moving districts has been doing a different job in a different school every school year since fall of 2007. She's worked in two different schools each day, taught two different grade levels, and she's done a stellar job!  She's had more flexibility than this ol' gal ever could find.  This year she's going back to school from a maternity break to another new position, a 4/5 split!

     Please click on this link and search her by author name (Andrea Peterson) to vote for her grant proposal.

~~Last night I posted a running question on facebook. I've been getting stitches and wanted to know how to avoid them.  This morning I woke to such great advice from about a dozen runners.  I love my friends.  I went with a banana and some of this juice for breakfast, waited 20 minutes to run, and...no stitches!  Not only that, I ran two miles and ran non-stop for 30 minutes.  This is better than I've done in this new attempt at reaching a 5K.  So I am so pleased.  A nanner a day...

~~Here's one of my next projects?  Can you tell what it is meant to be once finished?

~~I seriously love the dollar store.  Specifically, as stated above, Dollar Tree.  I found these DVD's for Brad's grandkids. Bible stories and praise songs.  And I like the cardboard sleeve versus the plastic case.  Can't wait to get them in the mail!  (Should we send them all at once or one every other week or so?)

~~A realization hit me this week as I was discussing sewing with Little Lizard King.  I realized I liked completing my simple little tote project, and hope to sew another project, because I finished it.
     In my job, I don't really and truly finish anything tangible.  We get through things, I spend precious time with my kids, then I send them on their way, so I don't ever feel like I have a finished product.
     Perhaps sewing will keep me from teacher burn out?

~~Thanks to Mrs. 4444 for allowing me, once again, to spill.

Off My Game

Like I have game!  (How dated is that expression?)

This week brought the end of the school year, yay!

And, a pretty fierce bronchial cold.  Boo!

It also brought a panini maker (via Amazon.com and UPS) because..."I like sandwiches."

So far, my one panini attempt looked more like Wile E. Coyote after he was smooshed by an Acme truck or looked like me after I slept for about 36 hours straight (almost asked Brad take a picture, my hair was hilarious...)

sort of a source

I don't know if the 36 hour nap was due to the cold or due to my job exhausting me--and me finally giving into that exhaustion.  It's kind of a chicken or egg question.

My summer starts...NOW!

Friends coming to knit today.  I admire their talents so much, and I'll never catch up, but I still  hope to become a:

image stolen from cafe press

I'm making an orange bundt cake for them.  Because to knit, we must nosh.

Starting to look for things to make for Mac's party when he comes home mid-July.  These are on my list:

Paula Deen's cake balls

Suffice it to say we won't be making paninis...

In the past four days I've read two books, neither worth mentioning.  Meh to both.

Apparently, I definitely believe in "feeding a cold." I have eaten way too much the past four days.  Eep!  Can't wait to get back on the treadmill.

Yesterday, the cute young doctor on The Doctors said the way to lose more weight is to up one's speed, "Like on the treadmill run at 10 mph!"  Ten?  I barely can make a run at 4 mph.  Slow runners club member, I am, perhaps for life...(And this week I haven't done any running at all.  Can't wait, truly, to get back to it.)

photo source

I did not select a shirtless photo for any lustful reasons, it's the first one that I came across that was from a the show's site, not some random blogger's...

Which reminds me. It's that time of year to tell all men, "Just because it's legal for you to go shirtless, doesn't mean it's a good idea."  Thank you.

This came in the mail from Erin at Unrepeatables:  

 With a surprise...

Can I tell you how fun it was to lie in bed and snap ring pictures?  They're such fun, she makes them using nail polish. 

I'm feeling less fragmented, but I thank Mrs. 4444 for allowing me to make a list of the pieces of my week!

Bits and Pieces aka Fragments

So...I've been running.  And lately I've been sweating.  To keep that burning liquid out of my eyes, I bought this:

Yep, a moisture wicking headband that reads "Slow Runners Club."  I may be the only member, but I'm a proud one! Thanks to Beth Zimmerman and her share.  If I decide to hate running, I'm going to have to continue since I've made a fashion (!) investment now.

The kids have to come to school on Monday for the last day.  That's just dumb.  (We have to go on Tuesday for a half day.)

I have enjoyed each blog comment I received this week.  I blog to converse, and people have been "talking."  I don't have a lot of readers, but I do have a lot of "conversers."  Apparently, that's a made up word...

Edy's Berry Sherbet...the best sherbet there is.  (Or if you're from around here, you probably say, "sherbert.")

The vice I told about last week, without really telling you about it, well I've been successful at avoiding it for 8 days now. Woo hoo!  Thanks for your prayers.

My husband put together some storage shelves in the basement. On them he stored all the tools he's been working with in the kitchen and living room for over a month now.  The room is done.   I see the above Woo hoo and raise it with another!

I'm gearing up to give blood tomorrow.  That means iron pills, broccoli, red meat and lots of water.  I usually have to pee about eight times before giving.  The hydration helps the techs find my veins.  As soon as they pull a pint, I'm off to the john again.  Then it's time for Gatorade and cookies!

I wore what I thought as the cutest dress to a shower last week, and I didn't get one compliment.  (Shallow, I know.)  Then at church that night, a pastor's wife chased me down to tell me she loved my dress.  I was so pleased.  (Shallower, perhaps?)

Now for some real pieces, I came across a blog, Knit by God's Hand, written by Rebecca Jo only a few weeks back and we blog-bonded. (Let's see, she's a believer, she knits and she runs.  Not sure why we like each other.)  I added her to our "Dose of Fiber" group on facebook because she knits (far away in Indiana so she can't come to knit and nosh with us), and she sent these two rectangles for our group project.  The photo does NOT do them justice, they're a lovely cornflower blue.

I found this pencil on the floor at school the other day.  It's perfect, can you tell what it says?

Yep, He loves me even though I'm shallow, sweaty, run slow, don't always think the nicest things (my vice thing), and eat too much sherbet.

Thanks Mrs. 4444

A mix of Random and Randumb

Have you seen the show Dresscue Me on Planet Green?  Such fun!  I love dresses and would wear them year 'round if there wasn't such a thing as a temp below 50.  This is the host and store owner, Shareen Mitchell.  Love her, don't always like her, but the green way she shops and redesigns blows my mind!  (I watch her On Demand.)

 source

 

A facebook friend turned me onto an OPI color line for the holidays:  Muppets!  

My friend Erin of Unrepeatables shared the news of  The Muppets collection  She makes the coolest rings from nail polish, check her out on facebook or etsy.  (She's way into polish, can you tell?)

 I found this at cafepress and it cracked me up.  Can't get it as a T though, just don't want people reading my chest, you know?

source

I do also want to learn to crochet.

Um, and #3 is a lie.

Last week I wrote about my favorite sandwich, mozzarella and tomato from Panera.  I crave them like a pregnant lady.  Anyway, this is how NOT Martha Stewart I am, as you well know, it took me a while to realize I could make my own.  Hello, it's a sandwich.

And mine was pretty good!

I don't know why the font size changes below, I went nuts trying to fix it, but blogger weirded out on me...

Lame duck alert!  

We have, including today, five more days of school. Report cards are done. We're sort of just hanging out, doing some fun stuff and waiting for summer. There's a talent show today, we're walking to the Elder Day Center tomorrow, the founder of A to Z is coming to meet the kids on Thursday, and on Friday we're having a picnic.  Something tells me it will all fly by and I'll be missing my kids...

source

(More about this after she speaks with the kids!)

Thanks to a great amount of encouragement, I have gotten up to 26 minutes of running, a personal best for me.  Couch to 5K got me started, and now I'm just adding a minute each run--and I'm only running every other day.

Happy me! Thankful for encouraging friends and a healthy body; I offer that thanks to God each morning.

Now I just have to find a way to keep the sweat out of my eyes.  Even in the basement it's hot and humid!

Friday, Friday, Friday oh Friday...and I'm splintered...fragmented even

•  Have you seen the commercial where the taste buds are clamoring for Snickers ice cream? I get the idea of wanting ice cream and of cheering for ice cream.  But if taste buds can emote, can cellulite cells?  Are they thigh high and cowering in fear every time our buds have a pep rally? 

• Also,while I'm thinking of commercials did you see the one for Memorial Day at Sears where the guy opens his smokin' briefcase and it's actually a barbecue grill?  The fine print reads, "Do not attempt."  Seriously, someone had to tell me this was not a good thing to try out?

• I certainly don't get blog posts that are made up solely of photos borrowed from pinterest.  What's that all about?  I know, I know I'm a curmudgeon.  Give me a year and I'll catch up to what's cool. That's how long it usually takes me.  I am so not cutting edge. 

• In effort to be more Web savvy I asked to be invited to pinterest; I was accepted (phew, don't they know how uncool I am?) and now I'm really confused.  A place to share pictures, okay, but then people share those same pictures on their blogs?  Picture me my eyebrows furrowed, I'm lost!(Should I post a photo of that?)

• I only directly linked one video to this post because I can't very well be critical of people who post only pinterest pictures when I'm only posting youtube vids.  How hypocritical would that be?

• Answer?  VERY!

• My favorite sandwich of late, Panera's mozzarella and tomato panini. (But I've never had one this obviously cheesy.)

• My complaint of late, over air-conditioning.  I'm just getting used to being not cold and I'm now cold.  Inside.

• Vandy shared a term I plan on using all summer and beyond, "TABs," tasty adult beverages.  I'm a lightweight, one drink is enough, and it helps that my husband never drinks so I'm always safe with that one, but I do like them tasty!

• My "to do" list for this summer is growing, and I couldn't be more excited!  Now to stay on a schedule and get things done: tutoring two days, running, hill climbing, Christmas crafts, new recipes (any recipe is a new recipe to this gal), some sewing (eep), learning to crochet...can't wait! 

• I have gone cold turkey on a vice this week, I'm not going to share here what it is, but it's better that I completely avoid it.  So if you could pray for me, join me in prayer for this one, I'd love it--and God will know what you're talking about!  (It's nothing that was illegal, unhealthy or immoral, I promise you, just something that wasn't good for me emotionally.)

Mrs. 4444, I thank you for hosting Friday Fragments, it's my mini-therapy

Glad to be real:

Also hopping here...

What color is your pom-pon?

     On Tuesday I asked for cheering on as I continued to work toward my goal of running 5K.  Specifically, I needed a push to get to the 20 minute mark of running.  A number of my blogworld friends offered encouragement, and each kind word meant so much to me! 

     Yesterday I woke eager (how weird is that?) to run and I felt buoyed by my friends' thoughtfulness.  I got on the treadmill, turned on 18 Kids and Counting, an episode in which Jim Bob nearly "dies" running a mile, and I ran.  I ran for 24 minutes! (With Jim Bob Duggar as the wind beneath my wings...)
     Keep shaking ladies, keep cheering!  I will be thankful to God and for you!

Suddenly Tuesday

I'm so not with it as far as random goes, today is catching me by surprise, but here's the minutiae that comes to mind:

Random grad student shtuff: The folks at LSU sent me a parking pass!  Aren't I lucky?  Actually, they sent it to Mac at his home address here in IL.  Hm, should I keep it?

Random Dose of Fiber shtuff:  I'm learning how to knit.  It's slow going.  Yesterday I got together with my girls, my Dose of Fiber girls, and we laid out the blanket we're working on for Warm-Up America and Ronald McDonald House. 

It's going to look great.  

We have 24.5 completed rectangles (note the skein in photo below), and we need 49.

Random explanation shtuff:  Why do I always say I'm "learning" to knit when I've been at it for more than a year now?  My rectangle, my only one so far, is the baby blue one in the first position second row from the bottom.  Can you say "simple"?  I knew you could.  Very. Slow. Going.

Random winter accessory on the first sundress day of the season shtuff:  Helen, group member and friend, gave me this scarf, and since it matched my dress, I wore it while I stitched and ate cook-out food.

Neato slip-knot feature!

Goes so well with the tank top, tank dress and love beads, eh?

Gorgeous colors. Next I learn to crochet!

Random Fashion Note:  As mentioned above, it was warm enough to wear a sundress yesterday!!

Random Run Ellie, Run shtuff:  Can you believe no one from Couch to 5K reads my blog, and therefore no one responded to the open letter I posted here?  Anyway, I tried the 20 minute thing on day three of last week, and it wasn't working.  But...I am happy to say I have decided to continue to push myself to goals I think I can reach. Yesterday, I ran 9 minutes, walked 4, and ran 15.  And it felt GOOD!  So I'm sure 20 is coming very, very soon.  And that after that, 21, 22, 23...you get the picture.  Feel free to cheer me on, I need it.  Any color poms will do...

Random Shocking Shtuff:  On Saturday, we attended a surprise 50th birthday party for my friend Gail.  Was  she surprised?  You be the judge...I believe her mouth may still be hanging open!

For more random thoughts, run over to visit Stacy...

An Open Letter

Dear Couch to 5k,
     Just like many a new relationship, you sucked me in with the easiness of little joyous moments.  A walk here, a run there, no stress, just happiness.  And then, too deep into you to turn back, AKA week 5, you switched gears on me.  You became demanding.  From five minutes to eight?
     I avoided your "day two" until last night, should have met with you in the morning, but that 8, that 8 was too daunting.  Avoided you until after nightfall, when I climbed on the treadmill and started going.  My feet hurt, my lungs burned, but I got through the first 8.  The walk saved me.  Then the next 8 came.  I swear on all that is pop culture, if the men of Idol hadn't performed their little hearts out with a Tom Jones medley just then, I may have given up.  But they did, and it was bouncy and corny enough to keep me going, and then the old geezer himself came out all gray and tan and suave, and I was distracted enough to, well, run.
     So there.  You thought you had me, but I. Had. You.
     Kicked your 8 minute butt with my stodgy ol' gal running.
     Now, can someone tell me how to make the next jump?  Tomorrow, "day three," I'm meant to run for 20.  Twenty.  My orthotics are already weeping.  Can I flunk this week and start it again?  Take an incomplete and repeat?  Bask in the glow of the 8 before I'm slammed with the 20?
     I am not an athlete, but I want to be a runner.
With love and fear,
ellie