No Bueno

I thought that I'd be posting about the results of my first 15k, but that is not the case. I sprained my ankle yesterday, which made it impossible for me to run the race and I am pretty bummed. In fact, right now, I'd be running with B, but she's being a champ without me today.

Just after I turned 28, I busted my tailbone. Remember? The day after I turned 29, I sprained my ankle. Both incidences took place on or due to stairs and my inability to maneuver them. So I either need to avoid stairs in March or be extra, extra careful when I turn 30. I mean 29 for the second time.

I sort of wish that this injury had come with a little bit better story, but something tells me that any explaination would be embarrassing. See, what had happened was...

We got to Body Sculpt at 5:30 a.m., which means it's still pitch black outside. I dropped my stuff off on the little dock thing that we work out on, which is like a boardwalk-type contraption that opens up into a big area out over the lake (more like a pond) at the park. As I went to do my warm up lap, I couldn't see the steps that led back down to the sidewalk and I thought there were only three steps, but there were four.

I'm not sure if I realized mid-stride that I was wrong or what, but I ended up landing on my right foot and my body kept going. That's my best recollection of those quick five seconds anyway. And I was not alone, so two other people witnessed my clumsiness. Fantastic. They were really sweet about it, though. They stood with me while I tried to figure out if I was hurt and how bad it was. I wasn't bleeding and no bones were jutting out of skin, so I was going to survive.

I ended up staying through the class and just did what I could and my ankle just started to get puffier and puffier, but I am hard core, so I wasn't leaving. Ha! Actually, I just did arms and abs. I was already awake, so I figured it'd be silly to bail at that point. I knew that I wouldn't be able to make the race, though. B told me that I shouldn't get crazy and should take a rest day like the training says. I should've listened to her! Had I, I wouldn't be blogging, I'd be in Jacksonville with her right now.

It's still pretty swollen. And I hate having to use crutches. I'd rather crawl around to get where I need to go, but that's out of the question, too, because my left knee got scraped (the kind that's reminiscent of falling off your bike in elementary school). I'm a hot mess. I'm just going to have to take it easy for the next few days. Hopefully I'll be back running in a week or two. Surely it doesn't take forever to recover from a sprained ankle. Does it?

And it least it was now and not any closer to the Marine Corps Marathon. Thank heaven for small favors.

The First Time I Turned 29

I wasn't looking forward to turning 29. At all. Clearly my mom wasn't excited about it either and she didn't help things when she told me "You're old!" as she left for work at 6:30 this morning. I think I might actually like this age after all, though. If today was any indication of how the next 364 will go, I think I'll stay 29 forever.

I went for a run when I got up, but didn't get very far because it was raining. I was disappoint, but things seemed to be looking up when my hair decided to cooperate. Cooperative hair is always good. I then got a (free, except for tip!) manicure and had lunch with my dad and Papa. The day was still young, so I thought it'd be a good idea to get a pedicure to go with the manicure. My dad sprung for the pedi, but got lucky when the guys at the nail place only charged me half price since it was my birthday. Oh, and because my dad helps them out since their businesses are a few doors apart.

More people than I ever could've imagined wished me a happy birthday on facebook and via text. I also got birthday wishes in person and over the phone. I'm normally content to blen in with the crowd, but once in a while I do like the attention. Furthermore, I was pleasantly surprised by who wished me a happy birthday a few times. It could only have been better if Tom Selleck had proposed. Or Topher Grace. Topher's probably more age appropriate.

The best part of the day was easily dinner and dessert. My parents and I went to Texas Roadhouse for delicious steaks and rolls with cinnamon butter. Even though I don't really like it, some of the servers sang their birthday song to me. Why does it feel like that thing lasts for 20 minutes? When we got home, we had mini cupcakes that I picked up at Sweet! in Orlando yesterday. If you've never had their cupcakes and have the chance to, do not miss out. They are amazing.

I have been thinking about all the things that I've "accomplished" over the last year and how much I know I've grown, whether or not anyone notices or realizes. And then I started thinking about all the things that will happen while I'm 29. I think that this is going to be a really good year. By this time next year, I plan on being able to confidently say that I'm a runner. (Currently I feel like I'm 85% runner and 15% poser.) I think that running at least three races will help with that. I'd also like to be gainfully employed by then, for the record.

Basically, my plan is to enjoy every second of the end of my twenties and to continue to look like I barely got to them.

My Month

I love March. I just do. And my love for it doesn't just have to do with the fact that it's my birthday month. That should just make it more appealing to everyone else! I kid, I kid.

I love March because it's when people start breaking out their warm-weather clothes again and wearing brighter colors and when you can start going to the beach or laying out by the pool and people don't think you've either lost your marbles or just trying to rub it in their faces.

The past few days, I was working a meeting and as I sat looking outside at the pretty palm trees blowing in the wind on the golf course, I just realized "It's March!" I feel like the world just starts to look different this month. I love it. It's fresh, it's fun, Spring is well on it's way. I think the air might even smell a little different. It's also that time of year where it's warmer outside than it is inside and you feel the difference when you leave a building. It's no secret that I do not enjoy cold weather. I love it when I am inside somewhere, like the mall or movie theater, and am hit with warm air. This is the time of year when that starts.

With all this warm weather fast approaching (except for the cold front that's supposed to hit us tomorrow night), it reminds me that I need to be getting more and more serious about working out. This butterball wants to be in a bathing suit and have just one summer where she doesn't have to suck in and walk around all stiff to keep to much from jiggling for just one bathing suit season. And you ladies reading this know exactly what I'm talking about! If you don't, you're either kidding yourself or I hate you. Or both! Hehe

On a completely different note, I just read Delivering Happiness - A Path to Profits, Passion and Purpose by Tony Hsieh, the CEO of zappos.com. I'm normally a mindless chick-lit reader and I don't deviate much from that, except for the occassion biography of Church leaders or other LDS topics, but I really enjoyed it. It was an easy read, but I feel like I got a lot of good information out of it, so if you're in to that sort of reading, you'll probably like it. In fact, I sort of want to move to Louisville or Vegas to work for zappos now. Maybe I should wait until the Kool-Aid wears off a little before renting an apartment, though. I can't do anything for at least six weeks anyway.

There were A LOT of links in that last paragraph. I'm hopped up on Coca-Cola and the anticipation of birthday cupcakes. I think I have Spring Fever.

On My Mind

I have a few things on my mind right now, so this will probably go from one topic to the next with no rhyme or reason.

I was watching Holly's World a few days ago (don't judge me.) and something said to Josh, Holly's friend, by his therapist kind of struck a chord with me. His therapist told him that between 30 and 35, you tend to or are supposed to be coasting a bit in life. So your late twenties, 25-29-ish, you should be preparing to coast. It seemed to make sense to me and also let me know that I need to get it together in the next 375 days. In a lot of ways, I am getting things in order. In the employment department, it's still a work in progress. I guess when things are meant to happen and the time is right, they will.

I'm hopeful that my semi-recent interest in being more fit will help me coast through my early thirties. I've gotten together with some of the girls in my ward to run and work out. What's so praise-worthy about that is that they meet at 5:30. In the morning. It's only been two days that I've gone, but I am really liking it. Don't get me wrong, 5:00 is earlier than I've ever gotten up on purpose, even for Seminary. But if it gets my booty in better shape and gives me more motivation to train for my races, I'm all about it. Besides, when other people are there, it makes it a lot easier to do. And I'm much more inclined to stick to some sort of regiment if I think that someone is depending on me or will be questioning me about my laziness. Today, right now, for my situation right now, I'm committed. I mean, the running will have to continue because I've already paid to run the Marine Corps Marathon, so at that's going to keep me going.

The other, completely random, thing that's on my mind is Charlie Sheen. I'm hoping that by getting this out of my head that I won't think about it anymore because it's complete garbage and I have no business worrying about it. I was watching the interviews that he's done this past week and I think he's completely lost it. The thing that really bothered me, though, was his "goddesses." I didn't think it was okay with Hugh Hefner had multiple girlfriends, but it seemed to be a one-off. Now that Charlie Sheen has gone and publicly said that he has two girlfriends and they're all in love with each other and they're helping to raise his kids.

It's just disturbing to me. I may be jumping the gun, but this kind of makes me worry a bit that guys will start thinking that it's okay, or worse - that they're entitled to, carry on relationships with more than one woman simultaneously and publicly. Sure, I know that people cheat all the time and it's wrong just the same, but for it to somehow become accepted or even "cool" to do that sort of thing makes me cringe. Don't get me wrong, I don't see it happening over night, but I do worry that my own kids will have to live in a world that accepts that sort of behavior and it's just one more thing to have protect them from. I feel less sorry for the two consenting women he's involved with and more for his poor kids. He has daughters that will eventually realize what's really going on. How do you explain that to them? How do you teach them that they're worth more than that and deserve better than a guy like their own dad? It's truly sad to me.

I guess I should count my blessings that I'm not involved in any way, shape or form with them. It's just one more thing that reminds me of how blessed I am to have parents with a sense of self-worth and a conscience and morals and who taught me and my brother those things. They taught me to respect myself and to not settle for less than what I deserve and they taught my brother to respect others, women in particular.

I'm positive that this came out strange and probably isn't exactly what I'm thinking or feeling, but I'm just glad to have it out of my head.

Neck & Neck

I was already planning to participate in Disney's Marathon Weekend next January. I made that decision just after crossing the finish line of the half marathon. So it made it easy to commit to a friend of mine when she invited me to join her team for next year. The team name is Team Neck & Neck and it's to support Thyroid Cancer awareness. I'm adding a link to the website on my sidebar, too, if I can figure out how to do it properly. There's also a public event on Facebook if you want to find out more.

T asked me to put together a bio for the website and it was at that time that I realized I should figure out which race I'm running. My initial plan was to run the half again so that Coley and I could do it together; I've already talked him in to doing it. But then I will be running the Marine Corps Marathon about two months prior to Disney's weekend, so I thought maybe I should do the full one. I'm not sure if I can talk Coley in to jumping in with both feet quite yet, though. The solution to this little problem would be to do the Goofy. Run the half and the full. Called the Goofy after the dog and because people who do that are, well... goofy.

You would think that I wouldn't even be considering do that, since my run this morning was less than stellar. In fact, I almost turned around and went home a number of times. The first couple of times were because some weird guy came out of the bushes and was waving at me and he didn't look all that trustworthy. He looked like he was looking for his next victim. The other times were because I was hurting. Badly.

One way or the other, I'll be running at least one of the races. I've got plenty of time to decide which or both. Guess who else has time to decide which to do? You! I realize that there are only like two people that ever read this, but I'm here to tell you two that if I can run these kinds of races, so can you. It really is a lot of fun and this team is a great cause to run for. Actually, you don't even have to run. You just have to be able to keep a 16:30 per mile pace. That's what I constantly reminded myself of throughout the training. If I could average less than 16:30 per mile, I was golden.

If nothing else, running really tones your legs and butt. I'm still waiting on some results in the mid-section! :-)

Getting Serious

Before I ever ran the half marathon, my friend asked me if I wanted to run a 15k with her in Jacksonville in March. I said "Sure! After a half marathon, a 15k will be a breeze." My only reservation was where I might be on the weekend of the race, especially when I lost my job, but I found a training plan and tried to follow it so that I'd be prepared. With the move, the training got put on the back burner, but actually registering for the race re-inspired me. Then I worked a meeting for a week in Orlando ate like I had the best metabolism ever - which I don't, if you were wondering. Four weeks before the race. No bueno.

I knew I needed to get myself in gear and said it the entire week at the meeting. "On Monday, it's back to reality. I'm running four miles and then getting back on the training plan. I have to get a couple of good, long runs in before race day." Besides, the first few days of eating from a decent buffet and unlimited (mini-ish) desserts was fun, but started to take it's toll. By the end of the week, I was still eating everything that caught my eye, I just didn't enjoy it as much. Why did I not exercise self-control? Because that's just not an option on-site. Work a meeting and you'll see what I mean.

Thank goodness B was in town this weekend and we'd made plans to go for a run. When she said that she wanted to run the causeway, I was hesitant, but game. Her reasoning was simple and so smart. The Gate River Run ends with a bridge (on a bridge? over a bridge? whatever. there's a bridge at the end.) and she wanted to have a little practice before the big day. Thank goodness she knows these things because I do not.

So after my crazy week with lots of early mornings, I got up at 6:30 this morning to run the causeway. Let me first say that it is FAR from the intersection of Eau Gallie Boulevard and South Patrick/Riverside to the west side of the causeway. In a car, it seems like nothing, but when you're heading west on foot, it feels almost like it might not end. Perhaps I'm just not used to running straight stretches. I try to incorporate turns into my runs so that I have a change of scenery to look forward to. If not, all I can think about it how my run will never end. It must be that whole setting-short-term-goals-makes-the-long-term-goal-seem-more-doable thing. Or I have a bit of ADD.

All in all, starting and ending at Gleason Park, we ran 4.4 miles in 53 minutes. I was proud of the fact that I ran more of the "ascent" than I thought I'd be able to and I used the "descent" portion to keep running instead of taking a walking break. I might even try to find someone to run the causeway with at least once more before the race. I could definitely use the practice and it's actually kind of fun.

In other running news, the registration for the Marine Corps Marathon opens this Wednesday at noon. I will be registering as soon as I can so that I don't miss out. Hopefully I'll stop waking up in the morning thinking "What day is it?! Did I miss the registration?!"

Who have I become??? My one yucky, bruised toenail suggests a runner. Thank heaven for nail polish!

Rapid Aging

Last Friday I started a six day stint as a staff person for a meeting. I was just getting used to this whole unemployment/vacation thing only to have to get back in to work mode. Six days straight was a bit much, but I survived. Barely.

Today was the first day that I got to sleep in again, which was fan-freakin'-tastic. I also had a few errands to run at the mall before getting a much needed and anticipated haircut. I'd gotten an e-mail about the President's Day sale going on at Loft, so I thought I'd stop in to see if I could pick up a shirt or something.

When I was checking out, the girl at the register asked if I wanted to give my e-mail address. I told her that I already got the e-mails, but she said they were updating them, so I gave it to her again. (I really need the daily e-mails letting me know of the new arrivals and sales.) After she finished typing it, she said "82 (part of my e-mail address)... Is that when you graduated or something?" I was floored! I said "Graduated?! Um, no. When I was born." Then she simply said "Oh." as though she was just slightly off the mark. Like "Did you graduate from high school in 82?" and I said "No, college." I really thought she would come back with something along the lines of "How silly of me! Of course you couldn't have graduated in 1982!" Not even close.

I then said "Do I look old enough to have graduated in '82?" And she just said no, as if my question were completely ridiculous. So I said "I know it's been a long, rough week, but I didn't realize that I looked that bad." And she just said "'82... that would make you even older than me." For the record, she looked like she was easily 45, so it wasn't like she was a young college-age girl.

The fact that she never even attempted to recover from this blunder just blew me away. It's almost as if she had no idea how insane her question was. Ever since I moved back home, I've had countless people ask me if I am getting ready to go off to college or if I just graduated from college. Before today, I couldn't get people to believe I'm almost 22, much less almost 29, if I tried! People think my brother is older than me! Yet I have somehow managed to age 30 years in the last week.

The meeting was no walk in the park, but evidently it took more of a toll on me than I thought. Thank goodness I've got a few days off now to recover. Apparently I need it. And some anti-aging cream.