Tri-ing Not To Freak Out

Are you aware that my first ever triathlon is in less than two weeks? Uhm yeah, it kind of snuck up on me too. I am in general, fit, so I am hoping that just somehow miraculously carries me trough this gig... but I fear I may be, as they say, tri-screwed. Okay nobody says that, but I am saying it now.

The ironic part of this triathlon thing is where and when it all began. When I was young (say 12) I wanted to win things. I was super competitive. I was on various local sports team, including a swim team. I should note, I am from a very small town - where everyone gets to participate and everyone is told they are wonderful. It's nicknamed the Village Beautiful for crying out loud. So, in this village I road my bike to soccer camps and swam laps at an amazing Olympic-sized indoor pool. The pool, belong to the local prestigious college; I used to stare up at the wall of records and think that I was only a few minutes off so I must be amazing. I should also note that I ate breakfast every Sunday at my grandmothers a few feet away from an Olympic silver medal and world champion plaque. No, not in swimming - in wrestling and it belonged to my late grandfather whom I never met. But when you grow up with that being normal wall hangings - you think swimming once a week on a local swim team is going to get you to the Olympics. I mean, it's practically your birthright. Of course, it wasn't my right and I dropped off the swim team at age 13 when I was way too self-conscious to continue wearing a bathing suit for the world (or seven swim spectators) to see. But, before this tragic turn into the fully-clothed sullen teen, I decided that I could become more than just a swimmer, I could bike too, after-all  (I did bike to soccer camp three whole miles away all those summers) - so I must be destined to be a triathlete - the most elite of athletes. The only issue was I hated to run, but one day if ever got good enough to just be able to complete the run, surely my superior swim and bike skills would carry me through to the podium.

This is ironic, like I said, because here I am ten days out to my first triathlon and I am very prepared for the stinking run portion - and very unprepared for the swim and bike. Oh to be 12 again and be so sure I had those two in the bag...or tri-kit, if you will.

Let's take a swim (400m), bike (11.4miles) and run (5k) through my tri-xiety...

My first fear has everything to do with the costume changes. I believe the tri-people call this a "transition" using their "tri-kits" - so not exactly a costume change, but eh, details. I'll admit, a giant chunk of the anxiety surrounding my tri is that I have no idea what I am going to wear. Which for me, at less than two weeks to go, is utterly uncalled for. I already know exactly what I am wearing for a half-marathon, which is four weeks away. So the fact that I don't have my outfit literally laid out is a cry for help. Help. A tri-kit is all the stuff you need for your transitions from swim to bike and bike to run. FYI, if you want to get really freaked out Google tri kits and see some of the images that show up and make you feel instantly "oh shit what am I doing".

Ok - looks reasonable...

...ok, getting a little intense

Holy hell are we also filming with Bear Grylls?

I will show up ready to go for the swim - and since I am rookie and this is a pool swim not ocean or rivah, I will be donning a simple one-piece training swim suit. Not my best look but it'll have do the trick. I thought about getting an actual tri-suit and taking about the guess work of what to wear when and just keep on the suit for the while thing but they are expensive - and I have no intentions of needing to use it again (famous last words) and they are mostly made for swimming in open water - not clorine like my tri is, so I skipped the tri-suit. Another added bonus of not having a proper trisuit is that I want to look like a rookie. That way when I make a fool of myself people will know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the reason is that I am NEW. I may even make a shirt that say's "first-trimer" or something else equally obvious; I will own this Rookie thing.

What I am swimming in...

What I wish I was swimming/biking/running in...

Shirt I might have to make/wear to let everyone know I am clueless - but I suspect my performance will let them know pretty darn quick...

Literally my next fear comes in with a splash because with this triathlon is a pool swim, we have to give our projected pool swim times in order to get seeded. You swim in lanes so timing is important because passing won't be an option. I've timed my 400 time and just submitted it this morning but I (my adult self, clearly not my 12 y/o Olympic bound self) tend to be someone who greatly underestimates their averages and abilities. If I do this, like I normally do, I will be swimming slower than I want with no option to pass. But, if I over-estimate and assume that race-adrenaline kicks in (like it always does for me) and put a time faster than I currently swim - what if I am wrong? And no adrenaline kicks in and I am as slow as I am right now in a pool by myself? I'll be holding everyone up. Tri-stressful.

Once I am out of the pool I'll head to my bike - which is housing all sorts of fears. First, costume change number one. I think I am just going to pull on tiny spandex bike shorts over my Speedo-esque bathing suit and call it a day. Seems logical right? Second, I haven't trained for biking - at all. And I not stretching the truth - I mean I haven't trained at all. My entire bike ride will be banking on two slightly ridiculous theories: One, I spin a lot - so fitness wise I should technically be able to bike and; Two, I run a lot (including 11 miles just a few days ago) - so fitness wise I should technically be able to bike 11.4 miles. Yeah, I am serious. Neither of these have much, if anything, to do with getting my ass on a moving bicycle. Other issues which are bike related include but are not limited to the fact that I have yet to make a few changes to my bike that I wanted to do months ago. I need to put on foot cages (I believe spin and bike people call these "stirrups" but if anyone else can hear that word and not think 'gynecologist' all the power to you - I myself, will call them foot cages). I don't have snap-ins or whatever they call them because again, big fat rookie. I also need to add a water bottle holder - yup don't even that! And I need to make a minor handlebar adjustment because it's not quite at the right angle I want it at. Wtf, ten days to til 'go'.

Finally I'll get to my new found comfort zone of running. I think I just ditch the bike and stay dressed as is - unless I take a few extra seconds to yank on a sparkle skirt - which is entirely likely since at this point I wont be worried about seconds or even minutes wasted.  It's only a 5k. On paper I should be fine. But once again, my lack of training will come into play big time since I have yet to string all three disciplines together in order on the same day and seen how they affect me. Awesome. Running a 5K after swimming 400m and biking 11.4 miles may not feel like a only a 5k... it may feel more like a if only I had trained more...

It's not that I meant to be this unprepared but I simply don't have to the time watching to two kids all day to do all three. My gym has running and biking and childcare, but no swimming. My recreation center has swimming but no childcare. I could have trained harder (okay even a little) on the bike but that would have meant sacrificing my me-only-time away from my runs. And I needed to get my runs in for the half I am in a few weeks. Oh see, the list is endless of reasons I am where I am. But here I am. I will "tri" my best and when that doesn't pan out I will wave my rookie flag like no other and take selfies and just pretend this was being done on a dare and not on the fulfillment of a 12 year olds goal to be amazing some day.

@runliferunlove

The Ten Things...About Being 35 and a Mother Runner

Disclaimer - For those of you who are 40+: You have every right to say all that I write below is wrong. You've been here, you know. Those of you who are -30: You have no right to say all that I write below is right. You'll get here, but you don't know yet. Everybody in the sweet spot (for this article only, we are all of course spot on sweet, in general) of 30-40, nod along and tell me I am not alone. 

At first glance this is simply how my name appears in a list of race results. 

Sara W. - F  35 - 49:46 

As most runners, my birthday this year (6 months ago, in December) was a marque year. It was so because I was moving up into a new "age bracket". Gone were the runs of 30-34 and into 35-39 I went. My first "new category" run was in February, two months into my "new age". I was kind of excited and even took a picture of my bib marking the glaring new '35' for all to see. 

But heres the thing about rising in age brackets in running: You may think "well if you went up a bracket you must really be able to smoke the crowd now". Negative ghost runner. Those who are still along for the race - are pretty damn good. Think about it - if you're still on this road battling aches and injuries than you must love this. And love often equals good-at. For the most part you stay where you were and don't all of sudden put in top 10 finishes. It's not like you plopped into this category with the legs of a 20 year old - you got older too, remember? 

Ok - back to my point: Sara W. - F  35 - 49:46. I keep looking at that and after six months of 35 year old running - all I see now is F35. As in Eff 35 or to put it even more clearly; F*ck 35. Yup. I have had some hardships in my life and family and in the deep end I take NO birthday for granted, but in the shallow end of the pool - this particular age has hit me rather hard. And here are a few - ok ten - reasons why:

1. I joined a gym and gained weight. I was never a gym person. I blame the fact that I played organized sports my whole childhood through college, so I never had time nor needed to go to the gym. While other 20 year olds were getting their stairstepper on and familiarizing themselves with gymetiquette, I was getting ridiculed for stinky shin guards in the dorm and Bending it like Beckham (ok, not really the second, that is really hard to do, but the first is true - they even got thrown out once by a really pissed off hallmate). Yet at 34 and 3/4 months, I decided my workout needed an upgrade (and my hamstrings needed relief from pushing a double stroller) so I joined a gym. I was working out more than my previous months and adding more variety - but I gained weight. 

At first, I thought maybe it was the fact that not all hours I was at the gym were being spent working out, exactly. They do have a nice locker room, ladies mat area, and high top tables... I may have added in some chat time instead of squat time. A second guess was that because I my body joined a gym my brain thought we joined an all you can eat club with it. Both may have resulted in a few of the l-b's I put on - but not all of them. 

The real culprit, I swear, was the change in metabolism. I've never been the biggest or smallest chick in a room; I am pretty darn average (short sure, but average weight). I also ate whatever I wanted whenever wanted. I knew I could have eaten less or better and been skinier but I always thought why bother? I workout and I am skinny enough and definitely strong - so it's all good. Well hello 35. Instantly I can't eat what I want when I want it. I finally understand why people glared at me on me on my third piece of cake at a kids birthday party. I used to just eat it and run it off. Now that cake just sits on my ass saying hello to it's muffin friends. Ugh, I have to actually watch what I eat. I am not going to go so far as to say diet yet because I hate that word - but watch sure. It's like a storm - we're at a "diet watch" level hoping not to have to increase it to a "diet warning". F35. 

2. I am sore as hell most of the time. I know 'they' say you should enjoy a runners high and workout endorphin's and I totally believe it and do enjoy it. But now, at 35, I just don't enjoy them for long. You better get your kite flying "high" within 2 hours of your wod (workout of the day) or else it's just going to get the wind taken out of it's sail and head straight into Sore Town, population; F35. 

3. FaceTime has nothing to do with my phone. I know, moisturizing is supposed to be the most important part of women's beauty regime, but I just didn't believe it until 35. Now, FaceTime is me staring in the mirror wondering why I have wrinkles and reworking my phace-pharma products monthly. I used to give a crap about what I washed my face with - in highschool. I spent a lot of money, earned at the donut shop or cafe, on everything Clinque had to offer. I had many products and used them every morning and night. Then I hit my 20s and didn't need it. From 30-35 I was too busy not sleeping with small babies to even look let alone wash my face. So here I am Facetimeing with a 35 year old face. And it doesn't look so hot. From the wrinkles to the sweat-induced breakouts, it's just not ok. Enter, Lancome. Lancome! How old am I? F35.

4. You're Fast...For a Mom. Didn't I just get finished writing about "running like a girl"? Now we have to defend running like a mom, too? I am, admittedly, a little "cake and eat it too" on this topic... 

On the one hand I want to shout that just because I am a Mom does not mean that I can't run, lift, spin, sweat, drink, have fun, look sexy, be cute, go on dates, be stylish, enjoy a book or movie, have my own interests, have a life outside of husband, kids, PTA, and extra curriculars that aren't mine, etc. 

But on the other hand when I am kicking butt and I am not pushing my stroller to make it obvious that I am, in fact, a mother... I want to lift my shirt up and yell and "these abs held two babies, too"! I want the credit for being a Mom when it's a positive impressive aspect - I do not want to be let off the hook for being a mom. Make sense? Ok great. 

Oh, what does this have to be with being 35? Because I feel like the newness of being a Mom has worn off and the gritty sometimes unpleasant reality of the title and it's negative stereotype (think Mom, then think jeans...bingo that's what I mean.) has set in. Don't get me wrong; I love being a mom more than anything - but I don't want it to become an excuse to not be good at working out I want it to be a reason to work out. It seems at 35 I have to push through the thought of settling into the first (excuse not to work) and I must really strive hard for the later (reason to work) more and more often. F35.

5. I have a 'Use It Or Lose It' Fear. It's not that I don't take days off from working out - I do - but I am terrified to take too much time from doing any of the workouts I do for the fear of not being able to do it one day. Seriously? This is the mind of a octogenarian and totally premature but the tiny little thought does creep into my head. A few days my daughter asked why I wasn't running today, I replied that it was my rest day. She shot back, "Oh so if don't run then you're not a runner anymore". For some reason this sentence "you're not a runner anymore" freaked me right on out. I passionately (and I mean, with passion) explained how runners need rest days to give their bodies time to recover and do their best on another day. Did I mentioned she's five? If we haven't eaten chicken nuggets in three days we might as well have become vegan. Use it or Lose It, baby. F35.

6. I get a tweak a week. Much like feeling sore almost always, I also "tweak" something rather often. I stopped even saying what has a tweak here or there because they are so frequent it just sounds like a lie. And it very well may be - I think I am just used to thinking things hurt. I used to be the type of soccer played who if I was down for more than a few seconds you knew something was very wrong. Now, I can't keep enough ice in freezer. I may even start spraying Windex on stuff as a extra precaution ala Big Fat Greek Wedding. Seriously? F35.

7. My hair has highlights. I have super dark brown hair. Or at least I used to. I have a lot of grays now - that I color of course. But since running all spring and summer in the sun I have noticed that my usual dark brown dye is creating a super red/orange 'highlights'. It's totally the grays that aren't taking the dark brown hue. It doesn't look bad but it's a like a grab bag every time I buy color now. I don't even look that hard to find the one I like because depending on which grays wants to pop in and say hello and how much run-sun I get - I just get what you get and don't get upset. F35.

8. I have a uniform. This is not so much 35 but more-so being a stay at home mom. I have a uniform as a SAHM and it is capri tights, tank top and either sneakers or flip flops. It is a uniform I rarely take off and when I do my daughter inevitably notices within minutes and responds with "why do you look so beautiful?" Awe thanks, sweetie. Wait, what do you mean by that? F35.

9. Are you still running? I can't tell you how many times I have been asked this since turning 35. Two things bother me about it. 1. Do I not look like I still run? Jeepers, thanks for putting the not so subtle thought in my head that says I look like maybe I've been running to Dunkin Donuts everyday. (A few days, totally yes, who wouldn't?). 2. Should I not be running anymore? When I was pregnant people strongly suggested that once I had kid(s) I wouldn't be able to play soccer anymore. And guess what? That came true. It's not so much that I can't but that I literally don't have the time since I need to coordinate that sport with several other people and to my knowledge they haven't made a soccer stroller yet (whoa, lightbulb). When you ask me if I am still running, now that I am 35, part of me, a tiny part, thinks that maybe your saying I should quit. That it's time to stop the games. I am not going to stop - but that little thought is there. Strongly dislike this question if you can't tell... F35.

10. I think about 36 a lot. And realize 35 is not so bad and I go for a run. 

@runliferunlove

Race Rave: Summer Safari Series with Moms Run This Town

photo courtesy of Heidi Calma Photography

I joined a new-to-me running club a few months ago. It's called Moms Run This Town (MRTT for those in the know). It is a national FREE women's running club and the one in my area is mother fabulous. I've known the Virginia Beach/Hampton Roads chapter and their leader for years but I just finally started paying attention and participating recently. I have every confidence that this group is as good as it is because of it's leader. You know how you tell kids to be themselves and not follow their friend of a bridge? Well if that friend is positive, organized, inspiring and a great leader - don't follow off a bridge, mind you, but down a running path? Sure,go for it; Be a follower. Other areas may be good too, but like most national organizations, my guess is they vary vastly. My area, luckily has a great leader and about 400 overall members with 50 very active, and 100 active members. (The remaining 300 I'd say vary in active-ness online/virtually).

This summer the national MRTT organized a summer race program called "Summer Safari Race Series". Our local chapter leader took this overall theme and hit it out of the jungle. We started with a 5K Run last month at a local recreation center. The 5k was called "Dash and Splash 5K". About 30 MRTT Moms gathered to "dash" a 5k -previously mapped out by our leader. After the run those moms who brought their children were able to let them run free in the recreation center "splash" playground. Simple yet awesome. And it was awesome because it was organized (which is not easy! A lot of pre-work and planning goes into any race big or small). Oh and because we had raffles. Who doesn't like to win stuff? I love to win.

We even had water stops!

Splash portion of "Dash and Splash" at one of the Virginia Beach Recreation Centers

The second event was the "Urban Jungle 10K" which for our chapter was located at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens. The Gardens is a beautiful place to run so that was a great start. Again the local Hampton Roads MRTT chapter leader took it the rest of the way. Organized race route, amazing raffles to give away, and a huge food spread for after the race. Whoa - I almost forgot - plus booze! A nice little lemoncello sorbet cocktail that took the sting out of the legs after a quick 10K. Perfect.

Beautiful area of the Botanical Gardens in Norfolk, VA

Running with the theme... 

Both events had swag bags (and good stuff, too!). If you signed up for a these two ($35) plus a third (separate fee) half marathon you also got a free medal. I am, suprisingly, not a run-for-bling runner - but if you are this medal is pretty great. I will be making mine into a magnet like I've done to my others so it can be seen and useful.

See the medal? Pretty good one! Towel for stroller, yes please! And my daughter LOVES the brush and mirror.

Each swag bag had two signs donated from Athleta - I love this one. Had my daughter grab it right then and there from some mamma motivation. LOVE.

Awesome Raffle that my mother, who I brought to watch the kiddos so I could run solo, won! Woot woot! There were several raffle gifts, but this is the one 'we' won^, courtesy of Beachbody coach, maggiebtrfly. 

In short, these two small race-runs with Moms Run This Town have been great. If you are in my area check out the local chapter here. If you need to find (or start!) one in your area, go here. Either way go follow and have fun! Oh, but hey, don't follow me; Both runs I just so happened to be upfront and I am two-for-two in wrong turns.

Selfie Awareness

Do you take selfies? I was about three years too late to the selfie party. I never used to take them, thinking they were really lame and for "those people" who are obsessed with social media and themselves. Well then I took one. And let me tell you - there is something to this selfie thing! Take one - I dare you. It's liberating and slightly addicting. I don't remember the first selfie I took - but my guess is that it was one with my husband and I out on a date. I can never ask people to take our picture because my husband hates pictures. (I know, how do we get along?). So I thought, well what if I am the one taking the pic, taking out the asking the stranger problem and hopefully (oh fingers crossed!) taking out the Chandler Bingness that is my husbands face in a photo. (Do you know that reference? It's from Friends, obvy. Chandler could not take a good picture to save his life, despite being a really good looking guy. Uhm, my husband, god love him.) 

Anywho - from that first selfie, which I guess was really a couplie (totally, made that up, but hey, it works); I was hooked. I know use the selfie to document my fitness workouts, time with kids and date nights out. Why? I don't know - I like taking pictures and it makes me feel good.

Let's explore the second "reason" I  just mentioned; "It makes me feel good". There are many articles and studies (can we call it a "study" if it's on something as silly as a selfie?) out there that discuss whether or not selfies create egotistically minded narcissistic individuals or if they make one simply more confident and raise your selfie-worth, if you will. My unscientific, purely for RunLife blogging fun - says the later. Say cheese and bring on the confidence, baby. 

So why does a picture of myself make me feel good? You know when you first moved into your house and you didn't like the wallpaper in your kitchen the older lady had in there before you? (True story...) But then you took the wallpaper off in the tiny bathroom and realized how much work it was? And after a while living in said kitchen you think, that isn't so bad - I can totally live with this, I may even like it. Well I feel like that with the selfie. I took a few and was like "not bad"... then you take more and get used to it and you think "I am looking good"...followed by "I am seriously doing a-ok"... followed by "I look good, I am posting this one." You have this one face and body to live in and work with, so work it and love it - and take a picture it'll last longer.

It should be mentioned (shouted?) that another reason selfies may build selfie-confidence is that we are not exactly posting naked pictures of ourselves. No, not that kind of naked, jeesh. But the kind of naked where we haven't "filtered" our picture with an app or instagram to make us look just a tad bit better than the naked version. I believe they call this "photoshopping" in the real world. 

I am not for photoshopping the crap out of something; 

From a Target ad earlier this year. Obviously a botched photoshop job but it does illustrate at least all the areas that were attempted/going to be photoshopped. If it weren't for this being so badly done - we and the young girls seeing it might not have even noticed the problem - therefore would have thought this girl was a real person instead of a graphically created person who does not exist off the computer screen.

Conversely, I am totally ok with a little brush of a filter or raise or lower of a color or light here and there. Just remember that when you see your friends pics - maybe they really do look that awesome - or maybe they just have a really awesome app. Point is, don't beat your selfie up about it - say they look good and move on - don't dwell or compare -it's only  about yourselfie not them. Check it:

Pics on left are "#nofilter"... Right is with a pic app. Notice with the use of light I made myselfie a little tanner on the beach and with shadows and cropping to look a little stronger on a run. It makes me feel good - bad or building selfie-esteem?

I go out in the world without make up on a lot of the time - I also go out in the world with make up on a lot of the time. I feel good with out makeup - I feel great with makeup. That's how I feel about photo apps and filters - it's just a little makeup. I am not ashamed of that - most of us like to look good and in turn feel good. I have no judgement or issues with someone doing what they want to feel good. Why would we want to block someone else the feeling of good? That's also exactly why I don't like the above mentioned "photoshopping the crap out of something" because it doesn't make people feel good. It makes people feel not good enough.

Have you seen Colbie Caillat's song and video, Try, floating around the social medias? It's great. Don't over analyze and say that is a judgement on women who do where makeup. (STOP judging in general, while we're at it.) Watch and realize that we can feel good in lots of ways, a little filtered, with makeup and without makeup.

CLICK HERE

Caillat's lyrics ask, "You don't have to try so hard / Cause I like you / Don't you like you?"; I answer; "Yes, I like me / Filter No Filter / All by my selfie".

Go take a selfie or ten - I dare you not to like it at least a little. And if you don't, stare at it like wallpaper 'till you do.

IG: @runliferunlove
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When You Get the Chance to Run in Black or Sparkle - I Hope You Sparkle.

It recently occurred to me on a run (of all places!) that I may have been too quick to judge our friend, "the runsie". Don't get me wrong; "the runsie" is still not "the one"sie for me - but hey - if it's your thing than, Baby, rock it like a wagon wheel. 

Ever since my first half marathon in March 2012 - I have worn a "sparkle skirt" and "race flair" for each and every race. Though some people make their own skirts or tutus for runs - I buy my 'sparkle skirts' at sparkleathletic because that's just not my kinda craftiness. I get my 'flair' from anywhere I can find it; Walmart, Target, Claires - my favorite flair is fake tattoos and knee socks cut to be used as arm warmers.

I have PR'd in every race that I have worn a sparkle skirt in. As a matter of fact, I have only run a race once not in a sparkle skirt and flair. PS - I didn't even come close to a PR in that one. One rational reason for the lack of PR that day could have been the fact that I hit a plateaue coupled with the fact that I ran a hilly course after training solely at the flat oceanfront (also I drank wine the night before, that's neither here nor there.) Although another, maybe irrational reason for the lack of PR was simply the lack of sparkle. That day - I just sweat; usually I sparkle.

The reason I tried to stop wearing sparkle and flair is because I, wrongly, thought that "real runners" should just sweat, you know - sans sparkle. I thought as I got faster I needed to look the part and be serious. Uhm, serious for who exactly? What people was I trying to be serious for? Running, as we know, is an individual sport and one we've heard say time and time again is simply put; you and the road. No competition but your own. So forget the sweat - just sweating is for the people still trying to make it or still trying to understand it. So I will leave the 'just sweating' to those folks - I'm gonna leave big splash of sparkle in my wake when I race. 

Last year I ran the Wicked 10K in Virginia Beach. It is a local race for me put on around Halloween - I would say that more than 2/3rds of the crowd runs in some sort of costume. Because of my projected race time - I was seeded in Corral 1. The MC/announcer at the starting line was having a good time before the gun went off looking down at us in "corral 1" and saying how he knew "the winner would probably come out of this group but man, you are all a boring lot to look at". I looked around to notice that most of the "fast" runners were in black. Not black like a Black Swan costume or Batman - but black. Hello black, meet boring.
This was me:

I might have been embarrassed for a second but I quickly realized I was kind of awesome for being able to run pretty fast and with flair no less. It's my thing and it's pretty fun. If you judge me for that in the starting corral - thats ok - you just haven't found your sparkle yet - and when you do get the chance to run in black or sparkle - I hope you sparkle. 

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The 10 Things... That RUN Through My Head in 10 Miles

Mile 1: Ten miles to go. Easy peasy. I got this.

Mile 2: I mean who's gonna know if I just did 6 or 7. I could always jump to 11 next weekend and still be ok. Is it hot out here? Man, it's hot out here. 

Mile 3: My water feels light already. I hope I have enough in my Camelback. If I don't I'll just stop. There - that's why I can say I could only do 7. How weird would it be if I just asked somebody working in their yard for water. Really weird, right? What if I know them? Still weird? Or does that make it even weirder. 

Mile 4: I don't care what people say I still love Britney. I totally DO want a "piece of her"! There I said it. I don't want to best friends or anything - she's definitely still got her crazy. I would be friends with Taylor Swift though, I think. Unless she's whiny. I can't do whiny. Now winey, I can do. What if you had to share your playlist right now. Totally secure with that? It's like letting someone into your closet. I have to clean my closet. 

Mile 5: There are a lot of runners out here this morning. And yet, they all don't seem to be struggling quite as much as me. I am going to assume they are not going ten miles today. I wish I could shout at them - "yeah I look better when I'm only going three too!". You know those sticker things that parents put on their babies onsies every month for the first year?

I want to make some for long runs. Maybe that would catch on. I'd be rich and famous over mileage stickers. I am afraid they'd chafe though (doesn't it always come down to chafing?!) - so maybe I need to make shirts - sell them in "training packages". Hmm I think I am a genius. 

Mile 6: Gu-hooo! I made it the magic number. Time for my fuel up. Acell Gel is the best... although someone mentioned using salt sticks to me recently - I am going to try those on my next long run. Must remember this. Must remember this. Must remember... oh pretty flowers.

Mile 7: I am NEVER doing a marathon. I know that every time I say this people say "you wait"... no I mean it. I know tons of marathoners, obviously, and they are all amazing and I am in awe. But, for me, that would be like taking this running thing a few steps to far - or about 13.1 miles too far to be exact. I am just not interested in that long of a long run. The only good thing about doing a marathon - if I were to do a marathon - is that I wouldn't be chasing a PR. There is beauty and almost ease or atleast less personal pressure in doing something for the first time. I don't think I'll ever PR the distances I have already run. Wait - am I sad about that? I don't think so. I should blog about that... 

Mile 8: Why do I always speed up after I pass people? It's not on purpose I swear - but I must kind of look like a jack a**. How long do I have to keep this pace up? 100 yrds 200yrds? Yeah I'm good they can't see me, backing off the jets. 

Mile 9: I am in love with these shoes. But I am totally getting a blister on my little pinky. Isn't that a song? No - that's blister on your little finger. Ugh, stuck in my head now! Well I can't feel my pinky - so it must have just curled under and died. Didn't I read that we're evolving to have no pinky toes? That'd be good for running I think. 

Mile 10: Yessssss! Now, what am I gonna eat today?? Run to eat; eat to run. Ice cream. It's always ice cream.

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SORE is a FOUR LETTER WORD

I know I should be inspiring and toting all the other 'meme' phrases like "sore today strong tomorrow" and "better sore than sorry" but man, I gotta keep it real for a minute because I am not too sure I'm picking up what those are putting down. Matter of fact thanks to a killer leg day - I'm not picking up much of anything. So yeah, I DO think 'sore' is a four letter word and I ask you, when is sore, too sore to workout?"

Two days ago I went for my first sunrise run. I've done early - like 6 or 7am - to get long runs in before it takes over the whole weekend days. But on a Thursday of this week, I set my alarm for 5am and was laced up by 5:20. I even set my clothes directly next to my bed on the floor so when I opened my eyes I would see them mocking me to get up and suck up.

Anything is better than waiting til the kids and I are all ready and pushing a double through Virginia summer heat and humidity. And once I was out of the car and facing the Atlantic I was psyched and ready to make it a weekly thing.

So psyched, in fact, that by 9am I had almost forgotten I had already run - I had A LOT of extra daylight time. Kids and I had a great and busy day - by 4:30 I was so completely recovered that I thought I'd check into a class at my gym. I have been neglecting my strength training - a lot - and I needed to pull the bandaid off and get one under my shoes again. My favorite spin teacher, Taylor, was sub-teaching 'Cardio BG' -the 'BG' being for 'butt' and 'gut'. Ok great - hit me. I wake up at 5am to run; I am obvioysly a HUGE deal, (for today, anyways). 

Well holy hell if Taylor isn't a four letter word in the cardio room! He must spell it like 'Talr' or something. They really should clarify that in the class description. We didn't do anything earth shattering - weight bar squats, lunges, squats, hops, squats, dead lifts, squats, bridges, squats, side planks, oh and squats. It was a great class; and like all great classes you love and hate it with equal passion. 

Flash forward to yesterday. I normally love to feel sore just like the next junkie. I love that it reminds me that I worked out, worked hard and am creating change. If I'm sore then working out is working. Friday morning I didn't wake up sore. I woke up sooooore. I almost always do a spin and abs class on Friday mornings. Well how the heck am I gonna do that when I can't tie my shoes? Not to mention that I am seriously considering if I really need to pee or if I can hold and it? Skipped the class. I was in for an all day struggle. Normally I feel powerful with soreness - this day I felt like a powderpuff. 

True story. But also; shoe tying, stairs, any mommy task, and generally speaking - anything that makes you move more than say your ...eyelashes. 

The scientific reasons for pain after a workout is that's it's literally the result of microscopic tears in muscle fibers caused by an intense activity you don't regularly do. It's so fancy pants it even has a name and an acronym: Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, or "DOMS". 

I think I like an appetizer size of DOMS - but the entree is just too much for this mamma. I decided that this day I was too sore. I could have muscled through something but I wouldn't even have been able to give it 50% so is it worth it? A little sore IS awesome - but a LOTTA sore is a different story. 

For total fun and complete non-scientific reasons here are five questions to ask yourself to know if you are wondering if you are too sore to workout:

1. Can you sit on a toilet without wincing and yelling "sweet Jesus why did I need to have coffee this morning?"?

2. Can you perform basic tasks of your life or job?

Examples include but are not limited to: being an unwelcome first floor office roomy just to avoid one flight of stairs and/or keeping your kid in pajamas all day because the shorts drawers is the bottom one and ain't no way your bending down just for shorts - especially ones that aren't even yours. 

3. Can you go five minutes without cursing? Even if you drop something and have to pick it up? 

4. Can you look at this and see it as obviously not real and utterly ridiculous? 

(Don't lie, you think it's GENIUS). 

5. Can you honestly say that SORE is not a four letter word?

If you answered "no" to 5 or fewer - you win a rest day. 

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Hey psst... How many sneakers do you own?

Ok, I'll go first: I have 6 pairs of sneakers in current rotation and that's after I just donated 3 pairs which is how I got to think about this question. All but one of these pairs is less than a year old. How can someone who is not a professional runner, not sponsored, and is simply an average mamma runner chick - with very little disposable income I may add - get rid of three pairs a year and still not have enough closet floor space? Tell me it's all of us and not just me...

It's hard for me to "get rid of" a pair of sneakers. I form a deeply emotional bond with them - I mean we've been on literally miles of journeys together and the thought of me 'sending them away' makes me, well, sad. So I save them for a while on the rack in the garage and eventually they become my lawn mowing shoes or something else equally demeaning for a once favorited pair. Then, finally, I bring them to Good Will. If they're super lucky and honored I may mail them away to be part of something bigger than me and them - like the Meg Menzies Soles of Love tribute at the start of the 2014 Boston Marathon.

A pair I trained in several times in Ashland, VA, along the same route Meg was hit and killed by an [alleged] drunk driver.

Read more about Megsmiles here. 

But I digress, back  to "my number"; 6. Here's how it happens: 

I've always loved sneakers. Honestly, if I could have my dream job it would be to design sneakers. I just love them. I'd work in a running shoe store right now if a) somebody'd watch my kids for free, and b) I wouldn't be the creeper who sniffs all the new-shoe smell right out of those sneaks and totally makes people feel uncomfortable with my purely innocent but nonetheless disturbing love for the inanimate object that is the sneaker. 

Heaven... on a shelf.

Here's how I justify it: I've read several articles about running shoes and what is best for what etc. and if you combine a lot of theories (more theories = more sneaks, see where I'm going with this?) you need a pair for every action and reaction you are doing, plus you need to watch for overall mileage and not go too far over, check your treads, map your gait, avoid injury, and so many other things. It's not my fault - I need and must have lots of choices for my tootsies to remain running happy. I know that some theories are totally valid and some are put into the sneakerverse to get me to buy more shoes - but - I don't care! The shoe lover in me eats up every single reason to get a new pair - then buys another pair for dessert. 

Here is what I've got in my repertoire right now and just like a mamma says - I love them equally and they all have their strengths. 

My Crosstrain-Spin-Lifters: 

Nike Free Fit TR 4.0

About 6 months ago I started to get more frequent at the gym and doing Focus T25 in addition to running. I was noticing in classes and DVDs at my house that moving side to side was a serious drag (literally) and I was one step from spraining an ankle (literally).  Every move was so HARD! And yet, I was in shape. I all of a sudden remembered that there did seem to be other sneakers in the stores beyond the RUNNING section. 

Crosstrainers! Woot woot. I rushed me to the store and bought Nike Free's pretty much the next day after my revelation. My Free's are light and airy and I can do any gym floor class like a hero. I also double these as my spinning sneaks because believe it or not I don't have clip-ins. (I once got stuck in clips at a red light while attempting road biking in college and got flipped upside down turtle-style while people drove by & laughed & pointed - maybe even took a poloraoid (yeah, before Instagram). It was mortifying and I can't quiet bring myself back to the situation yet.) 

I also triple my use of these bad sisters and use them for the little weight training I do. Love my Free's because they are unlike any of the running sneaks I own and there is seriously nothing like them in my closet.

My Speedsters:

Mizuno Wave Sayonara 

These were a pure late night internet/iPhone impulse buy. I lost some speed in the last year - mostly because I don't work on it. Instead of looking at speed workouts and actually fitness-based ways to improve I thought "it must be the shoes". Enter the Mizuno Wave Sayonara - who promises to be so light and speedy that you will 'wave' goodbye to your competition. And they come in hot pink with purple and yellow accent. Sold. I still haven't actually done any speedwork since these babies came home but I use them for 4 miles and under and try to focus on my mile to mile pacing and kick it up a notch because the shoes told me I could - they actually promised I could. 

My Lawn Boys:

Asics GT-2000

These are my second oldest pair in my arsenal right now. 11.5 months old - practically antiques. I bought these while visiting family in Massachusetts and running in my home town's "purple mountains". After one run of hilly terrain I realized my shoes were shot. I couldn't possibly run one more step and like a crazy person I rushed to the local shop in my small town and bought these full price without even researching a thing. They were great for a while but lost their bounce quick. A happy accident to wearing down so quick is that they perfectly molded and almost melted into the shape of my foot. So while not great for running after a while they became fantastic for pretty much anything else. Hence their rebirth as my lawn maintenance sneaks. 

My Short-Term Long-Runners:

Brooks Glycerin 10

This is the only pair in my shoe family that I have to say is a bit like the black sheep. (Ugh, I immediately feel bad and guilty for writing that - but it's true so I must go on). I bought these to be my long run sneakers and they never quite made it. Ironically, they are also my most expensive pair I've ever bought. Figures. They fit like a glove and feel wonderful laced up but are insanely heavy and wide at the toe box - wider than even your average Brooks. Because they were so expensive, I can't give them away just yet despite almost never wearing them and being two years old. I am waiting to find their rebirth purpose. I was a dedicated Brooks long-run-shoe wearer but because of these I switched back to Asics for a spell which brings us to my Gel-Nimbus streak...

My Middle Runners:

Asics Gel Nimbus 16

Just like a middle child these girls can adapt to pretty much anything and truly are sneaks-of-all-trades. I have had 3 consecutive pairs of Gel Nimbus' sneakers. I've loved each pair. They were originally bought to be my solely long run sneakers but after about a month they became my do-everythings. This means, I can wear these for long runs, middle runs, speed work, hills, treadmill - you name it. I sometimes stack workouts and these sisters are amazing for those days because who wants to bring an extra pair along to change into. These have enough cushion for long running, enough toe drop for speed, enough tread for trails and grassy hills, and are narrow enough to be in post run and not feel moon-booty. The only draw back is that they are a little heavy and in the summer their narrowness that I normally love are a little restricting upwards of 8 miles because your toes turn to summer hot sausages. I never would have noticed these tiny flaws if it weren't for a new baby in the nursery a few weeks ago...

My Long Runners:

Brooks Ghost 7

I know I said I didn't have a favorite - but if you don't tell these others - these are the ones. I was off Brooks for a while after the Glycerin Disaster of 2012 but then a month ago Brooks debuted the new Ghost 7. I bought a pair of Ghost 6s last summer and ended up returning them because they were heavy and boxy and I had a bad Glycerin taste in my mouth still. The Ghost 7 were advertised as completely redesigned and weigh nothing. Nothing. Pillows of breathable air attached my feet. Plus they are wider than my Asics which is great for the summer. Not to mention it wasn't all that hard two abandon Brooks two years ago because their colors were dismal (and I am being kind). But this month/version they must have gotten my letter! Hello bright-flashy-borderline-obnoxious colors: Just the way I love it. I justified buying these by rebranding (in my crazy head) the Gel Nimbus' mentioned above to the "middle child" and using these purely for the long run. They are, for now, reserved for those special long weekend runs. Think; your fav skinny jeans you saved for Friday nights in your 20s. 

There you have it. "Proof that [six pairs] of shoes can change your life". Tell me in the comments below...How many pairs do you have? Do you have a favorite? 

**AUTHORS NOTE: I was getting ready for spin after completing this post earlier today and what should appear in the corner of my cluttered closet? Another old pair of Gel Nimbus'. These are retired from the "real running" and are waiting on deck to become the new "lawn boys" when the GT 2000s finally "move on to blacker pavements". So make that seven pairs. I have issues. 

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