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Garage Sales: Yay or Nay?

June 22, 2010 By

I’m over at the wonderful Tori’s blog:  Life with Riley today blogging about the controversial topic of GARAGE SALES!  You should go check it out and weigh in on the debate…To Garage Sale or Not To Garage Sale! Ok, maybe it’s not really a debate, but go find out what i think of them.  And then let me know what you think.

Oh, and be sure to follow Tori because she is cool.  AND she makes WAY cute accessories for little girls at her Etsy shop, On Top Baby Bows.  Seriously, go check her out!  You WON’T be disappointed!

In running news, I am not.  Yeah, that is right, I’ve had to take some time off.  Last week Tuesday I did something to my left knee and it has NOT been right since.  I thought I could “run it off” on Thursday, but my run turned into a walk which turned into a limp and I had to cut it short.  Then I skipped my weekend run because it’s been bugging me so badly.  I have a doctor’s appointment this morning and will keep you all updated.  Fear not!  I am DETERMINED to do the 5K even if I have to walk!

And I am almost to my donation goal!  Check it out!  I may have to raise my goal since our team goal is $3000 and we have a ways to go yet!  You all have been SO supportive!  It’s such a great cause and I feel so honored to be on Team Bell!

Now…go check out my guest post!

UPDATE: I just got back from the doctor and it seems that I have angered a tendon.  Apparently by running my knee doesn’t stay on it’s track correctly (which is more common in women because of our wide hips–lovely).  The good doc says i need to stay off of it and ice it (and take ibuprofen…lovely) for up to two weeks.  She also suggested physical therapy to speed it up and to prevent it from happening again since I am determined to keep running.  So, Thursday i start physical therapy.  Honestly?  I am in a dang doc office lately more times than I am not! 

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Running With the Proper Gear

June 10, 2010 By

Today Cortney and I had the opportunity to go out on a much needed “date day”.  The day started by Cort dropping Eddie off at his daycare and then coming home with Starbucks.  Seriously?  Yummy coffee usually only happens on Sundays…this was a GREAT way to start our “date day.”  Then after some computer time (I may have gotten overly excited and squeeeee-ish over the post I did earlier, can you blame me?), I showered, got ready, and we headed out for the big adventure of the day:  Running Gear Shopping.

On recommendation of many, MANY of you, we headed over to Gazelle Sports in Holland.  Cort’s cousin, Josh works there, so we felt comfortable taking our out of shape butts into a store full of sleek athletes.  At least Josh would be kind.  Family has an obligation too, right?

Anyway, there were LOTS of shoe options (did you notice exhibit A up there?) and I had no idea what we had in store.  So we sat down near the Wall O Shoes with Josh and got to business.  Ladies, first I guess.

He looked at my crappy pair of sneakers (that I bought because they were cute), and then made me walk in my stocking feet away from him and then back.  This is when I was informed I have what I call Fat Girl Walk.  Fat Girl Walk entails walking on the inside of your feet…to the point that your feet start to tilt inward as you walk.  Say what you want, but I’ve gained a TON of weight since college and yes, the title Fat Girl Walk fits. (Especially because when i put on my running shorts?  I get Fat Girl Short-ride…you know…in the inner thigh region.  It’s hot).

Josh then told me I would probably need an insole in my shoe.  Then he asked about any knee or ankle injuries.  I sheepishly told him about spraining my ankle.  From falling down the stairs.  Yeah, not so athletic.  Especially if you consider I was trying to be in a video my brother was making and it was all caught on film.  Shut up.

Anyway, he did NOT laugh at me (because he is a GOOD cousin), and just said that they ankle is probably still affected and that is why my knee hurts.  The right shoe and insole should help.  Then he measured my feet.

Turns out my left foot is a FULL SIZE bigger than my right, and both feet are bigger than pre-pregnancy.  This would explain why my super cute size sevens?  not so comfy.

So he had me try three different pairs of shoes.  Getting them on for me AND tying them.  He said he only does this for the ladies because it seems chivalrous.  If he does it for guys between the age of 10 and 80, it’s just creeper.

I did laps around the store in each pair I tried (and consequently found a million cute things I clearly NEED for working out…shorts, tank tops, CUTE water bottles.)

I finally settled on the pair that wasn’t the cutest, but WAS the best fit.

Then it was Cort’s turn.  All the same procedures for him.  Turns out his walk is just fine.  No weird angling of his feet (Josh says this could be because Cort was athletic in HS.  pffffttt.  I think he was just trying to one-up me somehow).  So he didn’t need insoles. But he did need his feet measured.

Turns out his RIGHT foot is a half size bigger than his left foot.  What are we?  A circus couple?  Anyway, Cort tried on three pairs as well and did his laps.  Josh talked a lot about fit and how many miles we could get on our shoes and what not, but I won’t lie.  I was a bit distracted by this section right next to the running shoes:

yeah, those are all the super cute sandals.  How am I supposed to concentrate on “appropriate footwear” when THESE are staring at me?

Anyway, after the shoes, Josh shamed us for explained to us that wearing cotton socks is actually the #1 cause of blisters because it keeps all the moisture by our feet.  So we bought some “smart socks” that are made of wool and meant to keep the moisture away.  They are weird, but I am trying them.

Then it was time for the purchase.  I was still sort of “browsing” when Cort pulled out the dinero to get our run on.

Marathon Freak?  Yeah, not yet, I’m afraid.  In fact, I’m not even a 5K freak yet.  But I am trying.

Anyway, Cort and Josh talked all about how our names were now in the computer with our purchases, so we can get the exact thing or try something different, but it’s all recorded so Gazelle can be snappy sweet with helping us next time.

Oh, and don’t think I left without something fun.  I told you I was ogling the flippys.  Yup, this cute pair of Tevas came home with me.  Who knew Teva made CUTE sandals?  You probably all did, right?  Well I SO did not.

When we got home it was time to try out the new goods (we also stopped at Best Buy to get arm bands for our ipods).  Check out those new shoes and socks!  I am still getting used to the GRAY sock.  Feels old man-ish, but if it’s supposed to help, I can deal.

My run today was better than Tuesday.  My knee didn’t hurt (good job, shoes!), but the outside of the ball of my foot tingled.  I have a sneaking suspicion it’s because I haven’t ever USED it when running, so it needs to get used to the pressure.  We will see.  I ditched the podcast.  I really don’t like someone telling me what to do.  And opted for Social Distortion’s Greatest Hits.  I ran five spurts today instead of four and each was longer than Tuesday’s.  I ended today feeling like I could do better, rather than wishing the 5K away, which is probably a good sign.

Cort also dug his new gear.  He changed his pace today and did a much better job as well.  Cort liked the new shoes and socks…he said the shoes were like running on clouds.  Ok.

So we will go out again this weekend to complete Week One of training.  Wish us luck!

Disclaimer:  I did NOT get compensated by Gazelle for writing this post.  We went there because it was recommended and we had a great experience.  We will for sure be back and hope you’ll go too!
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Couch to 5K Day One

June 8, 2010 By

What was I thinking?

That is all that was going through my head today as I started Day 1 of my training for the Susan G Komen Race for The Cure that Cort and I agreed to do. 

I had geared up for TODAY to be training Day ONE.  We had gotten some advice over the weekend and it seemed that the Couch to 5K plan (google it, there are a few) was the way to go for us, since, you know, we were literally getting our fat butts off the couch and trying to do this.

Ok, so how did it go?

Well, like I said, I had geared up in my head that today was IT.  Then today got here.  First I was gone getting my hair colored (I don’t even want to talk about those grays up there.  grrrrr).  Then Cort had errands to run.  Not that we wanted to run together, but someone has to be home with Eddie.  So around 3:30, I was ready.  Then it started to rain.  Cats and dogs. I whined, of course.  Cort told me to just start tomorrow, but I had decided to start TODAY.

When there was a lull in the cold, June rain, I decided to stretch out and go.

Let me first tell you that it has been so long since I have done something that needed ‘stretching’ that I forgot how to stretch.  Good thing the hubs was a soccer player.  First he tried to tell me which muscles to stretch.  Yeah, that doesn’t help.  So he showed me HOW to do the stretches.  When we got to the gluts, I kept saying I just didn’t feel it.  He told me, “well then you must have a loose butt.”  I think there was a fat joke in there, but I can’t be sure.

Anyway, once I was all stretched out, I grabbed my i-pod.  I had downloaded the Couch to 5K podcats so that some dude could tell me when to walk and when to jog.  The first week goes like this:

Walk “briskly” for 5 minutes
Jog for 60 seconds, walk for 90 seconds.  Repeat 7 more times
Walk “briskly” for 5 minutes to “cool down”.

I am supposed to do this three times this week with a day break in between each “training” day.

So there I go. Walking briskly.

See ya in thirty minutes!  Look at that enthusiasm!  That zest for training!  I carried that zest with me through the first five minutes feeling great.  Then I realized soon I was going to have to actually jog.  No, I can do this.  It’s not that big of a deal.

I ran the first 60 second stint and felt Ok.  However, let me tell you, 90 seconds of walking?  Goes by WAY quicker than 60 seconds of jogging.  The second jog sort of sucked.  By the third jog my breathing wasn’t recovered like the starts to the other jogs.  By the fourth jog I couldn’t BELIEVE I was only half way.  And then the dude on the podcast says,

“Good job.  Now walk briskly for 90 seconds.  I will tell you when it’s time to run again.  You shouldn’t be tired or breathing hard yet.”

WHAT???

This is when I knew I couldn’t do all 8 jogs (and those 90 second “brisk” walks?  yeah, not so brisk anymore either).

I will admit I walked the rest of the way.  And shut duder and his jazzy techno music OFF.

Then it was Cort’s turn.  He stretched, and got his ipod all ready to go with Dude and his podcast.  He was ready.

Off he goes down the driveway!  Lookin’ good!

He looks better than I did at the start.  Happier too.  Ok, not happier.  I was PUMPED.  He was just chill about it like it was no big deal.  He’s like that about everything. (frustrating sometimes?  yes.)

His training went far better than mine.  Cort ran seven of the jogs to my four.  He clearly didn’t have the wheezing I did, but he sweated a LOT after he was done (somehow he still looked good with sweat on his brow.)

So Day One is done.  I can honestly say that even though part of me wants to jump in Doc Brown’s DeLorean and tackle myself before I say yes to this endeavor, I am still glad we are doing it.  It’s for a great cause and I know it’s a challenge we haven’t tackled before.

Speaking of challenge, both Cort and I have goals of raising $250 in pledges for our run (and of course we are seeing who can raise it first because we are competitive like that).  You can see our team page and choose our names by clicking HERE.  Donate if you can, otherwise your prayers for our motivation, endurance, and health are more than enough!

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