Hungry Coyote

6:20 A.M.,Back Bay Trail, it's quiet, not alot of people are out yet, I'm with another non-runner and my 15 yr. old daughter. We're pumped- ready to get the last big run in before the Big Race. We start out down the trail. I love the early morning, it's cool out, the birds are chirping and I'm just getting warmed up and what jumps out of the brush and onto the path? Yep you guessed it-a hungry coyote looking for breakfast. There are no signs posted that there are coyotes in the damn back bay wildlife reserve. There is only about 2 miles of brush area on this trail and surrounding it are huge city buildings and crossing over it are loud freeways. I would never have thought there would be coyotes in there. Of course we turned and made a run for it and that was stupid because then we basically said "Hey catch us if you can" because he started trotting after us. We didn't know where to go or what to do. We grab our water bottles and a stick and turn to face it and right about that time 2 bikers came up the path and saw us just standing there with faces of full of fear and all we could do was point and stutter "there's a coyote on the path". You would have thought we told them there was a squirel because all they said was "Oh OK" and kept on riding through. Which made the coyote jump back back into the brush and then there we were again alone and now we don't know which side he jumped to. Thankfully there was a side path that lead off the trail and back to the main street we ran like hell for it and stayed on the main street until we passed all the brush area and could enter the trail down further. Needless to say, there will be no more early runs without our pepper spray. 
MN

Brand New Me!

It's been a while since my last blog. I'm not sure what is going on with me....I think I misplaced my mojo. If you've seen it, I need it back desperately.


Long run....


I did a 10 mile "long" run this Saturday. It was supposed to be 12, but oh well, it is what it is. (I hate that phrase) The run was not a bad one and not a good one. The only interesting thing was, maybe, our conversation about shaving vs waxing vs lasering our underarm and koochie hair.


Here's a thought...


I wore my "Running Sucks" t-shirt and a coworker made a comment that was completely offensive to a non-runner. He said, "studies show that if you love and/or enjoy running, it is easier and there are less injuries". My initial reaction was to tell him to STFU. Funnily enough, that stupid comment stayed with me all weekend. Just so you know, I'm not a complete idiot and I do know that what he is saying is true. Obviously it's much easier to do something you love than to do something that you consider work. Again, I'm not an idiot. As a result, I've decided to work on my attitude like I'm training for a mental marathon. <<<<------- that just popped into my head, mental marathon, retarded....or maybe I'm onto something.


A new leaf...


The OC Half is in 13 days!!! I need a new attitude because the one I have makes my legs really hurt when I run.

Hugs and Kisses...


Dena

Non-Runners Slideshow

Slideshow made with Smilebox

That old Familiar Feeling...

I’m not going to lie…I have been slacking off on my Saturday runs with the girls. The last long run I did was only 6 miles and it was over 3 weeks ago.  It’s partly because I know that I have plenty of time until I have to do a half marathon because I’m not running with them in 14 days. So I have time.

Well, my brilliant self decided I was going to run 12 miles after work on Thursday. I wanted to kill some time and miss traffic on the drive home and this was the only way I could think of to do that. I do realize that most people would go have dinner, maybe a couple of drinks…not me. I’ll go run 12 miles. Dumb I know. However, I figured I would be taking care of the Saturday run early and wouldn’t have to get up before dawn on the weekend to handle business.

I figured it couldn’t be that hard…right? Wrong. I ended up only doing 10(which I still think is not bad for a day after work). But still. It’s not what I set out to do. And I hate not being able to finish a run. On top of that, I ran in circles. 5 times around the streets of my job. People in their offices must have thought I was a crazy person that was lost on the same street for 3 hours. By the end of it my feet had blisters all over and the back of my knee actually hurt. I could feel the tops of my toenails getting sore and I am really getting frustrated with this whole not finding the right shoe situation. How can my brand new shoes give me WORSE blisters than the other shoes that were too big for me? They need to make cloth shoes. With soft puffy clouds on the insides to cushion your beautifully pedicured feet while you delicately bounce across the finish line.

Because that’s what I envision my running as looking like. I’m a beautiful skinny brunette with soft pretty bouncing hair, no sweat or redface, no panting for air, and I glide effortlessly everywhere I run. It looks like I’m bouncing and floating in the clouds. Yes I floated 10 miles around work. Anyway, I finished. Now I need another pair of new shoes and to get with my girls for moral support. I did feel the achy legs and sore muscles a bit again. That old familiar runner feeling that I have missed oh so much. Why oh why can’t running be a little easier. I’m such a fatty.

Until the next running escapade,

Heather

Gag Reflex

So Mich recently posted on her toenails possibly falling off. This reminded me of my horrific toenail issues from last year’s OC Marathon training. I am no stranger to this topic. Of all the girls running I definitely had the WORST case of runner’s toenails. I decided to share…

The training schedule last year was strenuous to say the least. We were upping our Saturday long run miles by 2 every weekend. The toenails started coming off once I hit the 10 mile mark and it all went downhill from there. I ran my first 10 miles in hiking shoes, in the rain, with tsunami warnings along the San Clemente beach.  The hiking shoes that day KILLED my feet. My second toe rubbed constantly against the top of my shoe and I could feel there was a problem pretty quickly. When I was finished I couldn’t even TOUCH the top of my toenail with my fingers- that’s how bad it hurt. First the small toenails were black and blue and bruised and then the big ones turned those hideous colors too. My small toenail actually died and a new one started growing UNDER the dead one because the original just would not fall off. I should have taken pictures but it was so DISGUSTING that I didn’t ever want to remember it. My big toe lifted almost all the way off but I never had the courage to pull it off or go to the Dr. On top of that I’m pretty sure it got infected because it ended up cracking in the middle, turning soft, and pussing (yes, PUS) every day at work. It was the sickest thing I have ever seen or had happen to me. If someone else had showed me their toe and it looked that disgusting I would have never talked to them again. I had gag reflex from my own feet.

But…the running had to go on. I’m not sure why but each weekend there I was, running like a gazelle with the girls. Actually, I wouldn’t really compare my running to a gazelle…I’m more like a dinosaur the way I stomp and trudge along with my head down. A big fat Stegosaurus maybe. But I digress…

My feet were so wrapped up, bandaged, ankle braces over the socks, shoes that were too big, black and blue toenails with pus gorging out. Not fun. But it makes for a good story. If I can run 26.2 miles like that ANYONE can do it. It’s all in your mind. Determinism can get you far let me tell you. It’s not enjoyable at all, but any non runner knows…we don’t run for fun…we run for medals, free t-shirts, and the bagels waiting for us at the finish line.

Sorry if my toenails made you vomit. I’d love a comment on my post if you did. J

Forever a non-runner,

Heather

Dena's New Shirt

Lesson 1

A turkey was chatting with a bull.

'I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree' sighed the turkey, 'but

I haven't got the energy.'

'Well, why don't you nibble on some of my droppings?' replied the bull. They're

packed with nutrients.'

The turkey pecked at a lump of dung, and found it actually gave him enough

strength to reach the lowest branch of the tree.

The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch.

Finally after a fourth night, the turkey was proudly perched at the top of the

tree.

He was promptly spotted by a farmer, who shot him out of the tree.

Moral of the story:

Bull Shit might get you to the top, but it won't keep you there.

That was a close one.

So my first 10 mile run was 2 Saturdays ago and I think I almost lost a toe nail. OMG!!! I didn't cut them down and I wore nail polish with lots of gloss so the friction was multiplied by 10X and it felt like I dropped a can on them after. Girls toe nails were meant to be painted and look pretty. I'm afraid to have ugly runners feet which should be understandable right since I'm a Non-Runner Runner.. "I don't know if I can do this" After everything I put my feet though I want them to look pretty but not at the risk of losing a nail right? I'm not so sure but I guess no more polish for me until after the OC even though it goes again everthing I believe!
 
-mn