From the desk of Miss Evelyn...

I found this to be so so true and had to share... :-)

I think I have this...

Courtesy of WebMD:

Many athletes get shin splints -- also called tibial stress syndrome -- at one time or another. Whether you jog daily or just had to sprint to catch a bus one day, you may have shin splints when you feel throbbing and aching in your shins. While they often heal on their own, severe shin splints can ruin your game.

Shin splints aren't really a single medical condition. Instead, they're just a symptom of an underlying problem. They might be caused by:

• Irritated and swollen muscles, often caused by overuse.
• Stress fractures, which are tiny, hairline breaks in the lower leg bones.
• Overpronation or ''flat feet" -- when the impact of a step causes the arch of your foot to collapse, stretching the muscles and tendons.

Shin splints are very common. They're the cause of 13% of all running injuries. Runners might get them after ramping up their workout intensity, or changing the surface they run on -- like shifting from a dirt path to asphalt. Shin splints are also common in dancers.

What Do Shin Splints Feel Like?

Shin splints cause dull, aching pain in the front of the lower leg. Some people feel it only during exercise; others, when they've stopped exercising. Sometimes, the pain is constant.
Depending on the exact cause, the pain may be located along either side of the shinbone or in the muscles. The area may be painful to the touch. Swollen muscles can sometimes irritate the nerves in the feet, causing them to feel weak or numb.
To diagnose shin splints, your doctor will give you a thorough physical exam. He or she may want to see you run to look for problems. You may also need X-rays or bone scans to look for fractures. Other tests are sometimes necessary.

 <--------ME

New Goals

All I want is to be able to run without my fat thighs getting sweaty and sticking together the whole time I run.

6 miles and 16 days into the 30 day challenge

Last Sat I had to run 6 miles. I did the entire thing on the treadmill. I think I can maybe make it to 7 miles on the treadmill but any higher mile runs after that are going to have to be done on the trail with the girls. I might shoot myself if I have to be running like a hamster without going anywhere for an hour and a half.

I lost 1 more pound on my weight in yesterday. Yahoo! Better than gaining. Last night I had my fastest 1.5 miles yet clocking in at 16:56. Maybe it helped that it wasn’t 105 degrees outside. I’m really getting quite excited thinking about this Las Vegas b-day weekend half marathon. Its more than a year away but I am super excited about it. They need to post the date for it so I can make a countdown. I’m half tempted to just do it THIS year but that would be FAR too many marathons in one year. No thanks. But honestly if I won the lottery and had money I probably would.  Oh marathons you rob me of my inheritance…On a random tangent-I took up painting. And I’m making something creative that has to do with running. No hints until it’s finished. Then I will post pictures. And you will be jealous. Go me. J

30 Day Challenge-Part 2

Night walks

I have a fat dog. I’m not saying this to be mean; she is honestly obese. I worry about her health. And on top of being obese she has anxiety issues. So yesterday after work I took her over to my sister’s house so we could all go on a walk together. I figured I need to break her in to enjoying car rides and get her big jelly butt moving on an adventure walk. Separating her from her 2 older sisters is half the battle anyways. The car ride was a tough one. You would think someone had beaten her or something by the way she was shaking and panting. Poor baby. But we made it there and we all walked. And she even ran a little. Impressive. We clocked in approximately 1 total mile and she probably could have gone farther.

We’re going to do this again one night next week as well. I’m debating taking 2 dogs next week. I know my dogs need walking everyday but honestly it just doesn’t happen-mainly because I’m afraid of walking around my neighborhood alone with them. I’ve tried several times before and had creepos watching/following us and also had several loose dogs run up on us which scares the heck out of me. So until I get pepper spray, a shank, a gun, or move to a safer neighborhood, the walks for my puppies aren’t going to happen. On top of that little road trip escapade I also did my 30 day challenge of 1.5 miles.

Go me. I’m tired. I’m glad it’s Friday today. I’m thankful for my mom. J

Fearless

I was once called a "Fearless" runner. I like that.

The Death Race Challenge

http://www.youmaydie.com/

Agh!

30 Day Challenge

So in order to really start testing myself and pushing towards this “healthier” life change, I started a “30 day challenge”. This challenge is running at least 1.5 miles for 30 days consistently. Saturdays will still include my “long runs” (this weekend=6 miles). Regardless the goal is to run every day for 30 days. So far I’ve done 10 days in a row.

I’ve also discovered a food calorie counting app on my phone which is sort of helpful. It’s called “Lose It” and all you do is fill in your current weight, your goal weight, and the timeframe that you want to reach that goal weight. It calculates the rest for you. It tells me exactly how many calories I can intake that day to reach my goal and I log in everything I eat every day along with the exercises that I do. It’s really a neat app. So last week I tried very hard to follow my running and the food app and I actually lost 3 lbs. I’m sure it’s a fluke thing and when I weigh in next week I won’t be down that much weight  again but still…3 pounds is 3 pounds. In all honesty I really don’t care what my actual weight is as long as I don’t feel like a big fat lardo. All I want is to fit in my pants without my huge muffin top hanging out. Now I feel like eating a muffin. Yum.

Heather

Changing of the Guard

Happy middle of the year! It’s been awhile since anyone has posted anything on this Non-runner Runners’ blog beside me so I think it has officially become MY Non-runner Runners’ blog. And I think it may have in actuality become a Runners blog (Nix the NON part). As I sit here and eat some Cool Ranch Doritos (sshhh don’t tell on me) I’m deciding on which way I want to steer this blog from now on. I’ve lost a few of my non-runner runners but a few old faithful girls are still holding on and I’ve also gained a few new recruits. In fact, I turned one into a running maniac. I won’t mention a name but trust me-she’s insanity at its finest. In all the best ways of course. She inspires me.

I’m ¾ of the way finished with my New Year’s Resolution of running the Beach Cities Challenge. We have exactly 87 days until the Long Beach half marathon which will reward me with that big hunky medal. I’m so excited J and proud of my running goals being met this year. I feel like a winner! I’m 95% sure that LB will be my last marathon of 2012 but the 2013 marathon calendar is already in the making. I have been registered as a “Team” for the Tinkerbelle ½ marathon in January and I’m 100% planning on running my 2^nd full marathon next May at the OC Full. And my lovely blond headed BFF and I tentatively have my b-day weekend 2013 planned as going to Vegas and running the ½ marathon down the Vegas strip at night. Sounds fun right!? Only a crazy person chooses to run 13.1 miles on her b-day. But it’s Vegas. And it’s at night. And I hear you get a glow in the dark medal. I can’t pass that up. Plus, let’s not forget I absolutely want to re-run the Mud Run and Color Run 5k’s again-2 of the funnest short runs ever!  

I’m also thinking that changing my 2013 goals to include more “challenging” runs is in the works. No more plain, flat, run 13.1 miles and you’re finished runs. I’m going to start challenging myself with the tougher runs like The Tough Mudder or the Zombie run or the youmaydie.com run. Something that makes me want to die. I feel so much more accomplished after the feeling of death subsides. Plus anytime I say I did something that intense I impress myself. I am my own best critic.

On a random-non running tangent I graduated this past May and now have a Health degree. The irony of this is that I am constantly asking other people how to be healthier because I do not know how. I can tell someone else all day long what they should do, how they should exercise, and what they should be eating but when it comes to me-my own advice I just can’t seem to follow it. I dislike running, LOVE coffee mainly for the creamers, eat like a pig, and sometimes indulge in chocolates when there are no gummy bears in sight. So I’ve decided-maybe I’ll use this blog to not only gripe and complain about the toughness of running but I’ll use it to document my own little journey to health.This post has taken me almost half my day since I’m sitting here at my desk at work and have paused many times to get work done-so now that I’m no longer grubbing on the Doritos I shouldn’t have eaten (which now in retrospect I feel super guilty about)-I now have a yummy plate of fruit that I’m devouring. Fruit=good. Welcome to the unhealthy life of a health major. The journey begins…XOXO Care to join me for a run tonight?

Heather

The Color Run!

This was the funnest run EVER! Do it. You won't regret it!

 Happy Birthday Megan!!!

R.I.P. Heather

Megan is trying to kill me. She obviously does NOT know the meaning of a NON-runner runner. She is averaging a 12 min mile. And she signed me up for the 5K color run this weekend. So I am planning on dying this weekend AND again in 2 weeks at the OC 1/2 marathon. Rest in Peace- Me

Preparation...

I have officially registered for the Long Beach Marathon so I am now a Beach Cities Challenge candidate! Yay me! I can't wait for the big beautiful medal to be around my neck!

We created a calendar...a training calendar. Even though we dont train for some reason or another we came up with a training calendar. For the most part so far I have been trying to follow it. Sat was a 4 mile run which I finished in 57 mins. I was glad when that was over. This weekend is a 5 miler. Hopefully I wont pass out and die. I feel like training depletes all the energy out of me. When I just wake up on race day and go run my 13.1 miles it works because I have months of energy saved up. The training everyday depletes all of that energy. But, its worth a try right? We will see how my May OC marathon goes with training compared to the last couple ones I've done without the training.

It turns out a BUNCH of girls are running this race so I'm excited to be among some great company for this one! Hopefully no one dies or needs vaseline. Im working on my picture face and my outfit. Gotta look cute for pictures! Thinking about drinking a Blue Moon at the end of this race. Might be on the list of "TO DO's" for my hubby..."Get beer for runner wife-dont forget the oranges". Love him.

Beach cities challenge girl-OUT-
Heather

Riverside Half Marathon

Highlights of the Riverside run=When it was over. This was 13.1 miles of straight, boring riverbed trail. Out of the large total amount of approximately 100 runners that participated in this run we were probably numbers 98 & 99 to finish. Riverside run SUCKED.

We saw some bums with dogs in a stroller, lots of trash, and a warlock. I think it was the warlock that cursed us. Sorry Yvonne that I made you do this one for your first 1/2 marathon. My bad...at least our shirts are nice! Good job Denise for your best run EVER!

Surf City Marathon Baby!

Disneyland Disneyland!!!!

Highlilghts of Disneyland Marathon=Running on Angels Stadium Field! Running through Disneyland! Seeing Drew Carey. This is the funnest run I've done yet-I reccomend it to EVERYONE.

Lowlights=Miles 11-13.1-Can we say CRAMPS- &  some bratty stupid kid holding his hand out to high five me and then taking it away and saying "SIKE" right before I was about to high five back. Bastard.