The Good, The Bad, and The Pretty

The Good:
My NEW Mizuno Wave Rider 12's!!!!!!! :D
Absolutely LOVE them! The arch support in the Mizuno's felt sooo good when I tried them on, I tried on a new shoe shoe and an old one at the same time... there is no comparison. I have had my Asics (see 'The Bad') for about a year now, and the arch support is non-existant. I didn't even know because I just got used to them... So my feet are still getting adjusted to good shoes, my left knee aches and my right shin has splints, but other than that I am running on clouds! :)






The Bad:
My old Asics Gel Nimbus 9's R.I.P. They're actually my first official pair of running shoes that I have bought. They have served me well. Long live the Asics!







The PRETTY: My Cheetah rainboots! :D The weather has been Ridiculous with a capital R. Wednesday was a high of 70 degrees, Thursday rained from dawn till dusk (hence the rainboots!) and Friday was a freezing and cloudy 32. WTF? Seriously? Make up your mind mother nature! I hate hate hate the rain, but I love dressing for the part. Are you ready for this? I have cheetah rainboots, a cheetah umbrella, and a zebra purse. I get lots of (admiring I'm sure) looks/stares. I love it. ;)


The Workouts:
Monday - Five miles around the indoor track: Every other lap I pushed myself and then had a recovery lap
Tuesday - 3.5 miles at an about an 8 minute/mile pace
Wednesday - off
Thursday - 3 miles in the NEW shoes
Friday - 7 miles in the NEW shoes
Either tomorrow or Sunday - a long run. Distance - ???

The New Favorite Food:
5 Cheese Ziti from Olive Garden.
Oh. My. Gracious.
Try it. If you don't like it I will personally send you an Olive Garden gift card to redeem yourself. (Well... maybe not, but it's pretty much a-mazing)

Thanks for all the shoe hunting tips ya'll!!! :)
TGIF!

~Cheetah

Double Digits

"When you put yourself on the line in a race and expose yourself to the unknown, you learn things about yourself that are very exciting."
-Doris Brown Heritage

I did it.
The big 1-2.
Twelve.
YAY! :D

[ First off, I want to say thank you to everyone who has been motivating and sharing in my accomplishments... it is so awesome to have a group of people who understand and can relate to one of your passions. So THANK YOU running cheetahs!!! :) ]

I officially feel like a runner!!!! And it was outside! I figured its time to start logging the long runs outside since that's where I'm going to be running....haha the 'duh' lightbulb finally went off! It was a cloudy 50 degrees out and pretty windy, but other than that it was perfect. I parked at a grocery store parking lot and ran down the sidewalk on a busy road to a landmark that was exactly three miles...and did this route twice. It was absolutely amazing. After 6, I knew I could do it again. I was feeling so good! It even had little hilly-inclines which were BEASTS in themselves since I have never really run them, but after the ground leveled out it was like running on clouds. At one point it was pretty windy, and I think I actually was yelling 'stop!' to the...air... because it made my eyes all watery and tears were streaming down left and right. I could feel the salt lines on my face after they dried...gross. I didn't even have to stop for a long period of time, after 9 I walked for maybe .1 of a mile but then realized that if I kept walking the soreness would set in and I would be defeated, so I kept on chuggin'. I was pretty darn sore at #12 though, I really don't think I could have done another mile. So that 1/2 may just take all I can give, lol! I loved proclaiming on facebook and to my friends though, that I had just run 12 whole miles. They think I have mental issues. I tell them they don't know what they're missing out on :) Poor things.

Oh, and we definitely ate at P.F. Chang's for a celebratory dinner. MMMMMM!
[And we made homemade cinnamon rolls for breakfast....I don't think the 12 covered those calories too, but who cares!]

R.I.P. Treadmill days. Tuesday and Wednesday I ran 5 miles on the indoor track at the gym because I got there at rushour and all the mills were being used (not to mention the heatwave that was radiating from the aerobics room), and even though it's an oval with no really straight path to run its a million billon times better than the treadmill. I can't believe I've been running on that this whole time! Gosh! I thought ya'll were funny saying that it was an accomplishment to run on the treadmill that long, but geez louise ya'll were definitely right! I was alot cooler, and for some reason alot faster... I ran my 5 in 41 minutes! My normal pace on the treadmill is 45 minutes at the very least, and on a good good day.

So needless to say, today is an off day full of abs and weights, but hopefully tmrw I can resume the running addiction with an easy 3-5 miler.

Quick Question: I'm in need of new running shoes. I've had mine since last March, but have no idea how to pick new ones out. Ideas? Suggestions?

Have a grrrrreat weekend cheetahs!
~Cheetah

Nine!

Sunday was yet another milestone in my running career.... 9 miles! :) So exciting! Of course it was on the treadmill, and I averaged 9 minutes a mile. I took a break after 5 miles to go get some water and reset my time since the treadmills only count up to an hour before they make you cool down. The chick running next to me shot me a 'What is your PROBLEM!?' look when I came back and started running again. Haha! Love it. I just put a big grin on my face and ignored her. I was aiming for 10, but kept feeling the need to...um...... run to the bathroom, which was quite miserable, and I was tired, so I just stopped at 9. I think this also came from running in the afternoon instead of my normal mornings when there's nothing in my tummy. This coming weekend I'm going to attempt to run outside in the cold to prepare for the low temps. I'll be running for the 1/2 coming up. :/ hmmm.... I don't exactly have any warm running clothes that aren't cotton, which I've read is extremely painful..... Just another excuse to go shopping haha!

I set my alarm for 5 this morning, but since the obnoxious roommates kept me up until 2:30, I chose to sleep an extra 2 hours instead of going to Spin class.... which means I'll be heading to the gym after my last class at 5:00, which also equals rush hour at the gym. Grrrrrr.
So, 5 mile run today!

Groovy, Baby

Wow, so I've definitely been slacking on the post-age. I've been super studious with my Organic Chemistry and Physiology classes...ugh.... sometimes reality is such a let down! Kidding..! I'm actually really glad to be back on a routine. I'm a routine person. Not that I have nothing to do, but I don't like sitting around without an agenda. Yeah, that sounds right. Last night was a blast, my sorority had a disco themed mixer with a frat at a skating rink! Now, I haven't skated in probably 8 years, no joke, and let me brag by saying I didn't fall (on my own) once! I did hit the floor one time, but that was because some dummy thought it would be funny to play 'crack the whip' with blondey.... thanks guys. After that me and the girls went out to make our appearances at various nightlife activities and ended up dancing until 4:12 this morning! Ahem. So, it's a good thing I have no Friday classes! I did happen to hit the gym today at 5 this evening though, so I'm giving props to myself. Thank you, thank you.

Workouts:
Thursday - 5 miles tempo run
Friday - 30 min. elliptical + 3 mile speedwork.

I'll probably take the day off tomorrow and try for another long run Sunday... it's what Runner's World has prescribed the official 1/2 training plan. Pretty much the Holy Grail.

Time to watch the missed Grey's Anatomy online.
OH and SUPER excited about LOST coming back next week! AHH!!!! :) :) :)
~Cheetah

Spinning!

This week has started off extremely well... at least running-wise! Yesterday I ran 8 miles!!! EIGHT! And the best part is I felt as if I could run more, but didn't want to push my luck considering that's the farthest I've ever gone! It was at about a 9:05 pace the entire time, a little slower than my normal runs, but this definately helped me keep up the endurance. Ahh talk about feeling accomplished. :) I wasn't even sore this morning, but my toes had a couple blisters.

This morning I drug my roommate out of bed and we attended our first spinning class. We got there a little late, and was a little embarrassed when the leader had to help me put my bike together, pausing the class infront of everyone (!), not realizing the intensity knob was on high for the first 15 mintues, (thaaaaat's why I was burning the entire time!) but despite that I had a blast! It was intense! Yeah!
~Cheetah

Sunday = Laziday

"Top results are reached only through pain.
Eventually you will enjoy this pain.
You'll find the more difficulties you have on the way,
the more you will enjoy your success."

SO true! Yesterday's workout: 30 min elliptical and 2 mile run. The elliptical workout kicked my butt more than the running, I was jammin' on that thing man. This week my goal is to take a Spinning class at an ungodly hour of 6:00 in the morning before classes. I've heard these burn some serious calories and that some people are sore for days... bring it on baby! I need to kick my butt into action. Not today though. Off day! (Which includes pancake morning...yessss)
I've decided to sign up for the 1/2 marathon...thanks for the persuasion! :) It's the Mercedes 1/2 Marathon and looks like loads of people come out every year for it.. awesome!
Short, sweet, and to the point!
~Cheetah

1/2?

My best girlfriend informed me yesterday of a 1/2 marathon February 15th, we've both talked about doing one together, but that seems so soon? Is 5 weeks too little to train for one? Flashback to my last post, 7 miles is the most I've ever run before.....hmm. Plus yesterday I could hardly bring myself to run 4! I was ready to give up at 3, wahh! My right side started cramping with every breath I took; I haven't gotten cramps in forever! I was more frustrated with myself than anything. Grr! But I was also stressing out all morning about school stuff, looking at pharmacy school applications, realizing that I have a better chance of not getting in than of actually being accepted....So I also did the bike for about 20 minutes after my fail run. I whined my one of my girlfriends, but no sympathy from a non-runner. "Only 4 miles?! Oh yeah, what a letdown..." Thanks Courtney. I feel better already. Hehe. All whining aside, I think I'm going to train until the week of to decide if I'm ready or not. And if I'm not, well I'll be in pretty good shape nonetheless! I need to kick my butt back into a good routine anywho. No pain no gain, right?!

~Cheetah

2009!

Hooray for '09!

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end..."
-Semisonic

I love beginnings. Being able to have a fresh start is so very relieving. I started out my new year running AWESOME! Today I ran 7 miles - that's right 7!!! I haven't done that since June. Plus my time was equally awesome - 1:01!!!!! This isn't even the best part! I was approached by a random man at the gym and congratulated for my run!

(Story time)

So, after I completed my 7 miler on the treadmill (yes, I am a treadmill junkie) at the gym and slowed my pace down to a brisk recovery walk, a man comes up beside me and says, "I just had to come tell you that your run was awesome! I was asking myself 'is this girl ever going to quit?' I used to run when I was in the army, but you've inspired me to start back. Are you a marathoner?" My smile could have lit up the entire room. It was hard to stifle my fits of laughter with all the huffing and puffing when he mentioned me being a marathoner. HA! 7 is the epitome of my runs. I ran a 10K last March when I began running daily, and my time was 1:00:12. That has been my one and only race. I want so incredibly badly to train until my times are competitive enough to race. New years resolution/goal?
All that being said, I didn't even want to go to the gym this morning. I wholeheartedly believe that everything happens for a reason, and maybe this guy was the inspiration I needed to keep on truckin'. So thank you, random man. You totally made my day! :)

My running goal for '09 is going to be 1000 miles! It sounds like a lot, but I normally run around 20-30 miles a week. Give or take a couple in which I injure myself, have a couple really good long runs (i.e. today!!!) it should be close...

Hope the year has started off good for everyone! :)
~Cheetah