Movie Week

Hottie!

So I've been watching a bunch of movies this week!
I watched Accepted (for about the hundredth time), Without a Paddle (once again, for like the hundredth time), Easy A (don't even get me started), and I'm watching Star Wars for the first time tonight.

Me and St. Amelia at graduation.

I know, it's insanity that I haven't seen the Star Wars trilogy before, but I haven't. I live in an all female household and it just never really happened. My sister's boyfriend discovered this and nearly stroked out. So now he currently have his VHS copies in our possession. I should be watching the first one tonight. As long as Harrison Ford is in it, I'm game! =).

My bestie Daniel!

But my running has been really fun this week! I've done two-a-days twice this week. On Tuesday I ran the morning and then did a night run with St. Amelia, and yesterday I ran in the morning and then met up with my friends Daniel and Victoria at 8. I was afraid that my legs wouldn't be able to take it, but the paces both times were comfortable and I had a lot of fun catching up with friends!

And for the most exciting news: I'm running a 5k tomorrow!!! (Cue roaring applause). I'm hoping that taking today off will restore my legs (they've been a bit store) and that I'll really bust it out tomorrow. I hope everyone else has a great weekend planned.

Memorial Day Weekend

I know I've seriously been lacking on photos, so I'll just put in a few illustrations here and there until I get re-motivated to actually pick my camera back up.

I can get a bit lazy sometimes.

But anyways! I ran 10 miles yesterday, which is the longest run I've done in a while. It felt great to get back into the swing of things. Sadly, though, I'll be giving that back up next week as I am most likely running a 5k next Saturday. Hoping for a PR redemption.

But other than that, not much has changed. My summer has been rather uneventful thus far (I need a job!!!!). I've just been watching movies and playing games (typical teenager, right?).

GREAT movie. Justin Long is awesome.

But hopefully the family will be taking a trip to Athens, my favorite city in Georgia, soon.

40 Watt Club in Athens

In the meantime I guess I'll just kill off a couple of my Sims...

Hope everyone's summer so far has been full of good runs!

Cruel Summer

Man, this heat is killing me!
I'm heading out in the mornings, and it's STILL hot outside.
But I shouldn't complain. My legs are doing a lot better and I've been doing Zumba most nights.

It's also a great break, not having to go to school every morning.
I'm not racing this weekend because I'm going to a wedding, but hopefully I'll be entering a 5k next Saturday.
I hope everyone's summer is going well!

God Bless Brooks

So my new pair of shoes came in yesterday and I got to try them out today!
I upgraded from Brooks Adrenaline GTS 10's to Brooks Adrenaline GTS 11's.
(Hey, I know what works for me, and my old shoes were basically dead.)

They ran like a dream! My shins didn't hurt at all.
And I was fortunate enough to run with a good friend of mine, Sam.
5 miles flew by.
And after talking to coach, I'm thrilled to say that Sam with be my fellow captain (captain of the boys).

Sam is the guy in the green shirt. Kid cracks me up.

Cross Country season is so close!
=)

Perseverance

So yesterday's run was essentially a lesson in patience and perseverance. All 5 miles went at a snail's pace, and while my shins didn't really hurt, my muscles felt like they were stuck in mud. I went home, sulked for a while, and then went to Zumba to cheer myself up. I came home sore, but a lot happier. 

When I woke up this morning I was debating whether or not to run. My muscles were still kind of sore from last night, and my ego still stung from yesterday morning. But tried to put my check my bad outlook at the door and headed out anyways. 

I guess life was rewarding me for my hard efforts yesterday, because while my muscles were a little tired, I really enjoyed my run today! It was still much slower than I wanted it to be, but my body felt good. 

I'm not sure what's causing me to struggle this week, but I'm just glad that I can still enjoy logging the miles. No matter how slow they are. (But hopefully I'll be back to my old self soon enough.)

Of course, I've got to brag on another blogger, Morgan. She has a stress fracture and has been enduring it with a phenomenal attitude. While she's struggling to wait the injury out, she's handling it better than I would. Stay strong, girl! I could learn a couple things from her on the art of a good attitude.

Janeen's Run 5k

.

So this was just about the sweetest race I've ever attended. 

I made a friend

The guy hosting it was on the Ga Tech track team some odd years back and so was his wife, Janeen. 

I'm very sorry to say, however, that his wife died last year in a car accident. 

But he decided to honor her memory by hosting a race to raise funds for an athletic scholarship. 

It was even more touching because all the men and women that ran with her on the team showed up to run it.

So I was honored to be a part of it. 

Now, it was, however a killer race. I never knew that Atlanta could be so... hilly. I put out an ok time of 26:40. I was hoping to PR, but once I realized the type of course I was dealing with, I pretty much kissed that dream goodbye. But I enjoyed myself nonetheless. 

Unfortunately my shins took quite a beating and I've been nursing them since then. I've been doing a lot of yoga and icing them. I refuse to get shin splints right before summer starts. 

Anyways, I hope everyone else had an awesome weekend! I should be wrapping up finals tomorrow and then my summer OFFICIALLY begins. 

Why I Love the Running Community

There are a LOT of reasons that I love running.
But my fellow runners are one BIG reason.

I love how supportive other runners are. It doesn't matter if you PR with a sub 20 or a sub 40 5k, a fellow runner is bound to congratulate you.

Runners also encourage each other during races. You won't find many sports where competing athletes will offer  supporting words to their 'rivals'. I've had many strangers running beside me offer a 'you can do it' or a 'just keep  going, you're almost there'.

I also love that the term 'runner' can encompass all types of people. Tall, short, skinny, husky, male, female, you name it. The running community is open to anyone willing to lace up their shoes and head out.

I'm proud to be a runner.

What do you love most about running?