Running from Fear

Today on Runner's World they had a poll about your biggest running fears.
I know this is the second time in a week that I'm scamming off of another blog's ideas, but I still can't find my camera...

Now You Know My ABCs

I saw this on one of the blogs I follow and figured it would be fun to do.

A. Age: 17 

B. Bed size: Twin. I'm a short kid, I don't need much room...

C. Chore you dislike: Dusting. It makes my eyes water.

D. Dogs: I only have cats, but I want a dog to run with! I love bulldogs, but they're not the running type. I want a black lab named Myars instead. :)

E. Essential start to your day: Breakfast. I just don't understand people who function without it. I love a good bowl of oatmeal in the morning!

F. Favorite color: I really like green. It's subtle, but it still has energy. Plus it makes me feel refreshed.

G. Gold or silver: Gold. Not because of the value, but because of the color. It goes well with my hair.

H. Height: 5'2" but I have a tall personality. ;-)

I. Instruments you play(ed): I BARELY played trumpet, piano, guitar, and violin. 

J. Job title: Intern.

K. Kids: I'm too young to even think about that stuff right now. Maybe I'll adopt later on in life.

L. Live: The good ole peach state.

M. Mom’s name: Debra. Don't call her Debby.

N. Nicknames: Red (for obvious reasons) and Juggerbutters, which came from the nickname jugs...teenage boys can be horrible creatures.

O. Overnight hospital stays: Not sure. If I've ever spent the night at the hospital I was too young to remember. I've slept in hospital lobbies before though. My grandpa had emergency back surgery.

P. Pet peeves: When people claim to be humble but then unceasingly brag on themselves. That makes you a hypocrite AND an egotistical jerk. 

Q. Quote from a movie: "Hello my name is Steve. I come from a rough area. I used to be addicted to crack, but now I am off and trying to stay clean. That is why I am selling magazine subscriptions. I was hoping you could help me out." Ha ha. Oh Office Space.

R. Righty or lefty: Righty.

S. Siblings: Older sister Katie. 8 months older. Ha ha, try to figure that one out.

T. Time you wake up: I wake up sometime in between 6 and 6:30 most days.

U. Underwear: Uninteresting. Anything that will function on a run.

V. Vegetables you don't like: Lettuce, celery, and beets. I like most other other vegetables. LOVE cauliflower, yellow squash, and broccoli.

W. What makes you run late: Family members. I'm always early when I'm going somewhere on my own.

X. X-rays you’ve had: None...

Y. Yummy food you make: I'm not a very good cook, but I love steaming and roasting vegetables.

Z. Zoo animal favorites: I don't really like zoos, but I think otters are adorable!

Achy Shins

So I'll be posting an entry about my race two weeks ago as soon as I find my camera. It's gone missing...

But I ran another race yesterday afternoon and placed third in my age bracket!

I did a lot better than I expected, considering that my legs are still on the mend from last week.

It was a fairly challenging course, with the second miles being almost completely uphill. It was also pretty hot, being at 2 in the afternoon. 

I finished in 25:58. 

Not splendid, but not too bad either. I'm hoping my legs will regenerate soon because my run today was a bit of a struggle, but I'm feeling good about the times I've been putting out recently. 

=)

Race Day

The big day is here!

My race is at 3:00 this afternoon, and I'm hoping that everything goes well.

It should be in the 70's, but I'm hoping for some cloud coverage or some wind. That should make the run more enjoyable. I'm aiming to beat my last race time for a 5k, which was 26:12.

Anyways, my mom got together with some of her old high school pals last night, so I spent the evening relaxing at my godmother's house (since we're out of town). I got some Chinese food in hopes of stocking up on some carbs.

But I'm glad we're out of town no matter what we're doing. Sometimes you just need a break from the same old routine. This get together is good for mom. Katie (sister) and I needed a break too.

So until the race I'm just going to sit back, relax, and enjoy my latest read:



Parental Control

This morning I was talking with some of my classmates before the bell, and one guy was complaining about his boss. He kept talking about how he was such a horrible guy, and his main example was this: 

His daughter, instead of being grounded, was being forced to run a certain number of miles. My classmate went on to say that the father forced all of his kids to stay active in sports whether they wanted to or not. 

This was my response: "Good!"

The classmate seemed shocked that I would support the father's actions in forcing their kids to do a sport, or punish them with physical activity. Maybe I'm callous, but I think that's one of the best parenting strategies that I've seen. 

Some people may say that making decisions like that for your kids is unfair or cruel, but I simply see it as a parental role. It's not a parent's job to be liked, it's to raise their kids to be the best people they can possibly be, and if that means you have to make most of your kids decisions until they're legal adults, so be it. As someone who has struggled to get their eating and exercising under control, I see health and fitness as a vital piece in making you the best that you can be. 

I don't want my kids to end up like this.

My classmate countered by saying, "But what if the kids grow up and rebel by dropping all the sports and rules their parents forced on them?"

That's their responsibility. Parenting can only go so far, once you're an adult, you have the control, and that includes the responsibilities of choosing between an apple and a Twinkie ( or a trip to the gym vs. an all day Jersey Shore marathon). 

I guess what I'm trying to say is that if I ever have kids, I fully intend to keep them involved in some sort of physical activity. I can only hope that they take those skills and keep them once they're out on their own.

Cranking Up The Heat

So it was a hot day here in Georgia! Reached up to 60 for the first time in months. I must have laid out for nearly two hours (not a great idea with my complexion, but I couldn't resist!)

Running, however, was a completely different experience. The run started wonderfully, but the humidity sparked my asthma, so I was short breathed through much of the run. The inside of my arms also started chafing. But I'm still glad that I went running! I just hope I readjust to 'warm running' soon.

Sex and the City and Sweet Potatoes

That essentially sums up my week. I watched Sex and the City and ate a lot of Sweet Potatoes. That and the insane amount of school work, but that can't be helped.

Monday: 
Sex and the City and a blur of homework.
Miles: 5


Tuesday:
I discovered that Economics is probably the hardest subject I've every had to take.
Miles: 5


Wednesday: 
For the first time in Chemistry this semester, I understood a concept that was being taught.
Miles: 4


Thursday: 
Another horrible day of Economics.
Miles: 5


Friday: 
Went to the Farmer's Market and Grocery shopping. Got a bunch of yummy, healthy food.
Miles: 5


Saturday: 
I went running, but my shin was hurting. I cleaned up my room and then watched Bones, Spirited Away, and now I'm watching Sex and the City. About to eat a Sweet Potato.
Miles: 5


I'm running a 5k next Saturday, so I need to keep an eye on my shin and try to scale back on my mileage a bit. I want my legs fresh for the race. The last thing I want to do is crawl across the finish line!