Where did THAT come from?!!

Okay, so guess what, I've convinced yet ANOTHER friend that he needs to experience the joys of running!!! I tend to have this effect on people. I can't help it. And, as a disclaimer, it's not my fault New Year's Resolutioners are basically sitting ducks.


They want to get in-shape/lose weight/still enjoy foods they like. *Cough. RUNNING. Cough. Cough.* WOW, I just now had to strongly fight the urge to type #justsayin at the end of that sentence. #TooMuchTwitter?

Anyway, a good friend of mine as of yesterday has decided to run a 5k in 2010. He's not yet at a point where he can run 3 miles without stopping, but he's setting goals for himself, asking me lots of questions, and I have no doubt in my mind it will happen for him. I told him if he went running, I would too. (He lives in OH-IO, so this is long distance accountability.) I was thinking about taking yesterday off. I hadn't slept enough...and yeah... five runs in a week... is a lot more than the three I had been doing when I was being lazy.

Let's just say that run did NOT go too well. I ran 2.15 miles without stopping; it would have to be one of the WORST runs I've had in a loooong time. My calves felt super tight. My legs felt leadlike. It seemed to take forever to get to 2 miles. I even felt hotter than usual. Aaaand I had this kid next to me start at my treadmill pace then just kept pushing himself faster and faster. He glanced at me enough that he was either trying to race or be impressive. Either way I didn't need it. I don't "race" strangers at the gym. He was really distracting. The only thing keeping me from feeling entirely defeated when I left was that Hal does call for a couple 2 mile runs in his training plan. And the idea that "something is better than nothing."

Today, I told myself I was going to take the night off. Relax. Have a drink. Go to bed early. And get back into the swing of things Thursday. For whatever reason tonight I decided I'd feel better if I went on an easy 3 mile run. I had some time to kill before meeting up with a friend. I walked in the gym and instantly had to tell my co-workers "Yeah. I know. I said I wasn't working out today. But here I am." --One of the perks of working at a gym is that when you come back to workout, you feel like a celebrity.

I stretched more today before running. And I listened to Rodney Atkins' If You're Going Through Hell for all of mile 2.





Yo readers... I'm really happy for you.. and Imma let you finish...but Rodney Atkins has the best song to run to Of All Time. Of All Time.


Kanye. Interrupting. Never gets old. 5.8 felt like a fine starting speed tonight. My legs felt great. And mile 2 was pure bliss. After I saw that I was past two miles, I quickly decided I wasn't stopping at three. As I neared four miles, I knew this was going to be either a five or six mile run. At 4.5 miles I decided I should do 5 because I'm not letting myself skip out on the 8 miler later in the week. And I realized I needed to pick up the pace.

I ran 5 miles in 50:33. My last lap the treadmill was set at 8.5. WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?!! Yesterday felt like Hell...and tonight I had all the energy in the world from listening to Going Through Hell? Bizzare. In a good way! :)