"Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself." -William Faulkner

Today was the second time I ran outside. This time around it was 49 degrees instead of 32 and it was sunny, a light breeze and blue skies.

It is a beautiful Saturday in the neighborhood.

"It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...oh would you be mine..."
I miss this kind of television. 

I think I can safely say I'm done running on the treadmill. I need to learn how to lengthen my stride since I have this tiny little sad shuffle run. Our complex was built on a hill with varying degrees of incline and there are some flat areas, but I have a good feeling I'm going to build serious leg muscles.

I just need to learn how to move my legs.

Sigh. I know, I know...

Running seems like something that should be natural and it's not unless you've spent your entire life doing it. First was overcoming the breathing issues and now I need to overcome the shuffle run. It's frustrating to be able to run 2.5 miles on the treadmill and then transition to outside and run 1.5-2 miles and be exhausted. I just keep telling myself that this is a different animal. There is no belt pushing me forward. I have to rely on myself to keep going. Training is going to get tough over the next month, but I need it to be in order to change and improve.

Positive attitude...positive attitude...

Yoga is my love. I only do quick 10 minute video before and after I run or do weight training, but it just makes my muscles feel so much better. I think I'm one of those people who NEED to stretch or else. I'm going to look for longer routines to do.

Tonight I'm going to try out the one frozen yogurt place in town, Yogi Castle. I'm hoping they have as many yummy flavors as they do on the website. I could go for the green tea flavor with some mochi topping. Nomz!

Looking forward to this...

So here's to the end of "Murphy's Law" week and hopefully next week will be much better!

Mileage: 1.8 running, .6 walking (2.4 total)

"What doesn't kill you makes a fighter..."- Kelly Clarkson, What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger)

UGH.

Yeah, I'm a little perturbed today.

So my calf strain healed and I got back to running today. The run went well. Only did 1.5 miles of running to make sure not to aggravate the strain if it wasn't totally healed. Well, after running some errands, and cleaning  much of the apartment (which I did in supportive shoes) I notice my left ankle is sore and stiff. And of course it is the achilles tendon that is sore and stiff. I'm praying that I didn't really hurt it and it is just being sore and a pain (literally).

It's always something isn't it?

That's about right...

I hate being overweight (as I have finally reached a BMI under obese, I can safely say I'm overweight. yay!). Being overweight makes everything harder. Most normal, healthy, semi-in-shape people can start training to run and if they have the right shoe they usually don't come across any injuries until they are going much farther than 2.5-3 miles. Or at least it feels that way! I want to run. I have to run. There are so many people saying I can't and I can not let them win. I will not sit by while they smile smugly knowing they were right all along.

Because they're not.

Who wouldn't want to be a unicorn?

Sure I might not keep my commitments, change my mind easily, and make crazy impromptu decisions, but this is one decision, one dream, I REFUSE to give up on. I have a huge race in November I WILL RUN. I need to learn how to run hills without pulling my muscles because this race is hill crazy! I'm just thankful that I have a great running store very close by with staff that have done marathons to get advice from. I'll wrap my legs up in whatever I need to as long as I can continue training and getting better without injury. I'm sure I'm not the only fat runner they've ever had.

Slow and strong, baby!

I'm trying, I'm concerned and I want to be better. That has to count for something, right?

My apologies as that was a bit of a rant [understatement of the year], but I really need to reassess and remember why I'm doing this. I'm doing it to stick to something for once in my life. And it will happen, it will just take a lot of time and work.

Time, time time.

The food front hasn't been good either this week. I had 2 failed recipes one right after the other this week. I'm hoping tonight's dinner goes well. It's basically a mexican inspired frittata, and I can cook eggs well so fingers crossed! I found a lot of good recipes online and next week is looking much more promising than this week.

This week has just been a knock down, drag out, Murphy's law kind of week. Definitely looking forward to my Friday beer tomorrow. Well, the "beer" will actually be cider. I have a new Woodchuck Cider to try, nom nom!

If only... :)

One day I'll look back at this time and (hopefully) be able to say this was my fork in the road, my turning point and I decided to keep going. I know there are a lot more forks in the road and injuries and setbacks, but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right?

New Doctor Who: 23 days

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Mileage: running- 1.6, walking .6