Calluses

Ran a "quick" two miles around the parking lot of my complex tonight so I could get home quickly to watch "So You Think You Can Dance," the only TV show I even watch anymore.

The run wasn't great. I'm convinced this parking lot and it's long, shallow inclines is a lot harder to run than some of the hilly paths I run.

Question time!

And of course, because it's me it has to be a topic no one wants to talk about.

Calluses!

How do bottom-of-foot calluses affect running? Should I keep them nice and smooth or are thicker calluses useful to runners like they can be for dancers?

Here's why I ask. I've been keeping in top of mine like a good girl. Not like I can show my ugly feet this summer because my toenails are 97% gone. On days when they're a little stiff from either a missed exfoliation or from a hard day in work shoes (devil...you dudes don't know how lucky you are), running hurts. And I don't even run on my toes (mid-foot strike, right here).

Now the balls of my feet have always been sensitive to -- well -- everything, so maybe it's just that and has nothing to do with calluses.

Anyway, just thought I'd put that out there and see what you all thought. Plus I miss your comments. I'm sure if I posted more than just lame "I ran today" updates, you'd have a reason to comment, right? Right.


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After The Rain - Woodland Mound 6/26/2011

I did another un-timed, music-free run at Woodland Mound this afternoon. It still feels really good and I'm so glad to get back to running.

I did some thinking during my quiet run and I realized I just need to refocus my efforts.

New focus: ME

My time.
My schedule.
My rules.
My abilities.
My workout.
My run.
Mine.


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Return To Normalcy - Woodland Mound 6/23

I ran about 2.25 miles tonight. I have no idea how long it took. I didn't listen to music. It was beautiful at the park. I sat on a bench by a pond with my mom for a half-hour afterwards. It was all amazing.

Sorry for my absence lately. I've been going through some personal battles surrounding exercise but all is resolved now and...I'M BACK!!!


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Giggles: More Plus-Sized Activewear

In light of my recent ho-hums regarding running/exercise burn-out, I think it's a right-good time for a few giggles, don't you?

Back at the end of May, I spent the day with Caitlin, her family and her bestie. They were nice enough to invite me along for a trip to a giant thrift store clear on the other side of town. As a preface, thrift stores are generally tough places for plus-sized gals to shop. Clothes aren't often organized more than into categories like bottoms and tops, let alone into sizes or separated into regular sizes and "more to love" sizes. So unless you're an avid shopper who enjoys rummaging through miles of terribleness and things that don't fit (which I am most DEFINITELY not), it's not likely a big girl is going to find big girl clothes worth buying.

Well, I, ladies and gentlemen, hit the jackpot on this thrift shop trip. As I was wandering aimlessly behind Caitlin and her BFF, looking for the most terrible garments to hold up and make fun of, I found a sea--nay, an ocean--of plus-sized velour track suits!

Read my take on plus-sized active wear here.

Take a good long look at these BEAUTIES!
(Photos by the beautiful and talented Teresa B.)

This one was actually a really pretty color!
Sexy, for sure. Look how flattering those pants are to my figure!

SEAFOAM GREEN!
This one felt like I was wearing quilted window treatments. Instant sweat, ladies and gents.

I implore you, f you're out shopping somewhere and you stumble across velour track suits, please please please model them and take a picture and email it to me: moretoloverunning@gmail.com

And that is all for this evening. Thanks for sharing a giggle with me. =)

Redlegs Run 5K 2011

Hi folks! Sorry for the delay in posts. I've been a bit overwhelmed with boot camp in the mornings and starting a new job this week. But I didn't want to leave you having too much longer on the Redlegs Run results. I

'll post more later this week about how things are going. In a nutshell, I'm burned out. I need a break. Blah.

Official time: 41:30 (my third best 5k time)


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Boot Camp Part Deux - Week 1, Day 1

Today was the first day of my second go-'round with Cincinnati Adventure Fitness Boot Camp for Women and holy cow what a difference a year makes! I gave myself a little laugh this afternoon and read my blog post from the first day of camp last year. (Read it here.)

Things definitely went differently this year. I knew that I shouldn't dive into it head-first like I did last year when I lunged with all my might with my heaviest weight. I knew that each exercise would be done in quick succession with other exercises and that the whole set would be repeated 3 or 4 times. I knew that the little running "track" ABC Linda tells us all to run on includes some deceptively steep hills.

Most importantly, I knew it could be fun if I let it be. And it was.

As soon as ABC Linda turned the music on and we started to warm up, I felt good. I was ready to roll.

I did have to take caution with my knees though, more than I've ever done. If anything, I think that helped me work on my form a bit.

Meh, anyway, on to day 2 and day 3, etc. I'm weighing myself every day after camp, too, so we can all see some real-time results. As usual, these numbers are actually completely wrong, disguised by my super-secret calculation that keeps my real weight a secret. (One of these days I'll be able to just share that number...but not today.) I'll weigh myself every day right after camp to get the most accurate number. And yes, I agree that weighing yourself everyday can be unhealthy, but only if you expect certain results every day. I do not. My weight has fluctuated 5 pounds within a day before. No big deal.

Weigh-ins
ABC2: W1D1 - 521.1

Tricking My Knees - Little Miami Scenic 6/5

I think I figured out a way to trick my knees into letting me run and I got to test it out today.

Success!

Caitlin sent me a text this morning to see if I was up for a run on the Little Miami Scenic Trail. So, we headed out. We did just shy of 3 miles (1.5-ish miles out, 1.5-ish miles back) and only took a few short walk breaks on the second leg. It was hot, y'all.

I'm really pleased with the run, though. I'm so glad I got some significant distance in (to me, that means more than 2 miles), and I'm also glad I got to test out the knee-tricker with our few walk breaks.

So, the trick is to start running with my knees bent a little more than normal. Kind of like a shock resistance thing, I guess. The hurting knee (right) doesn't hurt when I do that, and the popping knee (behind the left one) doesn't pop quite so much. And, I can do that throughout the run whenever either one of them starts acting up.

So yay for tricking my body into cooperating!

First day of boot camp tomorrow.
Chiropractor appointment (boo!) tomorrow to fiddle with my back and knees.
First day of the new job on Tuesday.

Thanks for checking in!

Weigh-In And Run

Long story short, I may have figured out a way to trick my knees into letting me run. Did a lap at Armleder (1.9 miles) tonight without walking.

I also got weighed and measured for boot camp pre-evaluation. I'm very close to or just below where I measured last year AFTER camp. Considering how little I've done outside of running in terms of health, I'd say that's a little bit of a victory. I should have gained in every area (except my bitchin' legs).

Oh, and today was my last day at my job. Had to say bye to a lot of people I didn't want to say bye to, but I'm ready for the next adventure!

Boot camp starts Monday.
New job starts Tuesday.

That's all! Time to eat and watch my first ever episode of Mad Men.


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