Run #9.1 - Getting My Ass in Gear!!

Alright, it is time. Summer is over. This is my favorite running season now. I secretly think that maybe I don't like running in the rain and cold, thus running faster so I can get inside quicker? I don't know - but what I do know is running becomes fun for me in the fall. I don't dread going outside. I feel comfortable in the dark - it makes it easier to look in people's windows to see what they do in their homes at night.What? And now that I have a little racing gap I am really focusing on preparing for the Las Vegas Rock'n'Roll Half Marathon!! In less than a month I'll be down there (funny how this feels like a "huge" gap in my schedule!) and I am hoping to run a good race. My plan is already set .... if it ends up miserable like the Runaway Pumpkin, I'm pulling over, whipping out my debit card, buying a margarita and continuing on with the race, drink in hand. Confession: I may have already thought about crossing the finish line, drink in hand, just for an awesome race photo. I do have friends that live right there. I bet they could help me pull this off without taking time off the clock!

Okay, so back to running. I'm in the zone! YIPPEE!!! My brain is so ready for a good round of training. To start it off, at 6am I was at the pool working harder than I've worked in a long time. The whole time my teacher kept telling people to watch me because I was nailing all the moves. I actually got winded! But exercising didn't stop there. Do you read the Almost Runner's blog?? Do it. She is so freaking adorable and I always look forward to her posts. Yesterday she said she was starting the 30 Day Shred. Without hesitation I knew that I wanted to give it a try too. (Thank you, I'm so glad you got me out of my workout slump. You rock!) Promptly after work I was at the storing picking it up, as well as some 3 pound weights. This gives me 1.5, 3 and 5 pounds to choose from.

When I got home I did that dreaded thing.... I put on a sports bra and the smallest shorts I could find and stood in front of the mirror for my "before" pictures. Ugh. Yikes. Talk about motivation to shred! Quickly I switched into a running skirt, shirt, shoes and took another "before" just so I'd have something to actually share. After that I was off for 2 slow miles. I kept to the 4:1 intervals knowing that if I didn't I'd run too hard, too fast. I had to ease back in since I am still not sure if my leg is 100% happy or not. The run felt great! Only one moment of funky-ness in my leg and that's it. During the run I listened to Stacey. You know, Stacey! She's the chick that comes on your TV every time you turn it on in your Walt Disney World hotel room. I have her "show" on my phone and watch it all the time. It is sick. I have it memorized ... just like Titanic! Anyway, this really helped get me psyched for all of the races coming up in the next two months, and it made the time fly by!

Once I got back in the door I put in the 30 Day Shred, grabbed my mat and weights and began 20 minutes of crazy intensity. Oh. My. Gosh. This thing is NO JOKE!! I kept up pretty well considering this was the 3rd round of exercise for the day. I was so sweaty by the end of the night, and I loved it! I never even called that Jillian person any bad words... yet.