Under the Weather

Here I am, slouching at my desk, feeling pretty miserable. (Hey bossman, what's up! I am totally breaking the rules, blogging at work. Sorry!) My poor little immune system resisted the department plague as long as it could before succumbing to the bug.

It hurts to swallow, I can't hear, my head feels like it is full of cement. Seriously, I am sick. AND whinny. Whatever.

I have been a trooper this week. I've made birthday treats because well Ryan turned the big 3-0 yesterday and treats were needed. I've dined with dealers because they were in town. I got up early to attend a fundraiser breakfast. I've gotten up in the middle of the night to let the damn puppy out.

All of these things aside, you know what really chaps my ass? Tomorrow is CrazyLegs. And I'm sick.

Yes I would like a cheese with my wine.

Prior to Tuesday of this week, with the plague set in, I've been running and feeling good. I've been making progress not only in form, but in speed. I was confident that I could finish CrazyLegs and feel okay doing it. I had times goals in mind. And now, I'm not even sure I am up to running tomorrow.

Especially with a forecast like this:

Rain, seriously? It's like Mother Nature is mocking me!!

Do I attempt to muscle through the run? Be wet, and cough-y, and miserable for 5miles? Or do I throw in the towel, sleep in and be bummed that I missed CrazyLegs? Ughhhh.

RAGNAR!!

Oh hai, it's been a while. I just wanted to stop by and say it's official. I am signed up and ready to rock 'n roll at RAGNAR in June!! That's right, I am one of the newest members of Team Online Relationship.

And I. Cannot. Wait.

So far I've gotten to know a few of the gals through the interwebs. You know, the Twitter, Facepage and such. And if these couple of ladies are any indication of how cool the peeps are, I am stoked!

AND THEN I saw the RAGNAR Double medal, and I want it!

Thank you all so much for your words of encouragement a few weeks back. It's amazing, and inspiring, that there is such a great community of athletes out there.

And PS-who's in for the RAGNAR Great River Relay?!

Mom Butt

As I lay on the mat doing my crunches tonight I couldn't help but think about my running analysis. Specifically about the mASSive expansion of my butt bouncing up and down in slow motion. And as I replayed that horrifying memory over in my mind I could help butt* reflect on a topic of conversation my coworkers and I explored this past weekend: Mom Butt.

If you aren't familiar with the phenomenon I insist you take a minute to watch the SNL Mom Jeans skit. Go ahead, press play. I'll wait.

Now that we're all up to speed, let's discuss.

I get that having children leads to inevitable biological and structural changes. I mean, before I'm going to squeeze a watermelon out my girly bits somethings going to have to move. And I don't mean to be insensitive to the cause. I'd be lying if I didn't admit that the Mom Butt epidemic terrifies me.

I am confident there are mom's out there who don't fit the mold. Like J Lo. Ok, bad example because if I recall correctly she's insured her ASSets. Is it possible to avoid the Mom Butt? Or reverse it? Do all mom's get it? What if you adopt? Is it still called Mom Butt if you are not in fact a mom? What if you're a lesbian? And why aren't dad's subjected to the same woes of childbearing?

It seems only inevitable that, with the already abundant bottom I have, that I will someday be another victim of the Mom Butt**. This is in fact a reason for me to think twice about procreation (well, that and a certain niece who shall not be named). But I digress. I vow to do everything in my power that if I cannot avoid it, I will do my best to delay the onset for as long as I can.

Did I mention that I did an extra set of glut bridges tonight? Because I did. Just for good measure.

*Yes, I meant this typo was intentional.

**And NO, I am not preggers people so don't go there.

All Things Running #FTW

Over the past week or so I have taken some major strides in the active world.

I have been running consistently, and consistently well, for the past 3 weeks. It's still not far, and certainly not fast, but it is feeling better and better. I definitely think I am making progress on my form and strike, I am running at a faster pace, and my recovery time is shorter. Last night's run was a major break through with 20minutes run at a 6.1-6.5mph pace. And even after pushing the pace for 20mins I still had enough left in the tank to finish 3 4x1 intervals. Huzzah!

I've also acquired a few new pieces of running gear. Remember that unfortunate near-camel toe incident a few weeks back? Yeah, well rather than taking any more chances with different brands and styles i have decided to stick to the tried and true gear of Sugoi.

Those Canadians know how to make some serious running gear.

I have always love LOVE loved, and sworn by, their compression socks. They give my calves a nice little hug without breaking the bank, which is key in my world. From flying and roadtrips, to expos and events, to post smashfest recovery, they just do the job. I have always been a little skeptical of the calf sleeves tho. I mean, won't they make my feet swell up? Seeing as my budget, and sock drawer, only allow for so many pairs of socks I took a chance with the sleeves, and they are awesome. Two thumbs WAY up! I also splurged on a few new pairs of capris. I did a pair of Piston 200 Compression Capris, which are magical, and a pair of the Hatha Capris which are just about as comfy as it gets. And functional.

Let's review.

Sugoi = comfy + support + cute + NO CAMEL TOE = Happy Katie :)

OH! And last week @jenn_if_er from "From Stilettos 2 Sneakers" made like a jillion of these super cute running headbands and sent them out to her Twitter running buddies. How sweet is that? It keeps my rogue bangs out of my eyes, stays in place, which is like a friggin Christmas miracle in my world, and is adorable. So cute I am in fact guilty of wearing it not only to run in, but to work as well. I can only imagine the funk my sweaty headband is accumulating, but I suppose that's the price you pay for fashion. If you can get past the awkward phone/mirror picture, and the streaking dirty mirror, AND the Smurf blue walls of our bathroom, which I thought was an excellent idea at the time, you'll notice I am sporting a super cute zebra print headband with my Threadless "Don't CareBears" shirt.

Thanks Jenn!!

I keep trying to think of a way to pay it forward, but seem to lacking some serious creativity these days. Cute, functional, running related, DIY...? Any ideas?!?

Hard to top a good week of running, new running gear, and Jenn's headband? Abso-friggin-lutely. But being one of the newest member of Team HoneyMilk comes darn close!! That's right, I found out earlier this week that HoneyMilk has decided to add me to their roster of grassroot athletes. So not only will my bio be on their page, with the likes of Crowie and Chris McDonald, but I'll get to help spread the word on a super product.

With all this excitement it's hard to imagine that I'm going to successfully pour myself into bed now, but I am. I've got PT in the morning and a running eval...where hopefully I'll get the green light for RAGNAR and all my other running and tri plans....

Oh wait, and the BESTEST news of all????? I've managed to knock off 7lbs in the last 3 weeks!!! You have to love when hardwork, exercise and small changes start to add up to big accomplishments. It's only like another 15lbs or so til I'm back to pre-surgery race weight, but whatevs. I'm going to bask in my accomplishment for the moment and keep trucking along.