I started running a little over three years ago, in my late thirties. I’ve been pretty active most of my life, sort of a workout serial monogamist. Taebo, inline skating, walking the dog - I’ve remained more or less in motion, but running has led me to places I never even knew existed.

It started because I was angry. Mike and I had purchased a treadmill for our anniversary in January, because we both were at the point where it was do SOMETHING or buy all new clothes. One afternoon I went down to do my brisk three mile walk, and I was just PISSED at someone I can’t name here, and the walking, it wasn’t ENOUGH. So I ran for a bit. And thought, “Hmmm….” So the next day I ran farther, and so an obsession began.

I love to run. Maybe because the last five years of my professional life have been such an uncertain struggle, I like doing something where you get measurable results from the work you put in. And though it is not really considered a total body workout, something about running puts me in touch with every inch of my body, and I guess I really like that, seeing as we’ve been together all these years, my body and I, and we’ve got a few more to get through before I shuffle off this mortal coil.

I am a pretty crappy runner. That is not false modesty, it is really true. I am slow, and built for power, not speed. My only true athletic gift for running is pure stubbornness - I refuse to quit.

Most recently, I’ve become an enthusiastic convert to the world of triathlons. I did one last summer and vowed NEVER AGAIN, largely because my relationship with the bike ended badly. The particular bike I was using (borrowed, and worth more than my truck) did NOT NOT NOT suit me, and the pain of riding it eclipsed everything else about the tri for me. I hurt in places I could not even talk to my mother about.

So this year, I bought a bike off craigslist, just to noodle around with the kids with, and to have in case I fell on my head and decided to do another tri… And then I did! And I LOVE MY BIKE! It is a hybrid, a cross between a mountain bike and a street bike, and I could not be happier with it.

I am still really slow on the bike, and at least three people have said, “You know, if you’re going to take these triathlons seriously…” and that is where they lose me. I’m not. I am not trying to qualify for the Olympics here, folks. I just want to stay in touch with my toes, and my abs, and my calves, and… well, you get the picture.

If riding my hybrid bike means the end of my tri bling, so be it. I’ve embarked on a new obsession - and nothing about my past track record says I have to be any GOOD at it.

I made a deal with myself last night - if I could do the bike and the run for the tri next weekend without stopping, I get to do the tri. And I did it! It had a price:

But it is not really that high. If I take ibuprofen as soon as I get home, and stretch, AND ice both achilles, I am hardly sore the next day, which is a pretty big improvement.

I just want to make it to December, then I’ll take some time off to let them settle down, but for now, my achilles tendons and I have established an uneasy truce.

As for the tri, well, I am so, so slow. It will be pretty embarrassing. BUT. I can do it. And so, I must.

Well, I haven’t talked about running in a long time (largely because my sister - my sister- told me that she just skips those entries), but things have changed so much since I last posted. I’ve been running, but my goals have shifted dramatically, to accommodate this whole thing called WORK and LIFE and all that.

So now Tiffany and I are trying to run most nights, but not looking to ramp up past four miles, or to break any land speed records. I am so, so freakin’ SORE!  And I still can not lose those FREAKIN’ EIGHT POUNDS. Makes me want to hurt someone.

On to more interesting things - I updated the “What Are You Reading?” page! Yes, that is way more interesting!

I’ve been in an inexplicable (there’s that word again!) motivational slump lately. Makes no sense! I ran in some of the crappiest weather ever, over the winter, and now it is finally getting warm and I can hardly drag myself out. I’ve just been in a funk, and am not in the mood at all to try and figure it out. I would give ANYTHING to go work my fingers to the bone up at the cabin. A weekend full of cutting wood and hauling brush and raking leaves is usually just the antidote to the blues for me, and being outside almost never fails.

Ran for the first time in several days last night, and it felt great, both mentally and physically. And I actually want to run TONIGHT, too. We’ll see if I am still in that mental space after a long day of keyboard wrangling.

I subscribe to “Fitness” magazine, and lo and behold, they printed a half-marathon training guide in their March issue! When I trained for the tri last year, I did everything wrong, because I got way too much conflicting advice. This time, I’ll actually follow an organized plan, and see how that works.

I found a different training plan at runningplanet.com, but it was a little too intense for me. I WANTED to try that one, but I just knew it would be another “suck up your whole life, but you can’t quit now” kind of thing. And I’ve got a graduating senior and four other kids to worry about, and that little thing called trying to find work, so, well, REALITY had to trump my kick-ass fantasies.

I’m going to keep track of my workout progress on a spreadsheet, so I can tell how the Plan works out. I’m also going to start tracking my increasingly frustrating quest to lose the rest of my winter weight, which comes off slower and harder every year. I have eight pounds to lose.

I think I can do that in eight weeks, eating around 1900 calories a day. So, to keep me honest, I’ll be tracking my totals, and adding that to the spreadsheet, too. Gulp. PUBLIC ADMISSION of my epic appetite. Seriously, I can eat more than my husband (which he is infuriatingly quick to point out).

So, I ran 4.1 today in 37 minutes, and feel like I slacked. That was the first workout, I swear! I’ve been doing pushups and squats off and on, out of guilt.

Legs. Of. Lead. UGH.

OK, calling all nutritionally savvy athletes. Can you point me at a good source of information to get my nutritional needs dialed in for my training levels? I am having the same problems I did last summer with the tri training. Lead legs, TIRED, spacey, distracted, CRANKY, headaches… I KNOW this is nutrition. I never really did get it all figured out last summer.

I might have to actually (NO) consult a professional on this. Like that you pay money to. But I will look for freebies first, because, well, this is ME.

Ran 7.5 today, did my route backwards. I don’t do that often enough, and surprisingly enough, it kept things more interesting. That, and Mike has been out of town, so any break I could get from my little minions was welcome (thank you again, Cody Brennan). Ran under 9 minute miles, which I am pretty happy with for this time of year, and the recent increase in distance.

It is starting to warm up! Ran the last couple of miles without the mask - probably could have done the whole thing without, but my voice has been pretty raspy, so I’m trying to baby things along.

Playing catch-up again! Ran 7.5 again, at 3:30 in the afternoon. The sun was out, but it was COLD again. Somewhere in the 20s with a biting wind. My sister in Colorado said it was 71 degrees there today. And I am trying to talk HER into moving back HERE!

Pretty good run, though my legs feel pretty heavy. Not a good sign.

Ran 7.5 today, outside the neighborhood, not really because I am trying to step it up just yet, but because I was not ready to go home.

It was COLD. For mile 6 or so I was heading north on Oakland Drive, and the head wind was something else. I only had on sweats, no tights, and the skin on my legs was fire-engine red when I got back. Itched like CRAZY - anyone else ever have that happen? I know it is some kind of reaction to the cold, but have never really investigated, because it is what it is, you know?

Felt good enough to go up a mile that I think I”ll try to stay there for the next couple of weeks. I’m at the point where if you told me I HAD to run the half marathon, I know I could do it. I would SUFFER, but I could do it.

Ran with Renee today - what a treat, to run with someone after the long, cold winter alone. We ran 3.5, then walked another half mile to cool down, which is something I need to try and add into my routine. I NEVER stretch, NEVER cool down. I run right up to the driveway, walk in the house, and usually start dragging kids away from their fun and up to the tub.

The sun was out, and her route is very scenic, which again was a wonderful change. That stream in the middle was GREAT. I’ve got to start running over at Celery Flats more often. Running near water is so, so SOOTHING.

It was DAMN cold, though - temp in the 20s with a wind chill in the teens.

If I don’t start varying my route, I’ll be able to cover these log posts with “ran the usual”. Probably around a 9 minute pace today, which will hopefully come down if my weight ever does… I have not been working very hard at that. On Tuesday, I made albondigas for dinner, which naturally called for sopapilla cheesecake, which I can not stay out of. I have definitely reached that point where my workouts can no longer offset my love of food.

Anyway - ran just before noon today, and it was a VAST improvement over Wednesday. I have to run again tomorrow, to make up for blowing off yesterday. Need to check the weather to see if this weather is going to break or not - I’ll happily run in the rain, but NOT when it is 40 degrees. Katie has been home from college on spring break, so I’ve been able to get some midday runs in. Next week it will be back to the dinnertime shuffle.

Usually, I fix dinner, get it on the table, and gather the troops. Then I take off and let Mike get them to actually eat. THAT is a topic for another post! Suffice it to say that there is no aspect of mothering more agonizing to me than getting those hooligans to EAT.