If I turn my head just so and lift my left foot

I don't know what it is about my allergies. I felt great this morning. I got up, ate some breakfast, sat at my computer and put in a mean 5 to 6 hours. Then it just hit me, the headache. And I was down for the count. I tool some meds in the afternoon and laid down.

About three hours later, the urge, the guilt of not running came over me. I got up and got out. Surprisingly it felt good. Sure I was a bit tired. I had not run since last Wednesday and that wasn't good. So I got dressed and ignored the pressure I felt when I looked down and off I went.

Now, go back to the very first post I ever did and it will say anyone who runs with pain or illness is just crazy. It states I am not that "kind" of runner. The fact that I was constantly aware of tilting my head just so and watching my foot steps contradicts that first post.

Ok feeling woozy again...back to bed. Ah yes Sudafed. Thanks Mr. F. I forgot about that wonderful medication.

Where in the world is Fluffy?

I can tell you where she isn't. She isn't on the trails near her house. She isn't on the streets near her home. On the track? Nope. On the dreadmill? Nope.

She is in a coma on her couch. My allergies and sinuses have taken a toll on me. My head feels like it is going to explode. It hurts to turn my head, to look down or even to look up. I have slept all day. I got up to wake up my daughter for school. I worked for a few hours, picked up my daughter from school then took her to the library and came home and went back to sleep on the couch. I woke up at 9 pm. And if I hold my head just so.... it doesn't hurt as much.

I have to run. I have a 5K this weekend. I want to do 5k this week and then just a mile or mile and half on Thursday. "Only mile and half" hee hee. I remember when I completed Week 5 Day 3 of Couch to 5K and I cried, again. (It seems like I am always crying). But I cried because I had ran a mile for the first time. And now, my short run is a mile and a half.

So hopefully (fingers crossed) my head will be clear by tomorrow. So until then....Keep running.

I'm Fluffy and proud of it

You ever have one of those perfect days? You know, when you get up earlier than usual and feel rested, you get all green lights on the way to work, you get everything done on your to do list at work, and then you have a great run? That is the kind of day I had. It was a perfect day.

Fall came in all his glory today. I woke up to 69 degrees and low humidity. And it stayed that way all day. By the time I went for my run at 5pm, it was still a good day. It is amazing how much easier it is to run when humidity is not dragging you down. There were several times I hit my Nike+ and it read "current pace 13:26 or 14:17". That just doesn't happen to me. It was a good run.

Part of it was due to my playlist. For whatever reason, my Nike+ started in the middle of my running playlist. (Maybe it knew I needed a change.) But I heard songs I rarely hear, like Don't Slow Down, I Got it From my Mama, Here it Goes etc. I was rockin' and rollin' out there. When "I Got it from my Mama" came on, man, I was running with attitude. As I ran, I thought, "yeah that is right. Here I am, live and in person. I am beautiful. I am powerful. I am fast. I am a runner." It was a great feeling.

Get out there. Be an example for someone else. I promise you that while you run outside, in all your fluffiness, there is someone driving by and they are admiring you. Deep down they wish they had the courage to do what you are doing. You are running Baby and don't stop!

Team Edward

OK, this weekend was crazy. I was surrounded by teenage girls Friday and Saturday. And with teenage girls came teenage snacks. It was too much for me. I have been doing really good on the not eating bad munchies thing. But I had Chex Mix, cupcakes, Cheetos, hot dogs, dark chocolate Chex Mix (yes you heard me right, Chex Mix drizzled in dark chocolate). OH and Pringles, licorice, blow pops etc.

Are you following me? The junk food was everywhere. So I don't think I had one decent meal the whole weekend. And I feel it. I have a food hangover. I have retained so much water that I could dry emboss my whole body with a Cuttlebug embossing folder by just pressing it against me. (If you scrapbook, you will understand).

So I ran this afternoon and it was overcast for the beginning of my run. That is a good thing because I hate the sun when I run. As soon as it peaks out from behind the clouds, I feel drained. I don't know why. I know it is completely mental. Hopefully it won't be the same in the winter.

I also realized that my headset is going out on me, which is why sometimes I can't hear the voices on my Nike+. I guess that is a good thing. All I need is a new headset.

Pride and how it can hurt

I started running with a friend of mine. I have always ran alone so this is new to me. Little things stress me out so the idea of having to plan my run against someone else's schedule is stressful. It shouldn't be but it is for me. So yesterday I met her to run. I ran on Tuesday morning so I wasn't expected to run again until Thursday. I figured I would meet her and she would run and I would walk. No biggie, right? Wrong!

There were quite a few people on the trail. It was during a time that I normally don't run so there weren't any of my regular group of people that I see during the morning. Well my friend, not a skinny mini but not my size, started to run and I started to walk faster. And then I left my insecurities take control. I started to think everyone was looking at me and they were thinking, "Poor fat woman. She can't even run along with her friend. Well at least she is out here." Ok that kind of thinking is so wrong at so many levels. First, no one really cares about me running. They got their own thing going. Second, being a runner makes you no better than a walker. They are just different techniques. So, I need to stop acting like a running snob. And third, even if someone thought that way....who cares!?!?!?

Because I let my mind take over my body, I started to run. And I started to run faster than normal. And I paid the price. I woke up this morning and my legs were sore and I felt it in my knees. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! So learn from me, if you are just starting out, don't do too much. Take your rest days from running. Walk, ride your bike, weight train or swim on those days if you feel a need to move. But by no means do you run.

Wordless Wednesday Favorite Things

My Nike+ loves me again!

So I went for a run at lunch time today and I did not have a heat stroke. That is a big plus in SE Texas. There was a cool breeze and the sun was not out. But the best part was that my Nike+ whispered sweet nothings to me again, while I ran. I had to change from female to male voice (according to forum on NIke site) and it worked. So while I ran, I heard the familiar "current time blah blah, current distance blah blah, current pace blah blah" It was great! Who knew I could become so attached to a gadget!

Ok it is late. I will post more later about my run.

09/11 A moment of silence

(head bowed in silence) ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Glutton for punishment

They say that a woman brought up in an abusive house, will stay with an abuser when she gets older. In some weird, wacked out way, that life is "normal" to her. Such is the case with my love affair with my Nike+. I grew up in my running world with it. I love my mini that is to the right of my blog. I love seeing the graphs. I love the cheers I receive when I do a PR or a longest run. I love being a member of the Nike+ community.

But it drives me nuts when my Nike+ ignores me. It doesn't record my run or acknowledge my longest run, as it didn't last weekend. Emotional abuse is what I am suffering. I try so hard to please my Nike+ but it just ignores me. Sure, there are times when I have it's undivided attention and it gives me tokens of affection. You know, my mini running over hurdles and saying how amazing I am. And I love those times. But lately, it's emotional detachment has me seeking affirmations in other places. Mapmyrun has become my sancho. But it doesn't fulfill me like my Nike+. So at the end of the day, I am left feeling empty.

So to the dismay of all my friends, that have heard me complain about the abuse I suffer at the hands of my Nike+, I am looking online at the new IPhone GS and Nano, with onboard Nike+. I imagine only the good times I will have it. I imagine running through the woods, just me and my Lovah...Nike+. With a gentle touch of my finger, he will tell me my current pace, distance and time.

I know, it is just a fantasy, but a girl can dream, can't she?

Nike plus or Nano failed me again

I woke up late for my run today. That is nothing new for Saturdays. It is my one day I can sleep in so I do. But I got out at 11 am and ran. I decided to run to the beach front and back instead of to the park at back. I knew it would be about 4 miles. I seemed to be doing well. I checked my Nike+ (which runs on my Nano) to my Mapmyrun. At midpoint the Mapmyrun said 1.76 and my Nike+ only read 1.62. But about a 100 yards later, my music stopped playing and I looked down at my Nano and the screen was frozen. So I walked the next half mile in silence then decided to turn on the music on my Iphone. I don't know what I hit but apparently the Mapmyrun stopping calculating my run.

I love technology. I hate technology. When I got home and several hours later, my Nano was not frozen and it read run 1:14 minutes, distance 3.31. I was so happy I went to sync.....and nothing. nothing uploaded and nothing saved. It always disappoints me on my important runs. But all runs are important to me.

Anyway, thank goodness I could log it on mapmyrun because I can edit the run. It had the time right and length of run and the map shows the distance but the distance it is reading in total run is off, so I edited it. I also can depend on my Polar F6, which calculated 841 calories burned. Can I get an AMEN???? So I feel a little better but not much.

Ok first date night with my hubby in about 3 years and we are meeting my best friend and her boyfriend. I can't wait. I hope all is well in your running world.

Wordless Wednesday