Crazy Sexy Running (Thanks to Kris and Cathy!)

So, ya, Fitness Friday is a little bit late, huh? Well...here's the story...I got all my gear on and by the time I made it out to the living room (with the DVD player), the kids had already taken over the t.v. to watch a movie. So, I couldn't work out! Yep. There were a lot of lame-o excuses like that one last week. Sigh. But, you know, whatevs! No use pouting. I'm back on track.

I got Kris Carr's cool new book on the weekend. Have you heard about it, yet? I mean, it's everywhere! It isn't really a cookbook. Or a diet plan. It's more like a "life plan". Lots of interesting stuff in there. I'm about 1/3 the way through (because I keep skipping all around it--reading different parts here and there) and I think it's pretty darn cool. Kris was diagnosed with inoperable cancer about 7 years ago and made a complete over-hall of her life. Those healthy changes have kept her going with the grace and gumption of a goddess ever since. Just think of what those changes could do for a person who isn't even battling a life-changing disease. But, then again, aren't we all? I mean, 1 in 2 men get cancer. 1 in 3 women. I have got to think our SAD (Standard American Diet) diet has a lot to do with that SAD statistic. It's time to make some changes and I'm back on track for the challenge!



I even went out and bought a juicer yesterday. I love a kitchen appliance -- oh, yes i do. I wanted to be Jennifer Marlowe when I was a kid. All those kitchen appliances! Shiny and New and Never Used.  But, that's another story.


I actually used my juicer this morning and made Kris's "Make Love, Not War Green Juice". It is full of kale, and broccoli stems, celery, cucumbers, ginger root and pear.

Then I drank it.

For real life.

It wasn't so bad actually and I felt so flipping healthy after drinking it! Then I shared a bit of the left-overs with Bun-Bun and Chum-Chum (they thought it was the best thing ever). Side note: the recipe and my juicer make more juice than i really need. I'll have to cut it in half next time. 

Then, all high on life and kale, I hit the treadmill.




I started up my Couch to 5K app. again. I jumped in at week 2 this time since I remember week 1 being very easy last time around (for those of you just catching up...I don't think I ever got past about week 4 last time I tried this. I got a cold and missed a couple of days. Then something else, I can't even remember what, came up and I missed a couple more days. Then I felt like I was too out of it to continue on and I sure didn't want to have to start all over again...so, ya, that was that).

Here's the deal.
I love my running shoes (they are super adorable "Newton's", ordered from The States).
I hate running.
Hate is a strong word.

I can "speed walk" at a pace of 6.4km/hr. I could probably walk at that pace all day long. But, kick it up to 7.0 km/hr, or even 6.8, or 6.6...just to the point where I have to shift from walking to jogging, and I suck! I get all tense and seize up. It's like I'm afraid I'm going to fall or something. I don't know. I'm just keenly aware of how uncomfortable I am, how all my innards are just thrashing up and down, how this can't be good for my knee, how i'm going to hurt something, how I have no flipping idea how other people do this...let alone enjoy it...are you kidding me?!

This is what goes through my head for the entire 90 seconds that my app. is telling me to run.

Then I get to walk again.

So, I got through it and, as usual, I felt great after...but I have to get over my mental negativity! I have to try and think of something pleasant during my running time. Something better than, "This sucks! This sucks! I suck! I can't do this! How many more seconds?! I'll never make it! This sucks! This sucks".

I sent a little Tweet out to the beautiful and talented (and able to run 5ks like nobody's business) Cathy Zielske to see how she does it. Cathy is my (and everyone else's) scrapbooking hero, but she also happens to be my running hero. She took up running last year and hasn't looked back. I figured she must have run when she was a kid. Nope. She literally just started last year. She said it was also very foreign to her and took her about 4 months to really hit her stride and start enjoying it. So, I'm not going to give up. I'll keep going and try to reach that 4 month mark and hope to Cathy Zielske that by the time I get there I'm not thinking, "I suck! I can't do this!!" for every single stride, but "You Rock! You CAN do this!" instead. :)

Thank-you Cathy Zielske.
You're my hero.
And, thanks to Kris Carr, too. I feel the unicorns are a-coming!
{you'll just have to read her book...}
;-)


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