Rocking running shoes!

Are these cool or what?

I am in love!

Hells yeah!

I got my new running shoes the other day!  Can't wait to try them out on the Rail Trail.  They are BLUE.  I am in love - they are sssssooo awesome!

Like I said - I may not be the best runner but damnit, I'll be cute as hell out there doing it.  :) 

I ran 3.9 miles today and I ran the whole way.  It was very slow running, but running nonetheless.  I feel like I'm slowly GETTING there.  At least I hope so!

This is the reason I love the Rail Trail!

Pam and I were able to go to the Rail Trail twice this week and I can't tell you how happy we were to get out there.  It's still hot as H-E-L-L but when we had a drop in the temperature and it stayed under 90, we couldn't pass up the opportunity.  I miss the Rail Trail sssooo much.  We had two really good, hot runs.  I can totally tell the difference between running on the dreadmill and running outside.  I think we were both amazed at how far we were able to run those two days.  It rocked!!!!

So I snapped a few pictures to show everyone just how awesome the Rail Trail is - I am so glad we found this place to run.  It gives me huge motivation!

I mean, how AWESOME are these pictures?  Run baby run!

Hells Yeah!

So, I don't want to jinx myself BUT I really feel like I may have gotten over my running plateau.  I've slowed down my pace on the "dreadmill" lately and I've noticed that I have been able to run longer and farther. I can't tell you how happy I am! 

I ran almost a whole mile without stopping on Wednesday.  I know that doesn't sound like a huge accomplishment if you're a runner but for someone like me - it's ENORMOUS!  It was on the treadmill (aka dreadmill) but hey, it's too frigging hot here to run outside.  I can't wait for cooler weather so I can run on the Rail Trail again.  I never thought a year ago that I would be able to run like this.  It's a high that I absolutely LOVE.

To treat myself for the achievements, I purchased some new running shoes.  I'll post pictures when I get them.  They are super cool.  I may not be the greatest runner, but I sure in hell look cute doing it!  :)

I call them "Motivation"



Yes, it's VERY long.  A lot longer than I thought. 



That means ME.  Hells yeah!





What a wonderful motto.....

Running Program

Ok, so I'll admit - I started my running program again.  Sort of like the Couch to 5k program - I figured if I'm going to meet my running goals, I have to really get serious about this.  (Do you want to start counting how many times you'll read me saying this?  Go ahead, I think this is the 2nd or 3rd time already.)

I'm running another 5k in October in Florence so I have from now and then to get to my goal. 

The treadmill?  Oh, I haven't really touched it since I bought it.  It's just been too frigging hot to get my fat ass out there sweating on it.   BUT - I do know most of the people that work up front at the YMCA.  See, I'm not totally lazy.  I just prefer to run on treadmills that are inside air conditioned rooms.  Call me spoiled.  

Treadmill

I broke down and bought a treadmill.  Off Craigslist of course, but still, I bought a treadmill.  My thought is that on the days I can't get to the gym or early the AM, I can go for a run on the treadmill.  It's a really good thought.  I mean it is supposed to help me build my endurance and all right?

I've been on it ONCE.

Epic fail so far.

But I bought the damn thing.  So that's a step in the right direction.  I've only had it a week so let's not lose all hope.  YET.

Lickety Split

Today Al, I, Teresa and Haylee ran the Hartsville YMCA's Lickety Split 5k race.  It was at 8am and HOT.  Have I mentioned I hate summer in SC?  If I haven't, you should know I do.  But I digress - the course was extremely, EXTREMELY hilly - which I was NOT prepared for.  I expected a hill or two, but I swear to all things mighty that there must have been 100 hills we had to run up in this race.  Ok, maybe not 100, but at least 4 to 6.  No. Frigging. Joke.

So needless to say, my time sucked.   Two minutes worse than my last race and I was aiming for 40 minutes or less.  Al and I finished in 46 minutes.  Boo.  Haylee finished in 44 and Teresa finished in 39 (she's such a show off you know?).

Guess what though?  Even though my time sucked and the course nearly killed me - I won a medal.  HELLS YEAH!!!!!!  I finished third in my age group - which I don't really know what it was, but hey whatever.  I missed them calling out my name though, I swore the man said Amy Briggs so I didn't budge.  Al and Teresa kept saying "I think he said your name" but I knew there was just no way.  So many people finished ahead of me.  Teresa won first place in our age group - which surprised nobody cause like I said, she's a show off anyways.   I only keep her around because she's encouraging....