Not feelin' the Love

I hate running. No, I mean it. I realllllly HATE running. With the white hot passion of a thousand suns, I hate running. I only started out on this odyssey because some stupid ladies I know (Stephanie and Molly) inspired me . . . thanks a lot for that. (They aren't really stupid, but I have to rationalize my behavior at their expense.)


I have sincerely hoped over the course of the last 13 weeks that the love of running would come. I kept waiting . . . and hoping . . . Maybe I don't love it because of the shin splints, I would think. Or maybe because I can't run very far. Or maybe because I feel stupid with all the skinny, beautiful people around. Maybe next week I'll love it, I would think/hope. But after 3 months, I'm still not feelin' the love.



Life is too short to do stuff I hate (except laundry, which I haven't found a cure for).



So it is time to re-evaluate the goal(s):



1. Establish a regular routine of exercise. Done. I have gone to the gym at least 3 times a week since I started this madness in January. Sometimes 4 times. Except the week I got sick. On the off days I usually do something less complicated at home, such as a yoga video or weights. I've been a diligent girl. The routine of exercise need not, of course, be running. It's all about simply being active. And the best exercise is the one you will actually do, right?



2. Learn to (love to) run. Done . . . partly. My running has improved, without a doubt. I can run a 5 minute stretch. It has taken me 13 weeks to get this far, so I'm clearly moving at a snail's pace, but it is quite a magnificent accomplishment for a recovering couch potato. However, as I stated, the "love" part has not taken root, and I still hate every single step.



3. Run the Strawberry Days 5k. This is iffy at best. As I stated above, I still HATE running. The 5k was supposed to be the crowning achievement of the 5k training, so if I stop the official training, what's the point of the 5k?



4. Lose weight. The underlying goal of all of this was to lose a few (who am I kidding? More than a few) pounds. In this aspect, the 5k training has pretty much been a failure. After 3 months I have lost exactly 2 pounds and 1.5 inches. Not exactly the sort of thing to keep a gal movitated, you know?



So what to do now? Now Lari takes her well established 3 day routine and tries to find something she actually likes to do. Like weights. I like weights. Or yoga. I think I like that. Or walking on the treadmill on a pre-programmed workout that goes fast and slow, incline and flat, and does include some running.


The pattern is set. Now I just gotta find the love.

Coach Owen would be so disappointed

I have given up on locating the Free Dining Room Table Store, so I decided to just buy a new set. I wanted a square table, but not counter-height. You wouldn't think that would be a hard thing to find, but it is. I was only able to locate one, at 4 Chairs Furniture in Lindon. But they charge - are you ready for this - $1170 for JUST THE TABLE!!! That didn't include any chairs, and that was just the raw table, too - not finished, not stained. I almost laughed right out loud at the poor sales girl, who unfortunately didn't know she was dealing with the Cheapest Person Alive. So I gave up on finding a square table, and decided to just find a regular set that I liked. I didn't want it to look anything like my set that I've had for 18 years. I didn't want it to have a glass top (who wants to look at their fat thighs while they eat? NOT ME!). I don't like upholstered chairs (I spill). So I found one I liked at RC Wiley. It was just sitting innocently in the showroom, looking all pretty and calling my name. I sat down on a chair to make sure I liked it, and noticed a seam going down the center of the table, but not the normal direction . . . the other direction. Could it be possible? I actually climbed under the table to inspect it further, and sure enough, it opened out the long way. I hunted down a salesperson (yes, I actually had to go find a salesperso at RCW - must have been a busy day!) and asked about the leaf, and he confirmed my dream-come-true: it opened to a square. It takes up more space than I am used to in my kitchen, but I really like the square shape so we're just gonna have to deal with it. Below shows the leaf removed, plus the accurate color of paint (it's green, I promise) on my walls (above has weird late-afternoon light) plus the new valances that I made:

So now Lari is a happy girl to have found the table I wanted, although not at the Free Dining Room Table Store, for which I will continue to search.

Stephanie asked me for my dinner roll recipe, so naturally I have lost it. I brought it down to my desk as a reminder to post it. But since I lack the gene that enables a person to keep a clean desk, I have lost said recipe. It is quite tragic, because it's my best one. I tried a different roll recipe on Conference Sunday that requires the dough to be refrigerated for an hour. I can't work with refrigerated dough because I have an allergic reaction to cold (seriously - I'm not making that up) and when my hands get all cold like that, they get red and swollen and itchy and no homemade roll is worth that. So I have to either find my roll recipe or find another one that will work.

My attempts at running are improving. Tomorrow I am hoping to finish up what has become a 4 week series of Week 3. With help from several people who have helped me identify the many things I was doing wrong, I am improving and may just be ready for Week 4. At least I'll give it a try. I did Week 4 once before, before I got sick for a week, so I'll try it again and hope for the best. You wouldn't think that running would be rocket science, but I have found it to be exactly that. It must come from a lifetime of avoiding all exercise. Apparenlty helping out at 1 track meet my sophomore year in high school in an attempt to curry favor with my French teacher (who was the track coach) wasn't adequate in gaining knowledge of running and all things run-related.

And the French hasn't really stuck with me either. Unless I want to say, "Speak slowly. I don't speak French well," or - and equally helpful -"Your duck is in the garbage can."

Note To Self - Buy More Frozen Peas

It hurts. It hurts so much. Why, oh why, must it hurt soooooo much?



Shouldn't this whole running thing be getting better by now? Then why is it getting harder? Why at about week 8 or so (I know my C25K says week 3 - that's just how pathetic I am) are my shin splints back with such a vengence? Is it possible that some people just aren't built for running and are, in fact, built for simply sitting around eating rice krispy treats and watching TV?



Did I mention that it hurts?



And I'm down to my last 2 bags of frozen vegetables.



I barely completed my session tonight. Even with telling myself, "Come on, you big Fatty. You can do an extra half lap. It's only a half lap. Not even a full lap extra. Just a half." I was positive. I had a good vibe. But the vibe did not communicate itsself to my shins and I was actually gritting my teath and willing the tears not to fall as I finished up my 3 minutes. Even Addie could tell I was dying. Today the heart and lungs were willing, but the legs couldn't do it. If I could just get my heart/lungs and legs on the same page, I would be doing just fine.



I ordered myself a book from Amazon and it arrived a few days ago. It's a book, called "Lost Moon" that I've wanted to read for a while, but the PG Library doesn't have it. So I ordered it up on Amazon for about $7 including shipping.



"Lost Moon" is the story of Apollo 13 written by James Lovell. I have seen Apollo 13 the movie so many times I can nearly recite it and I never miss a documentary (if I know it's on) that has to do with the moon landings. Some people may call it an obsession. Of course, I know that it's perfectly normal. Anyone who doesn't share my passion is misguided. It's as simple as that.



So imagine the thrill in my heart when my book arrived, hardbound and in lovely condition, and I found it was autographed. There was no mention of an autograph on the Amazon description. Sure, it says "To Eddie - James Lovell", but I don't care. What a happy surprise!



My inbox is open to any and all suggestions to help my ailing shins. I'm pretty sure a long foot rub would heal everything, but so far Lane is unwilling to help me out. Says he doesn't "do feet." Maybe I'll just break out my last box of samoas. It's not quite the same, but it's the best I've got.

Bee in my Bonnet

Sick.



It hits all of us about this time each year. It got me earlier in the week, but thanks to something or other (right or wrong, I'm blaming it on my increased activity) it wasn't as bad as usual and has mostly passed by. Whew. That's one less thing.



But the down days have taken their toll and I haven't strapped on my running shoes in over a week. Therefore, instead of repeating week 4 a second time, I'm opting to go back to week 3. Hopefully a week of laying around drinking Nyquil hasn't set me back farther than that and I'll be able to resume my "training" with little difficulty. Keep your fingers crossed.



Some people have asked me what I've been doing. It is actually called "Couch to 5K" (http://c25kapp.com). It's an ipod app, but I assume there is something equivalent for other platforms. The point of it is to take a recovering couch potato like myself and over the course of 9 weeks (unless you are a repeater, like myself) take you from almost no running at all to a 5k. My plan is that my first 5K attempt will the Strawberry Days 5k in mid-June, unless some miracle makes me feel prepared to do one sooner than that. But what better time to do an initial humiliation in front of complete strangers as well as life-long friends and acquaintances than at my hometown festival? If I time it right, I can pass out right in front of our traditional seats in front of PG Printers and just have my family drag me into the shop before they call 9-11.



In other mundane news, I got a "bee in my bonnet" yesterday and convinced my kids to paint my kitchen chairs and table, and - even more miraculously - convinced Lane to paint the kitchen. Said painting also required a coat of primer since the Peanut Brittle color I had picked out about 2-ish years ago was kinda dark. This color is called "Spring Bud" and is a green shade (citrus-y, if I had to choose a word) and it is not far from a white. It's subtle, but fresh and clean. I'm painting the white part of my dining room set a barn red, leaving the wood parts alone. I think (read: hope) that the two colors will look as good together as they do in my head. Also, being the cheapest person alive has make finding/buying curtains an excercise in futility so I found some fabric and I'll sew up my own valances. Sometimes ya just need a change, ya know?



We were invited to dinner at Kassie & Jesse's house tonight. That was a lot of fun. Dinner was fabulous, the baby was adorable (he's sick too, poor guy!), and we played some fun games.



Got my bills paid tonight and my checkbook all caught up. I wonder if the day will ever come that I don't absolutely detest that little chore. I hate it. Always have. I guess I always will.



Will trade cupcakes for accounting service.

Why it's important to read the label

Here is what I learned today:



1) Allow for a recovery day between C25K sessions. Having such successful runs the last two sessions have made me cocky and so I went to run again today. This overly optimistic activity is why I'm sitting here now, with bags of frozen corn on my shins, wallowing in self-pity in the knowledge that I was able to complete only 2 minutes of my last 5 minute run. This is what I get for allowing an 8 year old to convince me to go again with "You can do it, Mommy! I know you can!" Now I know that she's a liar.



2) Normally one of my favorite songs, "Beautiful Day" by U2 is a truly craptastic song for running when you just want to die and there is nothing beautiful about the day at all. Except the Beautiful People at the gym who run lap after effortless lap. I hate them. I hate them all. I need to thank Pink and Fallout Boy for getting me through most of my run, but "Beautiful Day" may have to be removed from the playlist.



3) Samoas make EVERYTHING better. Everything. Every single little thing.



4) I read the label for Nutter Butters and since it turns out they have both fiber and protein, I'm now considering them a household staple and a health food. I suggest you do the same.

. . . of echocardiograms and Brinner

We had a follow up visit at PCMC today. Upon arrival, we were informed that we were scheduled for an echocardiogram, which was news to me. Either they told me and I forgot (likely) or they forgot to tell me. Either way, it was a surprise. I've mentioned before that the echocardiograms are always crazy-making because they always result in our cardiologist saying, "Hmmm. . . ." or "Wasn't expecting that" or "That's unusual." But I told Addie to make sure her heart behaved and we went for the echo. Everything seemed to be going along just fine. The technician told us he was going to show the report to the radiologist and he would be right back (this is usual). But when he came back he said he had to take more pictures. Lane and I looked at each other, thinking "Well, here we go again," but luckily it turned out to be nothing. We saw Dr. Day and he was very pleased with her progress since he last saw her and commented that he is pleased that she has adjusted to using the oxygen at night because it helps her so much and commented that he thinks it is a good idea to continue the coumadin. It doesn't sound like that will be ending any time soon. But things could certainly be worse. It was a very good trip today and we all came home happy. Especially Addie who got to go spend the afternoon at Grandma's house.

I had cub scout Blue and Gold banquet tonight. 4 of my 6 boys were there and they all got some awards. I was even surprised to receive a new patch for my shirt ( I LOVE getting new stuff for my shirt!). It's a quality unit patch - not sure what that means, but HEY - I got something new for my shirt!!! I don't know where it goes, so if anyone knows, please pass the info along.

I am still running 3 times a week. I got a little cocky on Monday when I surprised myself by ending the session with a full five minute run (it was supposed to be 3 minutes - I decided to see if I could do 4 . . . then 5!) So my next running session went like this: warm up, 3 minute run, 90 second walk, 5 minute run, 2 minute walk, 3 minute run, 90 second walk, 5 minute run, cool down. Before Monday I thought there was no way I could do it, I would just repeat week 3 a second time. But after I ran for 5 WHOLE MINUTES, I changed my mind and decided I was up for the challenge. That's where the cocky comes in. 90 seconds is not enough recovery for a 5 minute run, at least not for this fat old gal. I managed along ok, at an EXTREMELY slow pace (I was getting lapped by old people walking - while I was RUNNING!) until the last series. I just couldn't start running again after only 90 seconds, so I was forced to cheat. The 90 second walk turned into a 2 1/2 minute walk and a final 4 minute run instead.

Although I have lived to tell the tale, I was really panting when I finished. And my apologies to all the unfortunate souls who were witness to the pathetic spectacle: I'll do better next time.

It probably wasn't the best idea to run at 7:30 (instead of 8:00, as usual) when I was all tanked up on fried eggs, sausage and bacon (aka BRINNER). There's a chance that better digestion and less fat intake could have brought a better result. It's just a thought.

Are we done YET?

I'm pretty much over winter by January 1. Truth be told, I'm over it before then, but it kinda fits in nicely with the whole Christmas ambiance thing. By the time January is over, and we get teased by the Annual February Thaw, I am WAY over winter. But it always comes to rear it's ugly head again . . . and again in March . . . again in April . . . and at least one last gasp in May just to show who's really in control. Sometimes it goes on into June. If it isn't snow in June, then it's rain . . . and rain . . . and still more rain. Don't even bother with the whole "but we need the water" concept. I'm bored with that.


Some years ago my mom took me to see "Camelot" up in SLC (with Robert Goulet, no less), and it was then that I decided that I need to live in Camelot. Who wouldn't want to live there?

"A law was made a distant moon ago here:

July and August cannot be too hot.

And there's a legal limit to the snow here

In Camelot.

The winter is forbidden til December

and exits March the second on the dot.

By order summer lingers through September

in Camelot.

. . .

The rain may never fall til after sundown.

By eight the morning fog must disappear.

I short there's simply not

A more congenial spot

For happlily-ever-aftering

than here in Camelot."

Yeah, I gotta move there. Particularly on a typical February/Utah day like this that started off so beautifully sunny and warm and ended so nasty and windy and cold. It is for this very reason that this is part of of my homepage. Lane and I sat at this very beach just last November, although it seems like a lifetime ago.

Must get back to 7 Mile Beach.

Soon.