Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Blame it on the....

Remember my 30 Before 30 list?  I am writing to tell you that I've done nothing on that list. 

But.  I am working on that.  My wonderful neighbor and friend, Whitney* (check out her running blog here) has pressured, no, threatened, I mean CONVINCED me to run a 1/2 marathon in October.  As in 13 miles.  As in 12 1/2 miles more than I can run. This can only mean one thing.

I have lost my mind in my old age. 

I will tell you a story about the one time I tried to run a 5K and I wore bad shoes and I got a bleeding blister and lost 8 pints of blood, and lost the race to the following individuals: 1. My 80 year old husband with a bum knee (he was waiting on knee surgery at the time)  2.  My 52 year old mother in law (but to her credit she is always fit) 3. Our friend Kam, who happened to be pushing his 5-year-old twins in a stroller.  I think I finished in something like 42 minutes.  Please don't judge.

I hung my head in shame for 5 years.

So, now, in an effort to prove that I really am not old enough to enter the alzheimers rest home down the street from my house, I am setting out to finish this thing.  Josh even let me get new running shoes (since I was still wearing ones that had been destroyed by Kona... they had most of the sole left on them!)
Pretty, huh!:
<em>Nike</em> LunarGlide+ <em>2</em> Women's Running Shoes

So, as a non runner, I am going to need all of the advice/help/encouragement/threats/bribes from everyone.  What should my diet be like?  I hope I don't run with my butt sticking out.  Or maybe I am supposed to?  If I make my palms flat will I really run faster?  What about music?  If I die during the run will they just kick me over to the curb until the race is over?  See, I don't know anything.  Please help.


*As a side note, I think it's important for you to know that Weston is in love with Whitney's daughter, Katie.  He'll probably ask her to prom next year.

10 comments:

Unknown said...

I have no running advice because I hate running! But I read the rest of your 30 before 30 list. I can help you with #30. I have some recipes you can try if you want them. Also I would do 15 and 23 with you. I'm awful at golf though but as long as I look cute doing it, it doesn't matter!

Amanda Petersen said...

i made it my goal to become a runner. "THEY" tell me that anyone can become a runner ("they" apparently is everyone else in the world). "they" also say it totally gets easier. well... they lie. i wear headphones just to drown out the sound of my own wheezing. elle usually is tilted backwards in her side-ways-weaving jogger, most likely concerned that her mother could keel over at any moment. as i weez i think, 'you've been running near-daily for 3 weeks now! you can make it to that stop sign!' that thought is usually followed by more wheezing, tripping over the wobbling stroller, choking on a bug i've sucked into my gaping-open mouth, and me trying to look all suave like the other runners who are passing me by.

dude. it's not getting easier. running sucks. i was actually so sweaty and red the other day that mike looked at me with genuine terror, "amanda. amanda, are you ok?" "YAHH!!! I MADE IT TO THE STOP SIGN!"

my new goal is to run with my mouth shut so i eat less bugs. forget the palm-down thing... that's waaaay to advanced for me.

Amanda Petersen said...

ps- was that too negative? :)
probably not what you were looking for. oops.

Cami Jo said...

You go girl! I just realized that I won't ever be a runner! I can walk...but not run. I hate running with a passion...however I admire pepople like you who can stick to a goal like running a 1/2 marathon!

What an amazing woman you are =) I wish you luck and hope that you don't get that awful bleeding blister again!!

Whitney said...

I love your new shoes and I am so excited for our run together on Saturday. :) You are going to be awesome.
Yes, run with music.
Eat plenty of Reese's because they give you lots of energy that you will be burning. And they have peanut butter and peanut butter is protein.
What the heck is this thing with the palms?? Have I been doing it wrong all this time??

picardy4th said...

I would just like to remind you that you have still not done #21 on the list, and I think that it should move up in priority. Just sayin'
AND, I think you're awesome for doing this. It makes me want to get my fat bum in gear.

Allie said...

YAY for Whitney!!! OK....Since I will be GIGANTIC when you run this 1/2 marathon I will just plan on running one with you girls in the spring next year (see, I am already forcasting more 1/2's in your future!) I think she is planning this in South jordan right? I am so going to be cheering you on somewhere along the way....and I will run 5 steps with ya for support...don't think I can commit to more than that!!! :) Have fun running!

belle la vie- Kristen Archer said...

I love that you are going to be a runner except that I will now officially be the "unfit non-runner friend". Boo for me, yay for you! :) Love you and your tucked in or out butt.

DGri said...

I'm a running addict. But, you already knew that. Email me, if you want, I can help you come up with a training plan that, if you stick to it, can help you get to 13.1 injury free and ready to take on anything. Running anything over, say, 5 miles, is totally a mental thing. You simply have to get out of your MIND and into the groove. Stop thinking, "ohhhh wow, this is far, I can't" and, basically, stop thinking. :)

Seriously, I'd love to help you work out a training plan (you'll need to incorporate some resistance training and not necessarily change your diet but change WHEN and WHAT you eat at certain times, also REST IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS!). So, yes, email me danigrigsby@gmail.com, if you want me to set up a plan w/ you!

Oh, and to demonstrate the "I kinda know what I'm talking about" I started a running club in grad school and put together individualized plans for the 13 participants. . .who all completed their very first 13.1 last January! Yay!

Love ya!

Kiwigirl said...

Run for a minute or two then walk for a minute or two. just keep rotating like this and good shoes are the key - just make sure that you are in comfortable shoes for the race, like do not wear new shoes the day of the race. About a month before if the present ones are worn out. Of which they will be.

Good Luck,

Thank you for the compliment - - At 55 I completed a 5k in 30 min - -