Running Clothing

Does anyone out there make summer running clothing bigger than something that would barely cover my hand?  Seriously.

I have a big booty.  Gasp.  Yep.  I said it.  And you know what?  I kinda like that big booty.  Yep.  Said that too.

But I wandered through Dicks, Sports Authority and Marshalls today, looking for something semi-specific.  And realized that not one of their scraps of fabric would have a chance in hell of fitting over this booty.

What prompted this trip?  Well...the last softball tourney I was in, I wore capris and got sunburned.  Which left me with a really sexy tan line mid-calf.  Seriously.  Sexy.  (Ha.)

I have another softball tourney coming up this weekend, and my hubby made a comment that someone said I should wear shorts to get rid of the tan line.  Normally, I wouldn't give a fuck about what someone else thinks.  But since the hubbs brought it up, I figured I'd go look.

But here's the thing.  I hate wearing shorts and running.  I have super thick thighs.  And shorts ride up.  And are uncomfortable.  And then I get self-conscious.  I was looking for longer-ish tight shorts.  Kinda like the bermuda length shorts, but made out of spandex or whatever high-tech spandex-look-alike fabric things are made out of nowadays.  Because that spandex shit doesn't ride up.  Or maybe one of those cute running skirts, with long-ish tight shorts under it.

Did you know that just about every single pair of those spandex-type shorts have like a 1/2 inch inseam?  Seriously.  No one, I repeat NO ONE wants to see me in that.  Hell, I don't want to see me in that.

Anyways.  Don't people realize that big chicks run too?  And need appropriate clothing?

I need to start my own running clothing line.  Called Curvy Chick Workout Wear.  Or something like that.

So you're all just going to have to deal with my super sexy mid-calf tan line.  Get over it.

I Didn't Die!

That's a good thing, right?

The hubbs and I got to the Tortoise and Hare 5k super early, and that was a good thing because parking was at a premium.  We picked up our race packets....some very nice swag.....and went back to the car to stay warm.  (It was chilly!)

We saw a couple people we knew, and Shayne, one of the chicks in BCR, made these signs.

I was so touched!  I don't think I've ever had a sign made specifically for me, and I thought it was fabulous that the sign was for both me and the hubbs!  Seriously...BCR has some awesome people.  

I also took this shot of Chris before we started.  I needed a shot of him with a race bib on.

We lined up towards the back of the pack.  Chris wanted to hang with the walkers because he didn't know how much running he'd be doing, and mentally, for me, I rather be in the back and work my way forward, then start up too far ahead and be passed by a bajillion people.  Plus, I didn't really have high hopes for myself, so starting in the back was fine for me.

I wished him good luck, and we were off!

Things were fine to start.   I was going at a comfortable pace and felt decent-ish.  Then there was a hill.  Not like a death hill, but a loooong slow incline.  (Please note.  Not only have I NOT been running much, but when I do run, it is mainly on the flat bike path.  So even what is considered a slight incline looks monstrous to me.)  I made it up the hill without walking, which was kinda a big deal for me.

We carried on, and at times I really wished I had my Garmin.  I had no clue where I was distance-wise in terms of the race.  Apparently, there were mile markers.  I missed the first one.  We came upon an aid station, and I assumed we were at the halfway-ish point.

We carried on some more.  We got to some rolling hills around mile 2, and I finally had to stop and walk some.  Once again, I wished I had my Garmin.  Not for pacing purposes, but to know how far we were from the end.  I like to kick it up a notch or two at the end.

Well....I kicked it up too early.  I started to feel good and pushed a bit.  Probably about four tenths of a mile out, I felt gassed.  I had to walk, otherwise I was going to unravel.  I was kind of mad at myself for kicking it up a little too early, but it is what it is.  I walked for a very short bit, and then carried on.

I finished in 32 minutes and change.  Although it was definitely my second slowest 5k ever, I guess I did better than I anticipated.

I went through the finish chute, grabbed a water, and walked back out onto the course.  I wanted to find Chris!  I strolled along and waited at a random intersection until I found him.

Here he is, rounding the corner!

We carried on, and I walked with him until we reached the park.

Once we got to the park, I took a shortcut so I could get him at the finish. 

 See the clock?  It says 55:08.  His goal was to come in under an hour, and not be last.  Both goals were met!

My only complaint was that the people manning the clock no longer were tracking the finishers.  When I ran through, volunteers were there with a clipboard, writing stuff down as people went by.  When Chris went through, nothing.  The website for the event clearly states that people should finish within an hour.  He did.  Why was he not offered the same respect as those that finished in a half hour?  Even though he wasn't "racing" this was still his first 5k.  How many others ran their first 5k, and finished with a PR of their own, only to not be acknowledged by the finish line staff?

I don't know....maybe I'm rambling about nothing, but to me it is kind of a big deal.  Maybe, when the results are posted, he'll be listed there with his time.  And I'll be more than happy to correct this.  

After the run, Chris wanted me to take this picture:
Two things you will probably never see again....

....a pay phone, and Chris wearing a race bib.

A Confession

For those who haven't figured it out yet, I lost my workout mojo.  No, that really isn't true.  I still Death Gym and love it.  I even run or bike there if the weather is decent enough.  But other than that, well....bes (I really have to interrupt here.  There are a bunch of douchebags kicking a football in the middle of the street.  One of them managed to hit my front door with it.  Seriously.  Go find a fucking field to kick the football around.  I don't practice hitting softballs in the middle of the street.) Anyways...where was I?  Oh, yeah.  But other than that, well....besides softball, my workout mojo has left the building.

So....what do you do for that?  Sign up for a race, right?

Ha.

Epic fail.

Several months ago, the hubs and I signed up for the Tortoise and Hare 5k run/walk.  He was training his little heart out for it, and I was so proud of him.  But that was before he ended up in the hospital.  Now, I know that was back in March, and that generally people would say suck it up....but that whole episode really zapped him.  He lost like 30lbs in five days.  It took him forever to feel normal.

Then his knees started bugging him.  Long story short, he's going to need his knee replaced in like 6 months....not the 6 years we originally thought.

Blah.

Meanwhile, we're stilled signed up for this 5k.  I've been going back and forth in my head if I even want to do it.  Seriously.  I'm going to suck.  It will be my slowest 5k ever.  Honestly though, I have no right to complain.  It isn't like I've been doing anything to focus my efforts on running a 5k.  I was seriously thinking about scrapping the whole thing.

Then I realized.  That'd be like quitting.  Before I even started.  When did I become a fucking quitter?  Just because I didn't want to suck?  Seriously?  Suck it up, buttercup.

Tomorrow, I will run/walk my slowest 5k ever.  Chris is also going to walk.  Why not, right?

So I Entered a Contest...

Just a quick little ditty.  I know, I know....I owe you all a real, meaty update.  But right at this moment, just a quickie.

A while ago, a friend of mine who works for Mary Kay gave me an awesome makeover.  Seriously...it rocked.  Well, I thought the makeover was just for fun....I didn't realize that I could enter the One Woman Can contest with it.

Well, I did.  We had to choose a charity that would benefit women and children.  I chose Girls on the Run.  They are a seriously awesome program that helps girls in 3rd - 5th grade foster a sense of self-worth, respect for others, and a sense of accomplishment through activity-based programming.

Seriously.  How awesome is that?

I've been a Running Buddy for Girls on the Run a couple of times, and I've witnessed first hand how huge running, jogging, walking, and skipping through a 5k is for these girls.  They have such nerves before they start.  They wonder if they can do it.  Can they finish?  3.1 miles is sooooo long.

My job is to encourage them.  Share with them my accomplishments.  Tell them they can.  I run, jog, walk, skip....whatever the girls want to do to finish.  We talk almost the whole time.  Sometimes, they tell me about their families.  Sometimes, their friends.  I gain so much during the 3.1 miles I spend with the girl I'm paired up with.

Anyways......so I entered a contest.  And would LOVE it if you would vote for me (up to five times a day), so I can have a chance at winning a donation of $5,000 for Girls on the Run.

Vote for me here!

Playing with the Pros

I don't know why, but I always beat myself up.  Not physically, but mentally.  Today was a big day for me....the first day of coed softball with the peeps I refer to as "the pros."  It is a team that Chris has been playing on for a while, the other peeps have been playing with each other for a really long time, and they are good.  Seriously.  Good.  Some of the chicks played softball in college, the guys play on really good all-star type teams.

And then there's me.  I haven't played softball since like 7th grade.  And I pretty much sucked back then.  This year, I told the hubbs I wanted to play coed.  So we put together a team, and we play some weeknights on a completely no pressure, in it to have fun team.  We are in the lowest of the low brackets, and we're doing well.  On that team, I'm comfortable.  I hit decently, I make plays decently, and I feel good.

And then there's Sunday.

I struck out (thank God, swinging and not looking) at my first at bat today.  Blah.  I managed to catch a ball at home plate, but was straddling the fucking plate, so the runner was safe.  More blah.  I didn't make it on base once; I got thrown out at first at my other two at bats.  (Although after the fact, the ump did say he blew the call on my last at bat, and that I was safe....he didn't think I was as speedy as I was.)  Even more blah.  I caught another ball at home, had my foot on the fucking plate, and it fell right out of my glove, so the runner was safe again. (This time around, the ump told me he was glad I dropped the ball b/c it would have been a really close play; I made his job easier.  Yeah.  That's why I play.  To make his job easier.)  More.  Fucking.  Blah.

In my defense, I've never played catcher before.  With my hubby's team, I've been focusing on right field and left field, and feel really comfortable out there.  I realized I love chasing down the ball while it is flying through the air, and giving it my best attempt at catching it.  I love standing at the ready, making a break for the ball and sprinting after it.  I've been called "deceptively fast."  Cause, you know, I certainly don't look fast.  

On the good side, I did catch a foul ball to get a batter out.  So  I had that going for me.  But still.  I came up real short.

Why?

Because I let the fact that I think I suck compared to the professionals I'm playing with bring me down.  So I played to my expectations of myself.  Plus, being thrown in the catchers position without ever playing there put me waaay out of my element.  But, that's just an excuse.  Basically, it came down to me thinking I sucked in comparison to the others I was playing with, so I sucked.

At least the rest of the team had a shitty game too.  So my crappiness didn't stand out as much as it could have.  But still.....

This upcoming week is a big one.  My new bat should come in, so I'm super excited for that.  Friday night I have coed with the fun team, and Saturday we're playing in a tournament.  A minimum of three games.  I'm not going to get better unless I play, right?  Sunday is ball with the pros.  I'm going to try to not put so much pressure on myself.  Hopefully, things will go well on Friday and Saturday, so I can up my confidence level on the field.

I'll keep you all posted.