To Hit The Treadmill, Or To Run Outside?

This guy used to be my arch nemesis.

After finishing my field hockey career, I took some time off from the workout circuit. I was so tired of being forced to work out every day, and I just wanted some time to regroup.

After a few months off, I was itchin' to get back in the game.

I haaaated the treadmill. I would force myself to run a mile, but I'd get so bored I'd have to get off and go do something else. Needless to say, my gym time wasn't so productive.

I'm not really sure what converted me to a treadmill runner. I started reading magazines (everyone would come up and ask me how I ran and read. "I don't know. I just do, okay?") Then, our college gym got a makeover and a TV distraction became realized.

And NOW, at the YMCA, I get my very on TV on my treadmill.

I can now go for miiiiles and miles! Give me a few episodes of King of Queens. Hit me with a Sex & The City marathon. Turn on some Criminal Minds for me, and I'll punch out a quick 8 miles no problem.

I'm easily satisfied when I have a TV in front of my face. I'm like a baby under a ceiling fan.

So, do I have a problem?

The girls from my school's cross country team would always yell at me to get off the treadmill and start running outside. But ya know what? Running outside is COLD right now. My nose runs, my legs are numb, I get shin splits, and my lungs burn. Waaaah!

When I hit my 7 mile run this weekend, though, I was surprised with how well I did with no distractions. I had Jamie for a few miles, but for the majority of the time, the run was just me, my Forerunner watch, and my thoughts (my itouch no longer holds a charge. what the heck? anyone know a fix for this? do I go buy a new battery?). And I wasn't bored at all.

can you tell I'm still learning to set this thing up? I realized .4 miles
into my run I had forgotten to reset it from my LAST run.  oops.

When I realized how much faster my pace is off the treadmill, I realized just how much I really need to get back outside. My trusty Forerunner showed me that without having to set my own speed, my legs do pretty well on their own.

So.. I want to know your thoughts. I know the treadmill is hard on your knees, but pavement and uneven ground gives me shin splints. Do you run faster outside or on the treadmill? Do you prefer outdoor runs? Do you get bored? And WHO can solve my itouch battery problem?

It's a Small, Small World.

Pop quiz: what's the most horrifyingly annoying song ever to be played in all of Disney World?

I think the answer to this one would be unanimous. The Small World boat tour of singing dolls around the world is sure to get stuck in every passenger's head for the rest of their day at Disney.

myyyy hero!

I can't fail to mention how it was my favorite as a 5 year old. My mom apparently took me on Small World about 37 times in a row. She still loves the ride. Me? Not so much.

At least I had some killer style.

there we are, a Halter girl dream team repping pink and purple together.
and yes, I really needed that many scrunchies.

thanks, mom and dad. that fanny pack really pulls together my
high socks and coordinating oversized polka shirt and shorts.

I digress. The topic of this post is intended to cover what a SMALL world it really is.

Last week, I noticed I had a post comment from cupcake dynamite (how cute is their blog header? I need to do some re-vamping to mine. Any ideas?)
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Apparently, Julie's blog is just bringin' people together.  :)

I've always had such jealousy over the Orlando and Charlotte blog friends of mine who get to meet up with others who have the same likes, interests, and hobbies. When I saw Jamie's comment, I was so excited!

Jamie even remembers when Julie featured my hand painted glassware in a few posts. Yay for bLyss Designs!

**bLyss Designs now has a Facebook Page, thanks to a suggestion by Michelle. Go check it out and "like" it now, puh-lease! :)

The CRAZY small world part comes next. Jamie graduated from one of my rival high schools! What's more? She knows one of my Catawba friends, Todd, and she played field hockey. THIS means we played on the same field hockey field. She was right wing on the opposing team, and I was left wing.

And not only does Jamie live in Virginia Beach as well, but our houses are exactly 2.4 miles away (yep, we mapped it).

I nearly wet myself I was so excited to have another Jersey girl so nearby. And not just another Jersey girl, a Jersey girl running buddy! Oh, how I've missed my running buddies... Anastasia, Rob, Mag, John... it's been a lonely winter training for the Shamrock on my little treadmill at the YMCA.

So, Jamie and I scheduled a run on Sunday morning at 9 a.m. (after a Saturday morning rainout).

As we met up halfway between our houses, we giggled at the fact that we can check "running blind date" off our bucket lists. She was awesome, it was a gorgeous day outside, and it was a perfect way to start out my Sunday morning.

This is the most running outside I've done since the summertime.  I was enjoying Jamie's company and the sunshine so much, I got completely distracted and ended up running 7 miles before returning home to my little Tasmanian Devil.

thanks to Brian, Chloe's got a new favorite monkey toy!

I finished up my run with a .25 mile walk with Chloe. Trust me, .25 miles is a lot longer when it sounds with this little one... and walk is a strong term for what's going on here. "Drag" is more like it.

Jamie and I are already planning more buddy runs, trips to Skinny Dip, and nights out. Jersey girls taking VA Beach by storm - wahoo!

I got my butt kicked by a DVD.

Yesterday, I had an "oopsie."

I'm extremely busy on the reg. It's very rare that I find myself with free time and nothing to do, and a product of my... productivity... can my a little bout of absentmindedness.

After work yesterday, I went to change into my gym clothes, as per usual, and I discovered... shoot. No shorts. Meeeeeh.

Since I'm not one to go run 5+ miles on the tread in sweatpants (Shamrock Half Marathon training is in full swing), I rolled my eyes and figured I'd go home and run outside.

Of course, since it's the middle of winter, I forgot that it would be pitch dark out by the time I got out the door.

SO... pepper spray, keys, iTouch, AND my new Forerunner GPS training watch in tow, I chugged outside for a quick 2 miles.  I'm a baby when it comes to running in the cold much like good ol' Julie, so getting out there in the chiiiiilly temps was a pretty big leap of faith in myself.

my new training friend, thanks to Mr. James. now I can track my pace during the halfs! (halves?)

I probably looked like a paranoid, lost psychopath determined to lose my holiday poundage.

don't mess with me. I've got the red one and I'm not afraid to use it.

After the lung-burning, snot-dripping 2 miles around the neighborhood (thank goodness it was dark), I popped in this new gem from the $9 holiday rack at Wal-Mart.

"nine dolla, you say? I'm in."

I'm typically not one for the video workout. I find them boring, annoying, and not near challenging enough for a good workout.

Jackie kicked my booty.

I found myself huffing and puffing to this 32 minute weight plus strength workout with three jacked-beyond-belief girls on screen telling me "it's not that bad." I silently cursed the overachievers and the fact that I don't have any hand weights less than 10 pounds.

As I struggled through the routine, I came to several conclusions:

10. I'm coming down with a cold. That's why this is so hard.

9. See? My body really does hate the cold. It shuts down after just 2 miles out there.

8. I need to go buy 7.5 pound dumb bells. Maybe 5 pounders. Okay, Maybe 3.

7. I really hope no one can see me through that window.

6. I hate her. And her jacked friends.

5. Do I really care if I have sculpted shoulders? Does anyone notice those, anyway?

4. She has bad hair. I'd rather have nice hair and not-so-sculpted quads.

3. I need to start putting extra shorts in my car to escape this hell and go back to my beloved treadmill.

2. Jackie doesn't know how to count 10 seconds.

1. Jackie must be the real deal.

If you have a $9 rack at Wal-Mart, go hit up Jackie.  She'll make you wish you didn't. ;)

My Running Necessities

Everyones got a few things they'd be lost without for their training routine, and I've decided to take a moment to pay tribute to mine.

1. Ouchless hair ties - I NEED my hair completely out of my face and I need an ponytail holder that won't fall out.  My go-to style necessity is an no-slip grip headband with a thick goody ouchless hair tie. I've got a lotta hair, so a skinny hair tie doesn't work for me

proof! matching no-slip grips for the VA Beach Rock & Roll

2. Asics. I've got high arches, and only Asics will do for my tootsies. I've been wearing them ever since high school track, and I've refused to stray from the brand ever since.

Mag and I even had matching Asics. the best part? completely unplanned.

3. A great water bottle. I do a very poor job with keeping hydrated, so a water bottle that makes me drink water/propel when working out is moneeeyyyy.

I hate water. But with this baby, I'll suck it down!

4. My iTouch Pedometer. I love running with my iTouch, and my Pedometer app is awesome.  It plays my running playlist within the app while showing me how many steps I've taken, how many miles I've run, and my time. When I take my outdoor runs, I can't live without it!

5. The Wright Sock.  If you're prone to blisters like I am, these guys have got ya back.

6. A great running jacket.  I'm big on layering when it comes to working out, and my blue C2 jacket from Target is perfect for running in lower temperatures and tying around my waist if I get too hot.

and it's my favorite color!

What's a necessity for your training?

Ouch!

I'm officially completely frustrated with my body and its inability to withstand injury.

I was running a lot over the summer. Since my summer job was in management of a restaurant (before my job in a school no), my hours were irregular, my boyfriend and almost all of my friends were studying for the VA bar exam, and I had no life, I had a lot of time on my hands to train for the VA Beach Rock 'N' Roll Half Marathon. Any injuries then? Nope.

Back in training for my first half marathon (The November 2009 OBX Half Marathon), I ran plenty. Did I get hurt then? No.

we're all feelin' good at the start of the OBX Half Marathon!

I did pretty well in my training for the September 2010 Rock 'N' Roll... until July when I  hit a little bump in the road  tripped over a curb and ate some serious pavement.

to Patient First, I go...

Some stitches, pain killers, and a few weeks later, I was good to go and did fine in the race. Right afterwards, I tried to keep up my training since I'll be running the Shamrock Half in March (it's true... races are so addicting).

After some running, I started to feel some pain in my hip. I got some new Asics. It got better.

In the beginning of October, a shooting pain evolved down the outside of my right quad. After some research, I realized I was facing an IT band strain, which kept me off the treadmill for a good month. This made me wary for the Turkey Trot, but I babied it and did fine.  I was psyched when I ran the race in good time with no pain.

Now, enter... Monday.  I got a good run in (had to run off that Thanksgiving food!), and hopped back on the treadmill on Tuesday to find I could barely run at half-pace without right behind my knee killing me.

Hamstring strain? Really?

I'm extremely frustrated, sick of getting hurt, and very curious as to why I keep getting injuries.  I know I need to be better hydrated, but I'm a good stretcher and I feel like I listen to my body.

Now is where all my athletic trainer lovers need to step in and add their two cents. Who wants to come therapy me in VA Beach? ;)