Please Be Careful

So, I kid a lot.

I'm sure you've noticed.

This is serious though. I was floating through the Runners World discussion forum today, where I periodically hang out, and I came across this post. In a nutshell, the chick was out running super early yesterday morning, on her normal route, and a van stopped on the side of the road and turned his lights off. She backtracked on her route (and cut it short, dammit!), then noticed that the same van drove by again.

Luckily, that's where the story ends.

However, this story actually stuck with me because I'm concerned about all things concerning female safety. The Gazelle is a cop, and although I was paranoid prior to meeting him, I am about 936 times worse now.

I have always been the type to constantly be plotting escape routes in case a masked, knife-wielding, fire-breathing psychopath should happen to break into my house when I'm taking a shower and try to maim me. Somehow, these escape plans always seem to begin with me in the shower, apparently because that is when I feel most vulnerable.

...the thought of having to fight off an attacker with shampoo in my hair is just incomprehensible. It makes me shudder.

Anyway...plotting my attack in order to ensure safety has become second nature. However, I started thinking about this lady's situation, and I am really not sure how I would handle it. Chances are, if I'm running outdoors here in the DC/Metro area, other cars are just going to whiz by as I am kidnapped (or worse) by my attacker. In case you are joining me from outside of a metro area, let me just mention that commuters don't care about jack while on their way to work. Absolute tunnel vision. Robotic. Unconcerned.

Please, be cautious while running ladies (and gentleman). Here are are some basic things you can do in order to stay a little safer on your runs...

Stay Safe While Running

Habitual Leg Crosser?

Yeah...me too.

For the past year, I've been trying really hard to curb this terrible habit because I know it is murder on your knee, and I think that my habitual crossing had a lot to do with the IT Band Friction Syndrome that I experienced from 2005-2007 (R.I.P...TG!) and intermittent knee pain and calf tightness that I still have from time to time in my right leg.

I have been seeing a physical therapist for all issues concerning my right leg since April, and Liz has done wonders for me and my life. I wasn't able to run for 1.5 years during my worst phase. I felt lazy. And fat. And lazy. It was one of several obstacles that I dealt with over the course of about 5 years.

I'm sure all of my past woes will surface in due time. Mostly because I talk too much, but also because everyone needs an enlightened witness in their life. Hearing other people's stories sometimes initiates a change in yourself.

I regress.

I was just reading about the damage that crossing your legs can do to the Peroneal Nerve. The Peroneal Nerve is this ginormous nerve that basically runs from your hip to your heel on the lateral side of the knee. It does a couple of twists and turns along the way. I wouldn't have ever known about the Peroneal Nerve if it wasn't for this strange numb-ish sensation that I've been having around that little sticky outty (yep, this is a medical term--I looked it up) boney thing on the outside of my leg just below my knee. The Peroneal Nerve is apparently attached to that part.

So, I came upon this article about Peroneal Nerve Dysfunction. It kind of made me feel yucky on the inside.

Loss of muscle control.
Loss of muscle tone.
Eventual loss of muscle mass.

Wow, that sounds like a joggers dream come true! Especially since the muscle tone in my right leg is already visibly different from the tone in my left leg (insert scary movie sound effect here).


Please don't cross your legs. It's all bad.

Jesus, if you're listening, please help me.

Sad truth #1: John Travolta starred in a movie in 2007. This in and of itself is just uncalled for. The movie is called Wild Hogs, and it just makes me realize more and more that John should have stopped at Grease.

Sad truth #2: The Gazelle thinks this movie is hilarious. However, if you asked him man to man, he would tell you that he has only watched this movie because there was "nothing else on."

Sad truth #3: This movie is again contaminating our beautiful 42" DLP for approximately the 823,755,642,409th time.

Thank you so much Encore HD.

Speaking of wii Fit

My boyfriend, The Gazelle, is basically the best boyfriend in the world. He bought me the wii Fit for Christmas but gave it to me like...oh...4 weeks early. That's fine by me though. That usually means I'll get more gifts because he'll feel bad that he doesn't have anything to give me on Christmas. Did I mention that he also bought me a new iPod 8G for Christmas and gave it to me last week? YAY! I love my life.

So anyway...

I love my wii Fit, but didn't they make any GAMES to go with it?? I'm confused. I have the standard included CD, but a girl can only Hula Hoop and Super Hula Hoop so many times before it becomes a little boring, ya know?

Anybody...

Anybody...

Exciting Things Happening Right NOW!

1) I ran 2 miles at lunch, despite the fact that my calf was extremely tight due to my wiiFit party (with myself, of course) last night.

2) I just bought a new camera from eBay, and it is EXACTLY the camera I wanted, and I got it for EXACTLY $15 cheaper than I could find it anywhere else online. Hip hop hooray!

3) Regarding #2, everyone is going to be really sorry that I got this camera because I am going to take more pictures than I know what to do with now that I will have a beautiful, feature-rich camera...as recommended by my favorite blogger in the universe, The Pioneer Woman. She's basically the bomb.

4) I forgot to bring my lunch to work today, and had no time to go out for lunch since I was good and went to the gym. So, lunch consisted of a handful of nacho flavor sunflower seeds and 3 Hershey's Kisses. Which I really don't like, but they just happened to be in my drawer.

5) Did I mention that I bought a new SkirtSport skirt today? Wooo!

The Skirt Love Continues

I can't help it. I love Skirtsports. I might need a support group. They're having a 60% off blowout-style sale, and I couldn't resist. I had to buy more skirts! I also picked up a pair of Shorties...


And the most adorable tank ever...


My sister is even reaping the rewards of my Skirtsport love because I picked her up a new skirt and t-shirt.

Seriously...I am like the best sister ever.

And I also picked up a $25 gift certificate. I'll use it as a giveaway for my blog readers. If I ever get any blog readers, that is.

The Eagle Has Landed

Well, not really. I just thought that sounded pretty official.

Guess what? I got a new shirt.



I actually received this shirt in a package from my friendly mailman approximately 5.2 minutes after I got home from vacation, but I didn't want to tell you because I was guilty. Guilty from vacation. Guilty for not running the entire time I was on vacation. Guilty for eating chicken wings nearly everyday while on vacation. Then I was guilty for only running approximately 50 yards at a time (twice) the week after I got back from vacation. Debauchery. But its over, and I ran on Saturday. A healthy run, more than 2 miles, and I'm back on the wagon.

So I can tell you about my shirt now.

And how much I love it. Don't ask me why because I can't really explain it, but I got a little choked up when I read the back of it...



What can I say...I'm just an emotional girl.