Well, Since You Asked...

I just got a new camera. Did I mention that yet? I think I might have mentioned it once or twice.

I purchased this camera solely (maybe not solely, but definitely firstly) on the suggestion of The Pioneer Woman, who is basically the coolest new person in my universe at the moment. Because of her, I have been learning about everything from cattle herding to trips to the Dominican Republic to new babies...and photography! She is kind of like me. Jack of all (ok...many in my case) trades, but a master of none.

In any case, Pioneer Woman (PW) has giveaways all the time on her website, and she was giving away a camera not too long ago. She happened to be speaking directly to my squishy soul at the time because I was so sick of my Olympus Model #FE-CRIPPITY-CRAP-220 that I was just dreading the idea of taking pictures in the future. And I LOVE pictures, people...so this is bad, real bad. When I got home from vacation and saw how yucky our pix looked, I knew it was officially time for a new model.

I checked out the cNet review on the camera, and it was a done deal. Well, it was basically a done deal after The Pioneer Woman loved it enough to give it away to her readers. I trust her. She's family.

So, with the proceeds of the eBay sale of 2 pair of designer sunglasses (which were just collecting dust on my dresser and getting in the way, since they were too fragile and expensive, and I'm really clumsy), I bought a shiny new Canon PowerShot SX10 IS. Out with the old, in with the new.

So, this is what my shiny new camera looks like:



Bulky, you say? Yep, bulkier than my Olympus FE-CC220, but totally way better. It might be heavier than my Wal-Mart Olympus, but seriously...is that not a small sacrifice for this:


Just wait until I amaze you with all of my amazing pictures.

Drumroll Please...

Alright, alright...so it wasn't 3 miles, and it wasn't RULLY fast. But it was 2.1 miles, and it was faster than I've run on the treadmill consistently in...oh...4 years. Did I mention that I hate the treadmill? It is so much easier for me to run fast and have fun outside.

Since my Sista suggested it, I decided to do a tempo run. Well...she never said "do a tempo run, slowpoke", but she did tell me the other day to see about running at 6.4 on the treadmill for 10 minutes rather than repeat the outlandish interval training that I did on Monday. I am very happy to report that today's run consisted of an easy 10 minute run, followed by 5 minutes at 6.4. When I completed 5 minutes, I was feeling really victorious because I hadn't coughed up a lung or ruptured my spleen, so I did 2 minutes at 6.5. Then I dropped 'er down to 6.4 again. The last 5 running minutes was at 6.0 and 5.5. More of the 5.5 than the 6.0. I just walked after that...hence the big huge plummet on my little Nike + chart (see above). I was pretty chopped by that point.

I felt good at 6.4. I felt crazy good at 6.4. I felt so good at 6.4 that I think next time I run at 6.4, I'll wave to everyone and smile as they pass my treadmill. Maybe I'll even flip my pony at them too. Just maybe.

Right NOW? Do I have to?!

So, I am absolutely, positively, not in the mood to go to the gym in 10 minutes and run 3 miles. I say 3 miles because I'm aiming high. I refuse to accept 2 miles as a descent lunchtime run anymore.

I would much rather sit at my desk, in my warm office, with my MacBook, and play with my new camera. And edit the pictures of Nikko that I took last night in PhotoShop.

1) I LOVE MY NEW CAMERA!!!!! I'm officially marking it on my list of "Jogger's Top 5 Most Coolest Purchases Ever." NOT on that list? The ceiling fan that I purchased on Tuesday night. I'll talk about that another time. When I'm not so emotionally scarred.

2) Don't you just want to squeeze his little puppy dog cheeks?!



That is...until he starts to snarl and bark and nip at your hands just because he's never met you, and he thinks you're trying to steal any bit of attention from him! He's kind of fickle like that.

But I love him.

And...I'm going to the gym. Ughhh...

I Love My Sister. She Hates Me.

So, the reason why I started this blog was to stay motivated and train for The Boilermaker. It has turned into a mish-mash of all things life-related, but that is really the point of it. Yesterday, I thought to myself, "Self, what better way to get some love and support on your blog than to let your family know about it!"

So, I sent a handful of family and close friends this email yesterday:

Dearest Friends & Family,

I have decided to run The Boilermaker Road Race in 2009 (Utica, NY)! Although this race distance is no big deal to my incredible, 1/2 marathon-running sister, a 15K race will be my longest race yet, and I’m scared! =)

In order to stay motivated and keep myself fully committed, I have started a blog (www.joggerslife.com) about my race training, the ongoing battle with my knee (grrrr), and my life in general. I’m hoping that you will periodically check out my blog to see how I’m doing, drop me a line to say hi, or just read and laugh a little. I need all of the support I can get, as those of you who know me well know that I have a bit of a problem staying focused!

If you don’t have time to read or check in, I won’t be upset. Just keep me in your prayers! =)

Love,
Beth

One of my favorite people in the universe is my Uncle Billy. He's a Murse.

He's loving, caring, and he chose the perfect career.

Uncle Billy accidentally sent Jessica the email that was supposed to be for me:

From: Uncle Billy
Subject: Re: Life!
To: Jessica
Date: Thursday, December 4, 2008, 8:46 AM

Beth My Dear,

All my Loved Ones are ALWAYS in my Prayers!!!!! I am
Very Proud of you and your sister.

Love and Miss You,
Uncle Billy

My sister was nice enough to send me Uncle Billy's email, but not without including a jab or two of her own first:

From: jessica
Date: Thu, 4 Dec 2008 10:52:26 -0800 (PST)
To: Uncle Billy, Beth
Subject: Re: Life!

Beth,

You better hope Uncle Billy prays hard. This is a long race with two
gargantuan hills.

Utica streets in July. Hot. Stinky. Littered with bodies of runners that
were ahead of you. They don't call it a Boilermaker for nuthin!

You better get training. And I don't mean piddly 1.5 mile flat runs. Long
hilly runs!

Now do it!

Muah-hahahahahahaha! (that's my evil laugh)

And, this was my reply to my loving sister:

Oh dear Jessica. You are going to be crying like a baby when your little sister finishes the Boilermaker with you...even if it is 2 HOURS behind you!

Har har har har <------------ this is my nerdy, dorky, slow runner laugh.

Love and miss you both! Even if you are evil, Jessica Lee.

We always did have a funny way of showing our love, but I think this might take it to a whole new level.

What I'm Reading Right Now

I have read this article like 4 times now, and I love it more each time. Amen, Sista.

Wicked Cool Lunch Workout

Yap, I'm originally from Upstate NY, and 'wicked' is part of my vocabulary. Hope you can still love me for me.

So I was supposed to go see Liz today, but I got a call this morning with the news that she has been sick all week and needed to cancel. Although I knew that I was due to see her since I haven't been in almost 2 months, I was secretly pleased that I could go to the gym and run instead of being tortured being rehabilitated. Don't tell Liz I said that. I'm sad that she's sick. Yet not.

I went to the gym and ran about 2.5 miles in less than 25 minutes, which is stellar for me. Stop laughing, ms./mr. fasty pants!

I did, however, forget my new iPod, so I had to resort to my backup (old) iPod, which further supports my ongoing gripe with the Nike+ gadget in general. Fortunately I had my old iPod so that I had something to drown out the sound of myself panting and hacking up a lung. Unfortunately, I didn't have the thingy that plugs into my iPod, so there is no official Nike+ update. I did my time, MAN. I promise.

Mile 0-1: 10 minute easy run
Mile 1-2: 6.0 for 0.20/mile, then 7.5 for 0.10/mile)
Mile 2-2.5: 5 minute easy run

One thing to note is that 7.5 is the fastest that I have ever run. Like ever. Ever ever. And did I mention...ever?

Many moons ago (circa 2005-2006), prior to my stint with IT Band Syndrome, I was training with one of my close friends, Robert McConnell. Rob is a master trainer and owns Peak Performance Fitness. He's awesome, by the way. He had me on a nice running regimen, and I was doing better than ever as far as my endurance. I never ran fast though. He yelled at me incessantly about how slow I was and about how I was 'scared' of going fast. He told me over and over that I needed to 'open it up' and just see what it feels like. He's right. I was scared.

I do have asthma, after all, so I'm a little gun shy.

I've been trying to run a little faster lately because I know that speed work really can't be avoided if you're trying to become a better runner. Today, however, I just let loose and ran my arse off. It was definitely an interesting feeling to open my stride up that much, and although my cardio isn't where it needs to be in order to maintain that sort of pace, I can honestly say that my body felt great while running that fast. I might try it more often.

If I don't get scared.

Unfortunately, 25 minutes is the max that I have during lunch because I have a job to get back to. I would have done at least another mile. Damn job. I'm not going to say that too loud though. I need my job. Otherwise I wouldn't have any money to buy running shoes and go on vacation.

Oh Buttered Noodles

I blame it on my mother.

Everyday (well, maybe not everyday, but that is the way that I want to remember it, so that is how it shall be remembered), when I arrived home at 12PM from kindergarten, I would come inside to find a piping hot bowl of buttered noodles on the table waiting for me.

That means that my mom loved me.

Loved.

I kid, I kid.

She made me buttered elbow noodles, buttered egg noodles, buttered spaghetti, and buttered shells. Never buttered rotini. I think rotini was too "new fangled" for her upstate NY country lifestyle. But always buttered elbows, spaghetti or shells. They were safe.

Guess what? To date, I really can't find another food that rivals buttered noodles in the realm of deliciousness. Buttered noodles are basically the queen of my Food Favorites Kingdom.



If I had a ring, I'd probably ask buttered noodles to marry me.

Why do I feel it necessary to share this? Because I'm eating buttered noodles for dinner, and I think you should too.