Treasure Trove of RANDOM Topics....

Training in Utah has been a bit evasive...

or at least I have evaded it.

My parents have a pretty sweet set up in their basement....

at least at first glance.

They have a nice room stocked w/ exercise equipment,

a good sized treadmill, weights, pull up bar, and a giant t.v. ....

SWEET FOR ME!!

I believed I could run for days just hanging out down there watching movies!

Good bye family...I will be running,

while I am feeding my mind with constant entertainment!

See YA!

(notice my dads Jerri rigged key)

Well....like I said, "at first glance"

it looks like a sweet set up.

The t.v. does not work...it is just to look at and fantasize about.

The treadmill whinnies and whines like you would

not believe....it is not so bad if you only run in the

upper left hand corner of the mat,

but I can tell you from experience that that is hard to maintain,

and takes away from the joy of trying to read while bouncing

up and down.

The first morning we were here I was pumped and put on my

NECK & NECK tank to keep me inspired and motivated.

I cranked out an hour on the mill.

The next day I had to force my way through a half hour.

I have not set foot on it since.

I can't.

I won't.

However.....

my Utah partner and I have hooked up!!

We got our matching outfits on and took a run two days ago.

It was a beautiful afternoon.

We knocked out 8 miles without batting an eye.

It was a happy time.

Tomorrow we can get scared...we will see who's smiling then...

our 20 miler is due.

It feels as scary as giving birth to a 10 pounder...

I have never done that,

but it seems like it would be just as intimidating.

(OK, maybe not)

Amy has our route mapped out.

We have decided where to plant our waters and Gatorade.

I will let you know how it goes.

..........................

New topic.

Take a look at the evidence below of how my mom applies

lip stick.

She sticks her stick in between her pursed lips and swipes it.

She says it saves time and effort.

....and to an outsider is totally FREAKY!

Plus the lipstick is unbelievably creepy looking.

Mine is the normal flat looking stick.

(very boring tube)

I like to put it on wiping it all all around both lips,

going up and over the edges of my mouth.

Then I go back and remove the excess, and blot it off.

I like the look of just having eaten a bowl of spaghetti.

Or being punched in the mouth, Or just having had a make out session.

Any of the above.

I gave a demo to my sister and mom.

They seemed surprised.

We asked my sister Amy how she applies hers....

she said that lipstick is for tiny children and babies.

She only uses Mentholatum. 

huh.

.................................

New topic.

Eye Bondage.

Good or Bad for you?

That is my question.

Last night I went for it....

I suckered into the peer pressure of eyelash enhancement.

There. It is out. Now you know.

I personally had no idea it would be so tortuous.

Your eyes are in lock down for 2 hours.

There is a bright light shining right into your incapacitated eyes.

It makes no difference whether your eyes become itchy.

oh well.

Your eyes are dried out?

sad for you.

You don't think you can take having your eyes strapped down another minute?

you only have an hour to go!

I am very surprised I did not need a straight jacket to

keep my composure and keep my hands and arms down as well.

Once you are into it an hour there is no going back.

Nothing is worse than spindly eyelashes.....

says my sister.

I trust her.

Yes.  They are pretty. But come on!

I am serious.

COME ON! 

are you guys for real?

......................................

New Topic.

Running Motivation.

This topic is close to my heart right now.

Not sure which way to go with it.

I just started reading Born To Run.

The author wants to know why his foot is hurting so badly.

He goes from doctor to doctor.

He won't believe that "running is not for you" is his answer.

He has been told he has Cuboid Syndrome.

He needs cortisone shots and orthotics....

and he needs to buy a bike.

I have read this quote from my book several times,

"It's not that I'm all that stubborn. It's not that I'm even all that crazy

about running.  If I totaled all the miles I'd ever run,

half were aching drudgery.  

But it does say something that even thought I haven't read 

The World According to Garp in twenty years,

I have never forgotten one minor scene:

I keep thinking back to the way Garp used to burst out his door

 in the middle of the workday for a five-mile run.

There's something so universal about that sensation,

the way running unites our two most primal impulses:

fear and pleasure.

We run when we're scared, we run when we're ecstatic,

we run away from our problems and run around for a good time."

That sums it up.

Not one of us wants to loose the option to be able to

step out our door and be free to run.

Don't tell me not to run.

We want what we can't have even more.

It makes the value skyrocket.

Like they say:

There is a time and a season for all things.

Rest and Repair.

I'm just saying.