Running Update #1 & Dairy Queen (the book)

Last night's run was tougher than Monday's. I ran my first mile in the same time (14:15) but ended up running the whole circuit about 45 seconds faster (28:26). I forgot my headphones at work and didn't have a spare. I had to strain to hear the music they pipe in and none of it was remotely motivational. While I do choose to run on equipment where I can see the TV with music videos playing, I swear if I ever have to hear any Jonas Brothers song ever again I will stab out my ear drums with the closest sharp utensil. It.is.so.terrible.

Reading a YA book called Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock. I am enjoying the Midwestern take on things and it is very interesting hearing about the average life on a farm. Generally though, I am somewhat irritated by the female narrator's teen angst and can only take so much of the whiny, "oh my life is so awful but I will be sarcastic and snarky so my complaints won't seem so annoying to the reader". I am also incredulous about her idea to join as a player on the local high school football team. Adding to this is the idea of her training (and maybe dating) the QB of the rival football team. If a young adult novel can't be far-fetched, what can these days? Some review said this book rivals Twilight but I have yet to find that an accurate statement.

The un-reading

I've been super busy between working through hectic lunches and working up a sweat at the gym, I have been neglecting my reading. I am happy to announce that I am now over halfway done with Gone With the Wind. While it is enjoyable, I feel like I have been reading it since before I was born (I began it in late March...yeah). I won a book on Goodreads called In the Kitchen by Monica Ali. Despite its neat-sounding description on the book jacket, it is too boring to read and therefore I will not be describing it further.

Since my reading habit has taken a slide into a bottomless well, I can talk about my get-healthy efforts. I am working my way through the Couch to 5K running program. I've always wanted to be able to run without feeling like I have a baby alien in my side or going to spew blood from my lungs. This is a good start because it is a solid, tested program that people use to slowly build their way into running. I will benefit from cardio, no doubt, but also the heart & lung-healthiness of the whole thing. I'm on week 4, day 2 tonight, meaning I will run 3 minutes, 90 second walk, 5 minute run, 2.5 minute walk, repeat once. Pretty simple, but I am happy because two and 1/2 weeks ago I was having trouble running 90 seconds let alone four times that amount now. I find it incredible what our bodies are capable of and that makes me feel better when I am running a tough one.

I want to keep track also of how fast I am running my miles, so Monday, I ran/walked my first mile in 14:15. Mile #2 pulled in at 29:48. If I do even a little better than the last day, I feel pretty good about it. No particular goal yet, just to get a little faster and not feel like I want to die afterward.

Vegas in T-minus 8 days. I shall be gorging myself with Mesa Grill and delicious French crepes (ooh lala) before we know it... I'll probably bring a new trip journal, just because snark is always most fun on vacation. Plans are a massage & fitness day at the Paris, lots of food, walking, and trying for a run on the Strip in early morning. We'll see if all my vegas dreams come true...(and the daydreaming harp music plays on).

Oh Where oh Where has thisinquiringmind Gone?

Where can she be? That is the song that anyone who reads this could have been singing for the last month and a half. Anyway, I've got new pursuits on the horizon: Working Out. Yep that's right ladies and gents, the husband and I joined a gym a couple of weeks back. While I don't find the locker room clean enough for me to shower without shoes, the rest of it is pretty nice. After my muscles were rendered incapacitated post "team fitness" class, I had my doubts, but the classes are pretty motivational. They are also really full. I have never been in a gym class with over 75 people, wingspan room only- this Dance Jam class was crazy. I am beginning the "Couch to 5K" program today. I guess it's a step-by-step method of building running endurance- it's like it was designed for me.
Today's plan:
5 minute warm up walk, intervals of 90 seconds walking, 60 seconds running for a period of 20 minutes.
I will also be doing 2-3 lifting exercises. I get soooo bored lifting but it needs to be done, since I haven't done it yet in two weeks of gym membership [blushes].

In book news, I've been slogging through Gone With the Wind for the last three weeks. I figured that reading a 1000 page book would be a breeze, however I am just hitting the 350 page mark. I've read at least a chapter everyday but there is just so much detail that it's taking forever. This is not to say that I'm not enjoying it, because I am, it's just not an easy read.

I polished off a Sarah Dessen book called Keeping the Moon, about a teen who was fat and finds friends who build up her confidence and ultimately change her into a different person. While elements of this story were fun, I just couldn't relate to almost any of the characters, therefore I enjoyed Dessen's later work more.

I am departing for Las Vegas in less than 27 days and it will be glorious. In addition to undoing all of the great things I'll have accomplished with my body in the next few weeks, I will be spending money on lots of fun things. My must-do's are eating at a couple of specific restaurants, doing a little shopping, going to the pool once in my new bikini, and surprisingly, I want to treat myself to a day at the spa and fitness center there.

When we come back from our trip, we will then be out looking for a house to buy. Hopefully we can officially be homeowners prior to the year-end incentive to purchase. An even bigger "hopefully" on my part would be to move while there is still no snow in sight. Scraping snow & ice off of my car last year went quickly to the top of my "hate" list and I would like to avoid it if at all possible. Plus, how awesome would it be to move in 17 degree weather?! (So awesome that I won't be participating it- that's how awesome.) So we've narrowed down the area to four different villages, all of which are connected and about 30 minutes from work. Here's to wishing for a nice affordable place with little to nothing wrong with it.

Finally, my job responsibilities changed at the beginning of April and I've been running around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to learn a new position (hence no real new entries here). While I enjoy what I'm doing now even more, it's been crazy. An update to that whole wilderness-store-cultural-potluck-gift-card debacle: After wandering the giant store for an hour considering everything from dog toys to bicycle helmets, I spent it yesterday on fudge to share at work and beef jerky for the husband. I'm so awesome.