Alien Legs and Lime Green Walls

We have FINALLY reached the rainy and cool weather I have missed so much! It’s a little crazy to think that I was left pitting out my shirts less than a week ago and not two minutes ago there was rain pouring down.

Too bad all of my rainy weather running (and normal people) clothes are stuffed in a box as yet to be found. Time to do some digging.

I did a tempo run today on the bike trail. Luckily, I didn’t get run over by a bike, but there was a little kid on a bike that made me feel good when he said, “Mommy, she’s running fast.”

barbie on bike

No, this lady was not on the bike trail today. 🙂


Though I wanted to laugh because you know how it feels when you’re attempting a faster workout but feel soooo slow! (And then you look down at your watch and it only reaffirms that fact…hehe.) Regardless, got in my six mile tempo and the effort was there.

I’ve got some other friends that can relate to feeling like you have a foreign pair of legs running those workouts, but what I’ve come to accept is that this is where I’m at right now. Don’t even try to compare to the ‘old’ you, take this as your starting point, and then be happy with any improvements that may come. I also remind myself just how awesome it feels to be out there running at all.
runner kicking
In other news, I am also painting my new room. I’m actually really excited because this is the first time I’m really able to do whatever I want. I don’t have to worry about apartment complex rules, so the walls are going to be lime green and a darkish blue color. This is phase one, the next phase will be hanging my posters and art.

The other thing is that I’m working on some other articles and have been able to have a few really interesting interviews. I could talk about running and all things sports and fitness related forever so it’s been great.

Another perk is that I can parlay some of those factoids into topics for posts…win win. Alright, this writer has a deadline to get to, so until then, happy runnings and if you were on the bike trail today and you saw a girl who looked like she was busting her bum and still not running all that fast try and spit, but the spit landed on her own shoulder and arm so that she looked like a pathetic mess…that was not me. ☺

1) What’s something that a little kid said to you lately that made you laugh?
I like that kids are brutally honest, they will tell you if you look a hot mess.

2) How do you handle getting through workouts where your times aren’t what you’d wish but the effort is more than there?
I do my best to completely opt out of the comparison game. Luckily for me I know going in it will be much slower; but I also try to abstain from looking at the pace too much. For instance, in my tempo today I just went what felt to be hard and only looked down at my mile splits and pretty much ignored the clock otherwise.

3) What is a topic that you could talk about or read about forever?
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12 Replies to “Alien Legs and Lime Green Walls”

  1. See you’re still faster than a lot of people even though YOU don’t think you are! You will get your super speedy powers back 100% soon though!!

    I do the same things as you. Sometimes I even leave my Garmin at home and go with what just feel right. It takes a lot of stress off!

    I could probably read about running and food. All day long.

  2. ahhhh kids always say the craziest things. unrelated to running…i had an allergic reaction to something once when i woke up at a residential camp where i worked…my face was super swollen and the first kid i see says “ms. julia…you look like a goldfish.” why thank you…that was the look i was going for. ha!

    you are awesome. seriously. you are DEFINITELY speedy whether you feel like it or not! but sometimes if i am in a run and just not feeling the pace i will change my goals…maybe i will just tackle more hills that run…then i have an excuse to be “slower” 😉

    • haha…okay, i was wearing a visor and working at a sandwich shop once. i was making a kid his sammy and then he gets to the register and yells, “WOW!! i thought u were a boy!!!” niiice. 🙂 my hair was back in a bun, but still, that stung a bit. 😉

  3. Haha…”if you were on the bike trail today and you saw a girl who looked like she was busting her bum and still not running all that fast try and spit, but the spit landed on her own shoulder and arm so that she looked like a pathetic mess…that was not me” –
    no, that wasn’t me, either. 😉

  4. Aww, so cute!! I have no internal pace monitor whatsoever, although some days I feel like I”m working hard and I get home and think wow, that was slow…or other days I’m breezing by and it turns out I ran at a rockin’ pace!!!

    Ok, about your room. I had a lime green room 2 years ago!! It made me so happy since it was so bright and cheerful. I used black accents, but it sounds like navy will bring the same strong contrast that made me love my room even more. You’ll have to post a picture or two when it’s all done 🙂

  5. I’ve been finding it hard not to compare my current self to my old self recently with running. I know it’s unhelpful and that the only thing that is going to get me back there is to keep hacking away at the miles one step at a time but there is something inside that says a little damn every time I fall short of where I was.
    It’s exciting about painting your room! Those colours will look awesome together and definitely go with the shades that seem to be predominant in your art.
    Oh and yeah, I stopped trying to spit while I was running when I found it consistently landed on my shoe or my shin. Now I am a complete grandma and carry a handkerchief. Yes, I have had comments on this.

    • i think we all tend to think about “the good old days” and that’s okay, there ARE great memories to recall and remember. i think when we catch ourselves getting negative about the current ‘us’ we channel our previous selves and use it more as inspiration rather than self-defeation/depression. hmmm, i hope u can make any sense of that last sentence…lol! but keep ur head up and just keep putting one foot ahead!! and i’m going to steal ur advice and do the same. 🙂 PS- AWESOME poetry u have rocking over there!

  6. I’m with Christina… even though it’s not your norm… you’re still going fast and most people would kill to have your speed and talent… but I also understand the feeling of being a “different” runner… and missing the old you. I know you’ll get back to your old self and feel awesome again… and you’re doing a good job of looking at the bright side and being happy that you can even run at all. 🙂

    A little girl at church today (5 years old) started dramatically singing along to the hymn… it was hilarious!!! I almost peed my pants. 🙂 Kids are awesome!

    • awww, thanks so much jessica, u are so sweet! and yes, i often remind myself that even a slow mile is FAR better than no miles at all! and i’d probably just go insane if i wasn’t ever to get back to it….haha.

      oh man, that is so funny about the little girl…how cute, but i’m glad u were able to avoid wetting urself…hehe! jk

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