Going for Gold

Golds Gym that is. 

The weather won the battle and it was time to move some of my runs indoors.  I still plan on training outside on occasion, but girlfriend needs a break from the heat every now and again.  After suffering through the last 3 weeks in super hot weather and having terrible, TERRIBLE runs, it was time.  I feared I was losing my running mojo to the heat and lord knows I have worked way too hard to let that happen. 

Today was my first day taking the gym for a test drive.  I signed up on Friday, although my workout that day was a run to the gym...sign up....run home from the gym (3 miles in all).  I mean am I coo koo?  I think the guy at Golds may have thought I was crazy to run at high noon to obtain a membership.  I could have easily driven to the gym, signed up, ran 3 miles in a air conditioned gym and driven home.  Whatev's, I do what I want.

So, that brings me to today's fantabulous run!  It had been 3 weeks since I had a run that was longer than 4 miles and I knew that I needed to put in work on the treadmill.  I needed to rekindle my flame for running.  The heat had made me start to resent my quest for the13.1 bumper sticker and I needed to get back on track. stat.  My goal for today was 7 miles, but secretly I was thinking it would be a miracle to make it to 6.  Seriously.  My last 3 or 4 runs had been so miserable that I felt like I was back at the beginning of my training program. Running is redonkulous....just sayin'.  I digress.....I headed to the gym this morning super excited to be running indoors.  I had all of my supplies...

Nike Visor...check

Moisture wicking top and shorts...check (seriously, I think all this wicking technology makes you stink more when you workout.  Anybody else agree?)

Ipod...check

Nuun...double check (obsessed.)

BodyGlide...triple check!!  This stuff is AMAZING and I never run without it.  Although I ran further than I had planned today so I didn't apply enough...I'm paying for that now with a nasty little blister on one of my toes (the same damn toe always gives me trouble) and a sports bra "rash/burn" from a seam  under my tata's (tmi? nah...we're keepin' it real....right?).  I didn't realize the sports bra rash until the water from the shower hit it...HOLY MOTHER OF ALL THINGS AWFUL.....I literaly thought I had just been attacked by bees in the shower, it felt like a bazillion bee stings.  Won't ever make that mistake again.  From now on I will be applying bodyglide as if I'm gonna be running for days on end.

my new BFF

Which treadmill to choose?  There were so many. I honestly stood in the lobby for what seemed like forever trying to make the "right" choice.  Obviously I lead a very exciting life when my idea of a good time is obtaining the perfect treadmill location.  I finally decided on a 'mill upstairs that over looked the main cardio floor.  I liked having a birds eye view of the gym happenings and also the fact that no one would be running behind me since it was only a single row of machines.  I would be way to consumed with "does my butt look jiggly" thoughts if someone was running with a direct view of my backside. no thank you. 

With the perfect 'mill chosen, I was ready to get my run on.  I started at a nice slow 11min pace since I had a rough couple runs recently, but quickly realized that running on a nice, flat, pace keeping piece of machinery is da bomb dot com and I can run way faster.  So, I upped my pace to a 10:30, then 10:20, 10:10, sub 10, 9:40...and so on and so on....With every mile I ran I felt more confident.  Of course I was still keeping in mind that I didn't want to burn out by mile 6 or 7, so I would say my sub 10 came closer to mile 4.  By mile 6 I had made the executive decision to run 8 miles and had also decided that I love treadmills.  It was such a nice change of pace to just run on a flat even surface in the AC without worrying about stoplights, tripping on sidewalks, the HEAT, getting attacked by rabid dogs, being abducted by a stranger...you know, normal outside things.  It was just me, my Ipod, the Today show and AC....heaven.  I really kicked it up the last 1/2 mile of my run and was almost sprinting...it was awesome!!  All in all I ran 8.4 miles at a sub 10 pace.  Not to shabby since I wasn't expecting to even finish 7.  Looks like it's Game On.....that bumper sticker is so mine.