Change is a Good Thing -- Welcome Back

Wobble, wobble, wobble, WACK!! KaBLAM. POW!!! Stumble-tumble-roll, roll, roll. Owie owie owie OUCH! 

What was THAT, you ask? Well, that was me. Falling off the fitness wagon. I won't say I've been totally unhealthy, I haven't, but I have been slowly backsliding from where I think my potential fit level is. I've gained a little weight (no one would really notice but me), my fast doesn't come as easily, and I'm strong, but not as strong as I could be. Do you know what the awesome thing about this is, though? These are all things that are within my control, and I can choose to get back up to the level where I want to be. 

Summer really can be a tough time to train, with vacation time, kids being out of school, hotter days, and general fun things to do that pop up. Who'd rather do a long run than attend a family barbecue? Well, not this girl. This is one reason that I generally do not like fall marathons -- I just have such a hard time consistently training for them. Strange as it might sound, I'd much rather wake up early in January and knock out a 14 miler when it's 14 degrees out than run outside in the summer. 

This is in full view from my treadmill. Helps keep the mental meanies out of my way.

Falling off the wagon doesn't just have a physical effect on me -- it also wreaks havoc with my mental game. And even when I'm at my fittest, my biggest challenge is always shutting up the voices of self-doubt that can creep up on me during a run -- most especially during a race. These voices generally say, "Why are you doing this?" "This is stupid; you aren't really a runner." "Remember when you dropped out of that 800-meter race in high school? You're still not an athlete." "I can hear your heart beating. And, you just got passed. Ugh." And so on. If that's what I'm facing when I logically know I'm physically able to conquer anything, you can believe the chorus thrums louder when I start to skip workouts. 

Yes, Virginia, there really are fit girl problems. That sounds like fodder for another blog post. 

So, this is my rededication to running, my commit to fit. While our kids are over just part-time during the week, having them back in school provides more of a routine for me that I can take advantage of.  (Sidebar: I commend all of you caregivers who are working your healthy routines while doing parenting 100% of the time, day in, day out. You are my heroes and are setting a great example for your kids. Kudos.) Also, I had nothing to prepare for during the summer. There was no greater cause for me to be disciplined. Well, I am going to do at least a half in October, if not the full. I'm planning to register for the inaugural Northern Ohio marathon, which is Oct. 13 in Lake County, Ohio, home to the lovely family of Coach B. Lesson learned: Be working toward something. Set goals and don't meander aimlessly. Focus your energy, be it in the gym, on the road, at work. Know what you are working toward, otherwise you'll go in a circle and not upward. 

The swag for the Northern Ohio marathon includes a Brooks Essential half-zip pullover. I'm IN.  

As a springboard,  I'm somewhat crazily doing a half marathon this Saturday in Bowling Green. I'm not as prepared as I'd necessarily like to be, but M and I both agreed we're viewing this not so much as a "race" as it is a "run." :-) I passed the tests I'd set for myself to see if tackling this half was feasible. I wanted to run 5 on Tuesday, then 10 on Thursday. I did both of those, but on a treadmill. In air-conditioning. I'll rest Friday, and try to focus on miles and not time on Saturday morning. I'll be sure to let you know how it goes. 

As far as the blog goes, I've got to be honest: The RW Streak challenge had me b-u-r-n-e-d out. The collages. The mileage. The entries ("I ran. I ran again. I ran alone. I ran with M. I ran, it hurt. I ran, it felt good.).  It just got to be too much. SO: I pledge to write once a week at minimum, on a thought-out topic. I'm not intending my portion of the blog to be a workout diary, but I'll include a little bit of what I'm up to, just to stay accountable. I know M is dedicated to her fitness and her running, and she's an Advocare rep now, too, so if you need the supplement hookup and other amazing products, she is your woman! Link to M's Advocare Site

M is so dedicated that even disgusting dive-bombing bugs wouldn't keep her from completing a muggy night run. I took the treadmill route. I'm a bug-fearing wuss. M is not. 

If you have questions, comments, suggestions, our email inbox is always open (solesisters2014@gmail.com) and we would love to hear from you and what you are up to, and what your goals are! Keep in touch!!! 

Be kind to yourself. Be kind to each other.  -- V.   

A Hairy Situation -- Runner Girl Problems

No matter how much you comb, brush or condition your hair, if you are a runner-girl you know that sweaty knots and tangles are an unavoidable nuisance in the game of running.  V and I both have relatively long locks and we know first hand what it's like to have tons of breakage from constant ponytails, headband use, pigtails, sweat and frequent combing and brushing.  It's NO fun and I am here to go over a variety of hairstyles that might work for you when running or post-run that may help you avoid the knots and breakage! 

(this is what I would look like if I were to try and run a brush through my hair after a run)

First up, the ponytail... You can call it old faithful if you would like.  It is the most simplistic of all hairstyles that runners use and it quite possibly the most effective for keeping the hair off your face.  There are a variety of elastics available at the local drugstore to accommodate the different hair types and thicknesses.  If you don't have bangs, you may not necessarily need a headband with your ponytail.  Just an elastic will do the trick and you'll be out the door!

(Plain, simple and effective.  The ponytail is as easy as it gets.)

(These are the ponytail holders that I use.  They come in a variety of colors and they hold my thick hair securely.)

Next up, the headband/ponytail combo.  This is the style I wear most since I have bangs that I am trying to grow out.  Not only do the headbands keep bangs or layers out of your face if a plain ponytail doesn't, they will help wick sweat from your noggin!  V wears headbands often as well, but hers are always sparkly and cute.  I think she likes making a fashion statement ... And trust me, we run in skirts, so a fashion statement of any kind is okay in my book!!

 (I prefer this thicker headband style since I have shorter bangs that need held in place.  V normally sports the skinny ones that will help keep any fly-aways out of your face.)

Bondiband headbands are hands-down my FAVORITE headband on the market!  They are sweat-wicking, wide, comfortable and super cute!  They are offered in a variety of solids and prints and on their website you can even customize them if you would like. Check them out at www.bondiband.com!!

I have also been informed by Sister V that the sparkly, fancy headbands that she makes such a fashion statement with are also made by Bondiband!!  She reminded me that she had to elbow women out of the way at the Glass City Marathon Expo in order to get them!! How on Earth did I forget that!?  I was first turned on to the Bondiband brand at the Detroit Marathon Expo and I have been obsessed with them since.  They are a superior product.  They are available at our local running stores and have also been available at every major race expo that I have been to.  They run anywhere from $5-$10 per band, dependent on which style you choose, but they are totally worth it.  Usually at the expos, they will run specials on price.  I like to stock up then!

Now onto braided pigtails.  This is a cute (men think they're sexy), effective way to keep your hair pulled back without having to worry about the knots that often happen from hair being in a sweat-soaked ponytail that has been flapping in the wind for an hour or so. The only issue with pigtails is that you have to be able to braid.  If you can't, let's hope you have a roommate, sibling, neighbor or spouse that is willing to help if you ever want to sport this style!!

The style shown above showcases pigtails that are french-braided, which they don't need to be.  I, for one, cannot french-braid my own hair.  I am able to split my hair evenly though and simply braid each side from the nape of my neck. I have tried braided pigtails myself and they would be effective for shorter runs, but since I have layers, some of the hair comes undone and ends up looking a little sloppy for my liking.  V can rock the pigtails without problems and looks darn good doing it (have you SEEN the Donut Dash post?!).  Her hair is one length though, which helps the braids stay looking a bit more polished.

The braided pigtail can also just be made into the braided ponytail if you choose to have a simpler, singular hairstyle and don't want the tangles that accompany the standard ponytail.  Just whip your hair up into a pony and braid it from the elastic on down and secure with another elastic.  This works especially well at preventing knots and tangles in sweaty hair if it is longer in length ... It won't whip around as much and will be easier to comb through post-run.

Next up, the hat/ponytail combo.  Personally, I don't like wearing a hat while running ... Or while doing anything really, unless I am at a baseball game. I do see a lot of women wearing them at races and they look spectacular and practical.  This allows them to keep their ponytails neatly in place or, if they have shorter hair, the hat holds it out of their face while shading them at the same time.  I get the practicality of it, it's just not more me.  Now they make these handy-dandy hats with little zippered pockets to store a key or another small item in.  How convenient!!  I think if I didn't like wearing sunglasses while running, I would give the hat a whirl.  For now, I will leave the hat-wearing to others!

  (I really do like the concept of the pocket on the hat.  Makes it very convenient for a key or ID! I just wish I liked wearing hats!)

Finally, we have one of my favorites. This hairstyle isn't necessarily for running or working out, but more for post-run or work out.  It is the messy bun.  You probably are wondering why I love the messy bun so much.  Well, let me tell you: I HATE washing my hair. It is a process and a waste of time. Wash, condition, towel dry, blow dry, straighten or curl, spray, blah, BLAH BLAH ... The messy bun allows me to go DAYS without washing my hair.  Yes, even after I sweat and run and run and sweat, I will NOT wash my hair.  That is how much I dislike it.  I own a teasing comb, dry shampoo, hairspray and elastics.  On no-wash days, these are essentials.  I can blow dry the sweat out of my hair, apply dry shampoo, tease it at the roots and pull it up into the grand-daddy of dirty hairstyles... BEHOLD!

Still cute and sexy with bedhead appeal, the messy bun is quite versatile.  To be honest, I can do this to my hair, apply makeup really well and I can look like a million bucks ... Or I can do my hair like this, stay in pajamas without makeup and look like a roll of nickels.  It is really what you do with the rest of yourself when you wear the messy bun that will determine which look you achieve.   Frankly, I just like it so much because it prevents me from having to wash my hair without having me look like a greasy-haired wild woman.  Thank you creator of the messy bun.  I love you.

I hope that some of these hairstyles and product suggestions will help some of you runner-girls out there!  Just be sure to deep condition and if you go through a training season and go on to complete a race, do yourself a favor ... Go get a trim at your favorite salon.  Your hair will thank you.  After a spring marathon training season, V and I were both due for a good trim!  Felt great to be able to run a brush through my hair without it getting stuck!  

(YIKES!)

We always think about what we put our bodies through when running and fail to think about what we are doing to our hair in the process!  Let's keep our luscious locks healthy, ladies!  No one wants a rat's nest on their head (well, unless you are purposely on day 3 of the messy bun)! Remember to comb, condition and trim when necessary!!



"Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair."  ~Kahlil Gibran

Be Someone Other Than Me? Heel No! -- How an Injury can Change Your Perspective

Vanity, thy name is Victoria. It has taken a minor injury for me to realize this, but I have come to grips with the fact that from this point forward, I must embrace the fact that I am not tall, and I never will be. If you ask anyone in my family what I wanted to be when I was little, they would tell you, "older, and taller." I always wanted to be 5'7", just like my Aunt Vicki, for whom I was named. Because I don't quite top 5'4" on my best posture days, I've achieved my dream of height for years with a series of ever-skyward-reaching heels -- boots, wedges, stilettos, pumps, peeptoes: You name it, I've worn it. My collection of heels is quite literally staggering, and most of them see me boosted to about 5'9," rivaling Coach B in height. 

These are some of my favorites. None of them is under 4 inches in height. In the foreground is the collection of medication and muscle rubs that now keep my foot from feeling like it's on fire.

On Wednesday, however, I was brought back down to Earth. While walking down the three flights of stairs we have at work, I felt a super sharp pain on the ball of my right foot. It was so noticeable and nagging that I ended up taking off my 4-inch boots for the night and scuffing around in my socks. I propped my foot up on an overturned U.S. Mail tub for the remainder of the shift, and then hobbled down the stairs and headed home, where I promptly put on my older pair of Virratas. I iced my foot down in bed and researched just what in the world I might have done to myself. 

My beautiful Virratas.

Well, the upshot is that the pain I was feeling was likely something I had actually caused myself. After a weekend of dancing in high wedge sandals and pounding the pavement, too, during my daily runs, I've developed a spot of metatarsalgia. This is a fancy name for  pain and inflammation in the ball of your foot.   According to the Mayo Clinic,  pretty much anyone can develop metatarsalgia, though there are some higher risk factors. Lucky me: I fit into several of them. 

You are at higher risk if you:

• Participate in high-impact sports. Metatarsalgia is more likely to occur if you're a runner or you participate in sports that involve running or jumping, such as soccer, tennis, baseball, football or basketball. 
• Wear high heels or shoes that don't fit properly. High heels transfer extra weight onto the front of the foot, and shoes that are too tight can compress the toes.
• Are overweight. Extra pounds put more pressure on the metatarsals.
• Have other foot problems. Certain foot shapes — such as high arches, a long second toe or unusually long metatarsals — can contribute to metatarsalgia. These conditions can cause pain and inflammation that change the way a person walks and the distribution of weight in the feet.

Sorry Meatloaf: Two out of three are actually pretty bad, and three out of four are even worse, in this case. I obviously participate in a sport that involves running, I wear high heels, and I have freakishly long (but aesthetically beautiful) second toes. 

I had to make a decision: What can I control out of these three things? Well, I'm not going to stop running (hello, I'm nearly in the middle of a 39-day streak here!), and I'm not going to have surgery to reduce the length of my second toe (though people actually do that, as well as have surgery to remove their toenails. No joke.). 

(Black toenails lurk beneath. But, I'm not having them surgically removed.)

I hate to do this, but it's been a long time in coming. I can't keep doing this to myself. It's not you, really; it's me. And, this will hurt me way more than it will hurt you. But my decision is final. Good-bye high heels. So long, reaching things on top shelves. Farewell illusion of long, shapely legs and slightly more proportional hips and rear. 

We just can't keep causing each other pain...farewell, my lovelies.

But you know what? It's OK. Really. I'm petite. I'm short. I have a long torso and not-so-long legs. I'm vertically challenged. I'm a shrimp. I'm fun-sized. I'm not going to be asked, "How's the weather up there?" (Someone might ask me to tie their shoes, however.) 

Just me. In a pig hat. With viking braids. 

The older I get, the more comfortable I am with myself, just as myself -- not some idea of who I should be or what someone else's idea of what "pretty" is. If I'm healthy -- I'm  happy. If I'm strong -- I'm pretty. If I have friends and family -- I'm fulfilled. And if I'm comfortable being on the short side (really, I'm probably absolutely average height) AND I can continue to do what I love (run and run and run) injury-free, well, that sounds like the right thing to do.  So if you see me in a  non-running setting and think that I look shorter, I'm not, really. I'm just little ol' me. Just don't ask me to tie your shoes. 

Be kind to yourself. Be kind to each other. (Be kind to your feet!!!) -- V. 

We're Going Streaking -- Day 14 and Feeling Fine & Day 15's No-Motivation Monday

Happy Monday, all!  What a wonderful weekend it was!  Mine was busy from start to finish and I am sure V's was too.  Jammed packed full of runs, fun and wonderful weather... You haven't heard from us since Saturday due to that exact reason.  By the time Sunday night rolled around, V and I decided it was critical we take a rest day from the blog.  We were both exhausted!

Our last streak update was brought to you on Day 13.  So let's pick up right where we left off... 

Sunday, Day 14 was amazing.  I woke up early and decided to get a long run in.  The sky was overcast and the temps were mild.  I decided I was going to run from my house to International Park, which is located along the water and directly across the river from downtown Toledo.  The route to get there isn't so pretty, but once you are on the towpath leading down to the docks, it is wonderful.  This last weekend at International Park they had The Wall - American Veteran's Traveling Tribute.  It is a replica of the wall in Washington, D.C. that lists the names of all of the fallen military men and women during Vietnam.  It travels all over the U.S.  The next stop was St. Louis, Missouri.  Check out the site to see if it is coming to a city near you.  Definitely worth checking out. The Wall - Traveling Tribute

 (very emotional to see personal notes and items that had been left for some of the fallen soldiers ... to see some pictures set alongside the memorial really hit home)

While I was at the docks, a Marine asked me how far I had run to get to the memorial ... I am assuming me drenched in sweat, donning running shoes and a Garmin were a dead giveaway I had ran there.  I told him I had ran 4.5 miles there and he said "That's really cool!" My immediate response was "Yeah, felt good... But now I have to do it again!"  We both got a chuckle out of that.  Overall, the 9 miles felt good and I kept it right around a 8:10 pace the entire time.

Once my run was over, my family and I headed up to the Tigers game.  We got to witness game 3 of their sweep over the Cleveland Indians!! Go Tigers! Sorry, Sister V and Coach B (they are die-hard Tribe fans)! Sunday was definitely fun!

 (GO TIGERS!!)

Just as soon as the weekend got here, it was over.  Monday morning got here way too fast and let me say I was NOT excited about it.

 (I wanted NOTHING to do with this morning)

The alarm went off at 6:34 a.m. and I had full intention of getting up, ingesting coffee and gettin' my streak on... However, that is NOT what happened.  Instead I crept downstairs, sat on the couch and began reading the news on my phone.  Next thing you know, I was jolted awake, it is 8:15 and I am in an uncomfortable upright position with my phone in my hand.  There was no time to run at this point, so I had to push it to after work.

Running after work wasn't all that bad.  I really had ZERO motivation to do it, but I did get to round up the family and go to the YMCA, which was nice.  My husband actually joined me this evening which is EXTREMELY rare.  

(it is nice having the Y membership so everyone can go, if need be.  Josie really enjoys the kids area and the "teachers" they have in there... and Scott & I got to spend a little time together as well)

(first time he has used the Y pass in God knows how long... it's now or never though since he signed up for the half in Detroit!!)

We both did the eliptical, upper body strength training and just over a mile apiece on the treadmill.  It wasn't the most amazing run on earth.  My speed was good but I just wasn't feeling it.  I am VERY glad I kept the steak alive though and went to the gym.  Tonight was a "one and done" kind of night!  One mile that is!!

Sister V and I will be very honest with you!  Some days are far easier than others.  Today just was not a day full of "oomph" and it definitely lacked in the motivation category!! Tomorrow, however, is a new day and I am hoping that we both wake up renewed and excited for day 16!!

Some days, it's just a feat to get out the door...

Hey all! I'm so glad to be back home and plugged in with you all! Coach B and I had a great time camping in the Irish Hills and hanging with some friends we hadn't seen in awhile. I will say they aren't kidding when they say Irish HILLS. I did run both mornings I was there, though I got a later start on the second morning and just did one at the campground. 

I was feeling like I needed to run again, though, when I got home -- kind of like a "welcome home" to myself, and also because (and this might sound counterintuitive) I was really, really sore from the hours of sand volleyball that I had played earlier in the day. Running muscles are just not the same as sand volleyball muscles, though I'm not really sure there is such a thing as a "throwing yourself on the ground and digging out serves from the back row"  muscle. So, I got home, added my new #bostonstrong shoe medallions to my Virratas and I was out the door, just for 3 miles, I said. 

I felt just fantastic running at night -- I don't usually get to do that. So, I went and then before I knew it, I had done 4 miles. I thought, "that's good -- one more than I had thought I'd do. Yay me." And then, I happened to glance at my Nike+ and notice that I was 0.8 miles away from breaking 30 for the week. And so ... I had to go run another mile. Some people call these junk miles -- for me, they are OCD miles.  

Uhh, yeah. So that was a total of three runs on Sunday. Makes sense, right?

 And on Day 15, I woke up feeling like a truck had pretty much hit me. Wow -- that's a lot of upper body soreness to deal with! Lucky for me, my legs feel pretty good, but I'm like a giant bruise from the waist up. So, I really had to bargain with myself to get the heck on the treadmill and just pound out one measly mile. Seriously: It is about 8 or so minutes out of my day; I can do this. But fortunately for me, my jam came on: 

Damn you and your catchiness, Robin Thicke ... 

And so, it was off to the races. Or at least off for a mile. I tried experimenting with keeping my hair down, since I wasn't going to be running long. And I learned, nope: don't like that much. 

I wasn't much in the mood for it, but I didn't quit and the streak lives on. Like M said: Here's to hoping Day 16 finds us both in slightly better frames of mind! Hope your streaks are going strong too! This will be my mantra for Day 16: 

Happy running! Be kind to yourself. Be kind to each other. -- V. 

Scorch the Mile, Not Your Skin: Sun Protection Tips for Runners

WHEN the weather turns warmer, I just want to lace up my shoes, pop on my headphones, and run run run to some awesome, uplifting, hard-charging summer songs. You know those summer songs: the ones that come around this time every year, are super catchy, and you just can't hear them enough (until you reach that point where, yes, you actually ARE sick of "Call Me Maybe" for the thousandth time, thank you). If it's got a beat, I'm moving my feet. 

There is something any runner should do, however, before heading out to add a little shimmy to your stride under the summer sun: Slather on that sunscreen, brothers and sisters, because studies show runners have a greater risk of developing problems that stem from sun exposure. 

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, a study by dermatologists at the Medical University of Graz in Austria revealed marathoners have a greater risk of developing melanoma than non-distance runners. Melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer, and develops in the cells (melanocytes) that produce melanin — the pigment that gives your skin its color. The Mayo Clinic notes that incidences of melanoma seem to be on the rise in people under 40. However, reducing your exposure to UV rays can help reduce the risk of developing melanoma.

Practice good sun safety to keep you on your feet.

The lead researcher in the Graz study noted the most obvious reason for marathon runners' increased risk was excessive exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. Nearly all of the 420 runners in the study regularly wore shorts and short-sleeved or sleeveless shirts,exposing  their legs, arms, and upper back to the sun. Only 56 percent of the runners regularly used sunscreen. A less-obvious reason for runners' higher risk involved their lowered immunity that develops with all the high-intensity exercise. Researchers say this may have left them more vulnerable to skin damage. 

If melanoma is recognized and treated early, it is almost always curable, but if it is not, the cancer can advance and spread to other parts of the body, where it becomes hard to treat and can be fatal, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation.

Give me sand, give me sun, give me miles of beach to run.

I'm not citing these facts to scare you, really. I LOVE being in the sun as much, if not more, than the next person. I'm an August child of summer -- a beach baby. I've also had more than five suspicious moles cut off me by my dermatologist. While none of them turned out to be cancerous, I do now have scars and it did slow down my exercise time, as I had to heal from the stitches. I don't even fall into many of the "greater risk" categories that Mayo Clinic cites: I'm neither fair, light-eyed, blonde, or freckled; I don't have a family history of melanoma, and I don't live close to the equator or at a higher elevation (I have to drive to find a  hill, remember?). I DO have a lot of exposure to UV radiation and I DO have many moles (holy moly moly moly). But it's the sun exposure that is the biggest factor here for us, runner friends.

Concentrate on scorching that mile AND not getting scorched.

So, what can you do? I mean it's getting to be summer: it's HOT out there. Running in the least amount of clothing possible is generally the most comfortable way to make it through your miles. 

Here is what the Skin Cancer Foundation recommends that distance runners do to protect themselves: 

• Run during hours when the sun is less intense. Generally it is strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. If you train during those hours, find shady places to run.
• Put sunscreen on before your running outfit, not at the race/training site. This will give it time to soak in, and keep you from applying it less thoroughly or forgetting it altogether because of pre-race excitement. Use an SPF 15 or higher sunscreen. Look for stick formulations, sport, or water-resistant versions.
• Run in a hat and UV-blocking sunglasses. Polarized lenses help beat the glare.
• Always keep sunscreen in your race bag.
• Have a friend posted somewhere in the second half of the race to hand you a small, one-use, wipe sunscreen (or keep a small packet in your pocket), so that you can reapply it to your face, neck and arms as you run. You can do that without really breaking stride. Sunscreen starts to lose effectiveness at about the two-hour mark, or even sooner if you are sweating heavily. Sunscreen is the best protection for shorter runs, while sunscreen plus sun-protective clothing is the best bet for a long run. 
• Before post-race festivities begin, reapply sunscreen, and give yourself a quick massage in the process to help relax your sore muscles.
• Post-race clothes should include a lightweight but long-sleeve T-shirt and sweats. Darker colors offer ideal sun protection. Or opt for special sun-protective clothing. Also, when choosing the clothes you'll be wearing, both during and after the run, check out the weave of the fabric as well. If you can see through it, it's not likely to offer you much in the way of protection.

So, it is possible to run in the sun and reduce your risk of overexposure to the sun's harmful rays. Just practice some common sense skin safety to prevent your "Soak Up the Sun" from turning into "Burn Baby Burn" on your summer running playlist. 

Be kind to yourself. Be kind to each other.  -- V

We're Going Streaking: Day Four Forecast -- Speed & Sun

Good evening readers and fellow runners!  Sole Sister M here to start off the report on Day Four of "THE STREAK"!!

I decided today at work that my run was going to be short and sweet.  Sister V and I are headed out tomorrow morning for a 7 miler, so I knew I wanted to keep tonight's run brief.  I didn't just want to head out the door and run though... I needed a challenge of some sort!  Hmmm... I've got it!! Let's see how fast I can run a mile!  In the three and a half years that I have been running, I have NEVER done this!

I got the girls to bed and geared up!! I knew my iPod was coming along tonight.  Music always seems to give me the added boost I need.  I headed outside, set the Garmin and I was off... The first half mile was done at a sub 6 minute pace.  Unfortunately, I lost steam after that.  I ended with a 6:21 pace overall.  My total run time tonight was two miles and I averaged a 7:16 pace. Keeping the streak alive, baby!!

I thought I would have run the mile a little bit faster than what I did.  I didn't throw up though, which leads me to believe that I could have pushed myself a little bit harder.  Even though it wasn't as fast as I expected, this was still MY FASTEST MILE EVER!  Something to be happy about either way!  Annnndd.... improving my mile time gives me something to work on.  I know V and I will have a blast doing some sprints and watching our times decrease!!

To celebrate my fastest mile as of yet, I decided to entertain all of you with a "selfie" of me posing like Usain Bolt.  You are welcome! 

Also, a special Sole Sister SHOUT OUT to Jodi Zeigler who began streaking along with us!  Glad you have you on board, hot mama!

And lastly, a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Sole Child Lucy who turned 11 today!!! Hope you enjoyed your day!

Hi everyone! V here. I decided to take advantage of the great weather for Day 4 and turn The Streak into a multisport adventure. Our region of northwest Ohio is looking at a stretch of rain coming up, so this could be the last shot at a decent bike/run/swim day for awhile. 

It's my experience that while working at night is definitely terrible for a traditional social life or for any hope of decent sleep before most races, it does have some distinct advantages. One solid perk is that I have my days free to go grocery shopping when most people are working. Can't say how much I enjoy this. But more relevant to this blog is that I have all kinds of daylight to burn, if I want to get up early and get moving. Because Day Four called for more than a run, I broke the news to Harry that I was leaving, wheeled my bike out around noon (OK, so I had slept in some), and headed the three miles it takes to get to the entrance to Sidecut Metropark that I use. 

Best bike ever. Love, love, love. 

"Thank goodness for shade," was my overwhelming thought when I arrived at Sidecut already sweating from the hot bike ride over. The trails in Sidecut wind along the Maumee, and the views can be just beautiful, with cottonwood seeds blowing (and sticking to your sweaty skin -- my arms were starting to look like cotton balls), ducks and geese swimming, and fisherpeople, well, fishing. I got three trail miles in, at a nice pace of 8:20.  

Adventure awaits! 

I traced my three mile bike route home and then -- time to swim! I tell you what, this Ohio girl just wanted to feel the sun soak into my bones after slogging through a long, cold winter. So I swam and swam, and swam some more. 

Look: I caught a Coach B!

I then laid out in the sun for awhile to try to even out the 12 different types of tan lines I get from the different attire required for running, biking, and swimming, plus the strap marks I get from my Garmin and the armband for my iPhone. Because, seriously, a farmer's tan has NOTHING on a multisport enthusiast's tan. I can end up looking like a combination of Dalmatian/zebra. I didn't realize just how MUCH sun I got until I got to work, and the red on my neck and back started to throb with my heartbeat ... 

Don't tell my dermatologist -- this early season burn will be our little secret, OK?  
So, learn from my mistake -- the sun is no joke! And it's no fun to try to run with a sunburn, so find a friend and slather on the SPF. 

The actual time spent running. I can't seem to go fewer than 3. I really intended to just get one in, but it was so nice at the park that I had to keep going. I hope I don't regret it once M and I go for 7 tomorrow! Stay tuned -- I'll probably be a crispy critter limping along, lol. 

Be kind to yourself. Be kind to each other. -- V.  

We Interrupt This Running Blog -- Injuries are a Pain in the Neck!

Hey all, Sole Sister V here. Well, I had planned to have a very compelling blog post for you today all about speedwork and how fun and challenging it can be, and how I don't dread doing it at all -- no, not one bit, truly! 

And then, I woke up. With the stiffest neck ever. And thought, there's no way on God's green Earth I'm getting outside to do mile repeats today. So that made today one of those days that runners hate -- it's gorgeous outside, sunny, the perfect temperature, and all you can do is sit there and THINK about running. 

Pain in the neck -- literally. 

 So, what can you do? Well, why not ice your neck, grab a cup of coffee and make a list about the greatest movies about running? Fine suggestion. Now, this is an entirely nonscientific list of movies -- there is no data to back up any assertion that these are the most watched, or highest grossing movies. They're just cool, for a slate of different reasons.  Without further ado, here are my greatest movies about running or with running in them. My criteria are:

• It's a movie.
• It has running in it somewhere.
• I enjoyed it and/or it inspired me.

Agree or disagree, or make suggestions in the comments, please!  

1. "Forrest Gump" -- Yes, it's a long, sometimes treacly movie. But that running scene where everyone joins in, signifying the start of the running craze -- classic. The invention of the smiley face -- legendary. And, let's face it, a marathon course wouldn't be a marathon course if we didn't have about 50 "RUN (INSERT YOUR NAME HERE) RUN" signs dotting the course. So thanks for that, Tom Hanks and Robert Zemeckis. 

2. "Rocky" -- This is just for the soundtrack alone. I defy anyone to NOT want to start running faster or dig deeper when they hear either "Eye of the Tiger" or "Gonna Fly Now (The Rocky Theme Song)" -- even despite its weird dip into disco throughout that song. If I ever decide I want to run stadium steps sometime, that theme song is definitely going to be queued up in my earbuds. 

3. "Spirit of the Marathon" -- Great, great documentary on the journey several people take -- from first-timers to the incredible Ms. Deena Kastor -- to run (or not run) the Chicago marathon in 2005. No matter what your running level, you're sure to identify with at least something in this movie -- jitters, injuries, triumph, disappointment. The sequel, "Spirit of the Marathon 2," will be hitting the Toledo area starting Wednesday, June 12. This one focuses on seven runners' journey to the Rome marathon. Can't wait to see it on the big screen.  

4. "Saint Ralph" -- Witty and irreverent, this 2005 movie makes me laugh and also inspires me to go for the miracle, whether that miracle be that I can actually run one more mile than I think I can or learning to have faith in things outside of what I can see or control. If you are unfamiliar, this deals with Ralph, a 14-year-old Catholic schoolboy who lives by himself because his father died in WWII and his mother is in a coma in a hospital. The upshot is that Ralph believes if he can win the 1954 Boston Marathon, his mother will come out of a coma. Can he? Will she? Like I'm going to tell you ... 

5. "Chariots of Fire" -- You know what, no. I actually didn't like this movie. And as a matter of fact, I don't even like that iconic, completely-out-of-place, anachronistic synthesized song. It does NOT make me want to run. It makes me want to go to sleep. Watch this if you like it, but it's not like I'm recommending it. 

OK, that's all I've got! And, what did I do today, instead of speedwork because of this stupid, stupid stiff neck? Well, I went to see "Star Trek: Into Darkness." And it rocked. And: (not really spoiler alert) there is a fun running sequence in that movie too, with Simon Pegg -- who happened to star in "Run, Fatboy, Run." Which I haven't seen. And therefore, didn't review. Anyway, live long and prosper. And try to stay injury free. I will -- just so I don't have to write movie review posts anymore! 

Be kind to yourself. Be kind to each other. -- V.