New Year's Resolutions

2009 has less than nine hours until 2010 makes its sweeping debut.  2009 treated me well, but I am looking forward to 2010 and the awsomeness I am sure will occur.

Here are my resolutions- in black and white and published to the Internet so I can't avoid them. 

1.  Run the OKC Memorial 1/2 Marathon on April 25th.

2.  Grow in my walk with the Lord.  This includes finding a good devotional that helps me read my Bible more often and spending time daily with Him.  I want to rediscover the excitement I used to have.

3.  Get rid of the trash in my life- trashy tv shows, trashy websites, trashy friends.  (Just kidding about that last part.) 

4.  Improve my marriage.  Show my husband every day that I love him.  Support him in his dreams.  Keep the house clean because it makes him happy.  Cook him "simple" meals because it stresses him out when I try to make dinner complicated.  Go to Mexico to celebrate our five year anniversary this summer.

5.  Start up my Premier business again. 

6.  Write more letters.

7.  Love more.  Help more.  Think about others more and myself less.  Be a better friend, daughter, sister, co-worker, coach, person.

What are your resolutions?

What a Difference af Friend Makes

I woke up this morning at 4:45.  On my own.  Let me assure you, this has never happened before.  There have been some nights that turned in to mornings, thus granting me the upcoming view of 4:45 as it approached.  But never have I found 4:45 after a night of sleep.  And of course...

I couldn't get back to sleep.  So I watched the news.  All of it.  Until Good Morning America was over...that's a good four hours of news for anyone keeping count.

Lee had left for work at about 5:15 and taken the Xterra with him.  Which meant that I was stranded in the house (his little pickup can't navigate over the bumpy, icy roads).  I texted Lee's cousin Derek a somewhat desperate, somewhat nice message saying "Take me to the gym so I can run and not go crazy!".  (Ok, it sounded much better than that, but the underlying tone was very anxious.  Surprising how fast exercise becomes addicting.) Luckily Derek was a gentleman and willing to take me to All American.  He and his sister Danae pulled up in his white Xterra and we were off to the gym.

I was especially excited to work out today and use my new (PINK!!!) Nike+ Sportband.  It was a Christmas gift from my mother-in-law, and I adore it.  It accurately recorded my miles, pace, calories, and time.  It's easy to use, and I feel like a real runner when I use it.  And it's pink.

Today's miles were rough.  I was being a big-time baby and wasn't sure I was going to make it through the first mile.  (I told you I was being a wimp.) Just when I was thinking about walking, Danae started cheering for me at each lap.  From the direction of the ellipical machines I would hear a hearty "Good Job Katherine" or "Go Katherine".  That encouragement made it easy for me to fly through my 5k.  Danae even joined me on my final two laps.  What a difference a friend makes.

Thank you Derek for getting me to the gym!  And thank you Danae for keeping me there!

Today's Stats: 5K in 33.23 minutes

First mile: 9.54 minutes

All American

The weather here in Oklahoma is not cooperating with the running....there is no way I am getting out in the ice and snow to run outside.  Which meant it was on to the gym for me today.

Lee and I joined All American the week before Thanksgiving.  Our cousins, Todd and Danielle, had just joined and were our main motivation to join there instead of the new Gold's gym that was just opened.  I had never been a member of a gym before, and it made me think of the episode of "Friends" where Ross tries to "quit the gym."  So far I have loved All American.  I was nervous that everyone there would be super-fit and that I would stick out like the non-athlete that I am.  However, everyone there is super nice, and I have to say that I look more at home there than many of the other people I see there.  (Like the people working out in jeans.  I just don't get that.  Were they driving down the road and think "Oh, I should go work out.  But wait, I don't have any workout clothes.  Oh well, I'll just wear my jeans.")  I've enjoyed the tanning bed and am really looking forward to using the pool and sauna once I buy a one-piece swimsuit.  (Any suggestions on where to buy an athletic, cheap swimsuit in the middle of the winter?) 

My only complaint about All American is that the running track requires 11 laps to make a mile.  Eleven!!  I get to lap four and think "Is this lap four?  Or did I forget to count the last lap?  But wait, surely I'm not on lap five.  Maybe I'm still on three."  So now that I am working on three-plus miles and am having to keep track of thirty-three laps, I'm having the worst time making sure I know what lap I'm on.  I've resorted to a very primitive counting system on my fingers.  My mother-in-law bought be the Nike/Ipod shoe insert for Chirstmas, and I was really excited about using it and fixing my little counting problem.  But alas, it is incompatible with my Ipod Shuffle.  So I am giving it to Lee, and will buy the pink Nike bracelet instead.  I'm really looking forward to it and want to go buy it right now.

Working out a the gym does give me the chance to observe a lot of hilarious occurances.  I like to people watch and have to be careful not to stare at people while on the cardio machines.  (Though sometimes when it looks like I'm staring I'm really just zoned out and deep in thought while trying to pass the time.)  Today when I went into the locker room to collect my things at the end of my run there was a lady using the hand dryer by the sink to blow dry her hair.  I had to turn around to avoid laughing at her.

Today's stats: 3 mile run in 35 minutes (first mile at 9 minutes) 

First Post on the New Blog

This is my first blog post!  Well, this is my first blog post since the days when Facebook didn't accept TCC as a "real" college and Xanga was the preferred social networking tool.

I'm writing this blog as a tool to help me as I train for my first half-marathon.  I'm planning on running the OKC Memorial Half-Marathon on April 25th.  I began training for it last year, but was unable to complete training due to a giant four-inch blister that developed after a six-mile run.  So this year I am totally determined to run the race, and run it well!!
I hope you enjoy reading about my running journey.  I would love to hear your advice, comments, and encouragement.  Leave me comments!

"The greatest pleasure in life is doing the things people say we cannot do."

-- Walter Bagehot