What is hotter than jorts?

This week was a bit of a struggle - lesson learned: running on less than 5 hours of sleep generally doesn't go so well.  However, I did get in 4 (short) runs during the work week and it was a beautiful Carolina weekend, which helped the Saturday run motivation. Hopefully, February is a bit more weather and schedule friendly. 

Speaking of February, after we finished our first friendship run through Piedmont Park in Atlanta (and popped a bottle of champagne in celebration), it was my job to share our next run, which will take place in Charlotte in February.  Again, February was a bit weak in terms of scheduled events (except for Valentine's Day weekend- which I wasn't sure Julia's BF would be in favor of) so it was my job to set a course and a theme around the Queen City.

The location was easy - Charlotte has a great 5K run near uptown called the Booty Loop.  The theme required a bit more thought.  I obviously thought a bootylicious theme would be hilarious, but I also knew that might not be Julia's thing. Thinking back to our first major Charlotte adventure at the Coca-Cola 600, I decided to go with something a bit more fitting for both of us.

A Redneck Run on the Booty Loop.  Which just may have to be followed with a stop at the Nascar Hall of Fame. and a PBR. 

Inaugural Race Day: In photos

All dressed up, and ready for our close-up /run . . .

Amos says, "I don't know what the heck's going on here, but I like it." 

Stretching . . . 

You're a rich girl . . . 

Post-Race Close-Up

Celebrations!

We glow in the dark.

A little bubbly . . . 

. . . and cheers!

Here's where it gets tricky . . .

Day No. 1 of New Legal Career, I've got you beat! And what a great day it was. Thank you to all sweet friends and family members for your words of encouragement! You are the best and sweetest friends and family members a girl could ask for.

And here's where it gets tricky.

Tomorrow is Day No. 2 of New Legal Career. It is also Day No. 1 of Getting Up Early Before Work To Run Fun. You heard it here first. I'm writing it down because if I write it down, I have to do it. That's how it works, right? You blog readers (although perhaps few in number at this point) will hold me accountable, if only in my sleepy-early-morning head.

Doolittle says I can do it. It might be cold. It might be rainy. She says, "cute hat, good music, happy thoughts." I think that's good advice.

I can blame it on the snow still .. . .right?

I am not going to lie.  I "cheated" last week.  Yes I went on a few runs, but did I go by my schedule?  Absolutely not.  Were my runs all quite miserable?  Sure thing.  I had all intentions of being good after our snow days, but the cold weather, busy end of the work week and my general laziness got the best of me.  All I can say is . . . whoops!  With our first "race" less than a week away (and I am completely pumped about the 80s theme!), I decided I was going to need a little extra motivation this week. 

Step 1: Admit my failures to Fenwick.  The best part about doing this year of running with a friend is that you have someone to lean on when you just want to give up for a bit.  Julia and I catch up at least briefly it seems every day, so this morning I told Julia I fell off the wagon and Julia quickly gave me some words of encouragement.  I immediately was ready to get back into the game.

Step 2: Turn to my daily meditations.  Yes, I have daily meditations.  As corny as it sounds, I am a firm believer in the benefits of positive thinking and affirmations.  Correspondingly, I sign myself up for a few too many feel good emails.  One such email suggested making a contract with yourself in writing because if you formalize your commitments you are more likely to see results.  Lawyers love writing contracts, right? On it.

Step 3: New music.  Seriously, nothing gets me more motivated for a long run then knowing that my ipod has a few new selections on it.  Today's purchases: the new Britney Spears, 6'7' by Lil Wayne, some Darius Rucker to mix it up and Hall & Oates because you really can't go wrong with Hall & Oates.

Final Step: today's actual run - I am going for 5 miles again - soundtracked by She's Gone.  And I might throw on a pair of leg warmers in anticipation for Saturday's inaugural run!

Countdown: One week . . .

From our very earliest law school days, there's been one thing that Doolittle and I have always agreed on. Everything is more fun with a theme. Accordingly, we thought it only appropriate to add a theme and/or costume attire to as many races as possible during this race year. I'm honored that Doo has granted me sole authority to select the theme for this most-important Inaugural Race. And the theme is . . . drumroll . . .

It's predictable and corny, I know, but I love everything about this decade. The wonderfully tacky fashion, the cheesy pop tunes, the huge hair, the gaudy makeup, etc. Plus, as we all know, no one looked better breaking a sweat than Jane Fonda.

That's inspiration.

Today was 30-minute cross-train. I chose the elliptical this week. None of the impact, all of the cardio. Tomorrow is Sunday Funday Long-run-day. I'm doubling up the first four weeks of my 12-week training program so once again, I'm shooting for a 4-miler. I think Saturday's impending race fun will provide just the motivation I need.

Digging out . . .

Snow Day, Day 3. It's the South, and obviously we Southerners have no clue how to deal with wintry precipitation having this kind of staying power. I've basically been holed up since Monday, minus a couple of walks down the street for necessities from the corner market (contact solution and Ben & Jerry's, among other things) and a breakfast bonanza at one of my Midtown favorites, The Flying Biscuit.

The goal for today: Dig out. Gym. 3 miles.

My boyfriend Ben and I headed to my Rav 4. Although the gym is only .4 of a mile from my apartment, I think the high for today was somewhere around 25 degrees. Not only am I huge wimp when it comes to temperatures (did I mention I'm from Mississippi?), I didn't see any need to risk a massive fall on the icy sidewalks.

Stuck, stuck, stuck. Dig, dig, dig. Scrape, scrape, scrape. Stuck, stuck, stuck. Ice 1, Rav 0.

Luckily, Ben's Hyundai fared a little better. Colony Square, here we come!

I must say, 3 miles on the treadmill did wonders for this little case of cabin fever. I played a little bit with speeds this time to keep things interesting, and the quicker paces felt really good. My legs definitely needed the stretch after two days of couch time.

Tonight, it's corner-market-brownie-mix brownies, remainder of Ben & Jerry's pint, and ABC TV.

Come on, snow. Melt, melt, melt.

Bum and Doo Tackle the Hill of Death

John (aka "Bum") is one of our law school friends who also ended up in the Charlotte area after graduation.  Bum has been my running buddy for a few months now, and he also ran the Thunder Road Half Marathon back in December (although much faster than I did!)  This Saturday, Bum and I embarked on what we thought would be a leisurely jog through my neighborhood.  Apparently, I forgot to warn Bum that my neighborhood is hilly.  Very hilly.   Luckily, in preparation for Thunder Road, we used to run the hills of the Dilworth neighborhood.  When we got to the end of our route, with one last steady climb, Bum would motivate me by talking in the "hill voice".  We determined the hill was like a gruff old man trying to be scary but underneath it all, the hill was a nice old guy.   Unfortunately, this new hill on Saturday was not a nice old guy - it was a steep and painful straight shot up - now referred to as the Hill of Death.  Bum and I finished the run a bit more winded than usual (with Bum fairing better at the hills than me).  Looks like I have a new way to test my progress this spring, by attempting the Hill of Death on a regular basis.

I logged in my first "long run" of the year at the Y on Sunday, a five miler soundtracked by Toto's Africa. 

Unfortunately, the beginning of this week has been a bit less "athletic" as we roll into Snow Day #2 here in Charlotte.  Considering my attempts to walk outside have already landed me on my butt a few more times than I would like to admit, running in these conditions probably not the best idea.  Looks like things will be somewhat back to normal here in the South tomorrow - just in time for some speed repeats!

Sunday, Funday, Long-run-day

Sunday. Funday. Long-run-day. On the agenda: 4 miles.

I'm ashamed to say it, but I came so very close to pushing back long-run-day to Monday. It was coooold. I had already been for two pretty lengthy puppy-walks. It was cold. TBS was airing some pretty classic, girlie films yesterday afternoon . . .

No. Shoes on. Ipod charged. To the gym I go.

Musings from 4-miler:
1. I need to drink more water. Way more. Lots more.
2. Sweat towels are a plus and should never be inadvertently left at home.
3. Jackson Browne's "Runnin' on Empty" is a run-saving song when you have zero energy and one mile left to go. I am Forrest Gump.

Today is Stretch & Strengthen. But it's Monday Snowday! Maybe I'll put my 5-lb. hand weights to use later on, while continuing to plow through the first season of The Wire.

It's All Happening . . .

Another 3 miles down. And shockingly, it felt great!

The scene: Colony Square gym. (yes, this is the building where T.I. talked a faux-jumper off of the roof a day before his probation revocation hearing a mere two months ago - thank you very much.) Wednesday afternoon. Fairly empty, just the way I like it. .5 incline. 10 minute miles.

Post-race: Slightly winded. Slightly sweaty. Slightly surprised I'm not hurting more than I am...but lovin' it all the same!

During this run, I was most thankful for Gregg Gillis and his phenomenal new album, All Day. Especially motivating tracks included "That's Right," "Down for the Count," and "Triple Double." Speaking of this mash-up whiz kid, it's time to announce 2011 "Year of Running" Inaugural Race. It just so happens to coincide with Ms. Doolittle's trip to Atlanta for Girl Talk's show at The Tabernacle on January 21st.

This race had to be very special. It had to be a 5K. We wanted to be sure to eeaaaasse into this whole thing. It had to fall on January 22nd, but not too early since we'll be spending Friday evening and likely the early-morning hours of Saturday with Gregg at The Tab. Not surprisingly, we couldn't find a race to fit the bill. The only solution: create our own. Stay tuned for more details on Fen-Doo-2011-Year-of-Running-Inaugural-Race-Post-Girl-Talk-Show in the days to come...

Tomorrow is run day. Today was Amos day. Three walks and a romp in the puppy park. I think Hal would approve of my cross-training activities. I bet he's a dog person.

How could you say no to that face? . . .

Diddy and the Dreaded Speed Repeat

In an attempt to change things up, I am trying a different training program this time around.  My good buddy Hal Higdon got me through Thunder Road in December, but as reliable as Hal as been over the past year, sometimes a girl just has to move on.  My new friend is a random program I picked up from a mazagine at some point in 2010 and it has hills, race paces, intervals and something called the Speed Repeat. 

Still somewhat a novice to this running thing, I thought nothing of the "speed repeat" when I calendared it for tonight.  Then I realized what it involved - jogging for 15 mins, running a mile as fast as possible, jogging for 2 miles, then repeating the fast mile, followed by another 15 minute jog.   Not exactly what I was expecting my first week back in the game. 

Like Julia, I need a good playlist to get me through any run; however, I also have a habit of listening to one song on repeat and generally, it is something I may not want to admit to liking.  For example, Nashville - it was an underappreciated Jo Jo and Timbaland song -  Lose Control.  And Chris Brown got me through the hills of Thunder Road with What I Do.  Yes- feel free to judge.

Tonight was no different - just as I tried to talk myself out of the second speedy mile, Diddy Dirty Money (at least I think that is what he is going by these days) came to the rescue with his latest. 

So thank you to Diddy (and his new female entourage) - I expect you will be featured in a number of runs to come.

It's a marathon, not a sprint.

As far as how this little endeavor started, I think Doolittle said it all.   She's really motivating me to get back into this whole running thing after taking a good two years off to ... finish up law school, move from Nashville to Atlanta, take and pass the Georgia bar, work several relevant and some not-so-relevant jobs over the past year and a half, and start as an associate with my law firm in a little less than two weeks.

So I'm kicking off 2011 and this little running project with ol' Hal Higdon's Novice Half-Marathon Training Program.   Hal never steered me wrong in my two previous halfs.  Why mess with a good thing?

The scene:  Monday, January 3.  3 miles.  Me.  Piedmont Park.  Sunny, blue skies.  Ipod in hand.  Running mix on shuffle.  The goal:  30 minutes, no stopping.  It seems like a small feat thinking back on my former running days, but the feat hasn't happened in a very long while.  So here goes...

And (thanks in large part to a very motivating and fortuitous shuffle), goal attained!   This shuffle was so good I had to write it down:

Bruce:  Lonesome Day

Florence + The Machine:  Dog Days Are Over 

Avett Brothers:  Slight Figure of Speech

Passion Pit:  Swimming in the Flood

Jay-Z:  Hard Knock Life

Bruce, again:  Mary's Place

Mates of State:  Now

Phoenix:  Fences

Passion Pit, once again:  To Kingdom Come

GirlTalk:  Let Me See You

And for the cooldown, Tom Petty:  Learning to Fly.  It doesn't get much better than that.  

As for now, I'm modifying the schedule a bit, running every other day and taking in-between days to cross-train by walking my little man Amos.  More to come about this sweet and lovable little beagle pup as time goes on.

Today, January 5:  3 miles.  Looking outside, I think it will be a gym day. 

Year of the Runner . . .

It all started on the Chattahoochee.  Several months ago, in celebration of Julia's birthday, a group of Vandy law grads (and some non-Vandy significant others) took a tubing trip down the Chattahoochee River in ATL.  Along the way, Julia and I started talking (skippy induced) about our running aspirations.  Julia had inspired me to run the Nashville Half Marathon in April of 2010 after she completed the Nashville and Chicago Halfs in previous years.  This initial race turned me into some what of a novice running fanatic. 

Julia and I made a pact that day to do a yearly "friendship run"; however, as our falls turned a bit chaotic, and our running was sidetracked by work, weather and life in general, we realized that some extra motivation might be necessary to keep the pact in motion. 

The new deal - a year of running.  With us running at least one race or event every month.  The last race being our first full marathon in Las Vegas. 

We hope this blog will be a place for us to track our process, keep tabs on each other and share some of our adventures from the year ahead.