Featured Runner: {Amy}

I got the idea to feature runners from another blogger who also features runners, so I figured I'd do something similar in hopes that Amy could inspire others to get out there as well.

This is what she said:

1. What inspired you to start running in the first place?

I was never very good at running. In fact I hated it to begin with! I couldn't even run a mile at first. I started out just doing it for exercise and the most I got up to was 3 miles ONCE. I was proud. Then I was talking to my sister-in-law Lindsay and she told me she signed up for a 1/2 marathon. She was a mom of 3 kids at the time and she inspired me. I knew it would be a hard but I loved a good challenge!

2. What is your most memorable running moment?

My most memorable running moment was finishing my first half marathon. It was in Balboa Park in San Diego. The last quarter mile was incredible. My legs were in so much pain but I didn’t even care because I was running down this long street lined with American flags… my husband (fiance at the time) was video taping me and running along side of me cheering me on. It was an emotional moment/greatest feeling of accomplishment.

3. What piece of running gear will you never run without?

OK OK I actually have two! #1- My GPS watch. It sort of sets me free to run anywhere my little heart desires and motivates me as I can see my pace. #2- My Road ID-Anklet. Their slogan- “It speaks for you when you can’t”. It was probably one of the best $20 investments I’ve made.

4. Any upcoming races?

In 2 weeks we have the San Diego Half Marathon and I couldn’t be more excited!! California is my very favorite place to run. Ever.

5. What is your *dream* race or distance?

Right now I’m dreaming of running a Ragnar Relay Race. It would be a blast to be on a team with my girls and cheer each other on… but some day I want to be able to run at least one full marathon, I think!

6. Have you ever run for charity? If so, what charity?

My very first ANYTHING was the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer 5K. At that time 3.1 miles was so intimidating! The race was amazing though. It was through Fremont St. in Las Vegas.

7. What words of encouragement do you have for someone who is thinking about taking up running?

Sign up for a race!! Whether it is a 5K, 10K, or even a half marathon... Once you do it’ll be the biggest motivator! Stick with it too! It DOES get easier.

8. What advice would you give to a first-time marathoner?

It’ll be the most rewarding thing you’ll accomplish. Pace yourself. You’ll have good running days and bad running days, so don’t get discouraged! Your diet/eating plays a HUGE role in your performance. Be mindful of that.

9. What's one thing you DON'T like about running?

I don’t like when I feel like I’m racing the clock. My schedule is crazy busy and I have to schedule my runs in on certain days and times. I plan my whole schedule around it and if my schedule gets off and I start off late… my mind goes into focusing on what time I need to be done by instead of trying to enjoy the actual running.

10. What is your favorite form of cross-training, if any?

I love love love cycling. I just got a new road bike last year and I can’t believe what a difference it is compared to running. It’s a different love and it definitely works different muscles.

{photo taken of Amy & Candice at 4:30 am this weekend right before our saturday run.}

11. Tell me something exciting.

I just got a new kitty last week and his name is Rex. He is 3 ½ weeks old, currently on kitten formula, and only 1 lb. He has great tiger stripes and is a bundle of cuteness! Being a newlywed my hubby and I aren’t ready for any kids yet… so we’re taking it one step at a time. We love the little guy!

12. Tell me about your first race.

It was in San Diego. It started off at Point Loma where all the Veterans Memorial Graves are- overlooking the ocean, ran along the pier where the ships take off and then ended up in Balboa Park. The energy of everyone around you running is incredible! There were people along the entire race cheering you on. One of the best experiences of my life. Truly addicting!

13. How do you get yourself out the door on the days that you hate running?

My motivation is I think about my race... I tell myself that if I don’t train, I won’t be ready. I try to run different trails to change it up. A change of scenery can do wonders for your drive!

14. What running shoes are you currently using?

I’m running with the Asics Women's Gt 1140. They have great support and are light weight. For my 3rd half marathon I finally did things right… I went to an actual running store and they fit my foot in a shoe for my running style. I can’t believe it took me this long! It has made a HUGE difference in training.


15. Have you had any running injuries that sidelined you for a period of time? If so, what did you do to recover?

I did a 5K race for an event for work. I had a great run that day and RIGHT as I stepped over the finish line I face planted into the dirt, sliced up my leg on the rocks and rolled my ankle. The worst thing about experience was EVERYONE was watching. Talk about mortifying. I should have taken a good solid 2 weeks off but I just couldn’t bare the thought. Since I didn’t give it enough time… the pain lingered for about a month.

16. What are five of your favorite songs from your running play list?

This one is hard to narrow down! I have so many… but here are the ones that FOR SURE get me pumped up when I hear them. I find myself running to the beat of the songs a lot, so I tend to pick songs with a good beat.

1- I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)- Pitbull
2- Untouched- The Veronicas
3- Piece of Me- Britney Spears
4- Girlfriend- Avril Lavigne
5- Gives You Hell- All American Rejects

17. If there was one running accomplishment that you wish you could achieve with no possibility of failing, what would it be?

To finish a half marathon in under 2 hours!

This heat is kicking my (ass)ets...

I tried to run at 4:00pm this week (it was the only time in the day that my mother in law was able to watch the baby, So I had to get my run in, regardless of the heat.) Lets just cut to the good part and tell you all how I dry heaved and suffered a massive migraine after my 1.45 MILE RUN. (1.45 miles should be fairly easy at this point, but it was hell. Utter hell. Fire and brimstone, gnashing of teeth, I-want to keel over and die right here on the hot pavement-hell) I was planning on running 4, but ended up walking my happy butt back to the car and feeling like I was going to vomit the rest of the day. Serves me right. What sort of idiot runs during the hottest time of the day!! IN VEGAS?! This idiot!

anyway...

I did find out, however that running at 7:00am was not much different. We ran today (Jessica, Eliza, Amy & Myself) and I was DY-ING! We all were DY-ING. We decided that if we want to do any kind of "training" for our marathon in August, we'd better get ready for early morning runs. Like butt crack of dawn 5:00 in the morning kind of runs. ughhhh....

How's your running going?

Mines not that awesome lately.... I'm not gunna lie.

I got an email this week from Candice, bragging (in a good way) about Jessi's 8:30 pace. She's worked hard for it, but it doesn't make my pathetic pace look any less pathetic!

*By the way, I'm super proud of you Jessi. You ROCK. I can't believe how far you've come and you're like seirously a-mazing! You go with your 8:30 pace girl! ;)

(it's not about that though right? paces and such. It's about getting out there and ignoring your thighs rubbing against each other creating a really embarrassing heat rash, and it's about the joy of popping that blister on your pinky toe when you get home-because your shoes are pieces of shit now and all you could think about was whether you'd be able to find some Mizunos on sale!! It's about sun burnt shoulders and running off that half rack of ribs and mac and cheese from the previous supper. Not paces!) Sheesh!

This is what I think about when I run. Ribs, blisters, shoes on sale and the fact that the tiny dot that WAS Jessi is but a distant memory now because she has totally smoked me so badly that once she finished, she circled back around to find me walking-trying to find a good song on my ipod. I was so far behind her at this point that she raced back to find me thinking surly I'd been murdered! But I was just taking a leisurely stroll and was about to collapse from this awful Vegas heat...not getting raped or murdered today. No need to be alarmed. I'm just tired, hot and lazy! No biggie.

And so is the mind of this runner.

Tomorrow is a new day, and a new run, and maybe I'll be able to beat Jessi's pace-or match it someday, but right now I'm gunna go pop me some wicked blisters!

*Big Ups to Eliza for running her first five miles today.

You killed it girl

Hot Assets: a place where we learn how to love running

{your future-favorite running trail pictured above}

Get excited.

Laying in bed the other night, Dustin and I were throwing blog titles around for the running club/blog that's starting up in September.

Me: "The blog will be called "Hot assets!" Like, hot ass-
Dustin: "Oh, I get it....ASS-ets! No, that's really gay! You should call it "A mile in style" and you guys could wear cute running clothes or something!"

My husband sat there with a smile on his face congratulating himself, waiting for his pat on the back.
Me: shaking my head and kindly responding after a long silence: "Mile in style? That's way gayer than "Hot assets" Way gayer! We're so much cooler than that Dustin. Who do you think we are?!"

Figuring out a name for this blog has been a real pain in my...ASSets?!

(I'm kind of surprised that "Hot Assets" wasn't already taken. The name is genius...) 

I began to think about the title "A mile in style" and though to myself, running isn't very cute or stylish. Afterwards YOU SMELL. There's dried hair stuck to the side of your face from spitting out flem while you were running and your crotch stinks... Or maybe my crotch is the only one that ever stinks.... TMI? (Well it's the truth OK?!) IT'S NOT PRETTY!

AHEM..... anyway, it ain't pretty like I said! So I decided that Hot Assets was a cheeky name and it made me smile, so that's what it will be called. If you have a clever idea for a blog name, throw it my way.

I've been thinking about starting a running "club" over the last few months after I realized how life changing it was for me to start running and how good it made me feel. Once I learned how to run, I felt empowered. The girls that I had started running with kept pushing me and encouraging me to keep at it and keep going, so it was a no brainer that I needed to do the same for other girls. Thank Goodness for face book. I hadn't talked to these girls since high school and when we became fb friends, I invited myself to go run with them (being the sweet-kind-awesome girls that they are) and they became my real life friends instead of just my cyber friends...and we ran a half marathon together and BTW, I seriously love them. Running has done wonders for my self esteem, post baby body, and post baby-baby blues. I set goals and accomplished those goals which made me feel like a friggin' rock star!

I DON'T CARE HOW FAT OR SLOW OR LAZY you think you are... you will run, and the more you run, the better you will get, and the better you get, the better your perception of your body will be and when all of those things rub up on each other, you get a girl who loves to run and loves her body.

Sign me up already! 

So the idea is this. We will start out with ONE mile. Just one. We will all run at different paces, and it's OK to stop and take breaks, it's OK to suck, and we're all going to get frustrated at some point. BUT, we're going to get stronger, we're going to have healthier hearts, we're going to make friends with people that we otherwise wouldn't have and we're going to have a blast. AND NO ONE'S CROTCH IS GOING TO STINK because we're ladies and we don't sweat, we blush.... We're going to get more in shape and my hope is that a community of strong woman who (are learning to) love the sport of running would rise up and this would be a place where you can be encouraged and encourage others.

 We will be running different trails every week to keep it interesting and challenging. Each girl will have a profile connected with the blog so we can put a face with a name and keep you accountable (hunt you down and eat your children if you don't show up EVERY Saturday to run!....) that was a joke (but really, I will personally eat your children)... 

This blog will not be my blog, but a blog for the girls to share experiences and stories, good running days & bad running days. You can share advice and tips, and we will also share races we're doing together.

Are you ready for a challenge? Are you ready for hot {ass}ets? 

get excited Ladies. It's kind of a big deal.

email me at crobbins223@gmail.com or leave a comment

if you'd like to hang out and get your run on with us in September.

photo of us training for our Red Rock race (pictured above)

Photo of us after we ran the Red Rock race (pictured above)