Boring

Hello guys! I am sorry it's been so long since I've posted, but really I didn't want to be blamed for boring anyone to death....this is not me being hard on myself, really. It's a reality--I work a lot.
This past week or so I've been sick, and on Tuesday I actually went to bed at 6pm and got up the next day for work at 8am...So really, there's not much new and exciting.
I ran on the treadmill today in the living room, thinking at least I'll be next to the window a/c for a breeze! I also wore my Forever21 running skirt for the first time (I won a gift card in a giveaway a month or so ago at Run On)

So here's the goods. Apparently, my 32 year old butt was not made for a Forever21 running skirt! I'd like to think that most running skirts have compression shorts underneath that are just a bit longer than BOYSHORTS like the ones I got! I mean, seriously, I am really glad I ran at home because I might have gotten arrested for the secrets I was telling!!!! And the actual skirt part made me look just a little like I was going out with the Jersey Shore cast--no flare, just straight up booty-skirt!! 
But, thanks to Hulu, I got to show my real age and watch 'Make it or Break it,' so I actually was on the treadmill with my run/walk combo for the full 40+ minutes of the show.....I'm not sure what I'll do when I get to the end of the series, but I am glad that despite the teenager living in my body I am maturing in the running area. I didn't think I could last for that long! And next time will either be longer or faster (or both, but I'm just focused right now on gaining stamina and strength)....up next: TOTAL DOMINATION!
 
In addition to the tready, I also mowed the lawn earlier, then was able to get the dogs partway through our walk before the skies opened up and just poured. I have to admit, I actually enjoy walking or running in the rain. I thought the dogs did too, but surprise of all surprises, I have wussy dogs, and they started ducking, cowering, and backing up when the rain started, so we stood in a little alcove while it rained so they wouldn't get their little princess feet wet....

They'll get in a nasty lake, but won't walk in the rain, losers!

When the rain COMPLETELY STOPPED, they decided it would be okay to prance home, of course jumping in all the puddles....Anyone else's dogs so ridiculous? 

And one last thought, I found a 5k that's going on IN MY TOWN July 16th (I think), which is awesome on a few counts:
1. It is only in a few weeks.
2. It is in my town, which is unheard of because I have had to drive at least an hour to get to the other ones I've done.
3. It is actually on a day off, so I don't have to find anyone to cover my shift at work.
and the big one
4. It is a Cancer Sucks! run (and a local benefit).
I am hoping that I meet other people in this area with similar interests, since I don't know if I've mentioned it, but none of my local friends are runners....


So onto my next feat:
Go get plumbing supplies and fix the toilet....Told you I'm boring!!!


--Marge

Warrior Dash--A Photo Montage....

So I've been MIA again for the past week--let me tell you, I worked about 70 hours this week, and in Crisis Mental Health it's usually either really slow or completely overwhelmingly busy. This week was completely overwhelmingly busy--I've noticed over the years that each time the seasons change, a lot of people get sick. Specifically, It seems that in the Spring/Summer change, people with Bipolar often swing to Mania, and people with psychotic disorders often become more psychotic (hallucinations, delusions, etc)...In addition, there is a HUGE problem in this area (and everywhere, I'm sure) with opiate addiction, and having or not having the drug is always a problem (OD's, Withdrawal, minimal access to treatment due to funding issues, etc). So for the past week, it's been overwhelmingly busy. I've had time to go to work, come home, take care of the dogs, and go to bed for a few hours (if I'm lucky) so I can go back the next day!! So I had not had a chance to run until today...it was 2 miles in 23:58 (just under a 12 m/m) and felt good. My muscles are kind of tight, so I'll probably roll them out later with my NEW FOAM ROLLER!!! (thank you WallyWorld for getting one in stock!)

So now, onto the photo montage from June 4, 2011 Warrior Dash in Logan, OH!

Getting ready after registration

Putting on the eye blacks--Thanks Mom!

There's that damn gun show again!

You know you want to be my friend

You can't resist my coolness!

This was sparkly too! Like whoa!

My go-to race signal

What's creepier, a molestache or a 'happy trail'?? YOU DECIDE

These girls seemed to like the suspenders too!

Yep, that's me heading to start!

I was part-monkey on this, for real....the guy in blue next to me couldn't keep up

And over

And down (notice guy in blue just getting over now)

Here, my mom yelled, "You're almost to the beer, Marge!!"

"Am I gonna burn my ass?"

This is by far the coolest photo they got of me! "I believe I can fly..."

And into the mud (which is thicker than it looks!!)

I got stuck for a minute!

And on to the finish! Total time 49:47 for 3.1 miles

Charlotte made a sign and everyone signed it!

My bff Charlotte

Post-race, pre-fire hose spray down

GRRRR

Double fisting the Bud Light, with the Warrior Dash stein that holds 3 by itself!!

Probably the best pic I've taken in the past 5 years, for real!

 

 

 

The back of the shirts we got

And now some random pics::

Girl power

Best real-time warrior ever!!

The Pink Ladies

Mmmm, turkey legs

The king likes his turkey too

Lots of loin cloths

Again, I will say--I had such a great time with this race. It was challenging and exciting, and the vibe of the crowd was great! Can't wait to make this a regular thing in my running career!!!

Thanks guys!

--Marge

Warrior Dash Recap

Hello everybody! I swear, I have not gone into hiding or assumed a fake name and left the country! It has been super-chaotic lately with work, so I have not had time (or inclination) to do anything but eat, shower, sleep, and work (not so much inclination to WORK so much as to be able to pay bills right now.....more on that later). So I have not been caught up with reading and commenting on everyone's blogs, and I feel like a BAD BLOGGY FRIEND!! Over the next few days, I hope to remedy that and find out what everyone's been up to, especially how you're all doing with running, given the weather here has been in the 90's and MUGGY AS HELL for the past week or so!

But I will start with the recap of The Warrior Dash, which I ran in on Saturday June 4th, in the 9:30am heat....can I just say SO MUCH FUN!! IF YOU HAVE NOT DONE THIS, YOU SO NEED TO!! To start, my mom came down on Friday night to hang out and go with me to be part of my cheering squad. We walked the dogs, ate souped-up frozen pizza, and talked until we crashed at about 11pm. We got up at 6am because my dogs insist on being fed when they want it, not when someone is awake, so I woke up to 75 pounds of boxer in my face, barking and hitting me in the head:

She does not take NO for an answer, that's for sure!! So we got up and around, and got ahold of my cheering squad, and headed for the 20 minute drive up to the race.....Some sights once we got there:

 I started getting my stuff together and lined up at the starting line:

My friend Charlotte liked hearing about my sign from the Pet Promise Rescue Run, and decided to make me a sign for this one:

Yeah, she's a comedian! And my family (mom, dad, stepmom) and friends (Jeremy, Amanda, and Charlotte) that were there all signed it--again, I think I may have been the only one there (at least that I saw) with a sign!

The race started, and IT WAS AMAZING! We had lots of obstacles, like leaping over junked cars, high-stepping through tires, swimming across a small lake, trail running on INSANE INCLINES, climbing a huge cargo net, running through a creek, crawling in the dark, and crawling through mud under barbed wires, to name a few (by no means is that a full list either!!)....So more pictures of me on various parts of the course:

I'm just coming over the top (black tanktop)

Crawling through and getting stuck (for a second) in the mud

I HAVE A LOT MORE PICTURES THAT I CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO ACCESS RIGHT NOW, SO THERE WILL BE A SEQUEL TO THIS POST THAT HAS ALL OF THOSE!!

Some other random photos:

Three guys competed in wedding dresses!!!!

They hosed us off at the end with fire hoses, and let me tell you it was COLD!!

I mean, seriously, I could'a cut glass, lol

more of the mud pit and barbed wire

and even more 

This is one of the ending obstacles:

Yeah, I'm getting ready to jump the SECOND fire!

I yelled to the person stoking the fire "Am I gonna burn my ass?" He yelled back "Just go for it!!" and so I did! (There are better pics than this, will be in the sequel too!). At the end, you could donate your shoes to be cleaned up and given to people in need and/or somehow utilized by the local food bank (didn't quite understand that one, but hey, if people wanna eat running shoes, so be it...I kept my shoes, washed them up, and they're still good!)

So in the big GRAND FINALE PICS, here is me looking pretty badass, if I do say so myself, wearing the warrior hat I got as part of the race 'swag.'

I know, I can be scary, right!!

Overall, I completed the 3.1 miles with obstacles in 49:47 (only 9:30 longer than the 5k the week before without obstacles)....I am so proud of myself, and had one of the best days of my life--SO MUCH FUN! I plan to go ahead and sign up for next year's race this month, since they already have the dates out. If anyone wants to come do a fun mud run in the hills of southeastern Ohio in early June 2012, let me know!

I look forward to catching up on what everyone's been up to, and will post the rest of the pictures in the next few days!!

--Marge