Toe Tappin'

I was working.  Just sitting at my computer, pluggin' away, and the next think you know it was a full out jam session.  I was air drumming, and had these awesome dance moves going, and secretly hoped that no one would walk by the door.  (If they did, however, I wouldn't have stopped).

Let me share this awesome song with you... It starts slow, and the next thing you know, you have these crazy head bob things happening.  Be careful - I don't want you to throw your back out!! 

... and then, on the drive home - I basically was jumping in my seat, and doing this awkward hand motions (that I really hope weren't being mistook for angry driving).  I have always believed that I should have some sort of recording device in my car - as it would make for an amazing "drive at 5 - one lady dance party" show of some sort.  Yesterday's drive was brought to you by this little ditty....

Now, get out there and DANCE - DANCE I say!!

Let's get PEPPY!!

I am a huge fan of pep talks.  With a few simple, encouraging, heartfelt words you can rearrange a negative situation, or mindset, into an incredible opportunity. Think about the greatest cinematic pep talks you have been privy to: 

"No one, and I mean No One comes into our house and pushes us around."

"Either we heal NOW as a team, or we will die as individuals."

"Being perfect is about being able to look your friends in the eye and know that you didn't let them down because you told them the truth. And that truth is you did everything you could. There wasn't one more thing you could've done. Can you live in that moment as best you can, with clear eyes, and love in your heart, with joy in your heart? If you can do that gentleman - you're perfect!"

"Now we came here today to remember six young men and sixty-nine others who will not be on the field with you today, but they will be watching. You can bet your ass that they'll be gritting their teeth with every snap of that football. You understand me? How you play today, from this moment on is how you will be remembered. This is your opportunity to rise from these ashes and grab glory. We are... MARSHALL"

"The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are … It will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it.  You, me or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard you hit. It ‘s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done."

But this, this is, my favorite.  And, I have posted this on my page, but we all need to watch this again, and really take to heart what he is saying.  Why?  because he is so right.  We ARE all on the same team, and we DO need to start acting like it.  We need to take the road that leads to awesome, because WHY wouldn't you?  It is OUR time, and "giving the world a reason" to dance sounds like a might fine goal.

Get better dreams, get out there, and please - make the world awesome.  "What will be your Space Jam?"

The Naked Runner.

Before we get too excited - she wasn't actually naked.

Last week I was running a short run, inside, on the track, and happened to noticed a young gal (early 20s) that was also running.  We were in the Student Recreation Center on campus, and there was a lot of activity for a Thursday.  This young gal was running in a sports bra and capris. 

Here are a few facts:  it was 28 degrees outside, we were in a 60 degree climate controlled space, and she was super fit. 

After about 10 minutes the staff was called, and she was asked to put on some extra clothes - as this was inappropriate attire. 

I have many mixed feelings about this.  On one hand - good for her that she feels so good about herself that she flaunts it. She has amazing self esteem, and isn't that what we encourage.  Also, there are SEVERAL men on the basketball courts that are playing without shirts - so is this policy fair??

And on the other hand - I watched a dozen girls walk by her and be deflated.  You could see the discouragement in their faces.  The "well - I am never going to look like that."  This, I realize, says more about them than her, but I couldn't help but notice.

I am interested to see what others think of the situation.  Should she have been forced to cover up (even when the men were allowed to go shirtless), or should she have been allowed to flaunt what she worked really hard for??

The Quest for New Shoes.

There is a tiny bet going in our house.  If I can get Scrambled Legs Running to 1500 "LIKES" by 01/31 - I get to buy new running shoes. 

AND - I'll be somewhere that I can actually have my gait analyzed, and be fitted.  (which hasn't been done in several years)  So, one could see how important this might be, right??  What runner wouldn't say "challenge accepted, sir" to any bet involving running shoes?

Now, here is the part where you come in.  I need your help, for serious.  Please, if you have your own page - Share.  If you have friends - share.  If you are part of a group - share.  If you want to reach out to other strangers - who am I to judge. 

I'll even up the ante.  The person who sends the most referrals my way by 01/31 - will get an awesome prize (that has yet to be determined, but it will be awesome).  Just make sure to tell your peeps to let me know you sent them.

OH - and I will post pictures of those new sneaks...  So, you have that to look forward to.

Ready.  Set.  Share!

The Only Gym Rule

If you haven't noticed already - I kinda like rules.

A lot of people have a lot of different ideas about "unspoken" rules at the gym.  You know, those few things that you just DO NOT do: pop pimples in the mirror, make loud inappropriate noises, talk loudly on your cell to friends, not wear enough clothes, just sit on one of the machines and not actually use it - you catch my drift.

I only have one of these unspoken rules that truly gets under my skin and it involves perfume/cologne. 

Let me say this:  If I can taste your perfume/cologne without actually having licked you... we have a problem.  (we probably have a bigger problem if I have actually licked you - but that's a story for another day).

Please don't fumigate your fellow gym goers.  We really like to breathe.

That is all.  High Fives.

We are not racing.

I've been spending my short runs inside on the track.  Thus, this blog post will be a smidge ranty.  I am apologizing right now.

Let me start by saying, I am awed by all the runners; all the shapes, sizes, speeds - it is my favorite people watching ever.  It continues to renew my love of the sport.  I am mostly proud that these people, while they could be anywhere, chose to spend time here.  Plus, I get a read on all the cool shoes.  Holy moses, are they fancy or what?

However, herein lies the problem.  When I am there I have a pretty specific goal.  I have times to clock, intervals to complete, and laps to check off.  I am not racing anyone.

So, if I am running on the outside line (where 8 laps equals a mile) and you are running on the inside lane (where 9 laps equal a mile) and you continue to lap me.  Please don't give me your smug, "I guess I am just better than you, face."  We are not racing, nor are we running the same distance.

... and to the lady that thinks I am ultra, crazy, super, insane competitive.  I was running intervals.  You just happened to catch me when I had to begin my last set (2 minutes at mile pace).  I apologize for making you sprint, but I was trying to finish my set, not out run you.  We weren't racing, no need for the rude mutterings under your breath...

Ah.  I feel better already.  Now back to our regularly scheduled programing:  running in the great outdoors.

High Fives!!

Finally!! A good run!!

Last week my runs were a little craptastic.  My legs felt heavy, I couldn't breath right, I couldn't find my groove.  I was a tad bit of a mess, and then it happened.  A good run!!

It started out a little slow.  I some how managed to lace my shoes too tight, and my feet went numb within the first five minutes.  Once that was all sorted out, I took off again knowing that I still had 10.5 miles to go.  Around mile 2, I encountered another problem; I had too many clothes on.  You'd think that in 30 degree weather a turtleneck and a vest would be appropriate, not so - too hot.  So, I shed layers.

Magic!!  I was able to breath, I found my groove, I felt like I was floating on air, and I could check out completely.  That, that is the feeling I had been searching for all week, and finally... like a breath of fresh air. 

The end of my ran came, and I still had gas in the tank (hooray) - what did I do with that???  Duh, I danced all the way home (much to the dismay of those driving by).  Woot Woot!!!

I am a special snowflake.

I happen to be in the kitchen, getting dinner ready, when my husband yells, "Andrea, you have GOT to see this!!"  He continues with, "I can't believe it!  It's, it's, it's like they filmed YOU!!!"

I venture over to in front of the TV, and he shows me the video posted below.

Half of me is a little offended, and the other half is a little flattered!  I ask why he thinks I would do something like this, and he offers "I don't know, Andrea.  I don't know why you do most of the things you do, but I do know that you don't give two shits about what anyone thinks of you..."  I laughed, and said, "Well, I guess I am just a special snowflake."  I then proceeded to dance my way into the kitchen.

It's true what he says - if I see an opportunity to laugh, have fun, or be completely ridiculous, I am going to embrace that opportunity.  I'd rather be an active participant in shenanigans - that spend any time wishing I would have. 

So be silly.  Dance when you can.  Embarrass those around you.  And, be "so busy being you that you have no idea how utterly unprecedented you are.”

Short Runs.

I'm sitting here at the computer, knowing I have to get out and run for 30 minutes today, and am lacking all the motivation in the world.

I feel like I am not alone in this, either.  It is so easy for me to get all excited and twitterpated about long runs: I carefully plan, figure my route, sleep restless, and pounce on the run.  Tell me I have to run short, and I get all moody and whiny.  "I don't want to.  I'm tired.  blah, blah, blah."

I have to remind myself that every run has a PURPOSE.  That all runs cannot be my favorite.  That the short run is just as important, builds just as much, serves just as much purpose as the long ones. 

In other words, you don't get to eat steak for every meal.  I need to appreciate the broccoli, or something to that effect.  You certainly get the idea, right??

You're probably gonna want to check this out...

My friend has started his own Facebook page, and you should probably head over there and LIKE it :) But I can't just tell you that without facts, right? (Well, I can be all bossy and whatnot)

His page, Fattest Salmon, is described as, "A buddy of mine convinced me to get back into the pool, back into shape and into Seattle's Fat Salmon swim this July. So I am doing that and trying to write about it the best I can."

But it's a little more than that.  I would like to give you the opportunity to meet him, so I've presented him with a couple questions. Enjoy, and then go like his FaceBook page. You will not be sorry!!

Describe yourself and your relationship with swimming in a sentence (or two).

Do you remember when you first joined Facebook and a friend request came in from somebody that you knew in high school that you had lost touch with but, when you saw their picture, you thought "Oh, hey! Yeah! I remember that dude!" and you immediately accepted his friend request and wrote on his wall?  It's that type of relationship.

Best piece of advice you've ever received.

I've shared this before but it really is the best advice I have ever received.  It was after my second swim of my first State swim meet as a freshman in high school.  I had only been in the water full-time for about six months so nobody was more surprised than me that I had finished so well (first, actually, in both the 200 and 100 freestyles).  After cooling down and getting dressed my coach told me this: "Potential is French for ain't done shit yet."  Fifteen year olds are too stupid to understand what this means but I think I am starting to understand it now that I am 36.

What is your biggest struggle in returning to the pool after some time off?

You mean other than being fat, old and just generally out-of-shape?  Other than those, I can give you two Biggest Struggles.  Physically, it's flexibility.  My body has tightened up since I stopped swimming and not in the good way.  The solution to this problem is obvious--a solid stretching routine--but I have obviously not taken my own advice on this.  My Biggest Struggle mentally is not comparing myself to myself.  As in "I used to be able to..." or "This used to be..."  Swimming was the easiest thing I did when I was seventeen.  Twenty years later, not so much.

What do you hope to learn from this journey?

You know how when you were a kid and you would lose something and your mom would tell you to "retrace your footsteps" until you found it?  My journey is something like that. But Fattest Salmon is not just about the swimming--it's about writing, too.  Swimming and writing used to be the things that I did best and loved most..  Unfortunately, I let myself lose touch with both.  And while I'm not stupid enough to think that I can recapture what I had in either of those things--fast freestyle and bad poetry are a young man's game--I do think that I can find new measures of happiness and success.

Who do you think should follow your page?

In a post last month, I described myself as "a regretfully out of shape ex-athlete who already knows how to swim and is looking to get back into just good enough shape to not embarrass himself sometime in the next 6-8 months; also a bit of a ginger."  'Swim' is the least important of all those words because it is just a noun that could be run or walk or write or macrame or whatever it is you are trying to get back in to.  When I do write about swimming it is in a very general way (the technicals and techniques of swimming bore even swimmers) and I try to bring in as much humor and pop-culture as possible.  So if you are a part-time swimmer or somebody trying to get back into a non-embarrassing shape or are a bit of a ginger then maybe Fattest Salmon is for you!

... In other news.

I have to get this out of my system, so you've been warned.  This isn't a running blog today.

The Great Gatsby is my ALL TIME favorite book.  I love it, LOVE IT - not necessarily for what it offers you in prose, but for what it doesn't; for what it let's your mind create - for who you want Gatsby to be, for what you believe the mystery to become.

Yes, yes, it's a story about a man, and a woman, and love - about the American dream as Fitzgerald originally saw it (discovery, individualism, and the pursuit of happiness.) How in the roaring 20s that was all thrown aside - you see, in the 20s easy money, relaxed social values, the hollowness of the upper class, the continuous party - those became the ideals.   (Not too far off from today, right??)

... and then you have the problem of social status. All of these things should make for a wonderful movie adaptation right???  Wrong.

Let's talk about the original.  Redford, GREAT CHOICE!!!  Dapper, young, handsome, mysterious - hooray.  However, he has NO connection with Mia at all, none.  The passion fizzles, it doesn't even come close to being right.  The movie was too literal, there was no exploration of the underlying emotions in the book - none.  Isn't that what movies are supposed to do??  Take the imagery from your brain, all the unspoken words, and bring them to life in way that makes you say, "YES - That is IT!!"

You know Gatsby's being re-done; with Leo as Gatsby, and Baz as the director, and Jay-Z writing the score (Wow, I am DYING right now).  I couldn't have picked a better threesome, and I can't wait!  I cannot wait for Gatsby to finally get the props it deserves.  The suspense is killing me.

Enough is Enough.

I don’t really think there is any way to say this nicely – so I won’t bother.  QUIT BEING MEAN, NEGATIVE, BOSSY, CONDESCENDING, OR OTHERWISE RUDE TO PEOPLE.

Okay, so maybe not YOU – but there has been a lot of hating going on lately and it is driving me bananas.  There is a lot of finger pointing, and “you shouldn’t do this”, and “that is stupid”, and “resolutions are bullshit,” and general “you are doing it WRONG!”

I hate this.  It makes me all twitchy and grumpy and upset and wanting to use SHOUTY CAPS! 

We should be supportive of one another.  We should offer open arms, not discouraging words.  We should be sparks to help fan the flames, not wet blankets or extinguishing blasts to the face.   

After all, what harm would come in offering hope?  What harm would come in saying, “You CAN do this.”  What harm would come in lending a hand, or a kind word, or a high five?  

If you want to resolve to do something different – let me know how we can help.  We can’t walk anyone’s path, but we can help light the way. 

I think this movie quote says it best, “Remember, Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.”  May you have the courage, and strength, and the character to inspire the hope in others.

Changing.

This is the story about how a cat became a dog.

When I starting running - I was a solo runner, a cat if you will.  I liked running by myself, with my thoughts, clearing my head, making the run personal.  I didn't share that time - I didn't want to share that time. I didn't need anyone.  I thought I had it all figured out, thought. 

This last year, specifically in the last few months, my world has been rocked.

My friends insisted I run with them, and let's be honest, it scared me.  But, they wouldn't let me weasel my way out of it.  They bended, they persisted, they let me be bossy, they let me pick the course, they let me pick the distance, they kept opening their arms, they kept inviting - and I gave in.

To Chrissy and Anna and Cathryn - THANK YOU!!! 

I never knew that running and working out with people could be so FABULOUS!!  I appreciate, and love, and look forward to, and enjoy - every run/gym session we have together.

Thank you for reminding me that the road ahead is easier when you have company.  That monster hills, and ice, and freezing temps, and laps around the track seem like a cake walk when your laughing.

You have made me a stronger runner, and a better person.  I am happy to run with the pack any day!! 

Thank you for being you, and for never giving up on me.  I love you all.

(... and Nikki - can you move here yet so you can come too???)

Happy New Year!!!

New Year's Day - My Birthday Eve... either way, I am glad it is here.

2012 was an interesting year for me.  It was as if the cosmos was telling me, "no, you still have more to learn."  Everything I did was met with a challenge, nothing went quite as planned, and you know what - I made it out the other side.

I like to plan.  I like things to go my way.  I like having control over everything.  I don't like hiccups. 

But, it's in the hiccups that you find out what you are made of.  You can either throw your hands up and walk away, attending a pity party of biblical proportions, or you can learn.  You can reflect.  You can decide to grow.

It is in our failures we find success.  Character is built in the moments where you decide to stand back up, and do it again.

I will continue to stand, and I will continue to get knocked down.  At least now,  I can laugh as I regain my balance, shake it off, and say "what, is that all you got?"