Lactic acid can bite me.

I either need to stretch more or find some magic way to levitate up and down the stairs to my second-floor condo.

Whimper. Whine. Quads. Hate. Me.

P.S. For the record, that drawing in no way, shape, or form resembles me. Liked I'd really wear a leotard and Keds. Ha. Right. Stupid interwebs.

He's off too

Playing catch up since I'm not really a blogger.

On Saturday, I got up early to hit the lakefront trail before the ten bajillion other people invaded... turns out you have to get up pretty early in the morning to avoid the crowds because i definitely was surrounded.

As Ashley explains, the Couch to 5K program is all about interval endurance training. Like my fellow training mate, I ran into timing issues. Whenever I would look up to enjoy the view/scenery, I would throw off my walk/run proportion. My co-worker Noreen today recommended I get an iphone app that actually gives you an audio cue for programmed running. I'm definitely going to look into that.

Otherwise, the run went well and I felt the burn. Despite the slow pace, the training does give you the feeling that you're learning how to run in the right way.

Not a bad start.

She's off.

Text sent to Shawn today at 3:16 p.m.: "Gasp. Wheeze. Huff. Puff. Pant."

Translation? Week 1; Day 1 completed.

It wasn't pretty. (Ok, well, the scenery along the lakeshore path and Montrose Harbor was. My performance left something to be desired.) But it could have definitely sucked more. So, I'll look at that as a glass-half full approach.

In our first post, Shawn and I mentioned that we're following the Couch-to-5K program. It's essentially structured interval training, designed to build up cardio and endurance over nine weeks. For the first week, after a short warm up, you run for 60 seconds, and walk for 90. Repeat eight times. You repeat the workout three times during the week. Each week, you run more and walk less.

I don't want to spend the entire run looking at my watch, or worse, counting the slooooowly moving second hand. So I'm running to a The Chubby Jones Podcast. After the first work out, I pretty much decided the chick who put together the podcast kicks total ass. She's obviously running while she records it, and cuts into the music only to tell you when to run, when to stop, when to walk, when to not. But she also thinks the way I do. And I definitely laughed out loud when she said "well, this sucks." Or "Maybe I shouldn't have eaten that Thai food for lunch."

Snicker. Somehow, she kept me running AND made me hungry at the same time.

A few technical notes/thoughts:

_ I need to own more workout clothing with pockets. Because I'm not sure I'm going to want to stuff an iPod between two sports bras for the whole nine weeks. (What!? Totally not an overshare. I look at it as more athletic engineering geniusness. I needed some place to store it and had no pockets and no armband. And thanks to trial and error during triathlon training, I learned that sweat + electronics stored in cleavage = BAD IDEA.

_ I've got a shopping problem, so I'm a little jealous of Shawn's new shoes. This jealousy is, of course, totally misplaced, since I did the same thing in May when I got the crazy idea to do a triathlon. I should note, however, that I did NOT choose my shoes because they happen to be pink. (See picture above.) It was just sheer planetary alignment that the dudes at the running store told me they'd work best for me. I was trying to explain this to Shawn. His response? "Who knew fate was color-coordinated?" Smartass.

_ I will make a zillion dollars if I can invent some kind of athletic Spanx. Or, like, a sports bra for your ass.

Cupcakes...

are not helping the effort...

Getting ready. But first? A beer.

Shawn bought new sneakers tonight. I booked a massage and had a beer. That pretty much sums up our different approaches to preparing for this.

On my other blog, I've written a lot about my disdain for all things running. In fact, people have FOUND my blog by googling the phrase "I don't run. Like ever." I secretly love this because those are my people.

Even though I somehow managed to drag my sorry self through a triathlon almost two months ago (although, I walked most of the 5k, so don't be impressed), I'm not a good runner. Too much impact. Too much striking of pavement. Too much bouncing and jiggling. I'll happily take an hour of laps or a solid bike ride any day instead of pounding (literally) the pavement.

But, I guess that's why we're doing this. Right, Shawn? RIGHT!? We both want to be better runners. In my case, I just want to be a runner. Who cares about better. I'd love to be able to run and feel the way I do in my dreams when I'm running and it's like I'm leaping! Through air! Over rainbows! With puppies! And not like it does in reality when my lungs feel like they're being pulled out of my rib cage with a turkey baster.

Still, I think our dueling personalities are going to make this fun. Or at least entertaining for our coworkers who already are watching us with some level of curious disbelief entertainment. (Note the first comment on yesterday's post.)

After all, he's optimistic. I'm cynical. He blushes. I'm brash. He's committed. By the end of this, I might have to be.

Witness this IM conversation we had this evening, after I read his blog post that talked about adding some sprints between training days.

Ashley: Explain this whole running on days off bit.

Shawn: So Jason says if you do some short distance sprinting on off days, then that helps your muscles build more speed and stamina. So you'd do like 800m dashes.

Ashley: Hahahaha. Sprinting.

Shawn: Yeah.

Ashley: Um, that's a half mile sprint.

Shawn: Well, that's what he does.

Ashley: Well, he's INSANE.

Shawn: I think maybe 100 might be enough.

Ashley: Do you know what kinds of wild animals I'll have to be chased by in order to sprint for 800 meters? Like, WILDEBEESTS. Bears. And not the cute cuddly, likes honey kind. I could continue with more animals, but I think you get my point.

Shawn: The Rabbit of Caerbannog? With its sharp pointy teeth?

Ashley: Yes. Although, that might still make me want to stop and pet it. I like bunnies.

Since I get a gold star for getting his Monty Python reference, and because I don't want him to hate me for calling his BFF Jason insane (Jason, I'm sure you're not insane. You're just a marathoner. I don't know what the American Psychiatric Association says about people who routinely run 26.2 miles.) I'm leaving you guys with this. And then, I'm going back to my beer.

So this is what it's like...

My best bud (and running guru) Jason always told me that purchasing shoes at a specialty store can make all the difference in the world when you're serious about a running program. The pessimist in me always kept me from exploring this option, but today I decided to take a chance... boy was Jason right.

I was immediately set upon by a friendly sales clerk when I entered the Lincoln Park branch of the Fleet Feet gear shop. Soon after telling not one, not two, but three individuals about my past experiences with running and my desire to make it a more permanent part of my life, they sprung into action. One took an old pair of running shoes I brought with me and immediately began looking at the wear and tear to the bottom. The second clerk began measuring my feet, and the third... well he went back to the register (hey someone has to watch the store).

Several fits later, I was set with a new pair of New Balance shoes (incredibly comfortable and extremely light). After asking for and reviewing my Couch to 5k plan, he commented, "We see this one a lot. It's a decent framework." He agreed with Jason's suggestion that I do a few short distance repeats on off days to build additional speed and stamina, and gave me a short list of exercises to build up my core.

When you walk away from a store not only with the item you wanted but also a sense of learning, I think you've found a good shop. Fleet Feet Chicago, you've earned yourself a new customer.

Against The Wind

It was Shawn's fault. He's the one who thought the Couch-to-5K would be would be a good idea. Something about exercise being good for us. And always wanting to make jogging a part of his life. And hoping to impress a certain lady friend.

Ashley picked the race because the promise of 200,000 pieces of candy and 18,000 ounces of chocolate fondue at the finish line were pretty much the only things that would motivate her to strap on her sneakers and go for a run. (For the sake of full disclosure, beer would have worked too. Or cheese.)

Together, these two reluctant runners are making an unbreakable vow (or, really, just shaking hands. In front of witnesses.) to commit to a nine-week training regimen, while holding each other accountable along the way. Their goal: to finish, to the best of their ability and with as little walking as possible, the Hot Chocolate 5K on Nov. 1.

Living several L stops apart and burdened with grueling work schedules, these Type A Geeks are creating a blog to track their progress. In the process, they’re also proving to the world that each is desperately in need of a hobby.

But first, the ground rules … They’re simple: 1) No laughing at each other. Only ourselves.; 2) To support each other through training.; 3) To promise to actually go through with this to the best of our ability.

The penalty…. Should either Shawn or Ashley fail to complete the training and wuss out on the race, the L-O-S-E-R will be forced to bake from-scratch cookies for the other's department and wear an apron of the winner's choice all day at work. Exceptions will be given only for medical reasons and fleeting moments of humanitarian weakness.