Best quote EVER.

"If you're starting out or trying to get to the next level, surround yourself with people who keep you motivated and energized - people who inspire you to achieve your best every day. When you do this, you can't lose."

Anthony Famiglietti, two-time Olympian in the steeplechase and two-time national 5-K champion

More reasons to run....

Read this in a magazine today. Turns out that people who run 40 minutes a day are more likely to become centarians:

"Scientists in California found that middle-aged people who did just that — for a total of about 5 hours per week — lived longer and functioned better physically and cognitively as they got older; the researchers tracked runners and nonrunners for 21 years. What surprised us is that the runners didn't just get less heart disease — they also developed fewer cases of cancer, neurologic diseases, and infections," says study author Eliza Chakravarty, MD, an assistant professor of medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. "Aerobic exercise

keeps the immune system young." If you don't like to run, even 20 minutes a day of any activity that leaves you breathless can boost your health, she says.

New shoes...again

I got some new shoes a few days ago and took the maiden voyage in them tonight. I was a little nervous because shoes make a big difference for me. I have a terrible/mis-angled (if that is even a word) over-pronating left leg/knee/foot. Sounds terrible and it pretty much is. I've had shoes that have been so wrong they made knots in my calves the first mile. So, once I found a good one, I stuck with it (Mizunos). I decided to try a new shoe this time though - so I went with the Nike (Triax 12). So far so good - we'll see how the next couple of runs go. It's a cute shoe too...and matches my new gray sweat cap.

My running companions and I are just starting to get back into our training. We were doing well up until the first week of July and then we all went our separate ways on vacations etc... so are jus now starting to get back into the swing of things. It's actually quite sad how much damage a month off can do. I've only ran 4 times in the last 6 weeks - and it is very obvious. I feel like I'm starting completely over! Tonight we ran what would normally be a very easy run - but it wasn't that at all. We have a lot of work to do. That's what I love about running though - you just dive back in and start working your way back up again. It's sort of like that TV show WIPEOUT (quite possibly the best show ever by the way). You just get up and keep going, regardless. And, like usual, I'm sure glad I did it.

I'm a non-runner runner

I've never been an athlete nor had any athletic ability whatsoever. But I have always loved to run. I'm not a great runner. I wouldn't even call myself a good runner. But again, regardless of said sad facts, I have yet to find any other form of exercise that gives me more pleasure. Seriously.

Last year, I ran my first half-marathon. I trained off and on for months beforehand. The day of the race, however, I went in far less ready than I wanted. I did finish though and it felt amazing. Pure satisfaction and sense of achievement - something I haven't experienced much in my life.

The race began in Bryce Canyon at around 7000 ft and descended practically the entire time down to 5000 ft. That said, I sort of feel like it wasn't a 'real' half, since it was downhill the whole way. Could I have finished if this wasn't the case?

SO. I'm trying it again - this time there will be some downhill but there will also be some ups - it's in San Francisco (Nike Women's Half Marathon - October 18).

Once again, my training has been off and on. I'm doing it with a handful of non-running runner friends, so it'll be nice not to tackle it alone. We have been running about 3 times a week for the last several months. This is a good start but now we are gearing up. I am so excited to do this - but nervous too. I know I can do it but it is definitely hard for me. A journey to say the least. Every mile is a challenge. But I really really really want to do this. I have not set a time goal - and probably won't as it is something that my friends and I have sort of just committed to doing together. But, if all goes well, I hope to start doing this more...and perhaps one day do a full marathon. That seems so far away....but that's what running is all about. Starting somewhere and getting there eventually.