The time of day

Brian wanted to see a movie last night. So that meant our 2.25-mile run had to happen earlier in the day. It's Texas, and it's July. That meant daring the 100+ degree heat to mess with us during our 5K training run.

I used to run in the heat of the summer day. I used to play soccer games in this heat. But it's been a while, and exerting in the 2 p.m. sun is something that takes (re-)acclimation.

We drove to our usual Katy trailhead on Knox Street. Instead of bringing one water bottle to share like usual, we each brought one. We dressed loosely. We ran in the shade when possible.

Still, it was a butt whipping.

We had to take two walk breaks, with one of those breaks being a whole quarter-mile. I squeezed water on my head throughout the run. I even ran in the opposite lane because there was a measly strip of shade there and was nearly run down by a cyclist.

It felt good to see the very last quarter-mile marker, and it felt extra satisfying. Sometimes mere survival can make you feel like a stud.

While I looked like someone had pushed me into a pool, Brian somehow managed to complete the run with half a bottle of water left. Huh? Harrumph.

Couples fitness story

The trials and tribulations of Christy and Brian in the fitness department at least spun into a story idea. So, I guess they've been worth it. My Dallas Morning News story about couples who want to work out but can't seem to make it, well, work.

• Couples fitness: How to do it

The car: Not the best changing room in the world

I'm curious how many runners change clothes in their car before a run. Surely I'm not the only one.

This practice starts with the fact that I'm too lazy to get up any earlier before work than I positively have to. This trait makes me an evening runner by default, usually after work.

I could bring my running clothes to work and change in the bathroom before I leave. But I'm not really jazzed about co-workers seeing me in thigh-showing shorts and a wrinkled men's v-neck undershirt. We don't have that kind of relationship.

I also could stop off at a gas station to change, but I really just want to get to the trail and down to business.

Quick car changes are tricky, at least if you're female, but I've got it down. So, I bring to you my tips for changing in the car without getting arrested.


1. Park far out and open.
It would seem like it's best to wedge your car between two big F-250s for the coverage. But the coverage goes both ways — you might not be able to see one of the vehicle owners approaching, keys in hand and jaw on the ground after catching you semi-nude. If you have someone with you to act as lookout (who you don't mind seeing you naked-ish), even better.
2. Bottoms down.
Changing bottoms isn't the big deal. Just make sure the coast is relatively clear, and the car itself will cover you while you shimmy out of jeans and into shorts.
3. Use your current top as a really-cramped miniature dressing room.
This is the most potentially-arrestable part, so be careful. If you're wearing a loose top, pull your arms inside. Pull your bra off underneath. Peek your hands out from under your shirt and locate your sports bra. If it's the pullover kind, put it around your neck. Then pull your arms back inside the shirt, grab the sports bra down inside and maneuver your arms and goods into it. Now that the prime property is properly concealed, just take off the shirt and pull on the other one.

If the first top is not loose? Just ... go find a gas station.

A new trail, figuratively

I'm going to side-step the fact that it's been a whole year since I've posted here. A lot has happened.

But there are some bullet points that are relevant for catchup. The biggest bullet point is that I got married Aug. 23, 2008.

The second is that my husband's name is Brian Peters. His name will now figure more largely into this blog. Um, I hope.

Because, you see - running is sort of my thing. And for him ... well, he's game enough to embrace it. We ran (ok — runnerishly ran/walked) the Katy Trail 5K last month. And we ran a random 5K in Fort Worth last Monday night that Brian signed us up for (!). And now we've started a proper 5K training program.

The last bullet point is that I'm almost starting from scratch. I've fallen way behind my former self since becoming a married woman. My half-marathon training days and, to a lesser extent, my trail running days seem like the passions of someone else I used to know from my past.

I aim to rediscover them. Alongside Brian. How possible, how easy, how much it will make me [ok, us] want to jump out of a window is to be seen.

Should be interesting.

Haha just kidding

False alarm — I'm not training. I'm planning a wedding, working, commuting, doing extra freelance all while trying to squeeze in some family, friends and breathing. Training for a race ... hahaha, cute. I'll shout when life straightens out a wee.

I'm training! I think

I have a few races I'm looking at, but nothing decided on and paid for yet. Nevertheless, I've started "training" today. I took a week off and it felt great. And it made me look forward to gearing back up again even more. I'm not sure if I'm doing a half or a full (or that Rockledge Rumble 15K in November), I went ahead and started a Hal Higdon, since both training plans start off pretty much the same. I did 3 miles on the Katy, 31 minutes.

Oh, got me some new Asics Gel Kayano 14s (my ones before were the 13s). Pic later.

No running, no lifting this weekend. It was the first free, sunny two days in a row that I've had this year, and I used them to lie on my yoga mat in the grass and let the silky, golden sun melt this white body of mine. Mmm mmm, I love me some layin' out.

First official trail run of '08

It was official, but unofficial. I ran, but I didn't. At any rate, the stars lined up perfectly for me to get back out to Cedar Hill State Park for my inaugural in-the-rough run of the year: warmer weather, me getting off at a decent time and the trails not being wet from spring rains. Got my annual pass, yay! I decided to run the short Duck Pond trail instead of the longer dirt bike trail like normal. Can I tell you that the forest was so effing LUSH and GREEN and that the air was COOL. No spider webs, even! Apparently the park is in the middle of widening its roads, so bulldozers have created a dirt "trail" that runs alongside the road. So after the Duck Pond trail, I hoofed it up the bulldozer path, which reminded me that treadmill and flat concrete running is not. the. same.

After I finished business, I drove around the park just to look, since it was so full and green from the recent rains. I stopped off at the lake and took really bad camera phone pictures of everything from ducks to the sunset to myself wallowing on the ground. I'll upload those pics soon.

My beat-up New Balances have served me well, but it's time for new trail running shoes. Yay! Trail running shoe shopping.

UPDATE: Here are those picky-pics!

White folks and their New Balance

#96 on the "Stuff White People Like" list: New Balance. Except I'm one of those "jerks who won't shut up about Asics." Read on.

Lil bitty post

Today: 4 miles in exactly 40 minutes. Treadmill. Two Clif gel bloks. Ab blast class. Weights. It was purty good.

I had a conversation with someone at work re: running, running with your spouse, etc., but I'm too tired to write about it right nao. Will later.

Well, that was fast

Ok, so I've already found the race I want to work toward. The Rockledge Rumble in November, the 15K leg. This would mean I actually need to hit the trails more often than I do. That's nice I have a race, but I need a training plan for it. Hmm. It'll be my first official trail running race, so I guess I better look into that.

Gah, I wish training on trails around here wasn't all inconvenient and stuff. In this area anyway. There's what, Cedar Hill State Park, Cedar Ridge. There's Grapevine Lake, but as far as it is, I might as well drive to Lake Texoma and train on Cross Timbers. What else am I missing? I guess I could just check the North Texas Trail Runners Association website. Whatever, it's bedtime. The Rockledge is in Grapevine, so I might as well make the haul now and again to get more familiar with it. Who says gas prices are high? Nah.

I've been lusting for a run through the still-untamed Trinity River area of Dallas lately, though. It won't be untamed for much longer, and I want to hit those dirt trails I see as I drive over it into downtown Dallas before it they start building cutesie boat launches and designer bridges and Segway-rental booths or whatever and it gets all Central Park-y. BUT ... I'm a chick, and there are drunk homeless folk and highwaymen lurking AND MY BIG STRONG FIANCE WON'T GO WITH ME. I'm about to just take me and my pepper spray on out there and cross my fingers while I run. If you see me running out there, please don't rape me. Plzkthanks.

I just ran into a new blog and added it to the blog roll on the right. I don't know the dude from beans, but I found it through clicking here and there from the NTTRA website. It's like mine, except it's fancier and he actually runs in gigantor-distance races. I also like that he has posts that say "well, didn't do anything this week," like me. Yay! There's hope for me yet!