TRAINING: My First 5k!

The title is kind of cheating.. yes it's a 5k, but like so many 5ks, it's a fun run.  We're doing the Neon Dash 5k on September 20th.  How do I feel about my upcoming first 5k?

I'm really excited!  I haven't been training the way I should, but I'm still guardedly optimistic.  Aaron and I have been adjusting to what my co-worker (and fellow runner) Rachael calls "married life".  We don't quite have a routine yet, so our gym visits have been sparse.  I haven't gone running in a couple of weeks and it scares me.  I still walk my usual 1.4 miles to work everyday, but Aaron has been picking me up in the evenings.  I would run to work, but it's simply been to hot.  On average, it's 86-90 degrees when I'm walking to work.  I live in Texas.

Am I worried?  Absolutely not.  I know I can run two miles solid at a good 10 minute pace.  Even if it takes me 30 minutes to run this thing, I know I have the endurance because I do at least that on the elliptical as a cardio warm up.  Should I be training more?  Yes.  Actual running, outside or on a treadmill would be ideal.  We all know that running and the elliptical aren't even comparable outside of the fact that both get your heart pumping.

Being completely honest, I'm most excited about decided what to wear race day!  I've never ran a 5k and I'm super excited to get out there, dress in all white, and get covered in Neon goo!  I own so many neon accessories from my goth/industrial club days that I'm excited to get them out and show them some love.  The main debate I'm having with myself is the consequences of running three miles in Chucks.  You know, Converse All Stars.. the flattest shoe ever?  I have some that are neon yellow, but it just seems like a terrible idea.

I'm also pretty excited about dressing Aaron up. *insert evil laughter here*

What's In My Pantry

People constantly ask me what's in my pantry & what I eat.  Lately, I've been doing a lot of bicycle commuting so I've been more conscientious of my protein and general calorie intake in the morning versus my usual game of skipping breakfast.  I have found that I'm a-ok to drink my breakfast, so I've been pairing a morning protein smoothie with my daily vitamins to fuel up before I hit my bike ride.  It's only 5.5 miles to the nearest train station, but most of that is on the road, and part of that is through terrifying construction.  I'm trying my damnedest to keep up & not be a wuss.  Keep in mind, I'm really not that experienced with bike commuting.  I've casually done it around my college town, but it was never my primary means of transportation and rarely was I seriously on the road.  That's all changed now that I live in White Rock.  I can either take the train, or I can make a ridiculous bus commute.

My morning smoothies have been lacking.  I'm not going to lie, there is a nearly finished tub of Plant Fusion back in Ohio that I dearly, dearly miss and wish had ended up in one of the boxes that came to Texas!  To date, I have not tried any protein powder that I like as much as the kinds I've had from Plant Fusion and Sunwarrior.  Vega is on my list to try, but I just can't presently justify the price tag.

This is pretty much all I have in the pantry, haha.