AmandaM

So, race was today. Route was obviously different than my usual training runs - definitely more hills. All I wanted to do was beat my time from last year. I got in at 1:18:39. So proud of myself! Maybe I'll shoot for sub-1:15:00 next year...

I love those days. I had one last week (fastest 10k) and one today (fastest 5k) and they're just excellent feelings. Go you!

6 lbs in about a month is pretty freakin' good, if you ask me. You can do it!

Maybe something like these: http://www.banggood.com/Wholesale-Plastic-Stretch-Sport-Hair-Band-Full-Circle-Flexible-Comb-Teeth-Headband-Clip-p-49310.html I remember having long hair and having those other headbands fly off my head. Not fun.

As others have said, a good pace is one where you can keep a conversation going. That might be slow to start out, and that's okay. You'll get faster with time. I find doing timed intervals, rather than distance intervals, works better for me. Keep a certain pace for a certain amount of time, then I get to walk. It won't matter how fast or slow I run, because the walk break will still be the same amount of time away.

Long time, no post. Been doing a bit of lurking, hoping to get a little more active in the forums. Been training for a race - it happens in 2 weeks (eek!). Did it last year, time was 1:23:26. Very proud of that time - first time I ran a 10k (walked in 2012 and 2013). Did a practice run last week, hit 1:23:00. So proud of myself! Ran today, goal was about the same - 1:23:00 or so, just to see if I could do it again. I did it in 1:20:21. Saw my time, muttered, "Holy shitballs" in shock and nearly did a happy dance on the trail. I'll admit I did a little fist pump. YAY, progress!!!

I love Swim Outlet, as previously stated. I don't have the amount of selection as some others (Canadian here) and I don't wear two pieces at the moment, but I've seen some good stuff there. Also, I love Unique Vintage for retro style stuff, but they're a little spendy.

my running buddy, who is much wiser than I, said this when it came to colder weather running. Put on what you're planning to wear and step outside for a minute. If you're cool, but not cold, you're good to go. If you're cold, you're wearing too little. If you're warm, you're wearing too much. That's how I figure it out, anyway, and it works for me!

If I have to run when it's semi-dark (hello, 6AM), I make sure I run in well-lit areas - there's an awesome path near my condo, but alas, it's not lit and it gets scary dark between dusk and dawn. My mom doesn't like the thought of me running in the dark or semi-dark, but if I didn't, I wouldn't be able to fit my runs in!

Clean and Clear deep cleaning with micro scrubbers (morning and night), Neutrogena AHA anti-wrinkle cream in the morning before I put on my makeup (CC cream, light eyeshadow, eye liner, mascara, tinted lip balm), Neutrogena light night cream before bed. My skin's pretty clear - I get the odd little pimple once in a while, but for the most part it's really cleared up - I used to get big, painful cystular pimples on my chin when I was younger.

I mostly knit, crochet and cross stitch. The nerdiest things I've made are toques for my husband - one is Transformer themed and one is Star Wars themed. I charted out the Star Wars one all by myself and I'm really, really proud of it I also made a friend of mine Slytherin themed wrist warmers for a Harry-Potter themed pub crawl. Wrist warmers here:

Flower tattoo, got it in June! Left arm.

New job is going awesome. Everyone is really chill compared to my old job, there's way more staff events (every month as opposed to once in a blue moon) and they let us dress up for Halloween. I haven't done that for work in AGES. Can't wait!!

And what are you wearing? I love Halloween - I always have and always will. This is the first year I can dress up for Halloween at work in about eight years - my old work wasn't really into that - and so I'm going to dress up and it's going to be awesome. I found the perfect costume - blue Star Trek dress uniform + pointy ears + pixie haircut = fem!Spock. I just hope everything gets here in time, otherwise I'm going to have to go with my backup plan - pirate. So, who else is doing the costume thing? I want to know!!

Ah, yes, here are my people. I love NaNo and I look forward to it every year. So does my husband - it means he can pretty much go out and do whatever he wants because I'm staring at a computer screen all the time. I'm currently waffling between two plot lines, and neither of them are really pulling me in one direction or another. I think I'm going to take a peek at the Adopt a Plot forums when the site relaunches to see if something really sparks my interest.

I'm sure the people at your dojo miss you and want to see you again - I know I miss the presence of the people I haven't seen in a while. It'll take no time to get back into the routine.

So, after getting fired a week ago from my job of almost five years, and thinking I'd never be able to work in another law firm in this town again, I not only got an interview, but also got the job! I start on October 6, 8:30 a.m. So excited!

How I got into a schedule was I took classes. Spin and waterfit. They take place on certain days at certain times and so it really got me into the habit of going all the time, especially as I could just slot i into my schedule. Then I joined a martial arts class. Again, set day and time. And then i joined a running group. I continued to run on my own once it was over, until I injured myself moving (bad shoes + on feet for 12 hours = ticking time bomb going off) but I hope that once I'm pain free I can start up again. My point is, start small and find what works for you. My husband used to go to the gym at midnight because there was no-one there. I went in the evenings because those classes worked with my schedule, and I used to run to work a couple of mornings a week.

Agreeing with everyone above - find something in your area that you think you'll like, you can afford and you can get to relatively easily. It's how I picked mine (Aikido). Practicing, especially ukemi (receiving the technique) is really physically demanding (learning how to fall/roll without hurting yourself). That's my $0.02. Good luck, have fun!

This, this, this. I am forever running to the bathroom. I hope the people I work with don't think I have a bladder problem or anything... For me, it's the sweat. Any time my heart rate goes up, my body thinks I'm going on a run or something and I end up all sweaty from just taking the stairs. Almost makes me want to take the elevator. Almost.

I'm no running expert, but I think you're doing fine. I'm training for an 8k in October and I'm increasing slowly, really slowly - 1 km every two weeks for my long run. I know I'm not going to be able to do anything faster than that. As long as you're making gains, no matter how fast or slow you're making them, you're still making progress.

Billy Talent, Rise Against and Judas Priest. I'd love to go to more concerts and have been keeping my eye out for upcoming acts coming to town. Most bands come to Vancouver, though, and I can't afford to travel for everything I want to see

People in general: "You're really into this running thing/exercise/martial arts, aren't you?" Me: "Well, I'm a fat ass, and I don't want to be a fat ass anymore." Some people need to actually work at being good at something and losing weight.