are we there yet?

So sometimes I wonder why I need to use a treadmill.

Why can't I go run in the great outdoors?

Well, today I was reminded.

My husband works part time and goes to school full time. He leaves in the morning at 6:30am and comes home in the evening at 6:45pm. Then it's dinner, spending time with the kids, getting the kids to bed, doing homework until we fall asleep somewhere between midnight and 1am. (Did I mention I'm going to school, too? Oh, well, I am!)

Friday and Saturday mornings are bliss for me. I wake up, smile at the hubs and whatever kids have crawled into our bed in the middle of the night, and run my little heart out--alone.

But two days a week is not enough running for this newly-addicted Chiquita.

So, what about the rest of the week?

Well, back to today.

It's summer in the Wasatch. There's a slight breeze and some mildly-threatening clouds: it's beautiful weather to run in. I have a double jogging stroller and my two oldest can keep up on their scooters.

However, it's no picnic.

Pushing a stroller while running takes a lot more effort than running by your lil ol' self. That's good, right?

Except every 3 seconds having to tell the littler kids to get their hands away from the wheels and answer the never-ending "Are we there yet?" and "How much longer?" questions my older kidlets throw at me.

Finding my groove is a lost cause, and--while it's still an "okay" workout--I haven't really enjoyed myself.

So, tomorrow I hit the gym. It's win-win, really. The kids play, I run, then we are reunited happy and ready to spend the rest of the day together.

Tomorrow can't come fast enough.

Are we there yet?

pandora (almost) ate my mojo

So I love my iPod. I also love Pandora. While my iPod is not lacking in tunage, Pandora offers my noggin' a plethora of songs I might not have normally chosen. I can also change the channel according to my current situation--running, relaxing, escaping, etc.

This morning, however, Pandora almost ate my mojo.

I actually don't know if I should blame Pandora, Blackberry, or Sprint. I'm not going to waste my time over-analyzing it.

As I began the pre-run stretch routine, I started up Pandora, which if you didn't know takes a while to start up. Then as I began my run it kept cutting out. And then starting again. And then cutting out a few seconds later.

This lasted for about the first 10 minutes of my run. Mojo? Oooooh Mojo? Here, boy!

Gone.

I don't know what it is about music. It's in my blood. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not good at MAKING music --in any form-- but when I listen to music I get into a happy place. When I run with music I get into a groove and everything--my breathing, my steps--falls into place.

Ask my mom and she'll tell you I have a disorder.

No, really.

Most people talk in sentences. I talk in lyric. Anything anyone says reminds me of a song and I start singing it (much to their dismay) or saying it (which just makes them give me a looney-look).

Some people wouldn't be bothered by a less-than-stellar Pandora experience. They'd turn it off and let their thoughts run with them. I can't do that. My thoughts are running all day long--I'm a worrier, it's my nature. The music helps me lose my thoughts and find my heart. Sappy, right?

Well, I'm not sure what happened but after those torturous 10 minutes Pandora starting running smooth as butter and my mojo came home, wagging his tail behind him.

What gets your mojo going?

bring it on back

Me 'n JT, we could use some help.

You see, we're bringing sexy back (yah!) and you should bring it back with us.

This blog is my outlet for my triumphs and trials in my treadmill excursions.

As of right now... I don't exactly HAVE a treadmill.

BUT--no fear--I do use and abuse the ones at the gym.

And let me say, when I've got my tunes in my ear and that belt swishing below me, I get a treadmill swagger like you cannot believe.

Them other girls don't know how to act.