Balls off the Treadmill Please!

Can I just tell you I am thoroughly enjoying my new training schedule?!? The swims have been challenging and not boring at all! I’ve been enjoying the cycling more than I ever have before and actually look forward to long rides instead of dreading them. And while I’ve been running slow due to me being back in base training mode and needing to keep the HR low, I’m REALLY enjoying running again. It’s so nice to be eager to open Training Peaks and see what fun my coach has planned for me. Yay!

So with the hot temps, I’ve been forced to venture inside for some of my runs and even my last “long” run. It’s so much easier to control HR on the treadmill (with the AC) and I find I’m able to control my pace much more. While I’ve never LOVED treadmill running, I don’t mind doing it on occasion. I mean, not much can go wrong. Or so I thought. On my long run this past weekend, I was in a zone. I had my iPod on (playing Run DMC and Salt n Pepa of course) and was just enjoying the workout. All of a sudden, I lunge forward, nearly hitting the machine. What the heck? The treadmill sort of started to jerk a bit and so I slammed the giant red STOP button. I literally stood there and scratched my head. What just happened? When I lunged forward I thought MAYBE I tripped as I’m not exactly the most graceful person. But no, that wasn’t it. I started the treadmill, keeping my legs off the belt and just watching. Everything was moving as it should. I thought I could hear someone talking so I pulled one of the earbuds out and turned around to find some dumb lady saying, “Oh, I did that”. At the 24 off Kuykendahl, there is an area behind the treadmills where you can use exercise balls and what not. She was standing behind the railing, reaching for her GIANT BLACK EXERCISE BALL that was next to my treadmill. Being I actually have a brain, I started to put two & two together and figured something happened where the ball that should’ve been on the ground became airborne, sailed over the railing and struck my treadmill, causing the belt to stick and me to lunge forward. I got pissed. I looked at her square in the eye and told her she needed to be more careful b/c she was going to hurt someone if she didn’t learn how to control that ball. She said, “I said I’m sorry. Geez.” Oh hell no. She then had the audacity to ask me to hand her the ball. I looked at her and said, “Are you kidding me”. Her response, “No”, made me even more angry. I got off the machine and shoved the ball to her chest and reminded her to be careful and then vigorously shook my head back & forth as I thought that would adequately convey how annoyed I was. She kept talking so as she looked at me, I put the earbuds back in and got back on the treadmill. I’m sorry but if you are too stupid to control the stability ball, you shouldn’t exercise (or procreate for that matter).

In other news, the Chicago Half Marathon is quickly approaching which means, so is the Houston Oly. Woo hoo. Because my new uniform order is not here yet, I decided I would go ahead and buy a cute outfit for the Chicago Half. I mean, if I’m not going to PR, I should at least look cute. Here’s a pic of my outfit which is bright enough for not only Keith, but the legally blind to see. I’m praying my Outrival race gear comes in so I can sport the new team colors for the Houston Oly. That would be swell. Have I mentioned I love the red & black colors? I spent most of my high school years at James Logan High in Union City, California and it just so happened they had the same colors and I LOVE them!

Well, that's all I've got folks. This post has been sitting in draft for several days. Just call me slacker!