Runner’s best friend.

There’s probably nothing a runner loves more than his or her dog.  We may love beer and bread.  But the dogs come way first.

And we’re not talking strays.  Vicious creatures not on their leashes, bound to bite at our Achilles tendons.  We’re talking about those dogs that are just there for you.  They smile.  They’re happy.  They make life better to deal with.  These our our running partners.  Our best friends.  So without further ado?  Our four-legged (or sometimes less) best friends!

Mini Armour
Mini Armour

Mini Armour. Let me preface this story by saying that my mother is afraid of dogs. Like deathly, terribly afraid. One day, my senior year in high school, my mom had dropped us off to Wal-Mart to pick something up. She called me on my flip phone, (it was 2005) and I expected for it to be for her to tell me something she’d forgotten about.  She just told us to come outside.  We went outside, and there in my mom’s lap, was Mini Armour, the cutest friggin thing we’d ever seen.  Apparently, she’d been living with some college students who couldn’t keep her, and Mother and Mini took one look at each other, and they couldn’t live without one another.  She is a Chihuahua mix (she only weighs about 12 or 13 pounds), and she’s one of the best guard dogs you will ever have.  She is currently studying for her GED equivalent (since she was living out on the streets), she loves people food (no matter what it is), and she loves candy.  Her main hang-up?  She loves to run away.  You open the door, and she will run for miles.  Eventually, she will come back, but this naughty pup is totally game for whatever.  (Once ate donuts from Dunkin off of the dining room table while we were at church and lived to tell the tale).

Honey
Honey Swanson

Honey Swanson.  Workout dogs are saints.  They wait for you all day.  You come home, and you’re doing a headstand on the yoga mat.  And they’re all “huh?!”.  Honey is a lovely lady, and “she always stays by my side whenever I do at-home workouts. She never fails to jump on me when I try to do ab work!”

Chip Nam
Chip Nam

Chip Nam. Chip is a very very special doggy, because he’s helping his Mama fight off cancer. That’s right, Chip has powers! Chip is an old man, his Mama says, but he hasn’t quite come to terms with his age. “He loves cuddling, basking in the sun, and long walks on the beach.” Chip doesn’t like water though. Like many of our dog pals, Chip enjoys the challenge of stealing food off the table when no one’s watching. Naughty Chip!

Lukas Gomez
Lukas Gomez

Lukas Gomez. Are you dead at how cute this guy is? He’s not only ridiculously good-looking, but he’s studying Poodle Studies at NCSU! Wolfpack!  Apparently, he likes Popsicles as well.  (His Mama likes taking cycling classes!)

Dash
Dash Gomez

Dash Gomez.  Dash took his education more seriously. Dash is very pensive and studying Biology at NCSU. Dash has been helping me with my Punnet Squares after school. Thanks bud!  But Dash isn’t all just biology and serious times.  Dash loves to play outside on sunny days (omg look at that tongue)…

Dash Gomez
Dash Gomez

And she likes to play fetch! Look at her fetch sweater!

Dash 2

Now finally Bragg

Bragg Gomez
Bragg Gomez

Bragg Gomez.  North Carolina is home to none other than Fort Bragg. Take a second and thank your vets for their service. Now Bragg? Bragg studied political science at Cal B and his favorite past time is fetching the ball. His favorite treat is liver treats by Biljac (available at Petsmart).

Ash Zelin
Ash Zelin

Ash Zelin. Ash is a fine Jewish dog. He loves to smile for the camera (duh). From his mama? “This is my parents’ dog, Ash. She is 8.5 years old, lives in Charlotte, NC, and LOVES to chase squirrels, going for long walks, and going buh-byes in the car. She is a happy mutt and will gladly smile at anyone willing to scratch her behind her ears. She was my “replacement” when I moved away to college, and I love her dearly. As a puppy, she managed to eat 2 pounds of Hershey kisses, wrappers and all, and not get sick. She has also been known to destroy boxes of tampons, eat full tubes of toothpaste, and hide peanut-butter flavored power bars in her crate. Ash just finished radiation for a malignant tumor in her throat and is now cancer-free, hopefully for the rest of her life. We are very excited to get to spend more time with her”

The best thing about Ash? Ash once relieved tampons from their box and gleefully threw them about until Mamas and Daddys came home. But he’s too cute to be angry with! How can you be mad at that smile?

Mini Armour
Mini Armour

It’s my lady, Mini again! Mini, while she’s not studying for her GED equivalent and eating people food, loves to lay in the sunny spots all around the house. Sometimes she will even sit on the fireplace hearth and warm her little tush up in the winter!

mel 3
Nolon Kepley

The Kepleys!  This little monster is Nolan 🙂

Mel 2
Nolon and Ana Kepley

And Nolan with his sister, Ana.

Nolan Kepley
Nolon Kepley (and Mel!)

The flash was too bright for him to see…

Nolan Kepley (Kisses!)
Nolon Kepley (Kisses!)

Ready? “Nolon is my stand-up guy. He is BIG, goofy, loving, and wants NOTHING more than to be given every second of your most undying attentions…well, except for maybe food. But don’t fret! He will swallow his food whole in record time, every time. Although he is quite the looker and LOVES people, he isn’t so friendly with other dogs Unless of course, we make them a part of our pack! All it takes is a brief introduction and a good walk together and mi casa es su casa! In short, guys if you want a guaranteed lady’s number gettin’ ratio of at least 1 per hour, he’s for rent and I recommend downtown. Ladies, if you need a GREAT cuddler and protector, his mother could use a break.

Ana is my go-to bitch (pun intended). She is beautiful, smart, quirky, independent, and protective. She loves the outdoors and just laying around with her loved ones. Now that I think of it, she is a lot like ME! She is the leash-less walker who usually listens impeccably but every now and again exhibits her “I’ll do what I want” qualities.” She would be the perfect companion for hiking with ANYONE, loves to swim and play fetch, and makes sure that no dog, even Nolon, gets too close to her Mamma.”

Brewer Shawty
Brewer Shawty

Brewer Shawty.  His name is cool right? It’s super cool cause Brewer likes to ‘brew’ beer with his daddy, Matt.

Brewer 2
Brewer Shawty

Brewer joined the Shawty fam this past January. Mom says he’s been a little adventure ever since! His hobbies include brewing beer with daddy Matt, tearing up plush toys (especially ducks), chasing birds (real ones), and going on lots of long walks. He also likes to snuggle and sit in laps whenever gets the chance.

Toby Emery
Toby Emery

Toby. Toby Emery! Look at those ears, darling! So Toby was one of the best characters on The Office, even though Michael was terrible to him, and Pam never realized that he had a crush on her. Office aside, Toby Emeryis a very special pup.  Mama and Daddy are very smart, and are putting Toby on the path to a long and lush relationship with education.  Lauren didn’t tell me where he might me going to college, but my feeling is is that Toby is an Ivy Leaguer.  I mean look at those ears!

Toby Rundown: (I have to leave it the way his Mom sent it, because it was so organized and cute, I can’t stand it).

Birthday: March 14th, 2012
Breed:
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Favorite workouts:
walks with the rents, chasing the cat, and “herding” the other dogs at the dog park.
With his little legs, Toby is not the optimal long distance running companion, but he is great at short sprints!

Troll Morton-Dunn
Troll Morton-Dunn

Troll. Now this is the type of dog I die over. Look at his coloring! Don’t you just want to steal him and take him home! “This little man goes by Troll. He enjoys sleeping on anything that is soft, running frenzied laps around our apartment in five-minute intervals, making pig noises and playing with his KONG bone. We rescued Troll about five months ago. He is a big-hearted pup and we could not be happier that he is part of our family.”

Solomon Woods
Soloman Woods

King Solomon Woods IV. This handsome fellow has an equally handsome and nice daddy! Solomon is a 2-year-old Dachshund/German Shepard mix. He has BA in Drama, and he graduated early from Solid Bone University. Is that an online Uni?

And you guys get one last gander at the joi de ma vie, c’est Mini!

Mini Armour
Mini Armour

I think animals are one of the best parts of life. So take some time, surf our favorite pets, and if you’re able, head over to PetFinder to make a new addition to your family!

The big question on everyone’s mind?

Will you do this again?

As in, run a marathon.

Abso-frigginlutely.  Without a doubt. Yes.

I won’t lie to you and tell you I felt (physically) like a million bucks after.  In fact, the day after, I felt quite horrid.  Not like anything was hurt, I’ll-never-walk-again horrid, but like, quads were like ::side eye::  hips were like what in the world?!

Three days out and I feel great.  I did a little walk/jog thing on the treadmill last night to get the juices flowing.  I’m ready for a really short, easy run today, and nothing more.  But I’m so ready to sign up for another.  SO ready.  So ready to do better with my time.  So ready to plan out better.  So ready to take an extra day off work so I can actually enjoy the beer they give you after.  So ready to bring a few more friends and let them get addicted to it (in a good way) like I am!  So ready for better weather (here’s hoping) for the next one!

So I’m not sure when.  But soonish.  I’d like to take on this beast again.

I ran a marathon yesterday.

I ran a marathon.

If you’re thinking about running a marathon, and you’re kind of playing around with the idea, DO IT.  It’s like the best feeling of accomplishment next to graduating with a Masters or an undergraduate degree after a long hard road.  It’s like you work toward it, you work toward it, and OH LOOK! Now it’s here, and you finally get to see your hard work pay off.  It’s really neat.  So a few marathon tips, and a little insight into Shamrock?

Post-race, they gave us all blankets for the trek home!
Post-race, they gave us all blankets for the trek home!

You need a hotel?  Get one that’s walkable.  Now’s not the time to be getting yourself a motel in the hood.  Because you’re gonna be feeling some type of way when you finish, only to realize that you paid to park in a sketchy parking lot, and that you’ve got to ride around, smelling like a locker room, to the Sundial Inn, or worse, the Motel 6.  Just spring for the extra.

Bring a friend.  If you can convince someone to do it with you, I think that makes it way better, and the two of you can encourage each other.  You and aforementioned homie don’t need to be pace buds, but even to check into the hotel with, to eat a few meals with, to walk around the expo, and to encourage each other is fun and fine!  I brought Jenny, who was quite a bit faster than I am, but we bounced some good energy between the two of us, and it worked out!

Aquaphor. 

My only battle scar (because I Aquaphored) was a welt from the seaming in my tights.  Once I realized what was going on, I was 20 miles in, and it was too late for me to be messing with my leg.
My only battle scar (because I Aquaphored) was a welt from the seaming in my tights. Once I realized what was going on, I was 20 miles in, and it was too late for me to be messing with my leg.

Be prepared for things to go not exactly how you planned them out in your head on race day.  You do everything you’re supposed to.  That doesn’t mean the weather or the course will.  The weather this weekend, quite frankly, sucked a big fat one.  It was beautiful and breezy on Saturday.  On race day?  Overcast, cold, and a few rain drops, though the rain held off until after we scooted.  The course also was a little longer than 26.2 miles, which I’m investigating right now.  Oh well, you can’t do anything about it once you’re in the thick of the race, right?  So just solider on!

Marathon 4
We were crossing our fingers and praying for some good weather, but we didn’t get it. Oh well! At least the rain held off. It was rather freezing and windy, though!

Throwaway clothing.  Not kidding.  These cheap articles of clothing are going to save. Your. Life.  Over the top of my adorable little green cap-sleeved tech shirt and compression 3/4 length pantaloons, I threw this horrific hoodie with holes in it over the top, as well as a slouchy pair of sweats.  I was able to, in the pocket of the hoodie, put some hotties, to keep my Raynaud’s-afflicted hands warm while we stood around and waited for the elites and the first corral to get moving.  I had gloves as well, which were thrown away around 20-some-odd miles because I could not get them back on my hands.  Oh well.  RIP Brooks gloves.  You served me well this past winter.  But someone else is enjoying you now.

Marathon 1

Be sweet to the volunteers, cause they’re gonna be so sweet to you!  I understand why these road races cost so much.  They put a LOT into them to make sure that we’re rolling relatively comfortably for 26+ miles.  The volunteers stood out in the freezing cold for close to 5.5 hours, holding little cups of water, Gatorade, bananas, cookies, and gels to make sure we could cruise successfully.  They clapped, they cheered, and at the end, stood out on the even-colder beach to make sure I was given a finishers medal and a wonderfully warm fleece blanket.  My hands were too cold to open the packaging my blanket came in at the end and a volunteer busted open the package and turned me around to put it on my shoulders.  As a final note, my apologies to the little girl who I spilled water on.  Total accident.

Draw on the strength of your friends, family, and other well-wishers.  You’re gonna need it.  Play their voices in your head.  Think about your mom.  Think about your friends.  Think about the random folks who’ve wished you well.  Think of your ancestors.  Think of how hard you worked, and draw strength.  That will get you through.  I have to give a very special shout-out to all the folks at Fleet Feet, Jenny, Kerry, Vinny, Austin, Alexa, Andrew, Erin, Taylor, Liz, Maggie, Mark, Christopher, Chelsie, my Mom, and Melanie.  An extra special thanks to Jerry, my co-worker, with the southern accent, whose voice kept playing over and over and over in my head.  

Be prepared.  You’re gonna see a lot of poop, and a lot of public urination.  I only tell you this so you’re not a total weirdo and staring when you see a guy in an Adidas track suit about face, step only a foot away from you, and whip his stuff out.  Avert your eyes, and keep it moving.

Register!  You’re not gonna understand it until you register.  Do it, and you will be amazed at what your body is capable of doing.

Marathon 2
The final score. Already planning on what I can do a little better next time 🙂

 

 

Underwears!

We’ve done a post on bras, nutrition, winter clothing, hair, and how could I forget the most important piece?  The rundies!

http://www.oiselle.com/shop/rundies

Carly Makeup

So Carly (remember Carly?) tweeted the above link the other day, sorta tongue-in-cheek. We both giggled because even though the idea is sorta cute, (who wouldn’t think little panties with running-inspired print wasn’t), we were both absolutely baffled at the fact that they were cotton. Like. Ew?

But if you feel baffled by my disdain for cotton rundies, let me be your guide.  What should I look for in runderwear (rundies)?  **Ladies only**. Sorry fellahs, I don’t know what you need 😦 perhaps I’ll let one of my runner man friends expound on this thought one of these days.

  • Cotton is rotten.  At least in this case, it is.  (In the case of running socks as well).  In these cases, quite unfortunately, the last thing you want is cotton.  It turns rough and pilly when washed or wet, and will chafe the heck out of your skin.  Those little cotton numbers from Aerie are so adorable and extra flattering in real life, but in running life, they’re chafey, and they cause the worst pantylines ever.  Just because you work out doesn’t mean you suddenly become an idiot and think it’s acceptable for you to have pantylines everywhere.  And those are the worst in a pair of tights.  Worse comes to it, just go without for a short workout.  The ONLY exception is when you’re wearing a pair of serious compression shorts.  They’re so tight, they sort of smush the underwear lines into you, and creates this fake seamless thing.  Just go with it.
  • In a pair of running shorts, you can ditch the underoos.  A good quality pair of running shorts usually comes with a liner built in.  The liner is built to keep you running light, and will hold everything in.  The first time you ditch the undergarments in a pair of running shorts, it may feel super weird, but let me assure you, it will feel and look a lot weirder if you try to double layer the underwear with the liner.  
  • Hanes makes these seamless underwear things.

Hanes Seamless Bikini

They’re $10.97 for a three-pack, and they come really really tiny and stretch when you slip them on. The only downside? They’re not super absorbent, and if you’re super sweaty, that just won’t work.  But for a shorter workout, these will work just fine.

  • Moving Comfort doesn’t just have the widest variety of the most supportive sports bras in the world, they also do rundies.  They have them in bikini variety…

moving-comfort-workout-bikini-ss

As well as in thong variety.  Whatever floats your boat…

MCWB2-BK-1

In both black and white.  And nude too but nude annoys me because there’s never like a black nude that makes any sense.  Both options are pretty seamless, and super absorbent.  I will completely honest with you, however.  The price is wrong.  At $16 a pair, it’s kind of hard to own a pair of these without hiring a bodyguard to make sure that nothing happens to it.  But in a race situation when you’re spending 4 hours on a course, you may as well invest in something that won’t cause chafing, right?

But the key before race day is to try things out.  Moving Comfort isn’t necessarily the only company that makes a more seamless technically fabricked undergarment, however, it will depend on you and your shape as to what feels good.  Happy Tails! 😉

Anxiety.

I was kind of an anxious child.

Let me back it up.  So along with all of these absolutely horrifying stories of school shootings, comes the irritating habit of every television personality, person with a Facebook account, or local news channels pointing the finger at everything to blame, because it’s too much work to think about a culmination of factors, both societal and personal, have made this kid do what he’s done.

And antidepressants have taken the fall far too many times for my liking.

I was sort of an anxious child.  And sort of is a the under exaggeration of the century.  Little things would completely send me into a tailspin.  I cried and flopped around like a fool every time our family dog would run away, once, only for moments until my mom found her destroying a neighbors wading pool.  I once hyperventilated so badly the fire trucks had to be called to like, make sure I wasn’t going to die right then and there.  It’s kind of why I love animals, dogs in particular.  Their presence is calming to me.  Chihuahuas because they’re anxious like I am.  They’re thin, they’re little, they shake when they get scared.  They’re also ridiculously smiley, and in general, really good natured.  I’m like that chick in ‘7 Pounds,’ with the Great Dane?  They have heart problems, she had heart problems, it all worked out.

Noelle

So when I graduated undergrad in 2008, I was struggling.  I was in the wrong relationship.  I was graduating.  I had no money.  I was kinda fat.  I was to be starting graduate school with no money and no place to live.  It was a lot for a naturally anxious kid to handle!  And I hadn’t discovered working out and taking care of myself yet.  I had this perpetual lump in my throat. It was a hot sizzling mess.

Everything came to a head for me when, after a day of fun visiting art museums and things with aforementioned boy, I came home, and just cried into his lap.  I didn’t know what it was, or why, but the tears just kept rolling.  I’m sure the poor thing was really confused, he wasn’t any sort of trained therapist, and I wasn’t either, yet.  Eventually, after a few of these crying jags, I paid a visit to a doctor, who prescribed me Celexa.  And it was about a year, between the Celexa, the loss of about 40ish pounds, Zumba, running, yoga, burning sage, and not taking everything quite so seriously, that I began to feel like the person who was hidden beneath layers and layers and layers of depression-smog.

Did I turn violent and postal after I started Celexa?  No, quite the opposite.  Do most people on antidepressants?  Nope.  The vast majority of us are so ridiculously normal, you would never suspect us for being crazy.  (I kid, I kid!  We’re not nuts!)

Like I said before, I’m a little sick of antidepressants taking the fall.  Beecause.

1. If you’ve been  incorrectly prescribed antidepressants, like if you’re actually bipolar and you’ve been misdiagnosed as being depressed, that’s when bad things happen.  Not when normal folks, with a mild case, take their meds like they’re supposed to.

2. They do a lot of good things for a lot of people. I’m awesome.  I’m happy.  I’m chipper.  And it’s not just the Celexa, but it certainly helps.

3.  Don’t be a jerk.  If you’ve never taken them, don’t talk about them.  You never know who you’re sitting next to, and you could be insulting a loooot of people.  I’m super happy for you that you were able to beat your situation by meditating and breathing, but some of us chose an alternate route, and you should respect that.

Now, I’m off to supplement my lifestyle with some yoga before this marathon!  xoxo, ❤

 

 

Q: You’re running a marathon? How many miles is that?

First, I haven’t heard from my friend, Kyle from the New York Post.  Kyle, darling, if you’re reading, I’d love to hear from you!  Seriously, let’s talk.

Nextly (that a word?!), onto our question!  I promise you I’m not being silly, and I’m not being condescending, but I’ve been getting this question a whole lot.

photo (5)

So I’m sure you’ve seen these little dooders cropping up on cars.  Do you feel a little confused when you see them? Or the 5k? The 26.2? There’s a whole language you adopt when you start racing, and I’m here to translate it for you.  I’m extremely multilingual.

  • Marathon: 26.2 miles – a marathon isn’t an arbitrary term for running around without a purpose.  When someone says they’re running a marathon, generally, they’re running a 26.2 mile course.  This accounts for those 26.2 stickers and magnets you see on cars.
  • Half-marathon: 13.1 miles
  • 10K : 6.2 miles
  • 8k: 4.97 miles
  • 5K: 3.1 miles

So your friend tells you they’re running any of these? Or you see one of these stickers on a car? Here’s your cheat sheet!

Q: When is it time to get new running shoes?

First off, can we just clap it up for me and say that I have my finger on the pulse of female running society?  Look what came up yesterday no sooner than I posted that entry featuring all my ladies without makeup.

Tyra Banks Sighting In New York City - September 17, 2012

It’s none other than Miz Tyra, working out and makeup free.  I guess I just rock.

Moving right along however, this is a question I get pretty often.  How do I know when it’s time to change my running shoes out?  So the rule of thumb when it comes to a regular, traditional running shoe, is that you’re going to get, at the absolute MOST, 350-400 miles out of a shoe.  That’s it.  Sometimes less, but definitely not more.

350-400 miles sounds like a lot, but it’s really not as much as you think.  If you’re only wearing your running shoes to run in, and you’re running 15-20 miles a week, you can do the math, and it adds up quickly!

So here’s how you can extend the life of your running shoes: (they’re gonna average you $110 a pair, so you may want to pay attention)

Alternate between two pairs of running shoes.  When you do this, especially between long runs, you give your shoe a chance to recover.  The foam/cushioning gets a change to regain it’s original shape, and the shoe gets a chance to dry.

– Stop shoving your feet into your shoe when you’re rushing off to the gym. I know you’re guilty of this.  You’re running off to the gym, and you shove your foot in without untying the shoe.  You’re not three years old, there’s no velcro, so take the time out to untie your shoe and put it on.  When you shove your hoof in, or worse yet, when you walk around on the back of your shoes when you go to check the mail, you destroy the back of the shoe, as well as the structure built to support your heel.  So sit down, and take the extra few seconds to tie/untie your shoes.

Save your running shoes for running only. Don’t go to Whole Foods in your shoe.  Don’t go to cycling in your shoe.  Don’t check the mail in your shoe.  Don’t go to the club in your shoe.  And don’t climb a tree in your shoe.  All these activities put mileage on your shoe.  So if you find you’re going to Zumba or Cycling pretty often as well, buy a special shoe for each of these activities.  Usually Adidas, Reebok, and Nike have a pretty decent selection of “lifestyle” shoes if you’re dancing or doing step, and check with your local cycling shop if you need a pair of cycling shoes.

Let your shoes air out in your home, not in your car, between runs.  The EVA foam and cushioning in shoes is temperamental, and doesn’t like to sit in your car, where the temperature can go from one extreme to the next.  So between workouts, take a few seconds and let your shoe air out.  Untie the laces, and open up the shoe for a while so it can breathe and retain shape.

So if you’re kind of sick of only figuring you need a new shoe when your knee starts to ache, try documenting your mileage a tad better, and the guessing game should be over.

shoe heaven
Cher’s Shoe Graveyard

No Makeup Monday!

Ladies, today we celebrate the beauty that a little sweat brings.  Generally, I don’t like to leave the darn house without some eyeliner on, but some time spent on the elliptical has a way of perking you up even better than some liquid liner and a kohl pot.

First up?

Whitney Makeup
Whitney Saulsberry

Whitney is a camp friend, and if you’ve worked at camp, or you’ve been a camper, you know you never forget or lose touch with a camp friend.  Whitney inspired the whole thing with this stunning photo she posted of herself last week.

Carly Swanson
Carly Swanson

Hey look who it is! We know her! It’s the super famous Carly Swanson! Carly’s still kicking some butt, and has signed up for yet another half marathon this weekend, so we’ll be expecting for her to share some prize monies with us.

Jess Makeup
Jessica Adams

This cutie is an NFL Widow with me. No, our husbands don’t play, but each Sunday last year during NFL season, Jess would knit or read a book, and I would do my nails, while the boys stared intently at the television in general silence for hours. Also, I think Jess is running her first 5k soon, so we may have to go out there and hoot and holler while she crosses that finish line!

Kimmy Makeup
Kimmy Armour

Ugh. Kimmy is one of those irritating freaks of nature who has good skin and looks like she has makeup on, even when she doesn’t. Now if you’ll remember correctly, Kimmy is my sister, and has made a few appearances on the blog. Kimmy is wrapping up her senior year at Auburn, and has lost a few lbs eating healthy, and heading down to Campus Rec to take classes a few times a week.

Mollie Workout
Mollie Cavanaugh

Mollie attended Elon with me for a year, and she rocks. I mean, total package, and we get each other. Mollie love doing nails, she’s hysterical (like comedian hysterical), and has perfect skin. I hope she doesn’t murder me for this, but one of my favorite Mollie moments was when Mollie was dancing in the hallway outside of our rooms, and she attempted to do a split. It didn’t work out and she goes, “Dammit, I forgot how un-flexible I am!”

Jenny DeVanna
Jenny DeVanna

Jenny is like my work sister. We run together, we complain about it, and we have a blast doing it. We’re also polar opposites but we sort of get each other. Jenny’s moving to San Antonio this summer, so the blog may be going on tour next year for a bit 😉

Erica Smith
Erica Smith

Erica is a peach. She’s also a camp friend, and she’s just a sweet girl, through and through. I think we took this photo after a Zumba class, and as you can see, the air conditioning was in tip-top shape that day 🙂

Alexa Terry (Soon-to-Be Wilde)
Alexa Terry (Soon-to-Be Wilde)

This chick needs no intro. She’s beautiful, she’s sweet, she’s got this tiny little speaking voice, and then she sings like Aretha. She’s cool, and guess what? I’m gonna be in her wedding! Here’s Alexa after a little yoga therapy last week!

Cheri Makeup

And finally, this beauty hails from my living room. This is actually challenging for me. I’m one of those folks who like to throw on a teeny bit of eyeliner, some gloss, and mascara for a race, so to be photographed without it is nuts to me! I look about 12, but you know what, that’s what I look like darn it!

So if you’re one of those ladies like me who doesn’t like to go to the gym with at least something of a mask on, next time, skip the extra step, and just hit it fresh-faced. There’s nothing offensive about a bare face, and quite honestly, it doesn’t make a whole lotta sense to be hitting the treadmill with Amy Winenouse (<3) eyeliner and Baby Lips on. Celebrate the beauty that we were born with!