Nike+ = Liz+

I've been out of commission on the CrossFit front since last saturday, after a crazy intense workout with CrossFit Stumptown.

My competitive edge won over the common sense telling me to slow down and I ended the workout sweaty, heart racing and with an severely inflamed bicep. And while I'm sure it was comical for manfriend to watch me struggle to put on my jacket (or really move at all), its kept me out of the gym for about a week.

I hate that. 

I've seemed to lost all sense of routine since leaving Portland FitBody Bootcamp. My mornings used to be very particular: Wake up at asscrack of dawn five days a week and sweat with some badass women. But a series of events has made that less of an option these days.

So now I am getting all creative in my workout endeavors. A major saving grace in the grumpy factor has been running. I've long wanted running to be my thing, but always felt like I was failing miserably. I admired my sister and the grueling marathons she'd battle like a pro, but didn't imagine I'd ever get to that point. ( I am still not even close to that).

But I would say that running is slowly, but surely, becoming my thing. The other night, after a particularly tenuous day at work, I laced up my reeboks, zipped up my hoodie and hit start run on my Nike+ Running App.

And off I went.

Goal time of 45 minutes. The first fifteen minutes kind of sucked to be honest. It was cold; dark clouds threatened to test the hopeful waterproof protection of my zip up, but I kept going.

Explosive cheers from fabulous facebook friends "liking" that I'd started a run with Nike+,  interrupted my music from time to time, making me smile and push a little harder

And right as I ran up to my house, Sanya Richards Ross congratulated me on completing my goal of 45 minutes and racking up 4.51 miles.


To be brutally honest, the last time I attempted to run just four miles in a row, it took me nearly an hour and I thought I was going to die.  Forty-five pounds lighter and infinitely stronger, I now feel unstoppable.

rawrsome running.

I have been all about pounding the pavement lately. Its been delightful. Each time I lace up my tennies, I am pleasantly surprised at my ability to run farther and faster than the previous run. I've most definitely been inspired by the lovely Roya over at Life of Roya . She's been blowing up the blogosphere with her fabulous musings for more than a year now--- go check her out. 

 Last week, I did the color run with the lovely Jen and her friend Lauren. Admittedly, it was more color than run, due to the 15,000 other color enthusiasts sharing the track.

We are ready to ROCK this race

Ohhhhh yeah B-)

Color Cloud party at the end. I swear I am still hacking up tickle me pink colored phlegm. 

The day after the race (still covered in pink powder...), I boarded a plane to good ol' Denver, CO for a work conference.

I battled the elevation and ran through the streets of LoDo. Much to my surprise, I managed to PR on my 5K time, clocking at just over 30 minutes. Surprising because 1. I haven't run more than three miles straight since I smashed my ankle to pieces 8 months ago and 2. I'm running at 5000 ft. elevation. My sea-level lungs felt it the next day....



Unfortunately, these days I am without reliable transportation. Getting to Stumptown Crossfit has been no easy feat, so I've been creative in my bootykickin' I stumbled out of bed this morning and on to the streets of nopo. I trotted through the brisk october air and shocking loved every minute of it. Three and half miles later, I clambered up the steps to my apartment to get ready for the rest of the day, barely breaking a sweat.


I've said it a million times before, but I absolutely love challenging my body and pushing myself to the limits and its doubly rewarding when my body responds so positively!

Oh and down another 4 pounds. :)