goodstarbuck

I don't see anything nasty in any of those photos. I do see your body changing, though. Keep up the good work! :)

Gonna have to agree with urbanhipperu, strength training (lunges, squats) are the way to go. Running stairs and inclines (hills), preferably outside, will also help. I go through the same transition every year, too. The dreadmill sucks.

It's doable. I've signed up for two half-marathons one week apart, a week break, then a full marathon up in Cleveland. I think it's mostly about gauging your body's conditioning level. You don't have to be some chiseled athlete and you don't have to be fast, but you do have to put in the practice time and you do have to…

For running? Underarmour shorts. Workouts? Commando. The rest of the time? Trunks.

There's an easier way to sum up the rules of dating. There are no rules of dating. Everyone is different and you have a near infinite number of combinations available. You could do everything 'right' and still establish zero relationship with a person, because again, people are different and have different standards for…

Play it by ear. If you feel somewhat human and just a little weaker than normal, I'd still go for it. Just don't push yourself too hard and if your body says 'No' at any point, listen to it.

The Metroid main theme from the original game. >.> I swear I'm not a nerd.

If you're in the midwest area, a really good beginner's race is the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati (May 6th). Good swag, nice people and great support on race day. The course is challenging, but not overwhelming for someone just starting out and it is a Boston Qualifier if you're interested in that sort of thing. I…

My thoughts exactly, madame.

Welcome to the 21st century.

I've had them for six months. They are great for trails, but not so much for treadmills. I'd consider, especially if this is your first 'barefoot' style shoe, getting a pair of Merrell trail gloves or something along those lines. I've had a pair of them since this past July and now exclusively run in them on the treadmill,…

I've had my Vibram KSO's for six months. My first run was on a soggy New Year's Day that was an unseasonably warm 60 degrees in Cincinnati, it was fantastic. While I haven't been able to put the time in yet to transition to longer runs in them, for intervals I've found they're better than my Nike Structures. I did get in a…

It sounds like a good set up. 20 minutes should be more than enough time. When I do intervals, I just sprint for 20 seconds, jog for 10, do that about 6 times, then walk a minute before starting the whole thing again. I've noticed improvements to my overall speed in a pretty short amount of time (just in time for a 5k!)…

It looks like the formatting on the links is slightly off. Maybe try making sure the link path doesn't have anything crazy in it. Example: http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j454/amberlovesjames/MY%2520FACE/100_0939-1.jpg This should be http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j454/amberlovesjames/MY FACE/100_0939-1.jpg

Ha! I've been using the same training schedule from Hal Higdon. The guy gets around.

Nikstergirl is absolutely right, speed is less important than enduring.

I don't know your training situation, but if this if your first 1/2 marathon and you're just starting your run/walks, 53 minutes isn't bad especially after 90 squats the day previous. Are you following a training regimen for the 1/2? From my own experience, make sure you have a pair of shoes for your foot type and do…

I think it's not really any 'better' for you than a sports drink. It's just a matter of taste. Personally, I hate gatorade, but like the taste of coconut water. If I'm feeling cheap, I make do with chocolate milk.

@Karen - I like the area too. I'm originally from Cleveland, but generally speaking I like the climate down here a little better. @Crystal - I was thinking something along those lines. Marathon training seems to be really good for breaking out of the winter rut. I figured I'd do a progression. First a half, then a full.…