Welcome Back to MEEEEEEE! Or why I haven't posted in almost a year

Helloooooooo! How have you been? I've missed this blog and posting more than I can possibly convey. So much has happened since my last post (JUNE of 2011! Almost a year), and I have so much to share with you. I've actually checked a few things off my list miraculously and even started on some new things! Over the next week I will try to reacquaint you with my special brand of crazy :-) Can't wait! Love, Ruth

# 12: Learn how to really dance

Or- "I may be bad, but I'm perfectly good at it"

Ok, this is a hard one to explain.  I can easily move to the beat of any song.  I look and feel comfortable dancing.  I can even Dougie.  But for my entire life, I've been obssesed with dance movies, from Jailhouse Rock to West Side Story to Step Up 1,2, and 3 (Don't judge me!!).  As a kid, and admittedly an adult, I'd put on MTV and BET and dance along with the videos.  Hell, my younger sisters still do it too.  And I think my love affair with all things dance and dance related needs to see the light of day.  I already dance like nobody's watching.  Now I need to learn how to dance like I have a clue about what I'm doing.

Now you may think my love of dance only extends to modern gyrations.  And although I do love gettin' down, I think it's important that I learn the classics too.  I want to salsa, merengue, waltz, swing, and cha cha with the best of them.  Or at least the best at the beginner 101 classes that I intend to take.  And yes, I intend to throw some hip hop, jazz, and maybe even some roller dance classes into the mix too. 

First up, I'm going to test out a class based soley on moves inspired by the King of Pop.  I mean, c'mon.  If I can moonwalk, I can do ANYTHING, right?

So, (in my Jerry Maguire voice) Who's coming with me?!?!
Love,
Ruth





Michael Jackson still via Photobucket

Anything you can do, I can do...ok?

 Or why I want to learn how to play the guitar, piano, and harmonica.  And ride a motorcycle

# 7 and #18 have been on my list of things to do for a REALLY long time.  Maybe since high school.  I just didn't know it.  I was too busy being completely enamored with boys who could do all of these things.  It wasn't until I was older (and more self aware) that I realized although the guys were hot, I was actually swooning over their talents and their motorcycles.  I mean how cool is it when someone actually knows what they are doing with a harmonica??  And a great motorcycle?  One of the most beautiful things to behold.  Plus, I think it is pretty cool when chicks have these talents.  Cooler still if I can master them!

 And for inspiration....

Love,
Ruth

Harmonica photo via musicwithease.com and Photo of Angelina Jolie via motorbiker.org

I ran in the rain on Tuesday because it is one of my favorite things.  When I am running in a downpour I completely forget about negative spits, tempo runs, hell I don't even check the distance. I jump in puddles.  I catch raindrops in my mouth.  And I smile the entire time.

Love,
Ruth

Photo via National Geographic

#17- Do one thing a day that scares me

#17 is going to be a tough one.  It means pushing myself everyday to do something (big or small) outside of my comfort zone.  So today I tried tofu, or to be more specific, Kim Kim Tofu and Asparagus from Lithe Method.  I know to some people, this may seem a little silly.  C'mon, TOFU??  THAT'S what scares you, Ruth?  And the answer to this is, prior to today, tofu gave me the willies.  But I have seen the light!!  The Tofu was delicious, perfectly seasoned with a bit of kick at the end.

But the tofu was just a convenient segue to get me thinking about my number 17 and the creator of Lithe Method, and all it's delightful offspring, Lauren Boggi.  The Lithe Method Brand, (which started as a mad scientist-esque way of combining all of Lauren's favorite ways to push herself both mentally and physically), has morphed into this phenomenon that encompasses fitness, food, clothing, and so much more.  Did I mention she rolled out Lithe Foods while in her third trimester??

All of this was running through my head as I nibbled on my scrumptious snack.  I began to wonder to what extent am I truly pushing myself?  While I have no immediate plans to become an exercise guru or fitness mogul a la Lauren, I do have quite a few dreams that I have ignored.  While I don't want to believe it is fear keeping me from the things I want to do, I have to admit it is doubt that occasionally tosses me on the sidelines.  While I am a naturally outgoing person, I have stopped asking for the things I want and activities that I want to do.  Part of this is my way of "playing nice"- putting a group ahead of my own wants.  What can I say, I've played team sports my whole life!  But the downside is that my creative juices have been slowing down.  We're talkin' about molasses here folks.  Congealed cheez whiz.

So I'm going to spend the next week trying to get my scare on.  And NO, this does NOT include scary movies.  Some things just aren't meant to be overcome in this decade.

So what have you done to scare yourself lately?  How have you gotten out of your comfort zone?

Talk to you soon
Love,
Ruth

Ruthie's Running Rules

Here's a set of my own personal rules that I've scrounge together from my own short experience running and getting ready for races

1. Use the bathroom before you leave your house.  Trust me.  Even if you don't have to "go", "go" anyway!!

2. On race day, when using a port-a-potty, DO NOT LOOK DOWN!!  I'm serious.  Unless you want to vomit/cry/pass out/be scarred for life, you'd be wise to stare at the walls.

3. There is a fine line between tying your shoes too tight and leaving them too loose.  I've yet to find my happy medium but I practice everyday like a good little runner

4. Set at least two alarms for race day.  And then don't freak out when you oversleep. 

5. Remember that running is fun.  You don't always need musical accompaniment.  I prefer to scare those around me by singing every now and again.

6. Everything will ache after a long race.  Even really weird muscles that you never use



I'm sure these will get longer as continue running, but for now these are my Golden Standard (ha!)

Am I missing anything crucial?  Let me know

Love,
Ruth

# 6- Run a Marathon....

This at one point seemed like the scariest of all the the activities on The List.  I mean seriously, 26.2 miles??  I don't even drive that far to work every day!  And how on earth am I supposed to train?  What if I hurt my knee again?  What if I don't finish?  This and about about a hundred other questions went churning through my mind.  So I decided to do something sane for once: I would ease into running.  Anyone who knows me can tell you the ridiculous amount of restraint this took.  Ordinarily I would jump right in and start running 8 miles-a-day.  Everyday.  For a month.  That is until I grew so disgusted or injured due to over-training that I would decide to flip running the bird and move onto something else.  But for this, I decided to actually use the brain and common sense God gave me and I joined Team Philly.  I signed up for the Broad St. Run to give myself a goal and proceeded to contemplate my sanity.  10 MILES. 

And then I started the training.  And I remembered I love to run.  Check that: I love to SPRINT.  My favorite part of the first few weeks was running hard for the last half mile.  That feeling of kicking into overdrive and not giving a crap if I looked like a lunatic (I have a creepy tendency to smile maniacally when engaged in athletic activities).  And I was having fun.  Even when I didn't know the person next to me, I still fed off the energy of running in a pack.

When we did the 8.4 mile Loop up around Kelly and West River Dr, I spent the entire run looking at the crew teams on the river, the trees, the families hanging out on the Drive super early.  And even though I destroyed the sleeve of one of my favorite shirts (too a turn SUPER tight onto the Falls Bridge), it was still on of the best runs of my life.

Now that I have Broad St and the Oddyssey Half-Marathon under my belt, I'm pretty sure I can do this.  Scratch that.  I know I'm going to kick the Philly Marathons silly little butt. 

So...anyone have any words of wisdom for me?  Any little insider tidbits I need to know about Marathons in general, The Philly Marathon in particular?  Let me know

Love,
Ruth