tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6903583544921353312024-03-13T21:38:01.113-05:00Tumbleweave and White Castle WrappersI'm a runner living downtown in the most dangerous city in the US. Training in St. Louis makes long runs and night runs sketchy at best, and downright dangerous at worst. Despite it all, I'm convinced there's beauty in this city, and it's not all scary homeless men, broken glass, and a ground covered with Tumbleweave and White Castle Wrappers.ashleyjane36http://www.blogger.com/profile/02674973103768198980noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690358354492135331.post-81220493156909575882010-12-09T19:52:00.000-06:002010-12-09T19:52:27.316-06:00Guest Post!My Memphis Marathon race report can be found in the previous post. After reading my blog, I Love Memphis asked me to write a guest post for them of my marathon experience. It is an entirely different take on the race than what I said in my race report. That post can be found by clicking HERE.ashleyjane36http://www.blogger.com/profile/02674973103768198980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690358354492135331.post-73429446561470389772010-12-07T16:41:00.008-06:002011-01-03T12:45:48.131-06:00I. AM. A. MARATHONER.As it turns out, I'm a better marathon drinker than marathon runner. You're not surprised? Neither am I. I've been drinking for a lot longer than I've been running. I don't judge you for not being able to chase tequila with an Irish Car Bomb in 3 seconds flat after your 12th beer before noon, so don't judge me for finishing in a time that's twice what is required to ashleyjane36http://www.blogger.com/profile/02674973103768198980noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690358354492135331.post-83577122027745721822010-11-29T22:38:00.005-06:002010-12-02T12:07:02.523-06:00I'm Almost a Marathoner!
As I begin to type this, it's 4 days, 8 hours, 33 minutes, and 54 seconds until my marathon. My emotions are ranging between nervousness and terror. As it draws near, I'm trying to win the mental battle, reminding myself that I CAN do this. One of my coping mechanisms has been to think of all the things I've done that could be worse than running a marathon. I spent ashleyjane36http://www.blogger.com/profile/02674973103768198980noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690358354492135331.post-36595115355336418212010-11-22T19:55:00.002-06:002010-11-23T14:41:07.450-06:00Absolutely, I Will
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Like most things that I do, telling my friends my next blog post would be about my bad decisions seemed like a good idea at the time. There are so many things that seem like a good idea at theashleyjane36http://www.blogger.com/profile/02674973103768198980noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690358354492135331.post-87452355169733706652010-10-21T22:25:00.003-05:002010-12-02T20:52:19.798-06:00Feed the F*cking Dog(Disclaimer: there are a few swear words in this post. For those of you that know me in real life, you know that I cuss enough to make a sailor blush, but I try to avoid it in writing. In this case, I'm quoting and I felt it was necessary. It's really not that bad, but I felt like I should warn you anyway.)
Jenn begged me to blog again, and this is one of her favorite stories.ashleyjane36http://www.blogger.com/profile/02674973103768198980noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690358354492135331.post-47840061053995084432010-10-18T20:45:00.013-05:002010-10-19T12:40:45.205-05:00A Post About NothingI can't gather my thoughts into one cohesive post. Here's what's been on my mind this week:Do you think I would be a better runner if I liked bananas? I'll choke 'em down before and after a race, but I would be a lot more eager if instead of post-race bananas they gave you post-race tacos. Post-race bacon, anyone?Now Grandpa, that was a man that liked bananas.Why is my dog always trying to ashleyjane36http://www.blogger.com/profile/02674973103768198980noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690358354492135331.post-66982622436346197672010-10-14T09:14:00.012-05:002010-10-14T13:43:19.280-05:00Why I RunI have no idea why I'm still running, but I do know why I started. My decision to start running was two-fold. It centered around my job, and my career goals. I'll elaborate a bit on both.I work in the Cardiac Cath Lab at St Louis Children's Hospital. We treat children with heart defects (congenital and acquired) and arrythmias. I have countless stories of tragedy, and just as many of ashleyjane36http://www.blogger.com/profile/02674973103768198980noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690358354492135331.post-64431973489713435382010-10-11T17:13:00.008-05:002010-10-11T20:57:25.416-05:0044 Goals in 44 Days.I have 44 days until my marathon! That is just far enough away for me to get some solid training in, and just close enough for me to start freaking out. So, in the next 44 days I have 44 things that I want to accomplish.1. Stop freaking the hell out. I know I will finish it, so I have no reason to start hyperventilating quite yet. I completed a 39 mile walk for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancerashleyjane36http://www.blogger.com/profile/02674973103768198980noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690358354492135331.post-76575145225252375992010-10-03T18:18:00.012-05:002010-10-03T23:55:00.488-05:00Four Reasons I'll Never Be A Great Runner, and the One Reason That I Will.I was told it's time for another blog post by Jamie. He's one of those friends I pretend to have. He's a bad ass and an inspiration. The trails of Maine are being owned by this guy.1. I don't really like running. Seriously, I don't. It's not that fun. It feels good, and it keeps me sane, but I do get bored as hell. Most of the time I have to force myself to get out there. It's very easy ashleyjane36http://www.blogger.com/profile/02674973103768198980noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690358354492135331.post-57335972877808036932010-08-27T01:01:00.028-05:002010-09-01T09:34:04.224-05:00An Accidental 17My training plan had me due for a 12 mile long run last week. I had company coming to town and was planning to party most of the weekend, so I moved the long run to Thursday. It was finals week, so I planned on running the long route to school, and getting a ride home. I ran a great 12, took my test, and decided that I felt good enough to run the 5 home. For the FIRST time I am actually ashleyjane36http://www.blogger.com/profile/02674973103768198980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690358354492135331.post-61847186622058764422010-08-24T13:57:00.002-05:002010-08-24T14:01:14.577-05:00Criminal ProgressIn all honesty, I live in a pretty decent neighborhood. The issue with STL is that it's "spotty." Good areas are never far from bad areas. That being said, I still have gated parking, security cameras, double-locked doors. We had several cars broken into and one stolen from our lot two nights ago. As my friend Jason put it, "just to add a little more damage to that report: it was 11 cars andashleyjane36http://www.blogger.com/profile/02674973103768198980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690358354492135331.post-65985169369563628182010-08-22T20:44:00.018-05:002010-08-22T22:09:49.117-05:00I Made Week One My Bitch.Week one is done! I ran 25 miles this week and biked 49, and I feel great. I knew I felt like shit when I took two weeks off, but having all these endorphins pumping again made me realize just how awful I felt. This week I felt greeeaaaaat. It may be because I got so much exercise, but I think it has a lot to do with a certain man from my past baring his soul and stating his intention to moveashleyjane36http://www.blogger.com/profile/02674973103768198980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690358354492135331.post-92168355278496179022010-08-16T22:16:00.003-05:002010-08-16T22:28:12.447-05:00Marathon Training: Day 1!See, I told you! When I leave my house and head downtown, the first thing I see as I come under the bridge is a White Castle in front of the Arch. It seemed fitting for day one. Honestly, I don't have a lot to say. I went for an easy 6 today, and it felt pretty good. A little bit of pain from breaking in my new Super Feet, and my knee hurt like hell, but the first is to be expected and I'm ashleyjane36http://www.blogger.com/profile/02674973103768198980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690358354492135331.post-39084426956232979302010-08-13T11:06:00.007-05:002010-08-13T11:52:55.487-05:00Chewy little bears full of booze.Official marathon training starts on Monday, so I'm taking the weekend to just get shamefully intoxicated...starting last night! It's not my fault my mother and step-dad are enablers. Ten minutes after walking in the door last night my step-dad rang a cow bell and declared that it was time for a shot! My mom soaked gummy bears in vodka for over a week in preparation for my arrival. She even ashleyjane36http://www.blogger.com/profile/02674973103768198980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690358354492135331.post-82030570055864436902010-08-10T15:29:00.005-05:002010-08-10T15:41:33.096-05:00We're Worse Than DetroitAt least I don't have to worry about being raped on my runs (runs I'm not currently going on because it's literally a hundred and f*cking seventeen degrees outside). Perhaps we don't rank in that category because STL is #1 in the US for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea. We have so much to be proud of.ashleyjane36http://www.blogger.com/profile/02674973103768198980noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690358354492135331.post-14916775622638964302010-08-09T21:34:00.006-05:002010-12-02T21:01:23.992-06:00About An HourAllow me to get sentimental for a minute.
When I was growing up, I spent a lot of time with my Grandpa. I spent my entire summer, and every other weekend at his house. He taught me to swing a golf club and throw a softball. When I was a swimmer he took me to practice and picked me up every day. He picked me up from softball practice and took me to every game. He drove ashleyjane36http://www.blogger.com/profile/02674973103768198980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690358354492135331.post-62516791139625388552010-08-09T17:31:00.005-05:002010-08-09T19:14:14.697-05:00I'm a blogger? The door to my bathroom is where I hang my running inspiration.This fortune came from a P.F. Changs cookie at the Expo for the Rock & Roll Chicago Half Marathon. Cliche, but fitting.Josh Cox told me to be great. I'll try.So, here it is: I'm blogging now. I'm narcissistic enough to assume that my life just might be interesting enough for you to read. The reality is, writing this down ashleyjane36http://www.blogger.com/profile/02674973103768198980noreply@blogger.com0