GUESS WHAT!?

So, I've been spending my time busy not running...BUT I have discovered something COOLER. NORDIC WALKING.
Not Kidding.
Way
Cool.
Of course this fits in better with my personality as well. Wanna know why? Ok, I'll tell you.
It's because you can't help but look REALLY STUPID while doing it! SO, now people think "Hey, that girl looks stupid with those poles in her hands" and not "Hey, look at that poor woman trying to run, she looks like an injured antelope".
I KNOW. I FINALLY FIT SOMEWHERE!

To those of you who don't know, Nordic Walking is like cross country skiing...only there are no skis and there is no snow.
Yep.
Rad. I know.
Just ski poles and you.

At first this posed a problem for me because I had the very real fear of stabbing myself in the foot with the poles. THANKFULLY they are rounded on the ends because let me tell you....I have stabbed myself... A LOT.

For someone born with no coordination it took me several days to figure this out. I felt like one of the guys from the Ministry of silly walks at first. My arms and legs would go at the same time. Which made it look absolutely ridiculous. So, I would have to put my poles down and walk normal for a minute (just so my arms could remember what that's like) and then sneak those poles back in. I outsmarted those arms of mine!

I have to tell you it's a great work out. My arms are already feeling stronger. Which helps because Violet has surpassed giant baby weight and moved straight onto enormous.

AND people do the nordic walking in marathons! YEAH! I can still train! I guess I need to change my blog title to "Skiing without Snow" or something like that....

OH and the big news....I have lost 10 pounds since I started this journey....and 6 of those pounds in the past 7 days!
What's the key? I went vegan. And it's not as hard as you think. Yes, once in awhile I sneak in the coffee creamer or a gummy bear....but mostly I'm just eating Rice, salad and A LOT of beans...

Quick reminder if you come to my house PLEASE remember I'm eating lots of beans...YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

Walking a marathon anyone?

So after more attempts at running only ending in knees o'fire I consulted my sports medicine Dr. (this is actually my husband....BUT he was a minor league ball player and has been an athlete for much of his life....so he knows...right?) and he told me that the running was too much too soon for my knees. He said that I need to build up my strength first...then he went onto say a lot more sports/athletic terms and I quit paying attention. BUT as far as he knows I was RAPT. SO, I think what he was attempting to tell me was to ease into the running.
Ok. Haven't I been doing that?
So, my "dr" kinda failed me so who should I consult next? The Internet of course!
I was desperate to proove Chris wrong! I was thinking, "I'll show him! And then I can say I told you so!"
But I couldn't.
He was right.
Piss.

SO, then I decided to call a real dr. and chat. This dr. told me that I just need to strengthen my knees and gave me various excercises to try...but then she went onto tell me that some people are just "weak in the knees" (great!) and running isn't an option for them....and to prepare myself to fit into that category.

Now, 2 months ago had someone told me that I was "weak in the knees" and that running wouldn't have been an option I would have most likely done/said 2 things. #1: SWEET cause I'm ALWAYS looking for a reason NOT to run! and #2: HIGH FIVES ALL AROUND!

But now...I'm kinda sad about it. I was really starting to enjoy that runners high and the running lifestyle. I mean I have a blog called RUNNING on Empty....not "Knees of fire so I have to walk now...boo hiss"

So, for now my running dreams are benched. However, I really am going to try building up my "knee strength" and am going to challenge myself to walking a marathon. That's the funny thing, walking and walking quickly give me no problems....must be the low impact....and the fact that I WALK LIKE A NORMAL PERSON...maybe my bizarre running style is to blame for these knees.
SO, then I have to point a finger at my parents because they aren't atheltes either and more than likely this is because of them! It's all THEIR fault!

THANKS MOM AND DAD FOR THE GENETICS!

I wonder if they have mommy and me stroller brigade marathons? Because if they do....I AM SO FREAKING THERE! I'm a stroller pushing BAD ASS!
Violet wears a do rag and flashes gang signs and everything....we are FIERCE in that stroller. (not the blue stroller of death though....that one just makes her cry)

The mile that wasn't a mile

I know you have all been waiting on pins and needles to hear if I survived my first attempt at running the mile. Probably checking your email for my blog update, fingers crossed, eyes to the sky...mucho praying.

I hate to disappoint all of this vigorous waiting...but it hasn't happened yet.

AND it might not happen for awhile.

I have hit a small snag in my training. I have fluid on my knees. : ( And it hurts. Not like a "Oh, that's kinda annoying" type of hurt but more like a "MY FREAKING KNEES ARE GOING TO EXPLODE" type of hurt.

Major dislike and sad face inserted here.

So, I have to do some talking with a dr. and see what my plan of attack is.

Will update soon.

Please don't cry yourselves to sleep.

PS - Secretly I'm ecstatic because I was really dreading running that son of a gun.