First Run with my Puppy!

I took my Aussie pup for his first run today and he absolutely loved it!  Having him there to drag me along (at a much faster pace than normal!) really helped me to relax and enjoy it!  The weather was beautfiul (I'm guessing about 50*F) and the trail was busy with other people and dogs!  We ended up doing 6 miles in just over an hour and it felt great!  Just one more thing I am blessed for this holiday season!

On another note, I've been trying to figure out gift ideas for our Secret Santa on Runners World.  I don't have any wonderful ideas yet but I did find something that would make most runners' Christmas' merry! 

Without further ado, The 12 Days of Christmas for Runners!

On the 12th day of Christmas, my running buddy gave to me:




12 Packs of Energy Gels

11 Massage Sessions (Consult your local sports-massage therapists)

10 Race Entries

9 Inspiring Cards

8 Pairs of Socks

7 Nutritional Supplements

6 Running DVDs

5 Golden Medals (These can't be bought of course, but motivation and support will help)

4 Books on Running

3 Pairs of Running Shoes

2 Hand-Warming Gloves

... and a trip to a far-away marathon.



If only Santa would leave all that in MY stocking!

The Evolution of the Home Gym

I've always been one to enjoy exploring but since I moved in with DBF I just haven't had the wanderlust I once had. It's not such a bad thing to enjoy being close to home more often but my running was suffering as a consequence. After a lot of talking and planning, Shane and I finally decided to put together a home gym in the corner of our basement. It was a big undertaking but so worth it! I've used it everyday except today and that's because I'm too sore from all the workouts I've been doing!

Before:
Primer:
Paint:

TV Shelf and treadmill and mats:

Finished product:



I'll have to take some more pictures because we added another layer of mats around the edge plus some mirrors and posters. I <3 my home gym (and my wonderful boyfriend for being so handy)!