<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"  style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tZVufRlMtzM/SOvvxw8i0kI/AAAAAAAAAWg/UFcGDNAstY4/s400/tulsarun.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tZVufRlMtzM/SOvvxw8i0kI/AAAAAAAAAWg/UFcGDNAstY4/s400/tulsarun.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Well, folks, it's that time of year again: It's the time about two months before <a href="http://www.tulsarun.com/">the Tulsa Run</a> when I decide to put my calves through hell by picking up where I left off from training for last year's TR - because I haven't, of course, trained a single day since - and driving it home until race day. <div><br /></div><div>Ah, grueling physical challenge, how apparently I must love thee. Last year I started training for the TR 5K with an extra 30 pounds slung around my waist and thighs and upper arms and, well, anywhere else maternity fat can accumulate. By race day I weighed less than I did when I found out about the little blonde, curly-headed boy taking shape in that part of my body I hadn't thought much about since "girls' week" - five days of science class devoid of our male classmates who were down the hall learning about testes and chest hair and cracking voices - in fifth grade. </div><div><br /></div><div>Plus, I felt really good. Mostly. By that I mean, my calves and knees and hips hurt like hell, but I was sporting a racing sock tan. Ahem - I said <i>tan</i>. Generally, I don't tan. I burn like Queen Elizabeth in Ecuador. Then I call my little sister over to peel the crusty skin off my shoulders, an experience totally worth the pain of the sunburn and smelling like aloe vera for four days.</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.tulsarun.com/images/feature_banner.jpg" /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Something tells me I'm not alone in hitting the training track cold turkey like this, with actual expectations of being able to run the 5K or 15K without suffering myocardial infarction. For those of you like me, <a href="http://www.hillcrest.com/content/tulsarun/default.htm">check out the training schedules on the TR site</a>. I'll be using <a href="http://www.hillcrest.com/content//tulsarun/5km.htm">the one for those running the 5K</a>.</div><div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tashadoestulsa/3815538661/" title="Picture 1 by Tasha Does Tulsa, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3442/3815538661_c445b02316_o.png" width="336" height="462" alt="Picture 1" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Well, looky there. I'm supposed to be on week three already. So, basically, I'm practically a month behind at this point.</div><div><br /></div><div>Oh, <a href="http://www.runnersworld.com/">Runner's World...Runner's World</a>? Help. Please help me, Runner's World.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-380-381-386-9397-0,00.html?cm_mmc=beginner-_-2009_08_12-_-beginner-_-TRAINING%3a%20Plan%20a%20Fall%205-K">The Runner's World 8-Week Beginning Runner's Training Program: 8 Weeks to Your First 5K</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Ah, that's better. In fact, this means I can continue to procrastinate and wait to start training for another couple of weeks. I feel so much better.</div><div><br /></div><div>Know what makes running a little easier? Running with others. It's very motivational. I know runners in the 5K race can't officially form teams, but in case you haven't noticed, I'm not really into the official way of doing things.</div><div><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tashadoestulsa/3815478057/" title="tashadoestulsarun09i by Tasha Does Tulsa, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3492/3815478057_a9696fe50d.jpg" width="310" height="285" alt="tashadoestulsarun09i" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Who's with me? Who wants to race with the unofficial, awesome t-shirt-donning TDTR team in the 5K race come October?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="mailto:%20tashadoestulsa@gmail.com">E-mail me</a> before the end of the month - the time when, according to the angels at Runner's World, you can wait until to get off your behonkus to start training - if you have the guts to run with a team organized by some blogger chick who can barely break a 12-minute mile. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">See you on the track. That is, in a fortnight - a fortnight of not giving a second thought to the well-being of my calves, poor things. And don't forget <a href="http://www.tulsarun.com/register.asp">to register for the Tulsa Run on the TR09 Web site</a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.tulsarun.com/">Image of the Tulsa Run starting line from TulsaRun.com</a>.</div>