LSD, Ferraris and Big Houses

So a few weeks ago, I badgered asked Ashley if she wanted to be the last runner to make our "Team Honey Badger" Ragnar Relay team complete- my thoughts behind it were she is from the area, loves running, is disciplined, and has never done one before. After a few emails back and forth she rejected me said no due to other planned races and such. *sigh*

Rather than get all teary eyed, I asked my next victim runner I had in mind- Jill H  if she wanted to join. Jill ran the TN Ragnar last year, did the Wisconsin to Chicago one this summer, and is captaining the Florida Keys in the winter- lucky for me her addiction to Ragnars and her inability to say NO to them worked in my favor!! (as a side note: We ended up talking a lot about Ragnar Relays at our blog meet up on saturday and wouldn't you know it that I got an email the next day from Ashley saying that Jill and I made her jealous and now she can't wait to run one---- oh enthusiasm / passion about something is so contagious!)

Sunday was our Ragnar team's planned meet up longer run, which would also be Jill's first time joining us.After some emails between everyone, Jill mentioned she had 11 miles on the books planned as part of her marathon training for the St. Jude Marathon. Thank goodness we had the opportunity to get to know one another for 5 hours the day before, because 11 miles with a complete stranger has a LARGE opportunity to be awkward.(not the case for us) 

We met up bright and early @ 630am on Sunday morning- temperature was 60 degrees and I.WAS.LOVING.IT. I'm not hot by nature, by ANY means, but I do have a tendency to heat up REAL quick when running, so the cooler it is, the better I feel. 

Everyone else that met up are either beginner runners, runners who walk every so often, or runners getting back into it after an injury- so to them, Jill and I look like professionals. I couldn't help but not include this excerpt from our group email that was sent out AFTER the run by our co-captain Jason:

Lisa and Jill ran 70.768 miles backwards, their ankles tied together, and with 70 lb backpacks on. Those women are rockstars!

 They're game plan was to run a '6 mile loop' (it was a little short)- Our game plan was to run it once, stop with them and chat, then run it again. Naturally the thought of doing it twice to them, was insane. 

Jill and I ventured off to begin our run, and shortly into it her IT Band and quad were bothering her + she was recently diagnosed with asthma so our goal was to just take it easy. I had a grand time just chit chatting about life, hers and mine, and taking in the gorgeous scenery. 

Since it was Sept 11, there were flags everywhere

on the lawn of a church

Tried to show how there were flags  lined all down the main street, hard to capture it

Even specially made flags for the city. 

Part of our run goes through one of the extremely affluent areas in Nashville- I'd like to lie and tell you these were my neighbors, but lets be honest- if I were THAT rich at age 27 to afford these homes, that probably means I own a business and am so busy that I don't have time for blogging.... or even running- eek!

I just thought the sheer design / symmetry of this house was unique

I told Jill this was probably one of my favorite homes I've seen in Nashville, so when we come to it I NEED a photo

You see this Ferrari???

It sits in this driveway.... notice how you can't even see the Ferrari in this photo, ya its THAT big

 But I guess your driveway HAS to be that big if you are hosting the TN Chapter of the Ferrari Club

sidebar: do you see how RED I am- no I'm not sunburnt, just hot

Someday I will look out my window and see some random weirdo in running gear posing outside my house taking photos- then I know I'm successful!  seriously though, I wonder what those home owners do think, or are they used to it?

Aside from all the picture taking and random conversation, I learned 3 valuable items from Ms. Jill

• If you don't like your shoes from Fleet Feet, even after you've had a few runs in them, you can return them! I seriously didn't know this! I bought Saucony Mirages and was so excited bc they are touted as a light weight stability shoe- if I go too fast or too long in them my right knee KILLS and I get all scared that ITBS is creeping in. I went to go today during my lunch hour, but the highway was too crowded and I knew I wouldn't make it back to work in time- TOMORROW
• Its much easier and faster to blog in Windows Live- huh?!? Apparently windows live is a component of hotmail that has a blogging feature and I'm told its 10x faster to upload photos (does anyone else feel like it gets slower each day or is it just me?!?!) I don't have 'administrator rights' at work, so I can't download it (its free) to test out, but perhaps tomorrow's post will be written on it. 
• -Running with someone else  and talking vs. listening to music can be enjoyable i've gotten to a point now where I just put on my headphones and go. I forget how even if I go slow, the sheer act of talking does help build up my lung capacity, which in the end is going to help me be stronger and faster. 

All in all it was a perfect way to start my day, and I'm looking forward to more LSD on the weekends in the future.