Nothing some good Raspberry Lemonade Chapstick can’t fix

I know there’s no shame in taking a quick stop while you’re running to catch your breath. I mean it is better than the alternatives: hyperventilating, passing out, death. But I do have to say that nothing feels better to me than my long runs where I don’t stop until the end and even then I feel like I could keep going. There’s such a sense of accomplishment and, dare I say it, pride. I’d feel bad saying this if I knew I didn’t have the days where I stop multiple times during a run just because it isn’t the day for that kind of run. I thought I was going to pass out (literally) a few days ago when I got to the top of the hill ‘o hell. (Side note: I have discovered the hill ‘o hell has a giant friend…or rather a mother that resides between Amy’s and my residences. More to come.) I felt like one of those contestants on The Biggest Loser when they’re screaming “I can’t breathe! I can’t breathe! I’m going to fall!” But what’s special about their stories is yes, sometimes they really do fall. They aren’t playing. More often than not, though, they are able to finish what they set out to do (or were told to do in this case). Let it be said that I often feel like a contestant on The Biggest Loser. Only it’s a lot harder when you’re by yourself because you’re the one doing all the work AND pushing yourself to get it done at the same time. In the moment I really hate it some days because most people have an encourager nearby—someone working out with them, a spouse, a roommate, etc. Not to knock my friends because they are amazing, but they can’t be with me all the time. (Which I’m sure some are grateful for!) I’ve learned quickly though that the closer victory is to your heart then the sweeter it is when you realize you’ve won/finished/completed/etc/etc. It’s even better when that victory feels so far away and you could never do it alone, but you are so overcome that it’s there before you could beg for its appearance one more time. These deep thoughts brought to you by my running and watching ridiculous reality television shows. Who knew.

Another update on the EIR and rhinorrhea. Zyrtec is proving to be a contender in solving this issue only it seems to give out around mile 3. I’m not sure if it’s the Zyrtec calling it quits, the heat getting hotter outside, my body temperature rising or a combination of all the above. Probably D, all of the above. Regardless of all this, it does seem to lessen the flow of things and make it more bearable. I’ve thought about taking Mucinex, but there are too many bad repercussion possibilities. I don’t know if you, the reader, have had any experiences with Mucinex and if you have you would definitely remember them. Being a new teacher and working with my clientele (4 and 5 year olds) I get sick more often than I’d like to. Therefore, when anything on my face is running (nose, eyes, ears, anything else that can run) I take Mucinex. That mess should be illegal in at least 26 states. It dries up anything you’ve got up there. Wonderful. But it also makes you feel like you could purify the entire Atlantic Ocean and drink it within about an hour. Thirsty isn’t even the word, folks. Therefore, if I were to take Mucinex and run, I do believe I would die of dehydration before I even reached the corner to cross the street. Guess I’ll stick to the Zyrtec. I’m still working on getting it in an hour before running commences. Fail.

I suppose it’s about time I explained the title of this post. Well, I was at camp a few weeks ago and starting getting some mad chapped lips. I had left both tubes of my Burt’s Bees at home and didn’t even have lip gloss in sight. Again, fail. A few of the college staff girls needed to go to Wal-Mart to pick up some odds and ends before the campers arrived and I saw this as prime opportunity to fix my situation. The other girls went into Wal-Mart and I decided I needed to go into the Dollar Tree (where everything’s a dollar!) to pick up something I should’ve bought a few days prior when I saw it. Anyway, I was checking out in sort of a hurry because I still needed to run to Wal-Mart to get my chapstick. That was, after all, the purpose of my trip. As I’m standing in line at the Dollar Tree and examining the products they keep by the register (small first aid kit, gum, pregnancy test, etc.) I grab some Raspberry Lemonade Blistex that almost looks like it’s throwing itself at me and my dry set of smackers. Mind you, I’m a big advocate for Burt’s Beeswax lip balm, but I was desperate. Well, since I’ve been home I have continued to use the Raspberry Lemonade chapstick because my lips get dry from breathing in and out while I run (or during any other part of the day for that matter.) This stuff is amazing! It stays on through my entire run and then some. And it was only, you got it, $1. I still love my Burt’s Bees, but I can’t deny the awesomeness of the Raspberry Lemonade Blistex. Did I mention it smells good, too?

Today’s deep thought: Could you describe dry, chapped lips also as being chafed? Hmm…

No stats today. I re-calibrated my Nike iPod sensor for a mile in hopes it will be closer to my actual distance and pace. But for all you number junkies, I ran about 3.5 miles in about 36 minutes.