The Dentist

What does the dentist have to do with running? Well I figure running keeps my body healthy and going to the dentist keeps my teeth healthy, right?

Since I was a little girl I've always hated anyone touching my teeth. My dad used to pull my sisters' teeth out when they got loose enough but when it came to me... all it took was one TERRIBLE incident and they took me to the dentist from then on.

I don't like dentists, either. Not that they're mean malicious people or anything, but the things they do to my mouth are unforgivable. My dentist is actually a very nice man who smiles a lot and says things like, "You're doing great!" And I know it's not his fault that I have 17 layers of coffee stains and a billion cavities, but I still can't bring myself to pretend like I'm glad to see him. Maybe if I bumped into him at Walmart I'd be friendly and make conversation, but when I'm sitting in that chair leaned all the way back listening to the "bzzzzzzzzz" of the drill he's using on my sensitive teeth, I just can't bring myself to enjoy his company.

So it really may be no surprise to anyone that I've avoided going to the dentist for three years. I blamed it on "insurance" but, let's be honest, I just really hate going. There has never been a time in my life when I went to the dentist and didn't have any cavities. Then last year I had no choice but to go--my tooth was causing me some excruciating pain and I ended up having a root canal. It was a sad day!

Well I finally took out some dental insurance because I knew if I didn't go soon they were going to have to give me dentures before I'm 30. So I went at 8:00 this morning. It took them an hour and a half to clean my teeth. She kept saying, "I know it hurts but your teeth are just so stained... Do you drink coffee?" Like I was going to be able to answer with her hand in my mouth, but she understood what my opened mouth "Uhhhhuuuhhh" meant: Yes, I do drink coffee and I have no intentions of ever stopping, thank you very much.

The entire time she was in my mouth digging and banging and scrubbing and scraping into my teeth, I kept wondering if it was really worth it. So what if my teeth do fall out? I love mashed potatoes and chicken noodle soup. But when she was all done she smiled really big and said, "You're going to see a major difference in the color of your teeth!" and then handed me a mirror. Holy mackerel  my teeth were actually almost white! It was a miracle! I mean yes, it's a couple of hours since I left and my teeth and gums still hurt (from a simple cleaning, remember), but I guess maybe it is worth it after all.

So what's next? Well, I have eleven cavities (I'm embarrassed to admit, but it is the truth after all) and I need 4 crowns on teeth that are just about to fall apart. She said it may take a few years to get all the work done that I need BUT (and this is the thing I was actually excited about) I don't have to have a deep cleaning done! Woohoo! As badly as a surface- no-shots-or-laughing-gas-required cleaning hurt, I can't imagine how painful a deep cleaning would be! Sadly for my husband, he had to have one. Today. They've done half his mouth and said they'll do the other half another time. Poor guy. But, he doesn't have nearly as many cavities as me so I guess we're even, right?

All I have to say is: Our poor children don't stand a chance.

Please Don't Take My Legs

Last night I worked late and didn't get home until after 6:00. I didn't want to run or workout or do anything, but since my weekend consisted of zero workouts and about 8,000 calories, I decided I needed to buck up.

I couldn't believe how muggy and warm and humid it was outside! For the first time since last fall I started to sweat, and that was before I even started! Nonetheless, my run still felt great. It was such an awesome feeling to get out there and do something good for me. After I finished running I sat on my front porch and started to cry, not because I was in pain or because I had sweat in my eyes, but because I experienced a rush of gratitude for my healthy body. And then I prayed, "Please don't take my legs..."

Where did that come from? I haven't watched any sad movies lately about losing limbs or anything, but I do know someone (who I met just recently) younger than me who has a plethora of health issues. She has such a vibrant personality and is such a hard worker; you'd never know she's sick just by looking at her and yet, she is. I was talking to her the other day about how she used to do gymnastics and was extremely active, but when she started getting sick there was little she could do anymore. That just breaks my heart! And there I was, totally capable of working out and doing the things I love, taking it all for granted.

I have legs that allow me to run, arms that allow me to swing my kids in the air, lungs that fill with clean air, and a body free of disease! These are just a few of the reasons I should be getting out there to run, leaving me void of excuses like, "I don't wanna."

Have you been taking your health and your healthy body for granted like I have? Just remember: Some day we'll be old and won't be able to do the things we love and we'll look back and wish we'd taken better care of our bodies!

Picture credit here.

Weight Training?

I need a new goal to work on! I'm still running off and on. It's nice just being able to go whenever I want, however long I want, and not worrying about sticking to a schedule.

I've started implementing some weight training in with my cardio. My husband really wants me to play co-ed softball again this summer. Last year I hated it because I was so weak I could barely hit the ball! So if I'm going to be coerced into playing again I need to be able to hit the ball further than the pitcher's mound.

What kind of weight training am I doing? Very minimal stuff that doesn't require much weights. So would it be weightless-weight training? Hmmm... Lunges, jump squats, tricep dips, Russian twists (my favorite), superman... that kind of stuff.

I used to do P90X. Yeah, I spent like $200 for the set and now I can't even find it. One time I committed to the program for and entire 8 weeks! This was before I got pregnant with J and WAY BEFORE I started running and paying attention to the foods I was consuming. I took before pics and then some progress pics at the 8 week mark. I looked exactly the same. No muscle tone, no change in the muffin top, no nothing. Was it all Tony Horton's fault? Well of course that was my first conclusion. But, to be fair, he did say something about eating healthier, too. Well that's stupid!

So I quit working out and decided I'd just be chubby. Then I got pregnant and BAM, "chubby" took on a whole new meaning. That's when I started using MyFitnessPal. I could not believe how many calories I had been consuming on a daily basis. OUCH.

So now here I am, still eating a lot of crap but being much smarter about it. And I think, "I bet if I gave Tony Horton another chance, he could whip me into shape," but I can't find the stinkin' DVDs. Which means I need to print out the worksheets and just do this stuff on my own. By the way, you can find those here.

So basically over the next few weeks I'm going to wing it and just do whatever workouts I want with a little bit of running here and there. No big races to train for until the Warrior Dash which comes to Oklahoma again in May!