candy.

Fun gagets, toys, and apparel are what keep me motivated when it comes to running and fitness. You know me...I have got to look fly out there on the pavement. You never know, I might meet my husband at the next race (wink). Besides being shallow, I'm always looking for new ways to improve my pace and running experience.

So, just for blogging purposes ONLY...I went shopping at the Nike Store. (I'm so full of it)

Come on now. If the store has a treadmill in it, you should be a regular there when it comes to buying running apparel. I'm addicted.

The Scottsdale Quarters Nike store is DOPE.

Ok, now back to the shoes. I bought 2 pair.

Lunar Swift: I loved these so much from the last blog that I just had to buy another pair. The color is perfect for spring, and they are great for my short runs (2-5miles). This shoe offers soft cushioning plus support that adapts to every stride. It features a lower-profile midsole than the LunarGlide for a slightly firmer feel underfoot.

 

Lunar Glide+: UM. Can I say that this is my new favorite shoe?! I wear it to the grocery store, LACE UP crew runs, the gym, ect.... This shoe successfully blends cushioning and response through its dual soft core foam and firmer carrier to give you all the lightweight comfort you need without losing any support. In addition, the shoe’s entire design is specifically shaped to accommodate a woman’s foot, from its dynamic Arch Bridge for enhanced stability to the wedged carrier construction for unprecedented cushioning with dynamic strike management. Just go and try a pair on, you'll thank me later.

Peace,

Queen T.

who are you, really?

running has been my mirror. it has shown me how strong, dedicated, passionate, goofy, and awesome i am. it has also revealed to me my ugly side. the tiffany that can be weak, discouraged, inconsistent, lazy, and grumpy.

i've shared with you all my personal running stories that have made me cry and laugh. you already know how things can be. but just the other day, i sat back and really thought about who i was, have become, and will be when it comes to running.

(this would be the gooofy side of tiff)

anybody can beast on a 5k, 10k, or even a half marathon. but the question is, who are you really when the running shoes come off?

i have a friend, the most determined woman ever when it comes to fitness training. she's lost over 80lbs through diet and exercise. she's gone from a full figured woman, to a size 4 swim suit competitor. just the other day she said to me, "never in a million years could you have told me i was going to be a size 4. i would have never believed you."

she's preparing for this huge competition this summer, and God has allowed me to watch her prepare for it. what i am being taught is discipline.

right now im in the "i'm enjoying myself" phase. i'm eating carbs, and enjoying a bit too much wine (if ya know what i mean). i told myself that 4/1 i would begin training for the full marathon that's in june. so i'm giving myself this window to really enjoy not eating on a meal plan and going to functions right after running. i'm running 3x a week instead of the 6 i used to run. i haven't hit a double digit run in about a month.

i've gotta be honest. i'm just now getting to the point where i'm not upset with myself about taking it easy. just like any relationship, there are highs and lows. right now, i'm in the middle. i'm still a vegetarian that eats healthy, and my long runs are 5mi.

my friend (that i just mentioned) and i went to a canteen last weekend. i ordered a margarita, along with chips and salsa. she ordered vodka/water and ate literally 1 chip. we sat there and discussed our health goals. i have to say, i'm humbled to be in the presence of people that are looking to grow and be BETTER.

back in college, a friend told me i could eat whatever i wanted, as long as i worked out. i understand that point. but when it comes to me and running, my title as a runner does not stop when my nikes come off and my ipod is synced. what i do off the pavement, if you will, will affect me on the pavement.

it's time to take it up a knotch folks. if you're a runner, be a runner. push yourself. drop the f bomb after pushing through the last mile. high five another fellow runner. update your facebook status telling the world that you just registered for a longer distance race than you're used to. incorporate more protein into your diet. LIFT THOSE WEIGHTS to build muscles. invest in good running shoes.

and when you've come to the season of relaxation, do it without guilt, but don't stay there and don't be weak while you're there.

love ya'll. you keep me going. every stride i take is for you (and me of course). thru the words in this blog, i'm pushing you to be a better you. take these words and allow them to manifest in your life so that you can harvest great blessings.

see you here,

t.
@pyt1920

it's a new day.

i am no longer solo dolo. running has become a group effort. ever since the launch of the lace up crew here in phoenix, my running life has forever been changed.

just a year ago i was a walker. the one that dropped the f bomb when it was time to jog again. here i am now, leading a group of motivated individuals. inspriring people to change and be healthier.

the morning the crew launched, i parked and arrived early with tons of excitement. i could hardly sleep the night before! i couldn't wait to see people and share running tips. i was ready to high five someone after the second mile. i was ready to breathe the crisp arizona weather. i was ready to show arizona that people of color run, too.

i laced up (literally) and began to stretch. by 955am, people started trickling in to our meeting location with hopeful faces. i embraced them and quickly asked how they heard about the new running crew. this was a very humbling experience. to meet new people all because of a running group is awesome.

the streets were full of active people. cyclists. dog walkers. day drinkers....and then, there was us. the cool kids. the urban running crew. and yes, we're dope. when the clock striked 1015, we hit the pavement. it was awesome!! omg! there were 3 groups of us. and little old me lead the fast group. i cannot believe i'm saying this! my power song was on 10 as we sped across the tempe town lake bridge.

(how beautiful is that?)

you should've seen us! young urban people, hitting the pavement, setting an example for those around us. with every stride of the pavement we took, we were telling those around us, "running is an ok thing to do."

after the run, we all high fived each other and shouted as people finished their last 100 yards. there are no words that can explain how proud i was of everyone. we all were out of breath wiping the sweat off our faces as we looked around at the beautiful scenary.

we went inside starbucks for water and of course coffee. we sat around and chatted about our individual lives. right there in that moment, i realized that i made new friends. this urban crew has opened my mind to the various different experiences that i have yet to take advantage of in arizona.

i'm so happy this lace up crew is finally here. i'll keep you all posted with future experiences.

peace.

t.

dreams in motion

this saturday, history will be made.

3.5.2011 @ 10am

lace up will launch its first run with the people of the greater phoenix metropolitan area. i can just see it now. people will crowd around the huge doors at starbucks on mill ave. and wait patiently for the ok to hit the pavement. those that are praying to make it through the first mile without passing out, those that are passionate runners, and those that are hoping to meet new people will all share common ground on this saturday.

to me, lace up is for the people. it is link that connects people to their healthy future. it is the link that connects people to their goals. it is the link that connects people to their  h a p p i n e s s. i am proud to say that finally, there is a running group in my neighborhood that has devoted time and energy into helping people become better.

i truly  believe that you cannot serve the people if you don't love the people. this is why lace up is an urban running crew. i believe in diversity, and through diversity, we all can share our differences and learn from one another. this running group is unlike anything you've ever seen or experienced.

depending on the amount of people, we will create small running groups based on distance. my goal is to show people the beautiful streets of downtown tempe in under 3 miles.

if you can't make it this saturday, don't worry. we'll be running the streets every saturday.

while you get ready, i suggest lacing up with comfortable shoes and syncing some of our mixtapes from our website from local djs for the run. after the run, feel free to stick around for a latte at starbucks.

see you here,

p a z