Week 5 of the Couch to 5K program has officially begun!  I couldn’t sleep last night thinking about having to do three 5 minute intervals of running.  I get so worked up over the runs and have to remind myself that I have to at least try.

And you know what?  It wasn’t that bad. There, I said it.

I bought myself a Nike visor that really helped keep the sun off my face.  Every little bit helps!

Day 2 of this week is on Wednesday and consists of running intervals of 5, 8, and 5 minutes.  I’m nervous about the 8 – but I’ll cross that bridge when I get there!

In 2001 I had to put my childhood chihuahua, Chip, to sleep.  I was devastated and wasn’t sure how I would ever move on from the heartbreak I felt.  I knew right away that I wanted another dog.  I know some people think it’s too painful to get a new dog right away – but I needed something to heal the hole in my heart.

I just went to “look” at a litter of chihuahua puppies in April of 2001 and once the little brown & white spotted puppy with big ol’ eyes was handed over to me – it was love.  Unlike the other puppies, he didn’t shake when I held him and he nuzzled his head right into my neck.  He knew we were meant to be.

Rowdy got his name because he was such a ball of energy when he was a puppy.  Now that he’s older and mellow – it’s humorous that his name is Rowdy.

He’s now 9 years old and time is turning the fur on his face white.  He walks slower than he used to but still can jump and run and play if HE feels like it.  He needs stairs to get onto our bed but flies up them like a dog half his age.  He’s got arthritis but you wouldn’t know it when he’s running around the couch chasing our other chihuahua, Dakota.

I wake up every morning and his face is the first that I see.  He sleeps in the bed next to me with his body under the covers and his head out.  He looks like a little person and every morning it entertains me.  He won’t get up and go outside to go to the bathroom if he can stay in bed and be lazy with me.  He loves to nap and is great for comforting me when I’m not feeling well.

I often joke around that he is my shadow because everywhere I go – there he is.  I am on my computer, he is underneath sleeping in his bed.  If I’m in the kitchen, he lays in the hall and watches me.  If I am hanging up clothes in the closet, he lays on the bed to keep me company.  I complain sometimes that he can’t just relax without having to follow me everywhere I go – but after all these years I think it would feel weird if he didn’t.

If there’s one thing I love, it’s Starbucks!  I haven’t always been a coffee lover, but I have grown to really love some of the drinks they have at Starbucks.  I’ve gone through a few favorites ranging from Chai Tea Latte to the Dark Cherry Mocha.

I want to share a little Starbucks goodie with one of my visitors to celebrate the launch of my new blog!  I am giving away a $15 Starbucks Gift Card (pictured).

Leave a comment on this entry letting me know what you love at Starbucks and I will draw one random winner on July 31st at 7:00 pm PST.

You can get extra entries by tweeting about this contest and can just leave an additional comment with a link to your tweet!  Maximum two entries per person.

Good luck!

I’m participating in a great program called Couch to 5k. It’s a 9 week program that helps us couch potatoes train to run a 5k.

I got myself a great workout buddy and started this program at the end of June.  It’s been four weeks and I’m still finding the program extremely challenging – but not impossible.

Today’s workout was intervals of 3 minutes or running, a little bit of walking, and 5 minutes of running… and then repeated again.  You don’t realize just how long 5 minutes is until you’re doing something like running.  My body gets in a rhythm but my mind won’t shut up!  I have to constantly push out the “this sucks!” “is it over yet?” “should I peak at how much time I have left?” thoughts and just get ‘er done.

I’m trying to remind myself that 4 weeks ago, I was struggling just to get through the 60 second intervals.  Week 6 is 8 minute intervals.  It’s amazing that you can train your body that quickly to adapt to running!

Monday starts week 5.  Here goes nothing.

My name is Leslie – and I’m an iPhone addict.

I got my first iPhone in April of last year and immediately fell in love with it.  So much could be done right there on the little gadget with NO need for a computer.  Actually, my old computer died sometime last year and I went months before replacing it because I could do enough on my iPhone to get me through the withdrawals.

I camped out at our local mall last month to get my hands on the new iPhone 4.  The 5mp camera had me sold at “hello!”

My current favorite apps that I use daily are:

• Facebook
• Tweetie (Twitter app)
• Couch to 5k (my training program)
• Four Square
• Tap Fish (tamagotchi-ish)
• Weather
• Camera
• iPod

I can’t imagine having to go back to having a regular old school cellphone after being so spoiled!  I just wish the iPhone’s monthly phone plan wasn’t so pricey!

What are your favorite iPhone apps?

(Photo of my iPhone taken with my Nikon D100)