This is DEFINITELY a fun run (Photo: Women’s Health)
The first time I ever realized you could “draw” a shape while running using the Nike+ app was during the She Runs LA Nike “virtual” 10k Brandi Garcia invited me to.
Since I wasn’t in LA at the time, each person who signed up virtually for the 10k was given a letter to run in the shape of. Talk about a lost blonde in a pair of New Balance.
It was pure comedy. I literally ran up to a stoplight at Rice Village, made a left, then made a quick right, then ran diagonal through a parking lot and continued on in a rampant manner. I still don’t even know what letter I was instructed to create (although I think it was an “F”), but by the end, it was barely legible.
Anyways, there was this recent article in Women’s Health where a woman is doing pretty much the same thing, but better. As pictured, one of her runs looked a lot like male goods, but my favorite (at least the one most suitable for my mom who is probably reading this) is the middle finger she drew in honor of saying FU to cancer for her best friend.
So I plan to implement this awesome picture-drawing in upcoming runs – not exactly sure what I will attempt to draw, but who’s in with me? Comment on this post with some picture ideas I can run to.
https://theblondeside.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Screen-Shot-2014-08-10-at-10.48.27-PM.png471588Jaymehttps://theblondeside.com//wp-content/uploads/2018/06/1526998321020-300x192.pngJayme2014-08-10 22:59:302014-08-10 22:59:30Now THIS is a FUN Run
(Can I get an Amen right there?) Every once in a while The Blonde Side has the honor of guest posting on Girl Around Town, and here’s the latest – a fashionable post with some of the best red, white and blue patriotic wear in time for the upcoming 4th of July.
#2 (lululemon), #7 (Molly Brown Swimwear) and #10 (Von Zipper Liberty & Libations collection) are my absolute faves – go check them out.
(And this is just solid proof right here that badass women can and should work together and support one another. Thanks to Leigh and Mary at GAT for allowing me to contribute to their already awesome site.)
https://theblondeside.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Red-White-and-Blue-Sports-Attire-GAT.jpg600600Jaymehttps://theblondeside.com//wp-content/uploads/2018/06/1526998321020-300x192.pngJayme2013-07-01 19:20:412013-07-01 19:20:41Red, White & Blue Sports Attire [Guest Post on GirlAroundTown]
Devon Still’s Sneaker Collection (photo via Still)
More Than Just a Pretty Penny.
An avid collector or sneakers, Devon Still, defensive tackle for the Cincinnati Bengals, seemed more than eager to put down his Call of Duty video game, the same game he considers himself “one of the best” at, to chat with me about his outrageous sneaker collection.
The 23-year-old NFL star claims he has more than 50 pairs of sneakers, many of which he loves equally and rotates throughout his wardrobe. “The first thing I decide when getting dressed is what shoe I’m going to wear and then I go from there,” Still says.
Still’s affinity for shoes comes from a rather sentimental story, believe it or not. “When I was a kid, my family didn’t have a lot of money. We had just enough to get by, so we didn’t get to have that many different shoes. As a kid I used to see kids with a bunch of shoes and I only had one pair. When I made it to the NFL, I started buying all those things I wanted as a kid that we couldn’t afford and shoes were definitely one of them,” he admits. “I guess you could say it’s one of my most expensive hobbies, I probably buy two or three pairs a month.”
No matter how much I love sports, as a chick, shoes are definitely something I too can get behind. Here’s a little look at our interview:
JL: First off, should I call them tennis shoes or sneakers?
Still: Sneakers. For sure.
JL: Ok, well what kind of sneakers do you like the best?
Still: Majority of the ones I have are Nike. Definitely a lot of Jordans, and a lot of Foamposites.
JL: Ok, I know all about Jordans, but Foamposites?
Still: Yeah, Penny Hardway’s shoes. They’re real big right now. You’ve never heard of them?
[Interview Break: Foamposites debuted in 1997 with a hefty price tag of $180 and were a signature shoe of the former All-Star Penny Hardaway. Websites such as Nice Kicks show upcoming release dates and custom models like the Mountain Dew release, clearly indicating Still isn’t alone with his obsession, er collection.]
JL: What’s Hardaway doing these days?
Still: I have no idea. I know he’s making a lot of money off his shoes.
JL: Clearly. What’s the most expensive pair you own?
Still: My Galaxy [foamposites] that go for around $1500-$2000.
JL: Those are about the same price as the red-soled Louboutins! Do you ever wear them or do they sit in your closet like a glassed-in autographed Babe Ruth baseball?
Still: Oh no, I wear them. I’ve had them for maybe six months and probably wore them twice.
JL: For special occasions?
Still: Yeah I guess.
JL: What about clubs and bars that have strict dress codes with sneakers. Can you still get in?
Still: They don’t have a choice. These are expensive sneakers; they gotta let you in.
Still: Probably those Galaxies I mentioned. Those are my favorite. I also have a pair of foamposites in my team colors. They are silver, orange and black.
JL: Where do you buy most of your sneakers?
Still: Sometimes my Nike rep hooks me up, but also from a local place in Cincinnati called Corporate. It’s personally owned and he sells to a lot of the Bengals players.
JL: I heard last year that some people were killing over some Jordans around Christmas? That makes me sad.
Still: Yeah, people were killing over those Galaxies I was telling you about – they are so limited and sell out so fast and you never know if they’re coming out again and people go crazy. I definitely have to watch some of my shoes and where I wear them.
Still keeps his sneakers organized (photo via Still)
JL: Speaking of Christmas, are there any sneakers on your list this year?
JL: Who do you give your Christmas list to? Santa?
Still: Nah, I’ll probably ask my parents for them. I’ll put that in somebody’s ear in my family to get me those Jordans. [hint, hint]
JL: Are you afraid your daughter [she’s two] is going to grow up and love shoes half as much as you? Girls’ shoes are expensive too, you know?
Still: I think all women have a love for shoes so I’m sure she’ll love them that much more because I’m a sneaker fanatic. I buy her Jordans from time to time. She likes them, so we’ll see.
JL: What about one day when you make it even bigger, making your own line of shoes?
Still: Nah, I’m good. I don’t have the imagination for creating my own, I’ll just buy them.
JL: I’ll let you get back to playing Call of Duty. That’s a pretty bold statement to say you’re one of the best.
Still: I know.
Note: This post is part of The Blonde Side’s Momentum Challenge series to interview one active player from all 32 NFL Teams within the short time frame of 34 days. Devon Still’s sneakers cross the Cincinnati Bengals off the list.
To see this full article in its original format, check out CBS Man Cave Daily.
I do not like running. Let me start there. I am at best, an average runner. As I was debating an afternoon run a few weeks ago, I realized I needed some form of motivation. Something way beyond my usual Google search of hot and athletic chicks, so I turned a little impromptu game, making my run interactive by posting questions and polls on my social media channels. Once people started paying attention and providing feedback, I was pretty much forced to run. Which really was my only goal.
Here’s a look into my interactive running game:
1. I posted a poll on my Facebook page, asking friends/fans where I should run. I gave them two options – 3-mile loop around Memorial Park or running up and down my parking garage and stairs for 30 minutes.
The trick here was I gave everyone only 30 minutes to respond, that way I wouldn’t lose steam and could still manage to push my self out the door. As soon as the responses were in, I’d tie my Brooks Pure Flow shoes and take off. The poll semi-backfired because out of 64 votes, about 30 of those were for new options I didn’t post including suggestions of new running trails, a running club, a local CrossFit gym, etc, so it kind of skewed my results.
The awesome part about this? When the founder of Brian O’Neill’s Running Club suggested I head out to his club later that evening, another avid runner saw the post. She had never heard of BON, so I had the easy chance to introduce her to one of my favorite local running clubs. The power of social media and network sharing.
The other awesome part? One of my friends, a much better runner than I, suggested I run around the Bayou, a place I had never really heard of. Once I checked it out, I quickly added it to my list of local places to run. Not a bad FB survey, right?
2. I played a Pandora gamewith the Justin Bieber channel. My game went like this: every time a female artist came on, I had to
The Blonde Side’s Interactive Running Game with Justin Bieber
pick up the pace and run closer to a 7-minute mile as opposed to my 9-minute regular pace. But the joke was on me – only onemale song came on throughout the course of my 30-minute run. I guess it was a sweaty blessing in disguise. I posted this tidbit of hilarity on Twitter and got a ton of responses from other Pandora miscues. Apparently Biebs sounds more like Carrie Underwood, Ke$ha, and Demi Lovato than any of his male counterparts.
3. Instagrammed a collage of photos with the caption, “where did I run today?” Of course leave it to the blonde to run somewhere other than the 64 votes suggested, but I chose to head to Rice Village (it made more sense traffic-wise at that time of day).
The collage wasn’t entirely recognizable since I went through campus as opposed to staying on the regular runner’s path, but a number of people quickly guessed my spot. The post had over 20 comments and a few were from past Houston residents who had moved away saying how much they missed it here. A few of my followers asked if I was in need of a running buddy, so another plus!
What weird things do you do to help you get through a run?
I recognize the potential awkwardness of this letter, but I’ve thought long and hard about this subject and decided it is something that truly needs to be addressed. Let me start by acknowledging that 99% of the time you serve as a great inspiration for athletes just like myself, for the love of the game (any game for that matter), the importance of finishing strong, and all that other good stuff athletes eat up.
Now comes the hard part. I feel strangely justified in writing this because whenever I mess up or don’t meet my goal with your Nike + GPS runner’s app, your voice is less than thrilled with me and you’re not afraid to let me know it. It’s a give and take relationship that we have, so here’s where I have to stand up for “athletes” everywhere and give it right back to you.
A few weeks ago, I visited one of your Niketown locations. It seems I’m always snapping photos of the displays or wall quotes to share with my readers, but this particular time I ran across one I wholeheartedly and adamantly disagree with from your co-founder Bill Bowerman:
If you have a body you are an athlete.
W-R-O-N-G. So. Incredibly. Wrong.
Coming from an athlete as well as someone with an abundance of common sense, I think this is fallacious and sends the wrong message to all the true athletes out there who work hard to meet goals and excel in their sport. My guess (and hope) is what Bowerman meant by this overly quoted and inaccurate statement was that anyone can be an athlete – meaning anyone has the potential to become one, not that everyone is automatically one. No matter how big or small, short or tall, young or old, black, white or supremely tan. There is a differentiating truth here. Every body has the potential and the intensity to be an athlete, but it is not a God-given certainty everyone walks around with from day one. If that was true, why would any of us work so hard to perfect our half marathon time or practice pole vaulting every night until the sun goes down?
Bowerman’s quote just rubs my Nike legend spandex the wrong way – just because you have a body (which admittedly, we all do) does not make you an athlete. As all athletes can attest, it takes hard work, practice, dedication, training, and heart and soul to make you a certifiable athlete. Owning a body, does not, under any circumstance make you an athlete. Everyone that walks into Niketown is not an athlete. Do they have the potential of becoming one? Absolutely. But are they considered an athlete simply because they have a body and walk into a Nike store? Certainly not. And the athletes that idolize your brand for inspiration and gear would probably be appalled to think you group us in the same league.
Let me ask you this – was Jim Abbott deemed a reputable athlete because he was born without a right hand or because he busted his ass training to make it to the Olympics and later pitch a no-hitter for the New York Yankees in 1993? Is Zach Gowen, the popular and widely marketed WWE wrestler regarded as an athlete because he lost his left leg at the age of 8 from cancer or because he set out and became a Heavyweight Champion after perfecting his high-flying-off-the-ropes act? (And while wrestling may not be a legitimate sport in many people’s eyes, that does not mean the men involved aren’t athletes.) Is Muggsy Bogues considered a highly regarded athlete because he was the shortest NBA player (5 ft 3 in) to ever grace the NBA or because he was diligent in his dreams and practiced wicked crossovers and fadeaways in his sleep since he was of walking age? The little guy didn’t get 39 blocks during his 14-season career by accident; he managed that impressive stat because he worked hard for it. Years of running his little Nikes up and down the court learning the game from the inside and out is what made him an athlete.
And in case the above examples didn’t sway you from the defunctness of Bowerman’s words, let me introduce you to someone who could never, ever, under any circumstance whatsoever be considered an athlete – my mother. I cringe a little at the thought of writing this because she doesn’t like when I use in my writing, but I know she’ll agree with my assessment. At 5’3′ (yes, same as Muggsy) and a weight right on scale with traditional BMI readings, this woman has never done any form of physical activity in her life, and has no desire to do so. She is not an athlete on any level. Of course she can still wear a Nike branded sport’s bra or a pair of blue LunarGlides+, but she’s not an athlete. It doesn’t mean she can’t be, even now, but plain and simple my mother is the antithesis of Bowerman’s statement. She has a body, but is far from an athlete.
So there you have it Nike. I hope this doesn’t sever our relationship and I truly hope you understand my concern for this quote. I’ve suffered sprained ankles, broken bones, torn ligaments, and jammed fingers for decades learning firsthand how much work goes into becoming an athlete, and people like my mom (no offense ma) shouldn’t be grouped into this category until they are ready to put forth the effort to hold such a title. Being an athlete is not for the faint of hearts, that I can assure you.
Thank you for time,
Jayme Lamm
PS– I’m happy to send you my mailing address should you want to respond on the DL along with some new running gear. I could surely use it.
https://theblondeside.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/NikeQuote-e1317618476210.jpg513690Jaymehttps://theblondeside.com//wp-content/uploads/2018/06/1526998321020-300x192.pngJayme2011-10-06 22:33:252011-10-06 23:55:04My Letter to Nike