What are you trying to tell me, legs? (+ a mini rant)

I confess:
I've skipped two long runs in two weeks. It's not that I don't want to exercise- I've still worked out every day I can fit it in- but somehow running has lost it's appeal to me. I do love it, but I'm not a "natural runner," and though I did a 5-mile run two weeks ago and a 3 mile run just a couple days prior, I still get out of breath the first warmup lap around.
I thought at first it was just because I needed to take a rest day, but after 2 days of not working out due to running back and forth between activities, as well as speech sectionals, I went out for a jog on Thursday and still felt off.
My stamina in jumping rope, interval sprinting/HIIT, and other cardio even seems to be improving.
It's just the steady-state runs longer than 2-3 minutes I've been struggling with...
I think I'm just going to do more HIIT session on the treadmill, as well as tabata bodyweight cardio routines + plenty of strength training/moderate lifting and pilates.

Interval training burns more fat/calories anyways, and I've got a goal to shed 0.5- 1 inch from my waist and at least 0.5 inches from my thighs before I head off to China and the land of the negative-in-american-sizes-due-to-vanity-sizing females. Seriously though, girls in East-Asian countries are tiny; a size Medium there is a size XS here.

I'm already bracing myself for all the "Oh my, the American Food does make girls bulky!" I'll be getting from my relatives, and I'm a size 0 at 95 lbs and 5'0. But that's a whole 'nother post for a whole 'nother time. And don't worry about my self-esteem; I've grown up in a society where people simply tell you their opinions of your physical appearance. I know I shouldn't take it as anything personal, and as my mother says, I've got skin so thick 'an armandillo would be jealous.'
She could've been talking about my elbows, but... I will choose to take it as a compliment for vanity's sake.
Ohhh crap I've already ventured into rant category. Ugh I hate to start on something and then leave y'all hanging, but I really don't want to get into my body image issues and expose deeply repressed teenage chinese barbie somewhere inside of me. (Yes I just read that and it made no sense... just go with it.)
I will post something that explains why going to China is a real head trip for anyone without a 23-inch waist later, as well as my training plan for the next week.

To get back to the foot we orignally started on:
Any suggestions about my lack of stamina while running?

Sweet Snacks

As I have mentioned before, I've got one hell of a sweet tooth. Or rather, a mouthful of them anyways.
I'll generally have a chocolate yogurt parfait for dessert after dinner, and then if I'm still craving something, I'll have a fig, or mix a spoonful of organic flaxseed with chopped dates and cocoa powder.

These are some sweet snacks that have been laying around the house and are great for immediate satiation; which is what teenagers pretty much always strive for, no?

Organic dried black figs with zero additives; they're gluten-free and nut allergen-free too

More dried fruit; the dried mangoes and super delish, but with a lot of added sugar (though no other preservatives). I like to have it as a pre-workout snack, since it keeps me full and the sugar gives me a boost.  

Chinese Candy! These are just kinda like toffee chews with a filling. I think my grandparents sent this over like last year, lolz, and they're really addictive, especially the cappucino flavor. I've nibbled on 6-7 of these since I started writing this post.

And... this is the last fudge bar in the fridge, haha. I'm sure my family will be happy to find I'm the one who ate it, or will be eating it.

 In exercise news, I'm considering going out and rocking 6 slow miles later today after pounding through a brutal interval workout yesterday. I know I've been spoiled with so many tempo runs lately, but they feel so much easier than speed/interval workouts, or HIITs on the treadmill.

And I've also got to take into consideration the fact I should be SLOWLY adding mileage and not trying to go too far at one time; overuse injuries suck, and I don't want my shins to flare up again.
I think I'm going to just go 4 miles and then see how I'm feeling; if I'm feeling fine, then I'll keep going and do 6.
Today's probably going to be the only day until next Saturday I'm going to be able to go for a long run, so I need to make it count!

What a tease

It seems like Spring is finally here... only probably to disappear within the next few weeks.
Apparently as a consolation for not allowing me to baptise my new running shoes outdoors yesterday, today the sun was out in all it's full glamour, and the temperature was actually in the 50s.

This pattern is supposed to keep up all week, maybe even peaking at 65 degrees F!
Besides the fact this means I'll have to pick up all the poop my dog Lulu left in the backyard this winter when the snow melts, I am hugely cheered by the weather. My once seemingly far-away dreams of pleasant spring runs are now here!

I went out for an easy 3 miles after I got home from school today, knockin' them off in about 23 minutes. I feel like  really need to buy a Garmin, as the Nike GPS running app on my ipod doesn't seem very accurate, so I didn't use it for this run and went a route I knew was 3 miles.
Plenty of splashing and jumping over puddles on my run today = the realization I can finally break out the Sperry Topsider rainboots I scored on sale last spring but never got to wear.. just the thing to dispell unpleasant thoughts of the dreary science quest (yes my science teacher calls his test "quests"; make of it what you will) coming up this Friday.

Lookin' forward to more spring runs, and keeping my fingers crossed for good weather!