A much needed respite

Wow!   I can’t even begin to say how badly I needed this past weekend!!!   Work has been a bit on the crazy side lately (I have been involved in launching a new program...so nothing is set in stone, everything changes on a daily basis...no it changes on an hourly basis, and so many things have no answer yet.  I am a person that likes to know what I’m doing, so the uncertainty has been stressful!  Jason likewise has had some upheaval in his job....so the weekend was soooooo badly needed!   I could literally feel the stress and worry when I woke up on Friday...and I could feel it fall away as we relaxed!

FRIDAY

We woke up at the normal ‘work time’ and just relaxed on the couch and  slowly finished packing.  I munched on a bowl of Cheerios for breakfast.  Optimally, we would have gotten an early start out the door but the first part of our trip would take us through Washington DC (via the road of my daily commute) or via a different route that would take us closer to Baltimore.  Both routes would be full of harried commuters on their way to work.  Yeah, we do that enough when we work...so we decided to sit at home and relax and just leave at 8....and without the rush hours traffic we would get there the same time as if we had left earlier!   Worked like a charm...the drive was uneventful!

We arrived and parked at the hotel.  It was around noon and check in was at 4pm. I popped in to see if we could leave our car parked in the lot (At one place we stayed down at the ocean we could not park our car there earlier than check in and they would no allow us to park there a minute after check out...even during off season....we haven’t stayed there since!!). Luckily for us, this place said ‘sure and while you are at it, your room is ready if you want to check in now!!!  Well of course I wanted, and of course we did!!  It was perfect because it allowed us to split up the afternoon between bike riding and walking (since we checked in we could walk knowing that the bikes were secure in the room!)

We hopped on the bikes at first!   

We headed down to the inlet first.  Then back up the boardwalk.  Then back down to the inlet...where I got a small Thrasher’s Fry (a boardwalk delicacy!). I ate probably about 3/4 of that (maybe a bit less).  Why did I not eat the whole thing?  Believe me, it wasn’t because I had will power...part of the charm of Thrasher’s for me is feeding the birds!!!     When I was finished I told the birds to go find their next target and I hopped back on my bike.  Up the length of the boardwalk we went again!  Northbound riding was fantastic...away from the wind.   But southbound I really had to push to ride against that wind!!!!  While riding we noticed a ‘perimeter’ set up in one spot on the beach and what  looked like ‘guards’ on each edge of the perimeter.  People had cameras and were taking pictures.   Odd!  Finally my curiosity got the best of me.  Jason watched the bikes and I trucked  across the sand to see what was up! 

Apparently seals will ‘haul out’ of the water for various reasons.  In this area they usually only haul out if they are in distress.  Apparently most of the time they just need to rest.  (If they are sick or injured they get them and drive them up the coast to a rehabilitation area.  The volunteer told me sometimes they only rest for 2 or 3 hours but they have had a seal ‘rest’ for 6 days before leaving the area.   Seals are a protected animal.   So a group of volunteers will set up a perimeter and stand guard to insure that the seals and humans and animals on the beach are safe.  (Sorry, I haven’t had a chance to get the really good pics off the good camera, the camera with an excellent zoom...so you get a cell phone pic!)

Jason and I jumped on our bikes and headed back to the hotel.  We decided to walk back to the seal resting area to get some pictures and take some time to pop into some of the stores and sites along the boardwalk.

We walked into the room and Jason said ‘holy cow, look at this’!

This bird stayed on our balcony rail, with our balcony door open and talked to us for at least 15 minutes. Jason would mimic its sounds and it would answer back.  We were only able to watch him from inside the room.  I found a packet of sunflower seeds in our bags and the bird was going to get  a nice nutritious snack!  Finally we left the room.  We could tell that the bird really wanted the seeds but wouldn’t eat much while we were there. Plus we had a seal haul out to attend!

We walked back to the seal area and checked out the seal!   After grabbing a few pictures we headed back down the boardwalk on foot!  For the next two hours we roamed on foot.  The restaurant that we wanted to eat at (Bull on the Beach) was closing at about 5 PM....(remember it’s off season so we were just happy that they were open). So we ordered our food.  Sandwich rolls on the side please. And we carted it back to our hotel room to heat up later for dinner.  Also on our walk we picked up two big buckets of popcorn. (Caramel and cheddar cheese). (If you have been to OC, Maryland...Fishers Popcorn). We ALSO stopped at Dolles Candyland and each picked out some chocolate for a sweet treat!

So for dinner I ate a beef sandwich and coleslaw, I had some popcorn and I had some chocolate.   I feel like I ate a ton!  But I never felt ‘stuffed and sick’. I never even felt full!   I did eat it in stages.  I ate the sandwich first.  Then I waited a bit before I dove into the popcorn.  I then waited a bit before eating any chocolate.   And right before we went to bed (probably an hour after the chocolate) I ate another handful of popcorn.  I was purposefully doing that in order to give my body time to tell me to stop!!!  I kept saying ‘I just still feel hungry!’

We cranked the heat up high and threw open the door to the balcony......and crawled into bed!  Ahhhh. Sleep was wonderful with the natural sound of the waves rolling in!!!  Just for the record, We chose our ocean front rooms carefully...at the hotel we stayed at this time the balconies are cantilevered little half circles and at least 5 feet or more from the balcony of the next room...and we are the top floor!  So while not impossible for someone to come into our room via the balcony....it is highly unlikely!

Roughly 2.5 hours of bike riding and about 2 -3 hours of walking for the day. (And just for the record...this one day of walking allowed me to say that I completed my step goal for March....the one I talked about in my last post ). While I ate candy and popcorn...and fries my food intake was under control and not a free for all!  I actually ended the day a bit hungry...just not able to feel satisfied! Upon tracking my food I found that I was only barely over my goal range (1200 to 1500.) and then on top of that add in all that activity...yeah I did good with my numbers but no wonder I was hungry...when I look at my net calories for the day I had quite a few more calories I could have eaten...as in just in the exercise alone I burned 1800 calories...above and beyond what I burn just through normal living. And on that day I didn’t eat any of those extra calories!

SATURDAY

I woke up early and laid in bed basking in the peaceful sounds of the crashing surf! Ahhhhh. That is the life!  I managed to write my recap for Friday (above) and was ready to hop out of bed when the sun started peaking over the horizon!

We showered and relaxed a bit...this was a mini vacation, we wanted active time but also relaxing time!  Finally we set off.  It was still chilly so we set off on foot.  We walked for hours!   Literally!   From 9am or so until about 4pm.    

I grabbed a breakfast sandwich. (Sausage egg and cheese croissant).  We checked out the seal who was still on the beach!  (Wish I could have gotten closer, but apparently a law keeps you 50 yards away.). We checked out various stores.  We enjoyed the beach. 

I was feeling a bit confused because I was feeling hungry and I had just had breakfast.  But then I looked at my watch and low and behold it was 1PM!   Where did the morning go!   I was scanning for something to eat and saw the ice cream place....oh yeah, I did!  I had a chocolate sprinkle waffle cone with vanilla ice cream....covered in sprinkles!!  

Sprinkles make the world a better place!   And yeah....that WAS my lunch!!!

We walked some more.  Around 2 Jason looked at me and remarked that he had developed a hot spot on his foot.  We immediately headed back to our hotel to rest our weary feet and check out our hot spots/blisters.  Yup, I had a blister too (on the bottom of my middle toe of all places)!   We sat on the balcony enjoying life when our friend came back...and got so much closer to us this time...literally 3 feet from us...no zoom needed today!

We rested for a bit and then headed out to pick up the few things at some stores that we knew we wanted to take home.  (It was calling for rain on Sunday and we wanted to make sure that we had made our purchases so that we didn’t have to walk forever in the rain on Sunday before we left.). So what did we buy?   An ornament for our Christmas tree.  Some more chocolate.  And a new pet!   Yes we got another hermit crab.

  We have two tanks going at home.  One for the two small crabs and one for a big crab that I rescued about 6 months ago.  The big crab is healthy but rather ‘depressed’....we have tried to put him in the tank with the smaller crabs but it just isn’t working yet because of the size discrepancy.  Crabs are social.  So we are hoping another crab will help ‘big boy’.  The crab we got is rather large (double the size of ‘big boy’...and he is feisty and not overly afraid of us.  Our hearts melted with this jumbo sized crab...he was healthy looking and had obviously just molted.  You could tell that he hadn’t been in captivity for long...at least not in the cage that he was currently housed in!  Honestly the cages they keep the crabs in are horrendous and NOT at all conducive to life for these crabs!  (I’m not talking about quality of life...I’m talking the wire/mesh cages are not suitable for a hermit crab for any length of time and will eventually lead to health problems and death.  I would buy every crab and set them free on an island if I could...but I can’t so we just saved one!). 

After we made our purchases we went back to our room. It was about 5pm but we were DONE!  We let our crab roam a bit on the floor.  We moved the couch and sat looking at the ocean and chit chatted and enjoyed each other’s company.  We watched tv.  We ordered delivery because we were too whipped to head out the door another time!!!  Delivery was pizza and chicken tenders for me (Pizza and calamari for jason). Oh and some chocolate! 

What a good day!  Lots of activity.  My calories were a bit higher!  Right under 2000 for the day.  I didn’t have quite the deficit of calories that day...but I’m good with what I ate.  I didn’t go to bed hungry!  I also didn’t stuff myself and feel ill.  (And I had self control with the chocolate....only three small pieces!) I felt good!

SUNDAY

The day to go home. Boooooo!  But of course we were excited to get our new crab home and in a quarantine tank....a tank where he could be somewhat comfortable, small for him but with everything he needed to be comfortable (not a wire mesh cage that we transported him home in!) until we deem him safe to mingle with his new buddy!

We started the day with another sunrise. 

A nice lazy morning in the room enjoying the views....and trying to not think about going back to the rat race!!

We headed out on our bikes this morning and rode.   We grabbed an early lunch (fries again) and just enjoyed the ocean views and the wind in our faces as we rolled down the boardwalk.  It was colder so we were wearing our winter jackets and my jacket took a hit when it got caught on something on my bike and ripped!  Shucks...it was new this year too!  Oh well!

We rode until it started to rain!   (Which we knew was forecasted). Cold rain....so we fled back to the car and headed home.  It was time anyway.  Boooo!

The ride home was uneventful....but we both talked about the dread of returning to work.   Man, we need a ‘normal/long’ vacation!!!

Overall...what an active weekend!   I closed out March very positive.  While my food may have been a bit higher, it was not outrageously high!  (2000 calories was the highest day but add in 8 miles of walking and a couple hours of biking and I think that day evened out!).  I’m home and while I don’t want to return to work, I’m ready to get my health back on track and get my fitness levels up and my weight down!  Bring it on!!!!

Vacation Part One: The Beach

Welcome to the vacation recap...part one!   We had originally planned to spend the whole week down at the beach...the outer banks.   It circumstances changed (clean up from a hurricane that hit the Outer Banks) and we decided to spend a few days at a different beach.....day or two in the mountains....maybe visit to a Halloween attraction (field of screams) and then a few days of recouping at home.  (Recouping and preparing to go back to the grind of every day life.)

So here is  Vacation part one: The beach

 Saturday...day one

We woke up relatively early and headed out to the beach.  It is about a three hour drive and we wanted to try to garner as much time at the beach as possible.  As we drove along the roads I was quietly contemplating the weather...overcast and rain.  Yuck!  I kept telling myself that the forecast was for sun in the afternoon!   We arrived at the ocean and the sun was shinning...but it was cold!   Where had the 85° days earlier in the week gone!  It was  only in the 50’s maybe low 60’s!  No worries...we like off season at the beaches just wear sweatshirts!  (Less crowds) And while we wouldn’t have been adverse to a swim in the ocean had the temps been conducive, we were not at the ocean for a dip in the water...well maybe just my toes at some point!!  We parked at our hotel at 11:00 but couldn’t check in yet as check in wasn’t until 4pm.  We had our bikes and there was no way we were leaving them on top of the car unattended...so the bikes came off the car and we headed off to explore Ocean City on our bikes.  Up and down the boardwalk we road.  We also road on the streets.  For over four  hours we road!! (Oh we stopped for a single slice of pizza from a boardwalk vender which we ate standing by our bikes). I hadn’t  ridden in weeks and my butt was starting to feel it for sure!!!  My legs not so much while riding!  We did stroll with our bikes down to the water for a few minutes.

  Finally at about 3 we went back to the hotel because they had advised that we might be able to check in sometime after 2pm.   Voila!  We were good to check in!!  We unloaded the car and relaxed on our balcony.  We may have even taken a wee nap!  What woke us up from our nap?  The loud revving of engines...and it sounded like it was coming from the ocean.   We headed out onto the balcony and by golly...it was indeed coming from the ocean...the ocean side of things. We had known that  there was a corvette show in Ocean City this weekend (we had seen parking lots full of vettes while we were out riding).  But apparently they were doing a parade of vettes down the boardwalk!  We watched for about 45 minutes  from our balcony.

Time was ticking (we knew our dinner option was likely to close early) so we cut our viewing from the balcony short and grabbed our bikes.  Down the boardwalk we went...and thus viewed the vette parade up close and personal. As in we were right beside it!  We grabbed pit beef sandwiches and biked back to our hotel to have dinner! (Just for the record...the ride to buy dinner was about 2 miles there and 2 miles back so four miles of riding just to get dinner!).  We got ‘home’ and stayed in our hotel the rest of the night....spending lots of time on the balcony watching the sunset!!!!

 We were in bed early as we were tired and Jason was fighting a cold!

Day two

We had slept with the sliding glass door open and the heat cranked! (Both nights actually!)  It was fabulous sleeping!  I woke about 6AM and listened to the pounding surf and waited for sunrise.  At about 6:40 when the skies started to slowly pink up, I headed outside, wrapped in a blanket and watched the sunrise.  

It was neat as I tried to get a picture of the different stages and colors of the sunrise!  We relaxed a bit in our room in the morning.   My legs were so stiff and sore and Jason was still fighting off the cold and feeling a bit rough and ragged.  But eventually we made our way out...on foot today.  (My butt may have been a bit tender from all that time in the saddle the day before!) Being  on foot and not having to worry about the security of our bikes afforded us the opportunity to shop!   We explored the many shops on and around the boardwalk...for hours!   We grabbed a lunch of Thrashers boardwalk fries....and a donut from the Fractured Prune donut shop.   Then we kept walking!!!  Jason found a pair of shoes that he has been wanting to find for 2 years (I kid you not...every time we go into a mall or any shopping expedition he looks for a certain shoe and a certain color.  He can usually find the color but not the style...or the style and not the color..). We walked into a shop and saw the exact shoe he wanted.  We both commented that they probably wouldn’t have his size...but they did!!!  AND while he was trying them on...the guy was like ‘end of season, I can knock 25% off of them !!!  Sold!  (We would have purchased them  at full price but a discount is even better!   I also bought a pair of shoes..but mine were 50% off!  Laden down with purchases we headed back to our hotel.  Ok, ok ok..we had also  purchased two big buckets of fishers popcorn (Amazon Affiliate link...because why yes...you can order a beach boardwalk treat delivered right to your house!!!), some chocolate covered strawberries for me and a caramel apple for him.   We walked a bit more later in the day after another much deserved vacation nap...but we were still wiped out!  Plus...I had somehow picked up a blister...most likely from a grain of sand between my toes...from when I took off my socks and shoes and waded into the ocean!   We spent time on the balcony overlooking the ocean and enjoyed the playful ‘show’ that the dolphins were giving!  Food...way too much.  But so tasty!!!  

Day three

It was raining!!!!  Boooooo!!!  We spent most of the morning on the balcony talking and enjoying the beach views, sounds and smells.  Jason was feeling better, thank heavens!!    We had to check out of our hotel at 11 (we were so tempted to stay another night...but the rain deterred us....and the fact that we had other plans upcoming).  We hopped in the car and explored a bit further up the shoreline.  We spent some time in Delaware.  The sun actually came out for an hour or two...so we enjoyed the beaches and roads up there before heading home.  Sorry...only one pic was taken on this day...so you will just have to look at our sappy lovey dovey  picture!!! 

The trip home good FOREVER.  We knew to try to avoid rush hour...seriously, we drive it every day...we know!  But a small detour and a few extra stops and we found ourselves smack dab in the middle of rush hour...grrr!  Oh well...we were still together and we did make it home safe and sound!

Mertz, the cat was happy to see us!  We threw clothes in the wash...ordered dinner out...watched a little tv and I was out cold asleep early!    

Take away from this portion of our vacation?   Since we decided to go to Maine next year for our vacation I have said I need to be in shape to really be able to fully experience and enjoy that vacation.....these few days of more than normal physical activity at the beach emphasized how much I do need to be in better shape before that week!!!  No time for sore muscles that week!!!!

This and That

Why oh why do the weekends go so fast?????   Or maybe I should be saying, why can’t I be independently wealthy so that every day is like a weekend???   Another weekend is in the books and it’s back to work for me. So this post is a bit of this and a bit of that...riding, weigh in results, cleaning and organizing and whatever else comes to mind.

Bike Bedroom

We have designated the den/second bedroom as the bike bedroom.  It’s also kinda the junk room.   Don’t know where to put something?  Drop it into the den!  It gets junked up quickly!   The dining room is also a quick easy place to dump stuff (shoes, helmets and  whatever else!). This weekend I decided to organize and try to find a home for some of those items that end up just sitting around.  So I worked on the den.   Really I just rearranged one or two things and put some stuff away.  I also added a rack for hanging packs and a small shelf.

Behind the door on the right is two more bikes.  You can see the black shelf on the right by the bikes...that’s what I added.  The bike helmets sit on top of that shelf.   (They were in the car so they didn’t make the picture). The next shelf down holds my hiking boots, my road bike shoes and the chin guard attachment for Jason’s helmet. The middle shelf holds two bins...one holds knee pads and elbow pads and the other holds random bike parts that we use more frequently than the parts that are in the bin in our storage closet.  The bottom shelf holds  both pairs of Jason’s hiking boots.  It works perfectly and really adds a sense of organization and order to the room!!!  The other big change?  Was the rack for the bags.

We have a nice place to hang our hydration packs...and to let the bladders dry! (And a close up shot of the shelf!). I want to get a rack to stack our bikes.  My brother has a wooden one...it leans against the wall and  has space to two bikes .  (Not the wooden one...but the affiliate link gives the idea of what I’m looking at.)  The road bike would be hung high and out of the way. And in that way we would be able to eliminate some of the floor space that the bikes use.  (Although we will probably keep the old trek on the trainer!)

Riding

We did get out and ride.   We rode at Little Bennett Park again...but in a different trail.  LOTS of climbing.  Lots of tree roots.  Some rocks to navigate. A lot more technical than I am used to!  I did have to get off to walk around one or two things (mainly because I let my fear get to me) and I did have to walk up some inclines.   I was experiencing some weird cramping in my stomach throughout the afternoon (even before we started...so that made the ride a bit uncomfortable.)  But, I felt refreshed at the end...and sore!

Hydration packs

The  hydration packs worked wonderfully!!!!!  We definitely loaded them up and strapped them on!   They say nicely on our backs.  The water didn’t slosh around messing up our balance.  And it was SOOO nice to be out and know that I had 3 liters of water with me...it allowed me to drink when I wanted and not have to conserve!

Weight: did I break the pattern?

So, the pattern I wrote about the other day.  Where my weight is low on Saturday...and on Sunday pops up, and takes until about Thursday to start to drop again?  It was its lowest on Saturday. (By 2/10’s of a pound).  On Sunday it was still low.   I was cautiously optimistic!  And this morning?  I have popped up three pounds!   

In fairness, I did eat more yesterday.  I ate 1600 calories....which is NOT three pounds of overeating!!!  Oh and I also did mountain biking for 1.5-2 hours...which the apps (MapMyFitness And myfitnesspal) say earned me 2000 calories.   So the extra food should not be an issue!!!!!

I am so bummed!  Grrr!   But I’m still within that three pound ‘it’s ok fluctuation range’  so I’m ok...just confused as to why!!!  I’m thinking it has to do with the riding.   Because typically we ride on Saturday’s and my weight pops on Sunday.   This week we didnt ride on Saturday...and my weight didn’t pop on Sunday.   But when I rode on Sunday my weight popped on Monday.  So that’s my current theory!!! 

It's here!!!!

Spring is here!  I'm pretty sure!   Yes I've been saying it for weeks that I want spring to be here but this time I'm pretty sure it is here!  

Why do I say that????  Well let me talk about my weekend first and it will all be clear within time!

We knew it was to be gorgeous so we decided to take our bikes out!   On Saturday we rode our bikes on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal  near the Monocacy Aqueduct   

 

The weather was a bit cool but perfect for biking!   The canal was not busy too which made it extra nice.  For some reason this ride just did in my legs.  They were tired!!!   We turned earlier than we had planned (thank heavens) because Jason was also struggling but we knew why...his fancy-dancy shocks needed air and he said it was riding on a puffy marshmallow....so every rotation of his pedal he lost at lelast 50% of his effort into the bounce.  Hahaha. 

We explored a bit at the aqueduct after we got back and then called it a day.   While we were out we did see a few blue bells but we actually had a nice conversation about can't wait to see the turtles and the vibrant colors of flowers and such.  Basically we longed for all of the things that would scream to us telling us that spring was here!

On Sunday we awoke and had a leasurly morning and then an early lunch before heading back to the canal.  This time we headed just east of Great Falls .   We pulled our bikes off the car and prepared ourselves to ride.  

 

Once we were ready we hopped onto our bikes and headed eastward toward Georgetown/Washington D.C.     

Almost immediately I threw on the brakes and skidded to a halt!   Why?   I saw spring!!!!!    

 

Turtles everywhere!   They had come out from under where they were burrowed for the winter and they were enjoying the sun!   Hip hip hurray!!!!  

And bugs...they came out too!

We also saw a few kinds of flowers dotting edge of the path. What a treat!!!!

The ride was interesting.  The canal is always a neat place to ride!!!

 

 This trip however seemed full of fun and interesting features!   We passed a handful of locks and canal structures.  

 

We looked longingly at the numerous little trials off the towpath.  We explored a few but plan on coming back as they look like good beginner trails for me to go off road, thus maybe we can avoid another tumble !!  We checked out the pumping station, the dam and the rapidly moving river.

 

We noticed that one of the old houses along the canal was open so we went and checked it out.  

It was the Abner Cloud House.  Which is apparently one of the oldest houses in the area (they said only one other house is older).  It pre-dates the Chesapeake and Ohio canal and was there when George Washingtons Canal was in operation.  

 

So many things to see.... even an old marker for miles left to D.C. Or should I say 'miles to Washington's City'?

 

And when we got to Georgetown (the eastern end of the canal) we got off our bikes and explored a bit.  Ok, most of our time there was spent watching the hubbub going on around the Four Seasons Hotel....secret service agents were everywhere!!!

It was an awesome ride!!!!!

Eventually we got back to the car and we headed home.  We stopped to wash the bikes (and my car).  They needed it as we hadn't washed off the salt from last weeks beach trip! !  We still had a bit of time before it got dark so we went to the park and while we went to walk, we ended up sitting on a park bench and enjoying the evening, and the site of a sunken tugboat!

So the best part???? I ended the first two days of April with 33.12 miles!!!!!   I'm well on my way to my April mileage goal!!!

Food for the weekend....not so good.  But I can clean it up!  And I WILL!!!

Running on Fat

I just stumbled across this article.  It's on the website closerline.co.uk (although I read it elsewhere, I just like to give proper credit).

  Yes, it made me cry!!!!!!!!

A Facebook user penned a message to 'The Fatty running on the westview track'.  You might be surprised to read what they have to say.

The message begins in a typically condescending manner.  It accuses the overweight runner of 'footslogging in the wrong direction', calls then out for wanting to 'stop twice a lap' and points out the sweat that drenches their body.

But then all of a sudden, the tone changes and we find ourselves confronted with a seriously inspirational message for all the would be runners out there.

"You whose feet barely lift off of the ground as you trudge around the track.  You, who keeps to the outside lane, footslogging in the wrong direction.  You, who stops for water breaks every lap and who would probably stop twice a lap if there were  bleachers on both sides. You whose gaze drops to your feet every time we pass.  You whose sweat drenches your body after you leave, completing only a single 20 minute mile.

There is something you should know.  You fucking rock!!

Every shallow step you take, you carry the weight of more than two of me, clinging to your bones, begging to be shaken off.  Each lap you run you are paying off the debt of another midnight snack, another dessert, another beer.  It's 20 degrees outside, but you haven't let that stop your regime.  This isn't your first day out here, and it certainly won't be your last.  You started a journey that lasts a lifetime, and you've started it at least twelve days before your New Year's resolution kicks in.

You run without music, and I can only imagine the mantras running through your mind as you heave your ever shrinking mass around the next lap.  Let's go feet!  Shut up legs!  Fuck off fat!!   If only you'd look up from your feet the next time we pass, you'd see my gaze had no condescension in it.

I have nothing but respect for you.  You've got this.

Hello!!!   I cried again as I typed that in!   It's so true on so many levels...from the rock bottom run to the mantras and yes, to the acceptance by ther runners and athletes...you see...they have been a beginner and they know how it feels.  They know how after just a few pounds weight gain they struggle with their exercise/hobby...so they can totally appreciate the 'fatty runner'

It happened to me when I purchased my trek.  I took it back for a tune up a few months later and the guy that sold me te bike was giddy with excitement and he flat out told me why. Paraphrasing what he said..."it's obvious that you got out an used this bike.  I can see changes in your body!  I know it wasn't easy but you are doing it!!"  And seriously?  When I originally bought the bike I was ashamed and embarrassed to be the 'fatty buying a bike'.  Ohhh how wrong we are!!!

So here I am...running and biking..fatty...shrinking...but fabulous!!

Goals and well just because

My bucket list has some things on it.   Every once in a while I go back and look at the list to update it and see my progress.  In the last year I've been able to knock a few things off of that list.     Today I went back to that list.  I wanted to update a running bucket list goal.


That goal was to run a 10 minute or less mile....and to do it officially with a sub thirty 5k.  (that is actually two different items).   I was pleasantly surprised to see that a while back (probably in a fit of insanity) I put to run a half marathon on my bucket list.  Really????   Nice.

So I was looking at my list.  If I can carry out my plans I could conceivably complete at least 7 items by the end of year 2014 (that's two thousand fourteen....a year and two months....not this year!)   What 7 items???

1.  Be at my goal weight
2.  Ride a quarter century ride
3.  ride a half century ride
4.  ride a century ride
5.  run a half marathon
6.  run a mile in less than 10
7.  run a sub 30 5k

(ok, so that time limit ones are more iffy.....I could train and train and train and not get my speed that fast,...it may be an impossibility for me) But I'm going to try!

There are a few more that I could conceivably knock off....but we shall see!  :-)

Meanwhile, these sinus issues just have to go AWAY! I was going to ignore the sinus issues and run this morning regardless of how I feel.  However, it was rainy and icky.   Uhhhh probably not the best combination.  I don't want to compound whatever ick I'm dealing with!

 So just because this is the way I roll I want to share some wardrobe malfunctions I've had in the last few months.

The weekend is almost here.  I've got this!

The jury is out

The jury is out.  Am I certifiably crazy?   

I find myself in a very weird situation.  I don't know if I should be committed for  being mentally crazy or if I'm perfectly sane.    But either way I'm torn in two.

A month back I FINALLY had the money and found a road bike for myself.  I had been saving and looking for a good deal that was in my budget for quite some time. You see, I have long had some bike events on my bucket list.  Events that I really did need a road bike for.  I was super excited. I was going to be riding....I was ready and stoked!   It was roughly at that same time that I kinda started to fall in love like running. 

I was immediately torn when I got my new bike.  I want to ride my bike yet I want to run.  How does one decide what to do?  Ohh add into the mix that I love my Zumba.  Zumba has been a salvation of sorts for me. In a misguided effort to be the perfect wife and thereby single handedly save my marriage I had boxed myself into a corner.  I didn't do anything that might interfere with my marital responsibilities...heaven forbid me not be at the house waiting in case he called needing something while he was at work.  (yeah, really boneheaded maneuver on my part, I know that now...but it seemed like a good idea at the time) Zumba helped bring me back out of that bubble.  My friends that I made at Zumba helped me to realize and rediscover myself!  So dropping Zumba is really not a valid option for me...it keeps me grounded!  :-). So in torn between biking and running.  Not so difficult, I can do both right? 

So I've read a few race reports about people doing half marathons.  I used to read them in awe...then a few weeks ago I read one and felt a tingle of interest that went beyond awe, it was tingle of recognition that maybe, just maybe I had it in me to complete a half.   The tingle grew and I think I want to aim for a half marathon.  Yeah...cue the little man with the straight jacket with my name on it...this is where he is needed!   Me do a half marathon?  ha ha ha.  I'm not committing, I'm just putting the idea out there because I think I could do it.   I must be crazy to even ponder this!!!

My biggest deterrent right now is the fact that I want to focus on riding!  I'm totally torn.  To bike......to run.....that is the question.  I could be happy doing either one...but will trying to do both hold me back from achieving my goals???

The only thing I will say about this before I move on.  I have tentatively found a few halves that I could conceivably run.  One in Hershey on October 20th..( There is also a half in Gettysburg on that same day.)to follow the Hal Higdon 12 week training I would need to start really training the end of July.  (and continuing running my 3 miles a few times a week until then).  There is one closer, to benefit Habitat for Humanity.    That one is in Hancock, MD on a Sunday in September (September 15).   (Ironically enough that race was already in my crosshairs as I was pondering doing the 5k race that day).    All of those half marathons are on Sunday so no worries about work (there is a half that goes right through the town where I live...in fact it goes right by my work...but it always falls on the weekend I work...and this year is no exception...so once again this year I will be at work and cheering the runners on when I'm not inside with a customer!).    The Hancock half I would have to start training diligently the end of June.  Hmmmm.......

So anyway.....no commitment to anything...just thinking wild and crazy thoughts!

Meanwhile, this morning I went out for a run. I don't know what struck me but I decided to push myself further.  (it was probably sparked by all this talk about half marathons and such).   I ran 5.33 miles in just over an hour...That is 2 complete miles longer than I have EVER run in my entire life.  I did not stop to walk.  I ran every stinkin' step!!!!  My average pace was 12:34 (my fastest yet) and one of my miles was in 11:58  YIPPEE!   So not only FASTER but longer!  And I didn't die.....and my legs seem to be still attached to my body and working relatively well.  :-)  

Up tomorrow morning.....a bike ride!   But in the meantime...off to work I go...followed by an hour of zumba!  WEEEEEEEE