Thursday, March 24, 2011

Yes, You Can.

But in this case, you probably shouldn't.  (Unless you are a little bit more ready than I was.)  You can do nearly anything you set your mind to, and this past weekend, despite not having run probably even one time all winter, and also despite never having run longer than about 3.5 miles ever, I ran in a 5 mile race.  And hardly walked at all.  And finished.  And didn't die.  And liked it.  A lot.

But I paid like hell for it later.  Running 5 miles is no joke.  It's longer than I've ever run before, a distance that's longer enough than 5K (which is 3.2 miles) to sound more daunting.  But I had to do it, for a number of reasons.  One, I intended to run in a marathon this spring, which I decided on and registered for before well before we decided to sell our house and move, which caused me to basically abandon doing anything healthy for myself all winter.  Even when I knew I didn't have enough time left to train for the marathon, I cut it down to the 10 mile option, but then we were in the midst of the move and I still didn't run.  This would at least give me a chance to kick my own ass into gear and recapture the fitness bug.  The second reason I couldn't help myself?  It was right in our neighborhood!  The start/finish was a short, easy walk from my house, and the #3 mile marker was practically in front of my house.  Luckily I didn't choose to bail at that point and stop, but it certainly was an option.

Repercussions of my quasi-success?  One, I could barely walk for the next two days.  Two, I finally got sick of being in the "back of the pack".  This is by no means the first time I've entered a fitness event from a position of being undertrained, and I have a history of BOP finishes.  It finally got to me this time, I'm finally over it.  I'm desperate now to find a way to return to some kind of a regular workout regime, and to be much better prepared for my next events.  Because since I sure do love 'em, I might as well do better!

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Thought Soup


As I tend to use that title with some frequency, I should probably make it a more regular feature.  Basically it’s when I have a whole bunch of crap to talk about, and I mash it all into one, long post. 

On Our New House

We’ve finally moved!  We sold our older, serviceable and fairly cute but way, WAY too small for us townhouse and moved into a dreamy, nicer, newer, way, WAY bigger, doesn’t-feel-like-a-townhouse townhouse in the very same neighborhood we so dearly love.  Still having so much to unpack sucks royally, but we are on our own schedule for it now and are free from the vast majority of the stress that had enveloped us throughout the moving process.  My 5 year old son keeps telling me how much he loves it, and occasionally my husband and I pinch ourselves in disbelief and wonder how we got so lucky.  

Oh, and have you heard?  I live in a spa resort.  At least, it feels like I do.  Our new place is super quiet, it is nice and large, it is all tricked out with nifty upgraded features that make us feel spoiled, we have a huge, comfy new king-sized bed, and did I mention how quiet it is?  Ahhhhh…

On being a “Pole Master”

This is one of the most fun things I have ever accomplished, hands down.  After a couple of years and an injury stop-restart, I completed 6 levels of pole dance instruction and spent 8 more weeks prepping to put on a graduation show.  What a freaking blast!  The music is great, the ladies are even better, and it’s still the very best workout I have ever had.  So much more I want to continue to do and learn with it, and I can’t wait to get another chance to perform.  I loved it, and I loved getting to show off to my friends, family, and even total strangers!

On Having Hawaii-Bound Friends

Exiting my life are two of my best friends and their two kids, who are some of my kid’s best friends.  I am so, so happy and excited for them, yet so so SO terribly sad to lose our proximity to them.  It is hard to find people in life that you have so much in common with, are so compatible with, have kids your kids’ age, have been in your life for a bunch of years, and that also happen to live just a few seconds down the road, but we were lucky enough to have had that with them, for a good while now.  Now they are embarking on their own fantasy life’s adventure by up and moving to Hawaii.  Who could blame them?  I can’t wait to hear about their adventures.

On the Fitness Horizon

The marathon I signed up for before we decided to sell our house and move over the winter didn’t happen.  The 10 miler I cut it down to when I knew the marathon was out of the question isn’t going to happen, it being in 11 days.  I am going to enter a 5 miler in my neighborhood this Saturday, which is going to kick off my return to fitness, but which is also going to HURT.

After that, Sprint Tri in my backyard, the same one I’ve done the last two years, except this time I will do it in both June and August.  And then in September, my boss, who is in the process of kicking breast cancer’s ass, has asked me to do a 3-Day (60 mile) fundraising walk with her, and I was honored so I accepted.  (Marathon Plan 2.0 will be for next year…)

On What’s Next?

VEGAS, BABY!!  Mid-April.  Suite with a view of the strip, pool weather, The Little White Wedding Chapel, dear friends, swanky food, and a crapload of fun.  ‘Nuf said.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

I'm 40!!

I've done it, I've turned 40 and I didn't implode.  I did it in style, too, within the course of a week we closed on our house sale and purchase, moved, had the birthday, then had my graduation "poleformance" attended by friends and family.  I'd say that's a pretty successful and fun way to start a new decade.

The funny thing is, I freaked out for about a year and a half about turning 40, and the morning of my birthday (which is the very same as the FABULOUS Dr. Seuss, I might add) as I was driving to work, I realized that it was just another day.  A simple but significant epiphany.  So, just like that, for now, the mid life crisis has been thwarted.

HOWEVER, this blog still lives on because I still have a lot going on, a lot to talk about, and a lot more to accomplish...