Soul Food

This whole not getting to the gym bullshit has sucked.  I only made it two nights last week.  Mom duties and volunteer duties come first but I miss it.  I miss my friends, the weights, the endorphins and the soreness.  I don’t think I said I was sore once this week.  I can’t remember the last time I went a day without saying it.

I knew working out 6 days a week wasn’t going to last but it snuck up on me. 

So after being bummed last night about missing so much gym time and realizing next week will be just as bad,  this morning it dawned on me that this can be a good thing.  WHAT?!  How is that?

WELL…. I have needed to find more time to run and this may force that.  I can control that easier than I can the gym time.  Perhaps this is the universe’s way of telling me “that half is quickly approaching and since you weren’t making the time to run and weight train, I’ll take away your weights several days a week and then you’ll be forced to run!”  That sounds like something the universe would say, right?  Especially after I’ve been telling it I need to make time.

This leads me to my plan to run this morning.  I was going to get up and get out there by 7 or 7:30.  Guess what… I woke up at 7 with a lot of excuses.  Yes, they are excuses (I’ll admit it but they’re really good) and I listened to them.  A year or two ago I would have felt bad about taking this day, especially after all the training I’ve missed recently but I decided I needed this and I will embrace it.

If I don’t have enough down time or ‘me time’ I tend to get cranky, on edge and not be a fun person to be around. (much like when I’m hungry) I recognize this in myself.  As much as I love all I have going on right now, I still have to find some time to calm the world around me and to get centered.  Eventually, I lose the ability to function properly until I hit that reset button. 

Running and the gym give me a different kind of reset.  They make me feel great and feed a part of my soul.   Just like our bodies need different foods to thrive so does my soul.  As I have mentioned before, I am really an introvert living an extrovert’s life.

2 blog posts in one day!  I kinda cheated though.  I’ve been working on the other one for a couple of days.  This one is fresh.

Until Next Time

P.S.  This afternoon I am spending time with amazing and gorgeous (inside and out) women.  That too will feed my soul in a way that only time with other women can.  It’s so easy to focus on the negatives in my life but I have so much positive.  I am blessed and sharing here reminds me of just how much.    

Escaped

Hey Hey Hey!  It’s been a couple of days.

Thursday I filmed my first ever PSA.  Who knew I could act?  Not me and not the video crew. It took about 30 minutes but I finally nailed my line.  I hope I made the cut and will be on TV.  I’m also super nervous about it.  I might be on television!  I’ll write more about that experience when it gets closer to April.  April is Sexual Assault Awareness month and the PSA is related. 

Friday, I got a break from that big project I’m working on.  When asked if I wanted to escape the office for a couple hours, grab lunch on the Monterey Fisherman’s Wharf and check on some jobsites in Pebble Beach, I jumped at the opportunity.  You don’t have to ask me twice if I want to get fresh air and enjoy a beautiful day.  Monterey, Pebble Beach and the Ocean did not disappoint.

 

At the top of the wharf

 

His and Hers lunch - Clam Chowder for the win

Must go back and try these soon

 

Pebble Beach - no filter needed

Blessed to enjoy this view

 I got back to the office just in time to finish a small part of the project.  I am almost half way through and can see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

On Thursday I finally made it to the gym for the first time this week.  Being that it is the first week of the month, I had to complete benchmark.  Benchmark is 100 reps of each of the following; sit-ups, push-ups, australian pull-ups and body weight squats.  I dropped 1 minute and 5 seconds off last month's time finishing in 15 minutes and 5 seconds.  I was 11 seconds off my best time ever but I’ve increased the difficulty of the sit-ups.  I am now doing inclines instead of flat on the ground.  The transition between the exercises is where I am losing the most time but I’m still improving and I’m super stoked.  I gave everything I had and with the ‘cheering’ on of my trainer, I am more than happy with the results.  I pushed hard and feel I gave it everything I had.  I don’t think I could have done any better this month.  It took me about 20 minutes to fully recover but then I was able to work on my pull-ups.  I’m getting close again and still keep that as one of my main goals.

I also found out this week that I have been accepted as a Stride Box Ambassador.  I am super excited to work with and promote them.  I love the boxes I receive monthly and can’t wait to build a stronger relationship with them.  If you follow my social media, be on the look out for upcoming surprises.  I’ll be giving honest feedback on the products I receive and other fun stuff.  I can’t wait to share more!

Lastly, it is finally March that means I get to be on the judging panel for the Community Service Awards this year.  If you remember, I won the Adult Service Award last year for my work with the Monterey Country Rape Crisis Center.  It was a shining moment for me (except when I tried to give a speech) and this year I get to be a part of the selection group.   I am incredibly honored and excited.  I love seeing the amazing things people in our community are doing.  Surrounding myself with greatness rocks!

 

Until Next Time

P.S. Taking 2 days off from writing sucked!  I missed it.  It has become as important to me as coffee.  Okay, maybe not that important but I hope I never have to choose between the two. 

Middle School

Do you remember what it was like to be in middle school?  No?  If you’re like me then it has been a really long time.  Over the last few months I have been trying to delve into that part of my brain and remember as much as possible. 

It is like a switch went off in my son.  He’s still that loving, hilarious, smart, amazing boy that he was a few months ago but he is also changing.  They are normal changes and he is going through many both physically and mentally.  He is growing into himself, developing his identity and moving into the next part of his journey.  It is amazing and difficult to watch. 

I want to be able to cuddle him and protect him from the world.  I know I have to let him grow and change.  I have to let him grow-up.  I’m just not ready yet.  Every time I am ‘allowed’ to hug him, I hold on as long as possible.  I know we are heading into those years where that isn’t cool.  I just hope they are short lived and he realizes EVERYONE needs hugs from their mom.

He is having new experiences and making friends I’ve never met.  He is dealing with things that I haven’t faced since watching after school specials and some that didn’t even exist back then.  I can only hope that he has taken to heart all those times I’ve told him I am always here.  That he can come to me with anything and we can talk about it.  That even if I am disappointed in behaviors, I will always love him and there isn’t anything he can do that will ever change that. 

We have a night time routine, the same one we’ve had since I got him out of my bed and into his.  Right now, he still embraces it and every day I look forward to it.  I try to never skip a night.  On the rare occasion that I am not home until after he goes to bed, I creep into his room and still go through the actions.  He may never know but I do and I hold every one of the nights tight and treasure them.

Until Next Time

P.S.  I got the results of the mammogram and I am all clear!

SHARKS

Last night I attended my first professional hockey game at the Shark Tank aka SAP Center in San Jose, CA.  I  was invited me to tag along as a fifth wheel and I jumped at the opportunity.  I can check another item off my list of firsts.

We had dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory.  I wasn’t impressed by the food or the service but they had these amazing chairs.  I was able to sit on my throne.  No one bowed to me.  Maybe next time now that they know who I am. 

During the game, I had no clue what was going on but was on the edge of my seat waiting for a fight.  I thought that was what hockey games were all about.  Unfortunately, the refs kept getting in the way.  So I just enjoyed a beer and a few nachos instead.  The Sharks won 4-0 against the Canadiens (I spelled that right, I checked). 

 On the way back to the car I saw this.  I had never seen on like this before and it was really cool to check out (from a distance) but I’d have to be in dire need to ever touch anything in it. 

I got to bed after midnight and still had to get up early.  There is a reason why I don’t go out on work nights.  It was worth the yawns and extra coffee today.  I’d do it again in a heartbeat. 


Until Next Time

P.S.  I saw this at a pit stop on the way home. 

 

Trail Run

Last night I got to celebrate new beginnings with my partner in crime (PIC) and other great friends.  It was a night full of joy and laughter.  I am so blessed.

 Today, I crawled my butt out of bed and met another friend for a trail run at 7 am.  It had been awhile since I’d seen her and I was excited when she invited me.  She is amazing and runs often.  It was our first time running together and I was nervous about holding her back.  Turns out there was no reason to be concerned.  We all paced ourselves and met up at a T in the trail.  They were doing 16 miles to my 6 so we split up at mile 3.  I took this pic as I was turning to go on my own private little trail.

 

 

Let’s back track just a bit.  The first two miles were almost completely uphill.  I ended up walking a lot more than I expected because of a weird pinching pain in my lower back.  This time it was on the opposite side of my normal sciatic/piriformis pain.  My mantra became my back doesn’t hurt.  Figured that was better than focusing on how much it did hurt.  At mile two I got a little relief and started a flatter/down hill section. 

Miles 2-5.25 were great.  I felt like I could run forever.  I was even thinking about repeating the loop.  I was on top of the world.  I wasn’t even THAT worried when the trail split again and I wasn’t 100% confident I had chosen the correct path.   Soon I started seeing people and familiar landmarks and knew I was headed in the right direction.  I also started having shoulder pain and fatigue - my body reminding me that I haven’t been running like I used to.   

Badger Hills Trail

As I was exiting the trail, I checked my tracker and realized I was at 5.91 miles.  WHAT! I had to hit 6 miles.  So I ran a little extra.  Then decided if I was going to do 6, I might as well do 6.2.  Completing a 10k is WAY better than only doing 6 miles. 

I experienced another first today… 

I ran the entire time without music.  I actually had to listen to my breathing.  Didn’t die. (duh)  It was actually kind of nice.  It was just my breathing, the crunch of the trail under my shoes and nature.  Talk about therapy!  It definitely cleared my head.  It was amazing.  Except for that weird skunk smell…

I noticed people on the trail were friendly.  Everyone said hi or good morning and usually with a smile.  The run ended with me feeling great and accomplished.  I drove away considering how soon I can get out there again. 

When I got home I crawled back in bed for a bit then met a friend for coffee and grocery shopped.  YAY FOOD!!

Starbucks and Sun - yes, please!

My weekend was busy and full of love and experiences.  I am now ready to face what Monday will bring.

Until Next Time

P.S.  I spent almost two hours doing laundry I have avoided over the last couple of weeks.  Ridiculous, I know!  I was catching up on the DVR at the same time.  Multi-tasking for the win!