#197, or I Kicked my Own Ass Today, or Tuesday is Better Than Monday

Ka chow! I’m feeling kind of energized right now when I should be feeling kind of sleeping and I think part of that is because I worked out tonight and it was awesome.

I rely a lot on videos to help me figure out what strength/yoga things to do on the days I do more than run but not because I don’t know what to do. I use videos because they’re easier. When I was a personal trainer I used to hate planning my workouts because I spent the entire day planning everyone else’s workouts. I was burnt out from the planning of it all.

Balance push and pull. Left and right. Front and back. Don’t forget rotation. Work small muscles in with big for maximum burn. Add cardio bursts to keep your heart rate up. Don’t work anything more than anything else. Keep your stomach pulled in. Knees in line with your ankles and always behind your toes. Chin up. Use your back but don’t lift with your back. Wrists straight.

Are you tired yet? Because I sure am.

The point is, there are a lot of rules. If I was an average Jane that didn’t know anything about exercise and could just do random workouts and be happy I would but I know the rules. I know the shoulds and should nots. I can’t just forget them so if I do my own workout it has to have all of this.

Today, I rocked the house. I ran and came home to do a full body circuit workout that had me making weird noises and faces and breathing heavy. It was so not pretty but it definitely got the job done. I made the workout up as I went along but it was fun. It was nice to remind myself of those two certifications I have and say “Hey Self, remember that other thing you can do? That thing with all the exercising and junk?”

Once upon a time I kicked people’s asses for a living. I also got to know them on a pretty personal level. But more importantly, I kicked their asses.

I used all of my strongs today and it felt goooood.

“To be happy you must be your own sunshine.” Charles Edward Jerningham

I am myyy sunshine. My ooonly suuunshine. I make me haaaappyyy when skiiies are graaay…

The song doesn’t really work as well that way. Also, it sounds way more depressing.

#183, or One Half Year of Daily Optimism Down, One to Go!!

Okay  so this one required a bit of rounding since 365 divided by is actually 182.5 but I used some of the smerts I learned in math class to round up.

I am at the halfway point. Amazingly, it has been half a year since I started writing in this blog daily. When you consider the random missed days, it’s been longer than half a year since I truly started. That’s pretty awesome. I sort of hoped that by now I’d have a million readers and I’m definitely short of that but I still have a fairly solid readership and it’s growing every week so I’m proud of that.

I still have days (at least one a week) when I almost forget to post my blog which is certainly a lesson in building habits but most days I have a moment where I consider “Hmm, what will I write in my blog today?” When something great happens I get excited to write about it. I may still be struggling to make writing a daily habit but noticing something happy every day has become a part of my life like I never imagined.

I am already much more cognizant of the good things in my world- big and small. Some days are easier than others but I suppose that’s a part of the lesson of this blog.

This feels sort of similar to a run. When I run in the neighborhood I run away from the house and back to the house the same route. It’s always an awesome feeling when I turn around and head back home. The glorious halfway point is rejuvenating. That’s when I get my second wind and start kicking more ass in my runs.

So now it’s time to start kicking more ass in my blog.

It’s you and me, blog. You and me.

“Happiness, it is said, is seldom found by those who seek it, and never by those who seek it for themselves.” F. Emerson Andrews

Too bad F. I’m seeking it. And I’m seeking it a lot.

#171, or Feeling Proud of Myself, or Staying on Track – Huzzah!

Once upon a time I lived in a world where the holidays didn’t win. I could make it through the holiday season without losing track of my exercise routine and without eating my face off.

This year, holidays won.

I spent a month not exercising and I replaced my exercising routine with a fabulous eating routine (mostly sweets). Every week I said to myself that next week I would get back on track. Every week I said “Well, this week there’s lots of things happening though so next week will be the week.” Fun fact, next week was never the week. Until recently of course.

I am now officially two weeks back into to working out and eating better and damn I’m proud. The miles are getting easier again. Eating healthy is so much easier when I’m working out – and vice versa. I’m not drinking alcohol on weekdays but if I do it’s just a glass (maybe two) of red wine and even that is rare.

Right before the holidays I was feeling more in control of my body and healthier than ever before. I was like “Damn yo, I look gooood.” I lost sight of that for the sake of Santa Claus and Christmas fudge. We all deserve to indulge a bit but I really forgot what I was doing. And I paid for it. I started waking up in the morning feeling like poo and staying that way. Did not like. No sir.

Today felt extra special though. Today I am tired. I am down right exhausted. Today I am running on 5ish hours of sleep and had homework to do. Today I could have come home and said that I was tired and had too much to do so my working out would have to wait. Instead, I ran two miles. It was particularly rewarding because the two miles didn’t hurt nearly as much as I was expecting them to with my tiredpants on. Hurray for me.

I even got support from passers-by! I like to think that the creepy dudes that drive by and do the trite, BEEP BEEP thang as they mosey on by are saying “KEEP RUNNING” in a positive, encouraging sort of way and not “SWEET ASS” which is more likely what they’re trying to say. Not that I’m full of myself – dudes around here will probably beep at anything that resembles a female. I just like to think that the neighborhood is full of positive and encouraging fellow runners instead of totes creepyasaurauses. Beep all you want sirs, I’ll hear what I want.

The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself. Benjamin Franklin

Immna catch it cuz I’m so speedy with my running! Vrroom! I’m comin to getcha happiness!!

#157, or Falling Asleep to the Sound of Rain, or Sleepybear Tomorrow

So there’s a manfest happening in my kitchen right now. David and three of his bros are manbonding. No, he doesn’t call them bros but I really feel like any congregation of more than 2 guys constitutes a brofest so that’s what it is.

It was nice chatting with the fellas but I’m sure they’re enjoying their mantime right now. Bonding while they talk about technology, cars, and the latest irritating thing their significant other has done. I’m sure it’s a blast.  They probably miss me dearly from the conversation I’m sure. They’re just dying to hear about all of my opinions on everything.

*Important side note: I like to talk.*

Anyway, I’m lying in my bed, about to go to sleep and I’m super excited for the coziness I feel right now. This winter has been slightly disgruntling with the lack of snow (and thus, lack of snow days) but I’m really loving the rain for this moment. I’m going to nod off and the rain is tap tapping all around me making for a very soothing bedtime atmosphere.

I went for a run tonight in the rain and it was sort of fantastic. I’m sure that most people would choose not to run in the rain in the winter but it really wasn’t that cold and I sort of love running in the rain so I just had to. I was soaked by the time I returned and I did a short run. It felt goooood. My sneakers may not smell so great tomorrow but they’ll certainly smell for a good cause.

I love the rain. I think I would do well in Seattle because rain makes me happy. Does it make my hair happy? No. So that might be an issue if I moved since I would never be able to wear my hair down… but the sound of heavy rain is lovely. And lounging around the house during the day while the rain is ticking away is just plain awesome.

I won’t get that latter effect on account of the fact that I have to go to work tomorrow but I can dream anyway. Work will certainly be tiring since I’m going to bed after my normal bedtime (I like routine during the week) but hopefully I’ll still be moderately useful. Waking up tomorrow is certainly going to be hard.

Less sleep. Two glasses of wine. Yup, tomorrow morning is going to be a bitch.

But tonight? Tonight is lovely and soothing and peaceful. I am entirely grateful.

 

#109, or Finally Gettin’ a Sweat On, or I Really Need New Running Shoes

Okay so I know I talked on Monday about how psyched I was to get up and run on Tuesday; but here’s the thing: Tuesday kind of sucked. It wasn’t entirely horrible it just wasn’t that great and I had a migraine. It was slightly frustrating.

So I did what any migrainey person would do on a day they thought they’d be eager to workout. I ate macaroni and cheese , chocolate, and was in bed by 8:30. Basically, I was a party animal.

Be jealous.

Today though, today I really did workout. I went for a 2 mile run and I had time to listen to some pumped up music and get in the groove. I went sort of slowish but then again I always think I’m slowish so maybe I didn’t.

It was slightly rainy and cold and it felt good. I run better in the cold and I love running in the rain. It was a good happy mixture of juuuuust a little bit of them both.

My feet hurt a bit too much for a 2 mile run though – and by a bit too much I mean at all – so I know they’re dying for some new shoesies. My bitchin hot pink shoes are falling apart from the inside out but I don’t want to let them go nor do I want to spend the money on new ones. Eep.

But I digress. The positiveness is that I ran and at the end of the run I felt like I could keep on running – which is the feeling I always love to get. Tomorrow? Yoga!

Experts say that telling people your plans will force you to hold yourself more accountable. I found out in just one day that experts are dumb. Still though, I tell you yoga. And perhaps tomorrow’s post will be about yoga. Which I’m sure you’re absolutely dying to read. You’re thinking to yourself – gosh, I can’t get enough of Sabrina’s posts about running, hearing about her stretching for an hour sounds even more interesting.

Well my friends, ask and you shall receive…

“It’s a helluva start, being able to recognize what makes you happy.” Lucille Ball

Some days working out makes me happy. Some days it doesn’t. Life is hard.

#91, or Running Awesomelike, or Pewpewmilespewpew

Hey that’s me! In all of my striped tights glory. Damn I’m sexy.

So somehow I accidentally ended up in the first wave of runners which – if you’re not familiar with how races work – is where all the serious/fast/insane runners are (yea, I’m lookin’ at you Andrew). I’m not sure how I managed to do that so good job accidental me on the sign-up. I considered moving back to one of the later waves but then I figured I’d just spend that time going nuts waiting so I just stayed to the right and back of the corral.

There were 40 mph winds today that made me feel like a ragdoll when it hit me on certain runs. I was all runrunAHHHrunrunrun. Oh and I kept pace with Princess Leia for a while but at some point she passed me. Or I had passed her. I don’t really know which but we stopped passing each other.

I wasn’t sure I’d make it through the race running but dammit I was determined. And awesome possumness I ran a 10min mile. On my 2 mile runs lately I’ve been rocking 11 or even 12 minutes and feeling like death at the end so I felt great knowing that when push came to shove I was still fairly decent.

I feel like the best way to sum up how delightful this experience was is to tell you some of the things/people that passed me in this Halloween-themed event:

A city bus, Robin Hood, a shark, Wonder Woman, the three little pigs, Rainbow Brite, Batman,

Bacon.

Seriously. Bacon passed me in the run. It was sort of fantastic.

“Happiness is mental harmony. Unhappiness is mental inharmony.” James Allen

James if you want people to take you seriously you have to stop making up words… Duh.

#57, or Brownie Sundae, or I Eat Really Goodlike After I Run

There are two schools of thought in the exercise world.

1) Immediately after a good workout is the “power hour”, during which your metabolism is spiked and you reap the most benefit from great foods like chicken, rice, fruits and vegetables. Your body is absorbing and using everything it can.

2) Immediately after a good workout is the “power hour”, during with your metabolism is spiked and you can eat like a fat kid without feeling as guilty. Your fast metabolism means the food will likely be wrecked by your kickin’ cells and won’t go straight to your ass. Or at least mostly won’t.

Today, I experienced life on the other side. I went with theory two. I finished my bitchin’ 7 mile run with 2 bites of chicken, a lot more bites of mac n’ cheese, and a mini brownie sundae. I may regret that tomorrow but I feel good about it today.

Strangely enough, the brownie sundae was not my idea but I’m not one to not go along with any plan involving chocolate so off we went!

I had a brownie sundae but I didn’t eat one the size of my head so I didn’t feel like I might vom later and I feel entirely satiated. And chocolatey.

I love food and sweets. I used to work with a dietician who said that saying you “love” any food is a great misconception and that people need to stop applying human emotions to food. He discussed with me often about how this was a huge part of the problem of American obesity – the emotional attachment to the intangible.

To him I say, have you ever had dessert at The Melting Pot?!? Love.

“One of the secrets of a happy life is continuous small treats.” Iris Murdoch

Kudos Iris. Me and my brownie bite sundae salute you.

#51, or Working Out on Monday, or Dragging my Disgruntled Monday Ass to the Gym Whether I Like it or Not

Nine times out of ten, I will not work out on a Monday. I am not a morning person. I am not a Monday person. I am not a Wednesday person. Put any of those together and I’m just disgruntled. Monday nights I usually save for nothingness. I ignore any upcoming school work deadlines and hide my running shoes where I can’t see them.

Today, I decided to hit the gym for a Monday workout. I was feeling strangely awake today at work after the initial shock of Monday wore off during my drive in, which made me even more excited to visit the treadmills. I’m pretty sure that this is excitement in my bones from my running triumph on Saturday and I’m a-okay with that. If my body wants to maintain excitement about exercise, I’m going to run with it (haha, get it?! get it?!?! run with it?!?! oh, me). I was getting kind of down about my exercise stalemate and getting over that hump was just what I needed to get back in the groove.

I did a nice 30 minute interval treadmill workout from start to finish and I felt good afterwards – a little tired and a little awake. I watched Vh1’s top hip-hop moments or… something (because I only watch the classiest television while I exercise) and it seemed like the time just flew by. Although I supposed when you spend over an hour running one day and the next run is less than half of that, it makes sense that it seems eensy.

I don’t know my mileage or how many calories burned because I didn’t even think to look. I was just happy to be there and getting my sweat on. Will this become a regular Monday pick-me-up? Maybe. For today it worked. For next Monday, the couch might sound much more appealing. We’ll see where this goes – I don’t want to get any crazy ideas.

Oh, and How I Met Your Mother’s season premiere was on tonight. Love!

“No man is not happy who does not think himself so.” Pubilius Syrus

Okay well in that case. Ready? GO HAPPINESS!

….

Wait, does it only work on men?

#49, or I Ran a 10K, or I Think I got High on my Run and I’m not Talking Runner’s High

You know what feels awesome? Running 6.2 miles. You know what feels even awesomer? Finishing my run and feeling like I could have run farther. Awesomesauce.

I ran 3.1 miles away and came 3.1 miles back. When I made it to the intersection to turn around and head back, I probably looked like a crazy person to all the drivers rolling by because I was smiling so big. The time felt like it just flew by and more importantly, my body wasn’t in tons of pain – just a little sore from exertion.

I encountered one mild side stitch on the first half and one mega side stitch on the second half. Neither of which convinced me to stop running. I ran through the pain and after a little while the side pain subsided and I was back to breathing and running on pace. I don’t know how fast I ran – I’m not one for speed as much as I am one for distance.

I’m running the Wicked 10K with Team Livestrong at the end of October and I’m pretty excited about it so it was a great feeling to be over a month out from the race and have completed the trek. I’m also running a half-marathon in December so being halfway to a half-marathon with over two months to go also felt pretty good.

Oh – and on my run back to the house, I smelled weed for a solid suburban block – which, just to review, is much longer than a city block – so I was probably helped on the run by a contact high. Also, seriously?! What are these people smoking that I can smell it for such a distance?!? Kids these days.

Side note – not to be racist or anything here but when I go on my runs I always pass at lease one Middle Eastern couple and almost always pass an Asian couple, lovely couples, walking and walking. The only other country I’ve ever been to is Canada and that’s not really a different country, it’s more like baby America; but I am impressed with the focus on at least a basic fitness level that seems to be more instilled in people with a heritage from the other hemisphere (whether they are American born or not). I respect that. But let’s start doing the same thing kay? The next time I run I want to run by someone from every continent. Or else!

“Most of us would be upset If we were accussed of being “silly” comes from the old English word “seilig” and it’s literal definition is”to be blessed , happy, healthy and prosperous.” Zig Ziglar

I like that. I’m going to start using that. Let’s get sillay.

#7, or Getting Back to the Gym, or How I Kicked the Treadmill’s Ass

Once upon a time I dropped out of college and moved back home, finding it strangely difficult to land a job even at a restaurant. So I did what any bored 19 year-old girl does living in a city of high rise condos, couture malls, and pretty people. I bought some workout videos. Then I turned working out into a career. Then I left that career.

Then, strangely enough, I got into the best shape of my life. A year after quitting personal training I was almost 20 pounds lighter and running faster and farther than I ever was as a fitness professional. Apparently, I’m good at motivating others but spending 10 hours a day in a gym made my workouts lackluster.

The hard part is that now that I’ve seen my successes, I get kind of down when I fall out of sync with my workouts. In the past three weeks I have worked out a total of one time. I ran less than a mile. It was hot out.

Today though, I decided I needed to get back to the gym. I threw on my always motivating pink running shoes and hit the treadmill running. Okay I didn’t really do that because I would’ve just ran into the treadmill control panel and looked ridiculous. But I did step onto it quickly and excitedly.

At 17 minutes and 5 seconds I really had to pee so I sort of lost momentum for a hot second there but I walked as fast as I could to and from the bathroom to keep the calories burning.

60 long treadmill minutes and half of the movie Contact (how much do you love treadmills with personal T.V.s?) later, I was looking sexy. My face was red as a tomato and covered in sweat. My clothes looked like I got caught in the rain. My hair was doing this fantabulous crazy, frizzy, go-every-direction-except-down thing. It’ s  a good thing there weren’t many people in the gym to bask in my beauty. They might’ve been too overwhelmed to function.

But the point is that I made it through. I felt so awesome and so crappy at the same time. I was all up in that runner’s high and loving it. It always feels good to get back into the workout regimen. Always.

So suck it, treadmill.

“Happiness is a conscious choice, not an automatic response.” Mildred Barthel

I choose happiness. I also choose sleep. Oh and guess what – I’m posting this daily blog five minutes into the next day and I don’t care. You know why? Let me quote myself here. My blog. My rules.