Ramping Up

I start my really hard core training next week. I start meeting the trainer at 5am at the gym, yikes! Weight lifting three days a week and runs every day. I really start the protein shakes and rigid diet. While it is a little daunting at the moment, I am kind of excited. I seriously get to walk around and say, "I'm training for a marathon". Crazy!

While I am excited and ready to start training, there is a part of me that wants to go out of this week just ignoring it all. I want to eat all of my favorite things and not care about the calories. I want to eat chocolate cake, cookies, coconut fried shrimp, pizza, root beer and something dripping in a rich thick sauce. I know it will only make it harder, but there is that part of me that craves one last hurrah.

I started a crazy training regimen today, doing 83 (progressively smaller sets from 21 taking away 3 each set) of each of the following. Dumbbell Swings, 20lb weight swinging from a squatted position to chest height. Shoulder press, 2 ten pound weights doing a squat with a shoulder press at the end. Sumo Dead Lifts with a pull, as noted before these work the inner thighs and shoulders. Squat jumps, easy enough and push-ups. If you can make it through that easily, I admire you. It is not as easy as it sounds, I promise.

My new gym shoes make a huge difference though.

Running and Running...

I am intrigued. I have just heard about the Stair Stampede that takes place on the 16th of this month. I don't know that I can train that fast for it, but I would love to do it! Hm...

I have started the training for the races I am supposed to do this year. I am told that I can train for the marathon and should be fine, but I am still nervous about that. I feel confident in the 5k, 10k and am feeling like I could do the 1.2 marathon. The jump from 1/2 to whole is just a little crazy for me. We'll see though. I keep you guys updated on what and when and where I'm running. I am actually really excited! Here is to no injuries this year!

Turkey Run

I started my Thanksgiving off with a Turkey Run. I ran most of the three mile course I did (could do up to five, but I pushed too hard training last Saturday and my old fracture is giving me some pain) and it was wonderful. It was so beautiful this morning and it makes it hard not to be thankful for the amazing blessings in my life!

Blessing number 1, living in beautiful Utah. This was at the end of the run and I just struck me how lucky I was to be so blessed to be surrounded by such beautiful scenery all the time. I love seeing the mountains in the background of everything and I love crisp cool air in the mornings.

I am so blessed to be blessed with amazing friends who have become my family. Being so far from my own family I have been so blessed to have amazing people come into my life. In no particular order the ones I feel most grateful for this year are: Logan, Chantal, Melinda, Tricia, Kari and Peter. There are so many more but it is this small set who have truly been such blessings to me this year by being listening ears, shoulders to cry on, late night texts about Taylor Lautner or Hugh Jackman, temple buddies, encouraging messages or telling me that no matter what others say or act like, that I am a beautiful and sweet person.

I am grateful for the gym and my trainer. You have to bored of this by now but the changes in my life have been staggering and a whole new world has opened up to me because of it. 6 days a week I am at the gym working out and I love the person I have become because of that one little fact.

I am so blessed, to know of my worth. I can move mountains, soothe troubled souls, lend a shoulder when needed and I can build and strengthen those around me. How blessed I am!

I am most grateful for the love of my Heavenly Father who has taught me that as long as I do what I know to be right, things will work out. Every time. It may not be in a week, a month or even a year, but in the end it will.

Those are just a few of the things I am thankful for today. Now that that is out of the way, on the the last bit of Black Friday planning...

Count Down

OK, here are a few things I am looking forward to in the next few months or so:

1. Star Trek Movie- I am a total Trekkie. I have a countdown from Star Fleet on my desktop and a screen saver of the new "Spock". Don't hate, I love it.

2. Mid-Singles Camping Trip- in June. I am planning it. I am excited! It is going to be a blast.

3. My few days in Provo living a 5-star lifestyle. I may even stop by and visit my sister...and spoil my nephew a little more.

4. Running. I am cleared to run again! Yippee! I am so excited. It has been a while but I started training again today on the treadmill. It is like heaven. I was tired of the bike.

5. Summer Vacations. I will be sure to let you know more about these later. Not to worry. For now just know that I am super excited.

Excuse Me

I never broke bones growing up. I had a bump, a bruise, a scrape and cried a few tears but that was the extent of my injuries. When I was 5 I busted my lower lip and needed stitches...that stunk. I busted my knee at work once and had to have it scoped, not fun.

After a car accident I had a sling and that put a cramp in my style. I took a spill on the ice a couple times and strained a knee. And last year I had fell on the ice and hurt my back. I was in bed for a few weeks dealing with that pain.

And a few weeks ago on my birthday, I broke the middle finger on my right hand. You would be surprised at how much you rely on that one little finger.

All in all I have managed to succeed in being relatively injury free.

Until now.

My great plans to run that 5k have been dashed. On Friday after my run I had this pain in my leg and I thought maybe I had stepped wrong or something. I kinda brushed it off in that moment. A few minutes later I couldn't brush it off. On my way home I was in tears pushing the clutch in and letting it out. Something was very wrong.

I am so upset! It hurts like crazy and being up on it too much kills. So guess who broke their leg? If you guessed me, you would be right. I have a stress fracture in my left leg. I am super bummed.

So this means no 5k in May. BUT it does not mean that I am not doing a 5k. I just have to push it back a few months. I have to wait about 8 weeks before I can run again so I am just doing low impact starting next week, depending on my leg. Weights with the upper body until I can do anything that is weight bearing. I am so annoyed. I really just want to run!

So, excuse me as I complain. I think that maybe this time, it is truly warranted.

Oh, and be watching Modern Eclectics for a giveaway or two...

Mean

Sometimes I am mean. Sometimes I feel mean. And sometimes it is totally deserved.

Mostly I am a nice person, don't get me wrong.

Although I do struggle with a bit of road rage (thanks dad!) but believe me I am trying. I only complained out loud once today while in the car and I had tons of errands to run. So, I count that as a good day.

It can be frustrating and very anger-inducing sometimes. Everyone does this...it is not just me. I am not tire-slashing, hair-pulling, punch-throwing or profanity-slinging mad, just what-a-brat, seriously, and silent-treatment mad.

Things that are sure to trigger my frustration:

Self-righteous people who believe that they are perfect or always right

Self-centered people who believe that everyone must be jealous of them

Emotionally degrading people who never really are out and out mean, you know the kind who are always "just trying to help" and tell you all your faults but always follow it with a "but you are wonderful!"

Users who only want to talk/hang out with you if it convenient or useful for them

People who cut you off knowingly and those who breast-feed, text and drive at the same time

People named Jason Mesnick

And

People who don't think I am amounting to anything or that my life is boring and easy because of my marital status and lack of biological children

With that said and expressed...

I received the last of my birthday presents yesterday...a lovely jewelry set from one of my besties, Stacy...so wonderful. I will post pictures soon. A ended up having a great birthday this year. I got to share it with the people who mean the most to me...I had a great cake (or three), and got some great gifts!

And again...I love to run. I kicked some guys butt at the gym yesterday when he saw how much I ran he asked me how I could stand to run that long and I just smile and was super happy to say, "Because I love it." Yes.