231.
What is the answer to the ultimate question, Alex? Ummm. No. That is 42. 231 is my cholesterol level. Yes. This is not a typo. 231. On the bright side (I guess), it has been holding at approximately 230 since I was 20. No matter how much oatmeal I eat, no matter how much smart balence butter, no matter when I was a vegetarian, no matter that now I scarf down red meat at least once a week and other types of meat almost daily.
150/80.
Times my head has exploded over days? No. MY BLOOD PRESSURE at my doctor visit last week. Now granted, no one likes the gyno, and no one likes spending a week thinking that they may have to put their cat down, but this is NOT NORMAL. Normal for me is 110/70ish. Need to find me one of those testy goobers at a pharmacy and take another reading this week or next to see if that was a fluke, because it was NOT COOL.
68.
How many roads must a man walk down? Nah. This one is my RHR at the doctor last week. I was actually pleased with this one, because since I've been all serious about the exercise, it has seemed to be in the 70's when I try taking it myself. I'm of the opinion that vitals should get better with exercise, so I'm shooting for 60's and below. I'd prefer it to be in the lower 60's, but I had just walked into the room, so I'm taking this one.
28.
What are minutes I ran yesterday? Yes. You are the winner of pride. I was trying to do my run a little fartleky, hoping that I'd get a bit more distance in the same time, but no go. I actually think I ran a couple hundred feet less in the same time, so whatever. At least I did it, 'cause I sure didn't want to!
35.
Minutes it took me to kick tae bo ass this morning. Going to hit it hard this week because:
300.
Are the minutes I exercised last week. I was supposed to be resting. Ironically, a 300 minute week did actually feel restful.
400.
Are the minimum minutes I'm aiming for this week.
Happy Monday.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Gay Gyno Short = Fired
Seriously. If there was ever even the remotest chance that I'd go back to this guy, it just died. I specifically asked him for tri-phasic. Monophasic has worked *very* poorly for me in the past. I told him that. I told him that monophasic makes the symptoms that I'm trying to fix worse. I told him what type I was on in the past. Did he listen?
CLEARLY NOT, as evidenced by the monophasic pills I just picked up from the pharmacist after he called in a new prescription BECAUSE HE WAS WRONG about the other one he prescribed having a generic.
Fuck this shit. I'm going off the pill.
CLEARLY NOT, as evidenced by the monophasic pills I just picked up from the pharmacist after he called in a new prescription BECAUSE HE WAS WRONG about the other one he prescribed having a generic.
Fuck this shit. I'm going off the pill.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Dr. Martin Gyno Short Strikes Again
Ahem.
So I specifically told Dr. Gay Gyno Short to only prescribe me generic crap. Not my fault, but non-generic means 20-35 dollars difference, and spread over 12 months I'm just not willing to pay it. Not. Willing.
So I go in to fill the prescription today and what do they say? "That'll be $90 for a 3 month supply." Umm. No. They tell me that it isn't offered generically. I tell them not to fill it then.
I come home and call Dr. Gay Gyno's office and speak to a nurse who will speak to the Dr. She calls me back and tells me that it is too offered in generic.
Ummm. Ok. At this point I don't really give a shit, but you people need to get your act together!! She tells me to call the pharmacy and tell them to call Dr. Gyno.
So at least now they can argue among themselves. Somebody better freaking call me when they get it figured out.
So I specifically told Dr. Gay Gyno Short to only prescribe me generic crap. Not my fault, but non-generic means 20-35 dollars difference, and spread over 12 months I'm just not willing to pay it. Not. Willing.
So I go in to fill the prescription today and what do they say? "That'll be $90 for a 3 month supply." Umm. No. They tell me that it isn't offered generically. I tell them not to fill it then.
I come home and call Dr. Gay Gyno's office and speak to a nurse who will speak to the Dr. She calls me back and tells me that it is too offered in generic.
Ummm. Ok. At this point I don't really give a shit, but you people need to get your act together!! She tells me to call the pharmacy and tell them to call Dr. Gyno.
So at least now they can argue among themselves. Somebody better freaking call me when they get it figured out.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
My First and Last Visit to the Gay Martin Short Gyno
Picture for me: Martin Short. Here's a photo if you need some assistance: 
Ok. Now picture him in a doctor's white jacket. Make his face a little thinner. His hair a little floppier and greasier. Picture every gesture with very swishy flamboyant movement. Picture a swishy hipped walk. That was the gyno that I visited yesterday. Seriously. I couldn't make this shit up if I tries.
Now picture that he doesn't bother to look at me for the entire consultation, prefering to stare at his clipboard and write on it.
Now pretend you are me and you want to tell this guy 2 things: you think your synthetic hormones are making you totally whack and you think you have an infection down there. You say that you are thinking about stopping the birth control pills to detox. His response, "Well, that's your choice." Yes, jackass, I know that. I was just trying to get a medical opinion on my options before I exercise my right to choose. Jackass. Then, poking me in my special place, "Well, I don't see any signs of infection." Really? You can't see the scratch marks that I've made on myself? That's just great. Blind and incapable of hearing. Perfect.
So the jackass sent me home with some cream "just in case I'm beginning to get an infection", you know, in the area that has itched for approximately 4 months now and a new perscription for birth control that "if it doesn't work out, give us a call in 3 months". Now I don't know how many of you have tried a birth control pill that "didn't work out", but I have, and I and all the people around me will be lucky to be in one piece if that is what goes down.
The Scale
The scene this morning:
I stumble out of bed and over to the scale, as I do every morning.
I step on. I feel heavy. I just know that the scale is going to read higher than the past few days (137.2).
135.8.
Blink. Rub eyes. Look back down.
135.8.
"Preston!! I think I'm really dehydrated!!"
"Why?"
"Because the scale says 135.8."
"Told you it was a piece."
24 oz. of water later: 137.0.
I was dehydrated because I ran last night. Man, this time it was really a slogfest. I was all pissed and festering about my gyno appointment right before, and it was hot and humid as hell. But I coerced myself into continuing by promising myself I'd quit halfway through until I was halfway through, then telling myself how stupid it would be to quit when I was more than halfway through. Whatever works.
Then I easy biked for 30 minutes. Also a slogfest because the lightening yesterday apparently blew out our very expensive amp, and partially pissed off the DVR so I could ONLY watch recorded stuff, not currently-on stuff. So I was watching a recorded thing that I had already seen with no sound. Yay.
This morning I tae bo-ed.
More on the suckiness of the gyno later.
I stumble out of bed and over to the scale, as I do every morning.
I step on. I feel heavy. I just know that the scale is going to read higher than the past few days (137.2).
135.8.
Blink. Rub eyes. Look back down.
135.8.
"Preston!! I think I'm really dehydrated!!"
"Why?"
"Because the scale says 135.8."
"Told you it was a piece."
24 oz. of water later: 137.0.
I was dehydrated because I ran last night. Man, this time it was really a slogfest. I was all pissed and festering about my gyno appointment right before, and it was hot and humid as hell. But I coerced myself into continuing by promising myself I'd quit halfway through until I was halfway through, then telling myself how stupid it would be to quit when I was more than halfway through. Whatever works.
Then I easy biked for 30 minutes. Also a slogfest because the lightening yesterday apparently blew out our very expensive amp, and partially pissed off the DVR so I could ONLY watch recorded stuff, not currently-on stuff. So I was watching a recorded thing that I had already seen with no sound. Yay.
This morning I tae bo-ed.
More on the suckiness of the gyno later.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
To All Houston Drivers
New Rules:
1. When it is raining, drive a bit slower. You know, maybe the speed limit instead of 15+ the speed limit.
2. When it has been raining and it is rush hour, please get up off each other's asses enough so that you can slam on your brakes without slamming into the person in front of you. By up off each other's asses, I mean at least ONE CAR LENGTH between you. Preferably more.
3. When someone is actually allowing the one car length minimum, that is not an invitation for you to cut in front of them.
4. No, it isn't. This will cause them to slam on their brakes, causing a multi-car pile-up.
Seriously.
No running this morning due to the hard core thunder, lightening, and rain. I ran in the rain once, but it really doesn't compare. Hopefully this afternoon. If not, tomorrow.
1. When it is raining, drive a bit slower. You know, maybe the speed limit instead of 15+ the speed limit.
2. When it has been raining and it is rush hour, please get up off each other's asses enough so that you can slam on your brakes without slamming into the person in front of you. By up off each other's asses, I mean at least ONE CAR LENGTH between you. Preferably more.
3. When someone is actually allowing the one car length minimum, that is not an invitation for you to cut in front of them.
4. No, it isn't. This will cause them to slam on their brakes, causing a multi-car pile-up.
Seriously.
No running this morning due to the hard core thunder, lightening, and rain. I ran in the rain once, but it really doesn't compare. Hopefully this afternoon. If not, tomorrow.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Please Keep Inflatable Sharks to a Reasonable Size
Concert rules:
1. Keep inflatable sharks to a reasonable size.
2. Beach Balls must be the size of a basketball or smaller.
And my own personal addition:
3. All my margaritas must taste like strawberries.
Seriously.
And for all who would wonder, Minute Maid Park is a great place for a concert, shockingly. It leaves something to be desired acoustically, but makes up for it 100-fold with the view. Seriously. Thinking about buying a parrot. For my head.
Sugar slept with us all night last night. She isn't better. She can't jump on the bed anymore. But at least she isn't mad at me.
Tae Bo this morning. Seriously sweaty. No afternoon antics planned for this week except a bike ride on Wednesday. Trying to take it easy this week. You know, to prevent overtraining. In good news, my hamstrings are all better. And this morning my legs really did feel fresher when I was lunging. Yay!
1. Keep inflatable sharks to a reasonable size.
2. Beach Balls must be the size of a basketball or smaller.
And my own personal addition:
3. All my margaritas must taste like strawberries.
Seriously.
And for all who would wonder, Minute Maid Park is a great place for a concert, shockingly. It leaves something to be desired acoustically, but makes up for it 100-fold with the view. Seriously. Thinking about buying a parrot. For my head.
Sugar slept with us all night last night. She isn't better. She can't jump on the bed anymore. But at least she isn't mad at me.
Tae Bo this morning. Seriously sweaty. No afternoon antics planned for this week except a bike ride on Wednesday. Trying to take it easy this week. You know, to prevent overtraining. In good news, my hamstrings are all better. And this morning my legs really did feel fresher when I was lunging. Yay!
Monday, April 23, 2007
Hard Time
I didn't run yesterday because I'm still freaking out about Sugar. The most likely thing that is wrong with her is that she has a tumor that is pressing on her spine and causing her to lose control in her rear end. She was really pissed that I took her to the vet. He gave me some stuff to clear up her ear wax, just in case it is a simple solution, but he didn't seem too hopeful that that will work, and neither am I. He wants us back on Thursday for x-rays and blood work. Here is the thing, though. I don't know that I can afford all that, and I don't know that it will help anyways. If it is a tumor and he diagnoses it via x-ray, I am sure that I won't be able to afford the operation to remove it (if that is even possible), so what is the point? She is almost 17 years old. Who am I to attempt to prolong her life with money I don't have, only to have her die in a year or two anyways? Should I just keep her at home until it appears that she is in pain, then take her in to be put to sleep? Because right now she doesn't seem to be in pain. But she also is restricting her normal movements, which makes me thing that she might be in pain. It is so difficult because we think of these animals as human and as part of our family. We wouldn't spare any expense to fix a member of our family, but when it comes right down to it, we as pet owners must always realize that this animal will not outlive us and that they are, in fact, an animal, not a human. If they didn't live with us their life would naturally end probably much earlier than even now. *sigh*
I did feel really guilty about not running yesterday, so I went this morning. 25 minutes without walk breaks, again. No faster than Friday, though. I still think I could push a little harder near the end. I start out feeling really good, then after a mile or so my form starts to break, my neck/shoulders start to cramp up, and the rest is just a slogfest to get through. But at least the good part at the beginning seems to get longer every week.
C'est la vie, right? Gotta take the good with the bad. Gotta let the good try to help me through the bad.
I did feel really guilty about not running yesterday, so I went this morning. 25 minutes without walk breaks, again. No faster than Friday, though. I still think I could push a little harder near the end. I start out feeling really good, then after a mile or so my form starts to break, my neck/shoulders start to cramp up, and the rest is just a slogfest to get through. But at least the good part at the beginning seems to get longer every week.
C'est la vie, right? Gotta take the good with the bad. Gotta let the good try to help me through the bad.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Friday, April 20, 2007
My Fat Hates Me
I just ran for 25 minutes. 25 minutes.
2 words to describe me right now. Red. Dripping.
That's right, dripping. It supposedly is 79 degrees outside right now. And my face is beet freaking red.
I went just a tiny bit faster than Weds. Weds was just over 11 min miles. Today was just under. In my perfect world, I want 10 min miles or less, so I'm on my way. And honestly, I think I could have pushed harder. I'm still not very good at figuring what level of effort I can sustain over a period of time. But I'll get better.
Anyways, my fat hates me. The little fat pad on the inside of my right leg is rubbing on my left leg and getting all pissed off. I don't understand how they are rubbing together and only one is getting pissed, but there it is. It has obviously figured out that I am trying to get rid of it and rebelling. The sooner it freaking figures out that there isn't anything it can do to stop me, the better. Little piece of shit.
Dripper out.
2 words to describe me right now. Red. Dripping.
That's right, dripping. It supposedly is 79 degrees outside right now. And my face is beet freaking red.
I went just a tiny bit faster than Weds. Weds was just over 11 min miles. Today was just under. In my perfect world, I want 10 min miles or less, so I'm on my way. And honestly, I think I could have pushed harder. I'm still not very good at figuring what level of effort I can sustain over a period of time. But I'll get better.
Anyways, my fat hates me. The little fat pad on the inside of my right leg is rubbing on my left leg and getting all pissed off. I don't understand how they are rubbing together and only one is getting pissed, but there it is. It has obviously figured out that I am trying to get rid of it and rebelling. The sooner it freaking figures out that there isn't anything it can do to stop me, the better. Little piece of shit.
Dripper out.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Overtraining?
Last night I was reading through a book that I checked out at the library: The Complete Book of Running for Women by Claire Kowalchik (1999). I know it is a bit old, but unfortunately it was the best my library could do. Anyways, I was reading the section on cross training and came across advice along these lines: don't use crosstraining to go hard on non-running days, or you'll become overtrained.
Here's the deal. I have two speeds: sitting on the couch and "training". Training involves my heart beating fast and sweating like a pig and breathing hard and creating muscle fatigue. I've been doing this "training" speed 1-2 times per day for a total of 30-90 minutes per day, 6 days per week. (Yoga counts in my minutes of exercise, but not as training in this discussion.) Umm... so if crosstraining "hard" means I'm overtraining, then I've got an issue, because I don't have an "easy" setting yet. It is sitting on my ass or it is "hard".
So I did want to have an "easy" week next week. I was up to 7 hours last week, and will manage to hit 8 this week, but for the past day or two I've been feeling worn out. So I'm thinking since I can't define easy in terms of exertion yet, I'll just cut back to say about 3.5 hours next week, and try to take an extra "yoga only" day. So yeah. That is the plan.
All that won't start til Sunday, though. I've got a Tae Bo and a run on for tomorrow. Maybe also a Yoga if I get bored. Saturday is normally a yoga only day, but Preston has a thing to go to all day, so I wouldn't be totally shocked if I did more. But I'll make up for it next week. Really, I will.
Gee... I think I'm getting addicted to exercising. I already feel grumpy just thinking about cutting back. Even though in the long run I think it will help. I hope.
Btw, last night I was laying on the couch after killing my quads on the bike, and I wondered whatever had happened to my angry oblique. I started to think that it wasn't angry any more, but then this morning it reminded me that it is still a bit grumpy. Hamstrings are still ticked too. But I'm hoping next week'll be good for both and maybe both will be better.
In other news, YAY ASTROS!!! And, *clutches heart* what is up with my Rangers?
Here's the deal. I have two speeds: sitting on the couch and "training". Training involves my heart beating fast and sweating like a pig and breathing hard and creating muscle fatigue. I've been doing this "training" speed 1-2 times per day for a total of 30-90 minutes per day, 6 days per week. (Yoga counts in my minutes of exercise, but not as training in this discussion.) Umm... so if crosstraining "hard" means I'm overtraining, then I've got an issue, because I don't have an "easy" setting yet. It is sitting on my ass or it is "hard".
So I did want to have an "easy" week next week. I was up to 7 hours last week, and will manage to hit 8 this week, but for the past day or two I've been feeling worn out. So I'm thinking since I can't define easy in terms of exertion yet, I'll just cut back to say about 3.5 hours next week, and try to take an extra "yoga only" day. So yeah. That is the plan.
All that won't start til Sunday, though. I've got a Tae Bo and a run on for tomorrow. Maybe also a Yoga if I get bored. Saturday is normally a yoga only day, but Preston has a thing to go to all day, so I wouldn't be totally shocked if I did more. But I'll make up for it next week. Really, I will.
Gee... I think I'm getting addicted to exercising. I already feel grumpy just thinking about cutting back. Even though in the long run I think it will help. I hope.
Btw, last night I was laying on the couch after killing my quads on the bike, and I wondered whatever had happened to my angry oblique. I started to think that it wasn't angry any more, but then this morning it reminded me that it is still a bit grumpy. Hamstrings are still ticked too. But I'm hoping next week'll be good for both and maybe both will be better.
In other news, YAY ASTROS!!! And, *clutches heart* what is up with my Rangers?
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Wacky Dream
I had the weirdest dream last night. My boss had googled me and found this blog. Since I hadn't mentioned the name of my workplace I wasn't fired, but I was totally busted. In the dream I wasn't as upset about being busted as I felt like my privacy had been invaded. It is funny, because I'm not being shy about my first name, my location, or my occupation, but I certainly am not broadcasting to people I know about this blog. I really started it for me and for my running, but also for my venting, and I don't want a whole lot of people who know me in real life reading it. At least not yet. Maybe never... Anyways, that dream would never happen in real life because I don't think my boss would ever think to google me, but I spent the next hour driving Preston crazy by tossing and turning while trying to figure out just how to make sure that this blog never comes up when you google my name. *sigh*
Speaking a bit of venting, I've got an appointment with my *ahem* female doctor next week. I've been thinking a lot about this new bout of moodiness and general malaise and wondering if making a change in my hormones might help it. I'm thinking a change along the lines of stopping putting hormones in my body. Period. I've had some bad experiences with gynos in the past, and this is a new one, so I'm really hoping for someone who will actually listen to my concerns and help me determine the best course of action. But I'm really leaning towards it... I'm curious to see what my body can do on its own, you know?
One thing that my body can do is run 25 minutes without stopping!! Hells yeah it can. I wasn't sure I could do it, and when I started out this morning I totally told myself just to run 10 minutes and if I needed to walk I'd just do a repeat of day 2 and move on to day 3 on Friday. But no. I didn't stop. Woohoo!!
Hamstrings are still a little ticked. Hour of Tae Bo followed by some Yoga yesterday. Some time on the bike focusing on high cadence at lower levels of resistence on Monday night. Got another bike ride planned for tonight. But I *totally* ran for 25 minutes this morning. Yeah I did!
Speaking a bit of venting, I've got an appointment with my *ahem* female doctor next week. I've been thinking a lot about this new bout of moodiness and general malaise and wondering if making a change in my hormones might help it. I'm thinking a change along the lines of stopping putting hormones in my body. Period. I've had some bad experiences with gynos in the past, and this is a new one, so I'm really hoping for someone who will actually listen to my concerns and help me determine the best course of action. But I'm really leaning towards it... I'm curious to see what my body can do on its own, you know?
One thing that my body can do is run 25 minutes without stopping!! Hells yeah it can. I wasn't sure I could do it, and when I started out this morning I totally told myself just to run 10 minutes and if I needed to walk I'd just do a repeat of day 2 and move on to day 3 on Friday. But no. I didn't stop. Woohoo!!
Hamstrings are still a little ticked. Hour of Tae Bo followed by some Yoga yesterday. Some time on the bike focusing on high cadence at lower levels of resistence on Monday night. Got another bike ride planned for tonight. But I *totally* ran for 25 minutes this morning. Yeah I did!
Monday, April 16, 2007
Squeaky Shoes
Let me begin by saying that I love my (relatively) new Brooks Glycerin 5s. My
very first pair of professional running-store fitted running shoes. Love them.
I've taken great pains to only wear them when exercising so as to keep them
"fresh", because who can really afford to drop more than $100 on shoes more than
2x per year?
However, when engaging in my nemesis activity this past weekend, I managed to
muck-up my normal work shoes, an old pair of Asics Kayano Xs (Yes I do wear
running shoes to work. I also keep a pair of nice respectable black flats in my
desk for the rare occasions when I need to impress someone. I call these my 4th
floor shoes.). So this morning I decided to wear the new Brooks to the office,
just for one day til I can clean the Kayanos.
And they squeak.
Do they squeak when I run in them? No. (At least not over the volume of the
ipod.) Did they squeak yesterday when I walked a 5 min cooldown sans ipod? No.
Did they squeak this morning as I gimply hopped around trying to kick an invisible
attacker's ass? No. Did they start squeaking this morning the second that I
stepped food in my workplace? Hell yes. (Obviously these are my shoes since they
are as opposed to being in my workplace as I am.)
I know that it may make very little sense to the normal folks out there, but I
HATE shoes that make noise when I walk. I hate high-heels because I can't stand
sounding like a shod horse as I walk down the hall. I prefer to move stealthily
around my environment. Just me. Nothing like broadcasting the fact that you have
to pee 20 times a day (topic for another post, but let's just say that 10 glasses
of water per day truck right on through me about every half hour or so) than
squeaking loudly down the hall.
Can't stand it. Must kill shoes.
Seriously, where did this squeak come from?? Why now??
very first pair of professional running-store fitted running shoes. Love them.
I've taken great pains to only wear them when exercising so as to keep them
"fresh", because who can really afford to drop more than $100 on shoes more than
2x per year?
However, when engaging in my nemesis activity this past weekend, I managed to
muck-up my normal work shoes, an old pair of Asics Kayano Xs (Yes I do wear
running shoes to work. I also keep a pair of nice respectable black flats in my
desk for the rare occasions when I need to impress someone. I call these my 4th
floor shoes.). So this morning I decided to wear the new Brooks to the office,
just for one day til I can clean the Kayanos.
And they squeak.
Do they squeak when I run in them? No. (At least not over the volume of the
ipod.) Did they squeak yesterday when I walked a 5 min cooldown sans ipod? No.
Did they squeak this morning as I gimply hopped around trying to kick an invisible
attacker's ass? No. Did they start squeaking this morning the second that I
stepped food in my workplace? Hell yes. (Obviously these are my shoes since they
are as opposed to being in my workplace as I am.)
I know that it may make very little sense to the normal folks out there, but I
HATE shoes that make noise when I walk. I hate high-heels because I can't stand
sounding like a shod horse as I walk down the hall. I prefer to move stealthily
around my environment. Just me. Nothing like broadcasting the fact that you have
to pee 20 times a day (topic for another post, but let's just say that 10 glasses
of water per day truck right on through me about every half hour or so) than
squeaking loudly down the hall.
Can't stand it. Must kill shoes.
Seriously, where did this squeak come from?? Why now??
Yard Work = Nemesis
We are those 'burbian neighbors that you don't want. You know, the ones who only mow their lawn every other week and who only rake leaves once or twice during the winter. Why would we be *those* people, you ask?
Because yard work is my nemesis. Not Tae Bo or running or swimming or biking or yoga or lifting or sitting at a desk all day. No. None of that. Yard work kills my hamstrings. Makes them so angry that they want me to suffer for days afterwards. This morning I was suffering through my Tae Bo with my hamstrings yelling at me every kick. And I ask Preston, "If it hurts so bad today to exercise, doesn't that mean that I am working my hamstrings in my normal exercise? And doesn't that meant that they shouldn't be so weak that they try to kill me every time I venture out into the yard?"
The irony is, as I rant about my hamstrings, I'm also going to work in a quick rant about communication. Preston replied, "It is probably because you don't stretch them every day." Let me interject here that I *do* stretch them *every day*. Preston knows this. He sees me. Sometimes his lazy butt sits in the bed and watches. Sometimes he even compliments me on the excellent and improving construction of my ass and legs *while I'm stretching my hamstrings*. So I proceed to look at him like he's crazy and to get a little ticked off feeling like he is questioning the thoroughness of my regimen.
Should this have been something that angered me? Most definitely not. But it was 5am on a Monday morning and I reserve the right to get angry about absolutely anything that happens that early in the morning. And especially on Mondays. And Preston has been duly warned about this many times.
Anyways, after seriously considering turning my Tae Bo violence on him, I learn that he meant that maybe it is because the yardwork stretches my hamstrings in a different way than my normal stretching.
Glad that that was clear as mud. Perhaps next time I mean to tell him he is looking hot I'll actually say that he is looking crappy. Or something.
I did struggle through my C25K on Sunday with the hamstrings. They actually didn't really bother me when I was running. It was my afternoon run for the week, and hot! I'm starting to question running on the trail by the bayou on Sunday afternoons. It always seems that I have a difficult run there. I'm not sure if it is because it is Sunday and I'm worn out, or if it is because it is afternoon and hot, or if it is because of the occasional need to turn around since it isn't a loop, or if it is because as beautiful as the scenery is that it is rather static and my mind gets bored. Perhaps I should try changing some of these variables and see if I can get it figured out...
I made my goal of 420 minutes of exercise last week! I want to match or beat that this week before backing off for a week. I've got a big week planned this week because I have 2 workshops this week that will allow me to come into work late, so I can get a full hour of Tae Bo in on Tuesday and Thursday, yay! I'm going to bike tonight and Weds, and run Weds and Fri. I'll throw Yoga in wherever I can. I'm so excited about this that I keep planning it all out in my mind. Can't wait to really get in to it!
Because yard work is my nemesis. Not Tae Bo or running or swimming or biking or yoga or lifting or sitting at a desk all day. No. None of that. Yard work kills my hamstrings. Makes them so angry that they want me to suffer for days afterwards. This morning I was suffering through my Tae Bo with my hamstrings yelling at me every kick. And I ask Preston, "If it hurts so bad today to exercise, doesn't that mean that I am working my hamstrings in my normal exercise? And doesn't that meant that they shouldn't be so weak that they try to kill me every time I venture out into the yard?"
The irony is, as I rant about my hamstrings, I'm also going to work in a quick rant about communication. Preston replied, "It is probably because you don't stretch them every day." Let me interject here that I *do* stretch them *every day*. Preston knows this. He sees me. Sometimes his lazy butt sits in the bed and watches. Sometimes he even compliments me on the excellent and improving construction of my ass and legs *while I'm stretching my hamstrings*. So I proceed to look at him like he's crazy and to get a little ticked off feeling like he is questioning the thoroughness of my regimen.
Should this have been something that angered me? Most definitely not. But it was 5am on a Monday morning and I reserve the right to get angry about absolutely anything that happens that early in the morning. And especially on Mondays. And Preston has been duly warned about this many times.
Anyways, after seriously considering turning my Tae Bo violence on him, I learn that he meant that maybe it is because the yardwork stretches my hamstrings in a different way than my normal stretching.
Glad that that was clear as mud. Perhaps next time I mean to tell him he is looking hot I'll actually say that he is looking crappy. Or something.
I did struggle through my C25K on Sunday with the hamstrings. They actually didn't really bother me when I was running. It was my afternoon run for the week, and hot! I'm starting to question running on the trail by the bayou on Sunday afternoons. It always seems that I have a difficult run there. I'm not sure if it is because it is Sunday and I'm worn out, or if it is because it is afternoon and hot, or if it is because of the occasional need to turn around since it isn't a loop, or if it is because as beautiful as the scenery is that it is rather static and my mind gets bored. Perhaps I should try changing some of these variables and see if I can get it figured out...
I made my goal of 420 minutes of exercise last week! I want to match or beat that this week before backing off for a week. I've got a big week planned this week because I have 2 workshops this week that will allow me to come into work late, so I can get a full hour of Tae Bo in on Tuesday and Thursday, yay! I'm going to bike tonight and Weds, and run Weds and Fri. I'll throw Yoga in wherever I can. I'm so excited about this that I keep planning it all out in my mind. Can't wait to really get in to it!
Friday, April 13, 2007
New Rules for Cats
New Rules for My Cats (Specifically Grimmy):
1. Yes the alarm just went off. It is Friday. I don't have to wake up. I will not be available for petting until it is light outside.
2. Being closed for petting means I am also closed for laying upon from the knees up.
3. My very full bladder counts as above my knees.
4. So do my boobs.
5. Fighting with your brother on my bed is also not allowed.
6. Pretending to not be fighting by licking him sweetly every time I look up will still count as fighting.
I swear, if this cat wasn't an Astros (who are currently playing the *weirdest game ever*) fan, I don't know what I'd go with him.
Btw, C25KW6D1 today. At rush hour (in my burby neighborhood). In the rain. Good times.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Unsolicited Calls (Rant)
I received an "unsolicited call" today on my CELL PHONE while at WORK. Since it is the same company that called me yesterday also on my cell phone at work, I felt perfectly justified in speaking with this man for long enough to immediately ask him to remove me from the call list. And, I shit you not, he says, "Why? I'm not trying to sell you anything." Why? Why? Because I don't know you, jackass, and I did not ask you to call me. I don't give a flip if you are trying to sell me anything or not. I'll call my blog entry unsolicited calls just so I don't GIVE THE WRONG IMPRESSION that you are trying to sell me something. I don't have to give a reason why for you to take me off the FREAKING list. All I have to want is for you to NOT CALL ME. I didn't ask you to call and I don't want you to call. TAKE ME OFF THE LIST.
If he didn't get the message the poor sap that calls me tomorrow is really going to be sorry.
Rant over.
If he didn't get the message the poor sap that calls me tomorrow is really going to be sorry.
Rant over.
Just to be clear...
If you say, "It's not an issue of ___", then it *clearly* is an issue of ____.
Clearly.
Clearly.
Dragging
This morning was one of those mornings that you absolutely do not want to get up and exercise. And then you force yourself to.
This week I'm going for 420 minutes of exercise, or an hour per day over seven days. I'm over halfway there at 250 minutes with still half the week to go! Since I can't drag myself out of bed any earlier, this is necessitating 2 workouts per day. Monday was Tae Bo morning with Walking on break and Biking evening, Tuesday got Tae Bo morning and Yoga evening, Weds got Running morning and a hard dead-legs Biking evening last night. Today I did Tae Bo, and plan a quick Yoga before dinner when I get home, and then maybe some core work/weights while I watch Survivor tonight. (Woohoo!!) Oh, and btw, Yoga gets counted in the time, but weights and core don't since I'm not working straight through. I'm hoping to put in a hard day of Tae Bo and Running tomorrow so maybe I'll have time to be mostly off (read here: no cardio) on Saturday with a Run and Yoga on Sunday.
I'm tired and I'm hungry, but get through today and tomorrow and I'll food and exercise off on Saturday. I can do anything for 2 more days.
This week I'm going for 420 minutes of exercise, or an hour per day over seven days. I'm over halfway there at 250 minutes with still half the week to go! Since I can't drag myself out of bed any earlier, this is necessitating 2 workouts per day. Monday was Tae Bo morning with Walking on break and Biking evening, Tuesday got Tae Bo morning and Yoga evening, Weds got Running morning and a hard dead-legs Biking evening last night. Today I did Tae Bo, and plan a quick Yoga before dinner when I get home, and then maybe some core work/weights while I watch Survivor tonight. (Woohoo!!) Oh, and btw, Yoga gets counted in the time, but weights and core don't since I'm not working straight through. I'm hoping to put in a hard day of Tae Bo and Running tomorrow so maybe I'll have time to be mostly off (read here: no cardio) on Saturday with a Run and Yoga on Sunday.
I'm tired and I'm hungry, but get through today and tomorrow and I'll food and exercise off on Saturday. I can do anything for 2 more days.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
C25KW5D3 Done!!
This morning was the dreaded scary running of the C25KW5D3, aka. my first 20 min. run with no walk breaks. You know what? I did it!! And I feel great about it. I was a little slower than my last run and than I'd like to be, but since I had to get to work I couldn't risk running too far afield. Approx. 11 min. miles. But still! And now that I've done it I know that I could do it faster. This morning I was just trying to take it easy and put in my time without blowing out, and I did! Also, I'm proud of myself because it was my first morning run where I ventured away from my house. I live in a very safe neighborhood and all, but I was always a little creeped out about running around at 5 am in the dark. Luckily the route I ran took me through a nearby subdivision that actually has streetlights, unlike mine, so it wasn't as dark as my early-morning jaunts up and down my street had led me to expect. I'd still prefer to be running in full light, but it is all good. Oh, and the mist!! I returned almost sopping wet from the mist this morning. But at least it was cool. I had a bit of a headwind for part of the run. I have love-hate relationships with headwinds in my area. On the one hand, it is like running into a full-blast air conditioning unit (at least until it gets 100 out), but I feel slower when I am doing it. Ah well. Happy mornings!
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Foooooood!
Well, I told you how I was bad this weekend. I ended up counting the 3 full food off days. And my weight showed it this morning: up a pound. I weigh every day. I know that many people prefer not to do this, but I record my weight in my Exercise Log, and it is good because I can see the bigger picture and daily trends. As long as my weight is trending down, I don't get all bent out of shape the way I would if I weighed only once a week and one week I was up. There are lots of daily factors that can cause your weight to go up one day.
With that said, I feel bad about this morning's weight because I was bad this weekend, and so I suspect that it is a real gain, not one of those factors. The weekend is gone, and I enjoyed it, but this week I need to be good. Very good. And work out hard. I was good yesterday: 1550 cal. and 1 hr. 20 min. of exercise (I speed-walked on a break at work and biked when I got home). Now I need to be good for today.
Here is the typical food on a work day (M-Th):
7-8am: Instant Breakfast - 300 cal, fish oil 10 cal, green tea for day 10 cal
8-9am: Dannon Light n Fit Smoothie - 60 cal
11am: Pringles pack - 100 cal
1pm: Amy's cheese burrito - 300 cal, banana - 100 cal, calcium supplement - 20 cal
4pm: Carrots - 30 cal
6pm: Dinner - 300-500 cal
Dessert: 100-200 cal
Total: 1330-1630 cal
And no, I will not give up me dessert lest I lose my will to live.
I started the diet trying to hit 1200 cal/day, and did for about a month, then I upped it to 1200-1500 range so that I could eat more, and continued to lose weight. I recently upped in again to 1300-1600 (although you can see that sometimes I hit 1630), and am hoping to remain in this range for awhile. First goal weight is 135. I'm 3-5 pounds up, depending on what you think of this morning's weight. Ultimate goal is 125-130 range.
Ah, and just a quick mention: I felt tweaking in my left shin yesterday and this morning. I'm afraid the shin splints might be back... took Advil this morning and may scratch tomorrow morning's run if I don't feel improvement today.
With that said, I feel bad about this morning's weight because I was bad this weekend, and so I suspect that it is a real gain, not one of those factors. The weekend is gone, and I enjoyed it, but this week I need to be good. Very good. And work out hard. I was good yesterday: 1550 cal. and 1 hr. 20 min. of exercise (I speed-walked on a break at work and biked when I got home). Now I need to be good for today.
Here is the typical food on a work day (M-Th):
7-8am: Instant Breakfast - 300 cal, fish oil 10 cal, green tea for day 10 cal
8-9am: Dannon Light n Fit Smoothie - 60 cal
11am: Pringles pack - 100 cal
1pm: Amy's cheese burrito - 300 cal, banana - 100 cal, calcium supplement - 20 cal
4pm: Carrots - 30 cal
6pm: Dinner - 300-500 cal
Dessert: 100-200 cal
Total: 1330-1630 cal
And no, I will not give up me dessert lest I lose my will to live.
I started the diet trying to hit 1200 cal/day, and did for about a month, then I upped it to 1200-1500 range so that I could eat more, and continued to lose weight. I recently upped in again to 1300-1600 (although you can see that sometimes I hit 1630), and am hoping to remain in this range for awhile. First goal weight is 135. I'm 3-5 pounds up, depending on what you think of this morning's weight. Ultimate goal is 125-130 range.
Ah, and just a quick mention: I felt tweaking in my left shin yesterday and this morning. I'm afraid the shin splints might be back... took Advil this morning and may scratch tomorrow morning's run if I don't feel improvement today.
Monday, April 9, 2007
Kitty Pics
For your viewing pleasure (and mine): this is a baby pic of Cal and Grimmy. Notice the skinny tails and Grimmy's grey-more-than-brownness.
This is Pyrrha, our newest addition, with Preston's hand and Nigel (our snake) and my stationary bike in the background.
And finally, Grimmy, Cal, and Sugar in a rare moment of kitty tolerance (rare at least, for Sugar). Note the gi-mormous inflation of Grimmy and Cal's tails from their baby pic.
More later!
2xC25K, My Menace, Astros, Parentals and More!
I had a busy weekend. My parents came down to let me test drive their vehicles, which I could choose to buy if I wanted. I made the decision on Friday morning when they and Preston were still asleep and I went on my run. I decided to run up and down my street, so I ran past the Red Menace and the F150 a boatload of times. Running past the Menace, I realized it wasn't as gi-normous and immensely red as I was remembering it. (It is still red, but in my head it was resembling a fire truck in size and redness. The red is a good fire truck match, but the size is *significantly* smaller than the overly inflated thing I remembered.) I was running towards it and Preston's Camaro was parked across the street, and the Menace was only a bit taller, and I thought to myself, "It can't be *that* bad if it is almost sports-car short!" So I bought it. I feel like crying every time I think about selling my little Mustang (5.0, thankyouverymuch)... sigh.
Oh, yes, and the C25K went very well as I pondered the car delimma. No real problem with the 3 5 min. runs seperated by 3 min. walks at all!
Saturday was my exercise off-day as I saw my rents off and went to the Astros FIRST WIN OF THE SEASON!!! To bad it came so far into the season as for me to be there, but still, YAY ASTROS!!!
Speaking of parentals and Astros, my diet got a little wonky this weekend. Normally I am going for 1200-1600 calories per day with Saturday being a no counting/eat whatever I want day. I am making a feeble attempt to justify this weekend as only 1 off day because I had 3 off meals: one Friday (chicken quesadillas with guacamole), one Saturday (loaded baked potato, M&Ms and peanuts at the game and some cookies when I got home), and one Sunday (another baked potato at the game, with more peanuts and M&Ms and one of Preston's chicken strips for good measure). Ugh. Calorie-wise, I ought to fess up to at least two off days in that three... or just throw it in and take it for all three. I just hate to do that, because for me, an off day needs to be a whole day where I don't care in order for me to get the stress-free benefits of not counting calories... I guess I'll just have to wait for next Saturday. On the good side, I managed to do all of that and only go up by about half a pound when I normally am up by two to three pounds on the day after the off day. Go me!!!
Oh yes, and a very cool running thing happened!! When we got out of the game on Saturday, it was H-town's impression of freaking cold. Really freaking cold when you count the fact that it is April and it was just 80 the other day. And it was raining. So Preston and I decided to run back to our car after the game. I am so excited because I found my stride really quickly and comfortably, and running with a goal and sort of cross-country with curb-leaping and people dodging was really fun! It was probably less than half a mile, but I wasn't even really winded when we got in the car! This is evidence of serious fitness improvement. Yay!
So on to Sunday's C25k (W5D2). I was a little nervous about this one, though logically looking back on it, I shouldn't have been. After all, it is the same number of minutes that I've been running for the past 4 runs, just strung together a bit more. Two 8 minute runs with a 5 min. walk in between. I actually plotted a 2 mi neighborhood route for this one, and to my great happiness, I went closer to 3!! (2.7 according to gmaps.) Thrilled because that means I'm on 10 min per mile pace when I'm running, which is my goal pace for now while I'm building mileage. Yay! Of course, now I'm really worried about Weds's run: the dreaded 20 minutes with no walking run. But I'm feeling more confident at this point than I though I would.
So this week it is back to the proverbial grindstone. I only got 240 min. of exercise last week. I always want it over 300, so this week I'm really going to try to push in the evenings. Next week some training sessions at work ought to give me the opportunity for two long morning workouts, which I'm really looking forward to, so next week will be the goal "hard" week in terms of minutes.
Oh, yes, and the C25K went very well as I pondered the car delimma. No real problem with the 3 5 min. runs seperated by 3 min. walks at all!
Saturday was my exercise off-day as I saw my rents off and went to the Astros FIRST WIN OF THE SEASON!!! To bad it came so far into the season as for me to be there, but still, YAY ASTROS!!!
Speaking of parentals and Astros, my diet got a little wonky this weekend. Normally I am going for 1200-1600 calories per day with Saturday being a no counting/eat whatever I want day. I am making a feeble attempt to justify this weekend as only 1 off day because I had 3 off meals: one Friday (chicken quesadillas with guacamole), one Saturday (loaded baked potato, M&Ms and peanuts at the game and some cookies when I got home), and one Sunday (another baked potato at the game, with more peanuts and M&Ms and one of Preston's chicken strips for good measure). Ugh. Calorie-wise, I ought to fess up to at least two off days in that three... or just throw it in and take it for all three. I just hate to do that, because for me, an off day needs to be a whole day where I don't care in order for me to get the stress-free benefits of not counting calories... I guess I'll just have to wait for next Saturday. On the good side, I managed to do all of that and only go up by about half a pound when I normally am up by two to three pounds on the day after the off day. Go me!!!
Oh yes, and a very cool running thing happened!! When we got out of the game on Saturday, it was H-town's impression of freaking cold. Really freaking cold when you count the fact that it is April and it was just 80 the other day. And it was raining. So Preston and I decided to run back to our car after the game. I am so excited because I found my stride really quickly and comfortably, and running with a goal and sort of cross-country with curb-leaping and people dodging was really fun! It was probably less than half a mile, but I wasn't even really winded when we got in the car! This is evidence of serious fitness improvement. Yay!
So on to Sunday's C25k (W5D2). I was a little nervous about this one, though logically looking back on it, I shouldn't have been. After all, it is the same number of minutes that I've been running for the past 4 runs, just strung together a bit more. Two 8 minute runs with a 5 min. walk in between. I actually plotted a 2 mi neighborhood route for this one, and to my great happiness, I went closer to 3!! (2.7 according to gmaps.) Thrilled because that means I'm on 10 min per mile pace when I'm running, which is my goal pace for now while I'm building mileage. Yay! Of course, now I'm really worried about Weds's run: the dreaded 20 minutes with no walking run. But I'm feeling more confident at this point than I though I would.
So this week it is back to the proverbial grindstone. I only got 240 min. of exercise last week. I always want it over 300, so this week I'm really going to try to push in the evenings. Next week some training sessions at work ought to give me the opportunity for two long morning workouts, which I'm really looking forward to, so next week will be the goal "hard" week in terms of minutes.
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Dead Legs
Well, I fully intended to put more precious kitty pics up last night from home, but since my 'rents are coming in this weekend, a massive cleaning project has taken place which included moving the 'puter and not bothering to turn it back on or connect it to the internet. Both of these things are theoretically easy, and I am fully capable of both, but not in a room overflowing with stuff and not for just the few minutes I wanted it. I'll wait til Sunday, thankyouverymuch.
So instead I decided to bike on the stationary. (This is normal for a Weds.) I was feeling perky, so I thought I'd go for 60 minutes. Heh. That idea died pretty quickly. I did get in a good 45, though, and a great workout for my quads. Hence dead legs today.
I also got in some crunches, push-ups, and butt exercises. Adding these and a weight routine are high on the priority list. I recently found out that we can get a membership to our neighborhood "club house" which includes an exercise room and outdoor pool, for only $15 per month. I need to go check it out, though, and see if their equipment will meet my needs. Otherwise, I'll consider the LA Fitness that just opened down the block. (Or I've thought maybe neighborhood in the summer and LA Fitness in the winter... just needs more research.)
Happy Thursday!
So instead I decided to bike on the stationary. (This is normal for a Weds.) I was feeling perky, so I thought I'd go for 60 minutes. Heh. That idea died pretty quickly. I did get in a good 45, though, and a great workout for my quads. Hence dead legs today.
I also got in some crunches, push-ups, and butt exercises. Adding these and a weight routine are high on the priority list. I recently found out that we can get a membership to our neighborhood "club house" which includes an exercise room and outdoor pool, for only $15 per month. I need to go check it out, though, and see if their equipment will meet my needs. Otherwise, I'll consider the LA Fitness that just opened down the block. (Or I've thought maybe neighborhood in the summer and LA Fitness in the winter... just needs more research.)
Happy Thursday!
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Cat Lady
Whenever I get bored at work and want desperately to go home, I think of my loving kitties. That's what I'm doing right now, so have a look-see. This is Callimachus (black) and Grimalkin (tabby). They'll also respond to Grimmy and Cal, Poofer, Cally-poof, Poofity, Poofy, and Poof. That first nickname if for Grimalkin, the rest are all for Callimachus. Cal is the largest at about 15 pounds, and with all of the beautiful long fluffy hair you can see where the nicknames come from. These two are both male, and littermates. The funniest part is that he actually comes to all of those variations!
Hrm... not sure if that picture upload worked, if not, will try again in a seperate post. I have two more cats, Sugar and Pyrrha (pronounced Peer-uh) but unfortunately don't have any digital pics available on this computer. They are my two females. Sugar is almost 18 years old, a siamese mix, and the cat that once saved my life. She is a bit of an "Old Biddy", but I'll always love her. Pyrrha is our newest addition, a de-clawed stray that showed up in the backyard a few months ago. She is very sweet, but from her mannerisms, I think she may have been abused. She has had a lot of trouble integrating with the other cats, and spends a lot of time hiding.
Anyways, my funny story is about Cal. Every morning when I'm exercising he lays on the bed and watches (if I'm indoors). As soon as I'm to the cool-down, he jumps off the bed and starts meowing up a storm! He knows the part where I'm available for petting. He also knows that very soon I will make my breakfast which includes milk, of which he'll get a little but poured out for him to lap up. He is quite pushy, but in a really sweet kind of way.
Better get back to it, here's to hoping the picture posts!!
Oh, and that achilles thing isn't bothering me at all today, even when I walk now... not sure what was up with all of that, but thank goodness it stopped!
Hrm... not sure if that picture upload worked, if not, will try again in a seperate post. I have two more cats, Sugar and Pyrrha (pronounced Peer-uh) but unfortunately don't have any digital pics available on this computer. They are my two females. Sugar is almost 18 years old, a siamese mix, and the cat that once saved my life. She is a bit of an "Old Biddy", but I'll always love her. Pyrrha is our newest addition, a de-clawed stray that showed up in the backyard a few months ago. She is very sweet, but from her mannerisms, I think she may have been abused. She has had a lot of trouble integrating with the other cats, and spends a lot of time hiding.
Anyways, my funny story is about Cal. Every morning when I'm exercising he lays on the bed and watches (if I'm indoors). As soon as I'm to the cool-down, he jumps off the bed and starts meowing up a storm! He knows the part where I'm available for petting. He also knows that very soon I will make my breakfast which includes milk, of which he'll get a little but poured out for him to lap up. He is quite pushy, but in a really sweet kind of way.
Better get back to it, here's to hoping the picture posts!!
Oh, and that achilles thing isn't bothering me at all today, even when I walk now... not sure what was up with all of that, but thank goodness it stopped!
My Astros are trying to kill me
As are my Rangers. Back up. Let me begin by saying how incredibly excited I am to have baseball back!!! I love baseball. I grew up watching the Texas Rangers with my family, and they will always be my team. Lately I've amended that to my American League team. My National League team, since I began dating a Houstonian in 2002, has been the Houston Astros. I love the Astros. I miss watching the Rangers, but keep up with them via their website (they are almost always blacked-out in H-town). I would also like to mention that I am NOT a bandwagon fan. I hate those guys. When Lidge got booed in his own ballpark on Opening Day, I wanted to go beat up all those ungrateful bandwagon fans. Booing him is not going to make him better. If it was me, I'm pretty sure it'd make me worse. DON'T BOO YOUR OWN GUYS!! It is bad form. Anyways, I love the Astros when they suck as much as I loved them when they didn't. I love the Rangers despite the fact that they are the longest running team in history to NOT EVEN GO TO A WORLD SERIES. They have had some good years and some bad ones, and I always love them. So why are they trying to kill me??? Both my teams this year are starting the year off by not winning. The Astros are killing me worse because they keep holding the lead and then the bullpen keeps blowing it. It's killing me!! All they need to do is hold the lead!! Anyways, I just wanted to share. I still love my guys. I'd just feel better if I could have just one win, and soon!
I have been having this little tweak in my Achilles this week. No biggie. Not when I'm working out, ironically, but when I'm just walking. I was worried that I wouldn't get my run in this morning, but I popped some Advil last night and this morning it felt great, so I did C25KW4D3. Days 1 and 2 were really tough, so I really wanted this one to go well. It did, but I'm still considering doing one more day of Week 4 before I move on, just to make sure I'm on it. We'll see.
Oh, and we are going to buy mom's SUV, which we have dubbed The Red Menace. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
I have been having this little tweak in my Achilles this week. No biggie. Not when I'm working out, ironically, but when I'm just walking. I was worried that I wouldn't get my run in this morning, but I popped some Advil last night and this morning it felt great, so I did C25KW4D3. Days 1 and 2 were really tough, so I really wanted this one to go well. It did, but I'm still considering doing one more day of Week 4 before I move on, just to make sure I'm on it. We'll see.
Oh, and we are going to buy mom's SUV, which we have dubbed The Red Menace. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Monday, April 2, 2007
By his own hand
This weekend my mom let me know that a high school acquaintance of mine recently died "by his own hand". I was never close friends with David. He was a year ahead of me, but we had band together, and band was like family we spent so much time together. I always respected him for his work ethic, for his intellect, and for his rather dry ironic sense of humor. He was one of those people that you meet and you feel kin to, even if you never form a relationship, because you see something of yourself in them. I still see something of myself in David, even now, and I see something that could have happened to me a few years back when I was struggling with my own depression. I just want to put this out there: if you are struggling with depression, I know that it seems like life will never get better, but it will. I know that you can't see it right now, but it really will. Life is the most precious gift that each one of us is given. Don't sacrifice yours. Get help. Go to a doctor, get counseling. Don't be ashamed, and don't give up. It really does get better. If you are the friend or family of someone who suffers from depression, I can't tell you what to do to help, because everyone is different. But I can tell you what not to do: don't give up on your person. Don't alienate them. Please be there for them. Sometimes all a depressed person needs is something to live for, or something to show them that life can be sweet. For me it was my cat, Sugar. For your person, find the reason!
Weekend
A quick catch-up on the weekend. Saturday is my rest day, so I just had a yoga session. Sunday I ran my C25KW4D2 over on the trail by the local bayou. I like to get at least one run per week in over there because I think the trail running stresses my legs in different ways. It is also much more lovely than streets with houses. The spring wildflowers are all in bloom and the butterflies are fluttering around. I still struggled with the last 5 min run, but am hoping that that will clear up on Wednesday's run. If not I'll repeat a day or two until my body adjusts properly. I also think that the struggling could be a result of some mild dehydration and also the 80 degree temperature, which is the warmest I've run in so far this year.
We had Preston's sister's Confirmation to attend this weekend, which led to lots of family time, and thus a very busy weekend. My parentals are coming to visit this coming weekend (possibly bearing my new car), so I've got a lot to do around the house before then! I also need to figure out how I'm going to get my run in on Friday!
I have another topic to post about, but I feel that it deserves its own seperate post, so that's all for now.
We had Preston's sister's Confirmation to attend this weekend, which led to lots of family time, and thus a very busy weekend. My parentals are coming to visit this coming weekend (possibly bearing my new car), so I've got a lot to do around the house before then! I also need to figure out how I'm going to get my run in on Friday!
I have another topic to post about, but I feel that it deserves its own seperate post, so that's all for now.
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