Hello September.  Nice to see you, oh wait.  It's practically October.  Yep, practically October & I can't even tell you the last time I exercised.  Well, before last night.  Back in May I started running, but I must have forgotten in June, because well....I stopped!  I ran the Spring Lake Five, or shall I say, my friend Suzanne dragged my ass most of the way, but I still did it.  I think that was the last race I ran.  Oh wait, we did the George Sheehan in June.  Yeah, that sucked.  It was hot & we walked some.  Oh well.  What can you do?

So last night I went home & packed my gym bag & went to the gym.  I hadn't even noticed that my fancy food store like gym pass had fallen off my key ring.  Luckily they gave me a nice new one.  Lets see if I keep using it!

Now for some of you that don't know this, I had some ankle issues a few weeks back which required me to wear this hideous boot.  By far the ugliest piece of footwear I have ever worn.  It did the trick & my ankle seems better.  But I didn't get a lot of great news from the doctor.  His exact words were - that's an angry ankle.  No, that would be me doctor, the angry girl, with the bum ankle.

I have been a bit nervous about running on it.  I could tell from looking at the X-Ray that there was minimal, if any cartilage, left in the ankle joint.  At one point he said it was an ugly joint.  I take umbrage at that!  :)  Ugly is so...well mean!  But he's right & something tells me that all the pounding I have done over the years has taken its toll.

When I got to the gym I decided to take it easy & swim.  A quick half hour to get myself back into some type of workout plan.  Thankfully the pool was not crowded.  As I reached in my bag I grabbed a green swim cap.  Little did I realize til I got in the pool that it was the cap I had worn when I did the Alcatraz triathlon.  Wow.  I bet people were thinking....where'd she steal that hat?  That girl doesn't look like she could escape from anything.  Maybe she's a San Francisco seal lion.  Because that's what I looked like in my new suit.  Which by the way, fit on the bottom, but not on top.  Ugh...one size is too small & this new one is too big....except in the stomach.  Great.

I did feel like my old self (plus a few pounds) in the pool last night.  I think I will keep this up for a bit.  Maybe try jogging a bit tomorrow.  We are walking (thanks to my lousy ankle) in the Tunnel to Towers Run this weekend.  I hope the weather is nice.  I convinced Jerry's niece to do it with us this year.  I think that would make him very happy.

Thanks for reading!

Never Forget - Gerard Dewan - Ladder 3 - FDNY

1810

Island Time

Hello there Five Faithful Followers!  I have been all over the map this summer & haven't really worked out at all.  No running, no swimming, no biking.  Ugh!  It's like the No Shoes, No Shirt, No Service Sign.  Oh wait, or is that No Dice?  Lets see who gets that reference!

I can't believe there's only two more weeks left this summer.  Holy crap how the time has flown.  I do have a race in September - the Tunnel to Towers Run & I have have have to start training for this 6 mile bridge run in South Jersey/PA in November.  No snow, no snow, no snow please!!!!!

I've been to the island a few times this summer & it has been really relaxing.  I even went for a really (really) short swim the other day & remembered how much I love to swim, but hate getting wet.  Ironic, no?  So I will have to get back to some sort of training schedule right after Labor Day.  Because this bridge run is not going to run itself!

Here's a pic of us from the island this past week.  Please excuse the lack of makeup.  It was really great catching up with everyone & catching bats!  But that's a story for another day!!!!

Hard to believe this was 24 years in the making.  :)

Who Said That?

I love when you come across a quote & it sums up exactly how you feel at a certain point of your life.

I found this one:


It's hard to wait around for something you know might never happen; but it's harder to 
give up when you know it's everything you want.

I don't think it was a coincidence I found this today.
Happy Monday Everyone!

Grindstone - Happy Fourth of July 2013!

What Are They Thinking?

When I was younger, my strict father would make us line up (in age order) & inspect our clothing every day before we went off to school.  Now if you knew my father, who at times looks like he got dressed out of the Costco garbage can (unless he is at work) you would laugh at this notion.  But it is 100% true.

So today, while perusing through all my "on sale now!" emails, I came across this nifty outfit from my fave JCrew.  Now while I get their whole avant garde fashion, I really can't stand looking at people that A.  Don't Match & B. Mix Stripes & Prints.  It's just silly.  & I know if I showed up to work dressed this way, I have a feeling people might think I was drunk.

This would have never passed "inspection" in LS. 

Enjoy the coupon code!

Back In The Saddle

Helllllllllllllllo 5 faithful followers!  It has been a loooong time since I've written anything.  Why?  Because it's been a loooong time since I've gotten off my fat ass & done anything.  Why?  I don't know!  Pure laziness I suppose.  Because I.  AM.  LAZY.  100% true.  I even skipped doing the Woodstock Triathlon, which is really a waste because now I am out $150 & no cool tye die t-shirt.  Dummy.

So on Sunday I downloaded the Nike app to my iPhone, because my Garmin died on me & off I went.  & so far I am 12 miles in this week.  Not that bad.  I mean, I'm not a marathoner or anything & yes, there has been a lot of walking too, but moving 12 miles this week is 12 miles more than I have moved in the past 12 weeks.  No lie.  Oh yeah & that pesky Spring Lake 5 is less than 2 weeks away.  Ugh.

But enough is enough, I noticed that (due to my high blood sugar) I started to develop brownish/red spots all over my legs.  Thanks insulin resistant body! & after some research (some LAME research on my part) I realized that the only way to try to keep my blood sugar in check (besides my medication) was to go back to full time exercising.  Now honestly, 5-6 day a week exercising is not my favorite thing, but I did get a bit scared when I saw these spots all over my legs.  & they are slowly creeping down my legs & that made me nervous.  What causes them?  Insulin, not being properly dispersed/disposed of by your body.  I'm sure it's way more medically technical than that, but that is how I see it.  I know that I am not explaining myself too well & I apologize.  I have PCOS (please feel free to google) & it is a metabolic disorder that causes a ton of interesting side effects.  One of them being, brownish spots on your skin.  So attractive!

Now I've know how to control this for about 6 years now, but sometimes, when you're lazy, it's a lot easier to sit around eating & watching TV than it is to actually go out & exercise.  But I realized that as soon as I stopped running & swimming & biking & hot yoga-ing, the pounds came back faster than ever.  Because, if you are still reading, one of the other lovely side effects, is increased weight gain.  Seriously, I gained 50 pounds in 4 years.  It was crazy & thankfully, when I was at the doctor for an ear infection, he took one look at me & knew that there was a problem.  So I am grateful for that & realize that I have to be the one to work hard to keep things in check.

I know I have rambled on for a very long time about practically nothing but my sheer laziness, so I will end with this Happy Birthday to my first favorite follower Cathy!!!!  Hope you have a great day!!!

I'll try to be more interesting in my next blog.  :)

There Goes February

Wow, it's March tomorrow.  Crazy.  But this much closer to summer.  Can't wait.  I don't even care that all the great summer places have been washed away, I have a feeling it's going to be a fabulous summer.

Today was a crazy day.  It started with a migraine, but I have discovered that Excedrin migraine is the miracle cure.  & it must be loaded with caffeine because I was go go go all day.  I actually got things accomplished.  Although I was a bit out of it first thing this morning, I think I rallied.  I even managed to eek out a 3 mile run tonight & not kill the girl talking on the cellphone on the treadmill next to me.  Seriously honey, put the phone down, you'll burn more calories.  Really, people will talk on the phone ANYWHERE, about ANYTHING like the cone of silence is all around them.  Usually a nasty look kinda gets your point across, but this girl's cone of silence also came with an aura of oblivion around it. Nothing was stopping her from bitching about her job.  Whatever, it made me turn up the volume & run a bit faster.  I just needed to get to three miles, so the faster I ran, the quicker I could get out of there.  Hold it, perhaps I misjudged this rude girl.  I should find out when she goes to the gym every night & purposely set up next to her.  I think I may be on to something!  Annoying people make you run faster!

In other news, our first team race is next weekend, the Keith McHeffey race in Sea Bright, NJ.  It's for a good cause (9/11 charity) & in Sea Bright, which is starting to rebuild after Hurricane Sandy.  It's the first race of the year for all of us - so wish us luck!   Will post pics of the team soon!

Spring Lake 5 - 2013

Thank you for registering for the 2013 Spring Lake Five

And with that, I am in.  Phew.  Today started out like Friday the 13th, not Friday the 1st.  Woke up with a migraine, again, ugh & did my usual morning ritual of checking emails, etc.  I noticed an email from a friend on Facebook & if it wasn't for my urgent need to reply to her gossip, I would have totally missed the post from another friend stating she signed up for the Spring Lake Five.

What?!?  What?!?  Today is February 1st.  I have no idea why, in my stupidness (another made up word) I forgot!  I set my alarm on my phone for 5 am Saturday February 2nd.  Note to self, turn that off.  But I shot out of bed & after 20 minutes of fumbling with the site & checking with other friends (who thankfully wake up at the crack of dawn) , I am in!  4th year in a row.  But this year will be a bittersweet year, as it is the first year that my Grandmother won't be around as I run past her house.  Last year she stood out in the humidity (at 92 years old) to cheer me on with her neighbors.  :(

But I know she will be there with me in spirit, as someone from the Woods family has lived in SL for the past 100 years.  I think that's definitely a tradition that we need to continue.  Now all I have to do is win the lottery!  Hope this Friday gets better.  Happy February my five faithful followers!

Dallas Season 2 & More Things You May Not Know About Me

Sometimes  you just have to change things up a bit.  I credit my "Things You Don't Know About Me" to US Weekly, one of my guilty pleasures.  Sure, I know it's not like reading the Economist, but you know what?  Sometimes I have to really put on my thinking cap when I read the Economist.  No one has to think while reading US Weekly, they just need to be able to see & have a healthy dose of judgmentalism, if that's a word, which it is not.  I just made it up.

So here's a few more things you may not know about me, as well as some sprinkled in facts from last night's episode of Dallas.

1.  A 7th 9/11 first responder has died this month.  FDNY Lt. Marty Fullman.  The tragedy of 9/11 continues 12 years later.  I am still heartbroken over things that happened that day.  I know some people don't understand, but that's how I feel.

2.  My workout plan for 2013 seems to be...working!

3.  I am so psyched that the SF 49ers are back in the Super Bowl after an 18 year absence.

4.  I really do get upset when I see Range Rovers on the street, I really want one & I worked 65 hours last week so I could save up for one.  Maybe that is shallow to some, but all this work has to be for something, right?

5.  I am sad that Larry Hagman died & will no longer be on Dallas.

6.  I make up words like judgementalism all the time.  Another one I use all the time.  Fuckedupedness.  In my world, that is a word.

7.  I still curse too much.  See above.

8.  I've divorced a few friends in the past few years & I have never been happier.

9.  I think I may have a slight addiction to Instant Lottery Tickets.  Hey, you gotta be in it to win it!

10.  Christopher Ewing, still not a Ewing.

11.  I am sad about the Spring Lake Five this year.  Almost to the point of not wanting to sign up.  It will be the first year I run past my Grandmother's house & she will not be there.

12.  I have to pay a NYC traffic ticket or they are going to suspend my license to drive in NJ.  Next week.

13.  People don't like the number 13, but I think 2013 is going to be a really great year.

14.  I am missing a dear old friend that I haven't seen in 20 years.

15.  I can't wait til summer.  Boardwalk or not, I am excited to see how they are going to rebuild the Jersey Shore.

Thanks for tuning in again this week to my crazy blog about my crazy life!  Stay tuned for more craziness, and of course, Dallas updates!

Snow & Mud

It's snowing here in NJ tonight. I feel as if the snow totally snuck up on us. There was some talk about a flurry or maybe some snow later this week, but as I left for the gym tonight there it was. Snow. I'm not a fan. we've been pretty lucky so far with only a light dusting a few weeks ago that melted before I made it out of the house. Now if it going to snow, that's as much as I am willing to endure.

Besides that there's not much going on. I've been working, working, working & getting fatter & fatter & fatter. So I stopped the madness, downloaded An old training app that I used to use religiously back in the day to my iPad and started fresh this month. Now I am taking it slow. Very slow. But I think that is the way to go this year. Not a lot of races planned, no crazy triathlons in far away states or through obstacle course like conditions. Getting back to the basics and in great shape is on the menu for 2013.

A few months ago one of my go to running friends signed us up for a mud run. I was so psyched & sooooo "I'm tough!" until my delicate ass hit the first mud obstacle, which was about 15' past the start line. I used to watch Bear Grylls on that show where they would leave him all alone on top of Mt Kilamangaro with two sticks of gum and a tennis ball & he would find his way back to Times Square in 4 days or something equally as ridiculous (think MacGyver in the 80s). The show was totally fake, because let's face it where was he charging the camera batteries out in the wild? Yeah, at the Four Seasons where he really went every night while he led us to believe he was sleeping under a bed of cow dung and bamboo leaves. However, I would watch this show & think.....oh I could totally be the female Bear Grylls. Yeah totally, unless there was mud involved or snow or some horrendous combination of both. Which isn't all that uncommon.

So last week when said friend asked me to do the mud run again this year I totally had a flashback to how so un-Grylls like I was on that day. You win mud, you are the kryptonite in this movie. Oh well, maybe I can hold the towels or extra change of clothes. The only thing good about that day were the hot firemen hosing us down at then end. Oh yeah, and did I mention I got lost in the woods. Not as tough as I originally thought........

San Francisco 49ers - Quest for Six

That's right!  They're on their way to the Super Bowl!  

Go Niners!

Happy New Year 2013!

Did you know that 2013 is the first year since 1987 that all the numbers in the year are not duplicated?  I'll give you a second to double check that in your brain.  Yes, it's true!  & if you remember 1987 as I do (Freshman year in HS) I have a feeling it's going to be a great year!  Only had to wait 26 years for that, right?  Ha!

2013 is a new year & with that comes the standard list of resolutions.  Lose weight, eat better, spend less money.  Bore-ing.  Wouldn't you like to meet the guy that says I'm going to eat Big Macs every day for the next year?  Well, he might not make it to next year, but at least he'd have a good time trying a la Morgan Spurlock.

So what did you resolve to do better this year?  What if we didn't make any resolutions?  What if we just decided that this year we'd do the opposite of everything we did last year.  Be opposite George like in Seinfeld.

Maybe that's the answer!  Be the opposite of yourself this year!  Eat chicken salad on rye instead of tuna on toast!  I think I'm going to try that!

Happy New Year!