CINDY'S BLOG

AMAZING

2012-02-19T10:13:00.002-06:00

Congratulations to my son-in-law who ran a 100K yesterday. He finished in 11:06. That's like doing ten 10K's. Whew!

Movies, Books and Bread

2012-02-12T14:57:00.006-06:00

Yesterday was too cold to really do anything outsside so Christy and I went to see The Vow at the movies. It was better than I thought it would be and I loved seeing the sights of Chicago where it was filmed. After the movies it was lunch at The Corner Bakery and then we headed to the library for their book sale. I've never been to one of these so didn't know what to expect. There were rows of books stacked on tables and you just had to start looking.

I always like to check out the first page in a book before I select it and the flap on the inside of the cover.
I ended up buying 5 books, one was one that I had read a review on and wanted to get last year.

So here is what I took home:

The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom ( this is the one I've been wanting to read)

The Last Summer by Ann Brashares

This Side Of Married by Rachel Pastan

Dark Tort by Diane Mott Davidson

Savannah by James Reasoner

Last night we watched Moneyball with Brad Pitt on pay per view. It was okay, seemed to move a little slow. I guess you'd have to really like baseball to enjoy it.

This morning I started some bread and while it was rising went up to the gym and used the treadmill. Didn't want to lift weights because of my hand, it is still swollen but not as much as on Friday.

Does This Make Sense?

2012-02-10T18:29:00.004-06:00

I woke up this morning with my hand sore and swollen. It had hurt some yesterday but this was a bit worse and more sore. I finally decided that maybe I should call the docoter and have them take a look. I called and the girl gave me an appointment for 2:10 this afternoon. She asked for my birthdate and name and then said she couldn't find me. " well, it's been a while since I've been in" I said. We only keep the records so long, you'll have to reeestablish yourself. Okay. That meant that she couldn't give me the 2:10 appointment because I had to see a doctor not a PA. What about Saturday I asked. No, we don't take new patients on Saturday. Okay how about Monday. That would work and she gave me an appointment with a doctor for Monday.

So I have a sore hand and can't get in to see the PA because even though I am a patient I have to reestablish my record and only a doctor can do this.

Get Running

2012-02-02T14:02:00.002-06:00

The groundhog stuck his head outside and saw his shadow and now we are to have 6 more weeks of winter. So far we have had a mild winter so maybe it will continue that way.

I needed some motivation to get me back into serious running. The best way to do that is to sign up for some races. Last night Christy and I signed up for the cowtown 10K on the 25th of February in Ft. Worth. Everyone gets a medal for finishing the race. We also signed up for the 5K Firefly Run in Plano This race is run at night and you get a race bracelet at the finish line. This will be on March 31. So now I better lace up those shoes and get running.

Great Weather

2012-01-31T20:06:00.003-06:00

Wow, I have had two beautiful days to go out and run. Can't believe that it got to 78 today! I'm still slow but I know if I make small changes I will speed up. My miles for January were not what I wanted but I figured with traveling and other things I missed a week to run. I hope the weather for February will be as niceas last month and I will be able to rack up some miles.

Birthdays, Pie and Laughs

2012-01-28T06:17:00.008-06:00

Celebrating our birthdays with a cherry pie. There is a story behind this and we had a good laugh.

When my father-in-law died Tom was just 5. Everyone was bringing food to the house and someone brought a homemade cherry pie. Yum, I would have a piece later. But when later came there was no cherry pie. I looked all over, no pie. I asked had anyone seen the pie, no they all said. Later I found out that Tom had taken the pie to the basement and been going down and eating it, so for years I have been telling him he owes me a pie. We share the same day for our birthdays so on Thursday he went out and got a cherry pie and we celebrated. Happy birthday Tom and thanks for the pie.

Resolution Race Report

2012-01-21T15:05:00.002-06:00

This was our first race of the year put on by our village so it was close to get to. I had done this race in 2010 and taken first in my age group with a 36.08 time. The race started at 9 and we arrived a bit after 8 so we had time to pick up our chips. Then we waited, luckily we could wait inside because it was 35 out and there was a north wind. Finally it was time to line up and then we were off. First mistake, I never hit the mat for the chip. WTF, they only had it on half of the start. Well that took pressure off of me because now I would have no chip time. The course took us across the street and through a neighborhood and then onto a trail. There was a step hill to go up but then it was down hill and back across the street. Whoa, just as I reach the street to cross the officer puts up his hand to stop me and says " We have to let a few cars through" WTF, a few cars it was more than that, by the time we were able to cross their was a good size group of us. Next stretch was going to be a long hill up. We ran part and walked more. At the top we turned into a small shopping area and ( this was the good part about the race) in front of the Snotty Pig restaurant was a man holding a tray of muffin samples. I told him he was my new best friend. Boy did that taste good. So we finished and I don't know what my time was but Christy's watch said 48 minutes( don't forget we waited for traffic). We didn't stay for awards it was too cold to wait.

Remembering

2012-01-15T11:32:00.004-06:00

Four years ago I was at Disney, signed up for my first half marathon.I had no clue what racing was about or how to properly fuel yourself. I was there to get a Disney medal and celebrate my 65 birthday with my daughters. I don't think they had a clue either, maybe Jenny did. Some of us trained really hard and others did some training but not what was required. I was in the last group. I thought I was ready but in looking back I wasn't. The race was harder and longer than I thought and due to the early time to get up I was under fueled by the time I reached the magic kingdom. Even though it was hard and long it is one of my favorite races I have done and I love my medal and the time I spent with my daughters.

Middle of The Week

2012-01-11T18:00:00.002-06:00

Sometimes it seems like it takes forever just to get to Wednesday. Where did this week go. Monday I went to the gym and did an upper body workout and the treadmill. I need to get more days at the gym, after all I am paying for this.
Tuesday I had an appointment with the endocrinologist to check my thyroid. Just heard back today and everything is stable, my dose remains the same.
Wednesday, today. I couldn't believe how beautiful it was with a temperature of 66, who wears tee shirts an no coat in January. I went out on the trails for 5 miles, even spotted the road runner. Then in the afternoon I had a hair appointment. Gotta keeep that gray covered!

Inside

2012-01-07T19:04:00.002-06:00

Christy and I went to the gym today, the weather was just a bit too cold for me to run out side. I talked her into doing a program on the elliptical instead of the treadmill. It was harder than I thought but we got 30 minutes in. After that I told her to pick one upper body exercise and I would pick one. We would do three sets of 10 reps, that was followed with 25 sit ups. It didn't seem like a hard workout but this evening I am feeling it.

Blending In

2012-01-06T17:52:00.002-06:00

I always think I'm lucky when I go for a run and get to see a road runner, but today their were two of them out enjoying the nice weather. I gotta say for it being January this was a gorgeous day. There were lots of people out on trails which makes it a bit of a problem when you need to find a place to go and you know this time of year there aren't many leaves on the bushes which makes it more difficult to find a spot. Some one should make camouflage running clothes so we blend in to the landscape.

Enjoy

2012-01-04T16:46:00.003-06:00

I went out today with my new shoes on, I love them. They are light weight and have great support. They are black with some bright pink on them. They are the New Balance 610.
It was a beautiful day to be out side. The temperature was in the mid 50's with a slight breeze. All I needed was a long sleeve top and carpi's. I don't know how long this weather will last but I'm going to enjoy it while it's here.

New Year New Shoes

2012-01-02T20:08:00.006-06:00

Beautiful weather for January, made it out to the trails to get my first run of the year in. I' m still sore from my fall but not enough to prevent me from going out. We are suppose to have nice weather all week. I was looking at some races to maybe do this weekend. One of my goals this year is to try and run a race each month.

I had $20.00 in coupons to Kohl's burning a hole in my pocket, actually one was due to expire today. After wa;lking around the store looking for a bargan I ended up buying a pair of New Balance 690. Hoping I can try them out tomorrow.

Ring In The New

2011-12-31T13:46:00.002-06:00

Wishing everyone and safe and happy new year. I got my last run of the year in today and did it up grand. I went on the dirt trail and tripped on a root, over I went. Somehow I managed to land on my right shoulder, hip and side of the knee and my right palm. Oof! I had to brush off the dirt, check to see if I was okay and then get up and keep going. I'm fine but will probably have a bruise tomorrow.

Thanks Girls

2011-12-30T11:41:00.003-06:00

I got the Garmin forerunner for Christmas from all my daughters and their families. This is the gift that keeps on giving. I love the new style, a lot less clunky than my old one. Yesterday I went out to test it. Fist thing it is so much lighter than the old one, also easier to read. I love the band and closure. This is a great Garmin, thanks girls. Christy went with me and she had her new Nike GPS on. It was interesting because we were not in sync. Hers was showing she was .50 miles more than I was, hmmm. Which watch is right. My husband suggested if my old Garmin was working I could wear both and see if the gave the same distance.

Morning At The Museums

2011-12-29T15:15:00.006-06:00

Yesterday we went to Dallas to see a special exhibit at the museum. I failed to notice that they didn't open until 11 so we had an hour to spare. The lady told us about the Asian Museum across the street, not only were they open they were free.

This is the second largest crystal globe in the world. When you stand on one side you are upside down on the other side. Very fascinating.

We really enjoyed this museum but our hour was up so we went back across the street to the Dallas museum of art.

Our tickets were to see the exhibit of Jean Paul Gaultier and it was worth the price. We were not allowed to take pictures inside. The place was packed with people.

He autographed the platform " For Dallas" I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed looking at all the fashions. Some were a bit strange but then he has designed for Gaga, also Madonna. After we left the museum we headed to Southlake for lunch at Brio.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T06:12:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas, enjoy your day where ever you are.

Night Before Christmas

2011-12-24T21:19:00.003-06:00

Christmas eve and the dogs are tired from all the baking. We made a pumpkin and a mince pie today. Of course they have to be in the kitchen with you just in case a crumb would fall to the floor.

Sweet dreams.

A Keeper

2011-12-24T08:55:00.002-06:00

Another baking day yesterday. This recipe was printed in the paper but is from Paula Dean Best Dishes. You know if it's from her it's going to have butter and it's going to be good. And it was ! Salted caramel brownies were easy to make from a cake mix and are baked in a 9x13 pan which makes it super easy. I sent a plate of brownies to each of my neighbors, hope they enjoy them as much as we are ! I'm definitely going t keep this recipe to make again next year.

Jingle Bell Run

2011-12-22T14:04:00.006-06:00

We had signed up for the Jingle Bell Race, this is one that we all had done in 2009. It's lots of fun and held in Dallas at the Anatole Hotel. The course takes you through the Arts District. The race is run at night. Your race packet includes bells to tie on but we dressed it up with some Christmas socks that Christy found at Target.

Tom and Allie were doing the 1 miler. They planned on walking so Allie didn't bother with tennis shoes. The temperature was in the low 50's so jackets were needed

Christy and I were doing the 5k, there were over 5000 people signed up for the race. You had your choice to be chipped timed, we decided not. It was crazy, people were zigging and zagging around us, dogs on leashes and in costume. The whole race was crowded with people. Everyone having a great time. There were lots of people in costumes. I even spotted a couple of Santas.

We mostly walked the course and enjoyed the sites, crossing the finish line in 50:07. Not my best time but I liked not having the pressure of trying to get a fast time.

After the race pizza and beer was available in side the hotel. We went to check it out but decide the lines were too long. So opted for home. The decorations and lights inside added to the Christmas atmosphere although Tom and Allie were too busy using there electronics to notice.

No Baking Day

2011-12-22T12:15:00.004-06:00

This is a new recipe I tried for chocolate peanut butter oatmeal no bake cookies. I wasn't sure when I made them if I would like them, but who doesn't like chocolate and they have to be a little bit healthy because there is oatmeal in them. I dropped them by spoonful on wax paper to set up, that took longer then I thought it would. This morning I gave one a try, yummo! These are good. They are like a piece of fudge or almost like a piece of Texas sheet cake.

When my husband got up I made him try a bite. " Will you eat these" I asked, because if he wasn't going to I would have to throw them all out so I wouldn't eat them all. They are that good. His answer was yes he would eat them.

Baking Day # 3

2011-12-21T12:09:00.002-06:00

Have you ever done this, mix up cookie dough and then leave it in the fridge for a few weeks ? Well I am guilty. Today I took the dough out that had been in the fridge for sometime and baked them. This is my husbands favorite cookie, there are recipes everywhere for it. The nice thing is you don't need eggs. So the cookies are baked and you can't tell they had been in cold storage for several weeks and most of all my husband is happy. I don't think he'll be so happy when he's doing his 1 mile race tonight, oh well!

Baking Day # 2

2011-12-20T14:15:00.002-06:00

So yesterday after getting home from picking up the race packets I started on my white pear and cranberry cake with whiskey caramel sauce. I found this recipe on line at Racheal Ray's web site last year and it was a big hit. Today I was making it for my friend.
We had our last coffee before Christmas and exchanged gifts. She was thrilled to have the cake and sauce. I got a scarf and puzzle from her. I think the best gift we give each other is the gift of friendship.

Lemon Cookies

2011-12-18T16:07:00.002-06:00

This morning we were suppose to go to Dallas to pick up the race packets for this Wednesday, however the weather was so nice that my husband wanted to stay home and work on the out door lights. It seems there are some strands that aren't lighting up. Tomorrow we will go to Dallas, today I baked my first batch of Christmas cookies.
I tried a recipe from Giada De Laurentis, lemon ricotta cookies with lemon glaze and they are much better than the picture. I picked this so I could use the lemons from my tree. If I make them again I will not use 2 tablespoons for each cookie, way too big. She said you'd get 44 but I only got 24. You can find this recipe at foodnetwork.com

If you like lemons you'll like these !

Inspiration

2011-12-17T05:48:00.004-06:00

Sometimes a spur of the moment can turn into a lovely evening. Yesterday we called our neighbor and invited her to dinner with us at a local restaurant. She was delighted to go. Lydia is never at a loss for words and so conversation flowed at the table. She lost her husband in August after 60 years of marriage. When she started telling us what she does I was floored. At 82 she works out at the YMCA three times a week on the other three days she walks 2 miles. She sings in the church choir but has dropped her other choir. She also did Weight Watchers and reached lifetime and has kept it off by still going to the meetings. She is like the EverReady rabbit, just keeps on ticking. I hope when I'm her age I'll still be as active as I am now.

Freezing Here

2011-12-15T14:43:00.003-06:00

Yesterday I had an appointment with the dermatologist. I have had this dark area on my ankle for some time and kept forgetting to get it checked. I mean we are talking like a year or so. After Jenny commented on it at Thanksgiving I came home and made the appointment. The last time I had been to the office was in 2008, oops! I also had a spot on my hand and my nose. Well the hand and ankle were nothing but old age however the nose along with 4 other spots on my face were precancerous and needed to be froze off.
I got to thinking after I left the office that I never put sunscreen on when I go to run. I figure I'm out early enough that the rays won't bother me, but maybe that's not true. Maybe I need to start using sunscreen when I run.

Maybe a Mile

2011-12-12T12:18:00.006-06:00

Are you feeling the Christmas crunch ? Seems like there is so much crammed into the weekend.We had a Christmas party in Ft. Worth on Friday and spent the night there. Saturday was the Madrigal Feaste at the high school put on by the high school choir. This is the second year for our granddaughter to be in it and last year we missed it.

Sunday we headed over to North Park mall, one of my favorites in the Dallas area. Allie wanted to pick an angel off the tree, something we try to do every year.

We were shopping for a 6 year old girl. I snapped a few pictures of the mall decorations as we made our way through the crowds. Orchids and pointsettias were beautiful.

Santa and sleigh are made from pecans, they fly over a small pond that has ducks swimming in it.

Allie found a dress and shoes and then we went to Build-A-Bear

to get a teddy bear. We got a hat and scarf that matched the girls dress.

After tagging all the gifts and putting the in a big pink plastic bag we went to Maggiano's for Sunday dinner. It's one of our favorite restaurants.

Here's to a great day. As for exercise we figured we walked at least a mile, maybe a bit more.

Good To Be Back

2011-12-03T14:31:00.003-06:00

Okay, so I have been sitting on my ass the last two weeks thinking about going to the gym but not really making any effort to do it. Then this morning Christy came down in workout clothes and I asked her what she was going to do. She said she was gong to go use the treadmill at the gym and did I want to come long? I didn't jump out of my chair, but did decide to go. I didn't realize how much I missed the gym, it felt good to be back. We did an easy run/walk program that was from a running magazine.

The Race

2011-11-27T09:57:00.007-06:00

We headed down to the expo on Saturday to pick up our bibs, race shirt and goodie bag. We looked at a lot of running gear but didn't buy anything. I must admit I was tempted at the shoe stop but I just bought a new pair of shoes so passed it by.

After the expo we checked in to the hotel. Jenny and I were spending the night in St. Pete's so we didn't have to get up so early. As luck had it I woke at 2:30, go figure. Our cheering crew would be driving down in the morning. Seven in the morning and the race has started, lots of pink shirts. Our crew was there but we did not see them.

We are half way done and connected with our cheering squad. The temperature was warm and it was humid out, but we had a plan for this race and that was to have no plan. There was no Garmin strapped to our wrist. We were just having an awesome time being together and enjoying the race. Jenny said she was a bit nervous when I started to complain about the heat at mile two.

We are nearing the finish line, just down hill and around the corner. Once again this was a great race to do. Jenny even did a cartwheel in Tropicana stadium.

We got our medal and I had the charm put on a cord. It's time to rest and eat some food and then head back to Jenny's house. A big thanks to our cheering squad, Tom, Allie, Mark, Andy and Tom, who got up early and drove down to cheer us on and take pictures and wait for us to finish.

Race Time

2011-11-17T03:24:00.002-06:00

We're leaving today to head for Florida and the Women's Half Marathon in St. Pete's. Last year I walked this race with my sister for her 70th birthday celebration, this year I am going to be running with my daughter Jenny. We'll celebrate the time together.
I have trained for this but still not sure I trained enough. I've packed my gels, shoes, hat, socks. shorts and top, all though I might buy a new top at the expo, so I'm ready to go!

What's Still Blooming

2011-11-15T12:21:00.003-06:00

The bougainvillea plants are in full bloom, you'd never guess it was the middle of November.

The tomatoes are going to be a bumper crop, there are two other plants that I did not show. Guess we will be eating fried green tomatoes!

I counted 17 lemons on the tree, they're not quite ready to pick but when they are my husband requested a lemon meringue pie.
It has been extremely warm here, Sunday we missed the record high by 1 degree, it was 84. I went out to do a run this morning and the heat and humidity were hard to deal with. I guess I'm getting a taste of Florida weather so I'll be ready to race on Sunday.

Big Thank You

2011-11-13T12:40:00.002-06:00

This morning I had a long run on the schedule and was not looking forward to it. I was stiff from the race yesterday and it was already warm out. I asked Christy if she'd like to go part of it with me, figuring she'd say no but it never hurts to ask, and she said yes. What a trooper, she ran a race yesterday and then went to work for 8 hours, plus she works today for 8 hours. She stuck with me for over 5 miles and then turned back for home. I continued on with out a Garmin trying to guesstimate how much more I had to do. I don't think I would have gone 10 miles if I had been on my own the whole time, so thank you Christy for coming along.

Race Report

2011-11-12T11:58:00.007-06:00

On November 16, 2004, former Town of Flower Mound employee Dorothy Walkup lost her battle with Multiple Sclerosis. Dorothy is missed but not forgotten as a friend, mentor, and shoulder to lean on to all who had the good fortune to know her. Her strength and courage were never more evident than during her seven-year fight against MS. The Town of Flower Mound sponsors "Dorothy's Dash" to honor her memory, share her example with others who may suffer this terrible disease, and to raise funds to combat Multiple Sclerosis.
Christy and I had heard a lot about this race from the gals at the gym, so we decided to run it this year.

We met up with Shayla and her group from TUF. It's always nice to see some friendly faces at the races.

Christy and I wore the gym shirts to help support and advertise for Shayla.

I had a hard time finding my name in the results because they had put me in with the 50-59 year old bracket. See, racing can make you young!

We thought this dog looked so cute in his shirt. I asked if we could take a picture and found out that this was Dorothy's granddog. That makes the picture more special.

I finished the race with a time of 39:58.

Remember

2011-11-11T05:11:00.001-06:00

Weekend Friends

2011-11-06T13:04:00.002-06:00

Usually on the weekends I take the path past the municipal center, it winds past a field that is occupied by some goats, geese and a donkey. They are sweet animals and will come up to the fence if you offer them a leaf.

This morning Christy and i went for a long walk. My legs were feeling heavy and I didn't want to run. I grabbed the camera as we left the house so I could get some pictures of my weekend friends.

Fall Back

2011-11-05T13:41:00.002-05:00

Don't forget, tonight we turn the clocks back. That means it'll be light in the mornings for running. I'm looking forward to that, I hate getting up and it's dark out.
I went to do my run and the Garmin was making strange noises like it was possessed. I couldn't get it to do anything so put it back in the charger and went out with out it. Running without the
Garmin feels weird.
No pace to check, no distance and no time. I had to do a route that I knew what the miles were. It was kind of freeing not to have it on my wrist and always checking the numbers.

Rushing

2011-11-04T13:49:00.003-05:00

Somehow I always feel like retail is always rushing the holidays in before it's time. I think Nordstroms is about the only one that waits until after Thanksgiving to put up their Christmas decorations. Now that the men are through fixing my furnace I'm going to rush out and get my run in for today.

November Already

2011-11-03T13:11:00.002-05:00

Well here we are into November already, even the weather has taken a turn and not only gotten cooler but also windier. I went out this morning after waiting for it to warm up a bit and was glad I had a jacket on. The nice thing about the weather is it's easier to run when it is cool.
In 17 days I have the Women's Half Marathon to run in Florida, I did this last year with my sister and daughters. I don't know if I'm ready but will just do my best.

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T07:35:00.000-05:00

Going for a short run today, did 9 miles yesterday.

It's Over

2011-10-29T07:59:00.000-05:00

Cardinals won, we'll have to wait until next year. Was a great series.

Visitor

2011-10-28T13:56:00.004-05:00

Last Saturday my dog started going crazy trying to open the slats on the shutters. Something was outside. My husband thought she had seen a leaf fall or a lizard but I thought it must be something bigger. When I looked out there was a road runner looking in my glass door. I couldn't believe that one would wander so close to the house, but as soon as he spotted me he headed for the yard.

This afternoon when I went out for my r/w I spotted two road runners in two different places. It must be the cooler weather that is bringing them out. I t was a great day to be out on the trails. The temperature was in the 50's and there was a breeze.

The Rangers and Cardinals are tied 3 to 3 so the final game is tonight. We're hoping for a win.

Because Of Rain

2011-10-26T17:09:00.002-05:00

The game tonight was called because of rain, they'll play the 6th game on Thursday. The weather man is calling for cooler temperatures and rain all day for us tomorrow so I got out and did my walk/run today. Will head to the gym tomorrow for weights.

Surprise

2011-10-25T15:05:00.004-05:00

Coffee with my friend this morning and she had this bouquet of zinnias from her garden for me.

We sat outside and enjoyed the cool morning breeze and caught up on everything. I'd brought pumpkin chocolate cake that I had seen on Martha Stewart's show yesterday for our t

I stopped at the library on the way home and picked up the book We Need To Talk About Kevin

that Amy had recommended to me.

I was home by 11:30 and changed and headed out for a run/walk. I headed for the trail past the municipal center then down to the road, across the bridge and then went on the trail through the woods . It was the perfect day to be out especially since they say we are in for some rain and cooler weather.

The Rangers won last night, game 6 in St. Louis on Wednesday.

Even

2011-10-24T10:57:00.002-05:00

In case you didn't hear, the Rangers are tied with the Cardinals for the World Series. Two games each. We're hoping for another win tonight.
I'm hoping for the fog to lift so I can go run.

Hard To Say Good Bye

2011-10-21T12:59:00.003-05:00

For over a year I have been going to boot camp 3 days a week. In the heat, in the rain, in the cold I have gone. Lately it has been a struggle between working out and trying to get my runs in and so both have seemed to suffer. I have The Women's Half Marathon to run in November and I decided to drop boot camp and concentrate on my running. Today was my last boot camp, it was hard to say good by to someone who has become not only your trainer but a friend.

In Pain

2011-10-18T13:10:00.002-05:00

So yesterday boot camp was outside, the day was too beautiful to be in. We started with weights in hands and doing lunges down the parking lot. At every third line we had to stop and do 10 thrusters. When we reached the end we were to sprint back and then run a lap. As I was returning from the running I saw the girls start out on their next set of exercises, I wanted to turn and get in my car and leave. This time we had to high step to a line then back kick to a line then frog jump to a line then do 10 push ups. We continued with this until we were across the lot and then sprinted back and did a lap. We finished up inside with 50 abs and then a stretch.
Today I really intended to go out and run but I can't move. Every step I take just kills me, my thighs are screaming in pain, I need to move but can't and tomorrow is boot camp again.

Quick Week

2011-10-15T10:59:00.002-05:00

This week has zipped by and I have been lacks in my running.
Monday was a holiday and I went to the movies to see 50/50, which I liked very much.
Tuesday was coffee with my friend and then to the store to get grocery's.
Wednesday was boot camp, we were on the mats doing the Turkish Getup. I about got up and left.
Thursday went to Target to shop and when I got home did not feel like running, so I finished the book I was reading by C. J. Box, Nowhere To Run. It takes place in Wyoming and is a mystery.
Friday I put air in my tires and rode my bike to boot camp. Little did I know we would be working on legs that day, but I managed to make it through the workout and even ride my bike back home.
Today I was going out for a walk because my legs are sore so I decided to take my camera with me . Note to self: check battery before you leave the house. I missed pictures of the dog agility training, the goats and the donkey. When I got home and told my husband he said" Get another camera and go back" Is this man crazy or what. I was dripping with sweat and thirsty and was not going back.

This afternoon we are going to get the Halloween decorations out and set them up while the weather is nice.

Sharing Life's Lessons

2011-10-10T12:35:00.004-05:00

Yesterday my husband and I attended a celebration of life for a friend of ours who died on Sept 7th in a tragic airplane accident. In the program was a list of rules and truths to live by that Jerry had written. They said he spent over 3 months working on this every day. I wanted to share these because I think we all need some truths to live by, maybe we have our own list but if not we can always use Jerry's. As I read the list some I practice but some I could use in my life. Remember life is not a dress rehearsal, live it to your fullest.

Rain Is Coming

2011-10-08T12:46:00.003-05:00

I decided I better go out today since they are calling for rain tomorrow. It was a lot more humid than yesterday as I headed out to the trails. I'm glad I went I got to see the road runner. He hasn't been around much. I tried to run up the hills and some were a struggle but you have to keep going.

Friday was boot camp with Heidi. She had us out on the sidewalk doing a circuit. It was mostly for upper body so wasn't too bad.

INSIDE

2011-10-05T14:37:00.004-05:00

This morning was boot camp and she totally threw me off. I thought because it was nice we would be out side dragging the sled and doing other cardio things. The lawn people were out raking and blowing grass cuttings all over so we were inside with a circuit of 8 stations that we would do 3 times. Here's what we were doing for 1 minute for each station:

Thrusters
Chest press 1st time, back rows 2nd time, push ups 3rd time
plank
step ups with bar across shoulders
leg kicks at pad
pull ups
kettle ball swing
burpies with the bosu

This was a really good work out, the sweat was dripping and at times I thought I might be sick but I stuck with it. It was just as hard as running the hills on Monday!

GREAT DAY

2011-10-03T13:37:00.002-05:00

Another beautiful fall day. The temperature was 58 this morning when I left for boot camp. Today we were meeting at the hills close to my house so instead of driving I ran to the meeting place. We spent an hour running up the hill and down the hill, walking backwards up the hill, more running down the hill. It was tough and I'm still sore but it was a good work out and so much nicer than being in the parking lot. When it was over I still had to run home.

RACE ? REPORT

2011-10-01T13:59:00.008-05:00

Beautiful morning, temperature around 60. There were over 1500 signed up for this 5K. This will be the third time for Christy and me to run this race. That being said I thought I knew the course, but right at the start it changed from last year. Okay, I thought they will be adding more on the other end. When I hit the mile 2 marker my Garmin said 1.68, oops, was my Garmin broke or was the course marked wrong. I finished and the Garmin said 2.78, the course was short. Has this ever happened to you

The race starts at the Delaney Wineries and goes through a residential are with lots of hills.

Afterwards there is a great jazz band to entertain you until the awards are announce

The fall flowers around the winery were nice to see. Especially since everything had dried up from our summer heat.

This is the race that gives a wine glass if you place in your age group. I was working on my third glass and am hoping to eventually get a set of 6 glasses. They called my age group and first place was not me, then second place, not me. I was getting a bit nervous thinking maybe I didn't place but then they called third place and it was me. So now I'm half way to my set of glasses.

I was starving after the race so we called my husband and asked if he wanted to meet us for breakfast at a new restaurant. A plate of pancakes and eggs soon took care of my hunger.

PERFECT WEATHER

2011-09-30T10:52:00.003-05:00

What a beautiful day we are having. The temperature this morning was hovering around 68 with a nice breeze coming from the North. This made the perfect weather for running. Everything I'd been struggling with these last few weeks felt so easy today. It's amazing how things can change so quickly. I did 5 miles and it felt good. Tomorrow is the race adn I'm hoping conditions will be the same as this morning.

BIG THANK YOU

2011-09-29T14:44:00.002-05:00

Today was a good mail day, I received the top I won from Kim. Love the color, love the fit. Will use it on Friday for boot camp. Thanks Kim.

I went out this morning for a short run/walk of 3.33 miles. I tried a new way that had more shade and also a killer hill. When I started out I ran into my neighbor who was coming back from a 2hour walk. She said I was going out too late, that it was too hot. She was right about that. Our temperature today is going to hit 100, this is the end of September where is the cooler weather?
Even Amy in Belgium is experiencing warm weather. I know I shouldn't complain because soon I will be waiting for it to warm up so I can go run so I guess I'll just enjoy these last few days of summer.

I REMEMBER

2011-09-28T05:45:00.003-05:00

Halloween decorations are going up in the neighborhood. The temperatures are still in the 90's so it's a bit hard to think about cool weather activities. However if you go in any of the stores you'll find not only Halloween decorations but Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Monday was boot camp. We were out in the parking lot doing lots of sprints, dragging the sled and using the big band. When we finished I was dripping with sweat. Sometimes I think why the hell am I doing all this. Then I remember, it's to keep me healthy. It's to keep my bones strong. It's to make me live longer.

Yesterday was coffee with my friend. We sat outside and talked forever. Later in the day I had a hair appointment which I badly needed. I told my hair dresser he was going to need a bucket of hair color for me. It has been six weeks since I last went. Too long. I was not able to get my run in but will try to make it up this week.

WEEKEND UPDATE

2011-09-25T20:47:00.003-05:00

This is one of my favorite pictures taken in Walden, CO. We were out cutting wood, now that's a work out.

Saturday I took off and rested. There was no working out or running. The only thing I did do was make an apple pie for my husband. I think he deserved it.

Today I went out to run, had 7-8 miles on my schedule. It was warm and I was doing more walking than running. I finally turned and headed back for home. I did 5 miles which is more than I did on Thursday. Miles for the week were 14.65.

One nice thing that happened this weekend, I won a work out top from Kim at http://ilaxstudio.com. Thanks Kim for the great giveaway.

HAPPY FALL

2011-09-23T11:32:00.002-05:00

Summer is officially over except that tomorrow the temperatures are suppose to get back in the 90's, but today it was 59 when I left for boot camp. The perfect weather for working out outside. There were lots of new people so she paired us up new with old to do the deck of cards. I got Michelle and it was her first time at boot camp however she has trained with Heidi. We were each given a deck of cards and started drawing. Our first card up was the Joker and that was 100 Kettle ball swings. The rest of the suits were as follows:

Kings 10 box jumps. We never got this card
Queens 10 Burpies
Jacks 10 frog jumps
Ace run 1 lap
Spades plank rows
Diamonds box squats
Clubs thrusters
Hearts sit ups

We were slower than the others but managed to get through about 25 cards. Nice work out to end the week on.

HAPPINESS IS ...

2011-09-22T12:23:00.002-05:00

seeing the turtles back in the creek after the long hot summer. I don't know where they went but it's nice to see them back. It would be nice to see my running back but for some reason I am struggling with it. Today I went out and tried the run 3 minutes walk 3 minutes. This seemed to work. I also ran on my trail, it's not long but it is a dirt trail and I think running on it helps the core get stronger.

Yesterday was boot camp and we once again were in the parking lot. There were 8 of us and we were partnered up We ran carrying a weighted ball, did reverse lunges, V sit ups, squats with kettle ball, wall sits and push ups.

FEELING IT

2011-09-19T14:12:00.002-05:00

Notice how the sun takes longer to come up in the mornings and there is a hint of fall in the air. It is perfect weather for running. Yesterday I went out for my long run and ended up doing 9.19 miles only because I turned right instead of left.

This morning my legs were feeling it from the run and I had boot camp. It was another gorgeous day and she had us outside. We were running sprints, dragging the sled, using the band and tossing the ball as we moved sideways down the parking lot. Now my legs are really feeling it.

RACE REPORT

2011-09-17T14:39:00.006-05:00

Christy and I had done this race two years ago, so I thought I knew the course. What I didin't know was last year they changed it which resulted in a lot more hills to be running up. The weather was a mild 74 with clouds. That I was thankful for. Today I was hoping for a nice easy run, I knew my time would be in the 40 minute range.

The race takes place in Lewisville near the Grand Theater. We took off and Christy went out ahead of me. I caught up with her at one of the hills and then passed her. This race seemed long, maybe because of the new course. I walked and ran and finally turned the corner for the finish.

This is the front of the Grand Theater

A sculpture

Facing East towards the town with the sun just coming up.

I took first place with a time of 41:14 and received a gift certificate to Dick's Sporting Goods for $50. for being the oldest woman running. Age does have it's benefits. Christy got a gift card to a local nursery for $15. so we both were winners today.

SLOW LIKE HONEY

2011-09-13T17:27:00.003-05:00

So Monday I had the rest of my fitness test for boot camp. I had to run a mile. My time was slow, slow like honey coming out of a jar. I guess this is the price you pay for missing a month of workouts.

After testing we were all given a deck of cards and then were on our own. Again I struggled with the burpies and frog jump. There is something about the up and down of these that bothers me. I can manage a few and then start to feel dizzy. I cut the jump roping from 100 to 75, come on I'm just starting back. The rest of the exercises I was okay with.

I missed my run today but will make it up on Saturday when I do a 5K race. Our temperature is back in the 100's and it was too warm to go out. We have passed the previous record set in the 80's for the longest days over a hundred. So far we are at 70 days over.

NO APPLE PIE

2011-09-11T15:45:00.002-05:00

September always makes me want to buy apples and start baking, however since my husband and I both need to lose weight there will be no apple pies in my house.

This week was rough trying to get back into my exercise and running mode. Here's how it went:

Monday I did the elliptical at LA Fitness in Atlanta. Did the weight lose program which was around 30 minutes. It was Katy's idea to go and work out since I would be riding in a car for 5 hours, thanks Katy.
Tuesday I did 2 miles on the treadmill at the hotel. Lucky for me the exercise room was across from our room so I had no excuses not to do it.
Wednesday I was extremely tired, had to get up early as my husband had a Dr.'s appointment. I took the day off.
Thursday went out in the neighborhood and ran/walked over 4 miles.
Friday, this was hard, made myself go back to boot camp. I lucked out since it was fitness week we had a shorter boot camp.
Saturday, I couldn't move. OMG. My shoulders were sore, my sides were sore and my legs didn't want to move. I did nothing.
Sunday I had a run scheduled and decided to take a long route. Finished with over 7 miles. Woo hoo! I feel great, no sore legs.

SEPTEMBER TRIP

2011-09-08T16:12:00.011-05:00

Well I'm home from our road trip. We arrived in North Carolina on the 28th to spend some time with my sister and friends.

The house was set off the road nestled in among the trees. There was a big deck on the back that faced the lake.

We headed to Lake Lure to have dinner. This is where a lot of the movie Dirty Dancing was filmed. There is even a plaque on one of the golf holes .

One day my husband and I hiked to the waterfalls that was in the movie The Last of the Mohican's. I was a bit disappointed because it was just a trickle and if you've seen the movie you know what it was really like. But we enjoyed our hike.

We also took one morning to climb to the top of Chimney Rock, I say climb because it was 472 steps to the top.

Another day we drove to Asheville and had lunch at the Grove Park Inn. Enjoying the view from the outdoor terrace, I had peach soup and a fried green tomato BLT.

We took time to drive to the National Park. I wanted to get a stamp for my National Parks passport book.

Soon it was time to say good-bye and head for Atlanta to visit my daughter and her family. Riley was playing soccer in a tournament and we were looking forward to watching her games.

Her soccer skills have really improved from the last time we saw her play. Her throw-ins are awesome.

We had a nice visit with Katy and her family. Now it's time to get back to running and going to boot camp.

CRAZY

2011-08-26T16:24:00.002-05:00

Hello Irene, my husband and I are leaving for Lake Lure, NC tomorrow. We are meeting my sister and some friends for a weeks vacation in the mountains. Hope to have some cool weather and maybe some rain.

DREAMING

2011-08-24T15:54:00.002-05:00

I'd like a big hunk of ice floating in my pool right now. Yesterday I went out a little too late to try to run, needless to say I walked most of the three miles. I picked a path that I thought had a lot of shade, even that didn't help.
This weekend we are leaving for a week in North Carolina, up in the mountains. Hopefully we won't be washed out by hurricane Irene. I'm looking forward to some cool weather. I can dream can't I?

REWARDS

2011-08-20T13:23:00.003-05:00

I've pretty much decided that I am going to put more focus on my running and less on boot camp for now. That being decided I needed to get out this morning and get some miles in, before we hit our record high temperature of 107 for the day. I left the house just as the sun was coming up and headed for the usual trails I take. When I came to the part that was near the killer hill I turned and took an extra loop. This brings me out to a very high overlook in my neighborhood. I'm facing east towards the lake. My reward for doing the extra loop was spotting six hot air balloons coming my way. My second reward of the day was spotting the road runner out in the field.

HELP

2011-08-16T19:10:00.003-05:00

I feel like Alice when she fell down the hole. I'm stuck with my training and running. I don't know which way to go. This morning instead of going to boot camp I headed to my other gym and used the treadmill. It's not that I don't like boot camp, it is the warm up that is tiring me and making me dread going. My running has suffered because of the heat I just haven't felt motivated to go out and run.
Help, how do you motivate yourself when your stuck. I know some people have changed their programs and dropped the heavy weight lifting. Maybe that is the way to go.

OLD FRIENDS

2011-08-13T13:37:00.006-05:00

My husband and I just got home from a visit to Hot Springs , Arkansas to see some old friends. We have known them for over 30 years. It was just like we had seen them yesterday, conversation flowed and we had the best time. They live in The Villages of Hot Springs which is the largest gated community in the U.S. It is located in the mountains and there is lots of wild life. Coming home from dinner we saw a deer with two fawns.

We went to Hot Springs and toured the bath houses and then on to the winery for a sampling of 10 Arkansas wines.

This is bath house row. At one time they were bustling with people who had come to take the waters and also get the healing bath.

This is the men's resting room. The statue is of De Sota receiving the healing waters from an Indian child.

The ceiling above DeSota. There are numerous stain glass window in the buildings and beautiful mosaic tile floors throughout.

This morning I got on the scale and saw the damage I did in Arkansas, so I headed for the gym and did 30 minutes of cardio. It's a start.

HELPING THE CITY

2011-08-07T20:29:00.002-05:00

We had a phone call from the city today. We're still using too much water and need to watch or will go to phase 3. Time to eat out again. We went to our favorite fish restaurant Rockfish.

I took the day off from running and working out. I was tired and my knees are still a wee sore. I'm planning on getting a run in early tomorrow morning because we have a funeral to go to at 11.

DOING MY PART

2011-08-06T13:12:00.003-05:00

So last night on the news they were talking about rolling blackouts and how we should be trying not to use a lot of power during the hours of 5-7 pm. I wanted to do my part so we went to dinner at the Blue Goose. Sure beats cooking and using my electricity and it tasted great !

This morning I was up and out the door at 6 am. I was surprised that at that time with the temperature in the high 80's it was not so bad. I am still doing more walking than running but figure it is better than doing nothing. My knees felt sore but soon loosened up. I did 4.75 miles and who cares about my time.

STAY COOL

2011-08-05T11:24:00.003-05:00

I have managed to get in nine days of some type of exercise. A new record for me. I did three days of boot camp this week and added a 30 minute Tabata class. I have walk/run outside in the heat and even gone to my old gym and done 2 programs on the treadmill. The one thing I haven't done is gone in the pool to swim.
Boot camp continues to be hard with her insane warm ups.
This was today's warm up: 4x
25 burpies
25 push ups
25 mountains
1 lap

After the warm up we were out side for lunges and squats with over head weights. I prefer inside where I can stay cool but we were out side.
I'm looking forward to the weekend off from the gym!

HOW HOT IS IT ?

2011-08-04T17:05:00.004-05:00

www.wimp.com/swimoutside/

How hot is it ? When it's too hot for even the dogs to swim outside !

I REMEMBER

2011-08-01T15:21:00.003-05:00

Right now standing in snow sounds divine. We just keep having record temperatures with no end in site.
I went to boot camp and there were a lot of people back that hadn't been for awhile. It's always nice to see them return. We were split up with partners, I'm not a fan of this but some people like it. Today it was arms and we gave them a work out. biceps, triceps and shoulders. Tomorrow I am planning to go to LA Fitness and do my cardio. It is just too hot to be running out side. I remember this winter when it was too cold to run out side. I'd do it today.

WARNING

2011-07-29T15:42:00.002-05:00

They should have a warning sign at the gym. It would say Warning Tough Boot Camp Ahead,
or maybe Boot Camp Trainer Insane, Stay Away.
Warm up today was 2 sets of the following
2 laps
see saws 5 on each side
front squats 10
Kettle ball swing 25
Okay I did that and had no problems, then she brought out the dry erase board. Has she been in the heat too much. There were three different sets and we had to complete each set before we could move on to the next. Did I have this right, we had to do all three sets.
Okay, here's what she had for us:

100 jump ropes
50 thrusters
10 box jumps

100 jump ropes
50 burpies
10 box jumps

100 jump ropes
50 scissor lunges
10 box jumps

I did everything but the burpies.
I'm tired.

TABATA CLASS

2011-07-28T16:20:00.002-05:00

This morning I tried a new class at the gym. I'd done Tabata's before but never a half hour class. We had six different exercises that we did 20 seconds and then rested 10 seconds for eight times each. I actually liked this class, the only time it seemed hard was when we had to do burpies.

HOW HOT IS IT !

2011-07-26T13:22:00.001-05:00

Still hot here in Texas.

HOW HOT IS IT !

2011-07-25T20:21:00.000-05:00

It's so hot that the cold water coming out of my faucet is warm.

HOW HOT IS IT

2011-07-24T20:21:00.000-05:00

LAST WEEK

2011-07-22T10:55:00.003-05:00

Last week I was hiking down mountains,

riding bikes and

hiking up mountains.
This week I am just trying to get back into that gym mode. I was at boot camp twice and one day did three miles on the treadmill while my grand kids were in boot camp. Today I was so sore that didn't make it out the door. Maybe quilt will take over and I'll go to the gym and do a light work out.

HOME

2011-07-17T09:01:00.001-05:00

I'm home. I left the snow topped mountains and the cool temperatures behind. I was greeted with a temperature in the 100's. I miss Colorado already.

TOO HOT

2011-07-08T03:46:00.002-05:00

This week has been extremely hot in Texas. Temperatures have been over a 100 and yesterday my car thermometer hit 106. I have not run or done boot camp. Just the thought of sweating has made me stay inside.
Yesterday our grandson arrived from Belgium and today we are leaving for a week in the mountains. Bring on the cool weather. Can't wait to wear jeans and a long sleeve shirt. I'm packing my running clothes and looking forward to that mountain air.

HAPPY FOURTH

2011-07-03T18:58:00.001-05:00

Hope everyone has a safe and happy fourth. I'm going to boot camp in the morning and my pool in the afternoon.

SUN SAND AND SEA

2011-07-02T09:00:00.013-05:00

Last Saturday we headed for South Padre Island for a week of sun, sand and sea breezes. Padre is about 10 hours driving time from Dallas and about 20 minutes to the Mexican border.

First morning there my husband and I took a long walk on the beach. I love getting up early and walking the beach before everyone is out.

This is the view from our room.

To get to Padre you cross a bridge from Port Isabel to the island. This is the longest bridge in Texas.

Enjoying some beach time.

Lots of gulls, this one looked like is was trying to hi five us.

Christy and Allie went para sailing. That's not for me.

We took a boat out to watch for dolphins. There were five that came very close to the boat.

We went to the turtle rescue. It made me feel sad. Many of these turtles can't be released because their fins have been damaged. One turtle that was rescued had 60 pounds of fishing net wrapped around its fin.

While we were there they were helping some turtles to hatch and then were going to release them that night back into the sea.

We went to the Bird Sanctuary. Padre Island is one of the largest bird watching areas in the world. In April and May birds fly 600 miles from the Mexican Yucatan over the gulf to their first stop, Padre Island.

First tropical storm, Arlene, was due to hit shore in Mexico on Thursday. We watched the weather reports and decide to head home early since the next two days would be rain. This was taken on Wednesday and you can see how the waves had washed up seaweed on the beach. They had closed several beaches because of high tides. There was a red flag warning because of the rip tides.

TWO WHEELS

2011-06-22T18:38:00.002-05:00

I've been wanting to ride my bike to boot camp but the temperature has been too high. Last week I bought a helmet and then I found a Longaberger basket that would be perfect on my bike to carry my gym gear. Now I was ready, and today was the perfect chance to try the ride. The temperature was at 71 when I left the house.
I have to admit I was a bit wobbly when I started out but kept going. I'm nervous when I have to stop because when I first got this bike and went out to ride I fell and broke my ankle in three places and now have three screws in my leg.
When I walked into the gym they all cheered. I couldn't believe I'd actually did that. If I had known how hard the work out was going t be I probably would have driven.
Today was 100 Wednesday. We had to partner up and do 100 reps of the following exercises:

thrusters
push ups
frogs
lunges
push down abs

We could start with any one but couldn't move on until we finished . The whole time I'm doing this I'm thinking I still have to bike home. Well, I made it through the work out and I made it home. I think the ride was around 4 miles one way.

HELLO SUMMER

2011-06-21T12:54:00.005-05:00

We had a really big storm come through at 3 am, it sounded like the windows were all going to break. The hail was the size of quarters.

The patio was covered with leaves and blossoms.

This was the hail at the front door at 4 am. Yes, I was up most of the early morning. Then I had

coffee with my friend. Always enjoy this. I came home and was trying to decide if I should run or go to the gym for a class. I saw all the leaves and decided to stay home and clean up the patio and driveway. That was a real work out !

RACE REPORT

2011-06-18T18:21:00.002-05:00

Christy and I had done this race last year, it benefits prostate cancer. I like doing races that are for a cause. It was 83 when we left the house at 7 and there was a strong wind. My goal was not to place but just to finish. I haven't run as much as I should and I have been sick this past week.
We arrived in plenty of time to scope out the place, have to know where the porta potties are.

There seemed to be a lot more people than last year and also they changed the course from last year. Still had 4 hills but the start and finish were moved.

You might say this was the perfect race for Christy. She finished before me and we didn't stay to hear the winners. In fact we were home before 10.

I carried water on me and used it to cool off my arms, neck head and back. The wind made running up the hills hard and I decided to just walk them.

I had to wait until the results were posted on line before I got my time, 42:41. Not one of my fastest races but for the conditions I was happy. I also placed third in my age group. That was a surprise.

HOT! HOT ! HOT!

2011-06-15T19:38:00.004-05:00

It's official, third day to hit the 100's ! Summer is here and time to get up early to do my runs.
Boot camp was today and there were only two of us. We did my measurements and they sucked. Everything was up. I have three months to get things smaller,hopefully I can. After our warm up she had us on the treadmill doing walking with incline. It's amazing how you start to sweat even when you aren't moving very fast. I felt like it was a good work out and with a race coming up this Saturday I didn't want anything too strenuous.

GOOD EATS

2011-06-13T10:49:00.002-05:00

This weekend I made grilled avocados with a corn tomato relish. It was outstanding! You can Google grilled avocados and a bunch of recipes will turn up.

Back to boot camp today and a new warm up to do 4 times. Here's what it is:

25 thrusters
10 weighted front squats
1 lap on the treadmill
5 front bends

We also were tested for our sit ups and push ups. This is fitness week and so on Wednesday I'll be weighed and measured, not looking forward to that.

HOW DO YOU GET RELIEF

2011-06-11T08:56:00.002-05:00

When I was at Amy's we ran at the park. There were big, tall trees and a lake with lots of ducks and geese and some swans. It was a beautiful setting to be running in. Now I'm home and there are no big, tall trees or a lake to run around. It is flat and the sun is always shinning on you. I went out this morning before the sun was up but by the time I was heading back the sun was out and it was getting warm, very warm. By the time I reached home I was sweating and feeling the heat. The pool looked so inviting that I jumped in with my running clothes on, did take off my shoes. Aah, relief.

WELCOME HOME

2011-06-10T15:22:00.004-05:00

While we were in Gent we went into the mustard store where they fill your jar from the big wooden keg. This was mustard similar to Dijon mustard,very spicy.

I went back to the gym today and realized that missing 7 days of boot camp took its toll on me. Everything seemed to be a struggle. I'd tell you what we did but can't even remember. We even had to go outside in 87 degree weather and run. I guess it was my welcome back.

BACK HOME

2011-06-09T09:30:00.002-05:00

We had a wonderful time in Belgium. The weather was perfect except for the day we went to Gent, but that didn't stop us from having a great time. Amy and I even managed to get in 5 walks at her park.
Today I was up early so decided to take advantage of the cooler morning temperature and go for a run walk. My Garmin was not working so had to wing it with the mileage. I did 45 minutes and was very warm when I reached home. It has been really hot here and we are suppose to reach 100 this weekend.
Tomorrow is boot camp. I know it will be tough getting back after almost 2 weeks off, but gotta do it.

DOG TIRED

2011-05-23T15:52:00.002-05:00

Did you ever notice when you have a really good workout that later you are just tired, that's me today. I think I would have skipped boot camp but I'm leaving Wednesday to visit my daughter

and her family so I needed to get the work out in. There were 3 of us and we had to do the warm up that took 30 minutes. Should a warm up really take that long ? I will say my jump roping has improved, there are less times that I trip on the rope.

We've had more big storms today so I did laundry and some packing. Hope the weather is good on Wednesday. Now I'm going to park myself on the couch and watch Oprah.

TREAT MYSELF

2011-05-21T17:29:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I missed boot camp because I had to wait for a new refrigerator to be delivered. While I was waiting I did some major cleaning. You know, moving furniture, dusting, scrubbing floors and on and on. It was like a boot camp because by the time I was finished I had sure worked up a sweat.
This morning I had a runners yoga class. I love this class! I was the only one and we used the foam rollers. Oh boy do those hurt. I felt so good when I left that I decided to go get a manicure and pedicure to treat myself. I had a coupon good for $ 30.00 for the mani and pedi. Now that's a deal. It's so hard to pick a color when there are so many to choose from but I selected a coppery red and am pleased with the results.

TOO POOPED TO POP

2011-05-18T17:55:00.004-05:00

So this morning at boot camp we had to do our warm up. If you remember the warm up is :
50 jump ropes
25 squats with kettle ball
20 push ups
1 minute sprints
Today we repeated 3 times

When she told us what we would be doing for boot camp I gasped! " But we've already done some of that " I blurted out.
It was the deck of cards and the suits were assigned as follows:
Hearts jump rope
Spades push ups
Diamonds kettle ball squats
Clubs reverse lunges
Aces burpies or 1 minute on treadmill at 12% incline
Kings were 21 reps
Queens 18 reps
Jacks 15 reps

So it comes out to 109 reps for each suit. That doesn't include what we did for warm up.
Am I tired tonight, you're damn right I am.

REWARD AT THE END

2011-05-17T17:33:00.002-05:00

Remember when you were a kid and you'd walk up the slide instead of sliding down ?

That's what today's treadmill class felt like. We had to put our tread mill at 12% incline, walk for 3 minutes and then drop to 9% incline and walk for 2 minutes. We did this for 35 minutes. My legs were feeling it, the sweat was dripping and the time seemed to be ticking away slowly. The reward at the end of this was a 25 minute yoga class. Omm !

LUCKY, NOT SO LUCKY

2011-05-16T15:26:00.002-05:00

Saturday was such a beautiful day for a run. I went out on the trails and noticed that the wild flowers have really started to bloom. I was worried that they might not make it this year because they had plowed all the fields. Not only were the floweres out but I also spotted a bluebird and a gold finch. It was just my lucky day to be out.

Now boot camp I am not so lucky at! The month of May she is having us do a warm up that to me is like a mini boot camp or as I have voiced a " boot camp in a boot camp" . Here is what we do to warm up.

Repeat 5 times
50 jump ropes
25 squat press with kettle ball swing
20 push up
1 minute sprint on the treadmill

WARRIOR RACE

2011-05-14T09:23:00.001-05:00

Good luck to Katy, Trisha and Tonya in their warrior race today. I hope they have great weather.

WOULD YOU EAT HERE ?

2011-05-13T14:55:00.003-05:00

A new restaurant opened today in Dallas, The Heart Attack Grill. The waitresses wear nurses uniforms and the cooks wear lab coats, customers are given hospital gowns to put on over their clothes. They fry their potatoes in lard and offer 4 different hamburgers named by-passes. So you could have a double by-pass or quadruple by-pass. If you eat the quadruple by-pass they take you to your car in a wheel chair. Any one over 350 pounds gets to eat free. I think I can find a better way to spend my money then here.

FOUR REASONS

2011-05-08T05:31:00.001-05:00

Four reasons why I'm a mom. Thanks girls you make me proud every day.

INTO THE WOODS

2011-05-07T20:10:00.011-05:00

This morning was beautiful, sunny and with a nice breeze. Christy and I went out for more of a walk that a run. I wanted to try a new trail my neighbor had told me about.

It took us past the lake and then back out on to the main road.

Past the duck crossing sign. I didn't see any ducks but sometimes when I driving this road they have been there.

Across the new pedestrian bridge that took 5 months to build and kept the road closed.

Here's what we were looking for, the forest trail.

There are lots of signs on the trail but this one creeped me out. I told Christy if I saw a snake I was probably going to scream and toss my water bottle, so be prepared.

There are three different trails red,blue or yellow. We decided to take the yellow.

Along the way there were lots of flowers. Didn't see a snake but heard some noises in the tall grass. I was surprised how long the trails were and how quiet it was . This area is surrounded by roads and homes.

Once we were out of the woods we were back on the cement trails and passed a burrow and goat, can you see them? The burrow is to the left of the goat.

I guess we were to loud as this guy stuck his head up to see what we were doing.

Here's a picture I snapped of us in the safety mirror. As you can see no one was coming on the trail behind us.