Thankful Thursdays: March 29

I'm a bit later than usual, but guess what? It's still Thursday!  Time to get thankful!

I'm thankful that my roommate and I decided to ditch cable.  

We're going to be saving some moo-lah!

I'm thankful for my brand new blue shirt (courtesy of the race that was walked).

I wore it today when I cut the grass. I think it's going to be my new regular grass cutting shirt, because its color automatically makes me happy.

I'm thankful I have an amazing weekend ahead of me.

Seriously.  Cute niece and nephew. Beach. Race spectating. Old college friend in town. Start of Spring Breakthrough.

I'm thankful that next week is Spring Breakthrough. 

This will be my third year of spring breakthrough, a week each spring where a group of high schoolers and I from my church hang out and do some of God's work in the Queen City.  Can't wait.

I'm thankful that I went to the midnight premiere of the Hunger Games.  And that I slept most of the subsequent weekend. And that I've talked about it many times with everyone I've seen.

Seriously. Great book. Great movie.Great friends.

I'm thankful for dinners with friends, especially those that take place outside.

Love these people.

I'm thankful for this amazing chocolate chip pancake that was the size of my face and the subsequent picture. 

Don't you love it?

I'm thankful I got to babysit my niece and nephew last weekend and take this video. Enjoy!




What's got you feeling thankful this week??



 PS Next week is my trip, subsequently I will not be posting for awhile.  See you on the flip side!

To Run

A recap of my tumultuous relationship with running, in case you are behind.

Last week I declared that I was "No longer a runner."
Saturday I had a great time, if somewhat unexciting, walking a 5k.

And Monday, I started over near the beginning of a running training program. Today, I completed the second day of week three of the Couch to 5k program. I just have this pull to continue to work on my running.  As I've written before, it always comes back to running.

This unexplained perseverance in running doesn't make a whole lot of sense.  Historically, I've been a pretty good quitter.  Usually, when the going gets hard, I give up.  (read: see piano, band, softball, etc.)  I just don't have an inner drive to succeed.

Somehow it's different with running.  There's just something about how hard running is for me that makes me not want to give up. I just don't want to let it beat me.  It'd be different if I could get to the point where going out for three or five miles of straight running was no big deal. Then if I chose to hang up my running shoes, I wouldn't be letting it beat me.  I would be making a choice, not giving up. 


So for now, I'm back on the running bandwagon. I'm officially prepping for the June 9 Tri Latta, although I reserve the right to wait until the last minute to register and thus change my mind (again).  It's my prerogative. 

Source: confident-beautiful-motivated.tumblr.com via Jill on Pinterest

Crayola Lightning Storm!

Today we'll take a break from all of this running and healthy eating talk that normally fills the pages of this blog. Because when I visited my sister a couple of weeks ago, we did this fun craft project and I wanted to share it with you!

All it takes is crayons, a canvas, a hair dryer and a hot glue gun and a few minutes and in the end you get this beautiful work of art that maybe, kind of, looks like a Crayola lightning storm!

So here's how you do it:

Step 1: Line up your crayons in color order. We both chose to stick with the classic Roy G. Biv line up. We had three boxes of basic colors. Mandy chose to triple up each color while I chose to repeat the rainbow three times.  Both worked, but for the record, I like hers better.   

Browns, blacks, grays, whites and peaches were discarded. (Mandy: "Oh, we're taking out all of the people!" Sad.)

Step 2: Hot glue them to the canvas.Mandy hot glued each crayon individually, but I glued them all together like a raft and then glued them down to the canvas. Both ways worked.

Step 3: Stand the canvas up, turn your blow dryer on high heat and melt away. We discovered it was best to stay focused on one small area of crayons, until that spot got good and melty/drippy.  Then bring the heat from the blow dryer down a bit and focus it on the drips instead of on the crayons.  That helps expand the drippage down the full length of the canvas. Then move on to the next area of crayons and repeat.  Turning the hair dryer at different angles helps get the tiny flecks of color.  

Warning: Wax will fly and may end up in places other than your inteneded canvas, so it might be wise to do this outside or on wood floors where you can easily scrape the wax off.

Step 4: Enjoy your finished artwork by taking goofy pictures and then hanging your colorful artwork in prominent places in your very grown up and adult-like homes! (Both of ours are in our respective living rooms.)

Let me know if you decided to make a Crayola lightning storm yourself!















P.S. The inspiration for this project came from this post found on Pinterest. Click on the pic below to see original pin and then the original tutorial.

Source: megduerksen.typepad.com via Ann on Pinterest

A Race of Firsts

I rose super early Saturday morning for a race that really wasn't a race.  I mean, by all counts, the Race to Erase Sexual Violence 5k should've been a race.  But after last week when I declared that I was, "No Longer a Runner," I had decided to walk it.  Cindy, being the awesome running (or walking) buddy that she is, agreed to walk it with me.

Luckily, it was a small hometown race with about half of the participants running and about half walking.  I wasn't embarrassed to walk.

We finished somewhere around 46:20, which is about 11 minutes slower than when we run that distance.  

pre-race

There were a lot of firsts for this race, including:

1. It was my first time walking 95% of the race.

It took the pressure off, but wasn't nearly as fun. Plus, walking is great exercise and all, but it just doesn't justify the early  wake up call of a Saturday race.  However, I did get just as sweaty as I do when I run. Interesting, I know.

2. It was my first time I've raced where I knew about  50% of  the racers.

This means it was fun to hang out both before and after the race and chat with people!

3. It was my first time racing with co-workers. 

The course looped back in on itself in the last mile.  How fun was it to see the pace golf cart go by, with a guy I know in the lead behind it! Fun to be able to cheer on the lead runner by name!

4. It was my first time racing in the race t-shirt 

Usually I have a rule about this, but it was such an awesome color of blue that I couldn't wait to wear it. The pictures don't do it justice. They make it look like it is just a regular blue t-shirt, but actually, it is an electric blue t-shirt, which is my new favorite color.

5. First time racing on a rainy day.

I've always been somewhat afraid that I will wake up on a race day with a rainy forecast.  On Saturday it poured down just before the race started (while everyone holed up inside) and then held off while we were on the course. Turns out there's really nothing to be afraid of!

One good thing about walking? It's possible to take your own "in-progress" picture. See below.

Photo Friday!

You may know, I went on a road trip last week, down to Mississippi to see my little sister.  Today, for your viewing pleasure, are a few pictures from my trip.

Turns out driving to Mississippi takes a LONG TIME.  Which is not bad because it allows time for photo ops.  I thought it was important to document (twice) what this looked like, in case my loyal readers ever wondered, "Gee, I wonder what Jill looks like when she's driving?  Also, while somewhere in Eastern Mississippi, the most glorious thing happened. My odometer hit the magic number 123456 (see bottom left), and I captured it on iphone.  You can be jealous of that.

A theme of my trip seemed to be giant things.  First, I saw one of the WORLD's LARGEST CHAIRS (top left...that's a minivan parked underneath it).  Then, when Mandy and I drove to the beach one day, I saw a giant boot (not pictured), a giant paint can (not pictured) and this giant watermelon (bottom).  After driving past so many awesome giant things without stopping, I just had to pull off for photo of the watermelon.  And on the way home, stopped for lunch, I saw this giant cow. It was kismet.

My trip was a great time with family.  I got to see my parents on the way up (that's dad on the far right). He really likes this very berry green tea that you can only get in the Carolinas at certain stores.  So since he hasn't been up in awhile, I brought him a stash. And Mandy took me to the school where she teaches (top left) when she is not enjoying spring break with her sister.  We also ventured to Brent's Drugstore/Diner, which was featured in the movie The Help (bottom left). I had an amazing peanut butter/banana sandwich.

On my last day  there, we went on adventure. We tracked down this abandoned town that Mandy had heard about. It was a thriving Mississippi river port in the early 1800s. Now it is nearly deserted, with just  a few remaining buildings. Do you know why the people left? The river MOVED.  It moved more than two miles, leaving this small town in the middle of nowhere. You can't even see the river or hear it from the town now. This flabbergasted me.  What about you?

We also excursioned to these ruins of a plantation house from the 1800s.  It was built just before the Civil War, had 23 rooms and survived because the Union used it as a hospital.  Then in the 1890s someone left a burning cigar on the 2nd story porch and the whole place burned down. All that is left are the columns and a bit of ironwork.  It also used to be near the river before that river just up and moved.  It was beautiful.

So that was my (first) spring break!  I wanted to share with you some of my adventures!

Thankful Thursday: March 22

Today I'm thankful:

 That I traveled to Mississippi to see my lil' sis last week.
We had a great time.  There's just something about a friend you've known almost your whole life (she's eight years younger than me) that makes everything wonderfully easy.  We hit the beach, made an awesome craft, hung out with her friends and created our own adventures.  An awesome spring break.

That spring has sprung!

I love the flowers and trees in bloom! Spring is the best time to work on a beautifully landscaped college campus!

That I got to rock a straight hair-do this week!

I can not tell you how exciting it is to brush your hair when you have not brushed your hair in years. It feels...glorious. Thanks to Cara for having the time and the patience to straighten it for me! I feel so sophisticated and grown-up.

That we've finally made it to Hunger Games premiere weekend.
I'm proud to say I was one of the first to fall in love with this series (after reading a recommendation on FB from my cousin) and then force as many of my friends who know how to read to peruse it.

Source: tumblr.com via Jill on Pinterest

That it's Thursday.
Because that means I get to be thankful all day. And maybe hear from you about why you are thankful.The comments are open and waiting for you.

Unleashing the Crazy

Be prepared, I'm about to unleash a little bit of my crazy on you.

I've been thinking more about yesterday's declaration that I am no longer a runner.  Maybe I was a bit rash to write off running.  Here's the thing. Running and weight loss are tied up, rather inexplicably, in my mind.  Both are very hard for me. Both can be very frustrating.  Both make me feel like a failure. Both are things I will have to continue working at forever in order to keep up with them. I don't really expect either to ever get easy.

Giving up on running feels like giving up on weight loss.  And perhaps when I wrote the blog yesterday, that was essentially what I was saying (how very astute of Cindy to pick up on this in the comments section!).  I'm frustrated with my attempts at weight loss. To be clear, it is not my body's fault.  I blame my mind.  I just can't seem to make it more than a day or two (at most) at being back on track. 

It sounds stupid to say out loud, but I get sad at the thought of trying to get back on track. It's so much work, I can't eat my favorite foods, etc.  In case you were wondering, the Candy Diet, I said I was trying back in January was a bust. It just gave me an excuse to buy candy at the store, which I then gobbled up in whatever fashion I deemed most appropriate. (ie I was not eating just one chocolate-y delight a day)  I seem to be an all or nothing kind of girl. Also, it was horrible for my complexion.

It seems harder now, because we're moving into summer.  It's been almost a full year since I was really doing great with healthy eating. I've gained roughly fifty pounds since last May.  I'm only down 40 pounds from where I started this journey in August of 2009.  Most of the clothes I wore last summer don't fit any more. This is all a problem.  The diagram on the right shows that it is more than just a wardrobe issue.  When clothes don't fit, it affects my mood, which affects my eating, which affects my clothes not fitting.  It's a vicious cycle.

So the clothes don't fit, but also, I keep seeing pictures from last summer when I was happy with my size.  That makes me not happy with my current size, but not the sort of righteous unhappiness that encourages changes. Nope, just sad.

And I hate writing blogs like this (although I do feel they are necessary both for me to be honest with you and for me to be honest with myself). I will likely end up with a handful of comments from you guys encouraging me (which I appreciate, more than you know)  But in the end, you guys can try to help me so much your face turns blue in a supportive effort, but I'm the one who has to make the daily, hourly decisions.  It's all up to me. 

Random thought: I wish I could hire a personal chef.

Random follow-up thought: how selfish am I that I complain about food/cooking when I have so much easy access to food? I'm blessed to have such a problem as this.

PS March 21 is World Down Syndrome Day.  In honor, I give you this adorable badge of my niece Natalie, now 14 months.

I am no longer a runner

Please no longer refer to me as a "runner" or "someone who runs" or ask me questions about running or running accessories or races.

I am no longer a runner.

I'm not trying to be dramatic.  I'm just trying to tell the whole world at once.   So we're all clear.

Today I went out for my first run in a week. I decided to take it easy on myself and only run 5 minute intervals- that means five minutes of running for everyone one minute of walking.  I got halfway through the first interval and had to look down at my watch.  Looking down at my watch means I'm struggling to continue to run, and I've got to look at it to see if I can make it the remaining bit.  When I looked down I still had two minutes to go.  I distracted myself long enough to make it to that first five minute timer, but on each successive "run" period, I ran only a minute or two. The last three "run" periods I didn't run at all.

The same thing happened last week on the one day I attempted to run (yes, I was lazy last week while I was on vacation and did not even attempt to run).

I don't know what it is that makes me now declare I will no longer be a runner.  I think it's partly that I've gained weight. I think it's partly that I'm spotty in actually getting my run workouts in.  I think it's partly that I have a defeatist attitude toward running.  I think it's partly that I'd rather be swimming. I think it is partly that it is already 80 degrees so I'm sweating just standing outside, let alone running. I'm just frustrated with it.

What this means is that I will not be racing any more.  Races are fun, but only when you actually have a shot at meeting any sort of goal. The goals can be anything, like running faster than your last race time or running the whole distance or running longer intervals.  Right now the only goal I could meet is to finish the whole 5k.  Not finish in any sort of time, but just make it the entire three miles.  And I've already done that a few times, so there's nothing special in it.

I did inadvertently sign up for a 5k that supports a good cause this Saturday, before I decided to no longer be a runner.  I think I'll just walk it.  (Side note to LJ-sorry I signed for the running team when it turns out I am actually a walker. But I am excited to see you wear that tutu!)

I don't know what this means for my triathlons.  The first one I'm seriously considering doing is June 9, so perhaps my feelings toward running could change before then.  Or perhaps I'll just walk the run portion.  I'm not sure.  I don't think I'm ready to give up tris yet.

Anyway, I thought you all should know.

On a more pleasant note, Happy First Day of Spring!

Dogwoods are my favorite tree-flower.

On T-shirts

I receive a LOT of free t-shirts.  Between church events, races, presents and my work, I should never pay money for a t-shirt (yet, I still sometimes do.)

Before I started on this weight loss journey two and a half years ago, my after-work wardrobe was comprised almost strictly of t-shirts.

About two years ago now, I began packing away my X-Large t-shirts. I wore less t-shirts as I became more comfortable in my body, and those that I did wear were newly acquired Larges.  But as I gave away my other, larger items of clothing, I couldn't bear to part with my t-shirts. Sounds silly, but each one represented something.  Maybe it was a particular church trip or a group I was a part of in college (yes, I was still wearing shirts from college eight years later), but the t-shirts held memories, so I packed them in drawers instead of giving them away.

My intent, at the time, was to have them sewn into a quilt.  Maybe not the classiest of projects, but I liked the idea that it would give life to my t-shirts that I could no longer wear. But of course, plans for craft projects are often just plans and never actually completed, so my t-shirts stayed in drawers.

That is until this week when I got fed up with the tightness of my Large t-shirts.  See, I have accumulated quite the collection of Larges in the last two years, but recently I've only been wearing a few that are more "forgiving." So this week, I broke down and opened the drawer that contained my X-Larges.  I pulled them all out, with mixed emotions.  Happy to see these shirts that represent good memories, but sad because needing the X-Larges again means I've regained a lot of my former weight.

I washed them and now they hang in the closet (yes, I hang t-shirts), and some of the Larges have been moved to storage.

Yesterday's X-Large shirt debut

Pulling out the X-Larges felt something like defeat, but when I pulled on one yesterday, it was also a relief.  Relief to feel clothes that are too big, rather than too small. Relief that they are longer than the Larges, which means they're better at hiding my (now) wide(r) hips and butt.

I think I've been trying not to notice that I've been gaining weight, consistently for about 10 months.  I don't very weigh often any more because I'm afraid of what numbers I'll see.

I don't write this to get sympathy or because I feel sad.  I write it more of a place of wanting to be honest with you.  There are those of you who read this blog faithfully, and I think I owe it to you to let you know that I am not exactly succeeding at the whole "and not found" part of this blog.  It doesn't mean I've given up. It just means I have to keep trying.

PS I'm heading to Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia the rest of the week, so I may not be regular in posting.  Happy Spring Break!

You Want to TRI

I'm excited because I actually got some response to my call for triathletes on Wednesday!

Hooray!

It wasn't an overwhelming response, but a handful of truly awesome people said they were interested in learning more about triathlon event options.* And it occurred to me that maybe I should've had a race in mind when I decided to stir this pot.

However, I have since done my due diligence (did I use that phrase correctly?), and thought I'd post a few options, arranged by location and then by date:

Charlotte/Columbia/Rock Hill:
Tri Latta June 9: 750 meter lake swim/ 17 mile bike/ 5k run
Tri the Midlands June 23: 500 meter lake swim/ 14 mile bike/ 5k run
Sprint at Stumpy Creek August 5: 750 meter lake swim/ 16 mile bike/ 5k run
Tri for Abbey September 22: 500 meter lake swim/ 14 mile bike/ 5k run (This is the one I volunteered for last September)

Coastal areas of North Carolina/South Carolina/Georgia
Turtle Crawl Triathlon, May 19: 400 meter ocean swim/ 14.5 mile bike/ 5k run
Trybee Island Sprint, June 10: 750 meter ocean swim/ 20k bike (app. 12.5 miles)/5k run
Folly Beach Splash N Dash, July 28: 750 meter swim/ no bike/ 5k
North Myrtle Beach Triathlon, September 8: 700 yard ocean swim/ 13 mile mile bike/ 5k run
(Advantage of coastal tris: absolutely flat biking and running opportunities)

Other
Hot Dam Tri, September 9: 750 meter lake swim/ 20k bike(app. 12.5 miles)/ 5k run (this race is on the SC/GA border)
Lake Lanier Islands Tri, September 30: 400 yard swim/ 13 mile bike/ 5k run (this race is near GA)

So there's some options for you.  Some are sooner (June) and some are later (September). Some are ocean swims and some are lake swims (sorry, no pool swims for me). Some are close by so that you don't have to pay for travel and accommodations, and some are on the coast.

Let me know which one you want to do!

*Most disappointingly, my dad claims he is not interested (Him: "I can't even spell triathlon!" Me: "Luckily that's not one of the requirements." We are witty people, Stuckeys.) and my mom says she doesn't want dad to do it because he could get hurt.  We'll see if I can convince them in person when I visit next week.

Thankful Thursdays: March 8

It's the best day of the week! (Aside from Friday and Saturday. And maybe Tuesday.) It's Thankful Thursday!

Today I'm thankful that:

I finally got to meet Spencer Carnes. 

The first-born son of one of my former roommates, Glenda, and her husband Justin, he was born on February 10, but I couldn't go see him because of that nagging cold/sinus infection I had.   I finally got to meet him this week and he was as perfect as I expected him to be! Congratulations Glenda and Justin!  

It's finally March, which means the Hunger Games movie premieres later this month!

These people make me laugh. 
They also take good pictures. Taylor, are you sure you don't want to move back to CLT?

Springtime running means I can wear my awesome new hat.
I'm not sure this picture accurately captures the beautiful color of this hat. I call it electric blue.

Blackberries taste so sweet.
They are officially my favorite fruit.  OF ALL TIME.  Look at this monster.

Spring break is next week!  

Which to me means ROAD TRIP!  Sure last year I spent spring break in England and France.  This year I'm heading to Jackson, Mississippi to see the little sis (who I am also thankful for this week...her 24th birthday was on Monday!). I'm sure both trips will be similarly cultural.  

Now it's your turn. It's Thursday, so what are you thankful for??

You Know You Want To

DO a TRIATHLON with ME!*

Look at that face. You know
you want to do a tri with
that girl!

Okay, maybe your first thought when I say "You know you want to do a triathlon with me" is more like "H, no," rather than, "Oh, Jill, I've just been sitting here waiting for you to ask me and now I'm so glad you did so that I can be cool like you."

But I think you should reconsider. Why? Here's why.

1) Swimming/biking/and running keeps your workout routine varied and interesting.
2) Nothing is cooler than being able to say "I'm a triathlete." Trust me.
3) People seem to think that triathlons are  impressive.  They will likely come to cheer you on and maybe make a sign or two (see picture.)
4) It will take effort, but that makes it all the more worth it.
5) I've done it. If I've done it, you can do it.  Period.
6) I will help you figure out what you're doing!
And that's just off the top of my head!

I'm not talking about doing some crazy distance Ironman or anything like that. I'm talking a sprint distance tri.  These usually have short swims (around 500 meters or 20 lengths in my pool), bike rides that seem to take forever (between 12-18 miles) but at least you're sitting down during that part, and 5k runs.  But you know what? If you can't run, you can always walk or run/walk that.

If you've never raced at all you may think you should start with something smaller, with less moving parts. And I agree.  But there's plenty of time between now and your undetermined triathlon glory day to do a 5k or two to see what racing is like.

If you have raced in running races before, but are bewildered by the many legs of the tri, don't be! The most complicated part is getting a bike with two wheels, if you don't already have one.  It doesn't need to be anything fancy, though, and maybe you could even borrow one.  The other complicated part is you do need access to a pool for training.  But we can talk about all of that later.

Here's a list of people who I know happen to read this blog at least occasionally, who I think could train for and complete a triathlon. (in no particular order) Get ready, I'm about to call you out:
1) My dad
2) Cindy
3) Amie
4) Abi
5) April
6) Jess
7) Monica
8) Toby
9) Taylor
10) Cara
11) Britt
12) Jenna
13) Laura J.
14) Matt C.
15) my brother (who does not read this blog, but should totally be triathloning this summer)

Okay, this basically turned into a list of most people I know who read my blog and work out regularly.  Because you can ALL do this. You just have to decide to do it.

March is a great time to start training for a tri.  They're mostly held May through October when the water is warmer, so there is plenty of time.  If I've just blown your mind, and you want to look at particular events with me or ask questions about training or racing, PLEASE let me know.

*If you have never swum at all before or have a big fear of the water, I'm not saying you should not consider doing a triathlon, but I am saying that you may want to work on that first.

Special Vlog post!

Last week my friend April tagged me in a Vlog (Vlog=video blog) about her favorite things, which means I needed to create a Vlog about my favorite things.

Specifically she said I needed to include favorite things that are:

• Something old
• Something new
• Something small
• Something food

Check out the vlog below, and let me know if you'd like to see more vlogs from me in the future. (Or if I should stick to writing.)

Grow Up a Little

After I wrote that post last Friday* about how I could absolutely not run at 7 a.m., all I could think about was how stupid that sounded.

Really? I'm physically incapable of running at an early hour? All I can manage at 7 a.m. is to drive myself to the gym, wriggle into my swimsuit and dive into a pool?  No, try again whiner.

So today I challenged myself to grow up a little and do something that I didn't feel like doing. I started my day with a run.  And it was, eh, okay.

Let's face it, running is going to be hard no matter what time of day I do it.  And while swimming is definitely a preferred form of exercise, I really do want to kick running's (beep).  I want to get to the point again where running three miles is no big deal. I want to participate in another triathlon.  I want to not give up on this, because somehow in my mind I've tied up succeeding at running with succeeding at being healthier and losing weight. Crazy, but true, and possibly not a completely detrimental way to look at things.

Sunrise in the park.

There were some benefits to a morning run, including:
It was a little easier to zone out at a time of day when I'd prefer to be asleep.
I got to shower and dress at home instead of in the locker room after swimming.
I got to see a beautiful sunrise.  (see picture.)

So for this week, at least, I'm committed to running twice in the morning before work (I'm halfway there!). The other three days I'll swim, which will be my little reward for sticking it out on the runs.  And Saturday, I have a run date scheduled with Cindy. That means I've got to stick with my running plans this week so I'll be ready to keep up with her.

*BTW, thanks for your comments, Jess and Kristen.  I think you're both right.  Swimming is a great form of exercise that it is great for you, but easier on your joints.  But I also need to diversify a bit.


PS Today is my baby sister's 24th birthday! 

The Pros and Cons

I'm happy to report that I loved my 7 a.m. workouts this week.  It really is a great way to start the day.  Plus it's nice to have it accomplished before the day even begins.

Here's the thing, though, for each of the four 7 a.m. workouts this week I swam.  I just couldn't bring myself to put on clothes and shoes and figure out a workout to do in the weight room. And the thought of the dreadmill or running the track made me want to stay in bed. I am not a morning person. I promise. Ask my mom if you are unsure.  I couldn't convince myself to do anything else but drive to the gym, pull on my suit and dive into that beautiful blue water.

So I've been thinking a lot about what I'll do next week.  Should I continue the 7 a.m. pool swims or go back to lunch time workouts to try and diversify?  I don't think I could do some early morning workouts and some mid-day. My body get stuck in a rut and wakes up at the same time every day. Now that I've adjusted to the earlier schedule, I'm good to stick with it.

So I decided to make a pro/con list of my swim workout. Help me decide what to do!

Pro: I can do so many different variations on my swim workout that I could do it every day and not get bored. Kickboarding, pulling a buoy, swim running, freestyle, back stroke, etc.

Con: It's probably not good to do the same general type of exercise every day, right?

Pro: no sweating.
On Thursday (a 79 degree day) I walked at lunch with co-workers.  And walking, to them, is like an Olympic speed sport.  It was a sweaty experience, and it made me appreciate the decidedly unsweaty sport of swimming.

Con: If I'm not sweating, how do I know how hard I'm working?
I worry about this a lot.  I'm not sweating. I'm holding my breath, so I can't tell if I'm breathing harder. I can't wear a heart rate monitor in the pool (not that I have worn a heart rate monitor ever). How do I know if I'm working hard enough?

Pro: It's refreshing and thought-full.
I love zoning out in the pool. I think about a lot of things.

Con: If I'm swimming all of the time, how am I keeping up with my running so I can actually complete another triathlon?


What do you think? Is it detrimental not to have variety in my workout? Do you vary your exercise routine?
I think the answer may be that I have to change my attitude on a few things.  Either doing other workouts at 7 a.m. besides swimming or doing the swimming at 7 a.m. and the occasional lunch time workout for other stuff. Just not sure.

Thankful Thursdays: March 1

Today is March 1.  I love the beginning of a new month.  Not just payday, but also a start of something new.  A great day to start a new streak or routine or habit.  Also a great day to be thankful.  Today I'm thankful that:

I read 5 books, (even if I only ran 14 miles) in February.
I blame the never-ending sickness.


I've finally kicked the never-ending sickness to the curb.
Heck, yes!


Books take me to faraway places.
The books I've been reading lately have taken me to Paris, Prague, Vienna, Munich, Berlin and London. Reading about them is much cheaper than actually visiting. Someday I would like to see all of these cities in person, but for now, I see them in my mind's eye.  Also, the books are all period set in the 20s and 30s, so I'm actually travelling to different cities and different times.

World War II is over.
Hand-in-hand with the above, I've been reading a series of historical fiction books about the start of WWII.  It makes me angry and sad at the same time, but yet I can't stop reading. I've been blaming France and Britain's leaders for not stepping up to stop Hitler earlier.  And all of the Germans that didn't agree with him.  But it makes me wonder how I would've reacted during that time. It's too easy to be outraged at the circumstances now.


I have group text messaging capability.
It's how I plan all of my social functions. It awesome to be able to have everyone on the same page and chiming in and all via text.  Thank you IOS 5.


Today was so warm.
Today was BEAUTIFUL. Need I say more?

I can swim with abandon. 
I'm sorry to report that I did not hit the pool this morning at 7 a.m., like I have every other morning this week*, because I missed it mightily.  It's just such a good time for thinking and not thinking.  Thinking about life, blogs, etc, but not thinking about what I need to do to get my workout on.  Swimming is just so natural to me. Thanks to mom and dad for getting me swimming at a young age.

What are you thankful for this week??  Tell me, tell me, tell me!