May Day's, Running Bulls, & Month End...

Happy May Day!  Awww… the first of May and hopefully, those April rain showers will simmer down.  May flowers bring them on! 

This last Saturday I opted to go for a run outside than a bike ride.  While I was running along over to my favorite park, I turned a corner and I was in the midst of 100 other runners.  I felt really bad because all of them were passing me like I was standing still.  I was going an easy pace because I was planning on going at least 5 to 6 miles.  They were ladies pushing strollers that were going faster.  I almost felt like I was in the middle of the running of the bulls and I was waiting to get pulverized into mincemeat. 

I ended up going up on to the sidewalk just to feel a little more at ease.  A local running store was holding a free training run.  About a block away from my favorite park there was a water stop with a van advertising the shop.  Shortly, after the water stop they had the run turning around in the street and I was glad I was on the sidewalk.  I continued on and did a lap around the park where a bunch of Army ROTC kids were stretching out before they started running laps around the park.  I did the one lap and it was like I had the whole wide sidewalk to myself; plenty room to breathe.  As I headed back home from the park, the running shop was clearing away the water station and I was going along nicely at my own pace on a quiet street.  Awwwww… that was nice.  I managed 5.5 miles for the day.  It felt good.

Later Saturday, I was having a late lunch/early dinner and had thought I had broken my tooth.  I freaked a bit and couldn’t remember my dentist name, couldn’t find the number and was just freaking out.  That’s strange for me.  Then I calmed down and got to looking and thought it might have been a crown I had swallowed.  Waited and went to the dentist on Monday afternoon to discover that it was a broken filling and I would now need a crown.  Darn; another expensive crown that doesn’t go on top of my head!

Month in review…

1.)    Saving Money?  I’m at my goal pace plus an extra 4% more.  I haven’t sold any more paintings and I’ve been trying to build up a stock of paintings, cards, and etc. for the booth I’ll have in the Little Red Riding Hood Bike Ride. 

2.)    Uncluttering my life?  Well, almost a quarter of my bedroom is stacked with donations that I need to take to the Good Will.  I need to see about taking a trip on some Saturday afternoon to drop it off.  But I still want to go through some more of my summer clothes before I do.

3.)    Reaching my goal weight?  As of last Friday morning, I was within 8 lbs. of my goal weight.  I’m feeling pretty happy with that.

4.)    Cutting down on eating out?  Nope! Sorry!  I’m SOL here!  I’m really failing at this one of late.  I’m beginning to wonder if I should throw this goal out and start from scratch!  Of course, it would help if I got my act together and cooked at home.  But I just haven't been in the mood to do that of late.

5.)    Do 1 Century Bike Ride?  Yep, got this off the list!  I found out this morning I did win the lottery for RAGBRAI.  So I’ll need to start upping my average mileage to prepare for 472 miles in one week.  In other words, I may have to plan to ride my bike every where by the beginning of July.  

Stats for the Month of April…

368 miles Cycling

19 miles Running

30 minutes on the elliptical

And

I’m now up to 21 books read for the year!

Friday - Check In Report!

This morning I got on the scale and found I was teetering between 12 and 13 lbs. to go to my goal.  I wasn't surprised by the 13 more to go because that's what I was a couple of days ago.  But it was nice to see the scale trying to decide what to tell me; the blasted insensitive, indecisive piece of work that it is.  AND it seems to be going in the right direction but time will tell. 

I will say that I've been working for it and in the last week I've really added some stats together in the workout department.  Check these out....

10.2 miles running

28 miles cycling

45 minutes on elliptical

I did do a bit more running because the weather this last weekend was very windy and not conducive to cycling.  There were gusts up to 70mph and I can't imagine staying up right on a bike in that situation.  So instead on Saturday afternoon, I found myself testing my new running shoes on the treadmill at the gym.  So far, so good; I managed to run a little over 5.25 miles in one shot and no blisters or soreness.  In fact, the new running shoes feel lighter than air while I was running. If I do say that is a very nice feeling.

My cycling buds- Lynda & Diane a couple of weekends ago on a ride.

I also managed to commute into work on the bike twice this week.  Nice!  This weekend looks like the weather is going to be good and I hope to get about 70+ miles on the bike.  I'm thinking if this nice weather continues that I may get bike rides in the evenings and see about going to a local park for some early morning runs.  That would be a definite boost to reaching that weight goal.  That's IF i can get my sorry a$$ out of bed early in the mornings.  Since I've stopped going to those early morning Pilates classes, I've been sleeping in.  Always something to work on, I guess.  Well, that's the Friday Check In Report!  Have a wonderful weekend!

May's End of Month Report...

It's seems like this month has went by in a whir ( a whir that's been mostly composing of rain).  Because of the rain I haven't gotten out as much on the bike as I would have liked to.  But sometimes that's the breaks, but overall I feel like things are progressing rather nicely so far this year.  Getting closer and closer to being the halfway point.  Here's how this month shaped up...

May showers bring May flowers?  Some tulips during recent bicycle ride.

As far as savings, I've turned around on my savings schedule; thanks mostly due to the sale of some paintings.  I've sold 4 porch paintings this last month; bringing the total to 7 porch paintings sold so far and have another porch owner interested.  I've also sold a bicycle painting to a friend.  I almost feel like a professional artist!  But all of this has helped with being able to save a bit more money.  I've also made donations to the Salt Lake City Habitat for Humanity; a win-win situation.

I’ve been happy in the weight loss department. As of last Friday, I was down a total of 20 lbs. Which puts me within 12 lbs. of my goal weight. I’m not losing fast with only an average weight loss of 4 lbs. per month but it’s been a nice steady pace which I hope means it’ll be harder to put back on if that ever happens.

The Nitty –Gritty for the month…

2 hours 23 minutes on the elliptical

24.15 miles running

2 miles swimming

212 miles cycling

and...

Read 6 books (now up to 29 for the year)

Even with all of this rain I managed to get more miles on my bicycle. I have still been having problems with that “butt cramp” coming back. I have noticed that when I run on a more “cushy” treadmill that the cramp doesn’t occur until almost the 2 mile marker. I may have to back off some more with the whole running. Though, I really hate to because it’s such a good calorie burning exercise. It also serves as a good indoor on the treadmill when the weather is yucky outside.

"100 Salt Lake City Porches, No.43"; Poured Watercolor painting.

I’m currently struggling to do #49 out of the 100 Salt Lake City Porches project. I’ve now started the same porch four times on the oil canvas. I may have to set it off to the side and just come back to it.


Un-cluttering my life? Well, I’ve been forming a pile to go off to good will. It’s formed out of summer clothes that I’m not going to wear this summer and some winter clothes that I really didn’t get much use out of this last winter. I also went through my collection of make up and threw out a good bit of make up that needed to be done away with. Now I just need to work on that misc. shelf in the hall closet. It needs a major overhaul and to be organized. I guess that could be the project for this next month IF I get my act together.

Weighing in Before the Weekend...

Just a quick note before I head off to enjoy the Memorial Day weekend.  May you all have a wonderful weekend!  I hope it's good weather and full of fun where ever you are.  I've all ready have a BBQ cancelled due to the weather prediction of rainy weather here.  I'm really hoping it'll clear enough so I can get out on my bicycle.  Keep you fingers crossed!  I'm trying to think happy thoughts and sunshine.  I hope positive thinking can change the weather but if it doesn't I'm going to end up looking like this mad puppy! Grrr! 

I found myself down another pound this morning when I weigh in.  Yes!  I'm now down a total of 20 lbs.  and I have 12 more to go!  It feels good and I'm really feeling good about my progress.  I'm about 2/3 of the way towards my goal weight. 

Weighing In & Spring’s in the Air…

The scale cooperated with me this morning and gave me the other half of the pound I almost lost last week. I’ll admit surprise at this; sometimes I really think this scale hates me. But I’m pleased and that puts me at a total of 19 lbs. lost, and 13 more to go. I’m getting there; slow but sure.

Photo of the tree blossoming near where I park my car at work.  Spring flowers!

Spring seems to be in the air at last. The weather has finally seemed to turn nice for the last couple of days. I went out on a club bike ride last night and almost felt nude wearing my bike shorts. It was the first ride where I didn’t have to haul all that extra gear along with me. I got to leave the extra jacket, the skull cap, the knee warmers, and the arm warmers in the car. I could actually feel the breeze run through my helmet and hair. Now this is bike riding at its best! Awe; what a treat!


Last night I got another treat just after work and before heading to the bike ride. A co-worker took me out for a quick drive in his little red convertible. I had all ready changed into my spandex out bike outfit and had donned a ball cap. He was whipping around the corners like we were on rails and he zoomed it up to 80mph on the interstate. It was fun but I kept on expecting to see a cop pull us over for speeding. I teasingly asked him how many speeding tickets he had gotten since he gotten the car. None he said; so either he was showing off for his co-worker (me) or he’s been lucky so far. Hmmmmm….

Losing the Cold Wars...

Since late Friday afternoon, I’ve been fighting a cold. I felt better Saturday morning and met Diane for a swim. Ouch! Can you say, “BIG Mistake!”? I only managed to swim ¾ of a mile and felt like I was going to drown twice; an accomplishment of sorts?  The rest of Saturday and Easter Sunday went by in a sleep infested haze. Monday morning arrived and I was still feeling crummy. I called in sick; my first sick day of this year. (Not that I was going for a record or employee of the year or anything like that. Not quite my style.)


This cold has been making the rounds in the office, and on its fifth round it sucker punched me bad! It was SO unfair. I officially blame it on this April weather we’ve been having. How can a body adapt? I was watching from my desk yesterday afternoon and within an hour’s time the weather had gone from cold cloudy gloom to rain to sleet to hail to snow to sleet and back to rain. Hello! Mother Nature could you please just choose one for the day?! Of course, she (Mother Nature) finally chose on cold and partly cloudy by the time I went home which was a good thing because I had the clothes to dress for that.


Fighting this cold has been an uphill battle much like the battle of the bulge.  Only this battle I'm a zombie walking with arms out and arrows are being thrown down at me.  I'm too un-alert to avoid them and when each arrow hits I get an extra ache or pain that wasn't there before.  But at least as I go uphill I'm getting a bit more and more alert; not the walking dead as much. 



My Arsenal of aids to help me get better.

So I’ve been taking extra vitamins, night time cold medicine, day time cold medicine, Thera- Flu medicine, drinking hot beverages ( herbal teas and of course, coffee), and consuming plenty of soup; variations of chicken noodle like soups. Added to all of this I’m drinking plenty of cranberry juice; about a cup of cranberry juice with almost every meal. My philosophy on cranberry juice is that it’s the cure-all for what ever may ell me. Most times when I get a cold the first thing on my grocery list is a big bottle of cranberry juice; everything else is an after thought. I guess I could be a commercial for the cranberry industry. I can just see if now me on TV saying,”… You want to win the Cold Wars? Drink plenty of cranberry juice!” Naw! Maybe not.