Grateful

I've been wanting to write up a post lately but coming up blank on what to write about. Or better yet, I've had so many things I've wanted to write about I haven't been able to write about any of them. Does that even make sense? Maybe only in my warped view of the world. But here it goes:

The other day, a chiropractor visited one of my workplaces and gave a lovely talk on the power of nutrition and of course overall well being. In front of us a body stress survey was placed and everyone filled it out. As I glanced at the questions, I of course selected back pain. Immediately though I put the disclaimer that running and weight loss transformed my life and it's greatly diminished. Then went back and added, "oh yes and yoga and a new mattress." It made me pause and reflect on just how much has changed in 3 years. The changes have been gradual, but in the grand scheme I have undergone an extreme lifestyle change in a fairly short amount of time. My body has thanked me. I have energy I never used to have. I see myself doing things I never thought I would. I've lost weight (of course) and as a result, I no longer get back spasms from the simplest activity. I eat foods I never would have touched and the mantras I follow for my diet are more in line with holistic views. These internal changes are reflected in the way people view me. I'm no longer the girl sitting watching the world pass by stuffing her face with fake foods. I'm no longer running in place on the elliptical at the easiest setting wondering why i'm not getting anywhere. Yoga, running, weight loss and nutrition have not all entered my life at once, but this slow addition of each element has enriched my life in unidentifiable ways.

I may be overworked, broke and stressed about the general direction of my life but I can't imagine what it would be like if I still lived like I did 3 years ago and then added all of the aforementioned stressors. I was tipping the scales at 152 lbs on a 5'1" petite frame. I had resources around me - a city filled with bike trails and fairly clean air (compared to china or los angeles), lakes and tree line paths yet I couldn't even go up the littlest hill on my bike without wanting to die. I couldn't work a full 6 hour shift at the coffeeshop and not be in ungodly pain after. There were days I couldn't even stand up straight by the end of the day. Today after my 16.5 mile bike ride I am truly grateful that I've turned things around. It begins to feel like a broken record when I get going but I want to be that goodwill ambassador, spreading the word. This is my religious message to spread and it has. Many of my friends have joined me on this journey and I've seen the ripple effect.

My message is to start small. Find things you enjoy doing. If you don't enjoy going to the gym, try something else because if you don't enjoy it,  you're not going to stick with it. Not everyone needs to run. I'm stubborn and apparently a bit sadistic (in that I like the torture of pushing myself so hard I want to puke) so it works for me but its not for everyone. Find your happy place and your body and the universe will respond.

The domestically challenged tries homebrewing

Just over 3 months ago my dear husband and I set up our first ever batch of home brewed beer. I had bought the kit for him in 2007 and we finally got around to doing it after a trip to the supplier to get some fresher parts (new hops, new extract). We put together an octoberfest lager which required 3 months of sitting at 50 degrees. Today that long wait comes to a fruition... sort of. Today was bottling day:

We added the sugar water (prepped according to directions) and bottled just over 51 bottles of beer. And... now we wait again as the sugar breaks down and produces carbonation in those bottles. We shall see it in 2-4 weeks. I've already declared this to be B&E's Anniversary Octoberfest batch as 4 weeks puts it pretty much on our 1st wedding anniversary. What a wonderful way to celebrate, huh?

training... what training?

What happened to me??? March = awesome. April = crash and burn. May = nonexistent running. This whole 10 mile thing will go so much better if I can find the motivation to ACTUALLY run.

In the meantime, enjoy some photos of my pretty flowers soaked from the rain the night before:

 And here's a couple from a few days ago:

domestic failure

I got home 2 hours ago. I've had the entire house to myself. Yet all I've managed to do is watch TV and put away the dishes in the dishwasher. My oodles of laundry awaiting folding... still sitting there as they have been for 4 days. Its moments like that I wonder how my husband can stand to live with me....

Hi my name is Erin and I would fail as a 1950's housewife.

Relief is in sight!

After 2 or so long years, my dear husband has finally found gainful employment! Things are definitely looking a lot rosier than they were about a month ago. It is a relief and marks the near end of a scary few weeks where I knew I would be the only income.

Other changes both good and bad: my hours are returning to normal levels at the bank (about 27 per week). This is something I have mixed feelings about because it further cements my dependence on my second job. The hidden ray of sunshine is I changed my availability at said 2nd job to no longer include weekends. It'll involve many long days during the week but in the end it'll give me 2 solid days off per week. We'll see how that goes....

On the running front:

I've incorporated 1 day per week of boot camp training. This is dedicated strength training time. I'm determined to get to the point I can do real push ups and not have to wimp out part of the way through and go to my knees.  I feel stronger after going and I'm looking forward to seeing some positive changes as I reinvigorate my effort to lose those last 15 lbs. I have the scale headed in the right direction -- down 2.2 since starting boot camp.

I'm less than a month away from the 10 miler and 5 weeks away from my self imposed half marathon. I am not training nearly hard enough but I figure if I get out the next 3 weeks for the following: 6.5 m, 7.5 m, 8.5 m then 10 mile race and finally 13.1, I should do survive. :) What is it about me and my lack of training diligence after I prove I can make it a certain distance????? Will I be stepping up to that marathon level at this rate? I'm already thinking I should aim for a 15 miler! Also, why do I seem so fast and strong in March but weak and slow in April? What is is about this dang month that kills my motivation and my speed?

On the yoga front:

Meh... my inner yogi has been screaming out for stretching, but I just haven't been doing it. Why is it so hard to get the trifecta (run, stretch, strength) ?????

when the student becomes the teacher....

I've been running for 3 years. In that 3 years I've seen myself go from couch to 5K back to the couch, from the couch to 10K and then onward to half marathon. In 3 years, 20 lbs have been lost. In this 3 years, I've seen friends get turned on to running and have loved sharing the experience with them.

Somewhere along the line, I became bona-fide crazy runner. Somewhere between that 10K, the 5 miler in the snowstorm, the New Years Day runs, and the half marathon, I became a resource on the last subject I ever expected to be a resource.

And now, in a new venture, I'm putting this vast container of knowledge to use! For the next few weeks, I will be serving as a mentor 1x a week. This week I got to lead the newbies on the first day of the couch to 5K program. It was so amazing to see this diverse group get out and run. It was empowering to see women who had no intention of even running the 1 minute intervals in the program actually run those intervals. I was thrilled when I asked who wanted 1 more minute round and everyone was up for it! As we ended that last run interval, I asked, "who feels like they just did a 21 minute workout?" They were truly shocked how those little intervals added up.

Not only was I the time keeper, perky carrot in the front, I was also getting asked many questions and giving some advice on shoes, and running in general. It felt so good to share my passion.

While for me, it wasn't too hard of workout, I was transported back to when I couldn't even do that 1/2 mile. When 1 minute left me gasping for air. When the mere idea of ever running 3.1 miles seemed like an impossible dream. I'm looking forward to seeing these women grow in their journey to 5K whether they walk it or run it!

Heavy

Still lost. Only now I'm carrying even more heaviness. Knowing my dear husband's unemployment was running out was a time bomb in the back of my head. Now that day is here. Commence panic. Gut knotting, make me want to curl up in a ball and block out the world panic. As much as I tried to prepare myself mentally for this day, deep down I believed things would work out. I can feel that sense of ease I was starting to feel, that sense that I was finally going to catch up and turn things around eroding.

Commence every mixed over-analyzing emotion I can feel. Commence anger. Commence resentment.

Things just got real heavy around here.