Signs of Spring

Its a little difficult to see, but look closely and you'll catch a glimpse of my tulips coming! I'm so excited to of the sign of warming temperatures. I planted these last fall with some thoughts that my work would be in vain as my gardening skills are quite lacking. After taking this picture I covered them with more leaves to avoid the impending freeze to come so that they WILL soon be enjoyed in their glory!

Tuesday Training Update

Week 6

Monday & Friday: 2.75 Miles
Tuesday & Thursday: Swim
Wednesday: 2 Miles
Saturday: 45-60 min Walk or Bike

I ended last week in unusual fashion with a couple extra bikes squeezed in. With the weather's so beautiful its hard not to get outside and do something! Like right now? I'd rather be outside and I should be doing paperwork. I do need to admit that I missed my swim this morning. I did arrive at the pool at my normal time of 6:25 and as I entered the locker room spotted a towel left overnight on the bench and despite the early hour my brain quickly realized I was without mine. I momentarily contemplated drying off without one and quickly thought otherwise and would need to return home to get one. Its a 10 minute drive...so in the time it took me to get to town, go home and come back that would have been 30 minutes in the car and another 10 back home. Decision made. I would go home and skip the swim today. I will bike later. Promise :)

Tuesday Training Update

Little Girl LOVES running in the rain and snuggles up to the space heater when she comes in.

Week 5

Sunday: Rest
Monday & Friday: 2.5 Miles
Tuesday & Thursday: Swim
Wednesday: 2 Miles
Saturday: 45-60 min Walk or Bike

My alarm sounded at 5:45. My body noticeably believed it to be 4:45 as its not yet adjusted to the time change. There are always a few moments when I contemplate not going, but am too stubborn to pay a $1 to my friend who joins me in the morning (thanks Lindsey!). I am finally looking forward to my morning swim as well as my long runs. Lucky little Olive got to come with me for the first time yesterday and was quite the trooper. As she rounded mile 2 I think she was ready to be done and I wondered for a moment how stupid I would look carrying my pudgy dog as I jogged. Again, I skipped my walk this past weekend. This was partly due to the rain and partly due to not wanting to go for a walk. I would prefer to run, swim, or bike. So starting this coming weekend I have given myself permission to bike instead of walk since the point is to change it up. Otherwise I'm on track and am not having any issues (yet) increasing my mileage...but then again I'm only at 2.5 miles, ask me when I get to 6.

What about Olive?

Olive You began as a means to communicate my life through the daily antics of my little dog. While I still think she is a cute little girl, she has simply grown up so quickly and her and I have developed an understanding of one another. My shoes go unchewed, dirty socks are left in the laundry room, and my bed is no longer her favorite hiding place/game she plays with me because I can not reach her. So I posted this video to show you all how my dog spends her day. Literally. Sometimes her nose peaks out, sometimes she and her blanket are on the floor. She'll leave her blanket for food and to see what I'm up to when I leave the room and when she's satisfied that she knows what I'm up to, back under the blanket she goes. So dear blog readers, this is why Olive is no longer quite "blog worthy".

Tuesday Training Update

Week 4

Sunday: Rest
Monday: 2.25 miles
Tuesday: Swim
Wednesday: 1.5 miles
Thursday: Swim
Friday: 2.25 miles
Saturday: 45-60 minute walk.

Generally speaking, the resulting effects of regular, consistent exercise is a boost in overall energy and motivation. Thus far, I have yet to experience this effect. I can hardly keep my eyes open after 9pm and around 2pm everyday I am longing to close my eyes for just a minute to have a quick nap, which is precisely the time of day I get ready to go to work. That being said, my motivation lately has been zero, none, nada, zilch. I missed my Saturday walk (again), however last week I decided I made up for it with an intense jaunt through knee high snow chasing cows. So as of today, I am (mostly) on track! But am in desperate need of motivation...any suggestions?

My "New" Bedroom

A year ago, January, the bedroom I moved into was filled with unproportionately sized dark-wood furniture, baby-yellow and pink floral wall paper reminiscent of an old-lady nightgown, with matching overstuffed-overpuffed curtains and a light fixture that my dad labeled as from the "adam's family period". The furniture was dispersed to family members, the walls painted the color of "fresh linen" and my furniture moved in. In July the following attempt to paint took place:
I didn't like the color and decided I really wanted an actual color. I believed that if I left the room painted as such I would surely get to it before summer's end...And summer turned to fall and...well, you can see the snow outside the window as well as the partially painted closet doors.
And this is the state I lived in for nearly nine months until last Thursday, exactly one week ago...When I had finally had it with awkward furniture placement and half-painted walls. Here's what I came up with:
I'm pleased with how it turned out and now I even enjoy going in there. Of course now I'm preoccupied with re-carpeting, oh the bag of worms decorating opens! I hope you can all come out and see it in person soon!

Tuesday Training Update

Week 3

Its week 3 and it appears that the past two weeks, Tuesday has become my "update" day so I've decided to appropriately name it the "Tuesday Training Update". My body is tired, but not too sore. I'm running 2 miles now and swam 1500 yds this morning so I'm slowly and steadily increasing my distance. I must also admit that last week I missed my Saturday walk. My training schedule requires a long walk on Saturday and I regret to say I kept telling myself I'd do it "later" which turned into "I'm too tired, I'll do it Sunday" which turned into watching US Hockey which turned into needing to get my billing in for work which turned into being too cold and dark outside. So, yes, I admit that I am good at creating excuses. So I ask now that my readers reprimand me for my lack of follow through.