Sunday Funday now that it’s Monday

16. June 2014 · 2 comments · Categories: cross training, labradoodle, recreational fun, Uncategorized · Tags: , , , ,

I meant to get this post up yesterday but started to watch that movie One Fine Day (George Clooney and Michelle Pfeiffer) and that was that. Anyhoo, hope everyone had an enjoyable Father’s Day or just Sunday or whatever you chose to celebrate yesterday. I didn’t do the Father’s Day thing today. My parents are out of town so we’re going to celebrate next weekend. It’s going to be a hodge podge celebration as we’ll also be celebrating my nephew’s 16th birthday and my niece’s graduation from middle school!

I had originally been planning a 30ish mile bike ride in NJ yesterday morning at a new (to me) route in Sandy Hook, New Jersey which is about a half hour-ish away from me, but after such a busy day on Saturday with the race and the picnic and some big brown puppy dog eyes staring at me longingly at 6am when my alarm went off, I scratched that plan opted to stay in bed a bit longer with the pooch. The guilt of going to Central Park (A.K.A. “Dog Mecca”) not once, but twice on Saturday without him continued, so I decided to start the day taking the pooch on a li’l outting to relieve myself of some of that guilt. (He’s got me wrapped around his little paw).

Where ya gonna take me?

So where ya gonna take me this morning?

I started our Sunday Funday at one of my favorite hiking/walking spots by ocean. I love the open meadows and how they catch the early morning sunlight. And the honeysuckles are just everywhere meaning every single inhale is filled with the most fragrant perfection!

sundayfunday

 

Doodlebug

Doodlebug

In case you were curious...

In case you were curious…

morning selfie

morning selfie…sunglasses to hide the puffy morning eyes.

 

The doodle was pooped when we got back. So while I did some paper work in my office he passed out.

pooped

And then I did some blogging while he supervised (although he kept falling asleep on the job)

blogging

 

I tried to change my cell phone data plan online but was only partially successful. I could feel myself getting irritated as the prompts on their website took me for a loop and kept bringing back to the wrong page. GRRR!

That was it! I needed to go get a good sweaty workout….and so at 5pm I loaded the bike and drove to the beach.

eveningbike

I sat for a few minutes by the marina and just enjoyed the sun glistening on the water and the smell of those honeysuckles again!

It’s fairly flat so I kept it in high gear and pedaled the entire time. No coasting! My legs are definitely feeling the burn.

So how was your weekend? Did you do anything for Father’s Day? Run any races? BBQ? Anyone have a planned vacation coming up? My trip to San Francisco is in 6 weeks!!!!

 

 

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The best way to deal with stress and worry and a hike with the hound

18. November 2013 · Write a comment · Categories: helpful tips, labradoodle, recreational fun · Tags: , ,

Tricked you! I don’t have the BEST way to deal with stress and worry although I tend to think running is up there along with chocolate of any kind….

579620_10202441861389526_590995594_n

Seriously though, I just read this article in Fitness magazine and found it interesting for sure. Decision fatigue? I’d never heard of that. But it makes sense. I’ve always been the indecisive type, but didn’t know that even mundane decisions like what to wear or what to eat for lunch could zap my energy leaving me more vulnerable to stress and worry. Then there’s the “toxic thought spiral”. I know that well. I think I was in that spiral for most of 2010 (blame that one on a boy who left out some serious details about his relationship status. I couldn’t stop the obsessive thoughts about why things didn’t work out. I wasn’t pretty enough, or smart enough or whatever enough. A year later I found out and now I look back and laugh at the whole situation but I truly zapped a lot of my energy with all the useless spiraling.) The article suggests doing something that lets you concentrate on your movements like spin or Zumba to break the obsessive thought spiral. I thank my lucky stars everyday that I found running and it’s theraputic effect on me. It’s been 9 days since I last ran and I’m thinking I’ll need a quick “hit” soon.

Over the weekend I learned of some troubling health news—one involving a human and one involving a dog—both very dear to me. It got me spiraling for a bit. Nothing worse than feeling helpless when people (and pooches) you care about are hurting and you can’t fix it. I knew I needed to do something. So even though it was drizzly and foggy I took an hours’ ride to the State Line Lookout area, a section of the Palisades Interstate Park in New Jersey and went on a short hike with Duncan. It wasn’t the 7 or 8 mile hike I’ve been really wanting to conquer but nonetheless, enough miles to get my mind back to a balanced state. And the weather actually made for some mystical magical looking photos.

fairy tale doodle

fairy tale doodle

photo 5[1]

the only thing “more difficult” about the trail was the slippery rocks and leaves

It was so quiet. At one point Duncan and I stopped to have a snack and all you could hear was our crunching.

dog biscuits for the doodle and trail mix for me

dog biscuits for the doodle and trail mix for me

A few more pics…

It was so foggy that you couldn’t see Manhattan’s skyline behind me.

photo 2[1]

After our hike, Duncan and I drove about 20 minutes north to check on my friend’s mom. She’s 90 years old young and while I was just there to keep her company for a few hours she took great care of me! She made me fresh coffee when I arrived and after chatting and watching some TV she cooked me dinner! It was lovely. Made me miss my grandparents. I haven’t enjoyed the company of a senior in a while.

Duncan had to watch to be in the kitchen the entire time those chicken cutlets were frying

Duncan had to keep an eye on things in the kitchen the entire time those chicken cutlets were frying. You know, just in case she needed a helping paw.

I’m feeling recovered enough that I’d like to start tossing in a few easy runs this week. Lots of bloggers were running marathons and half marathons this weekend and it was super fun to track them and hear their recaps. But now I’m anxious to start training for my next one. In the meantime I’ll keep cross-training with the doodle. It’s actually fun to spend so much time with him. So long as it isn’t another National Squirrel Convention anytime soon =)

How was your weekend? Anyone have the monday blues? Anyone run this weekend?

 

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