10 awesome things

26. August 2017 · 7 comments · Categories: cross training, labradoodle, recreational fun · Tags: , , , , , , ,

It’s been almost 10 days since I wrote my post about being mostly uninspired and ironically that inspired me to write a post about 10 awesome things that have happened since that post. (I re-read this sentence 10 times and swear it doesn’t sound like it’s grammatically correct but I think my point came across)

 

Number 1: I picked fresh veggies from my parents’ garden

fresh-veggies

Number 2: I’ve been swimming, biking, hiking and practicing yoga on the regular.

Seen on my hike this week

Seen on my hike this week

Today's ride

Today’s ride

20 laps a la doggie paddle and apparently KT Tape isn't waterproof when cholorine is involved

20 laps a la doggie paddle and apparently KT Tape isn’t waterproof when cholorine is involved

Last Sunday's ride

Last Sunday’s ride

Number 3: I got 2 new projects that will secure my income goals for the next couple of months

werk-werk-werk

werk-werk-werk

Number 4: I’ve been able to add “walk briskly” back to my life. This is awesome because it’s the next step in my running comeback.

 

Number 5: To go along with my happier feet I re-discovered this 40th birthday “gag” gift in my closet that is now my latest favorite thing. Why didn’t I take this thing seriously before? LOVE!

It's a shiatsu foot massager with heat!

It’s a shiatsu foot massager with heat!

Number 6: I saw the eclipse sort of. I took a pic with my phone but at first saw nothing. Then I saw this adorable crescent shaped reflection/lens flare thingy on the photo

IMG_2525

Number 7: I had the best chocolate chip ice cream of my life and of all places right here on Staten Island. Egger’s has been around since 1932.

Reese's Pieces instead of sprinkles for the win

Reese’s Pieces instead of sprinkles for the win

Number 8: I had my first beer of 2017…I know that sounds crazy but i have been drinking wine, hard ciders and frozen daiquiris and margaritas and only had my first beer of the year a week ago. It was at a local brewery here on staten island. I was at a fundraiser for some runners who are running the NYC Marathon this year. They’re fundraising for the Greenbelt Conservancy which is the non-profit that organizes the hikes i go on. They’re also my client! I designed their annual report and some invitations and posters too.IMG_2475

Number 9: Duncan’s eye is all healed and he’s off all the meds and with his fresh haircut is looking as cute as ever.

dreaming that I'll finish working soon so we can go for a w-a-l-k!!!!

dreaming that I’ll finish working soon so we can go for a w-a-l-k!!!!

The best thing I learned in my college photography class was to shoot from different angles

The best thing I learned in my college photography class was to shoot from different angles

Fozzie Bear!

Fozzie Bear!

Number 10: Facebook memories reminded me this week of the time Mr. SOTSS and I saw a shooting star when we were in Jamaica for his cousin’s wedding! It was a magical evening and I couldn’t have asked for a better partner to share that experience with. memories

So there ya have it. From mostly uninspired to 10 awesome things!!!!

Tell me something awesome that happened to you this week. 

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mostly uninspired

16. August 2017 · 6 comments · Categories: cross training · Tags: ,

I have spent the last 6 days since my last post mostly uninspired to take photos and write. So bear with me and hopefully this fall I’ll be back to running and more inspired to post.

Uninspired

Uninspired

I went for a bike ride on Sunday with Mr. SOTSS and didn’t take a single pic. It started with my excitement that we would ride around a reservoir that was a 5 mile loop for a few laps because I really wanted the feeling of exhaustion of a 20 mile ride. Well, we only did one loop because I was not feeling it. The bike path was loose gravel and I wasn’t feeling very comfortable on the bike. It made me frustrated. So no photos, no “yay I biked 20 miles and feel great”. Instead I found myself annoyed that he was flying around on his bike like no biggie and I was riding my brakes and worried about falling. I just wish I was athletic and fearless as him. I know I know….comparison is the thief of joy…..really it is. #keepinitreal

I did however take a photo of our lovely breakfast. I made blackberry pancakes and he made reheated the turkey bacon.

Pancakes are the best food group

Pancakes are the best food group

No better time of day than mealtime—for the dogs too! ;)

No better time of day than mealtime—for the dogs too! 😉

Ok well I did take one inspiring shot this week. I love the birds in the sky and the shades of pink on the trees

Ok well I did take one inspiring shot this week. I love the birds in the sky and the shades of pink on the trees

Duncan and I went back to the vet last Friday for a re-check on the eyelid. A new antibiotic for a week and hopefully that’s it. If it doesn’t get better then they will have to remove it surgically but luckily over the last 5 days the cyst is practically gone!

Doga....frog pose....

Dog yoga….frog pose….

I went to physical therapy yesterday. More painful massage of the fascia around the bottom of my foot and toe. And now we’re really ramping up exercises to strengthen my foot. Plus the usual e-stim and ultrasound.IMG_2425

Tonight I’m going to try and go for a hike with my hiking group. Haven’t been in 3 weeks. And maybe swim a few laps if I can this afternoon even though I’m really busy with work.

No matter how busy I am working I am lucky to have a 4-legged companion or two to hang with me

No matter how busy I am working I am lucky to have a 4-legged companion or two to hang with me

Mr. SOTSS has registered for his fall half marathon (he runs 2 a year. One in the Spring and one in the Fall.) He picked the Trenton Half. I love that race. I’ve run it 3 times!

The first time I ran Trenton in 2013 only 6 days after running the NYC Marathon and I set a PR of 2:07! It was an amazing day. I miss running...I miss racing...have I mentioned that at all? :)

The first time I ran Trenton in 2013 only 6 days after running the NYC Marathon and I set a PR of 2:07! It was an amazing day. I miss running…I miss racing…have I mentioned that at all? 🙂

Actually it was the last half I ran and that was 10 months ago since all 3 of my Spring halfs ended up being DNFs! #NOTbitterOKmaybeaLITTLEbitter) (recap 2016) (recap 2014) (recap 2013) I want to run it too. It’s so hard not to be jealous of him at the moment. REALLY HARD! But alas, not gonna happen as it’s on October 28th. I’ll be starting from square one when I get back to running as I’ve lost most of my endurance fitness for sure. But if I can I’ll try and run the 5k. I’m not even going to think about resuming running until after Labor Day which is 2 weeks away. And most likely I won’t start until mid September.

So thats what I’ve got.

Do you find yourself going into the horrible “comparison zone” often?

 

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Thursday Things

10. August 2017 · 1 comment · Categories: cross training · Tags: , , ,

I’m sure I’ve used “Thursday Things” before as a blog post title so I’ll give myself an F for creativity. I’m ok with that.

So the Subaru is now fixed! Turns out the computer needed to be “reflashed”….aka software update.

subaruIt freaks me out that a car relies on the computer to tell it what to do with everything. Oh, and I was so busy worrying about the car not running well that I didn’t realize that the inspection expired at the end of July. I just brought it in today so now I’m good for another year. Speaking of the Subaru….I can’t believe it’s been 3 years since I said goodbye to my Jeep and hello to my Subaru.

Duncan’s eye still isn’t healed. It’s better than it was a week ago but the cyst is still there. And we’re on the last day of the meds so I’ll be calling the vet to see what to do next.

This is our 7am

This is our 7am

And my workload is balancing out. Whew! I’ve got lots of work coming down the pike over the next few weeks but I think everything is doable.

And I’m back in action with my exercise. I was able to bike for 11.5 miles on Sunday.

Channeling my inner Kermit the Frog

Channeling my inner Kermit the Frog

I also hit a distance record in the pool yesterday….30 laps!

Happy to be able to benchmark little improvements in the exercise category

Happy to be able to benchmark little improvements in the exercise category

I have also been to yoga twice this week!

I even did a little yoga "pre-gaming" by foam rolling a bit first

I even did a little yoga “pre-gaming” by foam rolling a bit first

Today I’ll be taking a rest day. The arch of my good foot started to hurt a bit this week so I want to give it a chance to calm down. And my calves are feeling tight too. Maybe I overstretched on the ProStretch at PT?

physical-therapy

Speaking of physical therapy, this week they manipulated my entire foot to loosen up my fascia and it was so painful. She said i’d be sore for a few days and I have been. But hopefully I’ll feel the benefits in another day or two. I also was given a new exercise to do to strengthen my foot. Towel scrunch pickup.towel-scrunch-pickup-exercise

Every day I get pissy about the fact that my toe/foot is just not healing fast enough. But every day I manage to push through the pissy and find something to be happy about. I’m thrilled that I can now swim 30 laps in the pool and not feel as winded as I did when I first began this doggie paddle endeavor a few weeks ago. I even decided to be an adult and cook for myself this week. Say hello to my little boneless pork chops and sauteed spinachporkchops

So while I feel like the rest of the world is training for their fall races, I’m going to keep on keeping on with all that I can do and visualize myself healthy and running all the miles in 2018 🙂

Got any Thursday Things to share?

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When it rains it pours and balloon festival

05. August 2017 · 4 comments · Categories: cross training, recreational fun · Tags: , , ,

I’m sorry I haven’t been posting much all week. I knew it would be a hectic one but it ended up being even more hectic than originally anticipated. I just got back from yoga and I’m feeling a bit calmer so I’ll fill you in on what’s been going on.

Duncan had some health stuff this week which I’m still dealing with. A small cyst on his outer eyelid got swollen and then burst and Tuesday morning it ruptured.

:(

🙁

The vet gave me instructions to do warm compresses twice a day, apply ointment to the lid and then give him 2 different pills daily including a steroid. Then came the side effects and the overall stress and possible discomfort he’s feeling. Needless to say I’ve been a bit overwhelmed with it all. I can handle a lot but when he isn’t well I shut down. My shmoopsie poo….what can i say. I barely ate this week but when i did it was paw print pancakes. lol.

IMG_2286

pitiful

pitiful

I was happy when he was resting comfortably

I was happy when he was resting comfortably

sad sac selfie (me more than him!)

sad sac selfie (me more than him!)

My car went in for routine servicing this week as well and somehow, my luck it started to act weird after I got it back. Idling low and last night it practically stalled….the lights came on on the dashboard and then it lurched forward a couple of times. I’m going to bring it back Monday so they can take a look. Hoping they just have to make some adjustments to whatever they did.

And then I got swamped with work….which is good but stressful. I’ve got multiple new projects from one client that are all fairly fast paced as far as deadlines go so I’ve been working at night and in the early mornings to keep up.

And the only exercise I managed to get in this week was yoga on Monday and again today….oh and some whitewater rafting yesterday. Yep, in the midst of my crazy week I went with Mr. SOTSS and his girls for the day. I was home by 7pm and worked until 11pm.

relaxing in between rapids

relaxing in between rapids

And while we sat in traffic coming home we got to see this pretty lil rainbow

always a sucker for the 'bow

always a sucker for the ‘bow and the beau 🙂

Hoping next week is a little calmer.

Oh and my toe? Yep, slowly healing. 8 treatments of PT and still not walking 100 percent all day but wayyyyyy better than i’ve been I get about 15 minutes every morning where I feel 100 percent and then slowly as the day progresses I am reminded that the toe is still healing. I’m going to wait until Labor Day weekend (about a month from now) to decide if I’m ready for some short, easy running miles. But boy has it gotten easier to handle this non-running.

And last weekend I got to go to a balloon festival in Readington, NJ. IMG_2048

Unfortunately the winds were too high for the balloons to take flight but we got to see some hot air balloons filled up and looking pretty. It was a fun evening.

Wonder Bread balloon glowing.

Wonder Bread balloon glowing.

Angry Bird balloon overshadowing the Wonder Bread balloon

Angry Bird balloon overshadowing the Wonder Bread balloon

IMG_2073-retouched

Have you ever been in a hot air balloon? Would you want to?

What is the biggest “small stuff” stressor for you?

For me it’s my car and when my dog is sick. Both in one week!

 

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