The ” Kathy Hill ” …

How am I ever going to become a famous blogger if I can never remain consistent ?? I guess it’s a good thing that, that’s not my dream in life. ..

Life gets busy…I’m sorry If I’ve left anyone hanging.. ( Mom )

I have been traveling a lot for work and I have been doing pretty good with staying on track with my training schedule.  Yesterday I did my 8 mile run and it was awesomely beautiful !! The weather here in NJ lately is what I consider perfect winter weather!! Sunny, and 50 ! ….continue on please !!!

Today I did my short 3 mile run at reservoir again and it was another great day.  I started a new ritual yesterday when I run here.  Conquer the ” Kathy Hill ” !! The ” Kathy Hill” is named this because she’s a friend of ours that happened to be hiking with us the first time I went up this hill.  PURE HELL ! It was the summer before my surgery and we were just walking the trail and proceeded to go up this hill.  Only walking mind you.  I wasn’t half way up the hill when I truly thought I might die.  Kathy is a nurse and kept saying to me ” are you ok ?? ” .  I’m guessing she was concerned because I couldn’t breathe and my face was purple.  My chest felt like it would explode.  I swore …never again will I be going up that damn hill.  It’s out to kill me !!

Well…I would never attempt that hill again…carrying the extra 130 lbs.

Yesterday after my 8 mile run..I decided to revisit that bitch of a hill.  This time I RAN all the way up it…stopped at the top …took solace in my smile, enjoyed the view and ran back down it.  No heart palpitations, no oxygen starved face…nothing but excitement and some sore quads.  Amazing !

I plan to run that hill every chance I get …and be thankful every single time that I can.

 

 

What doesn’t kill us…

… Makes us stronger.   Believe those words….believe in yourself …and never, ever forget that I believe in you.

I love you… !

Training… Is great……….

 

 

I LOVE training in the blistering, breath taking COLD ! … There’s just something about the pain in your lungs that distracts you from all else….

 

Right?? ….

 

As you can tell I might be trying to convince myself a bit.  I can’t remember if I said in a previous post or not that I would stop complaining about Winter Training.  If I did…I’m sorry.  I’m a liar.  Because winter training sucks ASS !! Big bone chilling ASS !

 

I’m doing it though…I have no choice.   I signed up for the April Fools race and I will not show up unprepared.  I ran outside on Tuesday night.  It was in the high 30’s, low 40’s and perfect.  ( as perfect as winter running can be for me. ) Tonight I have to do 5 miles…and it’s going to be in the teens.  Yippee, fuckin Skippee ! Can’t wait !!

 

Tonights commute will consist of loud playing, crazy music to get me pumped.  I need to get into warrior mode ! I have secret motivations in my head that will push me through this. 

 

Mental notes….to prepare for the fun run tonight…

 

                A Latte on the way home ….is “ fuel “ ..I will drink it with no guilt !

 

                On the way home…play songs to pump me up.  Find focus in Battle Mode !

 

                Don’t feel bad about corny “ warrior” & “ battle” references…this is MY world !

 

                Suck it up ..and put on an extra layer of clothes! You are running 5 miles in the cold.  Not climbling some crazy   mountain in 30 below! – You WILL survive.

 

                Nothing feels better than when you are done ! Keep reminding yourself of that feeling!

 

                Final reminder….April is right around the corner!!! NO TIME FOR EXCUSES !!!

Real Life Quotes…

” A Journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. ”

Fuckin love that quote…..  So inspiring.  It really is true.  Your journey no matter how long or short…begins with that first step.  The first decision to actually do something.

But…am I the only one who wonders where the rest of it is ?? You know…the meat and potatoes of it . The realistic, real world portion..

” A Journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.  Tie those laces tight, because no doubt you will be retracing your steps at least a dozen times before getting it right! ”

” A Journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.  Might be a good idea to wear a mouth guard for when you trip and fall flat on your face. ”

I’m not trying to be a downer here.  But more so, trying to paint a picture.  We all want to accomplish something, over come something, become something.   But sometimes …just making that decision to start isn’t really, truly the hard part.  So many times we hear.. ” Admitting you need help” ,  ” Accepting you have a problem” …that’s the hardest part.

Is it really ??

Because I’m thinking that the 10th, 11th, 12th time around the same god damn block…..admitting that you couldn’t do what you set out to.  THAT’S the HARD part !

Going under the knife to make my stomach smaller to lose weight.  Do you think that was my  ” beginning” ?  My first ” single step”? HA ! …..Yea….No.

We all have our demons.  They never go away.  They ride within us like another organ of the body….beat as strong as the heart that pumps our blood.

BUT… not giving up.  That’s what separates the strong from the weak.  Picking ourselves up to take another step, to start the journey all over again.  Those are the steps that define us.  Not letting them win…

Dust yourself off, tie those laces tight …and BELIEVE that the 13th time around that old block….will be exactly what you’ve dreamt it to be ! Will it be easy ? …Hell NO! …But nothing that is worth anything ever is .

Out of my Routine..

I’m back ! Wow…being out of my normal routine has really screwed me up !!!

I went out-of-town for work all of last week, which was also supposed to be my first “official” week of training. I had good intentions…really, I did. I thought I would dive into my training and catch up on the blogging world. HA !

….well….

I did neither ! Instead…I acted as if I was on vacation. Hot bubble baths every night, followed up with relaxation and my Kindle on the couch. Yep! I was definitely in vacation mode and NOT training mode.

… but…

I returned. And as a birthday gift to myself…I gave myself a swift kick in my saggy ass and got out there on the trails.

No more time for excuses….the race will be here before I know it.!!

** On a side note…. Out with friends this weekend. And the only one in the group who gets carded ?? ME !! 🙂 Happy Birthday to ME !!!

To Run or Not to Run… that’s the ??

It’s Saturday morning and I’m supposed to be getting my ass out on the trail for a run.  The last ” un-official” run before the OFFICIAL training starts on Tuesday.  But here I am on the couch sipping on coffee.  I’ve been fighting some bug for two weeks now, and it’s driving me crazy!! One day I think I’m better and then the next I’m sniffling and feeling like crap again.  So here I am with the big debate of to run or not to run?

My favorite part of this debate? ….the coffee! God…I LOVE coffee…

But back to the question at hand.  To run or not to run ? I’m sure that If I DO run and my sickness really kicks in, my gf might start singing the words of ” I TOLD YOU SOOOO..”   BUT……I am  getting ready to leave for out-of-town for a week for work….SOOOO…I wouldn’t have to hear the song too long.  That’s obviously not the reason that I’m struggling with what to do.  I want my body to get better, to be 100% before jumping into the months of training I have a head of me.  BUT…WHEN will it be all better ? How far behind will I get in my training schedule ??

So many ” buts ” for a Saturday morning….!!

Oh, Wait a second…what is that I feel ?? CRAMPS ??? Oh YES< it does get better !!!!! Though I know that a good run always seems to fix THAT issue, I’m still wondering about compromising my teetering sick body.

Obviously what we need here ….is another cup of coffee…..be right back…

Ok…now let me just think about this out loud and work through this…

** If you are honest with yourself…..you really don’t feel that sick.

**  How many more beautiful days will you get like this during the winter ??  ** << ( I make the best points ! )

** We aren’t even into double digits of the New Year and you already really suck at your resolutions!  ( sometimes my points can be harsh) OUCH!

** Will the brisk, fresh air and sun shining down…  really going to be all that BAD for you? ( even in my thoughts I’m sarcastic..not sure I like that)

** It’s not like you are going out to run 10 miles with hill repeats!! …you just want to get those legs moving and check out a new trail.

** This second cup of coffee was a great idea…I truly am genius.

I could go on all day listening to myself think….but then I definitely won’t accomplish a damn thing!!!

It’s Saturday…I don’t have a fever…it’s beautiful out…and I have 2 Working Legs….

The decision has been made !!…

Lazy on words…

When I’m too lazy to give you my wisdom….I share my photography.  It’s my new theme that I just started.  Yes, I am genius.

 

 

 

Steal my work…and I will hunt you down…

 

Bound...

And…we’re signed up !

It’s official…I have signed up for the 25k Fools Run in April.  It’s crazy how that after a frustrating day at the place that employs me…how ENERGIZED I was after signing up for the race.  I immediately pulled out my planner and my training schedule to review.  I was pretty sure that I had a couple weeks of wiggle room in my training schedule, but it turns out I was pretty WRONG! Let’s keep our fingers crossed for no unplanned craziness such as broken legs or pneumonia…

Being all pumped up and ready to go…calls for celebration!! What better way to celebrate than a Latte and a lil something, something for my commute home.

My weakness..

What can I say about that picture ? Ummm….I guess there’s nothing TO SAY! I fuckin love Starbucks Dark Chocolate covered Graham crackers.  And by the number of wrappers I pulled out of my car this evening….I’ve had a pack each day for the past 4 days.  I’m not going to try and justify why it’s ok that I’ve weakened to these luscious treats.  All I will say is I’m going to try and do better…

Finally…I was so pumped about getting ready for April’s race that I needed to get these legs moving and acclimated with this damn cold weather.  After a visit to the gym yesterday I have OFFICIALLY (again) realized that there is NO way in HELL that I will be training on the treadmill.  I get this weird nervous, off balance, euphoric ( not the good kind ) feeling and I hate it ! I can’t concentrate on my run at all.  I thought maybe if I pump my arms more and really get into my run it would make it better and keep my mind distracted.  Nope ! Instead it just made for an embarrassing sight as I bumped the Emergency STOP button with my elbow!

Time to Woman up and face the road! I bundled me self up….strapped on my new head lamp and faced the frigid night….

I only got 2 miles in when I realized that I couldn’t feel my face and my nose snot was freezing to my cheeks.  That’s ok though…now I know I just need a scarf or some other fancy sporty cover up my face thingy and we will be in business!!!

Let the training commence !!….

So what if I look like a dork!?...All in the name of Training!

Abandoned …

Cleaning out my computer and came across these shots.  One of my all time favorite places to shoot.  I need to make the time to get out with my camera more often.  I think that’s even on my resolution list….Stop being Lazing!!!

 

 

Shattered… one of my favorites…

 

Love the thought… of the stories this place could tell…

 

This house was one of my favorite places to shoot…

 

 

Loved this….looking from the dark into the light…

 

 

Crazy exciting what you can find on an abandoned property….

 

 

 

New Years Fortune

Heading into the gym… Even though bed was oh so comfy!!