HEATHER - 1,000,000. ACHILLES - DEAD & GONE.
I'll be starting my runs this week. For real. I ran two short times last week - 1/4 and a 1/2 mile. Going for two 1 mile runs each week for now. I'll be running in my Altra's, which are zero drop. Not what I wanted to do, but I don't like my Mizunos. In a couple of weeks, I'm going to get some new minimal shoes - either Brooks PureConnects or Saucony Kinvaras. We'll see.
Spring spirits.
Something about working all weekend outside on our farm. It refuels my spirit.
It can be exhausting. It usually is. Hard, tiring, exhausting, frustrating, draining. But, as I take the last walk of the day up to our barn, down the beaten soft muddy road... the sun is ending it's day behind the trees. The wind whips around, a bit chilly. Load ourseves into the car and make the trek home, thinking about hot showers, what's for dinner?, and soft couch cushions.
Even though Monday is the dreaded monster, with its 6 a.m. alarm and 8 hour cubicle days, it becomes refreshing as well. As much as I love being free and spontaneous on ocassion, I'm a creature of habit. I like the routine we set up for this season.
The weekends take on a new routine for us once Spring hits. Someday, it'll be our everyday routine, but for now, it's something to look forward to.
It can be exhausting. It usually is. Hard, tiring, exhausting, frustrating, draining. But, as I take the last walk of the day up to our barn, down the beaten soft muddy road... the sun is ending it's day behind the trees. The wind whips around, a bit chilly. Load ourseves into the car and make the trek home, thinking about hot showers, what's for dinner?, and soft couch cushions.
Even though Monday is the dreaded monster, with its 6 a.m. alarm and 8 hour cubicle days, it becomes refreshing as well. As much as I love being free and spontaneous on ocassion, I'm a creature of habit. I like the routine we set up for this season.
The weekends take on a new routine for us once Spring hits. Someday, it'll be our everyday routine, but for now, it's something to look forward to.
FIVE THINGS.
+ I'm feeling pretty giddy today! It's Thursday! The sun is shining! It's not freezing cold! Birds were chirping! It's not dark as I walk to work in the morning! It's already Thursday!
+ My Achilles is still my achilles. Har har, get it? I've been doing some self massage techniques, NOT running AT all, and I did two electronic stimulation treatments this week. It just feels like it's super sore now, but that good sore after a hard workout. SO. We'll see. I've been slowly transitioning out of my orthotic inserts. I've been wearing zero drop shoes.. just to the gym. Today, I wore my regular running shoes to work and took out the inserts. So, I still have some support, but not that crazy plastic shit. Giving it some rest for the next day or two and then I'll start trying to strengthen it up.
+ The positive to this injury is that I've learned a lot about weight lifting. I'm lifting heavier, I'm burning a lot of fat, and growing some muscles. I did 23 real push-ups the other day. 23. I don't have the best form just yet and I certainly can't do them all in a row, but I'm making progress. I'm learning how to split my days so I'm not exhausting my whole body everyday and I think that's going to speed up the progress even more.
+ I swear I do more than just exercise. Last Saturday, we brewed a chocolate stout and I made a five gallon batch of my gluten-free beer. I made a one gallon batch over a month ago and it worked really well, so I just expanded the recipe to work for 5 gallons so I can have a couple cases of it ;). We also started a new mead, which will be juniper berries and oak aged. Mmm.
+ OH AND. We finally found a bank who might be willing to work with us and give us a loan! WOAH. Because we already own a house and land and a bit of other debt (cars, two credit cards), it's been hard to find a bank who will give us more. But, this bank is willing to roll a bunch of things into one loan and hopefully have enough extra to build the winery. Kind of surreal, but it'll be so awesome if it all works out. We just need to have our land appraise at a certain value and, of course, a good credit report.
+ My Achilles is still my achilles. Har har, get it? I've been doing some self massage techniques, NOT running AT all, and I did two electronic stimulation treatments this week. It just feels like it's super sore now, but that good sore after a hard workout. SO. We'll see. I've been slowly transitioning out of my orthotic inserts. I've been wearing zero drop shoes.. just to the gym. Today, I wore my regular running shoes to work and took out the inserts. So, I still have some support, but not that crazy plastic shit. Giving it some rest for the next day or two and then I'll start trying to strengthen it up.
+ The positive to this injury is that I've learned a lot about weight lifting. I'm lifting heavier, I'm burning a lot of fat, and growing some muscles. I did 23 real push-ups the other day. 23. I don't have the best form just yet and I certainly can't do them all in a row, but I'm making progress. I'm learning how to split my days so I'm not exhausting my whole body everyday and I think that's going to speed up the progress even more.
+ I swear I do more than just exercise. Last Saturday, we brewed a chocolate stout and I made a five gallon batch of my gluten-free beer. I made a one gallon batch over a month ago and it worked really well, so I just expanded the recipe to work for 5 gallons so I can have a couple cases of it ;). We also started a new mead, which will be juniper berries and oak aged. Mmm.
+ OH AND. We finally found a bank who might be willing to work with us and give us a loan! WOAH. Because we already own a house and land and a bit of other debt (cars, two credit cards), it's been hard to find a bank who will give us more. But, this bank is willing to roll a bunch of things into one loan and hopefully have enough extra to build the winery. Kind of surreal, but it'll be so awesome if it all works out. We just need to have our land appraise at a certain value and, of course, a good credit report.
Wah wah wah.
I always try to be a positive person and not get too caught up being bitchy or complaining about everything. Yeah, I grumble every time my alarm goes off at 6:15 a.m. and, sure, it sucks when you have to walk a mile to work in the rain. It's not fun when you feel stressed or anxious or when you lose something.
But, look. That's life. It happens. Keep movin'. If I spent the whole morning whining about how much it sucked to get up this morning and how the dog always makes me trip on my way to the bathroom.. and, ugh, it was just so cold when I walked outside.. and, by lunchtime, my mood is still in the dumps and, oh, what else can I complain about now?
You see how it just spirals downward? It's neverending. If you're always looking for something to be miserable about, you'll be miserable forever. I just cannot stand people who constantly have no other topic of conversation besides Here's My New List of Complaints.
Just remember that there's almost always someone out there fighting a harder battle than you are. CHEER THE FUCK UP. Life is what you make it.
But, look. That's life. It happens. Keep movin'. If I spent the whole morning whining about how much it sucked to get up this morning and how the dog always makes me trip on my way to the bathroom.. and, ugh, it was just so cold when I walked outside.. and, by lunchtime, my mood is still in the dumps and, oh, what else can I complain about now?
You see how it just spirals downward? It's neverending. If you're always looking for something to be miserable about, you'll be miserable forever. I just cannot stand people who constantly have no other topic of conversation besides Here's My New List of Complaints.
Just remember that there's almost always someone out there fighting a harder battle than you are. CHEER THE FUCK UP. Life is what you make it.
First to last.
First things first, right? 179 burpees. I could have kept going until I collapsed, but it's a little boring to do the same thing over and over and over...
BUT, I'm fuckin' proud 'cause burpees are wild and it used to hurt doing just one.
Next? I bought a pair of compression socks. AMAZING. I'm confident these will help at least manage all my crazy tendon issues. I put them on every night after I get home from the gym and keep 'em on until morning. Beautiful.
Last? Spicy chicken thighs for dinner. Nuff said.
Yes, you can.
I wish people wouldn't make excuses for why they don't push themselves harder.. or at all.
Anything is possible. Anything. Everything.
Tonight's workout: Endless burpees until I collapse + bike sprints. After two days of lifting, I need a really good, sweaty, can't breathe, gonna fall over kind of workout.
Anything is possible. Anything. Everything.
Tonight's workout: Endless burpees until I collapse + bike sprints. After two days of lifting, I need a really good, sweaty, can't breathe, gonna fall over kind of workout.
Slow and sure.
Taken on 2/15/13 - Route 225/147, Halifax.
We went up to the Gratz Auction yesterday and found a guy who owns his own apiary. Bees. HONEY. We really need a local guy for all the mead we plan to make, so we had a chat and looks like it might work out for us. He also sells spices for one dollar. $1. Decent amounts, too. So, we bought a ton of those. I'm particular interested in making a lavender mead? Hmm.
I also bought a huge bag of fresh spinach for $3. Costs me about $6 at the grocery store. Cheese, molasses, onions. It was a good time.
Winter has been a nice break, but I'm pretty sick of it now. I want to walk outside in t-shirts. Get some mud on my jeans. Feel the sun beat down. Warm breezes and fresh green everything. Not too much longer...
Five things from the past five days. Yep.
I dyed my hair darker. A lot darker. I'm still adjusting. Most mornings, I just stand there in front of the mirror .. who is this? .. cock my head to right and wait for the image to clear up. Today was the first day I honestly thought, I like it!
(Obviously I liked it or I wouldn't have done it, but the shock of change sort of delayed that feeling.)
A great night with good friends. One of those nights where you lose track of time, conversation never stops, and life (and everyone) feels infinite.
We spent an afternoon working. We made an orange mead, tasted & racked the Fredonia we had sitting in the basement for almost 2 years (!!), and I finally tasted & racked the gluten-free beer I made that's done fermenting. The Fredonia is delicious. It's our first wine made from our grapes that we grew. I'm so excited to bottle it with some fancy labels and share it! My gluten-free beer actually tastes like a beer and the hop flavor is fantastic, so I might have to make a big batch of the same recipe.
Early mornings at the gym are the best. Just a couple folks. Quiet. I've also started doing push-ups everyday. Real ones. As many as I can. Until I can actually do them well and correctly and for multiple sets. I'm up to 8. 1 per set. :)
I started using Instagram again. I like the ease of creativity. I enjoy looking at everyone else's work. I think I just need to trim down who I follow and keep it strictly art. I don't want to end up feeling the same way about Instragram that I ended up feeling about Twitter...
.... which is pure hatred :)
(Obviously I liked it or I wouldn't have done it, but the shock of change sort of delayed that feeling.)
A great night with good friends. One of those nights where you lose track of time, conversation never stops, and life (and everyone) feels infinite.
We spent an afternoon working. We made an orange mead, tasted & racked the Fredonia we had sitting in the basement for almost 2 years (!!), and I finally tasted & racked the gluten-free beer I made that's done fermenting. The Fredonia is delicious. It's our first wine made from our grapes that we grew. I'm so excited to bottle it with some fancy labels and share it! My gluten-free beer actually tastes like a beer and the hop flavor is fantastic, so I might have to make a big batch of the same recipe.
Early mornings at the gym are the best. Just a couple folks. Quiet. I've also started doing push-ups everyday. Real ones. As many as I can. Until I can actually do them well and correctly and for multiple sets. I'm up to 8. 1 per set. :)
I started using Instagram again. I like the ease of creativity. I enjoy looking at everyone else's work. I think I just need to trim down who I follow and keep it strictly art. I don't want to end up feeling the same way about Instragram that I ended up feeling about Twitter...
.... which is pure hatred :)
Leaps in the forest.
15*F at 8:45a.m. It really doesn't feel that bad. Porter (the dog) is galloping through the streams. There is no wind; no sun, either. Sometimes, your hands go numb or your nose runs. We jump streams of ice and balance on fallen trees.
It's funny when I told some people we went hiking that day. They know it was cold and why are we so crazy to do that?!? Well, why not? It's like.. I can sit on my couch or I can go have a life.
That's my new mission.
I've become this big advocate of get the fuck up and do some living! Start running, start lifting weights, start cooking healthy, start being creative, start finding ways to happiness, go on a cruise, build your own business, just do it!! I know that I annoy the shit out of everyone. But, I can't help it. The thrill is out there and I want people to feel it. Whether it's a hike in the forest, a marathon, a weight loss goal, or the final piece to opening your own brand new business - there's a thrill, you'll feel it if you do it, no matter how small the task.
I know there's no ONE way to live your life. That being said, my way isn't syncing with other people's ways. But, you know.. I can sit on my couch, trying to force others into my way.. or I can go have a life. I can just go do it. Because life doesn't come to you.. right? You gotta go find it.
I guess all that matters is I've found at least one person who is willing to put on five layers of clothes and head out into the freezing wilderness with me.
Working.
Bent Over Dumbbell Row - 15x10x4
Upright Row - 15x10x4
Renegade Row - 15x10x4
Bicep Curl, sets to fail - 15x15, 15x12, 15x12
Kneeling Push-ups - 15x2
Russian Twists - 15x100x2
Upright Row - 15x10x4
Renegade Row - 15x10x4
Bicep Curl, sets to fail - 15x15, 15x12, 15x12
Kneeling Push-ups - 15x2
Russian Twists - 15x100x2
Things to note:
I suck at push-ups.
I feel awesome.
I eat a lot, but I don't care. I'm doing my best to eliminate as much processed crap as possible. No more Lean Cuisines. Sure, they're easy, but I'd rather take the time to fry up my own veggies and meat at lunchtime than eat styrofoam chicken. Salsa is my new favorite salad dressing. Best idea ever. Also? Finally got rid of all that damn chocolate from Christmas. !!!!.
Tomorrow is yoga. STIFF.
Just a few.
Things I learned over the weekend.
I like sipping Jameson on the rocks. Sounds a little dangerous, but it's tasty and beats the heck out of cider. (Gluten intolerance = no beer = sad life).
Starting your own business is more than just fun and money. There's a whole mess "behind the scenes" and I need to learn some good skills to keep that organized. Receipts and notes and contact info and calendars, oh my!
I "let go" of Twitter. It feels good. No, it feels great.
I love doing. Hiking in 15 degree weather is harsh and tiring, but - nature! icicles! jumping streams! fresh air! exercise! love! - you can't get this shit on your couch.
I started a blog. Hey!
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