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ONEKIDSMOM's Recent Blog Entries
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Monday, December 26, 2011
My blended training plan had "Swim" written on it for today. After all, the gym was closed yesterday, so outdoor exercise was perfect. The gym is open today, and Sundays or Mondays are my normal swim days. But a look outdoors at the bright sunshine, and a quick glance at the indoor/outdoor thermometer rising to the 50 mark outdoors drew me toward the door on foot instead.
A walk today, not a jog. Took my book along for the journey (yes, I'm one of those fools that walk and read at the same time), but also took the time to look up and see the beauty I was walking through. The lake is partially frozen, with wide stretches of open water out in the center.
I walked the bike trails beyond the dog run, coming home a different way from yesterday, walking through groves of pine. The mapping function tells me I covered 4.26 miles in the 80 minutes I was out.
I also took the time to contemplate competition. I responded to my brother's blog this morning with a crack about the nature of competition... "does your competitive nature make you drag your feet from activity that you cannot be the best at?" It kind of extends: how many times in your life's journey have you denigrated a goal, rather than reach for it? The old "sour grapes" attitude?
As I think about 2012 and my determination to continue into year 3 of "maintenance"... that competition contemplation is relevant. It is in some ways related to perfectionism getting in the way of excellence. A competitive spirit that says it is better not to try than to try and fail to win, is very similar.
Thus, one of my prime tools in successful living lies in giving myself permission to be a failure: in changing my mindset to believe that it is better to try and fail than never to try at all.
With that, I have to once again declare that Life is Good! Spark on! 
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Yesterday I got a visit from one of my sisters and her daughter, bearing an "Auntie Gift" of the pigtail hat. Today I discovered that despite my embracing my second childhood, said hat doesn't withstand the rigors of jogging.
It started to slip off toward the end of mile one of my four mile journey. I tucked it into a pocket until I dropped back to a walk for the last mile.
No such problem with the running tights. They performed marvelously. Not that it was that chilly out... I think it was close to 50, if not topping that, sunny, very little if any wind. Lots of folks were out and about this Christmas afternoon.
Since I didn't host last night, I was able to go to church at 7, and be home before my normal bedtime. Amazing how at my age routine is my friend. I really don't like staying out late, throws me off too much.
Now I'm stretched and showered and satisfied... feels good! Wishing you all the peace of the season, and the fitness you're working for.
Saturday, December 24, 2011
'twas the morn' before Christmas and all through the gym,
The treadmills were crowded, the faces were grim.
Edited to expand:
'twas the morn' before Christmas
and all through the gym
The treadmills were crowded
The faces were grim!
The benches were covered with sweat-dripping towels
We vied for the free weights
We didn't want dowels.
And after the grunting
The cool down and stretching
There came relieved grins
The smiles became fetching.
And we heard one another
As each one departed...
"Boy that sure felt good.
I am glad that I started."
And we heard the staff sigh,
as they locked the doors tight.
"Merry Christmas to all!
Now go turn out the light!"
Ok, done, 'nuff parody. But seriously, the gym closed at 2 p.m. today, and is closed on Christmas Day, so anybody who wanted a serious workout was there in spades, crowding us all together. I had Handel's Messiah in the ear buds and it felt good to be back after my "sideline" trip this week. I did the trainer's first workout, then came home, showered and changed into something more festive.
Wishing all my fellow Sparklers a happy, healthy, sane next few days... for that matter, next week!
Friday, December 23, 2011
I managed to sideline myself with some kind of bug for the past couple of days. I think what my mom used to call the "holiday flu" is at least partly self-imposed by eating the rich foods of the season and overstressing. This particular time it was different. It seemed to start out with the sinus "weather nose". Which puzzles me because we haven't had much "weather".
I skipped the gym and went to bed early on Tuesday. Wednesday I couldn't cajole myself into going to work, just felt pretty lousy. I did this at least in part as preventative strategy. I know the bulk of my team is taking today off, and I for sure didn't want to press my luck earlier in the week, wear myself out, leave me sicker, and leave the workplace uncovered for the last work day before Christmas.
I got so far as to go to work yesterday, but packed it in after an hour. My body probably could have survived, but my mind was not functioning and I was still feeling that weariness.
Being this odd kind of ill got me thinking and pondering over fitness versus health. Being sick while fit is somehow different from being sick while unfit. That whole "my body could have survived" might be part of the difference... I think I'm better before I'm wholly recovered. I did let my body have a little more activity yesterday than the day before.
This is fighting a childhood conversation with my mother in my head: "If you're too sick to go to school"... I think I've written this one before. At my age, though... it's having to change. "If you're too sick to think clearly, you have no business being at work. But you still have to take care of your body." That doesn't mean "go out and play" but it does mean nurture yourself, and that may include taking some steps, pacing in the house or walking gently on the treadmill. No extremes, but moving.
Balance in all things. Here's to a better health day, recovery and a self-nurturing Christmas weekend!
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Most of the TV station "retrospective" shows come between Christmas and New Year's. This is not surprising... we tend to look back, assess, and move forward at anniversaries of significance: beginning/end of a school year, a project, too. New Year's is just one of those times we have agreed on as being an ending / beginning.
Since I sort of feel "I've had my Christmas" and am all full of that glow... I've started to move on to restrospective thoughts. Here are a few that roam through my warped brain this morning:
2011 was a year with losses, and we're not talking poundage. We are talking people and pets beloved. We are talking health issues among loved ones. Taken in the right light, losses can bring us closer together and make us appreciate more what we do have... I've see that in action this year, and for this I am grateful. Taken in the right light, they can motivate us to take care of ourselves and our own health. For this, also, I am grateful.
2011 was a year of athleticism. The bling and the t-shirt collection grew this year with a 10 mile, a half marathon, a mud run 5K, two "ordinary" 5K's, and a 5 mile effort on foot. Some walking, some walking/jogging intervals. The sense of accomplishment and "Yes, I can!" is priceless.
It was a year of maintenance, the second since declaring myself "done" with the losing phase. But it was truly the first year of attempting to truly NOT lose. The first year of maintenance I let my body drift downward and find its true "home" range. This "not losing" thing is tricky, and I hope I am learning the tricks so that "not losing" doesn't turn into "slowly gaining"!
2011 was a year when I began re-assessing how long I want to keep working. The losses have a tendency to point one's thought in that direction. The health issues of others make one realize one's own mortality: I expect that this theme will continue into 2012. You get to this point in life and you start to sense that you can CHOOSE what to do with whatever you are blessed to have remaining, that you need to steer into the next phase of life.
I don't know what 2012 will bring, but I'm starting to think about what I will put on my "wish list / reward list". I know I've already signed up for the half marathon in May. I have my sights on my first Triathlon in July. In between and around? Who knows? But fitness has to be part of my life. It just does. No doubts about that.
And one of the big keys to keeping that motivation and remembering how much it means to me? Right here, friends and fellow Sparklers... in my own blogs and those of others, in the Spark teams and the tracking.
Love you all!
Happy Hannukah to the Jewish among you... I'll think of you lighting candles tonight. 
Merry Christmas to those in advent... I can feel it in the air! 
And a wonderful week to all!
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Member Comments About This Blog Post:
Love um!
I only licked a couple of spatulas, but started the morning off with two glazed donuts. I haven't had a donut in sooooooo long. Mmmmm!
