…Miles that is.  A new personal best for me as of late and taking it to the next challenge level.  I was apprehensive at first but I mapped out MyRoute and hit the pavement running.  Today was a little different from other days.  It was raining this morning and I had an early commute so the a.m. run just wasn’t happening.  Fortunately, by the time I returned from work it was sunny and I was ready to keep up my successful pace.  After about a mile my side started to cramp, a first for this challenge.  I breathed it out for a few blocks and it felt fine for the rest of the distance.  My next obstacle was the wind.  As I rounded the final mile, it was really blowing and head-on, which was hard on my lungs, but stuck it out and finished my route!  Feeling tired but accomplished, I did my stretches and am now taking advantage of some alone time while The All-Star gets artsy. I think I’ll read.  Haven’t done that in a while.

After my run, I grabbed a piece of cheese.  This was not a good idea.  The fat made my stomach uneasy.  As much as I think I know about food, and I still make bad choices.  It happens, I’m weak and human.  Next time I’ll opt for some fruit, a healthier decision.  Self forgiven.

Total miles run since day one…12.63.  Not bad.  I’m excited to see what the end number will be.

Today’s inspiration was shared with me by my lovely Aunt Retta who has a heart of gold and the strength of steel…

“The woman came out of man’s rib, not from his feet to be walked on, not from his head to be superior, but from his side to be equal.  Under the arm to be protected, and next to the heart to be loved.”

Thanks Aunt Retta, I love you!

Last night’s recharge meditation was just what I needed.  Today I feel great and this morning I woke up ready to start a new day and a new Challenge week.  Today’s fitness activity was a 2 1/2 mile run to the beach and back.  My new neighborhood is so cool.  I love jogging past all the little beach houses and the closer I get to the coast, the more beach bungalo-ey they get.  I finally feel like I’m living “California.”  It only took 2 years.

I’m continuing to feel really good on my runs.  No aches or cramps.  Feet feel good and breathing is steady.  I’m certainly getting the hang of it.  After my run today I did some good stretching, which I have been forgetting to do.  The pre-run stretch I remember, but when I return I’m all about getting out of my sweaty clothes and tracking MyRoute, that I forget to make sure my body is where it needs to be.  Note to self…REMEMBER TO STRETCH!  So I did today, and had some lunch and got myself ready for work.  On the car ride in, I felt soooo good.  It was a combination of adrenaline and euphoria.  I was calm, awake, and happy to be alive.  How’s that for a new drug?!

So enough about me.  I’d like to give a High Five shout out to The All-Star who’s starting his first day at The Art Institute today.  This is just another reason why we call him The All-Star.  He knows what he wants and how to go out and get it, and of course, can succeed in whatever he sets his mind to.

Way to go baby!  Totally proud of you, (and you’re super cute)!  And I’m a little jealous, I wanna take art classes.  Maybe I’ll find a pottery class.  I still have my tools from moons ago.  Ahh, the power of inspiration.

Speaking of inspiration… Here’s yesterday’s Zen calender meditation.  I think it was more appropriate for yesterday but we can continue to think about it today.  Aloha!

“Sit silently for ten years, then for ten more years, and then for another ten years.”

I added distance to my run this morning!   I still ran to the beach and back but took a few extra turns.  It was such a warm sunny morning and my cold was kind enough not to put a damper on my Challenge progress.  I was a little worried last night.  I’m not sure how to handle the rules if I can’t get out of bed.  Fortunately, I’m thinking I’ve got a handle on this pesky cold and should continue without a missed beat.  It is my assumption that my body is just clearing out some of the toxins accumulated during my visit to NY and travel and all that.  I’m owing the release of said toxins to the exercise I’ve been doing.  Makes sense right? That could be the reason why I actually feel my best while doing the exercise.  So another successful day and now I’m free to do as I please for the rest of this beautiful Saturday.

We’re actually going to start getting ready and find a bar that’s playing the Jet game.  Playoffs!  After that it’s off to Big Bear for a party in a cabin and snowboarding tomorrow.  Very exciting.  So no run tomorrow, unless I feel like taking on that cool mountain air.  But I think taking on the mountain will be exercise enough!

For my pre-run fuel I continued with the protein shake I’ve been drinking.  The shake I drink is Juice Plus Complete.  I like this  product.  It’s a non-dairy, gluten free, whole food based powder full of phytonutrients and no artificial sweeteners.  I mix it with rice milk.  The protein is primarily soy rice based and the vitamins are all from fruits and vegetables.  It also contains probiotics and land and sea minerals like kelp, spirulina, and wheat grass.  The unfortunate thing about Juice Plus is it’s not sold in stores, however it can be purchased online.  They send you a fourth month supply but bill you monthly.  I trust this company.  The have a lot of research to back their claims and the customer service reps are friendly and helpful.  I also use this drink as a substitute for breakfast when I’m in a rush. The All-Star drinks it too, although he’d prefer it tasted like candy, rather than health food.  It also comes in vanilla flavor but I prefer the chocolate.

Words of inspiration for today…

The best thing you can do is simply show up with a positive attitude, maintaining a high level of integrity, and lead by example.

Until tomorrow.

I woke up this morning with a sore throat and burning sinuses.  It was 7:45 and I had a 9am date to do Yoga with The Kahuna.  My intention was to ride my bike the 2.7 miles to the beach apartment but that was just not happening.  I danced with the idea of staying in bed until it was time to go to work but that is not what this challenge is all about.  So at 8:30 I pulled myself together, had a protein shake, took some ColdQuell, and drove my car instead.  We used a yoga class  recorded off the Oxygen channel.  It was no easy breathin’ yoga class and perfect for today’s challenge.  Also, it was nice to have a friend join in and support my quest.  Health wise, I felt good during the class.  At present, my throat no longer hurts but my sinuses are still congested and I have a chill.

For my post-workout meal, I had an egg, mushroom and onion scramble, wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla with tomato and hot sauce.  I’m being mindful of calorie intake during this challenge.  It is not my goal to lose pounds so I need to make sure that I’m consuming enough calories to maintain a healthy weight.  Last night was a delicious dinner of baked chicken tenders, zucchini, mushroom and tomato.  It was so good and so easy to make.  I just threw it all in a pan with some breadcrumbs and seasoning and 350ºed it until it was done (about 30 minutes).

Other cool challenge additions…

Thanks to my personalized Google page, I happened upon LifeMojo, a neat website that lets me track my challenge and fitness goals.  I found it last night. There are no gimmicks or hidden agendas that I can see.  All I had to do was create the typical username, email, password for my profile and I was signed on and ready to track MyMojo.  You can add your daily activities, diet, glasses of water drank, even waist measurements if that’s included in your goals.  You can choose to have it posted to the public or not.  One feature, that I absolutely love, is they are hooked up with Googlemaps which I can use to create My Routes, and as well as see what other running/walking/cycling routes are being created in my area.  Thanks LifeMojo for keeping me motivated!  I set a goal to run 20 times before February 5.  I’ve got two in the bag! Eighteen more to go!

Today’s meditation: From the words of the tv yoga instructor…

When the mind is silent, happiness bubbles up.

Namaste

Major challenge accomplishment for me today.  The alarm went off at 6:23.  I hit the snooze once but by 6:45 I was in sneakers and on the move.  I went the same route as on Day 1.  It was not my intention but I even shaved a few minutes off my time.  The temperature was cooler and there was less traffic which helped.  The beach was beautiful and the air fresh.  It reminded me that I do love the morning. 

Last night, after some delicious lentil soup and a glass of red wine, we watched the movie Seven Pounds. It was a decent story with a predictable plot but Will Smith is a pretty good actor and I remained entertained throughout.  There was one line that stayed with me till the morning and I meditated on it during my run.  One of the characters, played by Rosario Dawson, says she wishes she had more time to learn who she is and what she likes.  Often I find myself lost on my journey and I now believe it is because my idea of what I seek is unclear.  It is not the unfamiliarity of the path that causes me to lose my way, but an unfamiliarity with myself that leads to confusion.  How do I know that I want to be on this path?  Will I be happy where I end up?  Am I strong enough to make it?  One of the greatest parts of the path to wellness is the self-discovery that occurs along the way.  My goal is practice being more aware of it. 

This morning I discovered that I really like jogging in the morning, while in the past it was something I said I could never do.  The truth is my body is fully capable, my mind just didn’t want to do it.   

Zen Calender Meditation for January 7, 2010

“We shape clay into a pot, but it is the emptiness inside that holds whatever we want.”  – Tao Te Ching