Racing Mr. Trash Truck Man.

I do believe I tempted summer to revamp the temperatures with all my fancy summer's over talk.

 Hey hey 100 degrees, nice to see you again. Since this is the week that I started bringing my mileage back up a little bit, I'm reminding myself that ahem, cool fall runs are right around the corner.

This morning I ran in an area that I don't typically run in and it was great to switch up the scenery. It was after 8 am, so the sun way UP and it was really warm. I was dripping in sweat before I made it the length of a block.

If we had a contest to see who could be the most random while out for a run, I'd win. Case in point; 

Part way through my run I started to smell something pretty wretched, which thankfully turned out NOT to be me. The trash truck and I played tag for a few minutes up the street until I said "Last one to the next bag has to lift it!" I thought I was joking, but I ended up getting beaten by a dude with a pretty mad sprint despite steel-toe boots. Nastiest bag of trash I have ever met, but I threw that sucker like a pro and the driver offered me a tootsie roll. 

The best part about it was the roofing crew on the house next door who all burst out in applause, obviously for my stellar trash-bag-lifting skills.

  

The second best part was it reminded me of this gem of a video. .

What's the most random thing that has ever happened to you while running?

Five Things Friday.

1. I woke up this evening with 3 red, itchy, swollen bites on my face. I'm not even sure I can express how disturbing it is to know that apparently there is a (no-longer hungry) little creature in my room. Might as well sleep outside, if you're going to get eaten by bugs, you might as well see some stars at the same time!


2. Did you know that Quest bar wrappers will catch on fire in your microwave? Apparently the same rule that applies to aluminum foil also applies to quest bar wrappers. Whowouldathunkit.

3. My friend came over, hid in a dark hallway and jumped out at me when I came inside from dumping compost. I screamed and the 5 pound crock-pot I was carrying nearly destroyed her face. Sorry Katie, I hope you still love me. 

4. I absolutely despise being caught without a pen......so naturally I keep plenty with me in my vehicle at all times but it occurred to me that 6 may be overkill. I feel like Ginnifer Goodwin on Something Borrowed without the adorable laugh and obnoxious best friend (oh, wait, I do have one of those).  "You wouldn't happen to have 4 extra pens would you?"

5. Last week I was mistaken for the mother of my 19 year old friend. If I had her at the age 15, that would make me 34. I'm all about maturity but at this rate I might as well give in and let aging take over completely.

Are you guessed your age? Older? Younger?

When was the last time someone scared you?  

Summer REcapped.

Summer isn't my favorite season, and I'm never particularly sad to see it go. Something about boxing up those piles of shorts and flips-flops (or, if you're like me' continuing to wear them around the house even during the dead of winter while mumbling about how cold I am) makes the departure of summer just a tad bittersweet. I'm not going to complain, because when summer slips away, the most beautiful season ever begins!

But this summer passed with lightening speed and for the first time ever, I've had just a tinge of sadness as it winds to a close. This sadness is quickly erased with a visit to pinterest and the one hundred and sixty recipies for protein pumpkin pancakes.......

I was pretty quiet on the blog the past few months, which hardly tells the tale of the summer I lived. A few glimpses of the many full and busy days of summer 2013.

Blueberry picking- one of my favorite summer activities! I spent a morning in the patch with my nephews and nieces one wretchedly humid July morning and the fruits of our labors were well worth it.


 My beautiful niece and her mother- can you believe that she's the mother of 6 children?!?! Teach my your youthful secrets, oh wise one. 

Visits from friends complete with coffee, walks on old dirt roads and talking for we-lost-count-of-how-many-hours straight.

Suppers at the baseball diamond. 

Throwing hay and enjoying every hard-earned blister. 

Crossfit workouts that try to take your life.

Photo shoots for newly engaged friends.........

Working........an outrageously busy 6 weeks at work and daily reminders of just how much I freaking love my job.

Running to avoid the heat, beat insomnia and get my miles in before work. Average running time on any given day; 0300, which is 3am for the military-time challenged.


Picnics with the little people.

Tell me your favorite 2013 summer memory??

It's worse than Twerking.

Judging. Hating. Belittling. Bashing. Mocking.

So, so, SO much worse than twerking.

The performances at the 2013 VMA's have caused all types of social media mediums to blow up with commentary on the now-famous Miley Cyrus twerking session. 

Instagram: odd photo likening a chicken's butt to Miley's butt with the caption; "good heavens, someone teach that girl to squat."

Twitter: "what drug induced that version of the twerk?"

Facebook; "I can't hardly believe she shook it like that; that girl needs Jesus."

Well, yes, dear, she probably does, but your finger-pointing only advertises YOUR need for Jesus as well.

My personal opinion of the performance aside, I am calling out the haters. 

It's not okay to bash other people, regardless of their behavior. 

Actions always spring from root issues within our hearts. 

If someone is acting in an unusual manner, it's evidence of something within their soul that is hurting/lost/confused/searching etc.....That person who just did something that got your knickers in a knot did it because they are inwardly suffering, so don't get hung up on their behavior- see beyond face value and look to the heart. 

As a member of the fitness community, I've been amazed at the number of people who have bashed Miley, not over the explicit content of her show, but because of how her body looked. I've seen people on both sides of the fence;

Pilates/yoga perspective; "she be looking all fine, those gym sessions are working!!"

Bodybuilding perspective; "she needs to be hit with a barbell." 

Those are two extreme ends of the spectrum, but many people have been hating on Miley from a 'fitness' perspective. 

That's not what the fitness community is about. We're athletes. 

We're not sitting on our pedestals, desperate to throw stones at each other, are we? 

Each person is running their own race, lifting their own weight, fighting their own fight. 

Take the time to stop and think about the last 3 comments you made about another person. 

Was is about something they SAID? 

Something they wore?

 Something they accomplished? 

Someway they failed? 

There is more to every person than what meets your eye. 

People may not remember what you look like, but they will always remember how you made them feel. 

Each person we encounter makes a mark in our lives. Sometimes, their behavior/attitude/choices are negative, and have a negative impact on our life. This does not give us license to throw stones. It doesn't exempt us from our responsibility to love and build up the people in our lives. 

There are always going to be people who have a different opinion or lifestyle than we do. The runner verses the meat-head. The vegetarian verses the paleo (read; meat-at-every-meal) dieter. The Christian verses the atheist. The workaholic verses the lazy man who lives off the government. 

Every person is different, unique- special. It's not our job to try and fit each person into the same neat little box. It's our job to live our life in accordance to our conscience and our convictions and love the crap out of everyone we meet; the good, the bad and the ugly. 

Focus on the good; praise the excellent and strive for personal greatness.

Thoughts? 

(Disclaimer; I am not endorsing Miley's performance, merely using her controversial display as a springboard for greater thoughts.)

Five things Friday.

1.  This weather is seriously messing with my mind. It's been bring-a-sweatshirt-to-work with you chilly this week, and it has my brain thinking all sorts of (wildly happy) fall thoughts. Hold your horses, it's still August!! 

2. I have the best brother in the world. My vehicle was in the shop, so he lent me his new (barely-driven) car for the week. My very first morning driving it I nailed bambi on my way to work. It very nearly ruined my week, but thanks to my excellent brother, it became a mere bump in the road. (ha ha ha, someone laugh at my pun!!) 

3.  I break out in a sweat anytime my phone battery dips down below 50%. I think this has happened twice in the almost 3 years I've had it. I don't leave my house without a charger so that I can top it off 24/7. Weird.

4.  Push-mowing is my favorite way to spend my 'active rest day' every week. It's like exercising without actually exercising. I love it. It's also a great mood booster and a great place to take your anger. "Don't talk to me, I'm MOWING..........die little green grass, die!!!"

5. I am addicted to oatmeal. I eat it once a day, and sometimes I pretend I'm too busy to make supper so that I can eat it twice in one day. I am not ashamed to order it at a restaurant (because now seriously; who does that?). I have tried it with pretty much ever nut and berry known to man. I would not be offended if you invited me over for supper and served my oatmeal. Future boyfriend; you can bring me oatmeal at work instead of flowers. The irony of this is that the only time I remember skipping breakfast growing up were the days my Mom served oatmeal. (sorry Mom.)

Walk and Walk and Talk the Talk.

Or be miserable. 

One of my goals in life is to be radiant joy. Not just possess it; be it.

To infuse every situation I encounter with life, and love and laughter. I want to search for the silver lining, see the glass half full (of chocolate milk, of course) and never cry over spilled milk. 

Life isn't always peachy though. A good attitude, a positive outlook on life- it does not just happen. You do not wake up one day and everything is just oh-la-la, this is fun and perfect. No. A good attitude is the result of a decision, and actions taken to accomplish said decision.

I am constantly repeating "attitude it a choice not a feeling". I say this to people in person, on my blog, and in my head. 

I saw this statement this morning and I had to contemplate the validity of it in my own life. I don't want to simply know the truth in my heart and  in my head- I want to operate within the truth. I've done a less than stellar job this month of operating within what I know to be true. It's been a hectic, confusing month, but regardless of what life hands us- it our choice how we choose to handle each situation we encounter. 

Sometimes we need an attitude check-  I think I need one everyday.
Today I"m challenging myself to not just talk about having a good attitude, but to create one. 

Focus on the Good.

I promise you, not matter how rotten your life may seem, you can always find something that is good- something you can be grateful for. Yes, you may have a $75 tow bill for your vehicle, but hey, they printed it on pink paper, and pink is your favorite color. Find something to be grateful for and HANG ON to it. 

Be Consistent. 

Just because you did a good job staying positive about # 1, 2 and 3 that weren't exactly puppies and rainbows and doughnuts doesn't mean that you can let yourself off the hook with #4. When you allow even the insiest, tinsiest bit of negativity to take root in your heart or life it multiplies like teenagers at a Bieber concert. 

When in Doubt: do push ups. 

NO really, this isn't a mood booster, but if you're going to be grumpy, you might as well have a decent pair of guns. 

Be Still. 

"Be still and know that I am God." 

Psalms 46:10

How do you choose to reject negativity in your life? 

What changes do you notice in your life when you don't actively seek a good attitude? 

Five things Friday.

I'm not sure what it is about the weekend that puts me in such a random mood but I start out thinking about oatmeal and the next thing I know, 8, 9, 10, hey have you seen my snowman??

Anyway......

1. The best feeling in the entire world is going to bed without setting an alarm. I can't remember the last time this happened so when I crashed into bed last night alarm-less I was so giddy with excitement I almost kept myself kept wake. Sometimes we just need a day with no starting line.

2. I haven't had a drop of coffee in 11 days (because I'm currently smashing this challenge). Probably setting a world record for myself right now. On the bright side, I functioned like the perfectly abnormal, slightly crazy, sarcastic, mostly delusional person that I typically am, so the absence of coffee hasn't affected me that deeply. But still...........what I wouldn't give for a good dark cuppa joe.  (How do people live without coffee? I'm chill without the caffeine, but seriously........the taste, the smell, the comfort, the habit..........I miss it!!)

3. Am I the only person who is getting wildly excited for football season to start??!? Surely not. Surely I'm not the only person who adores football? 

4. A good attitude is worth more than gold. Your life literally depends upon it. Good attitudes don't just happen- they are intentional. They are tough. And yes, some days I am kicking and screaming to myself because I don't wanna stop having my own little pity party, worry fest or misery wallow.........but it's just not worth it. I don't want to look back on my life and know that I lived in the dumps.

5. I abhor the Apple brand. I adore my Iphone, but I refuse to use any other Apple products. I've maintained this opinion for longer than I can recall............am I missing something? What is it that makes Apple the jam? (I think there was a pun in that question..........find it.) 

The (S)More the Merrier!

Smack dab in the middle of camping season, we find this wonderful day in which we celebrate the wonderful, ooey, gooey roasted perfection called the S'more.

In other words; it's National S'Mores Day. 

If you give a girl a campfire, she's gonna want a S'more......and we can thanks those girls for introducing the first S'mores to our great nation in 1927. Or maybe before, but that's when they shared the secret with us.

There never was a more delicious, or  more difficult to politely devour eat treat. 

Some fun facts about S'mores;

~ 90 million pounds of marshmallows are sold every year--- and 50% of them are used to make S'mores.

~ The first time I ever had a S'more I got marshmallow in my hair, and vowed to never eat them again because they were too messy. I have since learned to embrace the mess. Messy food tastes the best.

~ S'mores got their name because you always want 'some more'. (true, so very, very true!!)

~Some people make their s'mores using a microwave or a toaster. This is borderline evil. Open fires only for proper s'mores cooking!! 

When was the last time you had a S'more? 

Do you burn your marshmallow or slow roast it to perfection?

July Goals RECAP and August Goals.

July Goals;

1. Eat Clean.

FAIL. This one is a post all in itself, and I'm not quite ready to go there yet.......but I didn't come close to achieving this goal.

2. Speed Work 1x per week.

CHECK! Despite the multitude of workouts I skipped in July, my speedwork at the track was the one workout I accomplished faithfully each week. I still abhor and despise speedwork, but I realize the importance that it plays in my running and so I will continue to make it a priority.

3. Perform 5 handstand pushups. 

CHECK! I surprised myself at how quickly I accomplished this goal. I still feel wobbly performing these, but I've built up to 7 in a row. Winning! 

4. Celebrate life from a non health/fitness perspective.

WORKING ON IT! I definitely had to face life from a non health/fitness perspective this past month, but I can't say that I necessarily celebrated it.

August Goals; 
 

1. 21 Day Detox Challenge.
One of my favorite bloggers is co-hosting a 21 day detox challenge, which comes at absolutely perfect timing for me. July was a less than stellar month for me and I'm sad to say there was a lot of abuse that I put my body through. My body needs a reset & reboot, and I'm looking forward to this challenge! For 21 days we will be cutting out all caffeine, dairy, gluten, red meat and all processed foods. I will also NOT be counting calories, monitoring my macros or keeping my food journal for the month of August. I've kept a faithful food journal for 2 years and it has been one of the key tools in my weight loss journey, but lately it's become one of the key components to some really damaging habits.

2. Get 6 hours of sleep per night.
'Night' being a word I am using quite loosely, since my regular night shift hours mean that often time I'm going to bed at sunrise. While still well under the recommended amount of 'healthy' sleep, a 6 hour block of sleep will be a vast improvement for me. I don't sleep enough, and adequate rest is a key component of physical, emotional and mental health.


3. Read a book.
Like a real one- with two covers and a copyright. I love reading, but it's something I never do anymore. The only things I read regularly are blogs and my RUNNERS WORLD magazines. Sometime you just need a real book- with real pages and real content. Any suggestions for a must-read?

4. Get a new 1-mile PR.
I don't like to set running goals, because they make running feel like work, but when I don't set goals, my progress is sketchy at best. My current 1 mile PR is 7:45.

Tell me about your goals!