Inspiration - Hiatus...

Right now I just want to chill for a while. Take a hiatus from all the craziness. To clean my house, see my family. Just see some movies and pick some strawberries. ~ Lauren Ambrose

OK, I've cleaned my house - but I am going to see my family (Big Brother is coming for a visit) and I may eat some strawberries, there may even be a movie or two. Blogging will be sporadic (as will my comments on other blogs, but I will be reading ;)

Talk soon,

50 Days (51) of Exercise - The Results...

I did it! The 50 Day Challenge is over (yes, I ran yesterday, making it 51 days in a row of sweat-inducing exercise)! Here's the breakdown of the numbers:

Number of run days:  37

Number of spin bike days:  14

Number of days I didn't feel like doing it: 12

Number of miles run: 138.87 (this included a half marathon)

Number of pounds lost: 2

Number of inches lost: 5 1/2 (obviously, much muscle gained if I only lost 2 pounds - love my toned calf muscles)

Resting heart rate at start: 58

Resting heart rate at end: 54

Mental and Physical Strength - the gains are priceless!

I think the biggest mental gain is just knowing I can do it. The confidence in taking myself out and running, beyond my comfort level and even when sore. Or when I didn't want to do it - that push to complete a day in the challenge proved that I can always find time and I can always get it done. I don't push myself mentally...

...or physically. I had no idea I was that strong. For years I've been running with walk breaks, trying to do non-stop runs and quitting after one. Yes, it's hard. Yes, it's sometimes painful (not in a serious injury way, just tired and sore muscle way). But if I push myself, I can do it. I am now running non-stop consistently for 35 minute stretches. My private journal (the one I bought myself on my 50th birthday and has the Helen Keller quote, "Anything is possible" on the cover to which I add, "when you're 50") has most of my entries ending with the advice - YOU CAN DO THIS, PUSH YOURSELF, JANET!!!

And I'm getting stronger every day!

I'm also enjoying running more. That has been the biggest gain. I've even experienced some moments of Runner's High, where I feel awesome. Don't get me wrong, there are still times when I'm out there slogging, wondering when it's going to end, how much farther, swearing at the whole idea of running. But those run days are fewer and farther between.

There have been so many milestones in this 50 (51) day journey (faster times, longer intervals, the day I found my running stride and felt effortless) that it really has been a win-win adventure. Would I do it again? Yes, and I may once my official training for the 50K is over. Would I recommend anyone else trying it? Yes, but followed quickly with the advice that it's not for everyone and you have to listen very closely to your body (injury is not the goal of a challenge like this). This worked for me! I'm so very glad I did it (and a huge thanks to Brenda who cheered me on and was there for times when I needed to curse about the whole stupid challenge - and who told me to "Go for it").

Thanks to everyone who followed along and cheered me on - from the e-mails to the comments, and the congratulations, I appreciate it greatly :)

Inspiration - WOW!

Yard Work, Running and Onion Rings...

Monday's are becoming non-blogging days it seems! With the weather turning to summer-warm, I find myself out the door much earlier for my run and that messes with my usual morning schedule. In fact, things may get even more sporadic around here - we have company coming next week and then more company shortly after the first company leaves. Busy times - so don't be surprised if Janet's Journal contains blank pages here and there! I'm invoking the "Blogging without Obligation" clause!

Other news - a big work Sunday for us in the yard, with temperatures hovering in the high 20s, low 30s and humidity levels of near 100%! Needless to say, it was hot. And sticky. And dirty. And we were in the yard doing yard work, so get your mind out of the gutters ;) I was very good about protection (again, yard work, people). I slathered myself in sunscreen and wore a hat. But sunscreen is only good on the parts of your body you get it on - those parts where the shoulder straps of your tank top creep up because you're hauling dirt, digging or hoisting heavy watering cans burn rather quickly in those conditions. And where the tank top rides up - yeah, I know have a swatch of hot red skin across my lower back! But the yard looks fabulous!!

Other, other news - yesterday was Day 45 in my 50 Day Challenge. The end's in sight - Saturday will be my 50th day and the end of a challenge I didn't know whether or not I could accomplish. I will be posting a "Lessons Learned" when I finish - and, believe me, there have been a lot of lessons learned! I'm hoping to end my streak the way I began, with a stretch of running days. Today will be my 5th day of running in a row if the rain lets up!

My other challenge - no fast food for 2013 - has led to severe nightmares of hamburgers and onion rings! Yes, I dreamt of onion rings last night - and a fast food outlet special that was too good to pass up, meaning I was going to bail on my self-imposed ban. I knew in my dream that I was going to fail in my attempt if I ordered the damn special, but I couldn't stop myself. The others I was with (I couldn't tell you who they were) ordered the special with fries - I had to wait 30 minutes for my onion rings, so I convinced myself, with a wait that long, that it was no longer fast food. Unfortunately, a man was murdered out on the street and someone was waving a bottle of single-malt Scotch, luring me over, so I never got my onion rings!

This morning - I REALLY WANT ONION RINGS!!!!!

I Don't, I Won't, I Should, I Could...

I don't know what happened yesterday - I completely forgot to reply to my comments (read them in my e-mail program, just didn't get back to the blog to reply). I apologize!!

I won't mention anything about my weekend since last weekend's plans didn't come to fruition - being very quiet about what I want my weekend to look like. However, there will be some gardening, some running and some house cleaning. Spring always triggers my need to clean and move furniture - and with my brother and sister-in-law heading this way in less than two weeks, I have even more incentive!

I should download pictures off my camera. I have a bunch that I want to use for blogposts (and then I wouldn't be sitting here wondering what to write about every morning). Is it laziness? Or just a lack of good time management (saw a quote the other day about there being no such thing as time management, just self-management). I did, however, go through some of my pictures and create a file to take to one of those photo kiosks to get printed out. I have a vision of creating a photo wall in the spare room of all our visitors. I have to remember to tackle this like the "Island Gardening", sometimes my 'visions' can be overwhelming.

I could use a second cup of coffee this morning. I seems to have been a long week (probably because last week had Monday as the Canadian May Holiday known as Victoria Day). But it is Friday - yay! And it is sunny - yay! And I have a run to do before it heats up out there (already 16C/61F) in order to mark of Day 42!! 42 days of moving my body (running, spinning) - I still can't believe it! One more week and I'll be done my challenge. Last night I was thinking of how crazy it was, but then I remembered my Lent Challenge of a couple of years ago - 40 days without wine!! Now that was crazy :)

Have a great weekend, Everyone!!

Island Gardening...

The quotes yesterday were a lead up to this post. You may not know this, but I am not a gardener. I want to be a gardener - I love wandering past people's yards and admiring their gardens! And I have beautiful pictures in my head of what my garden would look like. But going from that to reality is overwhelming. It's very much like going from running 10 minutes to wanting to do a full marathon. Or writing a novel - from start to finish takes an amazing amount of time and patience.

Last year I transplanted a Lilac bush that wasn't doing well where it had been located. And I bought a Forsythia. Then I dug around the two bushes and created two little islands in my yard. I spread mulch around to hide the dirt. I liked it so much I dug around another two bushes, added the mulch and with one I plopped a huge rock next to the bush and with the other, I placed my garden bunnies. Then I dug a big spot to transplant some Alberta Roses and a Peony and a Spirea - I shaped it like a miniature ball diamond (not intentionally, but when done, that's what it reminded me of).

 

Before

 

 

After

 

So, as I was looking over my garden this year, wondering how I was going to get from zero to acres and acres of beautiful flowers and shrubs, the idea to 'Island Garden' popped into my head. I have three more bushes to dig around, two of which now have transplanted Hostas close by. I'll create an 'island' and add mulch. Then, as the years progress, I'll simply expand the islands and add a plant or two. This will keep everything neat and tidy (if I don't feel like doing anything, it won't matter) AND I won't feel overwhelmed!!

 

I'm not sure where I got the term "Island Gardening" - I thought it was somewhere on the Internet, but I can't find the reference. No matter, I love the idea and am actually excited about gardening in this very easy way! Basically, it leaves more time to sit on the patio and sip a cool glass of wine or a nice Gin and Tonic!!! Now that's summer living!!!

 

 

Inspiration - Gardening...

Among gardeners, enthusiasm and experience rarely exist in equal measures. ~ Roger B. Swain

 

A weed is but an unloved flower. ~ Ella Wheeler Wilcox

 

If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need. ~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

A weed is a plant that has mastered every survival skill except for learning how to grow in rows. ~ Doug Larson

Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help. Gardening is an instrument of grace. ~ May Sarton

 

In every gardener there is a child who believes in The Seed Fairy. ~ Robert Brault

 

One of the healthiest ways to gamble is with a spade and a packet of seeds. ~ Dan Bennett

 

The heart is like a garden. It can grow compassion or fear, resentment or love. What seeds will you plant there? ~ Buddha