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Tysley's Space"Begin each day as though it were on pupose."
May 20 Staring at LifeHi All!
Just wanted to stop by and say hello! I have alot going on these days and it has my mind a little frazzled but I'm keeping an eye on everyone's space and commenting when I can. Please keep my family and I in your prayers if you are the praying type. Nothing serious, just life mostly. My friend SN and I were talking the other day and she was saying that her eyes were tired from staring at...life. Ha! Accurate description for me these days. Just too much sometimes.
I'm in training again for another 5K. I know! I'm crazy! It's in the city where I live so I thought I'd go try it out and see if I can shave some time off from my last run. I've decided that if I could do my 5K's on a treadmill, I'd be a force to be reckoned with but this outside stuff is torture! Oh, well. Just keep plugging along I guess:) I did find a wonderful running store that I love and I think I've decided on the right shoes for me. I'm sure they will be instrumental in turning me in to a lean, mean running machine! Ha!
That's it from here. Take care! -T May 06 Livin' EasyYeah! Spring has finally sprung! I think...I hope! It has been so nice the last few days and I'm hoping we are finally on the good side of this crazy weather pattern. So today at my team meeting, we started with an icebreaker. I asked everyone to write down some things they are looking forward to this Summer. Little things that just make this time of year great. I had started my own list and I was looking for ideas. I posted some of them below. Feel free to add to the list or borrow some of our suggestions. Some of them are MN specific so you may have to come visit me to do them:)
Pedicures
Lunch in the park
Iced coffees
Movies in the park
Sunday brunch on Grand Ave
Washing the car in the driveway
Flip flops
Walk around Lake Calhoun
Trips to the zoo
Ice cream
Running outside
Trips to see family
BBQ's
Skirts
Yoga in the park
Reading at the cabin
Sky diving
Day trips
NO COAT
Music festivals
Happy hour on Brit's roof (really, a little slice of Heaven up there)
Shorts or capris
The State Fair
Summer Shandy beer on tap at Champps
Sangria Saturday's
Yard games
Long weekends at the cabin
Watching the company softball team play (and lose)
Grandma's marathon (NOT my suggestion..torture)
Sweltering hot days
Grill n' chill at BB's
Planting flowers
Walks with the dog
Blizzard's at Dairy Queen
Farmer's Market
Brats
Minnehaha Falls
Twins baseball
Going out on the boat
Sitting outside at Panera
Running through the sprinkler
The beach
And that's it. Doesn't it sound simply delightful? Ahh! Can't wait! We hung them up in our office and we'll mark them off as we do them. Probably won't get to all of them but it's a good place to start. Take care! -T
April 15 Slow and steadyOk, ok. An update on the 5K. I'll start from the beginning...
So Saturday I went to yoga where the substitute teacher became obsessed with difficult stretches and long hold times. Ow. Then I went shopping for some thicker socks because my feet had started doing this annoying thing where they fall asleep while I'm running. Then I came home and did some stretches to keep the back loose and happy. I also took some Aleve to help with the knees and for the sore muscles I was sure yoga would bring. I spent the rest of day with water and juice by my side. I heard juice helps with the joints. I had a conversation with TB about what to eat that night and what time to meet the next day. That evening I had a lovely meal of carbs and noticed that I had an odd pain in my left ankle. It hurt to walk, it hurt to go up the stairs. Geez! So I ice it down and pop more drugs. I spend the rest of the evening trying to stop myself from completely backing out. I fall asleep around 9:00pm and then wake up around 1:00am to Brody (the dog I'm currently watching) crying downstairs like a little baby. So knowing how sleep and I don't really get along, I just try to ignore him and fall back to sleep. No luck. I go downstairs and let Brody out and then doze on the couch while he's out getting some fresh air or whatever his issue is. After he comes back in, I do manage to go back to sleep. Thank God for small miracles. I wake up around 6:30am ready to go. I had a sense of calm come over me as I took a shower, got dressed, and mentally prepared myself. The weather was the first sunny one we had seen in several days and that gave me hope. It was still cold though. I went to Panera for a bagel and I could feel the bitter wind and my car was reading a cool 23 degrees. After breakfast, I came home and read the paper, got my stuff together, fed Brody, and finished getting dressed. I decided to wear a tank top, a long sleeve shirt, a t-shirt, and my black running pants. At the last minute, I decided to wear two pairs of socks. After I secured the hair in a bandana, I was ready to go. This 5K is called The Running of the Pigs. Our minor league baseball team is called the St. Paul Saints and for some reason their mascot is a pig named Muddonna. Get it? Ha! So this 5K was a little kick off to the season. I used to live by the Saints stadium, I've been there a few times, I know exactly where it is. Somehow, I got lost! I missed my exit or something. I'm convinced it's a sign of things to come and nearly burst in to tears. I get myself turned around and I can hear my phone ringing from the very back of my car. It's TB because I'm 10 minutes late by this point. So I'm driving like a crazy person and yep, I get pulled over. The guy was really nice though and gave me a warning. I make it there in the nick of time before they close down the road where the race will take place. I park and make my way over to the check-in table. I put on the lovely long sleeved shirt they give us for the race, I put on my number, and then I see TB who was sure I had bailed on her. No such luck. We take a few pictures and then go to the group stretches. Have I mentioned it is absolutely freezing and so very windy? OMG! I thought I would die! I have on many layers and I am so thankful for all of them. After stretches, we have a few more minutes so I work on making sure the back is loose and my knees are feeling good. We line up, I turn the iPod on and we're off. TB takes off and I fall in to my own pace with Mary J. Blige, No Drama blaring in my ears. I got this. The first mile went really well. I even passed a few people. My breathing is tough because of the wind but my back is doing well and no pain from the knees. It is only then that I remember that pesky ankle issue I had yesterday. No pain now. I notice that while I'm towards the back, there are still a lot of people behind me. I take solace in that even though they are walkers who have no intention of making this a race. Whatever. I start thinking about when I took up this running thing and how hard it had been. I think of all the days I wanted to give up. Just before the 2-mile marker, my left foot falls asleep and then both of my legs start hurting. The lower part of my legs and in to my ankles. Ugh! The muscles just tighten. So, I make the tough decision to stop running and walk for awhile. I perfectly plan that for when I have to go up the hill:) By that time I have the song Buttons by Snoop and PCD going in my ears. So I'm walking it off when a little girl passes me like I'm standing still. Whatever. I get the urge to start running when Hypnotize by the late great Biggie comes on and I just try to forget the pain I'm in. I run for about half a mile at a very slow pace. Oh, and by this time, I am no longer cold. I'm not really hot either though. But my throat is burning from all the cold air I'm breathing in. I do a little more walking to ease the pain in my legs and the whole time I 'm wishing I could just keep running. I like this running thing. I like seeing us all out here trying to accomplish the same goal. It was great! For the last half mile, you have to run past where you started and I see that TB is already done. I wave and do you know what she does? She jumps in there with me. I'm running so slow at this point that she can just walk to keep up with me. Her encouragement is awesome and she's not trying to have a full conversation with me which is great because I can hardly breath. Just as we're making the turn for the final strech, there is some man there handing out granola packets. What? I can't hold something while I'm running. Why do you think I have my iPod in my bra? But I don't want to be rude so I take it and spit out some kind of thank you. TB is nice enough to take my granola from me so I can focus on not having a heart attack as I try to run against the wind. Now, the last minute was the absolute best and worst thing ever. I am beyond tired. I start with the motivating phrases that I have used on the treadmill. 'Keep going' 'Take a chance' 'You can do it'. I think of SN's sweet email where she told me she was proud of me. I think of all the chunky girls like me who don't believe they can do what I'm doing. I think of my promise to myself. All the while, I have the song Chain Hang Low rocking the iPod and it makes for the perfect rhythm for my pace. And then I see the finish line. My eyes are running because of the wind but as I cross the line, I wonder if some of those tears are just emotion. I did it. I had done my first 5K and with only about half a mile of walking. TB is there waiting with my water bottle and a hug. I'm sweating profusely and I am thrilled to be able to say the training had paid off. My time was horrible but my pride can not be measured. I am so proud of TB for hopping in there and giving me the push I needed. I couldn't ask for a better partner. I am proud of myself for doing what I never thought I could do. Will I do it again? Well,TB and I have joined a local running club where they teach you more about running and then help you put what you've learned to work. I'm hopeful that it will help me increase my speed. TB is hinting we should do the 5K for Grand Old Day on June 1st. We'll see. For now, I am nursing some sore muscles, I have my race number up on the fridge and I am taking a few days off from the workouts. Thanks to all of you for your support. I really felt it as I was putting one foot in front of the other. It's amazing what the body can do when the mind and spirit is in the right place. Ok, sorry this is so long. I gotta run. Ha! -T
April 12 Eye of the Tiger24 hours from now I will be doing my final stretches, taking a few swigs of water, and saying a little prayer. I will be embarking on my very first 5K run. I hate that they call it a run. How about a 'lazy jog'? That suits much better. Anyway, I started running last Summer and got more serious about it in the Fall. In January, after this 5K idea had been thrown at me a few times, I finally signed up for one. My friend TB pushed me over the edge when she informed me that she really needed someone to help her meet her goals to drop some lbs in time for her wedding. She claimed to have been inspired by my efforts to run and needed the goal of a 5K to keep her going. HV had also mentioned her enjoyment of 5K's. So as I am carefully considering it, I get my Lifetime magazine in the mail. Can you believe they have a whole article and training plan for a 5K? So TB finds a 5K for us and we commit to getting ready for the big race. I will admit, I thought it would be easy. We had months to train for it and my running was getting better everyday. But right around February, training got tough. I hurt my knees, I was having trouble with my breathing, and my motivation was waning. But I pushed through and got back on track pretty quickly. In March, I struggled with blisters and an inability to increase my speed. I'm too embarrassed to tell you my speeds because they are very, very low. But with some motivating words from TB, awesome advice from BJB, and the constant support from friends and family, I again pushed through. One of biggest supporters has been my friend SN. She continues to be a cheerleader for me and tells me that I inspire her to set goals and meet them. You should see the 'good luck' email she sent me this week. Brought tears to my eyes. The weather has also been challenging because running outside is so much different from running on a treadmill. To me, it's much harder. I've only done a few outdoor runs so I'm very nervous about hitting the pavement tomorrow for this 5K which is of course, outside. But AC did her first 5K after only one outdoor run so I guess I can too. Yesterday, I logged my last training run on the treadmill. Just 2 miles for this one. I am going to make my 5K iPod playlist today and I'm making sure to get all the necessary liquids in during these final hours. To say I'm nervous is an understatement. I am terrified. It's not that I want to win this thing or not puke as I hit the one mile mark. It's really an internal battle. I want to prove to myself that I can do this. I can finally set a goal and accomplish it. Someone asked me where I was hoping to place in this thing. I took a line I think I saw on BJB's space, 'I want to place my foot over the finish line.' That's all I want. I just want to say I did it. Will I run another one after this? Doubtful. Running is just a thing I like to do at the gym for now. Taking it public is not really my thing but who knows. Today I plan to hit yoga, eat the right foods, and mentally prepare. Tomorrow morning I'm just going to step out on faith and see what happens. The weather looks to be cold and windy. I can only hope my will is strong and stable. I have often wondered if I should put this off for another time when I'm more prepared but then a quote runs through my mind, 'when you get the chance, take it.' I carry that with me when those steps get tough. I imagine, it will come to mind several times tomorrow morning. Wish me luck. -T
April 01 Let's Just Kiss and Say Goodbye...Dear Old Man Winter,
I come to you on my knees and PLEAD for your departure of my sweet state of MN. I agree that we have had our ups and downs these last few months. We are no longer under the impression that Global Warming has beaten you or that El Nino is here to stay. We know that snow is an ongoing issue and negative temperatures can come upon us quicker that we can say, 'my heating bill is HOW much!?!?' We know your tenacity and willingness to hang in there until the job is done. I am in awe of your funny way of keeping me on my toes when deciding if I should wash my car. My coat has never left my side and my boots have been a constant companion in the backseat of my car. Your humor is unmatched especially when I consider that this is the first year in many when I decided not to go on a vacation. I giggle just thinking about it. Remember all those mornings I spent standing in my closet wishing I had more sweaters because I was in a vicious rotation of having to wear them when a light cardigan just wouldn't do? Yeah, that was fun. Oh, and how about when March came and we thought our coldest days were behind us? Ha! You put us in our place with lower than average temps. And then when those stupid weather people started babbling about how we were a few inches below normal with snowfall, you came through on the very last day of the month with 8 inches. Wow. You never fail Mr. OMW. Remember Christmas when it snowed so hard I could hardly make it home with all of my gifts? How about Groundhog's Day when you let that damn rodent see his shadow or the first day of Spring when you overstayed your welcome with a fresh snowfall? But with it being the first day of April and all, I come to you like the Fool I am and kindly ask for you to release us. We've had our time together. We trudged through Holidays, Birthdays, Workdays, Schooldays, Snowdays, Where is my electric blanket days. We have been through alot this year and I think we need to let this good time finally end. You will not be forgotten, I promise you. The winter of '07-08 will carry in our memory for years to come. 'An ol' fashioned MN Winter' we'll call it as we shake our heads and shiver at your memory. You will always have a presence with us. But it's really time to go now. Time for flip-flops, shorts, pedicures, pink lemonade, and sunglasses. I want to sweep out my garage and start anew. The time for planting flowers, bbq's on the patio, and trips to cabin have been hard earned and well deserved. I want my lunches in the park back and sitting outside at restaurants. I want long days, and breezes through my window. I need to turn off my furnace and turn on my ceiling fan. I need it. We all do. Bring back margaritas on the deck and the Farmer's Market. I want to buy new sandals and feel the need for suntan lotion. I want to sit out on my patio and read magazines until the sun goes down. I want to call HV and declare it the best day of the year. Minnesotans need to see less snow and sunnier dispositions. We pulled out all of our tricks Mr. Winter. We flipped the switch on Daylight Savings Time, we had the MN Twins Opener, we made it through March Madness. We met all of our requirements. Yes. There were days when we cried and beat you with our tiny fist but we always dragged ourselves off the ground and made it through another day. Another cold day. Please. I just need to hear Summertime by The Fresh Prince and open my sunroof again. I need to take walks with ML in downtown St. Paul, I want to play a game of fetch with Bodacious, and I want that sweet smell of rain coming down. I want things to be simpler, better, and warmer. I'm on my knees, we all are. Just pack your stuff and go. We'll see you again. Sooner than we're ready for I'm sure. Goodbye old friend. Goodbye.
-T
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