Saturday, July 16, 2011

Dog Days

So, I hit up the motivation station after two lazy days off, thank goodness.  Rainy weather + no real obligations = ingredients for a lazy, lazy Ashley.  It felt good, though.  I didn’t even turn on the TV because I was enjoying the peace and quiet as I perused other people’s blogs and debated on what I’d like to begin training for.  Having summers off is awesome, except for the fact that I have to realize that when I don’t have to work, I don’t really do anything. Lazy, lazy, lazy.  I make up for it during the year with 13-hour workdays.  I digress… Eventually I made my way to the mall with my brother to begin shopping for our cousin’s wedding next month, and it was at the mall that I really realized that I must get in gear.

Background information: My cousin’s wedding is in Ohio.  We don’t typically see our relatives more than once every other year, just because we live in Minnesota and we’ve never been very close.  My grandma, while she has retained her social graces, has never been big on mincing words when it comes to family.  I have fond memories of her grabbing my thighs in front of everyone at the pool in Disney World and telling me that I must get things under control. I was in high school, and I was actually in very good shape – very muscular, but very good shape.  So, despite the fact that I’m down about ten pounds since I last saw her, I am confident that she’ll come up with something, but I want it to be a challenge for her to figure out what’s wrong with me this time. HA!

Okay, thanks for sticking with me.  We picked out a new suit for my brother, because he likes new stuff.  If I was a guy, I would definitely stick with the same suit for many, many years and just switch up the shirt and tie, which is the fun part anyway.  I’m cheap like that.  Then we meandered into my favorite store for buying dresses for weddings and such, White House Black Market.  Love that place.  I was glad to try on some dresses and find that I’m down a size from where I thought I was – single digits!  There was just one thing wrong – after working so hard to don a bikini on vacation, I seemed to have relaxed a bit and so have my abs.  I need to get them under control before I do any major shopping.  Will. Not. Get. Flabby.  So, upon arriving home, I put together this:

image

Beginning today, there are exactly four weeks until the wedding.  Each day I plan to do the Do-Anywhere Complex, the Dumbbell Circuit, or Jillian’s Six Week Six Pack.  On top of that I am committing to do at least 45 minutes of running, spinning, elliptical-ing, swimming, group fitness class, or whatever else – rollerblading, rowing/paddling, other Jillian DVDs, whatever.  Main point, I will get my workouts in.

Another motivating factor: I am in my friend’s wedding in exactly two weeks, so I’m having that dress altered to fit since I ordered it fifteen pounds ago. I will be glad to get rid of Herman before that, but it’s not as crucial.  Nobody attending that wedding has ever called me fat. Still want to look good in pictures, though!

I’ve been back to Paleo this week, and I feel so much better than on vacation (but I really miss vacation!), so I will keep that up, too. (I just need to finish this bottle of sweet tea – too good to pass up.)  So, let’s give it a couple of weeks, and then it’s back to the mall to pick up a new dress or two!

I mentioned trying to find something to train for. I really wish I could commit to something major, like the Walt Disney World Marathon or even Goofy race for this year.  I just want to be sure that I do it sometime in my life, and I don’t have kids now, so this would be an ideal time.  Unfortunately, too late in the game for that since it’s only 6 months away. So hopefully I can go Goofy in 2013. As for races around here, I think I will enter the lottery for the TC 10 Mile that is run in conjunction with the Twin Cities Marathon.  If I don’t get that, I will plan on the Team Ortho Monster Dash Half Marathon either here in Minneapolis or in Chicago (if I can con my friend into it). 

So, in an effort to really get started I headed out for a run today.  I got a later start than I wanted to get, so I didn’t head out the door until almost noon, when it was already hot and sticky. After three sub-ten minute miles (really good for me!) I was hot and sticky, too.  I was also mentally and physically done.  So, I ended up going about 4.5 miles in about 50 minutes.  Not terrible, but the last mile and a half took me 20 minutes, which really messed with my average pace.  Better than not getting it done, and definitely better than passing out, so I’ll take it.  I thought about taking a picture when I got done, to share my sweatiness with you, but then I just realized that I just wanted to sit by a fan and drink water and iced tea, and that desire prevailed over a photo session.  I’m still a little shy about posting pictures anyway.  Today’s bonus workout is pulling weeds at my parents’ house, then I might take nephew-dog Henry for a walk later on since Chad is heading out for the night.  I’ll leave you with a picture of Henry, ‘cause he’s not shy.

Henry

I’ll continue with the questions, because maybe someday I’ll be brave enough to tell people that I know about my blog.  Until then, if you are stopping by, please share your insight!

Where is your favorite place to buy dresses for weddings and rehearsal dinners?

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