Get a life.

I am convinced that life in a physical body is meant to be an ecstatic experience.

Shakti Gawain


Do you ever train and take it for granted? I mean your health...your abilities. I do. I take a lot for granted and do my best to be grounded & aware, but sometimes I let it slip away from me. The joy of it all needs to be met head on, with full appreciation each time I enter a room or step outside my door. I am happier when I live it.

It's been a good week. Wednesday mornings I meet at the local coffee shop with my women's group. We've been meeting for about 3 years now and I still look forward to it. I really love these gals.

Thursday I jumped on the elliptical for 30 minutes, lifted for 45 min then stretched for 15. Friday I rode a spin bike for 60 min, avg HR 142 for 10.67 miles & felt good. Sat I took a break and today I headed over to the local Nike store to run with the group there. I'm hot and cold on the running thing, but I want to start back up. It's like anything, the easier it gets, the more I'll like it. When I get up to Portland, it'll be a nice way to drag Mike out for a long painful slow run! ;) The positives far out way the negatives.

It's actually pretty cool. You meet at the Nike store @ 9AM while rest of the mall is still closed. An employee/coordinator asks me if I'll be running, walking or both on the 2.8 mile loop. I say both. Since it's been a while, I'd rather under promise and over deliver. There were about 15 people, with 4-5 serious runners. I heard a few people say they doing 4, 5 & 7 mile runs. I started out with a goal to run the entire 2.8 if possible. I've been spinning like a banshee for crying out loud, this should be do-able. After about the first mile I felt pretty good, so I set my eyes on the 2 runners going 4 miles and followed them. Well, it was more than do-able...it was pretty darn good. 4 miles in 41 minutes. My avg HR was a little higher than I'd like @ 159, but that's OK. I felt great afterwards. No aches, pains or winded. When we got back to the store they had bagels, fruit and drinks. Very nice set up and all free. This will be a nice addition to my weekly workouts and most of the runners seemed to be regulars.

I do love to celebrate my gifts. Life can give us tickets to a pretty bumpy ride, but when it's over...who can remember? We move on and if you keep your eyes fixed on the the incredible gifts you have, they just keep coming. I have a lot to be thankful for, and at the top of my list is Mike. He (and we) continue to just get better and not in my wildest dreams would I ever have thought my life would end up this way. I am blessed. Happy Birthday Mike!

Live passionately!