Okay, I knew the title would get your attention! Can’t wait to see how many clicks I get on this post today!

So no, I did not join the Bear Naked Running Team or compete in a naked running marathon.

I simply left my Garmin at home.

Not by choice of course. This would be like giving up my morning cup of coffee because I didn’t want to get all jacked up on caffeine-and that just ain’t gonna happen!

The batteries were dead. Seems when I plugged it up to charge the watch was on, and when I left it plugged in it slipped out of the cradle – so, no batteries.

Have to say this – I almost cried. I’m addicted to my Garmin like chocoholics are addicted to that yummy tasty sugary treat. In the first few minutes of my run I can’t tell you how many times I glanced down to ‘check’ my watch – only to find a bare wrist. At the end of my run I went to slap STOP when I ceased running – much to the bad luck of my bare wrist.

Then, somewhere around mile 2 (but I wouldn’t know because, well, I didn’t have my Garmin on!) I felt almost, shall I dare say, liberated!

Running naked may not be for everyone, but this morning it truly worked for me!

I could only guess at my pace, but I think it was fast. Yea, really fast. I think today I broke some records for myself. Uh huh. 7 minute miles. The entire way.

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!

I didn’t have to stress over how fast I was going. I didn’t hear the shrill CLICK! each mile lap to tell me how quickly my pace was (or, in better terms, how slowly). I knew how far I went because I’ve mapped out that path before, but how fast? This remains a mystery.

If you are used to wearing the Garmin on your runs, maybe it’s time to leave it behind. Come on, just once! I’m telling  you, running without it on the wrist may seem scary, but it might just be one of the best runs you’ve had!

In other news . . . Husband has returned to normal working hours and I got up early today for my run – first in five days – and was glad to have the routine back.  I do much better when I get up early to run. I can’t figure out how people can run in the middle of the day *unless they are being chased by something big*.

Don’t you have to shower in the morning before work? Then what, shower again, post-run?

I have two young kids – I’m good to get one 5 minute quick rinse off done a day; there’s no way they would allow me time to take two!  Just the thought sends my heart in a panic.

Giveaway!

Don’t forget to take part in our Core Exercise Book Giveaway!

Finally:

I’m starting training again for a triathlon. I’ve looked at a few, and am mapping out my next few months of racing. I’ll post my schedule later. For now I have one 5K coming up on Saturday, March 28, and I think I will run the course twice to do my 6 miles I generally reserve for Sundays, then run a long run on Sunday, swapping the two. I’m hoping to do the 3miles in about 23 minutes and change, BUT that is a dream goal since I’m currently running no faster than 8:30s.

Good running today! Go naked!

Good morning all!
Happy 39th to me. My oldest daughter has been sick so we slept together in the spare room last night. She woke at 4:30 and asked for water, and when I returned from the kitchen she said excitedly, “Happy Birthday, mommy!” Then she had a hard time going back to sleep!

I can’t believe I’m 25 30 , well, okay, 39! I’m always amazed each year about how quickly the time goes by in life. About how one day we are thinking we want children and the next we have two.  About how one day we are considering career options and the next day we are celebrating our tenth year anniversary at the same company.

It all happens so quickly! Today I was considering how much running is like life. How the same things that apply to running can apply to life, and vice versa, so today, on my off day of running (I worked on abs and arms instead), I will write about the similarities between running and life.

Hoping you enjoy your day as much as I will. Today is:  Penneys to spend that gift card I got for christmas; grocery store; and then hanging with the family. Tonight: Enjoying some Cab (my round of antibiotics for the bronchitis are over, yay, I can partake in a few glasses of red!) and catching up on the shows that I always tape but never get to watch. Tomorrow we leave for my mom’s house for the weekend. Will post pictures!

How Life and Running are Alike:

1. To live a good life you have to overcome the obstacles that you come to as you travel, and get back out and do it again even if it takes you down once in a while. Same with running. To have a good run you have to tackle the obstacles and get back out there the next day if the run is a bad one.
2. In life you have to think positively in order to live the happiest of lives. Same with running-if you want to have a good run, you have to keep positive thoughts on your mind. The minute you begin to think negatively is the minute the run turns sour.
3. Good friends are important in life, as they are in good runs. They don’t even have to run with you-or run at all! How many times have you spent a good run considering your friends: their generosities, their quirks, their caring.
4. In life, when something goes bad you have to consider why it went bad and then make changes so this doesn’t happen again. Same with running. If you have a bad run, why was it bad? What can make it better? What should you do the same and what should you change?
5. Life;s challenges make us stronger. Same with running. You may think you can’t run 26.2. You can. You just have to grow stronger in your conviction that you can.

Hoping all of your runs on my birthday are great ones!

Other News:
We are finishing up the first issue of Active Women’s Network. This is an exciting endeavour and I can’t wait to hear your thoughts. This month we are focusing on the core. I interviewed a great lady today who offered wonderful informatoin about pilates, the core, and why it should be strengthened (and not just because you want to look good in a bikini, though that certainly doesn’t hurt!)

Happy Running!

Yesterday I had hoped to post about my run with the lightning and my Monday exercise, which I plan to do each week: Kettle Bell crunches.

A few things happened, though.

I got back from my fantastic run, which took me through the streets of town for 5 miles. In the distance, lightning crackled against the sky every few minutes, peeking behind a large cloud. This was really spectacular since we never have lightning here in Southern California. I stared at it like a person in the desert who has just stumbled upon some water: In awe. I ran toward it, rather than from it. I know, stupid, right? But it was far away, I could tell that, and it was incredibly beautiful, filling up the night sky, and then the pre-dawn as the sun came up over the mountains in the east. I’ll miss these mornings. I love the mountains, and it is going to be hard to say goodbye to them.

I looked for a video or picture of the kettle bell crunches I have been doing and couldn’t find one, and then the girls woke and we got started on our day. Our day consisted of ordinary Monday stuff, like grocery shopping, a Target run and a walk after quiet time in the afternoon.

Then my mom called. You know how you can sort of tell when people are pulling one past you? She was being very evasive about what she was doing today with her day off of work, and did say her doctor, the one who has taken care of her since her stroke in December, wants her to go to an ob/gyn appointment today because she hadn’t been since she had her hysterectomy about thirty years ago.

I agree with the guy. I have this thing: I go to the doctor for regular checkups, get my skin checked once a year. I am terrified of the big C, as she had it when she was my age and others I know have had it too. I remember my girlfriend telling me when I was just seven or so that my mom would probably die while in the hospital because she had cancer and that’s what happens. It was the girl I was staying with as my mom had the cancer removed.

So I offhandedly asked about her mammogram, which I figured had gone okay. Being a daughter raised by a single mother, we are really close. Then she said, “Well, they found something. Just a little something. I forget what they called it.”

Later she remembered they called it a nodule and that she goes in today for a sonogram.

So, that news fairly stopped me in my tracks.

I had planned to find that crunch video or at least sit down and post last night, since my husband went out to a going away party for a coworker and I had the evening, and the remote, to myself. Instead I looked up breast nodules.

Then I began to watch Oprah’s story about heroin in a small Ohio town and I about lost it. The entire video made me sick to my stomach. Haven’t seen it? You should. It’s about this community in Richland, Ohio where many of the people, families even, are addicted to heroin. They showcased two families. One, a family of five. The parents and two teenage sons, addicted. The baby, thirteen months old, along for the ride.

Okay, I totally get the fact that they are addicted and need help, but why is that child still in their care? He was in the car as they shot up, as they drove to Columbus to get more drugs. I really felt sick after watching this show.

So, that is why the post yesterday never materialized. I was so busy considering breast nodules and heroin that I totally forgot the beautiful lightning I saw in the morning sky.

I’m heading off this morning to swim. I hope that the exercise will make me forget for just a few minutes about this nodule thing. My mom says they are often non cancerous, and that is my hope. She has had so many health issues since last December that I think it’s time she take a break.

My favorite kettle bell/ab exercise. I actually enjoy this ab exercise more than most others because I can really feel it later that day.

Crunch with Kettle Bell:

Standard crunch holding the kettle bell. I start off with a 15 pound kettle bell, and I hold it over my head and back just a little as I’m down on the ground. I lift with my abs up, pulling up the kettle bell and ending up with the kettle bell above my head. Down. Up. Down. You get the picture. Talk about a fantastic burn later that day! Hope you enjoy it. If you don’t have kettle bells you should really get some.