Jane? Who? Me? Runner?

So today's form of athletic 'inspiration' came from Active.com's facebook page: "You must begin to think of yourself as ... the person you want to be." - David Viscott.

I read this as on a December day that feels more like March.  Yet, unlike March, there's no wind to bring down the temp.  The sun is hidden behind a cooling veil of clouds, which helps keep the temperature a perfect running 49 degrees.  Mother Nature has lined up everything for the perfect running day. 

I walked outside to get the mail, mentally tallying everything that will make today the best day back to running (after some healing time for a tendon flair).  While I walk out to the mailbox, my zealous mind has already created the perfect run: I've already ran 6 miles along a tree lined single track trail.  My dogs following.  I could feel their fur rub against my calf, their tongues lopping to the side, their eyes focused ahead anticipating the next turn of the trail.  It was perfect!  As I walk back from the mailbox, I had convinced myself that this mental trail run surely did happen.  I was so close, close to the elusive "Runner's High". 

Oh, that Runner's High is magnificent! I turn into Super Woman.  I become everything my mind says I am.  I'm invincible, I can leap over buildings (or logs) in a single bound, I run faster then Paula Radcliffe, (a 2:15 marathoner).  No mountain can make me huff as I run up it.   The runner's high is like the musician Muse; elusive, coming and going, just out of reach, sometimes allowing me to catch it - just for a moment - never staying long enough. 

I leap up the front steps, still grasping for the coat tails of Jane (that's what I'll call her - Jane, my Runner's High).  When suddenly I feel the churning reminder of an ankle not yet ready for running.  I stop at the top of the stairs (which is only 3 steps), and watch Jane - as she keeps running, taunting me, haunting me until the day I can catch her.

So here I sit, waiting for Pilate's to start, mourning the loss of my perfect December run and my elusive Jane.  Wondering if this still makes me a runner?    

My ankle had been feeling great, or so I thought...

Having Some Kick-Ass Focus

My light bulb of life ideas

So I've been spending my 2 week siesta from work answering some life questions from Life Coach Andrea Owen of Your Kick-Ass Life.  Andrea sends me daily emails to help me discover the answers to my life passion, why I'm not aren't pursuing them, and what I can do to get over my fear and truly have a Kick-Ass Life. 

Part of what I needed to do was to really narrow and focus my life into smaller bite size meaningful bits.  As a general rule,  I'm full of grandiose save-the-world ideas.  How realistic and meaningful are they when they are so grand?  With such grand ideas, the carrying out of them  becomes such a chore, which is not so great at all. 

I've taken some time, narrowed down and focused my passions a bit.  Andrea teaches that if you want it, you also have to write it, picture it, be open to the forces of the universe, and be willing to make choices presented to you that will make people think you're crazy. 

To kick my Kick-Ass life into gear, I have listed my list of Big Ideas (also know as a bucket list - or items that I'd like to do before I die) here. 

If you want to kick start Your Kick-Ass life, you too can sign up for her free "21 Tips and Tools for a Kick-Ass Life: No bullshi*t Included" just like I did.  To sign up click here, and then register on the middle right side of her website.

Here's to having a Kick-Ass Life
Christel

UPS Delivery Going Where?

From Florida to Kentucky then Salt Lake then
backtracking across the nation
to Maryland then Kentucky - where next?

After finally getting through to someone who can speak understandable English at UPS's help center.  I finally convince the gal that I need to have someone find out where my Christmas shipment is.  [UPS wanted me to contact the seller, and have them initiate an investigation (come to find out the sender, David and Goliath, is out for the holidays until Jan 3rd)]. 

After initiating the investigation (called a tracker).  It's pretty funny how suddenly my shipment is immediately found arriving in Baltimore MD - which is thousands of miles in the wrong direction!

Today, the day after Christmas, and my Christmas present for my daughter is now in Louisville, KY, with an expected delivery day of Dec 29th.  I'm still a bit confused as to how my package left Salt Lake (which is 50 miles from my house) and ends up backtracking across the nation to Louisville..

Where will it go next?.....

UPS Christmas Delivery

My UPS package that has been sitting in the SLC airport for 4 days.  I call UPS support,wait for over 6 minutes just to be connected to someone that I can barely understand them due to their accent.  During part of the conversation, I'm placed on hold twice, then they gal comes back and tell me that my package has been sitting at the airport for 4 days (REALLY? Like I didn't already know this).  She then says (I think) that she needs to transfer me to the tracking dept.  While in transfer, my call is dropped.  I'm  now back on hold!

Me Pilates and a Graceful Zebra?

Today I bravely woke up early - arguing the entire time with my inner sleep diva (who is rather bitchy and usually wins)- so I can attended Pilates.  I come barreling into class; eyes half shut, feet barely shuffling along the ground, shocking my entire system into either hiding in a corner or shutting down into fetal position.  At one point I realize I wouldn't even be able to pass a DUI test, let alone have enough coordination to step, slide, walk forward backward, with a lung, kick, and god forbid any kind of grace.  I looked about as graceful as a zebra stuck in the mud - to be fair to the zebras, they are way more grace then me.

After 45 minutes of my 60 min class, I start to wake up.  I find myself wanting to push harder. But wouldn't you know, I've left my friend coordination back in bed (lucky bugger).  I fight my way through the rest of class, humbly remembering why I choose to participate (to lift my booty), thank the teacher (I'm not sure why, cause I know my legs are gonna hurt, and I'm going to be using her name in vain later today) and shuffle in pain back home.