I've mentioned before how I only run when I'm training for a race. I don't really run year-round. I maintain that I'm "a runner" because not too long goes by before I'm looking for another race to train for.
My half marathon is nearly 90 days behind me, and I can feel that running bug biting me again. During my time off from running, I have returned to my other love, heavy weight lifting. I can squat and deadlift over one hundred pounds again. I love that. I still hope someday to be able to bench press one hundred pounds.
My "cardio" has consisted mainly of HIIT sessions. Mostly treadmill sprints, but also some elliptical and bike work. I much prefer the treadmill and bike to the elliptical. Well, that's not entirely true. If we are talking the Precor Elliptical with the increasing ramp in addition to increasing resistance, I do love that one. The Nautilus one that only has a resistance adjustment is boring.
My trainer mixes up my cardio. Currently, my program has 3 HIITs and 2 steady states. Each are 40 minutes in length. The steady states are "killing" me in the gym. So boring! I think that's part of the running bug returning.
Another part is the cooler weather. It just feels like running weather! I'm excited to lace up and head out for a couple of 40 minute runs this week. :)
Aspire. Strive. Thrive.
Somewhere Along the Way I Became a Runner...
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Thursday, September 13, 2012
When Did They Start Making Fish Out of Gold?
I bought a $38 bottle of fish oil today. $38. I almost didn't. But I needed it.
I've been using fish oil capsules for several years. The problem with that is that you have to take a ton of them to get to the amount recommended for supplementation. Whereas with oil, a couple tablespoons a day will do you.
I haven't done the math to figure out how long that bottle will last me. But you can bet that I will be using it down to the last drop at that dollar amount!
This has been a week filled with obstacles. My flight being delayed 6 hours and being up 20 hours that day, my car breaking down, not sleeping Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday nights. Please let sleep come tonight.
I'm still living out of a suitcase. I need to get some time to unpack. My first deadline is Monday and there is much to do before then, so I'm working through the weekend.
In spite of all of this, my diet has stayed pretty well on track! There hasn't been enough variety, but at least I've been eating frequently enough and clean enough. I've missed two workouts, though. I'm on a 6 day split and will have 4 of them completed this week. I expect next week to be much better. Fingers crossed!
I've been using fish oil capsules for several years. The problem with that is that you have to take a ton of them to get to the amount recommended for supplementation. Whereas with oil, a couple tablespoons a day will do you.
I haven't done the math to figure out how long that bottle will last me. But you can bet that I will be using it down to the last drop at that dollar amount!
This has been a week filled with obstacles. My flight being delayed 6 hours and being up 20 hours that day, my car breaking down, not sleeping Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday nights. Please let sleep come tonight.
I'm still living out of a suitcase. I need to get some time to unpack. My first deadline is Monday and there is much to do before then, so I'm working through the weekend.
In spite of all of this, my diet has stayed pretty well on track! There hasn't been enough variety, but at least I've been eating frequently enough and clean enough. I've missed two workouts, though. I'm on a 6 day split and will have 4 of them completed this week. I expect next week to be much better. Fingers crossed!
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
The Coaching Program...Now With Math! :)
My Online Coaching Program begins Monday the 10th! You should be contacting me if you want in, so we can chat about your goals and get your products ordered so you have them in time for the start.
I built the Online Coaching Program (OCP) around the Isabody Challenge so team members could have the added incentive of prizes to keep them motivated. I have heard from some that they would be more interested in the OCP if they didn't "have" to enter the Isabody Challenge. Some aren't into the requirement for pictures (we will discuss the importance of those later) and some aren't into writing the essay at the end.
That being the case, I'm waiving the requirement to join the Isabody Challenge. In order to enroll in the OCP, you simply have to be sponsored by me into Isagenix and use the products for the length of the challenge. What products you use is entirely up to you! (I will still be entering the Isabody Challenge, and encourage anyone who would like to go for it.)
What products should you use and why is it so expensive?
You can compare the cost of Isagenix to the cost of buying organic food. The purity and quality is there. So much so, their whey protein is undenatured and comes from happy cows in New Zealand. Why? Because New Zealand has much more stringent standards than the U.S., both on the treatment and handling of the cows and on what can be used on the cows, i.e., no growth hormones to increase milk production. You drink those hormones when you drink U.S. milk that is mass produced. Along with all the antibiotics they have to give the cows when they give them the hormones, because of infection in the teats it causes. But I digress....
The last time I went to McDonald's (and yes, I do go there maybe once every few months), my combo meal was $8.99. When I buy an all natural ingredient sandwich at my health foods market, I pay about $7 for that sandwich. What are you paying for lunch? Even when I bring from home, which is most of the time, I would venture to say that my meals run around $3 each. Not including gas to get to the store and my time to shop, etc. Just food cost. Maybe if I'm lucky, some cost $2.
Isagenix is not added spending. It's redirecting your food budget. You buy your food upfront for the month and eat what you bought. One of the concepts we will get into once the OCP begins (and you need to sign up for that, as all of the info will be in the PRIVATE Facebook group, and not on this blog) is that you need to be eating a minimum of 5 meals a day. Typically, they are smaller portion sizes than what you are currently eating, but with the frequency of every 3 hours, so you 1) aren't starving by the time you eat and 2) keep your metabolism on fire. That's a HUGE trick that bodybuilders and fitness/figure competitors depend on. And who better to learn from when it comes to losing fat and retaining muscle? Muscle is where it's at.
I'm about to show you a few different "Paks" that I recommend, complete with estimated cost per meal. Why estimated? Because your cost is going to vary depending on where you live and what the sales tax rates are. I have INCLUDED TAX AND SHIPPING in these numbers. It's the accountant in me. Nothing bugs me more than someone giving a per item cost before tax and shipping. False advertising. You won't find that here. These numbers are based on my tax and shipping in NY. Your numbers will vary somewhat. (Some states, like my other home in WA, charge tax on the shipping. Some do not.)
The Energy & Performance System
Why I love it: With the exception of "Cleanse for Life", it has every product you need to feel and look amazing.
What's included: 1 IsaLean Shake cannister, 2 Fourteen Count Isalean Pro shakes, 1 box Ageless Essentials vitamins, 1 Ionix Supreme (Holy energy boost and focus!), 1 Isalean Bars pack, 1 cannister Want More Energy (electrolyte drink), 1 cannister Isagenix Greens (a green drink that gives you "insurance" on getting in all of your green veggies for the day. Eat your greens, but use this as a bonus.)
The cost: $5.51 per meal, included estimated tax and shipping.
Notice I've included everything into a "per meal cost", even though this pack contains things which are not "meals" in and of themselves. Namely, the vitamins, Ionix, Want More Energy, and Greens. Those are bonuses along for the ride which will help so much with your performance and recovery. So $5.51 is your meals PLUS all of the extras. This Pak is a great value!
The Athlete's Pak
IsaPro is not a complete meal replacement by itself, but is strictly whey protein. In the OCP, I will show you how to blend this into your Isalean Shake, increasing your protein and decreasing your cost.
The cost: $3.47 per meal. Again, this includes tax and shipping and your mileage may vary, depending on your state's sales tax rules.
The 30 Day System
Why I love it: This was Isagenix' flagship system before introduction of the athletes and performance systems. This Pak has helped thousands of people lose weight and then athletes of all levels discovered the products and the other systems were born. This Pak includes the Cleanse for Life product! I could write an entire blog just on Cleanse for Life. My skin feels and looks so much tighter using this product!
What's included: 1 Ionix Supreme, 2 Cleanse for Life, 4 Isalean Shakes, 1 Natural Accelerator, 1 Isagenix Snacks, I Isaflush, 4 individual Want More Energy sticks. The graphic shows that the vitamins are included. PLEASE NOTE: the vitamins may be added on at a price discounted by $10.88.
The cost: $5.12 per meal without vitamins, $5.84 per meal with vitamins. (There are options on the vitamins as well. You can add Product B for telomere support and that will raise the price also. For more details, contact me.)
That's not even a drop in the bucket, as far as products go. These are great introductions into the product line, and then you can go from there for what you want to try. Personally, I use the Energy & Performance System. If I haven't been using my Greens or Want More Energy quite as much and I have some left over, I may order a 4 pack of shakes for the month $2.93 per meal. I change my autoship several times a month, lol.
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO: Contact me if you want in. Comment below, hit me up on facebook, or email me at piquevitality at gmail dot com. We can talk about what's right for you for your goals.
I built the Online Coaching Program (OCP) around the Isabody Challenge so team members could have the added incentive of prizes to keep them motivated. I have heard from some that they would be more interested in the OCP if they didn't "have" to enter the Isabody Challenge. Some aren't into the requirement for pictures (we will discuss the importance of those later) and some aren't into writing the essay at the end.
That being the case, I'm waiving the requirement to join the Isabody Challenge. In order to enroll in the OCP, you simply have to be sponsored by me into Isagenix and use the products for the length of the challenge. What products you use is entirely up to you! (I will still be entering the Isabody Challenge, and encourage anyone who would like to go for it.)
What products should you use and why is it so expensive?
You can compare the cost of Isagenix to the cost of buying organic food. The purity and quality is there. So much so, their whey protein is undenatured and comes from happy cows in New Zealand. Why? Because New Zealand has much more stringent standards than the U.S., both on the treatment and handling of the cows and on what can be used on the cows, i.e., no growth hormones to increase milk production. You drink those hormones when you drink U.S. milk that is mass produced. Along with all the antibiotics they have to give the cows when they give them the hormones, because of infection in the teats it causes. But I digress....
The last time I went to McDonald's (and yes, I do go there maybe once every few months), my combo meal was $8.99. When I buy an all natural ingredient sandwich at my health foods market, I pay about $7 for that sandwich. What are you paying for lunch? Even when I bring from home, which is most of the time, I would venture to say that my meals run around $3 each. Not including gas to get to the store and my time to shop, etc. Just food cost. Maybe if I'm lucky, some cost $2.
Isagenix is not added spending. It's redirecting your food budget. You buy your food upfront for the month and eat what you bought. One of the concepts we will get into once the OCP begins (and you need to sign up for that, as all of the info will be in the PRIVATE Facebook group, and not on this blog) is that you need to be eating a minimum of 5 meals a day. Typically, they are smaller portion sizes than what you are currently eating, but with the frequency of every 3 hours, so you 1) aren't starving by the time you eat and 2) keep your metabolism on fire. That's a HUGE trick that bodybuilders and fitness/figure competitors depend on. And who better to learn from when it comes to losing fat and retaining muscle? Muscle is where it's at.
I'm about to show you a few different "Paks" that I recommend, complete with estimated cost per meal. Why estimated? Because your cost is going to vary depending on where you live and what the sales tax rates are. I have INCLUDED TAX AND SHIPPING in these numbers. It's the accountant in me. Nothing bugs me more than someone giving a per item cost before tax and shipping. False advertising. You won't find that here. These numbers are based on my tax and shipping in NY. Your numbers will vary somewhat. (Some states, like my other home in WA, charge tax on the shipping. Some do not.)
The Energy & Performance System
What's included: 1 IsaLean Shake cannister, 2 Fourteen Count Isalean Pro shakes, 1 box Ageless Essentials vitamins, 1 Ionix Supreme (Holy energy boost and focus!), 1 Isalean Bars pack, 1 cannister Want More Energy (electrolyte drink), 1 cannister Isagenix Greens (a green drink that gives you "insurance" on getting in all of your green veggies for the day. Eat your greens, but use this as a bonus.)
The cost: $5.51 per meal, included estimated tax and shipping.
Notice I've included everything into a "per meal cost", even though this pack contains things which are not "meals" in and of themselves. Namely, the vitamins, Ionix, Want More Energy, and Greens. Those are bonuses along for the ride which will help so much with your performance and recovery. So $5.51 is your meals PLUS all of the extras. This Pak is a great value!
The Athlete's Pak
Why I love it: With the exception of "Cleans for Life", this Pak has most of what you need. If you already have vitamins you love and are just looking for the best in performance and recovery aids, this Pak is for you.
What's included: 2 Cans of Isalean Shake, 1 Ionix Supreme, I IsaPro, 1 cannister Want More Energy, 1 box of Isalean Bars.
The cost: $3.47 per meal. Again, this includes tax and shipping and your mileage may vary, depending on your state's sales tax rules.
The 30 Day System
Why I love it: This was Isagenix' flagship system before introduction of the athletes and performance systems. This Pak has helped thousands of people lose weight and then athletes of all levels discovered the products and the other systems were born. This Pak includes the Cleanse for Life product! I could write an entire blog just on Cleanse for Life. My skin feels and looks so much tighter using this product!
What's included: 1 Ionix Supreme, 2 Cleanse for Life, 4 Isalean Shakes, 1 Natural Accelerator, 1 Isagenix Snacks, I Isaflush, 4 individual Want More Energy sticks. The graphic shows that the vitamins are included. PLEASE NOTE: the vitamins may be added on at a price discounted by $10.88.
The cost: $5.12 per meal without vitamins, $5.84 per meal with vitamins. (There are options on the vitamins as well. You can add Product B for telomere support and that will raise the price also. For more details, contact me.)
That's not even a drop in the bucket, as far as products go. These are great introductions into the product line, and then you can go from there for what you want to try. Personally, I use the Energy & Performance System. If I haven't been using my Greens or Want More Energy quite as much and I have some left over, I may order a 4 pack of shakes for the month $2.93 per meal. I change my autoship several times a month, lol.
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO: Contact me if you want in. Comment below, hit me up on facebook, or email me at piquevitality at gmail dot com. We can talk about what's right for you for your goals.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
I'm Looking for People to Coach!
I'm looking for 10 people to coach for 16 weeks in the Isabody Challenge. Not familiar with the Isabody Challenge? Please watch this video:
Each of the 10 people are encouraged to bring two friends/family members with them, so the group may have a total size of 30. Unless your two people each want to bring two people, too! The sky is the limit.
Why bring a friend along? Studies have shown that people have greater success in body transformation when they have a support system. You know, an accountabilibuddy! Feel like blowing off your evening walk? You'll be less tempted if you have a friend or two waiting to go with you. Feel like you MUST EAT THE BROWNIE? You'll be less tempted if you know you'll be discussing your food intake with your friends who are in your same boat.
Don't have anyone you want to ask? Want to go stealth, then shock and awe with your results? You still need a support system, and that's where my coaching comes in. Everyone who participates in the challenge will have access to a PRIVATE Facebook group. There we will post meal ideas, exercise ideas, share in triumphs and defeats.
I will enter the challenge with you, and will be posting my own triumphs and struggles right along with you.
DETAILS:
This coaching group will run approximately 16 weeks, from September 10, 2012 through December 31, 2012. That gives you Labor Day picnics for a last hurrah, and then we knuckle down and get busy. Purposefully, this coaching group runs in time to coach you through the holidays! That includes Halloween, for you sweet fiends. Think about it...accountability and strength every day for 16 weeks, including Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas! And we know it's really "the Christmas season", not just Christmas day, because parties abound.
How did your last New Year's Resolution regarding getting fitter work out for you? Where are you now compared to January 1, 2012? Take the challenge and arrive at January 1, 2013 with that one nagging resolution already crossed off your list!
This is NOT just for people looking to lose weight. Improved athletic performance, greater energy, better sleep, the list of goals is endless and personal to you.
How much does it cost? There is NO COST to enter the Isabody Challenge or to participate in my coaching group. Because it is the Isabody Challenge, participants must commit to signing up and using Isagenix products for the 16 weeks. (You place your own orders for only products that YOU want, so you control how much you spend. During the coaching enrollment process we will discuss your goals and I will help you select the right products for you.) Yes, you can drop-out at any time with no obligation to continue, but why would you do that to yourself?
Participants must be 18 years of age or older. Complete Isabody Challenge rules will be furnished to those who enroll in coaching program. The prizes associated with the Isabody Challenge are provided directly by Isagenix, and winners are determined by Isagenix. There are no prizes associated with my coaching program. Your NEW YOU is your reward.
Coaching program is open only to those who are new to Isagenix or have been signed up by me. If it has been 6 months or longer since you were previously active in Isagenix, you may re-enroll with me.
Four months. 16 weeks. Just think how fit you could be!
Each of the 10 people are encouraged to bring two friends/family members with them, so the group may have a total size of 30. Unless your two people each want to bring two people, too! The sky is the limit.
Why bring a friend along? Studies have shown that people have greater success in body transformation when they have a support system. You know, an accountabilibuddy! Feel like blowing off your evening walk? You'll be less tempted if you have a friend or two waiting to go with you. Feel like you MUST EAT THE BROWNIE? You'll be less tempted if you know you'll be discussing your food intake with your friends who are in your same boat.
Don't have anyone you want to ask? Want to go stealth, then shock and awe with your results? You still need a support system, and that's where my coaching comes in. Everyone who participates in the challenge will have access to a PRIVATE Facebook group. There we will post meal ideas, exercise ideas, share in triumphs and defeats.
I will enter the challenge with you, and will be posting my own triumphs and struggles right along with you.
DETAILS:
This coaching group will run approximately 16 weeks, from September 10, 2012 through December 31, 2012. That gives you Labor Day picnics for a last hurrah, and then we knuckle down and get busy. Purposefully, this coaching group runs in time to coach you through the holidays! That includes Halloween, for you sweet fiends. Think about it...accountability and strength every day for 16 weeks, including Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas! And we know it's really "the Christmas season", not just Christmas day, because parties abound.
How did your last New Year's Resolution regarding getting fitter work out for you? Where are you now compared to January 1, 2012? Take the challenge and arrive at January 1, 2013 with that one nagging resolution already crossed off your list!
This is NOT just for people looking to lose weight. Improved athletic performance, greater energy, better sleep, the list of goals is endless and personal to you.
How much does it cost? There is NO COST to enter the Isabody Challenge or to participate in my coaching group. Because it is the Isabody Challenge, participants must commit to signing up and using Isagenix products for the 16 weeks. (You place your own orders for only products that YOU want, so you control how much you spend. During the coaching enrollment process we will discuss your goals and I will help you select the right products for you.) Yes, you can drop-out at any time with no obligation to continue, but why would you do that to yourself?
Participants must be 18 years of age or older. Complete Isabody Challenge rules will be furnished to those who enroll in coaching program. The prizes associated with the Isabody Challenge are provided directly by Isagenix, and winners are determined by Isagenix. There are no prizes associated with my coaching program. Your NEW YOU is your reward.
Coaching program is open only to those who are new to Isagenix or have been signed up by me. If it has been 6 months or longer since you were previously active in Isagenix, you may re-enroll with me.
Four months. 16 weeks. Just think how fit you could be!
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
What I Did on My Summer Vacation
My summer vacation from blogging, that is! Time is flying. And I am flying, frequently. Every day I get up and go to the gym. Except Wednesdays and Saturdays. And now Sundays, it seems. Hmmm...I have to add back in a day.
I lift weights on M, Tu, Th, Fr, and do 30 minutes of HIIT following each weight training session. Wednesdays are steady state cardio days, so I go out on my bicycle. That's supposed to take 30 minutes, but I keep exploring and have it actually take anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and a half. Sundays were for yoga, but I haven't made it there since I got back from WA the first of August. I should also have a day of functional training in there, but it just dawned on me I haven't been getting that in. I haven't missed it, lol.
So, I get up and ride my motorcycle to the gym. By the time I work out and the time it takes to get there and back, I have used up 2 hours of my day. I come home for a quick shower and breakfast and sit down to "go to work". I work 9-5 Eastern, and keep my phone by me until it's 5:00 Pacific. There are plenty of days when it rings at 7:00 Eastern.
By then, P is home and we either go somewhere or otherwise do chores and whatnot until it's TV time. Tonight we go look at another possible venue for the wedding. Tomorrow night we go on a group motorcycle ride. That ride ends at a park with a waterfall. Unbeknownst to the ride organizers, we will be looking at the park through the eyes of, "Would we want our wedding here?"
I bought my dress and selected my attendants, but I'm holding off on all other planning until I know where and when it will be. We are shooting for late May 2013. We are exploring options where everything is done for us and we just show up, as well as options such as having it in a park and we have to rent things, set them up, take them down, etc. BUT there are plenty of parks that have pavilion houses and restrooms, which would cut down significantly on rental costs.
We want our wedding to be fun, above all else. We want our guests to be comfortable and enjoy themselves. We want to be outdoors, but have a backup plan for fickle May weather. (It once snowed on Mother's Day, I'm told.) So far, we have only seen one place, and while the food was AMAZING and the venue (a rustic barn on an orchard/farm) was beautiful, it was too close to the road for our liking. (Scene: Do you, Sandi, take HONK HONK HONK! VROOM VROOM! wedded husband? Scene ends with Sandi showing disgust on her face.)
I have things to blog about! I have discovered the BEST thing to happen to kitchen supplies since the microwave oven! I will share that tomorrow. Tune in. ;)
I lift weights on M, Tu, Th, Fr, and do 30 minutes of HIIT following each weight training session. Wednesdays are steady state cardio days, so I go out on my bicycle. That's supposed to take 30 minutes, but I keep exploring and have it actually take anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and a half. Sundays were for yoga, but I haven't made it there since I got back from WA the first of August. I should also have a day of functional training in there, but it just dawned on me I haven't been getting that in. I haven't missed it, lol.
So, I get up and ride my motorcycle to the gym. By the time I work out and the time it takes to get there and back, I have used up 2 hours of my day. I come home for a quick shower and breakfast and sit down to "go to work". I work 9-5 Eastern, and keep my phone by me until it's 5:00 Pacific. There are plenty of days when it rings at 7:00 Eastern.
By then, P is home and we either go somewhere or otherwise do chores and whatnot until it's TV time. Tonight we go look at another possible venue for the wedding. Tomorrow night we go on a group motorcycle ride. That ride ends at a park with a waterfall. Unbeknownst to the ride organizers, we will be looking at the park through the eyes of, "Would we want our wedding here?"
I bought my dress and selected my attendants, but I'm holding off on all other planning until I know where and when it will be. We are shooting for late May 2013. We are exploring options where everything is done for us and we just show up, as well as options such as having it in a park and we have to rent things, set them up, take them down, etc. BUT there are plenty of parks that have pavilion houses and restrooms, which would cut down significantly on rental costs.
We want our wedding to be fun, above all else. We want our guests to be comfortable and enjoy themselves. We want to be outdoors, but have a backup plan for fickle May weather. (It once snowed on Mother's Day, I'm told.) So far, we have only seen one place, and while the food was AMAZING and the venue (a rustic barn on an orchard/farm) was beautiful, it was too close to the road for our liking. (Scene: Do you, Sandi, take HONK HONK HONK! VROOM VROOM! wedded husband? Scene ends with Sandi showing disgust on her face.)
I have things to blog about! I have discovered the BEST thing to happen to kitchen supplies since the microwave oven! I will share that tomorrow. Tune in. ;)
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Fireworks Will Never Be the Same
I've been ready for my boyfriend to propose to me since October of last year. We would speak vaguely of the subject, most often referring to other people's weddings and what we liked or didn't and what we would like. But we didn't talk it to death. I didn't want to. I wanted to be surprised. I know him well enough to know that he believes in marriage and that it is a life goal.
And so I waited. And waited. All of these occasions that I thought would have been perfect came and went. Most recently, a hike to the top of a waterfall on our 2nd anniversary of dating would have been PERFECT.
Finally I gave up trying to predict those perfect moments. Not really, but I told myself that. I thought a proposal on the fifty yard line of Ralph Wilson Stadium at the end of my half marathon would have been PERFECT. But no. Not it.
And then just like that it was 4th of July. We went to an amusement park that was having big fireworks. We got there after 5:00 and wandered through, eating carnie food and mostly (me) refusing to go on rides. We did go on the gravitron. And I would have done all the water slides, but we left our suits for another day. We played miniature golf there, too. I love it, but I'm terrible at it.
When we went back to the truck to get our chairs we discovered the parking lot was full of people just hanging out. Apparently where we parked was just as good as any spot for viewing. So we set our chairs up right by the truck and waited for about an hour and a half. We entertained ourselves on our phones, playing games and Facebooking. We chatted lightly.
Finally the fireworks started. They were nice ones! We got near the finale, and BF kept asking, "Do you think that was the finale?" and then they would start again. Finally it was very obvious it was the finale. He diverted my attention to speak to me seriously. I didn't get it, and was still trying to turn to watch fireworks. Then it dawned on me the words he was saying, and the intensity in his face. He had my full attention. I was just starting to put two and two together and almost in the same instance, he was on one knee in front of me asking me to marry him. He held out an open box with a ring in it, but it was too dark to see it. Of course I said yes! And the moment he picked was PERFECT.
He is the most wonderful man I have ever met. I am a lucky, lucky girl. And he thinks he's the lucky one. And by the way...the ring he chose is absolutely beautiful. The attention to detail he took in the setting and band are so characteristic of him. He said the diamond was the easy part. :)
And so I waited. And waited. All of these occasions that I thought would have been perfect came and went. Most recently, a hike to the top of a waterfall on our 2nd anniversary of dating would have been PERFECT.
Finally I gave up trying to predict those perfect moments. Not really, but I told myself that. I thought a proposal on the fifty yard line of Ralph Wilson Stadium at the end of my half marathon would have been PERFECT. But no. Not it.
And then just like that it was 4th of July. We went to an amusement park that was having big fireworks. We got there after 5:00 and wandered through, eating carnie food and mostly (me) refusing to go on rides. We did go on the gravitron. And I would have done all the water slides, but we left our suits for another day. We played miniature golf there, too. I love it, but I'm terrible at it.
When we went back to the truck to get our chairs we discovered the parking lot was full of people just hanging out. Apparently where we parked was just as good as any spot for viewing. So we set our chairs up right by the truck and waited for about an hour and a half. We entertained ourselves on our phones, playing games and Facebooking. We chatted lightly.
Finally the fireworks started. They were nice ones! We got near the finale, and BF kept asking, "Do you think that was the finale?" and then they would start again. Finally it was very obvious it was the finale. He diverted my attention to speak to me seriously. I didn't get it, and was still trying to turn to watch fireworks. Then it dawned on me the words he was saying, and the intensity in his face. He had my full attention. I was just starting to put two and two together and almost in the same instance, he was on one knee in front of me asking me to marry him. He held out an open box with a ring in it, but it was too dark to see it. Of course I said yes! And the moment he picked was PERFECT.
He is the most wonderful man I have ever met. I am a lucky, lucky girl. And he thinks he's the lucky one. And by the way...the ring he chose is absolutely beautiful. The attention to detail he took in the setting and band are so characteristic of him. He said the diamond was the easy part. :)
Monday, July 2, 2012
50 Yard Finish Race Report
Saturday was FINALLY the big day. After much training and hoopla over the event being "postponed" and then revived, it was race day. I had ridden down to Orchard Park on Friday to pick up my number and T-shirt, so I knew it was going to take me about 50 minutes to get there. This meant leaving the house by 5:15 a.m. and setting the alarm for 4:15. It's been a long time since I had to set an alarm for 4:15!
I arrived and found a bathroom. They had posted that no porta-potties would be available on course. I've never needed one during a race, but somehow knowing they are not an option makes your mind think you're going to need one. While waiting in line, a local was saying there were several gas stations and restaurants along the route, and heck, the locals are so friendly and supportive, you could knock on anyone's door and they'd probably let you in. Good to know.
Outside for some warming up and stretching and it was race time: 7:00 a.m. Only 68 degrees and predicted to go to 87. I was hoping the 87 wouldn't arrive until mid-day, and I ended up getting very lucky. We ran half a mile and turned a corner, straight into the sun. It was just breaking through clouds and I could feel how hot it was on my face and shoulders. I thought, "Uh-oh", and just like that it disappeared behind the clouds and stayed there for the duration of the race. Race conditions were very similar to what I'm used to back home. Still warmer, but it was one day I was actually thankful for a cloudy sky.
I checked my pace frequently. I was running very comfortably at 9:07 at the start. I had expected a flat course, but it was very hilly. They were short hills though, nothing that wasn't runnable compared to where I came from. They were steep enough in some cases to slow pace. My pace was all over the place. 9:00, 9:15, 9:47. At one point there was a very long down hill and I let myself go with gravity and made up at least a minute.
Around mile 4, there was a boy about 8 years old standing at the end of his driveway to high-five every runner. Around mile 7, a man was playing patriotic tunes on his sax. Soon we entered farm country and were passed by a tractor on the road. Two herds of horses, about 30 in total, were startled by us. I've actually seen that in a few races. Horses know what people are but they are very confused at a "herd of people" 500 deep running down the road. They prance and snort, circle and run. Owners come out to catch them and move them or make them stand there and become desensitized.
We were running along the shoulder of various roads. Closer to the stadium, an entire lane had been closed so we had a wide area to run. Once out on the country roads, and the racers spread out, we only had the shoulder. The hills, combined with the cant of the shoulder, made my IT band flare up on the right side about 6 miles in. At that time, I had been right on pace to either match my last half marathon time, or be only 3-4 minutes longer. I toughed it out another 4 miles, my pace creeping well into the 10:00m/m zone, and finally I had to start taking walk breaks to massage out the top of the band in my hip.
At my first walk break, a young girl with a red ponytail asked me what mile we were on. (I noticed that Garmins aren't as popular here as back home. I saw very few.) "7.5". "That's it?!?" Yup. That's it. Once I was back to running I passed her again, and then she caught up to me on my next walk break. "Are we at 10 yet?" "9.94". "Gah!" lol.
There were water stations every 2 miles. They handed out water "packets"...clear plastic "water balloons". They were palm sized rectangles filled with about 8 oz of water. I had my water bottle with me, mixed with my favorite energy replacer, but needed supplemental water to have enough to make it the whole distance. These little water packs were amazing! So quick to grab, they really sped up the aid stations. You bit the corner to open them, and there was more than enough water to rinse your mouth, take a drink, and squirt a LOT over your neck and shoulders to keep cool. My clothes were drenched at the end because I kept using them to cool off when I was done drinking from them.
I had taken out one of my ear buds so that I could hear the sounds of the race. Intersections we crossed where traffic had been stopped for us had lines of cars all honking their horns in encouragement (yes, I'm sure it wasn't rage). Bicyclists passing cheered us on. Volunteers with flags directing us on our way cheered us on.
Finally we made the last turn and could see the stadium. That was the hardest half mile of the race. You can see stadium...and it's so far way. Finally it gets bigger, and they direct you to go right. We have to find the entrance onto the field. We have to run to the back of the stadium. I'm determined not to walk, even though my IT band is screaming at this point. Another turn to the left and I can see the entrance to the tunnel. And the up hill ramp inside it. At the top of the ramp you can see the green of the field below, the white lines, the red and blue Buffalo logo. My heart soared...I was actually going to run onto the Buffalo Bill's field!
I gained a lot of momentum going down the ramp and I burst out of the tunnel in a sprint with an ear to ear grin. Pain? What pain? Pure adrenaline now. Then I heard something I had not expected and was unprepared for. A voice over a loud speaker said, "Now entering the stadium, number 568, Sandi Parker!" An involuntary reaction took over and both hands shot straight into the air, Rocky-style. I crossed the finish and paced to catch my breath, taking in everything around me.
My time was an abysmal 2:20, a full 14 minutes slower than my best time. That being the case, the awards ceremony was already going on, on the sideline. The winner ran it in 1:21:24. The first woman across the line ran it in 1:38:09. The second woman crossed in 1:40:17 and is the same age as I am. That's flying! :)
I looked around and suddenly realized I was all alone. I had trained alone, run alone, and finished alone. All that exuberance was at once replaced with overwhelming sadness and lonliness. There wasn't a sole I knew there to congratulate me. I marveled at being surrounded by a thousand people and feeling all alone. I sat on the field to stretch and enjoy being there as long as I could, and fought the tears streaming down my face. I took a few pictures, including holding the camera out to take my own finish picture. It was amazing and sucked all at the same time.
I've learned in life to never say never. Yes, that boring cliche really is true. Right now, "I'm never going to run another half marathon. I'll run 5Ks." Rewind to two years ago, and that's what I said then, too. I tried for a half marathon last year, but again had injury issues. My body holds up well around 4-6 miles. So 5Ks and 10Ks are within range. And only take as much training as I want in order to increase speed. And Saturday's 5K had the same finish as the half marathon, on the field. :)
I arrived and found a bathroom. They had posted that no porta-potties would be available on course. I've never needed one during a race, but somehow knowing they are not an option makes your mind think you're going to need one. While waiting in line, a local was saying there were several gas stations and restaurants along the route, and heck, the locals are so friendly and supportive, you could knock on anyone's door and they'd probably let you in. Good to know.
Outside for some warming up and stretching and it was race time: 7:00 a.m. Only 68 degrees and predicted to go to 87. I was hoping the 87 wouldn't arrive until mid-day, and I ended up getting very lucky. We ran half a mile and turned a corner, straight into the sun. It was just breaking through clouds and I could feel how hot it was on my face and shoulders. I thought, "Uh-oh", and just like that it disappeared behind the clouds and stayed there for the duration of the race. Race conditions were very similar to what I'm used to back home. Still warmer, but it was one day I was actually thankful for a cloudy sky.
I checked my pace frequently. I was running very comfortably at 9:07 at the start. I had expected a flat course, but it was very hilly. They were short hills though, nothing that wasn't runnable compared to where I came from. They were steep enough in some cases to slow pace. My pace was all over the place. 9:00, 9:15, 9:47. At one point there was a very long down hill and I let myself go with gravity and made up at least a minute.
Around mile 4, there was a boy about 8 years old standing at the end of his driveway to high-five every runner. Around mile 7, a man was playing patriotic tunes on his sax. Soon we entered farm country and were passed by a tractor on the road. Two herds of horses, about 30 in total, were startled by us. I've actually seen that in a few races. Horses know what people are but they are very confused at a "herd of people" 500 deep running down the road. They prance and snort, circle and run. Owners come out to catch them and move them or make them stand there and become desensitized.
We were running along the shoulder of various roads. Closer to the stadium, an entire lane had been closed so we had a wide area to run. Once out on the country roads, and the racers spread out, we only had the shoulder. The hills, combined with the cant of the shoulder, made my IT band flare up on the right side about 6 miles in. At that time, I had been right on pace to either match my last half marathon time, or be only 3-4 minutes longer. I toughed it out another 4 miles, my pace creeping well into the 10:00m/m zone, and finally I had to start taking walk breaks to massage out the top of the band in my hip.
At my first walk break, a young girl with a red ponytail asked me what mile we were on. (I noticed that Garmins aren't as popular here as back home. I saw very few.) "7.5". "That's it?!?" Yup. That's it. Once I was back to running I passed her again, and then she caught up to me on my next walk break. "Are we at 10 yet?" "9.94". "Gah!" lol.
There were water stations every 2 miles. They handed out water "packets"...clear plastic "water balloons". They were palm sized rectangles filled with about 8 oz of water. I had my water bottle with me, mixed with my favorite energy replacer, but needed supplemental water to have enough to make it the whole distance. These little water packs were amazing! So quick to grab, they really sped up the aid stations. You bit the corner to open them, and there was more than enough water to rinse your mouth, take a drink, and squirt a LOT over your neck and shoulders to keep cool. My clothes were drenched at the end because I kept using them to cool off when I was done drinking from them.
I had taken out one of my ear buds so that I could hear the sounds of the race. Intersections we crossed where traffic had been stopped for us had lines of cars all honking their horns in encouragement (yes, I'm sure it wasn't rage). Bicyclists passing cheered us on. Volunteers with flags directing us on our way cheered us on.
Finally we made the last turn and could see the stadium. That was the hardest half mile of the race. You can see stadium...and it's so far way. Finally it gets bigger, and they direct you to go right. We have to find the entrance onto the field. We have to run to the back of the stadium. I'm determined not to walk, even though my IT band is screaming at this point. Another turn to the left and I can see the entrance to the tunnel. And the up hill ramp inside it. At the top of the ramp you can see the green of the field below, the white lines, the red and blue Buffalo logo. My heart soared...I was actually going to run onto the Buffalo Bill's field!
I gained a lot of momentum going down the ramp and I burst out of the tunnel in a sprint with an ear to ear grin. Pain? What pain? Pure adrenaline now. Then I heard something I had not expected and was unprepared for. A voice over a loud speaker said, "Now entering the stadium, number 568, Sandi Parker!" An involuntary reaction took over and both hands shot straight into the air, Rocky-style. I crossed the finish and paced to catch my breath, taking in everything around me.
My time was an abysmal 2:20, a full 14 minutes slower than my best time. That being the case, the awards ceremony was already going on, on the sideline. The winner ran it in 1:21:24. The first woman across the line ran it in 1:38:09. The second woman crossed in 1:40:17 and is the same age as I am. That's flying! :)
I looked around and suddenly realized I was all alone. I had trained alone, run alone, and finished alone. All that exuberance was at once replaced with overwhelming sadness and lonliness. There wasn't a sole I knew there to congratulate me. I marveled at being surrounded by a thousand people and feeling all alone. I sat on the field to stretch and enjoy being there as long as I could, and fought the tears streaming down my face. I took a few pictures, including holding the camera out to take my own finish picture. It was amazing and sucked all at the same time.
I've learned in life to never say never. Yes, that boring cliche really is true. Right now, "I'm never going to run another half marathon. I'll run 5Ks." Rewind to two years ago, and that's what I said then, too. I tried for a half marathon last year, but again had injury issues. My body holds up well around 4-6 miles. So 5Ks and 10Ks are within range. And only take as much training as I want in order to increase speed. And Saturday's 5K had the same finish as the half marathon, on the field. :)
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