118 days to go!

I started back up with Erika today! It feels likes months... but in actuality, I think it was about 3 weeks or so.

It was great... especially since she went easy on me.

We met up at a different park... this one's closer to my home... no freeways required! It also allows me to get up at the same time, and eat/digest a little bit of food before my workout. It also gets me home faster so I don't have to worry about being late to work or skipping out on a shower... (just kidding, I like my co-workers too much to ever do that to them!) So the new location chisels away another excuse in my head why I shouldn't wake up early and prepare myself for the hike.

This new park has a nice jogging path (which I hope never to use)... and some picnic tables... and some make shift gym equipment. And cute squirrels that play "hide the nut." And bathrooms! And even at 6:30 am when it was still dark out, people were running the path, and people walking their dogs.

If you were out there, you would have seen me. I was the one standing on the picnic tables. Up and down, at a steady pace... I'm just saying, as a child, I was yelled at for what I was doing today (just so you know, Erika).

My lower back aches have not been an issue lately. I'm hoping its because I've been doing exercises to strengthen it. Mostly some stretches at night along with some sit ups. Sleeping on my back, and using one pillow. Seems to be working.

Today, we focused on other exercises to build up lower back strength. I did some Superman(s), used the yellow weights to roll up and down my legs, and the the medicine balk back and forth from one leg to the next.

It was so gorgeous this morning. It made me so happy to be outdoors taking care of myself. Warm enough, and cool enough.

Next week... we're busting out the tape measurer again!

125 days to go!

I've been sadly freaking out about my HD Hike. Permits are mandated for everyone who climbs past subdome, and they just went "on sale" for the months of May & June. Sold out in like 18 minutes.

April 1st is right around the corner! And that is when I need to try to get my permits for my July trip.... and I'm freaked out about not getting the permits, and simply being denied the opportunity to climb all the way to the top. They are only allowing 300 permits a day.

There are measures I can take if the permits run out on me, but we'll go into that when the time comes.

For right now, all I can do is try... and be willing to climb all the way to subdome... So right now, that is my commitment!

ohhhhhh the powerlessness of it all!

129 Days to go!

And thankfully, I got a hike in today at Runyon again.

This time, I climbed UP a dirt path (up Western Highway)... something I haven't done in a while. I thought ever, but the husband reminded me what we did it one time. I did well. Each break was very short. Then we walked down the road.

I was gonna take a few photos... but when I pulled out my camera... my water bottle fell OUT of my bag on a very STEEP, torn up explosed rock section of the path.

I really thought that my water bottle was a goner... I started to chase it down the mountain, which I soon realize, a) I can not race down the mountain, b) I can not OUTRUN the bottle.

Thankfully, a very NICE hiker on the way up grabbed my bottle for me. I was so grateful! I thought that I was gonna see the bottle go right off the mountain. BTW, this good samaritan hiker also had an awesome dog mix... a pug/pitbull. Very sweet looking.

At the end of the trail, some energy drink company, Fuction Drinks, had 3 complimentary beverages for promotion. I grabbed 1 that didn't have SUGAR in the ingrediants. It advertised using green tea as a major componant, and hypered abilities to burn fat. I was eager to try something new, but after one short sip, it just tasted so artificial... I brought it home for the husband. OH well. But if you wanna try it out, their website is http://www.fuctiondrinks.com/.



I'm hoping in this week that I have off to get one or two more hikes in!