Channeling Richard Simmons

You want to hate the guy, but you can't. With his too tight, too shiny and way too short dolphin shorts and his spangled singlet, the guy's kinda got it going on. It's coming back around to that fashion (maybe not for men), but still. And his enthusiasm is not so much contagious as it's drop jaw stare inducing, like a train wreck. I saw our little friend on tv the other day, the fro's fading from it's glory, you can see through it but RS is still out there doing 20 minutes at a time and that's kinda what my week has been like. Hope yours has been as good. Here's a rundown.

Monday, January 14th - After the 15k skate race on Sunday, I wanted to do a mellow run with Sophie included up Cache Creek, the local in town trail. Weather was good and headed out at lunch. Ran into my hot, I mean nice, no really, I mean hot friend Derek just after climbing the ladder (small, steep hill) and we chatted for about 10 minutes (he chatted, I wondered if I was displaying my good side). After that, well, I had a spring in my step and pretty much ran flat out for about 45 minutes total.

Tuesday, January 15th - When I went to bed Monday, the temperature was 2F, so I thought I was def. hitting the treadmill in the morning. But at 6am, the temperature was 28 degrees so excitedly, I got dressed for some outside fun with Sophie (2 birds). I headed out and then realized why it was 28 degrees as the 35 mph wind hit square in the face, so not sweet! I headed towards a butte that switchbacks up to fancy schmancy houses and is all Private, No trespassing, stay away you. But with the snow blowing in my face, I must have missed those 8 signs. There were moments of serene calm on the climb up, when the wind was at my back and I stayed out there for about 50 minutes and really enjoyed myself. Sophie's got some husky in her, so she was in her element and we both got back to the house with heavily iced eyelashes and the front side of me plastered with snow. Saw another road runner out there in the blizzard but got no love from him, not even a hi, no comment.

Wednesday January 16th - My training plan is resembling more of a "New Years Resolution fitness plan" (see Richard Simmons reference above) with my 50 minute runs. If I threw in some deep knee bends and had one of those big rubber band jobs from the 50s that you threw around your midsection and it jiggled you (where are those now?), I could round it out. But my job is amping up and I don't leave here most nites until 7 (cue tears and sniffles). So you get it when you can.

Today, same thing on the menu - 35 minute run on the treadmill following by 18 minutes (random time, note: no real training plan) on the bike. One thing I have found is if you like to read when you exercise, check out the Large Print section at the library. The words are about as big as your thumbnail which makes them easier to see. Now I can't read when I am running hard on the treadmill with all the jostling and bobbing, I lose my place. But biking is perfect for reading especially seeing I didn't set up the torture device known as my road bike on the trainer. Instead, I set up my comfy cruiser bike with it's hemorrhoid padded seat, bell (in case anyone gets my way) and baskets (more than one). Now, the one problem with getting the large print books is your gonna get used to the size 32 font and it's a slippery slope after that...

Local morning new show - they all got the trivia question wrong and I think one of them even had the correct answer. Morning temperature -8, help me.

Thursday - January 17th - Got up 20 minutes early and can only note that mornings and evenings are time sucks, where does the time go and why can't work go that fast? So today did an hour on the treadmill, about 6 miles and 600 calories (thanks to the incline). That allowed me extra butter and peanut butter on my english muffin. Will try for some weights and floor work (not gymnastics) in the evening.

Morning tv - this slayed me. The topic was Ben Franklin and one of the kids asked, what did he invent? The answer from the other " the light bulb", no comment. Other topics were MLK day coming up and how Wyomingites were going to celebrate. There was a representative from the NAACP on tv and get this, she was white?? Who knew? One thing that Wyoming is lacking is diversity.

On the flip side, it's a good hair day, according to me. That can usually set you up for greatness. Temperature -2, warming up.

Friday, January 18th - 30 minute run on treadmill, 10 minute bike on trainer, pushups on Bosu and situps over Bosu, followed by coffee, a delicious smoothie and some quiet reading (favorite time to read). I don't know what's come over me but my diet has taken an amazing about face. I don't know how it happened but I suddenly love vegetables now and that has never been the case. I am having Leave It to Beaver meals most nites and I am the person who thinks cooking is a bit of a waste of time. I can live happily on mac and cheese with tuna or just chicken, no sides. I don't eat crap or processed foods but suddenly I have having the RDA of vegetables and I gotta say, I feel great.

Today show Wyoming style - One of the kids left their shoes on top of their car and was only able to recover one - that was their lead story. All got the the trivia wrong again and it's going to be cold next week. Got to get off the treadmill.

No plans for the weekend, some work and hopefully out for a couple of good hours either running or skiing. There's skate race over at Grand Targhee, but it's an hour drive each way for a 10k race, that's doesn't meet the race time more than travel time rule, so it's probably out.