Glad We Got THAT Out of the Way!

Today is Tuesday, a day I have grown to LOVE for the past 4 summers here.  I have gone sailing every Tuesday night with a very close friend of mine starting 4 summers ago on a lightening and I have grown to love it!

To pick up where I left you last on Friday, I was on my way to the beach.  After my plans were all over the place for a few days, I finally got things nailed down and headed out to the beach for the weekend.  We got there Friday night and just hung around at my friends house for the evening.  Nothing too excited happened and I was totally OK with that.  Just being around great friends and sharing laughs was more than enough for me.

We woke up Saturday morning and my buddy asked if I wanted to go for a run.  I was so happy! I didn't want to be the only guy who woke up and wanted to go out for a run!  So we laced up and headed out.  He is faster than me by a long shot but I was going for a longer run on Saturday so he agreed to stay with me.  We went for two miles together and then he pealed away and finished up but I continued on.  We were in Lewes, DE and the run was beautiful!  I found a nice little trail and followed it around until I finished up just over 5 miles. 

My little Banner from my run :)

When I finished up my run I hit end on my Nike+ app and that annoying yet amazing little notification popped up.  I broke ANOTHER record!  Just 6 short months ago to the date I went for a run around the same neighborhood.  This time I killed that run.  My 5K time was down over 5 minutes and I went for 2 miles further than I did in January.  What an accomplishment!  I was never a runner so I don't know if this is as huge as I think it is, but I am going to enjoy it while it lasts!

After the run we headed out to Seacrets in OCMD.  I was excited but at the same time I wasn't.  I am not a huge fan of OCMD, it's not exactly my kind of crowd but nonetheless my buddy wanted to go their and it was his birthday weekend, so I wasn't going to rain on his parade.  I ended up having a great time and really enjoyed it.  YES I know before you say it, this is becoming a common theme and I should just continue to not over think things.  Hi have we just met?

This is me, 6 months ago on NYE with my friends girlfriend.

This is me, Saturday, at Seacrets...difference much?!

 

Holy cow what a DIFFERENCE.  I look at the first picture and don't even recognize that guy anymore.  When that picture was taken, I had been working out and busting my tail for about 4 months but just couldn't see a difference.  Through time, hard work, and dedication though I stuck with it and look at the difference now!  I uploaded this picture to facebook and there were a handful of likes and comments but the one that stood out the most read:

"I'm so glad you finally posted a picture so everyone can see how great you look! I am so proud of you and happy for you, you inspire so many including me, love you!!"

Thank you so much, that really touched me and I can't even tell you how much it pushed me to keep going on this journey!!

On Sunday I got home and I was messing around with my bike in the garage.  I decided to ride up and down the street a little to see what these new pedals and shoes were all about.  After a few up and down's I though forget this, I AM GOING ON THE ROAD!  I came home and grabbed my bike shorts and my other gear and I was off!

This ride was different than any ride yet.  For those of you who don't know Chester County, I'll just go out on a limb and say it's a little hilly.  On top of all that I was trying to get used to having my feet attached to my bike.  It was weird at first but I got the hang of it....or so I thought. I rode down to the Y which is around 5 miles give or take from my house.  I turned around in the parking lot and was heading down towards the red light.  I checked for traffic and had to do a double take because I though I saw someone driving down the road who I knew and then it happened....before I knew it, I was laying on the ground. Yes I fell on my bike and the only thing I could do was starting laughing. I said out loud "well at least we got THAT out of the way!" I knew it was bound to happen at some point, I just didn't think that would be it!  This ride was not my best but I got it done and it is a step to getting used to being in the pedals and shoes. 

Monday was a pretty typical Monday...The weather still stinks here but I have found my self tossing the iron around again and I love it.  I was always more for lifting in the past rather than cardio but that's just because I was being lazy.  I know love the two and really hope that I can use both to improve myself, both physical and for the performance in my racing.

 

It is funny for me to look back from time to time on where I used to be and where I am today.  I would have never done the things I am doing today.  I would have given up so long ago but that just isn't me anymore.  There are so many changes but I wouldn't trade them for the world.  I am so happy that I took the bull by the horns and stuck with it! People laughed at me and made fun of me for so many various reasons but if I listened to them I wouldn't have made it as far as I have and I am really starting to see that.  I knew what I had to do to ensure success and I did it.  Not for them but for me, for myself, and I am so glad I did.  Whatever you are doing, ask yourself, am I doing this for me or am I doing it for them?  When you find the difference, please contact me and let me know because I want to give you a hug and share how amazing you will truly feel!

Tomorrow is a new day and I will be headed back down to the boat for our annual 3rd of July party.  It is sure to be a good time and I can't wait.  Looking forward to spending the evening with great friends yet again!  Hopefully I will see you all on the other side of the holiday and I hope you all enjoy it where ever you are!

All for now

Keep FSU and Do It For Yourself!

Yes we do have that size!

Today, oh today how it was so small but so huge at the same time for me!! It started as an other day, I woke up, cooked breakfast and got ready for work and I was on my way. The weather here then decided to strike again. It thundered as I was walking through the parking lot and so I knew I wasn't going to be getting in the pool on time. Little did I know walking into work did I know that I would not get in the pool at all today. Our club lost power at about 9:15 or 9:30. Mind you when the power goes out all hell breaks loose. People were running around like chickens with their heads cut off. People were bossing each other around and it just turned into one giant pissing contest about who knew more than the next person. I took my spot in a nice comfy chair and just sat back and laughed. This was all well and good but I began to get restless. I'm like a little kid and I can't sit in one spot for too long without going CRAZY. So after awhile I started to wander around and attempt to keep myself busy. I looked outside and saw the weather clearing and thought we were going to resume our swim lessons. Again I couldn't have been more wrong. One of the grounds keepers pulled up an app on his phone from Delmarva which said we wouldn't have power back until some time between 2-8pm. Apparently there was a slight problem with one of the transformers. So I called my lessons and ended up leaving work incredibly early. 

On my way out I saw a guy who I work with who I have looked up to since I started there. He has been into this triathlon business for awhile and he said he wanted to check out my new ride. So we broke out the Trek from my trunk and we messed around for awhile. I showed him the pedals I had and he said forget that man, come over here, I have some better pedals for you. He pulled out a new looking set of pedals and said here just take these. AGAIN!  The people in this community are so giving I can't believe it! I am so grateful to all of them!

After we put everything away I thought what next? Well I'm leaving for the beach tomorrow and I have no beach clothing that fits. Mind you I am an absolute beach bum so I can get away with wearing boardies 24/7 while I'm down there and not playing golf. So I decided to head to the mall to get some new threads. I hit my first store and I felt like I was right back where I used to be. The stupid store had shorts all in sizes 29 and 30. Seriously. What real person wears that size. I was so pissed. 

I moved on to my third store feeling extremely frustrated. But then it happened....if I could jump through the computer screen and hug you while you were reading this due to excitement I absolutely would!!  I picked out two tanks to go try on because they were BOGO. I went into the fitting room and tried them on....THEY FIT LIKE A GLOVE! Size large tanks and they fit absolutely perfect. I was jumping out of my skin. At one point and time I was probably pushing 2-3XL shirts and could never find anything. Today I walked in, picked out what I wanted and it fit. I wasn't done there though, I decided to push my luck again. I found PBR boardies that I really liked and so I decided I wanted to try them out for size too. So of course I had to ask for help to get them down. The anxiety built up as the girl pulled off a bunch from the extremely high rack and I'm standing there thinking great here we go again. So she found my size and I went back to try them on. Yup you guess it! Another perfect fit! Twice in a row. The shorts were a size 34. So I went from 2XL shirts and 40 waist to size larger shirt and 34 shorts. I put on one of the tanks that I picked out and just stood there and looked in the mirror for a second. I couldn't believe it. For once I went into a store, found clothes I liked and thought I actually looked GOOD in. It was such a huge moment for me. I could see all the hard work right there in front of me. Clothes that ACTUALLY fit and it felt INCREDIBLE! I have never left a store so satisfied before and it was just insane and weird to me. I had never felt like this before and I loved it. I can't stop!

I came home on cloud 9 and decided to do a swim. I'm blessed to have a pool right in my backyard so I grabbed my gear bag and jumped in. Since our pool isn't 25 yards long I decided to start my watch and just go for 30 minutes instead of going for yards. After my swim I dried off and jumped right into my running gear. Then stupid Mother Nature hit again and it started to rain. So I headed into the basement to try and do what I could. It wasn't cutting it though. I REALLY wanted to run. So I was doing my circuit and I remembered that my neighbor had a treadmill! So I sent him a text and he told me to come over. I jumped on and just started going. For whatever reason it felt like one of my best runs to date. I don't know if it was because I was still on cloud 9 from my mall trip or if it was just me getting better. I'll go for a mixture of both. 

Today was so huge for me in so many ways although to the on looker it may seem so small. The old me would have given up after the first store in the mall and just stormed out. But I continued on and I am so glad I did. Second when I got out of the pool the old me would have just been satisfied with the half hour swim. But that wasn't enough, I need MORE!  It is becoming a common theme and I don't hate it at all. The feeling when I get during and after such a good workout can not compare to anything else in the world. When I do something for myself though such as go get new clothes it's something that I can't compare to anything else. The results and hard work and everything are right there in front of my eyes. After my race last weekend the guy I ran with told me you need to set rewards for yourself and allow yourself those rewards. I thought of that today in the fitting room and I did just that. I'm still on cloud 9 and I thank him for giving me that small yet so valuable piece of advice. 

Tomorrow is an early morning for me. I am opening the club at 5:15 am and that is the only thing standing between me and vacation! I can't wait. I don't think I've even been so excited to go to the beach. Finally I can enjoy the fruits of my labor! It's time for me to sign off. Remember that hug cause I'm jumping through the screen and giving you that huge for reading. Thank you, you're helping and you don't even realize it. Good night all. 

All for now. 

Keep FSU and Do It For Yourself