Bootcamp for Goddesses!

I finally did it! I signed up for Bootcamp for Goddesses with Sierra Bender. I was supposed to go last year but put it off because my mom needed surgery. And in true "Nan" fashion, she came through like a GODDESS and was the picture of health by the time the freakin' bootcamp came around. Rats! Alas, last year was not my year.

So, this year was going to be my year. I turned 40 years old, ran the numbers, put in my vacation and was all set to go but when I signed up, the Bunkhouse room that I wanted was SOLD OUT! Normally, I'd be all like, "Well, I deserve this! Give me the Lodge Single." It's all luxurious and super cozy but I thought it would be a waste. I loathe the thought of a nice room not being occupied as much as possible. The Lodge Double would have been cheaper than the Lodge Single but I would have been paired up with a stranger unless I came with a girlfriend. Believe it or not, I scored dead even on the Introvert/Extrovert portion of my Myers-Briggs test. I was not about to room with some potential loon! So, I decided that I wanted to stick to my budget and pass on the bootcamp--again. And you know, I wasn't really that upset about it. I did, however, put my name on the waitlist for the Bunkhouse, just in case--I was third in line.

Lo and behold, I got the phone call that a room was available!

After I got the call about the room, I tried really hard to use work as an excuse not to go. I have to admit that I've been afraid to attend the Bootcamp for Goddesses! I thought I had an adventurous spirit! Well, I know I have one but she needs a bit of goading and encouragement, except when dolphins are involved. I did jump into the ocean to meet a pod of wild Spinner Dolphins. I was in at least 50 ft. of the blue abyss before my butt realized the err of my ways. It paid off though, it was kind of scary beyond in all that water, without flippers or a life jacket but it paid off. That experience changed me, changed my husband, changed our lives.

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This is going to be so fantastic! I'll blog as much as I can but it looks like I'll be fairly busy. I'll try to include pictures but I have to respect the privacy of my "fellow" Goddesses. You know how it is! Ha! I'm so excited!

Happy Birthday Dr. King and Happy 40th Birthday to Me!

I had a stellar day! It was perfect. I am so lucky and so grateful. Here is how I celebrated...

I Finished the ARA 30K!

I am apprehensive about calling myself a Runner. A more accurate description of me is race finisher. I have finished every race I have entered; that's important to me. I am certainly aware of Personal Records (PRs) but they are not what drive me. I am driven to complete the miles that are in front of me and by any medals that may be obtained by doing so. Conversely, I “ran” my first marathon, in 2002, nonstop, because I thought walking was for squares, but hit The Wall at mile 20. Anyway, the so-called running I did during that first marathon was much closer to trotting; there were people who were walking that passed me by! And they were not speed walking, my friend.

I am oftentimes embarrassed to discuss my finishing times. Real runners, and I definitely understand that there are real runners, would not consider my finishing times acceptable. I am a darned slow runner and will walk whenever the mood hits me. I try not to walk an entire race because it is always my intention to run but so far, when the mood hits me, when my body says, “This is for the birds!” or starts to fight back, I will walk. I have not been able to help myself and quite frankly, I have not trained for more.

Despite my shame, my friends and family, including my husband, have assured me that I am SUPER HUMAN for having completed 2 marathons, a couple of 30Ks, some 20 and 10 milers, and several 10 and 5Ks. They make me feel very proud and won’t allow me to bash myself for being slow. My goal is to continue to take their encouragement to heart! I want to appreciate myself. I know that what I can do is a gift. I don't want to poo poo it.

Several great athletes live in Austin. Marion Jones just moved here, Monica Brant-Peckham is here and I think Andy Roddick lives here too. But hands-down, Gilbert Tubahonye is my local running Hero/Star. Every time I see him at a run, I can’t help but gawk, don’t worry, I am subtle—I hope! I often recall a brief conversation that I had with Gilbert. He asked me the dreaded question about that first marathon, “How long did it take you?” I was so embarrassed to tell him! I was not grateful for having the physical stamina to complete the race. I was not proud about my will to finish the marathon despite hitting the Wall at mile 20. I was embarrassed to tell this World Class runner my pathetic finishing time. Do you want to know his response to the several hours that it took me to finish the marathon? He said, “That’s fantastic, I could not run that long. You should be proud.” Wow! What a positive way to look at things! He said that he simply could not do it. I cannot finish a marathon in under three hours and he cannot finish a marathon in over six. Perfect! Everyone has to run her own race.

I almost didn’t run the ARA 30K. There was a great deal of hype around the difficutly of the race course--and rightly so. It scared the fire out of me. I struggled with whether or not to run it. It was breaking my heart that I would forfeit the Distance Challenge but I was convinced that there was no way I could complete the ARA 30K. But my husband said that I could do it. One of the awesome folk at RunTex said I could do it. They were right. I finished the ARA 30K and enjoyed it. I enjoyed every tedious, thigh-busting hill. It's always been easier for me to trust in others over trusting myself.

I truly admire those "freaks" who actually run races like the ARA 30K. I truly admire and respect them. I would love to be one of them but thus far, I have not put in the work to join them. I believe that some day I will--or maybe not. Either way, I’ve got my Finisher’s Medal from one of the most bad ass race routes that has ever been mapped! I love it!

Happy New Year 2008!

Just moments ago, I was thinking of feigning excitement about the New Year, New Beginnings, yadda, yadda, yadda but I don’t really have the energy to do that. Perhaps while I type this out, the feeling will come to me. HOWEVER, I am glad about the New Year. I love beginnings. I do love a “do-over.”

Today, I was supposed to do Cardio and Abdominals. So far, I have gone on a fairly decent bike ride, my heart rate was elevated, albeit briefly, twice. I’m going to claim that as cardiovascular success. If I don’t, I’ll play some tricks on myself and decide that this week is a loss and I should “start fresh on Monday!” Man, I sure like to “start fresh on Mondays!

I can still do my Abdominals, it's not too late! It’s a set of (3) exercises. There is the heel to ceiling, reverse crunch and bench crunch. It’s just one stinkin’ set. I will do it!

For posterity, I am currently reading Skinny Bitch. It’s a great New Year’s resolution book. The "skinny bitches" who wrote it are fairly crass but I’m warming up to it! I just read the section that describes slaughterhouses. I actually shed a few tears on that section. I hope they are exaggerating. Surely we could not be that cruel to animals as an accepted practice! I know that humans can be cruel but what they describe (quotes from another book) is beyond the beyond! So, I’m going to lighten up on the beef, pork and chicken. I’m not quitting completely but I’m listening. There’s got to be some truth to all of this because I’ve been hearing about it from a lot of sources.

I rallied at the last minute and got some groceries in the house. I tried to make a list but my heart warn’t in it. I got some Flax Frozen Waffles, bananas, apples, spinach (frozen and fresh), frozen berries, grapefruit popsicles, almond milk, blueberry yogurt, and a few more things, let’s see some cut celery and baby carrots. I also got some tuna. Yikes! I’m going to starve!

What else do I have? I’m excited about my new make-up from Bobbi Brown! I’ll give you more information about that and some other stuff that I’m doing but I’d better get to the point of this blog. Like most blogs, it’s just rambling but I’m hoping to get to the point.

I am going to document my transformation into a Goddess! I am documenting it so that women far and wide can follow this prescription to Goddessdom. I will document the highs and lows. It is my belief that liberation will come through transformation—my transformation into a Goddess. Ultimately, I want liberation. I want to be free.

It is my intent to get the writing tight, crisp, and sharp. It’s going to take a minute.

(Dear Goddess and Gods, PLEASE HELP HAWAII BEAT THE BULLDOGS!!!)

Finally, I have created a New Year's meal tradition for my husband and me! It’s called Prosperity Soup! And I must say, thanks to Skinny Bitch for inspiring me to open my mind to alternatives to salt pork and other greasy treats, which I do love very much:

Prosperity Soup
4 cans of black eyed peas
1 bag of frozen spinach
1.5 quarts of chicken broth
3 slices of bacon
.5 red onion
.5 white onion
A bunch of garlic gloves
Bragg All Natural Herb & Spice seasoning
Black pepper
Cayenne pepper
Red pepper flakes
A pinch of salt
One pot

Add the black eyed peas to the pot, pour in the chicken broth simmer on low heat.
Chop the onion and garlic and bacon and brown all that together. (I must confess here that I added some canola oil to the browning process but not a lot!) Add the frozen spinach to the pot, stir in the items that you browned. Add your spices and let everything simmer.

This soup is simple andI don’t have exact measurements or simmer times; you’ll have to wing it. My soup had a little kick to it. I am a bit heavy handed with the cayenne and pepper flakes but not overly. There should not be any aftermath issues. It was delicious!

That’s it. Happy New Year to you. I may do some Abdominal exercise but more likely, I’ll hop in the bed and read some more of this Skinny Bitch.