May Ultimate Coffee Date

Happy Saturday, everyone! Today, I’m in downtown Philadelphia for the Broad Street 10-Miler expo. When the lottery opened, I took a chance and entered in hopes I’d be running by now.

That hasn’t exactly worked out.

It’s disappointing, but such is life. It is what it is. So let’s just grab some coffee and chat about other things! 

I’m once again joining in with May’s Ultimate Coffee Date Blog Link Up that’s hosted by Deborah over at Confessions of a Mother Runner and Coco at Running with Perseverance with this pre-written post!

If we were having coffee ... I’d chat about all the movies I’ve been watching such as Under the Tuscan Sun, While You Were Sleeping, First Wives Club, The Women–both the original and remake, and many more. But not only for fun, it’s also research for my novel, A Year of Happy Endings, where four unhappy women hatch a plan to create a year of happy endings by mimicking their favorite movies.

It’s been fun writing this book and quite the experience posted each chapter as they’re finished on Wattpad. Usually, I follow Stephen King’s advise to write with the door closed, rewrite with the door open, but my problem is wanting to cling to a manuscript until it’s been rewritten at least twice. But since I do plan on self-publishing AYOHE later this year, I’m ditching my inner perfectionist and throwing open the door. It’s been rewarding since hitting that publish button? Oh my goodness. It feels so great!

If we were having coffee … I would tell you how I can’t believe my eldest son is graduating college on the 20th! (His first of three colleges he’s getting degrees from.) I’d show you the graduation announcements I made on Shutterfly and *try* not to sound all braggy since that’s not my style. But yeah. The 20th is going to be an amazing day!!

And seeing as how we will have five different college graduations between our two sons, I have told my husband that all the decorations I’m buying will be an investment.

If we were having coffee … at my house, specifically … I’d show you my new vision board that I created on Shutterfly as a way to keep me focused on my goals and recovery through positive thinking!

Each image holds a special meaning. Like the colorful piggy banks? That is an image I purchased to use for my Beauty Shop for Rent trailer … a novel full of dynamic, unique characters that I’ve grown to love dearly. So this is a reminder of how I must stay involved in story, and devote more time to writing.

I can’t decide where to hang this, though. In my office? Downstairs in my basement gym so I can see it each time I work out? Decisions, decisions.

Oh, and about working out…

If we were having coffee… I would tell you how I’ve declared war on the eight pounds I’ve gained since September due to my injury.

I’d also confess that this is total bull crap … not about the weight, but it being from my injury. Yes, I did go from running about thirty miles a week to zero. And yes, it has been necessary to protect my foot by only doing upper body work, leg lifts and pilates on the floor, and cardio on the stationary bike.

Still. My workouts have been lackadaisical, lackluster, and lazy.

Say that five times fast.

And *technically* this isn’t talking about my injury.

Add that to my bad eating habits, (some days I eat very little, some days too much,) and there you go. Eight pounds. Boom. Time to declare war.

I’ve read about others with my injury doing spin classes while remaining in their seat, not standing for hill climbs. So, I thought I’d test out my poor 22-year-old stationary bike and see if it would hold up to a free spin class I found on YouTube. At first, it shuddered at the thought of such nonsense.

And it still hasn’t quite forgiven me over that whole exploding battery incident.

But I soon discovered that if I put my elbows on thick foam pads and gripped the handlebars, holding my core tight, I could control how much weight was put on my feet. Add to that my carbon graphite inserts that keep my left foot from flexing and I was able to do the entire workout with high tension and no pain! Plus wow, both my abs and my arms got quite a workout!

It was also the first time in a long, long time I needed this.

And my butt the next day? Ouch!

I’ve done four more spin classes since then, sticking with the thirty minute classes for now, as well as strength training three times a week and ab work. I need to add in more Pilates, but woo-HOO, I’m down two pounds already!

I’ve also added a workout section to my Happy Planner to keep track of my diet, calorie intake, water consumption, and workouts. This ex-Filafax gal is truly loving her Happy Planners! (I really need to do a post about it soon.)

So while I still have a ways to go … and watching the Broad Street 10-Miler tomorrow might be emotional … I’m grateful for my blessings and certain that I will be running soon. Oh and…

If we were having coffee … I’d have to get you a refill now because that story was rather long.

Take care, thanks for reading, and have a joyful day!