Speed in a Pack

I have a couple friends that take the winter off from their fitness routine. They figure that when "spring has sprung" that they will pick up their fitness routine again hard core in preparation for summer. But there's 49 days between now and that first day of spring...imagine the progress that can be made in 7 weeks...

So, I might have been going a bit over the speed limit...within two blocks of my )*(*@#)($* house when I got pulled over along with three other cars. The other cars were told to continue while I'm left sitting there.

The policeman comes up to the car and I hand him my paperwork, but I was pretty miffed by what happened. I said, "Sir, I'm not sure why you pulled me over or why..." He interrupts: "Ma'am, I am not going to argue with you." And he goes back to his car. I'm angry at this point.

While he's writing up the citation, I attempt to talk myself off the ledge and when he comes back to the car I say to him as calmly as I can: "Excuse me, sir, I believe I have a right to ask why I am being pulled over and I am extremely upset that you interrupted me and disregarded that right. I was being polite and you interrupted me before I could even finish what I was asking and assumed I was arguing."

He got a dude look. The one where it's almost like their eyes roll back in their head and they realize something. Because I could tell that he realized that there might be some truth in what I said.

He did say he was sorry and what would I like to ask. So, I clarified why I was pulled over - speeding. But also asked why I was the only car that was being cited. He then told me that I was going the fastest of all the cars. This didn't make sense to me---write us ALL a ticket, but I'll give it to him because the fastest car of those three was going 5 over the speed limit and I don't want to be pulled over and cited for going 5 over.

He says: "Ma'am I am giving you a warning."

Me: *OMG, happy dance in my head!*

Him: "I see you have XX on your car. Thanks for your service."

Me: *OMG, still happy dancing* --- "Thank you officer for the warning and also the recognition of service. That's my husband."

So remember, if you are going to speed, do it in a pack and don't be the fastest speeder.

Oh and also, consider getting a concealed handgun license with your spouse/partner. You have to give it to the officer along with your license. Since this happened to me before my husband, all he seemed to be able to focus on was the fact that I got to handover my license first. Even if I had been cited, I do think he would have been stuck on this more than the ticket. *eye roll*

It's just a free cookie, right?

While I was getting some things from the deli counter over the weekend, I heard a mom arguing with her child about whether or not she could have a free cookie. The mom must have said no to the kid at one point, but the "debate" was ongoing. I didn't think much of it until I heard the little girl say to her mom, "But I always have one when I come to the store."

Now that got me thinking. Not about this mom and her little girl, but whether or not that free cookie is potentially creating a long term association (trigger) that each time a kid enters the store that a cookie or some sort of "goody" should be eaten?

I don't think every kid that has a cookie every time s/he goes to the store is at risk, but I do think that there are likely some. And, sure, I'm putting my own frame of reference on this, but if I put myself in the place of one of these kids, I could see it happening to me. Heck, there are places that I go to today as an adult and I sometimes have the same urge to order what I always did years ago.

Sure it's balance and it's only a cookie and all that sorta stuff, but I try to imagine myself as a parent and think about how challenging it would be now with all the fast food and free cookies out there to help guide and teach children good choices and balance. Personally, I'd like to see the store stop the free cookie entirely or replace it with something healthy. My hat is off to parents that have figured this out!

On the band front - maintenance just continues. I had mentioned that my crap intake had gone up during the holidays while my husband was gone and my jeans were feeling a little snug, but after I gave myself a good swift kick I pulled back on my crap mix to about 90/10 and am plugging along with boot camp and running and feeling much better.

Joining a Gym?

The  27 Rules of Conquering the Gym 

Below are some of the ones that made me giggle... 

1. A gym is not designed to make you feel instantly better about yourself. If a gym wanted to make you feel instantly better about yourself, it would be a bar.
2. No one in the history of gyms has ever lost a pound while reading "The New Yorker" and slowly pedaling a recumbent bicycle. No one.
3. Don't fall for gimmicks. The only tried-and-true method to lose 10 pounds in 48 hours is food poisoning.
4. You can take 10 Minute Abs, 20 Minute Abs, and 30 Minute Abs. There is also Stop Eating Pizza and Eating Sheet Cake Abs—but that's super tough!
5. If you're motivated to buy an expensive home exercise machine, consider a "wooden coat rack." It costs $40, uses no electricity and does the exact same thing. 
6. If a gym class is going to be effective, it's hard. If you're relaxed and enjoying yourself, you're at brunch. 
7. Fact: Thinking about going to the gym burns between 0 and 0 calories. 
8. A successful gym membership is like a marriage: If it's good, you show up committed and ready for hard work. If it's not good, you show up in sweatpants and watch a lot of bad TV.
9. There is no secret. Exercise and lay off the fries. The end.

Shout out to Grace who hit Onderland, but I can't comment on her blog...or other blogs either! Congratulations Grace!!!

Pancakes!

I did a 10K today. I've found recently that I wear my iPod, but I am not turning it on. I'm not sure why, I just  find myself zoning out and thinking about this and that. So, I was plodding along trying to remember if I have ever run a 10K and I don't think I ever have. Weird, 5K, 15K, 8 mile, half, but I cannot remember a 10. Best news - that makes this a PR!

I'm using some longer races in place of long training runs in preparation for an upcoming half. Plus I think I get more out of these runs than a training run because I push my pace a bit. They are definitely a lot more fun! I've figured out I'm a medal whore though. I missed getting the bling at the end. :)

They were serving pancakes after the race, but the line was over a block long! Thankfully my buddies didn't want to wait in line either. So we went for breakfast and coffee someplace warm. We talked about new gear we've been trying out which I'll have to cover in another post because I need to get cleaning! I want the house sparkling because my husband is coming home tomorrow night! I am so excited! Happy Weekend!

How many???

I went to boot camp this morning and...burned 40 calories! That's right. An hour of camp and that's what my Polar FT7 said. Yippee? It's been driving me nuts. It displayed "Check your heart rate transmitter" so many times that it kinda put me in a bad mood...OK, I wanted to throw it across the lot! Don't get me wrong, I think it's a great heart rate monitor (related post), but I've only had it for 1 year and 7 months. Here's what I've tried:

• Changed battery in watch.
• Changed battery in doo-hickey that clicks into the band (ya, that's what Polar calls it, really)
• Washed band - which I do once periodically .
• Made sure the contact things on the strap are wet when wearing.
• Pulled and tugged and altered the dang strap while wearing to get it to track.
• Paused and restarted.
• Stopped and restarted.

Bottom line: frustrated. : | I do have an average that I burn for camp that I'll use for today, but I'd like to get this dang thing working! *sigh* Suggestions welcome.

Dear Fluffy: You did a lot of running , boot camps, and ended the year strong on your fitness goals in December, BUT what you stuff in your face is important. Since your husband has been gone you have been eating too much crap. Yes, you are missing him and the holidays were super hard with him gone, but GET OVER IT and quit eating your feelings! Your jeans are a bit tighter than they were and it could have been a lot worse (noticeable to people other than just you...and will be if you do not quit it!). Continue to get your teeter totter back where it's supposed to be and balance your stool.

"No Fluffy, to step on the scale you need not." - Y0da

"To quit stuffing your pie hole with crap you need, feeling, identify what you are, and acknowledge them."   - Y0da

"Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try." - Y0da

New Year's Day & The Winner!

On New Year's Day, I had my 5K to finish out the double race. I really liked ending the year with a half and starting the new year with the 5K. I was surprisingly loose and had a really good run. Best news, it was a 5K PR for the year (get it? HA) and I made a dent in my 2012 Wellness goals !

It's running season for me, so I have already registered for a few races: 10K, 15K, 5K (2), and a Half. If I can find a few more 10-15K races that are close, I might add them as a fun way to knock out a longer run.

And the winner is...
Manda Panda of Candyland to Bandland! Congratulations! Please email me (fluffyDOTbandsterATgmailDOTcom) and provide me with your mailing address.