Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Friday, May 25, 2012
Aloha HOI!
I sang in my shower this morning.
It felt glorious.
Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane.
To go to a wonderful place.
Far far away in the middle of the pacific ocean.
Away from all the crazy ladies. (I don't care if they are single I'm not putting a ring on it)
I'm ready to sit myself on the beach.
To hear the ocean.
What do we say to Grandpa?
I need it.
I'm very lucky to have such wonderful grandparents and parents.
So I'll post when I can.
Mahalo!
It felt glorious.
Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane.
To go to a wonderful place.
Far far away in the middle of the pacific ocean.
Away from all the crazy ladies. (I don't care if they are single I'm not putting a ring on it)
I'm ready to sit myself on the beach.
To hear the ocean.
What do we say to Grandpa?
I need it.
I'm very lucky to have such wonderful grandparents and parents.
So I'll post when I can.
Mahalo!
Sunday, May 13, 2012
My Mother
There are certain things from your childhood you carry with you. Like the lyrics to this song. I've never forgotten them. It always seems to come haunt me on those really bad days.
Childhood. Whether it was a good one or one that was featured in a Lifetime movie there is always one element that everyone shares.It's our mothers. Whether she was a good one or a bad one we all have/had one.
I love this song. Its funny but whenever I have a moment in my life that is joyous or overly tragic I always think I need to call my mother. If that makes me a so called "Momma's Boy" so what. When you have such a good friend and companion like my mother she's always on my side. I know I'm never alone in the world cause she's in my life.
Before this turns into an overly sentimental post I realize I'm almost 28 year old and I've taken my mother for granted the work and things sacrificed for me. I can't say anything else but thank you. Earlier in this blog I wrote about my mother's cancer and how it impacted our relationship but now she taught me the most important lesson.
Its better to be Kind.
I can't not though talk about my mom with out mentioning her wonderful mother and my other best friend my Grandma Dar. If its anything I've been twice blessed to have my Grandma in my life. Which makes this post so much harder cause my dear friend is in the twilight years of her life. Life played all of us a cruel joke ten years ago when my grandma memories started to fade. Slowly first. Then rapidly faster. She lives currently in the now. The past has been erased and the future remains unclear. Its hard to see someone you love struggle to remember who you are and finally not realize who you are.
I can't write this with a glossy overview.
There is no oh but we will get by stiff upper lip cheerio attitude.
It really sucks. Like a kick in the pants sucks. Life with no deserts sucks.
How do you say goodbye to the person loves you? How do you let go of the person who has shown you nothing but true kindness and love? My life has been completely changed for the better cause she has been in my life.
My tomorrows have been created because of what's she taught me, what she's shown me, and how she still is still kind. How she genuinely cares how I'm doing. She may not remember what I told her five minutes ago but she still cares and always asks.
Every Thursday she gets her hair done and we always get lunch afterwards. I love spending these Thursdays with my Mother and my Grandma. On the days my Mom can't take her I still take her. We put on Sinatra and its just another wonderful adventure just the two of us. Instead of her telling me her funny stories of her past I tell them to her and she throws her head back and laughs. Her wonderful laugh. Its the kind of laugh that is distinctive and the thing I remember the most.
However more than this I realize she taught me to be kind. My earliest memory of my Grandma is when we were riding in her huge 1976 Cadillac Eldorado down on 30th and Wall. This is a popular hangout for homeless people to petition for help. She went to Wendy's ordered them a hamburger meal and slipped in 20 dollars. Cause he probably would get hungry later she told me. It made a huge impression on me.
It's better to be Kind.
Yet in this twilight hours of my Grandma's life I realize she's lived a full life. A wonderful life. So I enjoy these moments with her. I'm lucky to have her. I'm truly lucky to have such a wonderful mother and grandmother in my life.
Happy Mother's Day!
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Running to Stand Still
Lately I've been asked this question a lot so I figured why not turn it into post? This is my list of things I wish I would have known when I started running, why I started running and what I've learned. Cause to quote School House Rock "Knowledge is Power!" . I make no claims to be a running guru. So take these with a grain of salt.
So how did I start running?
Well three years ago I graduated from USU in one of the worst economies ever. That was fun. Then I had to back to my High school job because they were only place that would take me. So enter sad and depressed fat Blake who lived in his parent's basement. One day I was cleaning my room and I discovered one of my old journals from years and years ago and listed was one of those where will you be at age ___. Well one of my goals was to run a marathon while I was 26. No this isn't the part of the story where I suddenly started going out the door and running 12 miles.
Nope. That night I proceeded to eat my weight in Mint Chocolate Ice cream (with Sprinkles!). Well at this same time my mom was transitioning from being a full time mom to a part time one. On a whim she had entered the Ogden Half Marathon and finished. Then she signed up for another one. At this point I was watching her train for the Ogden Half in 2010. I realized that if my 49 year old mom could run why couldn't I? So one day I went with her and her running group to the Riverdale Parkway.
I could hardly run a mile.
It was awful and I felt like I was a fat walrus. Yet in the moments when I could run I felt awesome. I liked it cause I felt alive for the first time in a long time. So with a month and half before the Ogden half I found a training plan that would help me train for the race. My uncle had to drop out due to a bad knee so I was sneaking in his spot (yes the 50 and older group). So I did what I could to train. I went to spinning. I went "running" I did what call the run walk plan. I would run to a certain point and then I would walk. When I crossed the finish line I was so proud of myself for just finishing. After getting my first pretty shiny medal I was hooked!
So to answer your question. . Don't defeat yourself. Running is the easiest and hardest sport to start. You can do this. Let me give you some of the tips I wish somebody would have told me.
1. Go to a running store and get your feet tested for the right running shoe. They make you run around the store and on treadmills and asses what kind of foot type you are. Then get the good socks. This will make your feet happy. Also ask them if they have beginning running clinics. Runners want people to be with them. We are a social/anti social bunch.
2. Invest in comfortable running clothes. Nothing sucks more than bloody nipples. Its not very attractive and it hurts like hell. Also bright shiny fun colors seem to perk me up when I go run.
3. I bought one of those Nike + watches (they cost 50 bucks and really worth it!) so when George and Martha (my first running shoes and yes I did name them.) and I went running I could see how far I went. Another perk? It had a really cool website that when I plugged it in I could set goals and it would send me texts and emails encouraging me. But there are thousands of phone apps. I've heard map my run is awesome as well as the live strong one. Now I've graduated to the Garmin. The Garmin makes me cry cause it tells me the accurate distance on how far I've run but its cool cause now I can plan my routes better.
4. Pick a race. I chose races based on A. the pretty shiny medal. B. Some place that has some special meaning to me and C. Also on if its a flat course or one on a gradual incline. I would start with a 5k and work your way up to a half or a full. I jumped right into a half marathon and it freaked me out a little bit with all these running Barbies and Ken running so much faster than I was.
5. There is no shame in walking. In fact there is a really popular method called the run/walk method.
6. I love to run with music. It keeps me going. I have a special i pod called Trixie. Cause my music taste belongs to a 16 year old girl (Spice Girls be my jam yo!). I put all of the songs that push me. That have a mellow beat yet fast enough to get me going. However some people like to listen to themselves breathe. Its a personal preference.
7. Recruit others to do this with you. And TELL EVERYONE what you are doing. Hence the reason why Blake Got Fat exists. Not only am I a shallow and vain individual but allows me to hold myself accountable to others. There is nothing more embarrassing than running into somebody who reads your blog and asks you how your running/exercise plan is going and you look like a fat walrus.
8. Go for ten minutes. If you are hating life at 10 minutes then walk or do something else. I never leave the house all YAY! I get to go hurt myself! Its more like but I want to sit on the couch and watch Gilmore Girl reruns and eat lots and lots of ice cream. But there is nothing better than coming home and seeing yourself go I went for a 40 minute run! Or a 3 miler!
9.Do your research. Get all the information you can from other sources. I went to the Library and checked out all the books they had on running and picked and chose what would work for me. Also Runner's world .com became my best friend. Also if you can see if you can borrow somebody's old copies. This magazine is amazing cause it gears everything to the beginner to the seasoned pro.
10. Do other things besides running. I run 4 days a week and go to spinning, swimming, yoga, and some of Jillian Michael videos. Cross training is your friend. Hike walk etc..
11. Love your rest days. These are the days that I love cause I allow my self to relax. Also these are the days where I reward myself after a long run with something good.
12. Come up with your own mantra. Mine is Go Diego go! I blame Dora the explorer.
13. WATER! WATER! WATER!
14. Stretch. I stretch before I go out and I stretch when I get home. This way I can go up stairs. Also a Foam roller will be your best friend.
15. Let people know where you are going. Go with a friend at night or go to the Gym. Safety first.
16.. Love yourself. This is the most important thing. Nobody cares if you do this or not but you. Make this fun for you. There is no right or wrong way to run.
I love running for the fact that it challenges me. I'm not the best but that doesn't matter. Cause when I'm out on a run on beautiful sunny day with my jams playing and I feel happy. Sometimes I have great runs and sometimes I have terrible ones. The fact is that is I'm a happier person when I go.
So there ya have it. My running advice.
So how did I start running?
Well three years ago I graduated from USU in one of the worst economies ever. That was fun. Then I had to back to my High school job because they were only place that would take me. So enter sad and depressed fat Blake who lived in his parent's basement. One day I was cleaning my room and I discovered one of my old journals from years and years ago and listed was one of those where will you be at age ___. Well one of my goals was to run a marathon while I was 26. No this isn't the part of the story where I suddenly started going out the door and running 12 miles.
Nope. That night I proceeded to eat my weight in Mint Chocolate Ice cream (with Sprinkles!). Well at this same time my mom was transitioning from being a full time mom to a part time one. On a whim she had entered the Ogden Half Marathon and finished. Then she signed up for another one. At this point I was watching her train for the Ogden Half in 2010. I realized that if my 49 year old mom could run why couldn't I? So one day I went with her and her running group to the Riverdale Parkway.
I could hardly run a mile.
It was awful and I felt like I was a fat walrus. Yet in the moments when I could run I felt awesome. I liked it cause I felt alive for the first time in a long time. So with a month and half before the Ogden half I found a training plan that would help me train for the race. My uncle had to drop out due to a bad knee so I was sneaking in his spot (yes the 50 and older group). So I did what I could to train. I went to spinning. I went "running" I did what call the run walk plan. I would run to a certain point and then I would walk. When I crossed the finish line I was so proud of myself for just finishing. After getting my first pretty shiny medal I was hooked!
So to answer your question. . Don't defeat yourself. Running is the easiest and hardest sport to start. You can do this. Let me give you some of the tips I wish somebody would have told me.
1. Go to a running store and get your feet tested for the right running shoe. They make you run around the store and on treadmills and asses what kind of foot type you are. Then get the good socks. This will make your feet happy. Also ask them if they have beginning running clinics. Runners want people to be with them. We are a social/anti social bunch.
2. Invest in comfortable running clothes. Nothing sucks more than bloody nipples. Its not very attractive and it hurts like hell. Also bright shiny fun colors seem to perk me up when I go run.
3. I bought one of those Nike + watches (they cost 50 bucks and really worth it!) so when George and Martha (my first running shoes and yes I did name them.) and I went running I could see how far I went. Another perk? It had a really cool website that when I plugged it in I could set goals and it would send me texts and emails encouraging me. But there are thousands of phone apps. I've heard map my run is awesome as well as the live strong one. Now I've graduated to the Garmin. The Garmin makes me cry cause it tells me the accurate distance on how far I've run but its cool cause now I can plan my routes better.
4. Pick a race. I chose races based on A. the pretty shiny medal. B. Some place that has some special meaning to me and C. Also on if its a flat course or one on a gradual incline. I would start with a 5k and work your way up to a half or a full. I jumped right into a half marathon and it freaked me out a little bit with all these running Barbies and Ken running so much faster than I was.
5. There is no shame in walking. In fact there is a really popular method called the run/walk method.
6. I love to run with music. It keeps me going. I have a special i pod called Trixie. Cause my music taste belongs to a 16 year old girl (Spice Girls be my jam yo!). I put all of the songs that push me. That have a mellow beat yet fast enough to get me going. However some people like to listen to themselves breathe. Its a personal preference.
7. Recruit others to do this with you. And TELL EVERYONE what you are doing. Hence the reason why Blake Got Fat exists. Not only am I a shallow and vain individual but allows me to hold myself accountable to others. There is nothing more embarrassing than running into somebody who reads your blog and asks you how your running/exercise plan is going and you look like a fat walrus.
8. Go for ten minutes. If you are hating life at 10 minutes then walk or do something else. I never leave the house all YAY! I get to go hurt myself! Its more like but I want to sit on the couch and watch Gilmore Girl reruns and eat lots and lots of ice cream. But there is nothing better than coming home and seeing yourself go I went for a 40 minute run! Or a 3 miler!
9.Do your research. Get all the information you can from other sources. I went to the Library and checked out all the books they had on running and picked and chose what would work for me. Also Runner's world .com became my best friend. Also if you can see if you can borrow somebody's old copies. This magazine is amazing cause it gears everything to the beginner to the seasoned pro.
10. Do other things besides running. I run 4 days a week and go to spinning, swimming, yoga, and some of Jillian Michael videos. Cross training is your friend. Hike walk etc..
11. Love your rest days. These are the days that I love cause I allow my self to relax. Also these are the days where I reward myself after a long run with something good.
12. Come up with your own mantra. Mine is Go Diego go! I blame Dora the explorer.
13. WATER! WATER! WATER!
14. Stretch. I stretch before I go out and I stretch when I get home. This way I can go up stairs. Also a Foam roller will be your best friend.
15. Let people know where you are going. Go with a friend at night or go to the Gym. Safety first.
16.. Love yourself. This is the most important thing. Nobody cares if you do this or not but you. Make this fun for you. There is no right or wrong way to run.
I love running for the fact that it challenges me. I'm not the best but that doesn't matter. Cause when I'm out on a run on beautiful sunny day with my jams playing and I feel happy. Sometimes I have great runs and sometimes I have terrible ones. The fact is that is I'm a happier person when I go.
So there ya have it. My running advice.
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Thanks for All The Fishes
This one is for Maren.
A couple of months ago I started a feature called "You Matter to Me" like Jorge letters my Latin Kitchen Aid mixer that writes me love letters. What? Your appliances don't write you love letters? Anyway I kept on meaning to do this one and then the whole Fan lady crisis exploded and well this one sat in the draft sections for months. So for you Maren with my deepest apologizes on why this is late.
I almost gave up on blogging.
After I gained the Biggest Loser weight and was going through a hard time at work I figured it was time to save all my post and shut the lights off on Blake Got Fat and shove off to greener pastures. However Maren is one of those people that sees the better characteristics in everybody she meets. She's one of those people who doesn't only see it but she encourages you to push yourself to the higher level of accomplishment. When I was all fat and sad Maren was the type that kept on saying "write! write more!" I'm sure it was for her selfish entertainment but still it was nice to know that there was still one reader who wanted me to succeed. To go further. We all need people like Maren in our lives to push us, guide and direct us.
I can say thank you enough to her for helping me through such a dark time in my life. She's a great friend and Mother.
So Maren again a thousand thanks and you truly matter to me and have made such a difference in my life!
I almost gave up on blogging.
After I gained the Biggest Loser weight and was going through a hard time at work I figured it was time to save all my post and shut the lights off on Blake Got Fat and shove off to greener pastures. However Maren is one of those people that sees the better characteristics in everybody she meets. She's one of those people who doesn't only see it but she encourages you to push yourself to the higher level of accomplishment. When I was all fat and sad Maren was the type that kept on saying "write! write more!" I'm sure it was for her selfish entertainment but still it was nice to know that there was still one reader who wanted me to succeed. To go further. We all need people like Maren in our lives to push us, guide and direct us.
I can say thank you enough to her for helping me through such a dark time in my life. She's a great friend and Mother.
So Maren again a thousand thanks and you truly matter to me and have made such a difference in my life!
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Dog Days are like so Over.
I have a small confession I would like to impart. Its not deeply personal or won't cause a great start. But I have to say with all my heart I'm in love with this song. Ah heck I'm in love with Florence + the Machine. Yes I realize that this video requires a drop of acid but when ever I need a boost during a run or a race for some reason this song comes on and I'm able to push myself that much further.
As I was running late this evening I realized something that I only have 17 days till the Ogden Half. Its kinda crazy to think that I've already ran 2 half marathons before this one. This event is the one that matters the most to me because its my home. Plus running the Ogden canyon is such an awesome experience. I highly recommend it.
So yes. I'm still running and fighting the 30's more on that tomorrow.
The dog days are like so over.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
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