Week 4--it's a rap!

My trainer wasn't able to come yesterday because of a delay with her contractor.
Incidentally, has anyone ever worked with a contractor who finished a job on time and within the estimated budget? On account of if you have, consider yourself blessed indeed.
I have not thusly been so blessed...but that's another story for another day.
When she called, I was already dressed and ready to run.
So after the phone call, I got mentally geared up, turned on the TV Food Network (no, the irony is not lost on me) and did my training.
Same thing this morning! And I got a great idea about making crunchy zucchini rounds (baked, not fried) on "Healthy Appetite."
On Monday, I do 8 minutes of running, 2 minutes of walking, repeat 3 times.
Bring it.
Peace,
RevMutha

Day 2 week 4 done, ready for day 3.

I completed day 2 on Wednesday.
It felt good. Definitely had the healthy glow going (at least that's what I guess it is when your face is beet red and you're dripping with sweat.)
Didn't have time to bathe before my meeting with the bishop on account of travel time took double what it normally does with the snow. No worries, however. I just threw on my athletic outerwear and proudly reported to him about my fitness goal and he was all kinds of supportive. Bless him.
And I felt great the rest of the day.
And I'm ready to do my running with my trainer today. I wish we could run outside but there is no way with all the snow.
I was somewhat concerned with the whole peanut butter problems and the salmonella when I heard that energy bars were being pulled from the shelves. My favorite is the Protein Plus PowerBar, chocolate peanut butter flavor. I buy them by the box. Since they haven't made me sick yet, I'm stickin' with them.
That whole peanut butter mess makes me sad. Did it get to be such a big mess that the folks who could have stopped it didn't see a way out? I mean, when I hear that the inspectors found facilities with animal droppings and mold it kind of makes me wonder why the folks in charge didn't say "Whoa, guys, clean-up on aisle 5!" Or maybe have a "bring a bottle of lysol to work day" and get the dang place up to par...
There are lessons to be learned here. On lots of levels.
I'm just sayin'
Peace,
RevMutha

Day 2 Week 4-gearing up!

Gentle readers, it is snowing like a motherscratcher in upstate NY.
And dang cold to boot!
So I
will be doing my training on the treadmill today.
Again, run 7 minutes, walk 3, repeat 3 times.
I just ate my power bar. I will go home and do my training at 1 p.m. and then shower and get ready for my 2:30 p.m. meeting with the bishop to discuss his upcoming visitation to my parish.
Today my secretary presented me with a continuing ed form that needs to be filled out.
It needs to be filled out by me, apparently.
I growled at her.
I may have also bared my teeth.
I despise filling out forms.
Especially when I don't think anyone actually looks at them.
For example, every year when I see my doctor for my physical, and the form asks how much alcohol I consume, I write in "It depends on the day."
I have NEVER been questioned about this.
Maybe it's because I don't reek of booze, have red-rimmed eyes, or slur my speech at the doctor's office. But they don't see me the other 364 days 23 hrs of the year...so it seems like maybe they'd ask about it. Or at least laugh so I'd know they read it...
Anyway, this continuing ed form wants to know about formal academic coursework (yeah, right, SO not me...) and individual study (like I'm gonna write a list of freakin' books I've read and document that!) and retreat time and conferences and blah blah blah.
I'm gonna pray that my training this afternoon gives me an attitude adjustment.
Or maybe I'll just make a bunch of stuff up and put it on the form. Like, I did individual study teaching myself to play Mafia Wars on Facebook. That should count for something...
I'm just sayin'
RevMutha

Week 4, Day 1 done!

Well, gentle readers, I have to tell you that I surprised myself this a.m. I decided that I had to run early because I had a hair appointment mid-morning and I didn't want to run after I got my hair all blowed out and re-redded. (I know, St. C., that coloring my hair is trashy and I should just refer to it as a regular conditioning but oversharing continues to be one of my many flaws...)
Anyhoo, my training for this week is running for 7 minutes and walking for 3 minutes, repeat 3 times.
It wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be! I actually kind of got into a rhythm with my breathing. I have to say that I preferred the running outside so I hope the single digit cold spell we're having breaks pretty soon. I went to Eastern Mountain Sports where they are having a big sale and got another vest and a couple of more long-sleeve shirts. I told my hairdresser (do they still call them that? Maybe I should call her my stylist but that sounds too pretentious...) about running the 5k and she wants to do it with me. She regularly runs 5 miles at a time and is in much better physical shape than I am but she said it would be fun.
In two weeks, I'll be out on the West Coast for a few days. I'll get to run in the sun!
I'll keep you posted.
Peace,
RevMutha

Nature's Perfect Food

Thanks to my friend, Lisa, I have discovered Nature's Perfect Food.
It's "Mo's Bacon Bar" made by Vosges Haute Chocolate. It contains applewood smoked bacon, alderwood smoked salt, and 45% cacao deep milk chocolate.
My mouth is filling with saliva just describing it.
I'm just sayin.
RevMutha

Day 4 week 3 completed!

I did my training yesterday with my fabulous trainer and it went great. She pushed me just the right amount (i.e., I only gasped that I was fixin' to die 3 or 4 times...) But, as always, I felt great when we were done. We ran outside since it was 40 degrees and my new running clothes were great. It definitely felt different running outside. If I can ever figure out how to work one of those crazy watches that lets you moniter your running/recovery time, I just may get one but for right now, I either need the timer on my treadmill or my trainer with the crazy watch.
Today is a busy day with a 5 hour mutual ministry review (I'll let y'all know how it goes,) confirmation class, and then finally home! So I got up at 6 a.m., drank some coffee and ate a banana, and did my training.
Yes, gentle readers, I had the discipline to do it early. I still think that running later in the day works better for me. But I never felt sick or dizzy or got any cramps so either I'm not pushing myself enough or I'm doing something right. Actually, according to my heartrate (or is that heart racing?) I'm working as hard as I can. I'm still on the goal of "Just Do It!" I'm also reminding myself that every session completed is a victory.
I'm just sayin'
RevMutha

Yes I Can!

I did my training when I got home.
My wonderful husband held up dinner for a few minutes so I could run before we ate. I was nice and sweaty for dinner. But it felt good to run/walk after 4 hours of driving.
Snowshoeing was intense.
I was plenty warm. Hot, even. I ended up shedding the fleece I was wearing. Turns out that I was wearing snowshoes that were size-appropriate for a four year old.
My clergy colleagues were in the big ones that look like misshapen tennis rackets. Mine were about 10 inches long and sank deeply into the snow.
I was the last one in the snowshoe line. And while I had earlier praised the commitment of my health-conscious and fitness conscious colleagues, I have to confess that I had enmity in my heart as I was trying to catch up with them hiking up-hill knee deep in snow. I was steaming hot and my heart was racing which I tried to tell myself was a good thing. I ended up taking off my hat and shoving it in my pocket. Then I took off my gloves. Then I unzipped my vest. Then I unzipped my wind jacket. Then I yelled for the others to stop and let me catch up. They did. And they laughed at me and I confessed my enmity and we all laughed some more. (The enmity was dissolving...plus, the trip back would be downhill and I would be leading the way.)
The snow sparkled like diamonds. I have a heart that can pump blood effectively and legs that work. I have friends. I am blessed.
It's good to be home.
Peace,
RevMutha

not so much

I got up bright and early, ate a small bowl of granola, put on my new running clothes, stepped outside, took a good, deep breath, and was promptly convinced that my lungs were going to freeze inside my body.
Then I looked at the thermometer and saw that it was 8 degrees.
Without any windchill.
Gentle readers, I realized that I was going to need MANY MORE LAYERS than I had with me.
Plus a hat.
And probably something to put over my face to breathe through.
My friends are getting their massages. I took a nice long shower and am redressed and ready to attempt snowshoeing with some borrowed outdoor gear.
I will have to do my running training this evening on the treadmill when I get home.
But rest assured I will do it.
And I will report back.
Did I mention that one of the friends who is with me has run 10 marathons? And the other is training for a half marathon.
And they are both priests.
They are also my inspirations.
Getting together with other women clergy is a Very Good Thing.
I don't have any desire to run a marathon. Like I said earlier, my goal is to complete a 5k. But you never know. And I like the idea of running with other people.
Lots of sermons in that!
Peace,
RevMutha

Congrats, President Obama

Lord, how I have looked forward to typing those words!
The inauguration was amazing.
Absolutely amazing.
I was watching it with two clergy chick friends at a bar in Bennington, VT. We all stood together when the new President took his oath of office.
And we shed lots of tears of joy and pride. We also talked about how proud we are to be Americans and how we are looking forward to the changes that are going to come and how we need to be the change we are looking for.
Very inspirational, very beautiful.
Then we headed over to Manchester, VT to do some shopping. I found a great store that sells outdoor gear for camping, hiking, running, etc. I bought a pair of running pants, a long sleeve running shirt, and a wind jacket. I also bought a pair of hiking/running shoes that I can use to go snowshoeing tomorrow. I'm thinking about doing my training tomorrow morning and actually running outside to see how different it feels. This would accomplish two things: I could get my training in before a 4 hour drive in the car, and I could wear my new clothes and be nice and warmed up for snowshoeing. Both the other chicks are getting massages tomorrow morning so I'd have plenty of time to do this. I'll definitely eat something before I go.
Anyway, gentle readers, I'll let you know.
Congratulations, President Obama. May God bless, preserve and keep you in God's steadfast love. I will pray for you daily.
Amen!
RevMutha

Pay off

There is definitely something to this accountability thing.
And to concentrating on "Desire, Determination, Discipline." I kept repeating those words over and over this morning.
I got up 45 minutes late and was tempted to ditch the training.
But I didn't.
I did my training, quickly bathed and got ready, and still made it to pick up my friends on time to head out of town for our retreat.
I don't normally consider myself to be a very disciplined person so I like how this is feeling.
One day at a time, Sweet Jesus...
Important note to self when I'll be running again in the morning: I need to find some kind of quick energy food or drink. I didn't eat/drink anything before I did my training and even though I completed it all, I was feeling energized but super drained when I finished. Or I just have to get up early enough to have time to eat a banana or drink something. Suggestions?
I'll run again when I get home Wednesday evening.
And y'all make sure to watch the inauguration tomorrow.
And pray for our new president and his administration and for the country that we will be willing to BE the change we want to see in the world.
I'm just sayin'
RevMutha

Desire, Determination, Discipline

So I'm taking a couple of days to go on retreat with some clergy friends.
And I've decided that I have to get up extra early and run tomorrow morning before I head out of town.
And I also know that it isn't going to be easy to get up and run.
If I blog about it, I'll do it.
Desire, Determination, Discipline.
Run 5 minutes, walk 2.5 minutes, repeat 4 times.
I'll let you know!
RevMutha

Running for Obama

I found a great inspiration for running.
President-elect Obama!
On account of I did my training today while I was watching him give his speech in Baltimore on CNN. I think if he was still talking I'd still be running! He is so fabulous. I danced around the family room with my beloved husband singing "In three days we'll have a new president! And we can be proud to be Americans again!"
It feels good, gentle readers!
On many levels.
Hallelujah!
RevMutha

Why Ashton Kutcher rocks my world

I overheard a blurb on tv that Ashton Kutcher is producing something for President Obama where all these Hollywood stars say what they are going to do to support the new president.
It gave me chills.
I love that.
What can each of us commit to doing/being that will support the new administration/the US/the world?
I think committing to being pray for President Obama and his family is pretty easy. Although I have to admit I didn't pray enough for President Bush. Perhaps if I had, my feelings for him would be different. But I want to do more than pray for President Obama. I want to be a better citizen for him!
Which probably sounds kind of hoaky but there you have it.
So way to go, Ashton. You're doing a good thing.
Now we all need to do the same.
I'm just sayin'
RevMutha

Running toward the weekend!

Did my training today with my trainer.
On account of she's a triathlete and great coach.
She gave me some good tips as I was running about my form and relaxing my shoulders and took my heart rate during the walking.
She also was a great cheerleader and encourager!
We need people like this in our lives.
I will run tomorrow and then take Sunday off.
And I will have completed week 2 of my training.
The first 10-12 minutes are the most difficult. After that, it does get a bit easier. But there is something about the level of focus that runners have to have...
My trainer had "Desire, Determination, Discipline" written on the front of the little spiral notebook she brings with her each week to record what we do in our training sessions.
I found that inspirational.
I'm just sayin'
RevMutha

Freezing!

My two little redheads did everything they could last night to ensure a snow-day today. They wore their pjs inside out and backwards. They put icecubes in all the toilets in the house. They put spoons under each of our bed pillows. They put their school planners in the freezer.
But, lest you worry about our upstate NY kids becoming wimps, let me just tell you, THERE WAS SCHOOL!!! Yep, it's -14 with the windchill but what's a little cold compared to a first rate education? So some of the kids lose their smaller digits and have their noses fall off because of frost-bite...Man-Up!
heh heh heh.
And, after all, it's Running Day! This afternoon I will do my running. Which both fills me with dread and maybe a teeny weeny bit of anticipation of feeling good afterwards...
I was talking with a great friend yesterday about the frustrations of parish ministry, especially when parishioners don't want to commit to anything and yet expect 100% commitment from me to them. They don't attend church, don't support us financially, and yet expect us to be there the minute they call with any kind of pastoral problem. (Yeah, God, I get it, welcome to Your world.) She had a great line: "Don't expect me to feign a level of intimacy to which you are not willing to commit."
She gets it.
I'm just sayin'.
RevMutha

Week 2 day 2 done!

Oooo Lawd!
Gentle readers, today RevMutha had to dig DEEP to get her trainin' in!
But I'm pleased to announce that it's done and, once again, I'm glowin' and feelin' the afterburn. I have convinced myself that the hardest thing is just tying up my running shoes. Once they're on, I'm committed. And I also tell myself that I don't have to set any records--I just have to do it. It will get easier and I may or may not get faster. The main thing is just getting it done. And I did. Thanks be to God.
I'm wondering why in the world the guy who's here to give us an estimate on a new heater is still in my house seein' as how he's been here over an hour. It sounds like he's just chattin' with my husband but I'm ready to get dinner on the table.
Although I'm just as happy to wait a bit...
it's all good.
RevMutha

procrastination

I'm procrastinating.
I have to write 2 reports for the annual meeting this Sunday.
I have a meeting in 1 hr and 33 minutes.
So I'm giving myself 3 minutes to blog and then I'll write the reports.
If I was at home, I would procrastinate by running.
But I will be running this afternoon!
And I'll report in.
By the way, it's motherscratching cold here.
2 degrees without the windchill.
It's supposed to be colder Thursday and Friday.
At least I remembered to make my daughters wear hats, boots, and scarves. Ya know, growin' up in the deep south we'd read stories about kids wearing hats, boots, and scarves and it was as foreign to us as people living in straw huts.
I'm just sayin'...
RevMutha

Movie Review for The Wrestler

Mickey Rourke ABSOLUTELY delivers in this film and I'm so glad he got the Golden Globe award last night! The movie is amazing and gritty and touching and powerful. Loved it. Don't wait for it to go to video. And I hope Mickey gets an Oscar!

Day 1 week 2 completed!

Can she do it?
Yes she can!
And without throwing up.
(I honestly didn't mean to drink that much wine while watching the Golden Globes but I was just so darn happy for Anna Paquin and all the folks in Slumdog Millionaire!)
Anyway, I am still pleasantly surprised at how much better I feel after I run. This must be why people do it.
RevMutha

a new week of training begins!

I begin my second week of training today!
And I've decided to run on Monday, Wed, Friday and Saturday.
Doing the Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday-Sunday thing didn't work for me because I didn't get my running in on Saturday or Sunday because of everything I was doing at church.
I'll run this afternoon and let y'all know how it goes.
3 minutes running, 3 minutes walking, repeat 5 times.
I can do this.
RevMutha

2nd training day completed

I did it, gentle readers!
I completed my 30 minutes of training.
And I'm glad I did.
Today has been stressful.
The memorial service I did lasted 3 times as long as I had anticipated. And it was a beautiful blessing so I have no regrets. I wasn't able to run this afternoon before my diocesan meeting so I came home, got dinner in the oven, and laced up my running shoes and ran while dinner was in the oven.
It's true that exercise is a stress reliever.
Now I'm gonna combine that with a glass of wine with dinner.
Cheers!
RevMutha

Staying motivated

Today is supposed to be the second day of my running training.
I find it somewhat disconcerting that I'm already having trouble staying motivated.
But since I know I have a bunch of readers cheering me on, I will do my best to complete day 2 of training this afternoon.
It's the whole schedule thing.
Remember the parishioner I had to see on Tuesday afternoon?
Well, he died.
And I'm doing a memorial service this afternoon for another parishioner who died last week and I've got a diocesan meeting this afternoon at 4 and blah blah blah.
But I'll do it.
By golly, I'll do it.
Y'all are counting on me.
I'll report in later.
RevMutha

My New Year's Wish

That Ann Coulter would never again be on The Today Show.
That poor girl needs a big ole dose of nice given to her.
But I'm not sure she'd quite know what to do with it.
I wonder what happened that made her so angry?
A wise woman reminded me one time that God gave us 2 ears and one mouth so we'd listen twice as much as we talk.
I'd like to share that with Ann.
Bless her heart.
RevMutha

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Saw this one with my sister and all our kids on Boxing Day.
Brad Pitt is great but I'm not sure if he's good enough to get any awards. He sure is easy on the eyes!
The make-up artists should definitely get kudos--especially with what they did with Cate Blanchett (sp?)
The movie is long--2 hrs 48 minutes. It's occasionally a bit slow.
Set against the backdrop of Katrina about to hit New Orleans makes it more curious for me...
Anyway, you can probably wait til it comes out on video.
I'm just sayin'.

Movie Review for Slumdog Millionaire

See it.
Awesome.
2 thumbs up.
A bit tough at times--people can certainly be cruel, especially to those who are "other" and this movie gives lots of food for thought.
Definitely stay for the closing credits!

First day of training completed!

And I've realized that runners who also happen to be priests have to be flexible with their training schedules...seein' as how I had mapped out my afternoon in terms of going to the grocery store and getting the essentials (what do you mean we're out of milk, eggs and toilet paper? Ye Gods and little fishes!) including my power bars (or cupcakes, I hadn't decided yet) and then my phone rang to tell me one of my beloved parishioners, Bob, was not doing well...
Which meant that the grocery store trip was gonna be accomplished at breakneck speed so I could get to the nursing home and see how Bob was doing for myself. His daughter was there with him. They are quiet and introverted people. The nurse practitioner was delicately trying to explain to him that things were not going well and they were running out of treatment options. This information was met with wide eyed stares from Bob and daughter. I asked Bob if he believed he was going to get better and be able to get out of the nursing home and he looked right at me and said "yup."
So there you have it. I stayed a bit longer and then told Bob that I had set a goal for myself to run the Lilac 5k and he said "that's great!" and I told him I was going home to start my training and he said he'd see me later this week. God bless him.
I drank my water, rested a bit, and then put on my running shoes for the first time (other than when I tried them on.) For this first week of training, I run 2 minutes, walk 4 minutes, and repeat this 5 times for a total of 30 minutes.
Happy to report that I survived.
Tomorrow I have my regular workout with Tamithetrainer and on Thursday I run again.
Blessed Epiphany...
RevMutha

And so it begins

I don't do New Year's Resolutions on account of my oppositional disorder.
However, I'm regularly impressed by my beloved step-daughter and her commitment to running.
I have previously taken the stance that I will only run if I'm being actively pursued by something dangerous (and that's actually up for debate since experience has shown that I may drop to the ground, roll into a ball, and protect my vital organs...)
Anyway, I have recently been of the mind to set myself a fitness goal of being able to run 3 miles without stopping (or dying.) My beloved stepdaughter went on-line and printed me out some different beginner runner programs. Together, we went to a fabulous all-things-runner-related store called "Medved" and were helped by a very kind young woman named Sherry. Sherry is a runner. (duh.) Sherry is holding a clinic for beginning runners starting March 25 with the goal of completing the Lilac 5k race (actually 3.1 miles but I figure that's doable...) on May 17.
I'm not waiting until March 25 to begin my training. I'm beginning...drum roll....this afternoon! I've purchased my first pair of running shoes and my training this afternoon will last 30 minutes. I am instructed to eat 2 hours before I do my training and I feel it is very important to follow this instruction.
The running people suggested a power bar and piece of fruit. I'm thinking I'd prefer a cupcake.
I'll let y'all know how it goes.
RevMutha