March Madness: NEW LIFE

THE IDES OF MARCH ARE UPON US...
This is it! GIT-R-DUN!

I ran in the Coogans Classic 5K this morning...snow and all. It was a fun "race". The race was in Washington Heights (made famous by the musical, "The Heights"). It was an out and back coarse, which was kinda frustrating because we could only use one half of the road. It was crowded and hard getting around the slower people. All 6,000 of them. I bettered my time by more than three minutes, or a minute per mile faster than last week's 5k. A sub 30 minute 3.1 miles. Not too shabby.
I'm all about these races because it is making me do what I should be doing anyway. What I have gotten up at 5:30 to run this morning, had it not been for the race? Most likely not.

After that, I went to work, the gym, lunch with an old friend (whom I hadn't seen in over ten years), back to work and the gym, and had dinner with some more old friends (whom I hadn't seen in about three years).

Guh...but it's snowing. They're are mentioning the word "blizzard" when talking about tomorrow. (I could go for a DQ Blizzard right now...) Still, I feel like I will have a good week this week. GIT-R-DUN!

Oh god, its raining
But Im not complaining
Its filling me upWith new life
The stars in the sky
Bring tears to my eyes
Theyre lighting my way
Tonight
And I havent felt so alive
In years

Saturday...what to do? Goto the Apollo Theater tour? (...last day of Black History Month!) Go see a movie? Just stay home and watch Netflix? So many options and so little time.

I woke up this morning and weighed 205. Not too shabby. I got down all the way to 203 this week, but I had an Indian lunch buffet to celebrate a co-worker's birthday yesterday with no workout. It happens. I would love to be under 200 by Monday, but I won't be bothered if I'm not (...as long as I keep working at it and losing weight). 7.5lbs. is a lot of weight to lose in a week. Maybe too much. That's some Biggest Loser shit right there. The average (i.e. realistic) weight to lose PER WEEK is one to two pounds. And, supposedly, the slower you lose it - the better chance you have keeping it all off. I lost almost four times that amount. Crazy. I just don't want to lose it just to gain it back. I've done it before. NEVER AGAIN! Can I please get to, at least, 190 before I'm 35? Each year, before my birthday, my biggest birthday wish is to not be fat on my birthday. Of course, I have the whole year to get lose the weight...but it's totally apparent when birthday month rolls around.

I wrote this to two friends today:

Sorry to take time out of your busy schedule of work and family life - BUT -
As someone who's qualified for the Boston Marathon, what would your suggestion be for someone who would like to qualify and can only run a 5 hour 30 minute marathon? I don't care how long it takes to qualify. I can be 50 years old. I've got time. Yes, I'm asking you...
How do I get down from 12:00 minute miles to 7:30? Any help would be much appreciated. ThanksP.S. I'm serious.
Hope all is well!

I know it's not about being better off than others. It's all about dealing with my own issues and making my own life better. However, when I read stuff like this

(http://health.msn.com/weight-loss/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100233408&GT1=31036) I feel a little bit better about myself. I know I shouldn't, but I do. I'm shallow like that...

Before I shout out the lights, I leave the world with this:

There's only one thing that I know how to do well
And I've often been told that you only can do
What you know how to do well
And that's be you
Be what you're like
Be like yourself

(After 20 plus years, I still love TMBG...)

UGH.

So, my MetroCard sometimes takes a few times to scan. Today, I swiped it a million times before it finally said, "just used." FUCK OFF.

Next week I'm riding my bike to work. I don't care if it's supposed to snow.

MTA can suck my balls. Delays. Shitty service. Sorry. I just had to say it. Get it out of my system...

Ok. It's over. I'm done.

What I'm giving up for Lent:

Sugar
Beer (don't know if it really counts, as it was already mentioned before)
Pray more/goto church - last year I was going to pray the rosary for Lent and lasted two days.

Sorry for losing it at MTA, God.

LENT IS IN THE AIR

So...I woke up this morning to some disturbing news. I checked my bank account and I'm now $386 in the hole. Yikes. Normally this shit would eat away at me, but I'm taking it all in stride. This would usually put a damper on my day...hell, my week...to the point where I couldn't think about anything else. I used to say, "this, too, shall pass" - but I'm not sure I totally believed it. I was like, "SERENITY NOW". It might help that I have a new outlook on life. I have a special woman in my life, for one. I've also been reading The Last Lecture. It's gripping in that it's a professor who died last year of cancer and knew that he was going to die. So, he gave his last lecture on life. I was almost reduced to tears this morning, when I was reading chapter 17, "A New Year's Story". It's about when he and his wife had their first child on New Year's Eve and she had to be rushed to the emergency room due to "placenta abrupta". The words that struck me the most were at the end of the chapter...

Through the whole ordeal, I don't think we ever said to each other: "This isn't fair." WE JUST KEPT GOING. We recognized that there were things we could do that might help the outcome in positive ways...and we did them. Without saying it in words, our attitude was, "Let's saddle up and ride."

I just have to saddle up and ride. Positivity! It's all about having the right attitude and perspective. Anyway, the book is mainly him talking about living out your childhood dreams. While I can't remember what I did five minutes ago, much less what I was thinking at the age of five...I can tell you I've always wanted to be a runner, cyclist, and/or triathlete. So, here are some of my (many) dreams:

• Boston Marathon http://www.bostonmarathon.org/BostonMarathon/113thMarathon.asp


• NYC Marathon http://www.nycmarathon.org/


• Pike's Peak Marathon http://www.pikespeakmarathon.org/


• Great Wall of China Marathon http://www.great-wall-marathon.com/


• Western States 100 http://ws100.com/


• Kona Ironman http://ironman.com/


• Badwater http://www.badwater.com/


• RAAM http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/subwebraam/default.php?N_webcat_id=1


• 50 States Marathon Club http://www.50statesmarathonclub.com/50dc/index.html


• Manhattan Island Marathon Swim http://www.nycswim.org/Event/Event.aspx?Event_ID=1902

and last but not least...

• Decatriathlon World Challenge http://www.multisport.com.mx/deca2008/index.html

As you can see...I dream big. And I dream a lot. These are just a tiny few of my many dreams. But here's my big question though: How do I turn these dreams into goals? AND, more importantly...How do I turn these goals into reality? I'm not sure if I have the answer(s), but I'm on the journey to find out.

ASH WEDNESDAY

A tinge of Catholic guilt set in today. I did not go to church as planned. Especially since my Nana goes to check an initial check up tomorrow before she goes in for surgery on Monday. I was going to go during lunch, but went to the gym instead. I said I would go after work, but instead, went to see Lonely Island at the Virgin Megastore. I think I was the only person there above age thirteen. I then went to the gym and ran five miles (@ a slow pace of 5 mph, or 12 minute/miles). It was sad for the fact that it was more difficult than I imagined (especially with no headphones). Still. I did it. ON A BOAT.

I'll have to figure out what I'm giving up for Lent...other than being fat.

until then...

ASALAMALAKIM.

FAT TUESDAY

Mardi Gras. Normally, I would give myself any excuse to overindulge...especially on a day where it's expected. And yet - I weighed 204 lbs. this morning and I've been given a new perspective. Don't give up while I'm ahead. Seems like it was just Saturday when I was 212.5 lbs. -- and it was! Not that today wasn't rough. I had my battles:

• I'm a retard when it comes to computers. For some reason, I lost some of my songs on itunes when I tried to help upload some songs on my roomie's ipod. Well, last night it erased some songs on my ipod - - and now I don't have the tracks. This made me want to drink, but made me want how to learn how to use a computer more.



• My Nana is going into the hospital on Monday for heart problems. This upsets me. It upsets me more because I know that it upsets my mom. Bummed.



• I went to pay my credit card bill. Went to take the money out and the ATM read "temporarily unavailable". So, I went to another ATM and got the money. Problem is, when I checked my account, my bank thinks I withdrew money twice. I went to my bank and they said it should work itself out in 48 hours. FUCK THAT. That helps me none. Right now it pretty says I basically have no money WHEN I SHOULD. No thank you, dumb bank tellers.
  

So, those were the stresses that usually drive me to drink/overeat. Thing is: I didn't. Might not seem a big accomplishment...but it was. One small step for my day. One giant step for my life.

Now, if I could only learn to use a computer. Hell, I can't even write a blog.

So, I had a good weekend in terms of exercising and being steadfast in my goals. I ran both days, consumed no alcohol and ate really well. Not too shabby. I'll tell you, hopefully, more about it later. My results of a fun run posted above. EYES ON THE PRIZE.

As of today, I have 35 days until my 35th birthday. Here are a few things that I would like to accomplish (or, at the very least, attempt):

• Lose some weight. I currently weigh 212.5 lbs. this fluctuates drastically from week to week, as if I'm constantly on my period - or something wack-a-doo like that. Even in 2009 (all two months of it) I've weighed anywhere from 202.5 to 215.5. It's truly a roller coaster ride. I would not only like to get below 200, but eclipse my wildest dreams...whatever they may be. Can I be 155 lbs.? It's hard to tell. All I know is that my BMI right now tells me that I'm morbidly obese (that's funny...I don't feel like I look or feel that bad) and I pretty much have to be under 170lbs. to be considered "normal".


• Stop biting my nails. It's gross.


• Not drink so much. Or so regularly. Or so much, so regularly. I'm not an alcoholic (by any means), but - like food - I use alcohol for the good times AND the bad. I seem to drink as much when I'm stressed as I do when I'm happy and celebrating. It's a crutch I need not depend on anymore. I haven't had a drop since last monday at dinner (when i went out with friends). while I only had two, I had plenty the day prior. Just one is never just one with me. That being said, I plan on having no alcohol until my birthday -- with maybe one exception being St. Patrick's Day. THAT'S THE DAY OF MY PEOPLES. Still. moderation is key. As much I love fatty foods, I love heavy beer(s) just as much...if not more. My life is the "this is why you're fat" blog (http://thisiswhyyourefat.com/). I've lived it. Done it. Seen it. Taken it as far as I could. I don't want that life anymore.


• I would like to run, swim, bike...hell, just exercise more. Hell. Just move more. I started taking the stairs at work this past week. Really? Should it be that hard for me to walk up nine floors? I want to be a more active person. I have dreams of running Badwater (http://www.badwater.com/). But how can you dream it, if you don't live it? There has to be a process to get from A to B.

There are plenty others. My list is never-ending. Or should I say lists. (I have dog lists, personal finance lists, book lists, etc..) But this is just the beginning. Right now, I feel, this should be a priority. I SHOULD BE A PRIORITY. It all starts with one step in the right direction.

NEW DAY!

I have a big day ahead of me...runs, work, getting shit together. I'll tell you all about it later, but it's going to be awesome! NO TURNING BACK.

THE START OF A NEW LIFE

FOR REALS. NO MORE BULLSHIT.
game got real, son.