Month: March 2011

Flow yoga was great tonight. This was only the second time I’ve taken this particular class, and only the third time I’ve taken a yoga class in general, and I was dripping with sweat at one point — and it wasn’t a hot yoga class! The poses were more challenging this week and I could feel my muscles working, especially my quads and arms (whatever all those muscles are). I’ll be sore for sure.

As I walked to my car, I caught the most distinct whiff of deliciousness wafting from some restaurant: lamb chops with rosemary. Yummmm! To get my fix, I threw some rosemary on my asparagus and veggie burger as they cooked.

 

Not a lamb chop in sight, but the smell and taste of the rosemary is to die for!

And thank you, Costco, for feeding my ongoing asparagus obsession with an absolutely giant bag of it…

In celebration of the one-year anniversary of my other blog, Answering Oliver, I’m giving away a brand-new hardcover copy of my favorite personal-finance book!

At the beginning of Answering Oliver, I chronicled how I paid off nearly $9,000 of debt in 6 months. I’ve been debt-free since July 2010 and no longer fear making ends meet each month. Since then, I’ve accumulated a nice cushion of savings, so I’m also able to spend some money on fun adventures, like running awesome races! I couldn’t have done all this without the help of the tells-it-like-it-is book that I’m giving away.

Head on over to enter the giveaway if you’re interested! (Only two people have entered so far, so your odds of winning are GREAT!)

Aaron: I think I’m going to name my first child Charles Shaw. Charles Shaw Pass. Or Beyonce…

I have approximately one hour of light outside (thank you, Daylight Savings!).

It’s not dumping rain (right this minute).

I only need a half hour for my three-miler (if I can get my butt out the door fast enough).

I’m thinking outdoor run! Such a pleasant change from the weeknight gym/treadmill rat thing!

If you’re lacking inspiration to run, go to the gym or just get off your bum today, please read this. My best friend and running buddy, Aaron, was in a very serious motorcycle accident a year ago and is very lucky to be alive, let alone walking, let alone running, today.

I wrote about his recovery and what an inspiration he is to me on the one-year anniversary of the accident. It’s long, but here’s a sample:

What you didn’t know was the full extent of the damage you suffered in that moment of another driver’s carelessness: three fractured vertebra in your neck, two fractured vertebra in your lower back, a fractured tibia and fibula, a torn ACL, PCL, MCL and meniscus, a concussion and a lacerated liver.

…

It would be so easy for you to sit at home, be inactive and blame it on that terrible accident, but you don’t. You know that life is too short and too precious to give it anything less than your all.

It would be so easy for you to spend your days being angry and resentful, wishing things had been different a year ago. There are some things you just can’t change, but you are always in control of how you live your life each day.

My hope is that you will keep moving forward, pounding the pavement and pedaling to wherever it is you want to go, and all those things you can’t change will fall quietly behind you into the distance.

I’ll remind you that this guy can now kill a 5K in under 22 minutes. How’s that for inspiration?

Click here if you’d like to read his whole story.