People Are Starting to Wonder

Yes, yes, I'm here, and I'm fine, just super busy. Sorry I've been majorly absent. I miss you guys. Thanks to everyone who is checking on me and thinking about me. I did not get tornadoed, although there was an EF5 north of here that was extremely nasty and took 7 poor souls. And p90x did not kill me yet.

The low down:

Wii Fit - several days of fun. I seriously doubt this thing would take any weight off but clearly it is better than sitting on the couch and it is fun. My kids are loving it although they are active little buggers and have been playing Wii Sports so they don't do a lot of their gaming from the couch anyway. If you were diligent with the exercises and yoga, you certainly would see some toning and improvement in balance. I really like the center of balance thingy, it helps you not only do the pose and hold it, but be positioned correctly and think about posture. This is also true in the strength exercises. Depending on the test, my fitness level or Wii age has varied from 33 (WOooo HOOooo) to 60. :P Not terribly accurate on the fitness age but it does show you where your weaknesses are. I am like 80 years in a tree pose on the left, but do it relatively well on the right.

p90x - Loving this to death although I have cut waaaay back this week in prep for the 20k on Saturday. This is a super and very detailed review that I found if you are interested. Written a while ago and she's not inviting any more comments, but I thought it was very worthwhile and accurate. I am definitely getting stronger. However, as this author mentions, if you want to SEE your progress you have to do the diet part. I think she said 80% of your work is in the kitchen. Crap. :D I have developed a fondness for Kenpo which is like kick boxing. Who knew?

20k on Saturday - as always the nerves kick in and I start doubting if I can even finish. My running hasn't been great the past couple weeks, but maybe that means I'm due for a good one. I'm wondering how I'm going to feel 12.4 miles north of town looking at the Des Moines skyline in downtown and realizing I am going to run that far!! Probably something along the lines of Marcy's poll about whether or not you have thrown up during a race. :D I'll be fine, I'm sure, just slow. I can't wait to see some friends and hopefully meet some new ones.

Someone said, "if you're a runner in Iowa, you have to do this race." (Dam to Dam is expecting about 7000!!) Well, then, IOWA AND INTERNET, I'm a runner in Iowa and I'm doing this race!! I'm excited that this is my first time ever being even close to fit enough to run this race. I have to remember and rejoice in that progress. I remember being totally in awe of a friend and her husband and wishing I had it in me. :D I also felt this way watching the amazing Hy-Vee Triathlon (a world class event that cycled within one mile of my house!!) last year. If I weren't going to Scotland I would definitely be doing a leg as part of a team or possibly attempting the whole thing. Now that's a year of progress. I've officially hit one year of fairly continuous running and for that, I am proud and humbled at the same time. In part, it is to blogging and all the great people I've met and who have supported me here. (Yeah, I get sappy and all gratitude-y when I race) I'm also going to go read Bingham's chapter on racing from Courage to Start. It always puts it all in perspective for me. Hope to be back with some racing stories....

Next week - Out of town for work

The Next week - SCOTLAND!!!!!!!!!!!

I may be absent for awhile. Just a lot going on. And not much of it has been laundry. :P I.have.to.catch.up. Anyone have a maid or a wife they could spare? I'm in desparate need.