indoor or outdoor running?

So I really wanted to run the Tough Mudder in Pennsylvania this month but with my surgery and everything that came along with it, I haven't been able to train like how I wanted and needed to. I've been running around my block but I end up giving up when I pass my house or a street leading to my house. Some people are better outdoor runners, but I happen to be a better indoor runner. I need something in front of me to keep my mind off of my body aching and push through till I get a second wind. So I went to my friend Leah's gym, LA Fitness, today after I had class. It was okay they have good machines but for 30 dollars a month I might as well run outside, or buy my own treadmill for when I am home. I am kind of against gyms also, which is why this is tricky. I don't believe in staying indoors, I would rather be outside if I can. But the weather has been so off also and I need to train so I need to also bite the bullet and do whichever is going to get me to the point where I can run the Tough Mudder, or the next one for that matter. I am going to go to LA fit for the next two weeks, thanks mostly to their free two week offer, and continue to run outdoors also. I will track my miles and then I will decide which gets me run more and that will be what makes up my mind about indoor or outdoor running. Hopefully I will be able to compete in the next Tough Mudder, or other marathon I find.

MY WEEKEND!!

Hey all! This past weekend was simply gorgeous outside. Friday was warm and sunny and it got to be almost 75 degrees. I went to a Yoga class and had a massage with my boyfriend to celebrate our one year anniversary. Then we decided to get outdoors for the rest of the afternoon and morning. We stopped by a deli in Seaside Park and got a sandwich and a drink then biked up to the beach. It was a beautiful day to have a beach picnic. There were a few seagulls trying to steal our food, but they didn’t succeed, thankfully.  After we ate we decided to look from some sea glass and took a four mile walk down the beach and back. I barely found any sea glass, mostly because there are women who walk the beach every morning grabbing all the good pieces so I was too late. After the beach outing, we just biked around for the rest of the day enjoying the wonderful weather. I hope everyone got to enjoy it and do something fun. As for Saturday it was still nice but was windy but my friends and I built a bonfire on the beach to walk the moon rise. It was supposed to be the closest it will be for 15 years. The moon looked beautiful, almost a blood orange color as it rose up into the sky.  Sunday was just a crappy drawn out day, I some reading after I got off work and finished up some house chores. Well that was my weekend I hoped everyone enjoyed theirs and got outside for a bit.

Japan....

So I just wanted to talk a little about the earthquakes that are destroying the country of Japan. At first I only heard that there was an earthquake and thought nothing of it. But then after watching several news bulletins and reports, I realized the magnitude and seriousness of the earthquakes and what the situation that the people of Japan are being faced with.  There have been countless aftershocks after the initial earthquake that left the Japanese people in a state of panic and emergency. Tidal waves/tsunamis were striking the coast and taken out everything in their path. There has been nuclear power plant explosions and fires have been spreading. Thousands of people have died from what we know but the death toll could still rise. I even saw several videos were the docks and homes were destroyed and boats are just floating around or have sunk.  There was one video in particular that amazed me. It should a large shipping vessel being swallowed into the ocean; it almost looked like a gigantic whirl pool. It honestly looked fake like something you would see in a movie, like “the day after tomorrow” when they showed cruise ship In the middle of New York City. When you see something of that magnitude you think that it is a special effect not a real occurrence.  It scares me to think of what could possibly happen if an earth quake hit the Jersey Shore or anywhere close to here. Thousands of lives would be lost and millions of dollars in damage to businesses and life would occur. It makes me think that nothing is certain in anyone’s life. In my opinion Mother Nature is going to take its course, whether it be hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. Hopefully nothing like this happens again in the world for a least a few years.

st. pats day weekend parade.

Hey everybody…this past weekend was the start of my spring break. I couldn’t really do much because I had surgery on Thursday morning, so I was recuperating most of the time, but I tried to make the best of my weekend. This weekend was the Saint Patrick’s Day parade in Seaside Heights NJ. There was about 30,000 people in attendance and it was a beautiful day for it almost 60 degree weather, and the sun was out for a larger portion of the day.  The floats were very nice; my friend’s father was on the float for the fire fighters.  The children in the crowd really like the Dalmatian that they had sitting on the float.  They even had about hundred bagpiper’s and various marching bands from the surrounding high schools. Although around 2 pm the parade stopped and the crowds got drunker and more obnoxious. The bars have band or bagpipers and offer corned beef and cabbage or hot dogs all day. The police reported the next day that they issued around 1200 tickets, for various things. Like public intoxication, drunk driving, fighting and other minor disturbances. It just shows you that not a lot of people can handle their alcohol or partying for that matter. A nice day and thousands of people with unlimited amounts of alcohol is a dangerous combination. I spent most of my day at the Aztec; my friend’s bands were playing. Tsunami Rising from Philadelphia and Pasadena from Baltimore Maryland.  They are both original and write their own music, not too loud or noisy but they make you want to dance. They the following day the restaurant, The Crabs Claw, in Lavallette had both the bands come in and play acoustic set. The Crabs Claw offered Mimosa and a bloody Mary bar for people to nurse their hangovers with and corned beef and cabbage all day.  Me and my friends and family went there for the brunch and listened to good music. It was a good end to my weekend.  Hopefully I can get cleared by my post op sometime before next weekend.

The Saint..

This past weekend I went to The Saint in Asbury Park, NJ to see a few bands play. The Saint always has original and new artist coming in, so I suggest everyone check it out. The bands included NY Bartholomew, U Say USA, Killing the Messenger and Swindling Gypsies. My friend’s band is U Say USA, they are from Brooklyn they've been playing for 5 years now. It's hard to classify them under a certain Genre but they sound awesome and write their own music. Killing the Messenger was pretty awesome they have a female singer. She rocks out the whole time and keeps the energy flowing in the room, and ensures a good time for everyone. They have more of an upbeat music and their guitarist reminds you of Jimmy Hendrix, musically and his hair. Swindling Gypsies were also pretty awesome, they were really loud but still sounded good. For some reason NY Batholomew was not the best in my opinion, but they headlined. But that might just mean I have a bad taste in music. But this is just another way to get out of the house and do something. Asbury Park is undergoing major reconstruction the past few years. They have really nice restaurants and unique bars with some type of band playing all the time. Their board walk is also undergoing some revamping, and Asbury is just a train ride or car ride away for most people. Which can ensure people to be safe and to not drink and drive.

POLAR BEAR PLUNGE...

So this past weekend I participated in The Polar Plunge in Seaside Heights, NJ in order to raise money for The Special Olympics. There was over 20,000 people in attendance and we raised a little over 2 million dollars. This is the second year I did this, and the best weather. Although last year seemed to be a lot warmer outside, we actually had decent weather on saturday. But jumping in to Atlantic Ocean at a staggering 38 degrees and the the air temperature was 55 degrees isn't quite as comfortable as taking a bath or going into a hot tub. But it is all done for a great cause and helps other people reach their goals. There is also another event that I might to if I have time to train for it. It is called The Tough Mudder in Pennsylvania, a 19 obstacle and 12 miles that people run in order to raise money for the veterans, Special Olympics and autism. Last October was at the Freehold Raceway Track, I was not able to run it but I saw a bunch of my friends run. It is not something to do if you do not train or are weak at heart. A person really has to want to finish it or you will quit, most people do. By the end, you are covered in mud and soaked to the bone. The people who hold the events tell you to join or run with a group because half of the time single runners fail to finish. There is also BBQing, Bands and vendors for the families of the runners to enjoy. I suggest everyone check it out, if you do not compete please donate. I am really hoping to be able to run it this year.