New Gear...

I bought myself some new run gear today -- any Spidy fans out there? Anyway, I'm so very excited about run season I can hardly contain myself. 

I've been seeing various updates from my friends on how they've been running or going to the gym & it's beginning to drive me crazy because we keep getting all of this snow! 

A lot more of my friends seem to be into running this year. I, myself, have been thinking of taking up cycling as well. 

Perhaps as we get closer to midsummer, I'll be able to get my hands on a bike. I notice many cyclists on the road during the weekends nowadays, I think I'm game.

I guess I should also start thinkin' of the various races that I'd like to participate in this year. I ran in 2 races last year, so at minimum, I'd like to do the same this year. 

I do think I'll raise the bar & increase my race distances to at least 10k this year, I've been pretty much running 5 miles each time I venture out.

I really wouldn't mind becoming involved with a team sport again this year either, but that's a more difficult task to accomplish. 

Getting 8-10 people on the same page, especially over the weekends can be next to impossible, with everyone's crazy schedules.

I'll just have to settle for cycling if I do incorporate any new activities into my fitness routine. I've already been researching the necessary gear required, it's just a matter of me taking the time to buy the sh!t.

Death, Taxes & (Apparently) Snow...

The year I became a full-blown adult (i.e., a college graduate with full-time employment), my feelings on both snow & filing taxes changed dramatically. 

I now hate both since I rarely benefit from either event nowadays. Since I'm often battling both during the month of February each year, I hate February too! 

Lol, ok - perhaps hate is too strong a word, but just bring-on the springtime already! We've had a pretty cold & snowy winter in the region, I promise I won't complain about it being too hot this summer. Ok, I probably shouldn't make that claim either, lol. But I do prefer extreme heat, when faced with the option of that, or the bitter cold! 

I've been driving to work more frequently, as opposed to taking the subway, so that means I've been driving in wintry conditions a lot more than I 'm typically used to. I find my car is best operated on clear, dry pavement, lol.

On top of that, I've been pretty anxious to run as if late, but that would require that the sidewalks or street shoulders be clear of packed, icy snow - I'm not a huge fan of being struck by vehicles while jogging, so I'm very much looking forward warmer temps! We've been getting slammed by snowfall so often this winter, I can't even complain about the county's method of timely snow removal.

As far as my displeasure (I think that word works better than hate) of filing taxes - it's quite simple, I don't have enough sh!t to claim, so my state & federal refund (if any) is never what I'd like for it to be. It cuts even deeper to see folk waving their huge refund checks in the air, praising their tax preparers & celebrating the ill-gotten gains - clearly, I need to STFU & just get with the program, lol! Soooooo... who's unemployed with a kid (or 2) that I can claim?

Running, A Solitary Endeavor...

Today is President's Day, a federal holiday & better still... another day-off from work, giving me a 3-day weekend. 

I decided to do something a bit more productive than just lie dormant beneath the sheets this morning, so I got my ass up & headed out for a run (armed with a new gospel run playlist). 

It was the 1st run of the season - following my standard 3-month layoff during the winter. I typically prefer to run routes no shorter than 6.2 miles, but this morning, my body & mind were both very much content with a 5k run instead. It was only 27° out there, my lungs were just about depleted of oxygen & seemingly unable to produce more, so I called it quits for the day. Hell, I still ran 3.1 miles longer than most people will today, lol. 

Since it had been my offseason before this morning's run, I hadn't taken any of my vitamins or dietary supplements, plus I was just plain out of shape, considering that, I won't be so critical when it comes to my run stats for the day. Truth be told, I was so glad to get this 1st run over with, the 1st is always the toughest I find. 

Upon returning home, I showered, enjoyed a large breakfast & climbed directly back into bed for more sleep... welp, at least the early part of the day was productive for the kid, lol...