DAY 40 - Six Days Till AUBURN FOOTBALL!!!!

In the face of what was once, Tropical Storm Erica - we were relieved that she lost her steam and did not come in on the East Coast - though we are very hopeful that the West Coast survives alright with the potential flooding - and are prayerful for those who were in her wake on the way to the US, where much loss occurred among so many who already suffer so greatly.

Up until today there has actually been minimal rain. In fact, even today it has been mild in our neck of the woods. Since cycling was out, we went to the movies to see: NO ESCAPE with Owen Wilson and OMG is was EXHAUSTING! Really really good - but wore me out staying on the edge of my seat the whole time! I just LOVE going to the movies with Larry Wayne! He is so dog gone cute he just makes my liver quiver! haha! Anyway, it was a very good time and we were able to also enjoy with friends which made it that much better!

Thankfully, over the last few days I was able to get in some REALLY great cycling! Larry had to have an epidural Friday, so I was on my own and decided to challenge myself a bit. Two days ago I decided to see what I could do as far as moving past my current time limits and was SOOoooooo excited to push through them! The first accomplishment was when I rode 8 miles in 36.41 min at an average speed of 13.1 mph - I was SO surprised! Even more incredible to me was the fact that I wasn't very out of breath, which has been an on-going challenge since I started riding. The next day I decided to change up my route and go "outside" of the park a bit. I began by going out of our neighborhood the back way along Jog and then Forest Hill, cut through the park then back out onto Forest Hill past the school and down a side road by Banyan Golf Club. I then returned back retracing my path and then went around the interior circle of the park covering 3 inclines - it was defiantly challenging, but also very rewarding!

I went 10.08 mi in 48.10 min, (which also broke a personal best - though that wasn't the goal, I will take it anyway!), at an average speed of 12.6 mph. for a whopping 644 calories -- which admittedly makes me feel pretty good!  Following that I rode an additional 2.11 miles to cool down on the way home. IT FELT GREAT!

There is another awesome, yet at the same time - challenging, thing coming up next weekend and that is AUBURN FOOTBALL! What do I mean? Well folks, we are a mere SIX DAYS away from a football season with the greatest team on the planet - the AUBURN TIGERS! We, (Larry Wayne and I), join with other fanatical fans at a local eatery in North Palm Beach every Saturday to cheer our team to victory. Now this is not the challenging part at all. THIS is the AU-some part! The challenge is the fact that we EAT! I tend to have a love for their fried onion rings AND their deserts. Well, THIS season, my intention is to leave it alone...but will take it "one game at a time"

In my last post I had mentioned in my CONFESSION - (which I've decided from now on to refer to as my FESS-UP) - that I had lacked in exercise while my parents were here and had several instances of not eating well - suspecting that I had gained weight as a result and would weigh the next day and post it here. Let me just say, "I did NOT want to get on that scale!", but I did and it WAS as bad as I had feared. I was at  175 lb again. I will say that initially all the old feelings of failure and self pity were right there ready to pounce, but I realized that it was MY CHOICE what line of thought to follow. I could listen to the garbage in my head and measure my progress by a number...OR I could look at all the positive changes that are happening, progress being made and determine to continue forward in the "journey without a finish line". My choice?? THE JOURNEY!

WAR DAMN EAGLE!!!!  <- If you are not familiar...that is the battle cry of EVERY Auburn fan...of which I am a proud one! GO TIGERS!!! .