closing in

This picture has nothing to do with today's topic..... but here is Erik Grimm modeling his sleepwear while myself and Mike Moreland admire...... you never know what will happen at 0530!

As the run grew longer, the weather got worse. What began as an E paced run in the snow became a wind fighting-hill-climbing-where the hell are my feet-are-we even close to E pace-run.

"I know." Sarah cried out as we were climbing the hill that in the spring grew easier each week, "That you are the only one who would run this hill with me."

"Because we will do what others won't." I said "I forget the first part. I am juice cleansing." I am very sure that was my way of justifying a sub zero snowblowing "run". Just the same way I justify my coffee habit (please note I don't call it an addiction).

It's January, and snowy, and this is how this hill should feel today. It means we both took the proper off season and it means that we are both ready to begin tackling this stuff again. Neither of us are doing an Ironman this year, and both of us are feeling excited about that. We are planning camp, as this year Sarah will be one of the organizers, we are busy dreaming dreams, creating plans for racing.... and this is the stuff that ignites me..... and her.

I swear we were separated at birth a few years apart with different color hair and all that.

And welcome to day three of the juice cleanse. The day I feel absolutely amazing. The day that I feel clean, I feel the healthiest I have felt in a year, the day I wish it wouldn't end..... except I wish I could add on a few calories.

Nothing worth anything is ever easy. Name the goal. Not easy. We all know if it were, then we'd all be doing it. Ironman. Masters degree. Childbirth. Yoga. Nothing ever worth anything.... is easy.

Last night I hit the juice cleanse lull, or hell or whatever you want to call it. I wanted a damn steak (I don't even eat steak). I wanted butter popcorn (never really eat that either). I wanted to sink my teeth into a great big hamburger. (I eat hamburgers). My head pounded. I couldn't eat one more apple or piece of lettuce (how many pounds of green do I have to eat to ingest 4000 calories anyways).

As much as it sucked, I knew.... knew..... knew..... I was about to turn the corner.

This morning.... I did.

I woke up feeling lighter, cleaner, fresher. Still low on the calories but I have planned today to get everything in on time. I am working in Peds ED 4-midnight and I know I will have no problem averting the simple sugar treats that line the counters this time of year. And that is exactly why I am doing this.

My craving for that kind of stuff disappears. My desire to fill my body with the good stuff heightens. It's like magic.

I absolutely admit that being low on the calorie range is a fine line for someone like me. I alternate between that "high" .... and that's when I need to get something in. As we know I can take that and run.

Which leads me to believe that I am still hanging on in my recovery. Or just really really good at denial.

I am feeling very good. I am not hungry, I am craving good fruits and vegetables. I don't' crave a single carbohydrate or protein. BUT..... as a human being we can't live without those things (which is why this is only 3 days). So the reintroduction of these foods will have to be slow and careful or else I will be charting myself through morning swim practice.

Stay tuned for how that all goes.

Needless to say juice cleanses that are well planned and well thought our are wonderful. Things I would advise being careful of: cleanses that sound kind of weird (they then ARE), cleanses that have less than 1,200 calories per day, are based on a pill or powder, cleanses that restrict ingestion of calories for more than 3 hours..... and cleanses with strict rules, and cleanses designed by someone who is NOT a respected RD. Or one at all. Oprah..... notsomuch.

I did modify some of the rules for this one. I still drank coffee. I still took my vitamins. It's just like training, you have to let it fit you.

And just like running the hills with Sarah this morning, fighting through the hard parts, the wind, the snow, the lack of footing..... the good things are never easy to attain. We have to work to get them. But if they are important enough to us, we stick to our guns and we get there.