Endorphins make everything okay...

Yesterday I left work around 6 and I was a complete stress case.  There was some really ridiculous drama going on at work that left me in a position where I was going to be forced to break a promise to a friend/co-worker.  I do NOT break promises, and I really don't like it when I am forced to.  I left work super frustrated and pretty much stressed out of my mind.

I got home and it was BEAUTIFUL outside--70 degrees!  Hellooooo, Spring!  Thanks for showing up!  I decided the best way to get rid of my stress was to go for my scheduled run and clear my head.  Apparently it has been a while since I've ran in warm weather...I nearly died in the heat!  I was so fatigued!  I forgot that even though 4.5 miles takes less than an hour for me so I normally don't need water, the heat factor causes me to sweat and overheat and I really really need water on all my runs during the summer!  Lesson learned!  I ended up having to walk a stretch around the 3.5 mile mark just to build up a short burst of energy to finish the run.  Did I ever mention how bad I hate walking on runs?  I feel like I've cheated and then the run/distance doesn't count...stupid, but that's how I feel!

Anyway, I made it back home and did some cool down stretching on my lawn.  As I was stretching my calves I suddenly realized that I was leaving the next morning to go mountain biking in Zion National Park and that I hadn't even ridden my back for over half a year.  Ummmm...fail.  So I decided to go have a quick "refresher course" on my bike around my neighborhood.  I had only intended on biking for a couple of minutes (just to get the shifting down again), but the sunny weather and the breeze on my face got the best of me and I ended up biking 5 miles in just under 23 minutes.  It felt fantastic!  Words cannot describe how good a mood I was in by the end of that jaunt.  Endorphins = happy Becky.

The great mood continued through the night.  It even stayed with me through washing the dishes from my work's fridge cleanout (um...apparently I left a LOT of food in the fridge though it was so decomposed that I could identify what it was originally).  That is not a task you do with a smile, but surprisingly I was not only smiling but I was singing and enjoying myself.  Who was this woman?  I don't know, but I want her around for a long long time...

It was a great reminder why I love working out.  I felt like a champion.  I was proud of myself and overall just happy for no good reason.  The stresses of work still remained, but somehow they were less intense.  Running/biking had eliminated the emotions connected to the work drama and allowed me to think rationally and come up with alternate solutions.  Score!

I ended the day with this:

Not a terrible day of eating (the lunch was the only thing I had to eat and it was homemade and not very appetizing reheated).  I felt very proud of my efforts yesterday and couldn't wait to submit the record of the day.  I am realistic enough to realize that I won't weigh 139.8 lbs in 5 weeks, no matter how perfect I am with eating and working out and I'm okay with that!  The important thing is that this will set the scale on a downward trend, and that's exactly what I'm after.

This weekend has some more activities that will be sure to help the cause.  We are biking the Jem trail tonight (either 6 miles or the 12 mile loop which terrifies me), and then tomorrow I am going to try for another 10 mile run.  And then a hike if I can still walk.  I don't have much hope for that last one!  This is the Emerald Pools trail I would like to go to if it happens:

I've hiked it before, but it was in the summer and the water was starting to dry up.  Now would be the perfect time to hike it and it is a short hike so my poor legs might be able to manage it!  In either case, I'm going to have a great weekend.

What fun plans do you have for the first weekend in April?