Mulligans, Oscars and other Irish Names...

What would we all do without golf? It has given us the Arnold Palmer (delicious), Happy Gilmore, Caddyshack (just be the ball) and the fantastic term Mulligan.

The golfing community sites 3 different possible origins of this term and practice, but they are essentially the same story: "Blank" Mulligan is playing golf, messes up his first shot on the tee box and begs his golfing partners for a re-do, which is granted.

We have adopted this term into our every day vernacular. Usually used in reference to a do over in a game or sport, we also use it when we wish to restart something in our lives... and for me, its usually health related. I tried giving up chocolate, and failed... so Mulligan!! I tried organizing my life, but got caught up watching episodes of "Drop Dead Diva"... Mulligan!!

My Mulligan today is the 100 Day Challenge I attempted to start on Feb 4.

I didn't try as hard as I should, and I can use work and illness as a large (yet valid) excuse, but it's not going to get me anywhere. So I've decided to take a Mulligan and start again.

So March 1, 2011 to June 8, 2011. 30 minutes (min) of exercise a day.

I have decided to buy one of those large desk calendars to put up to help me schedule my workouts and mark off the days. I'm hoping a large visual aid will give me more motivation. Also, seeing the days count down to the WalkMS will hopefully get my butt in gear.

I do have to mention that I have been soda free for 3 weeks (since Feb 3) and while I miss it occasionally and am not sure I've seen/felt any health benefits, I know I'm better for it.

Tonight is also the Oscars. The glamorous night where we honor those in film who gave the overall best performances for the year... and we ogle well dressed men and glamorous women... and are still pondering Bjork's infamous swan dress of 2001. Its one of my favorite nights all year (forget the Super Bowl). I'm excited about tonight's telecast, mainly because of 1 film and the co-hosts.

"The King's Speech," to me, is this year's hands down best film. Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush did a marvelous job in their roles and Helena Bonham Carter's Queen was satisfyingly underplayed. I am not a stutterer, and I'm very good at public speaking, but Colin Firth made every second of his ordeal agonizing. I felt every second tick by as he attempted to get through a speech. I understood his anger. My heart ached for him. He needed help, and an unconventional therapist played by Geoffrey Rush was the answer. I thought the film brilliant and I am excited to see how well it does tonight. I'm also rooting for Natalie Portman for her role in "Black Swan," which was deliciously creepy. I've always adored Natalie, especially since her role in "V for Vendetta" (one of my all time favorite films), so an Oscar win would be fantastic.

The co-hosts tonight are James Franco and Anne Hathaway, 2 actors I admire greatly. The both seem like the would be awesome people to just go grab a beer with. I hope that their youthful energy will bring some life back to the Oscars. Their commercials have been highly amusing, so I'm optimistic.

So here's to the Oscars tonight... honoring the best in acting... and hopefully a good score card from me...

And thank you, Golf.... and one of you three lovely Mulligan men for my do-over.

Its about the simple things in life...

I'm quickly remembering that there is nothing more important in life than...

Stretching.

I'm unbelievably sore. I feel like I need some hot tub time, a good massage, then a stretch. All my muscles are tight and no amount of stretching so far has helped.

I have tomorrow off, so the plan is to go run the track at the Y, then a sauna session. Hopefully after running and sitting in the sauna, my muscles will be warm and more pliable and I can get a better stretch in.

I am 3 days without soda!!! It's only hard when I think about it.

I did skip out on exercising today on my 100 day challenge. But stressing out my muscles is not on my list of things to do.

100 Day Challenge

Oh lord have mercy! I've lost my marbles!!

I decided to give up soda completely (again) and take a 100 Day Challenge (to exercise at least 30 minutes every day for 100 days straight) at the same time.

Why do I do this to myself?

It honestly hasn't been too bad. I had a bad day at work today, which made me want a Diet Pepsi that much more, but I made it through.

I tried out my new running shoes today, the Asics Kanbarra 4s. Wow. Let me tell you, Wow. No foot pain AT ALL! This may be the first time I've worked out with new shoes and didn't have pain in my arches!! I usually get Nike's, but after accidentally grabbing the UK edition of Runners World magazine at Barnes & Nobles and seeing all the ads and articles, I decided to go to the shop and give the Asics a try. Am I ever glad I did.

I still had calf problems though. My body was telling me to make sure I was hydrated and had some potassium before I went, but my head said I would be fine. LIES!! I had wicked sore calves and couldn't run all 9 sets. I ran 3. The 70 year old guy in running shorts no one over 60 should be in passed me... twice. *sigh*

My main challenge from John "The Penguin" Bingham is the 100 Days Challenge. Its going to be hard, but totally worth it.

So tomorrow is ZUMBA in the morning, followed by a quick 4hr shift at work, then Biggs' basketball game, then The Anchor down in Old Town to celebrate my birthday!!

10th Anniversary of my 18th Birthday

Man... I'm old.

I don't feel old. But the numbers say I'm getting there. Almost 30. Yikes.

I decided to brave the coming snow storm last night and drive to the Y for my first personal training session. I walk to the PT's desk and ask for her, and she looks 10. She's really 25, but she doesn't look it... and she's small, perky and blonde. Great. I should have known better. She's extremely nice though and after going through all the fitness/health assessments, we only had time for some quick work showing me the treadmill, elliptical and some other machine that makes me feel like I'm a gazelle on the African prairie.... which would be great if it was true. I'm more like the penguin who found a gazelle skin and decided to try to join the herd.

I have decided that I'm an outdoor runner. Running in place on a treadmill just doesn't do it for me. I want to feel like I'm going somewhere, even if its just back to the car. I get excited when I come over a hill and see my maroon beauty beckoning me to come sit, drive home and enjoy the comfort of my recliner... and after running 2-3 miles, I feel like I've earned that recliner.

So today I get to celebrate my birthday by doing absolutely nothing, due to the snow storm outside. I was born in 10 inches of snow, but I don't think we'll reach that today. I'm going to try and walk over to our apartment complex's gym this afternoon and re-start my Couch to 5K program.

I think I'm going to run the Go Wichita Prairie Fire Half Marathon in October. I will probably run for charity, I'm just not sure which. I have one particular charity in mind, but I'm not sure the cause will go over well for some here in KS. I'm participating in WalkMS in April, and will be running. The short track is about a 5K and the long track is about 10K. My Couch to 5K program is about 9 weeks, which will be perfect. I'll be done with the program about 3 weeks before the event.

So, since I have nothing else to do today, I'm going to take a nice nap and head to the gym later this afternoon for a run!

Happy Birthday to Me!