SUP, brah?

It's 10pm-ish, October 15, and keeping with the obsession with Stand Up Paddle Surfing that's been accelerating for the past two months I continue to read blogs, forums, and Athleta posts as I count down the hours before boarding a Kona-bound trip tomorrow morning.

Once upon a time, as a sun and ocean obsessed youth in the San Gabriel Valley, I had dreamt of surfing but had always had a decent fear and reverence for the strength of the ocean. And this was matched by a certain prowess for being uncoordinated. So I never surfed. Then in my very late 40s I decided a goal of taking a surfing lesson with Rabbit Kekai, in my 50th year which would also be Hawaii's 50th year, would be a dream come true.

Needlesst to say, while I did fulfill the dream of making it over to the 50th "state" (I still consider Hawaii occupied territory...) in my 50th year, but I never sought out Rabbit Kekai for a surf lesson and resisted a very strong urge to take a SUP Lesson in the little lagoon next to the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

So why now? A couple of things, first being that the only New Year resolution I've ever kept has me at my best health EVER, and secondly I've found some great training info on the Athleta Chi blog whiCh I started to incorporate into my gym visits. Lastly—it's about time for me to do It!

Taking a queue from Team in Training advice regarding visualizing the end result of a marathon I'm certain I've visualized myself atop a SUP in Kailua Bay for the past two months as I try to fall asleep. Only tongiht will be different since I'll be less than 48 hours and 2300+ miles closer to fulfilling my dream of standing atop a surf board. And I can't wait!

I did it!

While I'm waiting for my work out clothes to dry I'll scribe a brief love letter to my favorite iPhone app ever--FeltTips' C25K.

When you came into my life I was a sedentary 50 year old mouse potato commencing perimenopause with an obsession with visiting the iTunes App Store. You had good looks and our life together had potential. You inspired me to make a New Year's Resolution that I have thus far kept--a new record for me. You inspired me to be consistent, you inspired me to be active, and you inspired me to want to meet the challenge even on the days when I didn't want to. And nine weeks later (actually 10 since I managed to stretch one week into two in March) I am proud to say I completed the program without serious malice done to my being. And you have allowed me to justify a new pair of Athleta Dipper Pants.

Just because I have deleted you from my iPhone to make room for other Apps doesn't mean I won't always love you.

xoxo The slightly more fit Lucija

Where has the time gone? And yeah, I'm trying to run on a treadmill at age 50+

OK, I'm back after neglecting iPhone for the ADD Soul for the past year.

I'm back to say the iPhone has been perfect for my ADD soul preventing numerous parking tickets, helping with soapmaking projects (10 minutes to soap being cooked using the timer! Unmold soap on February 11 using the calendar!), keeping me inspired to get on a treadmill and keep up with my 2010 new year resolution with iFitness and Felttips' C25K. I've kept many appointments thanks to the iPhone. This is all good. I've even designed an iPhone app that desperately needs to be coded by a real engineer.

So why am I writing now? Well, I'm inspired to keep tabs on my fitness goals here on this blog being that my iPhone is a key component to my willingness and desire to get moving. Honestly, there is no way I would have truly decided to participate in C25K without the app I purchased, which is well-designed -and- fun to use, or without being able to listen to music (my current C25K music list --> http://bit.ly/bYuiUW), or without a reminder that pops up telling me to attend "kickboxing class @ 7pm). And there is a certain perverse joy I get from stretching and tweeting simultaneously (I'm @carouselno3 if you ish to follow).

Another thing happened today while working on my hoolakai.com website: after being distracted by an Athleta e-mail I found their wonderful Chi Blog and got inspired by Anne Marie's Goals for the Week blog and all of her visitor's--many of whom seem to be in a discovery phase of running like me. Inspired by Anne Marie, I'm here to cheer up those in my age group (I am the same age as the "State" of Hawaii) whose idea of dangling one's foot over the edge is the sudden urge to pursue running--even if it is on a treadmill. We CAN do it ladies!

Before signing off on this post I have to give a shout out to the Gratitude Journal from Happy Tapper which I have consistently used since purchasing on March 20 last year. Waking up to hubby bringing coffee & the Gratitude Journal is a fab way to start of the day.

Happy Friday,

--Lucija