End of July

My training for July left a lot to be desired.  Strength training was a plus, but as far as cardio went, it was not a good month at all.  I'm hoping August will be much better.  Umpiring on the weekends finished up this past weekend, so that should give me at least one day if not two days to get additional work in either running or cycling.  I did manage a good run and ride last week, but found it difficult to get into a comfort zone, I was either running too fast or too slow, but never felt comfortable.  I'm hoping for much better results this weekend. 

Work started off crazy busy this week, and I'm hoping that trend continues.  Three new policies written today, with a few other irons in the fire that will come through in August sometime.  Things are picking right back up where I'd hoped they would be.

Girls are doing alright.  Been battling a nasty cough for both of them for the past few days.  Back at the doctor this afternoon for a diagnosis.  I'm hoping for medication this time since we were there a week and a half ago and I got the usual "virus" diagnosis.  I just want to see them back to their old active child like ways!

Have a great evening!

Race Schedule

My fall race schedule is filling up quickly, and I'm thinking of adding another event or two.  I have a 5K scheduled for September 8, a half marathon scheduled for October 7, and a 10K scheduled for October 27.  With that being said, it's time to get back to some serious training.  I haven't been running as much lately due to a nagging injury, some fatigue due to my umpiring schedule, and when I have had the time it's been spent with my girls.  I'm heading out in about an hour for a good 3 miles or so, and then will most likely hit the weights or bike for a little while after that.  I'm ready to get back to 3-4 runs a week in preparation of upcoming runs.  I may add another half marathon to my schedule, but the only ones I'm interested in would be sandwiched in among already scheduled races.  I may wait and see how I'm feeling as time gets closer.

Work has been a little slow lately, not in the sense of quote volume, but new written business has been a little off for me the past week or so.  I have so many quotes hanging out there, but no one willing to commit right now.  I look for things to break loose next week, but we will see what happens.

Girls are doing great.  It's been awesome to be home with them the past 2 nights.  Got to go to the park, feed the ducks, go for a walk, and just spend some great time in general with them.  I think I will take them to the Shippensburg Fair this weekend to ride some rides and check out the animals. 

Have a great day!

Feeling Better

Last night I went home and curled up on the couch in the fetal position and stayed there for quite a while.  I think my girls passed on to me whatever they had earlier in the week.  It was a very difficult night with a fever and just overall not feeling well.  Suprisingly today I feel much better.  Not sure if I feel well enough to go and get the 3 mile run in that I was planning, but I'm not ruling it out at this point.  Definitely some strength training on the horizon, and maybe a bike ride instead of a run.

Work was strangely busy with quotes this week.  Lots of quotes hanging out there, but no one really ready to commit to anything this week.  Hoping that translates into a really good week next week for me!

Girls have recovered from being sick and are really back to themselves.  Hoping the weather clears out this weekend and we can get to the park, go swimming, and just get some fun outdoor activities in.

Have a great weekend!

Under the Weather

The title to my post is pretty fitting.  Thunderstorms on there way here again, after a round of pretty good storms yesterday, and even more forecast for tomorrow.  My running has slowed to a crawl due to a deep thigh bruise and some shin issues from being hit by a ball while umpiring.  Strength training has been great all week.  Lifting every day, and still getting my miles with the dogs.  Woke up today achy all over and exhausted.  That would be the other part of my under the weather post.  I'm hoping this passes quickly and I can get back to running and cycling soon.  i really need to start training for my October half marathon.

Work has been busy all week, but strangely busy.  Lots of quotes hanging out there.  I've sent a ton of quotes this week, but no one seems ready to commit.  I'm sure it will come around, but it is a bit frustrating at this point.  Commercial quotes have been the flavor of the week, but a few home and auto quotes have come in the past day.

The girls had a virus earlier this week complete with fevers and vomiting.  No more helpless feeling as a parent than holding your child as they are throwing up.  Neither one has been sleeping well which is contributing to my fatigue i'm sure.  I'm looking forward to some cooler weather and a less busy schedule to spend some great outdoor time with them.

Have a great evening!

Middle of July

Last week was not a good training week at all.  I think I was wiped out from umpiring in the heat the weekend before, and I was just extremely fatigued most of the week.  I still got my miles with my dogs, but I didn't get a good run in all week.  I did manage a few miles on the bike and a little strength training, but I really missed running.  I think this will be a good week to get back on track and get at least 3 good runs in, along with some great strength training.  This should be the last week for umpiring tournaments, so that will free up some good weekend time to start getting a Saturday or Sunday run. 

Work has finally slowed down a bit, or at least it seems that way to start this week.  Last week was another good week in a long string of good weeks.  This week may turn out that way, but I don't have a lot on the horizon at the start of the week. 

Girls are doing great.  My tournament got rained out on Saturday, so I got the whole day with them.  We went grocery shopping, swimming, to the playground, out for ice cream, for a walk, watched a movie, and just had a great day in general.  I'm ready to get my weekends back to spend more time with them!

Have a great day!

Heat Wave

The heat has definitely had an impact on my training.  Last Thursday I was able to get a 3.1 mile run and 2.75 mile ride in and added some strength training to go with that.  Following that, it was a couple miles a day with the dogs early in the morning, but that was about it for the weekend.  I umpired 7 straight games on Saturday in temperatures above 100 degrees, and 5 straight games Sunday in similar weather.  It was a pretty brutal weekend.  Monday I was able to get 3 miles with my dogs, and last night I went for a 5 mile bike ride with my favorite 33 pound passenger adding resistance, especially up the hills!  I wanted to get a run in today, but my schedule just kept building and building as the day went along, so that didn't happen.  Perhaps another bike ride tonight, or at least some good strength training.  Definitely a good run tomorrow and a bike ride as well.

Work is still busy.  Every time it looks like things are going to slow down, I pick up 4 or 5 new policies.  This week has been no different.  I wrote 2 personal auto policies, a commercial auto policy, a professional liability policy, and a homeowner's policy.  Who knows what the next 2 days will hold, but there are plenty of quotes still hanging out there!

Girls are doing great.  Last night we were playing in the driveway, and they were spring me with their new water toys and having a blast.  They seemed to enjoy the bike ride as much as I did.  Time to start planning a September birthday party as they will be turning 3 and 2.  There is just nothing like that big smile first thing in the morning to get your day going.  No more rewarding experience in life than parenthood!

4th of July

Managed to get a few challenging miles on the bike Monday night with my favorite 33 pound passenger adding to the resistance.  Strength training is continuing to go well.  Yesterday was a wasted day for nutrition.  Breakfast was great, all fresh fruit.  From there things headed downhill quickly including a fast food stop for lunch.  I rebounded well at dinner with a great steak on the grill, some potatoes, and local fresh sweet corn.  Had I stopped there, I would have been fine, but decided to take the plunge and go for ice cream with my girls.  All in all, not a bad day, but moments of weakness that I'm sure I will be feeling on my 4 mile treadmill run today.  The heat has been absolutely brutal lately!

Work is still steady as it goes.  Not as busy as the past 2 months have been, but steady enough this week for a holiday week.  It's been nice to get my desk cleaned up and caught up on a few things I've been pushing to the side for a couple months.

The girls are doing great.  I had such a great week with them last week, and it has really carried over into this week, and especially being off all day with them yesterday.  We did some shopping, took them to the park to swing, slide, and watch the ducks.  They helped me husk sweet corn last night, played some tee ball, watched a movie, and just had a great time spending the day together.  I have a long stretch of umpiring coming up over the next week or so, and then I'll be more or less done for the summer.  I can't wait to get all my evenings and weekends back to spend with them. 

Have a great evening and stay cool!

Midway through 2012

I started tallying up some fitness numbers from the first half of 2012.  It wasn't quite the first half I was looking for, but it wasn't bad either.  I ran 121 miles, rode 162 miles, and got 245 miles in with my dogs doing a mix of walking and sprinting with them.  I haven't started to add up the weight training reps, but I just wanted to get these numbers down so I had something to build on for the 2nd half of 2012.  I completed two races, a half marathon and a 5 miler, and have two scheduled races for this fall, a 10K and a half marathon.  I'm looking to add another event, but I'm not sure what it may be yet.  My two scheduled races are only three weeks apart, so it would be nice to get something scheduled for later in the year, maybe back to a turkey trot this year or something a little longer perhaps. 

Work has been great for the past few months.  I've been extremely busy with new business, and maintaining relationships with existing business.  I've enjoyed being busy, and that has produced new leads through referrals.  Things have been great with our home and auto insurance business, as well as our commercial business.  It's an exciting time for me here at the office!

The girls are doing great.  Last week I didn't have to umpire quite as much as usual, so we got to do some fun things together.  Wednesday night we went to Oakside Park and played on the playground, watched the ducks, and then went home and had an ice cream cone together.  Thursday night we went out for dinner with friends, and then I took them to Little Round Top to climb in the castle, the PA monument to climb around on that, and then to Mr. G's for ice cream.  Friday night I took them to the Harrisburg Senators game and they had a blast there, and of course a stop at Bruster's for ice cream on the way home.  Saturday I umpired a lot, but made it home in time for dinner and a movie with the girls.  Sunday I was done early in the day, and actually got to enjoy a nap with my oldest daughter, followed by making dinner together, a trip to the market get some local fresh produce, see the deer, and then a trip for ice cream.  It's a good thing my kids are so active, as it seems like every sentence finishes with "and then we went for ice cream". 

Have a great evening and enjoy the 2nd half of 2012!