It begins ..... whoo hoo!!

Starting Monday, I've signifcantly changed my morning routine from:

- wake up, oftentimes on the couch with the TV still on
- make coffee, feed cat
- first cig while trolling through my email accounts
- drink half a pot of coffee with ass on couch until I realize I am starving at noon

Monday, weather was gorgeous, so here's what changed:

- woke up in my bed, windows open, breezes blowing, sun shining (I realize those last two are not within my control, no matter how positively they affect my motivation) at about 6am
- made coffee, fed cat
- sneeks on, hair up - broke out and took a brisk run/walk about a mile or so around the 'hood
- back home, threw the "buns and thighs" pilates DVD in and burned with crazylady for 20 mins
- made my first cup of coffee and fixed a yogurt/granola bowl
- checked the email

What I learned -

1) MJ "dont stop 'til you get enough" is a great workout tune
2) dont look down when you trot on the more well travelled roads - its icky to see what people anonymously toss out their windows
3) smokers lungs make a 36yr old feel like at 56 yr old - working back to PINK
4) the hill on Overlook Drive should be sooner rather than later in my trek - at least for now
5) sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy - so do crocuses !
6) I have done this every morning this week and I already feel stronger, faster, better every day

New interim goal - be running this route at a good pace by the time the forsythia is in bloom.

Tonight it'll be two weeks with no smokes.

Anyone have ideas for strength training I can do at home ? Have no interest in joining a gym - sorry.

ok so its weds

and I still haven't started the regiment. But I did find a count up clock. Look here --->>

and I haven't reset it yet so for me, that's progress.

Stay tuned. Ugh.

can anyone code a count up clock for me ?

I haven't had a smoke since Thursday night and I want a count up clock on the front page of this blog so I keep going.

I thought I found one, but what I learned is that it's been

4 days
12 hours
27 minutes
28 seconds

since Thursday, March 16, 2006 at 11:30:00 PM (Hartford time), the approximate time of my last drag. The bigger those numbers get, the more inclined I will be to maintain it. Especially knowing you are watching it too.

It's been bloody cold here, and even tho that's no excuse, I haven't gotten out to start the burn yet. Within 24 hours I'll have Katy do the measurements and post them here so we can track it all together. Wish I had access to a gym for weight training but I can improvise. Any creative ideas are welcome.

Here we go !

The only exercise I'll be getting this weekend is raising a pint or two

High holy day - and on a Friday. All kinds of dispensation going around so I've granted myself one more weekend of bad behavior.

Special thanks to Johnny O and the Big Marine for helping me off the wagon and starting the festivus last night.

Monday, it begins. Really, I mean it. Have fun out there.

My friends and family are amazing

To: Eileen
Date: Wed, 15 Mar 2006 17:15:59 -0800
Subject: Yessssss!!!!!
From: "Kayak For A Cause VI"

Your last donation put you over your goal for Kayak for a Cause! Good job! Hope the Crossing goes as smoothly!
Lauren and Steve
KFAC Paddler Motivation Managers

As you can see, you helped me achieve my sponsorship goal by midnight last night. You guys are amazing. I am so fired up ! Many thanks to Richard Fouts, for throwing in an extra donation in order that I reach that goal. "I realized my contribution got you to 475 and then I thought, SHIT ... I HAVE TO BE THE ONE THAT GETS HER TO 500."

Also, biggest laugh of the day goes to Michael Shea for honoring Don Knotts, beloved to us all, in his space on the scroll. I'll have to find a way to commemorate Don on race day.


Hopefully I had my last smoke on the way to pick up Katy at the airport last night. Told her of my quest and she is very excited to assist me in my conditioning. When she wakes up around noon, we'll go for a run (or brisk walk in my case, at least to start). I'll let you know how it goes.

Now I'm Committed

So this morning around 11am, I sent the following message to my dear friends and family:

I've signed up for a charity event that involves kayaking across LI sound in July. Yes, me, the girl who hasn't had a sweaty workout in, well let's just say years. Hopefully that's all about to change. And I've always wanted "madonna arms" .........

I have about four months to learn how to get into a kayak, how to paddle, how to hold my breath under water, and row like a maniac to get across the approximately 6 mile* course. Right now I've only got my own registration fee at stake. I am reaching out to you to inspire me - sponsor me, blow my goal of raising $500 out of the water - and I'll be sure to make you all proud.

Kayak for a Cause supports many worthy charities, including Make a Wish (close to my dad's heart) and many others on both the national level (AHA, National Breast Cancer Coalition) and local (Shehan Center, Save the Sound).

If you do, I'll be sure to apprise you all of my progress, and maybe even some humorous photos. Trust me, it will be well worth whatever sponsorship you choose. No minimum donations. Anonymous donations also accepted. Just get me in the water.

If you want to help - go to the following site:

http://www.kayakforacause.com/

Select "Enter KFAC VI site"

Then on the left side menu, select "Sponsor Participant"

Enter "SCULLY" in the last name field

and check back frequently to see your collective contributions grow

and THANK YOU !

And before I knew it, I was at half of my meager $500 fundraising goal. Big thanks to Linda and Bobby Shea, first responders. And of course Jennifer, my inspiration from last year, on whom I bailed - that will *not* happen this year.

So now the blog - I intend to track my training progress, with all it's fits and starts, and let you all know my personal goals as of today - looking out towards that July 29th event date.

• Raise money for the KFAC charities, many of which we have all supported sporadically over the years
• Madonna arms - never overrated
• General tone and strength in my lungs and legs - abs would be a great by product of all this too
• Stop smoking - yes once and for all, now that I'm past mid-thirties, its no longer optional

So it begins. Now to devise the training schedule, take some measurements (and yes I will share and chart progress on those too), and photos photos photos of said progress. Especially that first day I tumble into a kayak, and of course some of me disembarking on the beaches of Long Island Sound.

Stay tuned !

* I just learned that, um, the course is 13.5 miles, not six. There are rescue boats. Whew.