I never really introduced myself. My name is Heather. I am in my mid 30s. I was born on another planet (actually it was Neptune...New Jersey. Close enough!). My parents moved to rural PA when I was a wee lassie (getting my Irish on w/ St Patty's day around the corner). I spent the first half of my life in the country and the second half around Philadelphia. As a result, I am kind of a hybrid.
The country girl loves the outdoors. Hiking, camping, horseback riding. I prefer a Monster Truck Rally or NASCAR race over the opera. Backyard BBQ over a 5 star restaurant. When I feel my batteries dying, all it takes is a trip to the mountains (what Philadelphians call anything more than an hour north of the city) to rejuvenate my soul.
The country girl loves the outdoors. Hiking, camping, horseback riding. I prefer a Monster Truck Rally or NASCAR race over the opera. Backyard BBQ over a 5 star restaurant. When I feel my batteries dying, all it takes is a trip to the mountains (what Philadelphians call anything more than an hour north of the city) to rejuvenate my soul.
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It took awhile for her to come out, but the city girl is here too. I love going to the Art Museum or a play. I love trying out new foods from one of the many ethnic restaurants in the city. I can now brag that I am able to drive in and around Center City or find parking around South Street without breaking out in hives (a fact that was not true until a little over a year ago.....after I had been here for 13 years!!!!).
As a result, I thought that I would spend my first week of 3Day Training in the City of Brotherly Love. I'll introduce you to this city that used to scare me to death, but have now come to love.
Philadelphia is a city of historical significance and symbolism. It is also a city that has only relatively recently started to LOOK like a city. Until 1987, no buildings were allowed to be taller than the Ben Franklin monument atop City Hall.
I can identify with Philly for this reason. I am not exactly resistant to change. After all, I drive a car to work, not a horse and buggy. My primary means of communication are text messages, emails, and IMs. But change can be intimidating as well. There are many people who believe that the reason Philadelphia has not had a professional sports championship since the 1980s is b/c building taller buildings piss Billy Penn off enough that he has cursed us. Silly? Sure. Just as silly as the fact that I know I am fat, know how to lose weight, but am still fat. Am I really that powerless over my own body? Or am I just using my weight as an excuse for the other things going wrong in my life (example...complete inability to meet a sane, faithful, non-psychotic man).
Yesterday, I began the physical and mental journey towards the 3Day and a thinner/healthier body. I thought it fitting to start at one of the city's more symbolic sites. The Philadelphia Museum of Art ( http://www.philamuseum.org/ ). I parked my car along the Ben Franklin Parkway, walked past Boathouse Row ( http://www.boathouserow.org/ ), then came back to finish my walk at the top of the Art Museum's steps......just like Rocky did! Rocky, even though a fictional character, is a symbolism of the underdog overcoming the odds. And at 200+ lbs, I figure I am an underdog of sorts when it comes to successfully completing a 20mile/day challenge.
One inspirational thing I saw as I was walking was an elderly man, setting up shop from his mini van. He was selling bottled water, fruit, granola, soda, and candy bars for a buck each, right outside of the museum. And he was busy!! Many of the joggers or bikers greeted him by name and he knew them as well. It might not seem that inspiring at first, but seeing him made me think of my grandmother. She is 77, retired, and sits around all day imagining all of the horrific things that could possibly happen to her. Seeing this man taking such a simple concept and making a success out of it was very motivational for me.
My walk was a bit shorter than planned for 2 reasons. One, the sky darkened considerably. While I am not opposed to getting wet, I cannot say the same for my cell phone. Two, my bladder was protesting due to the overly zealous amount of water I had been drinking (note to self: find out where public restrooms are along chosen walking paths!). I still got in an hour and was happy. In addition to finding good potty break sites, I learned that I need to: invest in a pedometer (no idea how to convert city blocks into miles), put my cell phone in a Ziploc bag for weatherproofing, and purchase some workout pants that have pockets!!
It took awhile for her to come out, but the city girl is here too. I love going to the Art Museum or a play. I love trying out new foods from one of the many ethnic restaurants in the city. I can now brag that I am able to drive in and around Center City or find parking around South Street without breaking out in hives (a fact that was not true until a little over a year ago.....after I had been here for 13 years!!!!).
As a result, I thought that I would spend my first week of 3Day Training in the City of Brotherly Love. I'll introduce you to this city that used to scare me to death, but have now come to love.
Philadelphia is a city of historical significance and symbolism. It is also a city that has only relatively recently started to LOOK like a city. Until 1987, no buildings were allowed to be taller than the Ben Franklin monument atop City Hall.
I can identify with Philly for this reason. I am not exactly resistant to change. After all, I drive a car to work, not a horse and buggy. My primary means of communication are text messages, emails, and IMs. But change can be intimidating as well. There are many people who believe that the reason Philadelphia has not had a professional sports championship since the 1980s is b/c building taller buildings piss Billy Penn off enough that he has cursed us. Silly? Sure. Just as silly as the fact that I know I am fat, know how to lose weight, but am still fat. Am I really that powerless over my own body? Or am I just using my weight as an excuse for the other things going wrong in my life (example...complete inability to meet a sane, faithful, non-psychotic man).
Yesterday, I began the physical and mental journey towards the 3Day and a thinner/healthier body. I thought it fitting to start at one of the city's more symbolic sites. The Philadelphia Museum of Art ( http://www.philamuseum.org/ ). I parked my car along the Ben Franklin Parkway, walked past Boathouse Row ( http://www.boathouserow.org/ ), then came back to finish my walk at the top of the Art Museum's steps......just like Rocky did! Rocky, even though a fictional character, is a symbolism of the underdog overcoming the odds. And at 200+ lbs, I figure I am an underdog of sorts when it comes to successfully completing a 20mile/day challenge.
One inspirational thing I saw as I was walking was an elderly man, setting up shop from his mini van. He was selling bottled water, fruit, granola, soda, and candy bars for a buck each, right outside of the museum. And he was busy!! Many of the joggers or bikers greeted him by name and he knew them as well. It might not seem that inspiring at first, but seeing him made me think of my grandmother. She is 77, retired, and sits around all day imagining all of the horrific things that could possibly happen to her. Seeing this man taking such a simple concept and making a success out of it was very motivational for me.
My walk was a bit shorter than planned for 2 reasons. One, the sky darkened considerably. While I am not opposed to getting wet, I cannot say the same for my cell phone. Two, my bladder was protesting due to the overly zealous amount of water I had been drinking (note to self: find out where public restrooms are along chosen walking paths!). I still got in an hour and was happy. In addition to finding good potty break sites, I learned that I need to: invest in a pedometer (no idea how to convert city blocks into miles), put my cell phone in a Ziploc bag for weatherproofing, and purchase some workout pants that have pockets!!
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