Working on my fitness

You know how most people go on vacation, or have guests come visit for a week, and their whole healthy lifestyle gets temporarily put on pause? Homecooked meals are forsaken in favor of restaurant dining, and exercise is all but thrown out of the window?

This has not been one of those weeks.

My high school friend Julia came to visit me this weekend. Well, she traveled here specifically for her cousin's bar mitzvah, but flew in a few days early to spend time with me. Julia is a triathlete, marathon runner, trail runner, and all-around exercise fiend. You thought I was dedicated to the gym? She wakes up at 5 AM to train every morning. In the cold/dark/rain/snow of west North Carolina. So nothing was getting put on pause this week, and in fact, my schedule has been set to Fast Forward.

She arrived Wednesday night, and we had a nice evening in, catching up over a bottle (or two) of wine. Thursday morning, we got up, made breakfast, then went to yoga, and then went on a hike. Friday morning, we got up, went to 8 AM pilates, and then went on a power walk around the neighborhood. This morning, we got up and went on a 7 AM walk, to fit in an hour of exercise before her cousin's event.

I am EXHAUSTED. In a good way.

My muscles ache mildly - not enough that I can't walk, but enough to let me know they have been challenged. My arms, legs, abs and ass feel tighter, even when I am lying, spent, face down on the floor. What's more, Julia - in a complete coincidence - has also been using the Lose It program, so we're both helping each other record every single calorie.

In between all of this activity, I've been accompanying her to some of the more informal family events, and generally running around town trying to fit everything in. I expect we'll go on one final walk tomorrow morning, before attending the farewell brunch on the beach, at which I will happily help myself to unlimited mimosas and possibly pass out in the sun. Not from being drunk, of course, but from sheer physical exhaustion.

Which, in the expected 75 degree weather, sounds like a perfect way to spend the day.