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8 Reasons Why I Should Love Pushups

May 12, 2018 / Chris Brown / 5 Comments

I shouldn’t start out saying I hate pushups… but that is pretty much the truth. Whether you spell it push-up, pushup, push up or even press-up – they all mean a real upper body challenge to me!

Arm strength has never been my thing. Pushups are great it that you don’t need any equipment to do them. Pushups are a “real” exercise. My arms feel like jello after doing them. I’m still struggling to do good form pushups and often complete the round on my knees.

I’d love to be able to do something like 25, from the TRX. I can do four, when I’m fresh and really feeling strong.

More often than not, I’m struggling to keep good form. I don’t want to have to go to my knees in order to keep my body straight. I also find I want to bend my neck instead of looking slightly forward. Good form, which is important for all exercises, is really important with pushups.

Photo credit – Form – via Unsplash.

I know I need to LOVE pushups. Why?

Here are some of the benefits of doing pushups:

I want to be strong. Carrying groceries, lifting boxes, putting a suitcase in the overhead bin – I don’t want to ask for help. Being strong is good.
Good upper body strength will help to catch me if I start fall or help me get up off the floor (after getting worn out trying to do pushups – ha ha!)
Pushups work my core. Each pushup has a bit of the plank in it. Its one of the most basic exercises.
Pushups definitely make stronger shoulders. That’s a good thing for me after a skiing crash on my left shoulder in 2015 that still bothers me when I’m sleeping from time to time.
They help with posture, because pushups work the shoulders, the back and the chest.
Pushups improve balance – very important for bike riding. (I didn’t realize this until I read about it this morning. It must be the core.)
Because they are so hard I feel like they have to be good. Maybe it is because I feel so accomplished after I actually can do them.
Even 85-year-old Ruth Bader Ginsberg does 20 pushups each morning – and not on her knees – in her Notorious RBG workout

They say form is most important. So I’m trying not to just flail up and down but really focus on my form. In fact, I find that when I break them up throughout the workout so my arms don’t get so fatigued, it helps me to complete more pushups with good form. (Okay, now I’m just trying to convince myself I don’t hate pushups.)

Sometimes I distract myself by doing different types of pushups. Here are various kinds of pushups that have been part of my group exercise classes in the last few years:

on my knees (which may seem like a copout, but I find can still get a good work out and keep form)
on a bosu ball, with the solid side up and the rounded side down. We did four pushups and then four mountain climbers – repeat – for one minute
on a raised step – either a bench with risers underneath or an actual stair step
doing pushups off the wall or a countertop – different angles works things differently I’ve found
putting your feet in the loops of the TRX strap and doing pushups while your feet are suspended (YIKES!)
pushup on dumb bells combined with one arm rows
adding a pushup in the middle of burpees (The reason I like these pushups is because then I am concentrating on hating the squat thrust part of the burpee instead of the pushup — ha ha!)
pushups as part of yoga in sun salutations or cobra style (love these!)
hindu pushups (I have not been able to ever do these, but I try. If you’ve never tried them, you gotta Goggle it and try it. Makes normal pushups feel so much better.)
dolphin pushups
suicide pushups – These are not as bad as they sound. Start in a low plank and then go to high plank. Then back to low plank. Switch which arm you lead with each time.

Pushups are a love/hate thing with me. I’d love to love pushups. The only way that is going to happen is for me to do them regularly and don’t give up. And stop saying “I can’t” or “It’s too hard.”

Are you doing pushups? What type do you do? How did you learn to love them? Leave a comment below.

Fun Things to Do in the Evening

May 10, 2018 / Jill McCauslin / 0 Comments

It’s the end of the day. Your work is over. You’ve done your workout. You maybe even have all of your steps. Time to relax. What do you do? First, turn off the TV and then consider some of these ideas. Here’s a list of fun things to do. Many of these can be done alone or with a friend or family member.

Fun Things to Do

Go to a movie.

Read a book.

Color in an adult coloring book.

Read poetry.

Write poetry.

Read a magazine or a blog.

Meditate.

Make a cup of tea and enjoy a piece of dark chocolate. Savor it.

Knit or crochet. I like to make dish cloths. Fast, easy, and make good presents.

Go for a stroll in your neighborhood or a park.

Write a short story.

Ride your bike.

Go on a hike.

Call a friend just to chat.

Write a screenplay.

Learn to draw.

Paint a picture.

Make bead jewelry.

Play some lively music and dance.

Take up gardening. Spend an evening planting or weeding.

Check out local events at your library or community center.

Attend a free concert in the area.

Join a meet up group.

Go to a wine tasting.

Have a beer at a local brewery.

Take a cooking class.

Organize a closet or a drawer.

Write a letter. Yes, a handwritten note and then put in an envelope with a stamp and mail it.

Take a course.

Listen to an audio book or podcast. Pick a subject you don’t normally listen to.

Print photos from your phone or send the photos online to a local drug store for printing. Pick them up the next day and then put them in a photo album or in a frame.

Grab a camera and take pictures of your neighborhood.

Make a photo book.

Write in a journal.

Play music or learn to play an instrument.

Have a spa night at home: soak in a tub or soak your feet and then give yourself a mani-pedi.

Enjoy Yourself

Give yourself a facial.

Create a list of all the things you still want to do with your life.

Get a massage.

Learn reiki and use it on yourself.

Work on your family tree.

Attend a yoga class.

Attend a religious service.

Go to bed early.

Please feel free to comment on which of these sound good to you or add to the list with your own ideas of fun things to do.

Interview with Melanie Hinde – Getting Healthy

May 8, 2018 / Chris Brown / 1 Comment

Getting Healthy:
Interview with Melanie Hinde – Episode #9 of Becoming Elli Podcast

Melanie Hinde quit smoking and lost weight following a major health issue. In Episode #9 of Becoming Elli, Melanie joins Jill and Chris to discuss her journey to health and fitness.

Getting Healthy

While dealing with health issues, Melanie is working to be fit and strong. Her inspirational story provides listeners with motivating discussion. Listen as we discuss:

Her thoughts on eating a Mediterranean diet for weight loss
How she stays motivated throughout her health issues
What she does to work out with her pacemaker implanted to treat her heart condition
What she shares with other women on line to inspire them

Melanie, AKA Princess Ninja, has almost 100 videos on her YouTube video channel.

She shares her workouts on video along with food ideas. For example, she posted a 12-minute $60 grocery haul video where she shows her snacks, breakfast, lunches, afternoon snacks and prework meals for the week.

She also posts motivational messages regularly on Instagram and on her Facebook page.

Healthy Dishes to Bring to Potluck

May 7, 2018 / Chris Brown / 3 Comments

Healthy Potluck Veggie Salad

With the warmer weather, it is potluck season. My bike group likes to get together to ride after work and then have a potluck following.

One challenge for me is what to bring to the potluck. Over the past few years, I’ve opted for a veggie salad minus the lettuce. Basically I chop, dice or grate the veggies. Instead of adding it to lettuce, I skip the lettuce and the veggies become the salad.

We have several vegetarians who sometimes ride. The challenge becomes the protein. I like to add beans – either chick peas (garbanzo beans), kidney, or black beans for protein. (I rinse them first by running water over them and draining.) Sometimes I’ll add a hard boiled egg to top the salad.

Dressing is usually the same: olive oil, cider vinegar and lemon juice. Add a little salt and pepper and good to go.

Advantages of this healthy potluck veggie salad:

Can cut the veggies on Sunday night after grocery shopping
Keeps well during the bike ride with just an ice bag in a zip lock under and over
Left overs make a good side for lunch the next day
Colorful veggies makes it inviting
It’s never the same twice
Low in calories, filling and quite yummy
It’s easy and you don’t have to measure anything

What healthy dish do you like to bring to potlucks?

Raccoon Run Race 5K Recap

May 5, 2018 / Chris Brown / 5 Comments

Last Sunday I ran the Raccoon Run and had a blast. It was an chilly – but sunny – morning at just over 33 degrees.

It’s always hard to know how to dress when the weather is cold but the sun is out. I figured lots of layers would be good.

I ended up with four layers on top:

compression shirt that wicks on the inner layer
loose fitting sports cover up
the tech shirt Raccoon Run 2018 from the event
my hoodie sweatshirt (and I wore the hoodie up at the early miles to stop the wind!)

Standing around before the race, I joked with my friend that at mile 2.25 we run past my car, so I might just swing by and grab that other sweatshirt I brought to add on top. Since It doesn’t feel good to dress like a snowman when you can’t move, I opted to be a little cold instead.

Most people had jackets and sweatshirts on because it was definitely on the chilly side.

This is the third or fourth year I’ve run this race and I always enjoy it and have fun. It supports the elementary school so there are lots of children and teachers running. One of the cutest fundraising projects makes me smile – little raccoon tails to attach while running.

Between the entry fees, sponsors, and donut sales, the race brought in $40,000 for Fishcreek Elementary in Stow.

Since I’m training for the Cleveland half marathon race in May, I used this race as part of my long training run, by jogging 3 miles before and 4 miles after.

Nonetheless, my 13:51 minute per mile average was enough to have me win for my age group with 7 other women in the 60-64 category.

My friend Susan Grant also runs this each year and also won for her category. It really adds to the fun when you have a race buddy! She runs a much faster pace than I do and was there at the finish, cheering me over the line.

Raccoon Race 2018 Age Group Award Winners – Chris Brown and Susan Grant

It’s a well organized race, with a mile fun run for the kids about a half hour before the 5K. DJ music, climbing wall, basketball hoops, mini bungy jumping and local sponsors were also set up at the start/finish area to give it a festive atmosphere. There were about 300 people total in the race of all ages and abilities. I think because it is a fundraiser supporting the schools, many Moms and Dads with strollers were running with their elementary-age children on the course.

It’s very inspiring to see so many age groups.

I kept saying this in my head throughout the race. I think that this will become my new mantra for more races!

The cold weather definitely made it easier to run a long distance. Having gloves and a hat were a must for me to be comfortable with the temperatures in the 30’s. I kept thinking of the women who ran in the Boston Marathon a few weeks ago when it was raining in the 30’s. It made this chilly race seem much more manageable!

I’ll be back again next year for more fun at the Raccoon Run for sure. If you live in Northeast Ohio, please consider joining me at the run.

Mark your calendar now for April 28, 2019!

What Should I Wear? A Guide to Workout Clothes

May 3, 2018 / Jill McCauslin / 0 Comments

A young friend and I were talking recently and she said “I spent 20 minutes today trying to figure out what to wear to yoga. You should write about workout clothes in Becoming Elli.” I said, “great idea!”

Thinking about this made me remember the horrible gym uniforms we used to wear at school. They were one piece outfits with bloomers and they snapped down the front. Why did we wear those things? Anyone else remember them? Anyway, those days are long gone and now we wear whatever we want to work out in.

Workout Clothes

So here’s my quick list of what to wear for a few sports.

Yoga

I remember my very first yoga class. I had no idea what to expect. I went to the local drug store and bought new socks because I had this vague idea that I would need them. I got there and discovered that you typically do yoga in bare feet.

Here’s what I think is best for a yoga class. I like pants that come up high enough to my waist that I don’t have to worry about my clothing when doing something like a down dog. If you go with bell bottom pants, be award that the extra material may get in your way when you do some balance poses.

Also, shirts should be tight enough that they’re not billowing around your face when you’re doing a forward fold. I like my shirt to be fairly tailored for yoga class.

Running

Ah, running seems to entail a lot of wardrobe choices. You really shouldn’t need a lot for running but I’m always dealing with my clothes. Here’s what I deem important for running attire:

Running pants. If these are too short, you may experience chafing of your thighs. It hurts, believe me. I like capri length pants but of course that’s a personal choice. If you find running pants with pockets, BUY THEM! I love pockets and most running pants don’t include them.

I prefer a looser shirt for running but stay away from a regular old T-shirt and instead wear a “tech” shirt that is made from material that wicks the sweat.

Get a good sports bra. If it’s too small, you may have chafing. (Yes, chafing is a theme in running clothes.) You want adequate support and coverage and make sure it doesn’t rub under your arms. Because you know what will happen…chafing!!

I like a hat when I run. It keeps the sun out of my eyes and protects my head. If it’s hot, I might just wear a headband to help absorb the sweat.

Shoes…running shoes could have its own blog post and may at some point. This is where your money should go. Go to a running store and get yourself sized and analyzed. They should be able to analyze how your foot strikes the group and recommend the best style of shoe for you.

I bought compression sleeves for my calves and they helped tremendously. I was surprised at how much they helped. If you’re having problems with tight calves, invest in these.

Biking

Like any sport, you can spend a lot of money buying the fancy outfits and accessories when you take up biking. Here’s what I would say are the basics:

A shirt that wicks the sweat. You want this shirt to be tight enough that it’s not billowing about you as you pedal but you also want it loose enough that you’re comfortable.

If you can, get some bicycling pants. These are pants that have padding in the rear. I have a fancy brand of bicycling underwear. They have the padding but I have to put something over them. They’re not made to worn alone. I also have a pair of biking shorts that just have the padding and can be worn as is. Whether or not you get official bicycling shorts with the padding, whatever you wear should be tight on your legs. You don’t want loose leggings getting caught in the bike chain.

Don’t forget your helmet!! That’s important. Get a decent helmet and wear it.

If you’re going to be doing a lot of bicycling, it’s probably worth investing in bike shoes. Make sure that the shoes you buy work with the clips on your pedal. Or make sure that the pedals you buy match the shoes that you have. However you do it, there are different configurations for pedals and shoes and you want to make sure they match.

Until you decide you want to make that investment, a comfy pair of running shoes will probably suffice.

Swimming

Really, what can you possibly need for swimming except for a bathing suit? If you’re going to take up swimming, invest in a swim cap to cover your hair. Also you will need goggles. It took me a while to realize this but swimming is much easier when you wear goggles. That’s pretty much what you need: suit, cap, and goggles.

If you’re buying a swim cap, consider spending a bit more and upgrading to silicon. They cost a bit more than the silicon ones but last longer. On the other hand, if you don’t know how much swimming you’ll be doing, buying the cheaper one to start with is fine.

If you want to buy more, consider buying water shoes. If you’re going to walk in the pool, you’ll definitely want some water shoes. Also, if you’re going to do open water swimming, you probably want something on your feet.

I’ve seen aquatic earphones that allow you to listen to music (or podcasts!) while you swim. I’ve not invested in these so I can’t tell you anything about them.

Lifting

When you’re lifting weights or working out at the gym, you don’t need a lot. A pair of comfy shorts or leggings and a t shirt is fine. Again, don’t wear the baggiest T-shirt you own because you don’t want to have to worry about it riding up when you bend over. I don’t seem to need the fancy tech shirts for this so much and it’s my chance to wear some of the t shirts I’ve gotten from various races.

People say that you should wear flatter shoes when you lift. I just wear an older pair of running shoes, the ones that don’t quite have enough support for actually running in and haven’t had any problems with this.

You often see people in the gym wearing gloves for weight lifting. I’ve not gotten to that and I like having calluses that I get from lifting the bar.

That’s about it for lifting. I haven’t figured out a way to spend money on this workout, other than my gym membership.

Here’s a helpful hint for all of these clothing items. You can often find great deals on sports apparel at consignment shops or thrift stores. I found some great bicycling shorts at the local thrift store.

Healthy Snacks

April 30, 2018 / Jill McCauslin / 1 Comment

Chris and I have decreed Monday to be recipe day in the Becoming Elli world. Why? Who knows but we like it. Rather than give you a recipe today, I’m going to list some snacks that I enjoy, just to give you some fresh ideas. I try to include protein with my carbs in my healthy snacks. Some fat is usually a good idea too.

Here are some healthy snacks that I enjoy:

Hummus with sugar snap peas. You can use any vegetable or combination of vegetables you want but I love a snack of sugar snap peas with hummus. Fantastic!
A handful of nuts. This works but if you’re too hungry, it’s easy to eat more nuts than you probably want to eat in one sitting.
Apple with peanut butter. Really, this is perfect. If you avoid peanuts, switch the peanut butter to almond butter.
Celery with peanut butter. I know you have to be careful with peanut butter because it is high in calories but it does taste good.
Cheese stick. Yes, just like the ones you used to give your 10 year old child.
Plain yogurt with berries. If you give plain yogurt or plain Greek yogurt a chance, you’ll learn to like it. You can also add some granola to this.
Hard boiled egg
Even better, deviled eggs!
A few of my famous oatmeal balls. See the recipe I shared earlier.
Tuna salad wrapped in romaine lettuce.
Cottage cheese, if you eat dairy. You could add some fruit to this.
Pumpkin seeds
Shrimp cocktail. I sometimes buy just a few shrimp at the grocery store and then enjoy them as a snack.
Sardines! Just eat them right out of the can if you want.
Sweet peppers stuffed with goat cheese. I buy these from my local grocer.
Dark chocolate with a cup of tea
A small serving of oatmeal
Some baked beans. These actually make a good snack. Avoid brands that are high in sugar.
Soup: heat a bowl and enjoy!
Kind bars. I love these things and they’re what I buy if I have to grab something at a store for a snack.

These are just some ideas. What have I missed?

5 Reasons to Run a 5K

April 28, 2018 / Chris Brown / 3 Comments

What’s the magic of a 5K? Why is it such a popular race?

If you have never done a 5K, you may be wondering about doing one.

What to expect: A 5K is 3.1 miles. It is a long enough distance that you should prepare. Don’t just decide to run it without training for it — unless you regularly run a similar distance and have pretty good cardio.

I made that mistake with my first 5K. The very first 5K I ever did, I hadn’t trained a bit, I was very overweight and I was shocked how hard it was. The course had hills and it was in the middle of April. It was a race that isn’t held any more – called the Bogsucker Strut. (I think a bogsucker is a bird.) The Bogsucker Strut 5K was held in Twinsburg, Ohio in early April. On that particular cold and rainy morning, I ran it with zero training. I didn’t know about racing. I started off as fast as everyone else, but in less than a minute I had to walk. There is no record of my finish time that I can find on the internet. I’m not even sure of the year, but I think it was 2004. I do remember having ordered an XL shirt. And it was tight. I came in last – way, way last. As in, no one was even at the finish line, except my husband. (Other years’ results show the last place person was at a 11:30 pace, which is faster than my Personal Record.) They had already finished the announcing the awards when I got to the end. Not a good memory. It took me a very long time to ever try a race again.

Now I love to race, but I did most things wrong about the first one. I would suggest if you decide to do a 5K for the first time, don’t do one in Ohio in early April — it seems only the serious, experienced runners go out that early. (The photo to the right is a local fundraiser in 2015 in my town called Race to the Taste, usually held on Labor Day Monday each year.)

There are lots of reasons to run a 5K. Here are 5 reasons I would suggest it:

Fundraiser – many of the 5K’s are fundraisers for disease research or schools or other worthwhile causes. So by registering for the race, you’re supporting a good cause.
Timed results – Year after year, you can compare your results to see your improvement! Many 5Ks have timing chips in the number bibs or on the shoes or at least a giant clock. You can run the race and have a line in the sand. I like to compare my time from one year to another. It almost always varies by the weather and how much I weigh at the time or how much I’ve trained, if my achilles is acting up, etc. But running the same course, at least the hills and terrain stay pretty much the same so I can compare year after year.
Friends – My next four 5K’s were walking with a friend in 2009, I think. We were doing Weight Watchers together and decided to “earn more activity points” by walking some races. Although we came in last or near the last (back of the pack) with the other walkers, it was really fun! It almost took an hour when we were walking. We paced around 20 minute miles and the 3.1 mile distance was a challenging distance for me at the time.
Affordable – Here in Ohio, a 5K in a smaller town is about $25. With that, you usually get a t-shirt, a bottle of water and a banana, plus the bonus of people encouraging you at the one or two water stops. Sometimes there are volunteers holding up traffic so you can easily cross roads where you generally have to wait for traffic.
Motivation – Signing up for a 5K as a first race means thinking about it, working toward it. The couch to 5K program is a great way to start. I find that wearing the t-shirt to remember the race is added motivation afterwards to stay in 5K shape. When I wear a race t-shirt out – it always seems someone comments and makes mention of the event… and that comment motivates me to do another one.

I’m doing a 5K early tomorrow morning and I’ll post my photo on the Facebook page. When you run your 5K, please post a photo of you at the finish line on our Becoming Elli Facebook page! Or if you are shy about it, joint the private Becoming Elli group on Facebook and post your photo there instead! See you at the races! – Chris

walking inspiration with Juel Fitzgerald

Walking Inspiration – Juel Fitzgerald

April 24, 2018 / Chris Brown / 2 Comments

We interview Juel Fitzgerald in Episode #8 of the Becoming Elli podcast. This is one of the most inspiring podcasts that we’ve done so far.

In 2008, Juel Fitzgerald lost over 50 pounds and now maintains her weight loss through healthy eating habits and walking.

Not just walking around the block, she is one SERIOUS walker. In fact last year, she walked 1500 miles.

She has walked 6 full marathons, many half marathons and many many many 5K’s!

Juel shares with us her experience with walking the Bataan Memorial Death March, held at the desert of the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. It is known as one of the most difficult marathons in the US. It took her 9 hours of hiking through the desert and during that time, about 25% of the participants dropped out. In today’s podcast she describes how she prepared for this unusual marathon, both physically and mentally.

She also shares the best fitness advice she ever received and plays along with the lightening round.

You can follow Juel on her travel agent Facebook page and read more about the Battan Death March Marathon on her Heart Emissions website.

This episode also includes Jill’s helpful tips for using the elliptical machine.

Cross Training is Better than No Training, Right?

April 21, 2018 / Chris Brown / 6 Comments

One month is the Cleveland Marathon and I am signed up to do the half marathon race of 13.1 miles on May 20.

I signed up for this spring race quite a while ago, after I completed the Akron half. I liked the idea of having this goal and it seemed like a good idea.

Here was my thought process:

It would “force me” to stay in good running shape through the fall, winter and early spring months.

If I sign up early, I would save money – the price goes up significantly as the race gets closer!

Worst case, I could simply walk instead of run. Or I could always switch to the 10K (6.2 miles) if things didn’t go well with my training. When you look at the Cleveland Marathon race, there are actually 7 races that weekend: the full, the half, 10K, 8K, 5K, 1 mile, kid’s fun run as well as walking divisions in both for most of the races. The full marathon even has a wheelchair group that is incredibly fast and extremely inspirational!

I’ve familiar with the Cleveland Marathon because I’ve volunteered at one of the water stops every year since 2010. Seeing all those runners really inspires me. I want to be one of them!

Instead of having bike riding season to help to prepare me for the half (like I did with the Akron half marathon last fall), I’ll have the Cleveland half marathon training through the winter to help to prepare me for biking.

So, did signing up for the half marathon help me? How did the training go?

After I signed up early with Jill, a lot of my water station friends also signed up to run the half (at least 4, that I know of) and we’ve been encouraging each other all winter! A BIG PLUS!

The half marathon has certainly was on my mind all during this past winter. I know I ran more than I would have. So that was a good thing. It didn’t “force” me to work out, but certainly motivated me.

My running plan of 3 days a week (with the longer run on the weekend) has been hit or miss, with more time on the treadmill than I ever expected and not enough outside in the fresh air. Not so good.

On the other hand, my cross training plan has gone better than I anticipated. That’s better than no training, right? And I’ve enjoyed that part – a lot! That is definitely a good thing.

Cross training is the exercise that runners should do to avoid injury of overuse. In looking at my actual results compared to my training plan, I think I’ve done more cross training than I have done regular training runs. My cross training for the Cleveland Half Marathon included a lot of core and strength training, topped off with indoor cycling – spinning. All good.

Meanwhile, my longest run isn’t long enough yet! And I haven’t been practicing which foods to eat and when. I suspect that it will be very evident a month from now. This thought is in back of my head worrying…

Looking Forward

I’m trying to guess what the weather will be on race day.

Last September when I ran the Akron Marathon, I found it easier to do the training schedule with the weather – if it rained lightly, I would still run and if it poured, I’d wait for the next day. The actual race day conditions were much hotter than I had anticipated, but I had done a lot of training in the heat of summer, so it wasn’t an unknown.

May in Cleveland can be cold, wet, snowy or super hot. It has been known to snow and hypothermia is a concern. And it’s been in the 80’s and heat exhaustion is a concern. But I can’t control the weather. I can control what I do to get ready. So why do I obsess over the weather so much?!?

I’m looking forward to getting a long run in today and with the better weather in the forecast, enjoying the outdoor weather for more intervals, tempo runs and long runs during the next few weeks.

When I think about the race, I’m also looking forward to seeing my skiing friends at water station #4 at mile 7.3!! It will be a big mental boost at a point in the race when I will need it. It will be very different this year experiencing the race as one of the runners!

Perhaps most of all, I’m looking forward to getting a photo (or more) with the women from Becoming Elli before the race. I had a daydream while I was running the other day about some of the Becoming Elli women coming out to watch, make a sign and cheer us on. Is that silly of me?

My mantra right now – 30 more days… no, just 29 more days…

Oh, wait… in the time it took me to write this, it’s actually only 28 more days…