So far, so good

OK, so after I got done blogging yesterday, I went for a 3.5 mile run. It felt awesome! I guess I wasn't as out of shape after two or three weeks than I thought. That was a huge relief. The weather was cooler and I felt like I was pretty fast. I don't know my time, because my iPod is broken and I didn't bring my watch with me, but I felt like I was flying!

One strange thing though was when I got home I was so freaking thirsty! I must have drank a gallon of water. I felt like I couldn't quench my thirst at all.

Last night I went to bed early, about 10:00 and fell right asleep. When I woke up this morning, I felt refreshed and ready to face work. Made myself a nice breakfast sandwich with Canadian bacon, an omelet made with one whole egg and one egg white, and a cup of coffee.

Aside from the fact that I didn't eat lunch until almost 2 today (stupid patient transfer) I still felt awesome! In fact, after dinner settled I went out and did some interval training. Pretty much I lapped the station and then walked the block down to the adjacent neighborhood, then sprinted back to the station. I did this 6 times, which took me about half an hour. Then I came in and did 15 minutes of yoga stretching.

I feel great that I was able to fit in a work out at work. Usually, I am too busy (or is it too lazy) to get in a work out on the clock, but as I stated yesterday, I am grounding myself and that means working out at work.

I also, got back in touch with Aaron and Mandi and Gator Crossfit and promised them (and maybe myself) that I would make it in at least once a week. Their workouts are so awesome and I love the way they make me push myself.

Tomorrow's plan is to run in the a.m. before I go to my overtime assignment and then hit the gym for some weights when I get off and before I go home to sleep.

I will keep you posted.

Feeling the burn,
K.

When you find yourself on a downhill slide.....

Make sure you put on the brakes! I have been less than disciplined lately on a personal level. I haven't been running, working out or even eating right. I have somehow managed to completely miss meals and when I do eat, it tends to be on the not so healthy side. Alcohol has also been a major food group for me over the last two or three weeks.

I feel like shit and it sucks.

I have no idea what happened. I am grounding myself for the next month. No alcohol and no fast food. No sodas either. Gym three days a week, running three days a week. Going to give myself one day off a week and no excuses about working out either. So what if I just came off a 24 and have to teach the next day? I have to pass, not one, but two gyms on the way home from work! There is no excuse!

I have a goal - The Women's Marathon in St. Pete Beach is November 22nd. I have already entered and I want to run it in 2 hours. I did the Disney Princess Half in 2:30, I think I can do 2 hours.

I'd like to write more, but I have to go run!

Cheers!
Kristina

Where did all the monkeys go?

A few months ago, I posted a blog about my kayak trip down the Silver River near Ocala. Then I told you about the monkeys and alligators. Well Monday we took another trip up the river, but there wasn't a single monkey to be found. As much as I was scared of them the first time, I was a little disappointed that they weren't there.
As it was, myself, Rudy, John and Ashlee paddled up river again into Silver Springs and floated back down to the boat ramp. The whole trip took us 6 1/2 hours. The paddle up river was kind of tiring because it seemed to me that the current was a little bit swifter than the last time.
The trip back was amazing. We didn't see another soul on the river. At one point it started to rain and we could hear thunder in the near distance. We all started paddling like crazy, not wanting to get stuck in a thunderstorm, but after about 5 minutes the rain passed, we all stopped paddling and just were. It was amazing. The silence was deafening. All you could hear was a gurgle of water and the wild life.
We floated like that for a while and then started paddling again, because it was getting late. There is one point on the river were it is really easy to stop and park your kayak and get out and swim for a bit. After all the crazy paddling we did it was nice to take a dip in the cool water.
The Silver River is crystal clear and very narrow, but there aren't alot of places that you can get out and swim.
The trip starts out in the Silver River State Park and then about 3/4 of the way to Silver Springs attraction you enter the Silver River refuge. They have very strict rules about no swimming or getting out onto the banks or anything. Not even when you get up into the attraction at the main spring. It is pretty cool though because there you are kayaking and he glass bottom boats are floating past you with all these tourists taking your picture and taking videos of you. I waved to one guy who was more interested in us than what his tour guide was saying.
Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures this time, but Rudy and Ashlee did and as soon as I get them, I will try to post.
Oh yeah, Amy I wanted to ask you something:
We saw this thing that was labeled 'USGS' for United States Geological Survey and I wondered if you knew what it was for. It was just down river from Silver springs attraction, kind of off in the water, but near the bank. I thought I recalled that you worked with them, so I thought you might know what it was.

I got to be a Truckie!

So, today started out like any other ordinary day at work. We did our station duties, washed and cleaned the trucks, and got some lunch. About 3:00 pm, I was just waking up from a short nap, when the tones go out - 2nd alarm request for commercial building fire in Cumberland Cirlce. Units on scene in offensive mode, smoke and flames showing!!

YEE HAW!! I happened to be on the Quint today (this is a ladder truck) They needed a medic (that's me), so there I was suiting up heading to a fire as an actual truckie! Truckie is a term for a person on a ladder truck. Typically, their primary job is search and rescue or overhaul.

We get on scene and it was a madhouse, there had to be at 10 other engines, rescues, district chiefs and ladder trucks on scene. Since this call was in the city, I think their entire fleet of engines was on scene. We got there and staged, then immediately got called in to assist. I packed out in my full bunker gear with my SCBA bottle, helmet and mask, grabbed a pike pole and followed my lieutenant down to the scene. We reported to command and were given the task of making entry on the AB side of the building to look for fire extension. We saw a few flames, but most of everything was in the attic.

We withdrew from there and I got on the nozzle outside for a defensive attack. Since there had already been a ceiling collapse, they called for evacuation and were turning to defensive mode. My crew got called to go in with E2 and pull the ceiling in the adjoining apartment and to see if the firewall was still intact. We grabbed our pike poles and pulled ceiling down in the kitchen until we saw flames then we directed the hose streams and put out the flames. Next we headed into the garage that was next to the kitchen and made entry into the attic where we found some more flames and knocked those down too!

At this point one of the guys on my crew stated that he was low on air and I could hear his low-air alarm going off, so the three of us exited the building and made our way over to rehab to doff our gear and grab some waters.

There were people everywhere! I guess the residents of this neighborhood don't work, so everyone that was home was out watching us put out this fire. After we left rehab, my crew and I relocated to a short wall across from the fire building to wait for our next assignment. I noticed a gentleman sitting next to me watching everything unfold, so I asked him if that was his apartment. He said yes, and looked down. I didn't know what to say, so I told him at least he was OK. He agreed and said that everything in their could be replaced.

Since the fire was coming under control and their were so many people on scene, we were cut loose and we grabbed our gear and headed back to the station so we could put our truck back into service. We had bottles to refill, gear and tools to clean, and dinner to cook.

Below is a picture of the fire scene that was posted in the Gainesville Sun. The Cooper Mini was in the garage and two of the crews pushed it out so they could fight the fire that was in the attic. Five minutes after they pushed it out, the ceiling collapsed in the garage. Talk about a great save!!

Our fire even made TV20 news at 5:30 and 6:00!!! I would have to say that it was a good day!

General (patten - he he) Update

So, my life doesn't seem to me to be as adventurous as others (Amy ;-), I'm not a newlywed anymore (Leslie) and I don't have a fabulous new business (Jaime) But there are a few things that are coming up that I am a little excited about.

First of all, ever since I started taking classes at the Fire College in Ocala, I have wanted to teach there as well. Once I obtained my Fire Officer 1 state certification, I was able to submit my transcripts as well as a letter from my department stating that I have 6 years in as a firefighter in order to obtain my Instructor 3 status.
What this means is that I am now certified to teach any Fire Classes that I currently hold certification in or any fire classes that I have taken. Sooo, I kept checking in with some of the Captains that I know that teach down there and finally it paid off!! I got a meeting with the chief of the fire college and after waiting for nearly a month, I got a phone call from the EMS director asking me to come down for EMT orientation!!
The Fire College has decided to start offering EMT as part of the FireFighter 1 curriculum (sp?) and I have been offered a position to teach! I also get to take Live Fire Training Instructor and will eventually get to teach on the fire side as well! Very Exciting for me to say the least!

The second thing is I am coordinating a fire fighter calendar for our union. Now ladies, you are going to the some of the first to be offered the official 2010 Fire Rescue Professionals of Alachua County firefighter calendar.
All proceeds are going to the MDA and last Thursday my union voted to front the money for printing! I am super excited about this opportunity to up the totals that we raise for the MDA. It should also be fun to shoot the guys and ladies that I work with. (shoot as in pictures, not with guns ;-) Calendars should be available by late October, so remember to get one for your girl friends for Christmas, they will make great stocking stuffers!

I haven't forgotten my quest to run in a race every month. August's race with be the Run for Daruis at the University of Florida. Check out Darius' website and tell me you wouldn't run 5K for him www.Dariusgoeswest.com What an amazing kid!

So that is the General (Patten - he he) Update. I promise to keep you posted more often.

Love to all!
K.