Howdy,

I think I just experienced the most active week I have ever had in my entire life! On Sunday, I ran in a 5-mile race. It was a cool race because at every mile, there was a hip hop group right there performing. Young MC was there at the first mile. Remember his song, "BUST A MOVE"? It goes: "If you want it. You got it. If you want it. Baby you've got it." If you are younger than 25, you may not remember this song. Vanilla Ice was there at the 2nd mile mark. He sang "ICE, ICE BABY" and some other song that was actually pretty hot. He sang with a more hard rock style - I was into it. Coolio was at mile 3. His setting was really cool. He was surrounded by college dorms and was belting out "GANGSTA'S PARADISE". Then at mile 4 was an all-time fave of mine, DIGITAL UNDERGROUND! I was so excited, doing the "Humpty Dance" in my running clothes. Again, if you're on the younger side, you might be in the dark about these songs (but I KNOW you know "ICE, ICE BABY"). Maybe you can go to itunes and hear a sample of the songs you don't know. At the finish line, we were met by DE LA SOUL. They greeted us with free bananas, bottled water and Jamba Juice, which is the biggest smoothie company here in L.A. I was in heaven because my cheap butt loves free stuff!

A couple days after my 5-mile hip hop race, I flew to Vail, Colorado for a few days because I had some time off. I surprised myself by agreeing to go on a 5-mile hike. It was kinda rough climbing the mountain because of the high altitude - we were thousands of miles above sea level (the elevation makes you breathe heavy and tires you out quickly.) When we got to the top, I was in pure heaven. It was soooo gorgeous and the leaves were all bright orange and yellow because of the autumn season. For some reason, I got all excited and decided to RUN down the mountain - I think I was trying to show off and look like an athlete. So I ended up running 2.5 miles down this thing and almost tripped and fell on my butt a few times. But I kept on running. I couldn't back down now. Oh, I forgot to tell you that the hiking guide asked me if I wanted to use the bathroom before we started hiking and I told her, "No." I figured if I DID have to tinkle, I'd just go deeper into the woods. Lucky for me, I didn't have to use it while up there. You never know where a bear might be lurking. I don't think they have bears in the Colorado mountains, but they have deer and other stuff. I don't want any wild animals sneaking up on me while I'm tinkling...

The next day my legs were so sore from the hike, but I made myself get up and hit the gym. I did 3 miles on the elliptical trainer machine while watching "THE TYRA SHOW." I did an hour on the machine and watched the entire show. The cast from "So You Think You Can Dance" was on and I caught myself acting a fool and dancing all crazy with the stars of the show. The second half of the show was about the VH1 show, "Celebrity Fit Club." As I watched the show, I could tell I was intimidated by, Harvey, the guy who trains the stars. He's just so strict with the celebs on the show (way more strict than even Janice Dickenson was with my girls on "Top Model"), so I was a bit scared. I tried to act all cool, but I think it was obvious. Did any of you all catch me being punked by Harvey's presence? He wasn't even being mean to me, but I could feel his fire and it had me a bit shaken.

When I was working out in the gym and watching my show, I was the only person in there. I was hoping no one would come in and catch me watching my own show. I wouldn't want them thinking I'm overly consumed with watching myself. But hey, I love my talk show! I watch it all the time. I also watch myself to get better. I'm always trying to be a better host, a better interviewer and a better executive producer. And we all get better at doing things by watching ourselves. I hope you can tell I've been studying myself, and the show, and have been trying to do better and make the show better. Starting the show was a very difficult thing to do. There are soooo many details to think of. I'm still tweaking the show constantly to make it better for all of you. We have come a long way and will continue to do better and better. If you have suggestions of things I can do to make the show better, lemme know in the message boards. I'll know the critiques will come from love, so be honest. I'll read them all and you may see some of your suggestions when you watch the show. Thanks in advance y'all.

So getting back to my very active week:

So the next day after the elliptical training, I did a 15-mile bike ride while still in Colorado. A lot of the ride was downhill, which was easy and comfy, but I was kind of uncomfortable and cold because the wind was blowing extra hard. So even though most of the ride was downhill, every now and then, we had to go uphill. There were little baby hills but because of the elevation in Colorado, it's hard on your lungs. There were people on the bike ride with us that were at least 30 years older than me and they weren't having the trouble with the hills that I was. I was so embarrassed! But I felt good when we reached the highest hill and ALL of us had to WALK our bikes up it. Then, after the bike ride, we went to get some ice cream at the Marble Slab ice cream parlor. The line was out the door (they were having a two-for-one special) so we decided to eat some food. WE had the biggest plate of nachos I have ever seen (and we ordered a HALF order) at a place called RED LION INN. We ordered onion rings too. We totally wasted all of the calories we burned while riding! What kind of sense does THAT make??? I should have had some meat and veggies, but I waited too long to eat and ended up pigging out on snacky, fattening food. But it sure tasted good though!

So THIS morn, I woke up and did another hour of elliptical training and I multi-tasked. I read a script for a TV show that someone is interested in me producing. Actually, I read the first part of the script on the airplane on the way to Colorado. I didn't like it half way through and before finishing it, I sent an email to my Bankable Production Executive and told him I didn't like the script. But something told me to finish reading it, so I brought the script with me to the gym today. I finished reading it and actually love it. It needs some tweaking and I have a lot of ideas on how to make it more relatable, but hey, if I didn't finish it - it would have wound up in the trash. That taught me a big lesson: always finish what you start. It's important to give things and people a chance. Who knows, you might see this script as a new show on your OWN TV next year...and it just might be produced by me!

On Wednesday, October 4th, there's a topic we cover on the "Tyra Show" about women you think would have perfect lives because of their looks, but are struggling with a lot of pain like cutting themselves until they bleed everyday, getting horribly drunk and threatening their lives, and sleeping with sooo many men WITHOUT protection and putting their lives in danger. A woman that I look up to, and my dear friend and personal life coach, will be helping our guests through their pain. This woman I speak of is named Paula White. Paula is an amazing woman and has personally helped me when I felt so depressed, I didn't want to get out of bed. I want you all to watch the show and see how amazing Paula is and how she has a gift to help these women out of the hell they are living in. Paula's life was not perfect either, and on the show she takes me through all of her past pains which include her father killing himself when she was in grade school, and being molested by men after her father's death. She even speaks of her promiscuous past. You MUST watch this. Paula is really important to me and has helped me through so much pain. I know that she can help you through yours too. You'll be seeing more of her this season on "THE TYRA SHOW," but this is the first time she will be on and I really want you to hear her story.

So again, this show is on Wednesday, October 4th. You gotta watch it. You have to see Paula's gift. She is so special to me and I know she will become special to you after you see and hear her.

Much love,