Thursday, February 23, 2012

Inspire

I took my kids with me on my midweek training run a few days ago. It was a spectacular SoCal afternoon, they had no homework, and I had to get my run in. Conditions were perfect!

I usually don't have to goad them into going with me. My daughter is nearly 14, slim, with legs that go on forever...a natural runner. She is going to join her high school's cross country team this fall and is seriously stoked about it. She is not a complainer, and will just take off and go. She has done several 5K's with me already, and feels the runners high.

My son is 10 1/2, and enjoys getting out and being active. Running for him is harder. He is built like a tank and can tire easily. He is great with the watch...keeping me on track with my timing. He loves to tell me when to stop and start. He is the one who needs the encouragement that he CAN do it. We work on it together, and he too has joined me on many 5K's. He can do so much more than he thinks he can. A huge job of mine is to show him, encourage him, and help him fly. I love the sense of achievement he has when we finish a race.

I am thrilled when I see them both get excited about taking care of their bodies. They both tell me how good they feel after a run. I hope to inspire them to see the possibilities of all they can accomplish...nothing is off limits! The only limits are what they place of themselves. I think they have seen me transform myself over the past few years so that it is an inspiration to them. I started out as a walker...then came running. They see how I make it a priority and how I push myself. I let them know that its hard. I told them all about my long runs...the crying, the digging deep within myself to make it through. They know this doesn't come easy for me, yet I pursue it to master it. And, I do it simply because I can. They can too.

I want them to feel at their young ages a natural love for exercise. I never felt that until a few years ago. If its something they grow up with, I'm hopeful it will stay with them throughout their lives. That's a great gift to give my sweet children.

So, if you have kids, or anyone in your life whom you can inspire...DO IT! Let your life speak. Let your life encourage. Take your kids, or a friend with you the next time you go for a run.

Monday, February 13, 2012

12.5 Miles

Well, dang it. I had a really nice long post about how I ran 12.5 miles on Saturday...blah, blah, blah...but it somehow didn't save.

I guess that's the way it goes...but, the main point remains: I ran my longest distance yet. And, this 12.5 miler was WAY better than my 11 miler!

I whined much less, and just generally felt much more prepared for this one. I knew I was gonna be on that Southern California bayfront pavement for at least 3 hours. So, I just kept putting one foot in front of the other...mile after mile.

I did have a low blood sugar episode, which really slowed me up and was kind of hard to rebound from. But, I treated it, and kept going. I used up all my shot bloks and sport beans, and was left with 2 glucose tabs by the end. I learned that for runs this long, I need some actual food. I will most definitely bring a protein bar next time.

Mile 7 seems to be where I begin to get giddy. I just generally feel goofy, start to sing, um, a tad loud, and feel a bit crazy. I can't figure out the significance of this. Maybe it's my way of calming myself down for the next 5 arduous miles. Singing seems to be therapeutic for me!

I started to question my sanity again at Mile 11. I confess. I sat down and cried a bit...feeling super tired and wondering what the heck I was doing. I really just wanted to stop right then and there. But, I knew I couldn't. I was gonna have to muster up all the energy and strength I had to finish.

I really understand the great importance of these killer training runs. I need to know what the pain feels like. I need to know how I will feel after 12 miles, so that on marathon day, I can remind myself that I have already done this...and that I can indeed do it. The half-marathon is only .6 longer!

I never ever thought I would be doing anything like this. But, the only way to know how far you can go (with running or in life), is to go there. Push your limits! It's fully invigorating and empowering.

Getting tired is a given. Giving up or stopping is not...

"You don't stop when you're tired. You stop when you're done." unknown

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Rewards

This pursuit that I have...the completion of my first half-marathon, involves many things.

Yes, its all about the actual training...running, strength-training, etc. But, training also involves eating properly. Blitz, my awesome trainer, always says, "You can't out-exercise a bad diet.'"

He has clients who get very frustrated because they are doing all the right things exercise wise, but are not losing weight. He always asks about their diet. What are you eating? How much are you eating?

To be honest, when I first started working out in earnest about 2 1/2 years ago, I wasn't focusing on my food choices. I was just thinking about how great I was doing with all my walking and working out. I soon realized that I was shooting myself in the foot for not combining clean eating with workouts and running.

We are all human and have the urge to reward ourselves for a job well done. For some, food is the reward. I ran across this quote recently on my current favorite thing, Pinterest, and it made me do some serious thinking:


Wow!

How often do we run a ginormous amount of miles and then think, "Hey, I SO deserve this cookie!" ??

We don't deserve to feed ourselves junk. We deserve to feed our bodies good stuff. This also goes for our children...let's give them a reward other than food!

I'm not saying never to eat another cookie or have another mug full of ice-cream (everybody eats their ice cream in mugs, right?). What I am saying is that I have changed my thinking with regard to rewards.

I want to reward myself with getting leaner, more toned, and sleeker. Now that is a reward that is good for me.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Sail Away From the Safe Harbor...

We were made to dream. We were made to discover. Playing it safe never leads to anywhere new or exciting. What is it that you really want to do? Lose the fear and follow your dream. Life is a crazy adventure. Live it.


Explore. Dream. Discover. Sail away and get lost in life. It will take you to a place you never knew!

You Got It!

It's all in there...