Motivating

So I completed another 5k on Saturday and have one every month for the next 3 months.  I was so excited to find out that not only did I place 7^th in the 40-44 age group, but I completed it in 37 minutes.  I knocked 6 minutes off my time.  The first one I did, I ran in it 43 minutes.  I was so shocked when I saw my time.  I couldn’t believe it.  Sandi keeps me inspired and is encouraging when we run.  She has accomplished so much in her journey and has taken me under her wing to teach me what she knows.  I love that woman!

A letter to myself

Dear self,

I know you have struggling with getting things back on track like your nourishment and exercise.  I am going to remind you of something. You have come a long way in your life and have achieved so much.  Especially in the last year when you started your new journey.  You are inspired and inspiring.  Remember how much you hurt and how tired you always were?  Now, remember how good you felt?  You had energy and were as pain free as you could be.  The feeling of being sore the day after your workout was fantastic.  Remember that?  Don’t give up.  I know you are struggling right now, but you will get past this.  Just keep going even on the days you don’t want to.  You have yet to regret that time that you did go, yet do regret when you didn’t.

You are amazing, strong and so much better physically and mentally.  No longer do you hear the voices in your head saying you can’t.  Now it’s turned into “You’ve got this.”  You love the feeling you get during and after your workouts.  All of your motivational bracelets you have, wear them again.  That is your reminder to either not quit or give it just a little bit more.  No excuses remember?  You might not get that body that you see with the muscle definition or the six pack abs, but you will have the body that is meant for you.  A strong, healthy, amazingly wonderful body that won’t be out of shape and feel blah.  How excited did you get when you noticed that you didn’t have that dreaded muffing top and weren’t tugging on your shirts all the time to pull them back down?  Remember that feeling.

You have it in you do this and stick with it.  Stop making excuses and do it.  It is said that it is easier to keep going than to quit and start over again.  Well, in a way you are starting over again and it’s proven to be hard to get back on track.  Don’t quit, you are so much better than this.  Prove them wrong.  But most of all prove yourself wrong.  Ignore the crap food at home and focus on the healthy.  You can have the crap, just in a lot smaller portions than you have been.  Everything in moderation.  Don’t deny yourself that craving but don’t indulge in it either.  Do your Gratitude Journal every night again, enjoy your hard earned hot bubbles baths with candles and Frankie, your PiYo program you got..USE IT, go for that run, hell go for a hike and explore again.  Remember YOU GOT THIS!

 

I love you,
Your inner self

2015

This has been a very active year in more ways than one. We started it off by hiring a trainer, then getting married.  Ended it with my uncle and a lung surgery to remove cancer.  In the middle, I made a new friend, reconnected with old friends, even got to see and hang out with two of them.  Managed to complete four 5k races (one actual race day and three virtual), got a new boss, new car, lost my precious little black ninja kitty Bluka (still makes me sad about that one), my new mother in law passed away and my oldest niece got her first boyfriend.  It’s been a very eventful year.  When I look back on all of it, I see the changes within myself both good and bad.  Mostly good but some of the bad still needs to be worked on.

My patience have gotten thinner and my ability to keep my mouth shut is getting harder.  Which I know will get me in some serious trouble if I’m not careful.  I have also become selective with what I share and whom I share it with. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s a good thing.  I know I can have quite the attitude sometimes and need to get that in check.  Mostly on those days I just leave my headphones in and turn the world off as much as possible.

2016 is going to start off rather fun.  I did sign up for a Duathlon, but feel I am not ready, so my Du buddy and I are going to go hiking instead.  It was free to sign up so no money lost.  Am also going on our delayed honeymoon in February.  Cannot wait to see what this year brings.  I know that I will be focusing on better eating habits and there will be some job changes due to new regulations.  That will be exciting yet scary.  But I will get to learn new things.  Cheers to 2016, new year, new changes, new start and rolling with the punches!

Keep on Runnin

I am finding that the virtual 5k’s are more fun than the actual big race ones.  You have a week to complete them on your time, your own course.  But the actual big race ones are a lot of fun too.  I am just not too fond of big crowds.  But that also adds to the excitement.  I just completed a virtual Color Run and had more fun throwing color at my friend than the actual running part.  I told her that we need to end every run like that.  I have one more virtual 5k to do this year and then kick off 2016 with a Duathelon.  In March I have a Peace, Love, Run to do, then in June it’s a Bubble Run.  Who knows what else I will sign up for.

My training at the gym has been stepped up to now include some Crossfit stuff.  LOVE IT!!  I love it when the guys stop to stare at the gal flipping a tractor tire and carrying a 20lb ball of sand across the gym floor.  20lbs might not seem like a lot, but when you are tired from flipping a tractor tire, it’s a lot.  I am also really going to start focusing on my eating patterns and habits.  So the meal preps will begin.  The combing through the Weight Watchers cookbooks has begun again.  But am going to be serious about it this time.  Am also going to buckle down and get serious about my running.  I want to complete a 10k next and then move onto a 13 miler.  That would be a huge accomplishment for me.

 

Master Trainer has me doing a lot of endurance stuff, he said he’s going to make a running machine out of me yet.  So this is where the eating comes in.  Since Saturday nights are my date night with hubby, I figure that can be my cheat night, but nothing to crazy.  My oldest girlfriend has started her journey to lose weight and get healthy.  She keeps me inspired when I feel a slump coming on.  I’m really proud of her as she has lost 25 pounds so far.  She is truly an amazing person with a beautiful heart.  She keeps me from getting too callous at life and people.  I’m excited for her on many levels and am honored she’s sharing her journey with me.  She has many great things to come her way.  She has overcome so much in her life already and this is her time to shine and finally take care of herself.

5k Madness

I have my first 5k under my sneakers now.  I completed my first one in 43 minutes which is great.  Now I have challenged myself to see if I can beat it.  My girlfriend was with me on my first one and she encouraged me when she could tell I was getting tired.  I did my second one and it was great. It was a Run for the Boobies and done in honor of a friend’s wife who battled breast cancer and kicked its ass.  I have signed up for 2 more before the end of the year and a Duathlon January 2^nd (what was I thinking).  To kick off 2016 I found two more that I have a signed for as well.  Am thinking that it’s almost time to up it to a 10k instead.  We will see how we do on these next few coming up.  I am excited for the next two coming up as they are virtual runs.  So I can complete them on my own time and I now have a fancy (well not too fancy) heart monitor with a chest strap to keep me on track and meet some more goals.

Now with the weather getting colder, I like running outside more.  Something about the cold crisp air that just keeps me going.  The scenery is rapidly changing from the gorgeous fall colors to the dead of winter.  But with that dead comes new growth and with that comes beautiful change.  Am in love with the change.

Little Bits

Change is good

Due to recent events in my life, I have decided that change is/was needed.  So that’s what I have taken the steps to do.  I have re-evaluated some of the things and people in my life, and have come to the conclusion that some of the things I can do without or just not as often and some of the people are going to be limited to the happenings in my life.  I don’t look at this as a bad thing, I feel that this needs to be done once in awhile for a happier healthier me.

Comfort zones

I have always admired women who wear what they want regardless of the reactions they get.  I have almost always been a jeans and t-shirt kind of gal.  As for the gym, it’s always been tank top, black bottoms.  Never stray from the black bottoms.  Well last night I strayed and was a little afraid to leave the bathroom and walk out in public.  I had the song “Itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini” going through my head.  She put on this bathing suit then ran for cover because of what others would say.

I took a deep breath, looked at my bracelet "Now or Never", then out the door I went.  Didn’t think anything of it really until I got the gym.  I was self conscious at first then started my work out and that’s when the self confidence came out.  I have a couple more patterned pants that I have always been afraid to wear, but after last night, not anymore.  It’s amazing what a change in the normal comfort zone can do for your self esteem.

 

Plank up – what the hell!!

I recently told my trainer that it was time to step it up again.  So he took that challenge and ran with it.  A plank up is a plank but push up style.  So you get in plank position, then lower yourself and back up into plank position.  The last few sessions of these I have felt like I needed to crawl back to my car.  But it’s the days after that really kick my ass.  He first pushed me to do 3 sets of 20 (was excited for the breaks in between).  Oh my hell I thought I was going to die.  They were hard and I didn’t think that I was going to be able to do the last five.  But I pushed through and then thought to myself that it was a piece of cake.  Then last night he challenged me to do a straight 50, no breaks in between just go.  Challenge accepted and Holy Hannah!  After I was done, I sat up, smiled and told him “piece of cake.”  He told me that is the most any of female clients have done and the new challenge has been set for 100.  Again, challenge accepted as I am no quitter.

 

 

Back to me

I felt like I have been on the edge for quite a while now and almost jumped off it when it was review time at work.  I got a not so nice review from my boss (who is no longer my boss) and things at home were getting a little tense.  I had pretty much shut down and was just going through the motions.  I just wanted to be left alone to do my thing the best I know how (still do).  Then vacation came.  Oh heavenly, long over due vacation.  There is absolutely nothing a road trip with my Pop that cannot be cured.  We packed up the Chevy and said “See ya” to California and drove up to Oregon for week long festivities of hot rod stuff, deep and light hearted conversations, as well some “A-Ha” moments on both parts (mostly mine).  Met up with old friends and checked out a jet boat tour that was absolutely fantastic.

After a much needed week and a half off, it was back to the same old routine.  But this time I feel so much better.  I am still closed off at work as it is best considering how I feel about things that have happened.  My personal life is much calmer now as well.  I am back to my goofy self with my husband and family, and they have really noticed the difference as well.  Have a new strategy with my trainer as far as eating and exercise go.  It’s not that I’m not shrinking, I am (lost 2 inches from the last time we did weight and measures) but am not losing weight just yet.  Which is fine, I feel a lot better and am even amazed I lost that considering I did almost nothing for a week and ate out that whole week as well.

But it’s time to step it all up and when I say all, I mean all.  Mental and physical.  I need to start working on me again.  I need to silence those little voices that tell me “what the hell were you thinking, that was stupid” when it comes to taking steps to better myself, “you are not as good as they say” when it comes to my job, and my favorite “you will never be a good as so-n-so”.  That one kills me.  I do have to admit that I impress the hell out of myself on occasion.  Like this weekend while doing yard work.  Turned out a lot better than I thought, I was impressed.  But at my job, I am always beating myself up and I really need to stop.  So it is my goal to end everyday as best as I can and with a “you rocked it today” attitude.  This is going to be easier said than done.  But I know I have in me to do this.