Motivational Monday

This morning Motivational Monday seemed to need a starting over theme. I missed basically all my January goals - some by one book, others by 32 miles.

I realized that with the start of February that I could start over again. I can set up new goals, continue with last months, and just change my attitude about it.

I'm not saying I'm happy with how January went. But, it's over. I'm not going to dwell on it. It's in the past and February is a whole new month. I can attain the goals I set up. They aren't crazy goals, they aren't insane goals - they are attainable.

It's never too late to try again. February will be a good month!

Do you have monthly goals? Are you starting over or continuing on your journey?

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8 Mile...7 Mile Run

All last week I fought back pain. I talked about it in my Friday post and had been dreading my 8 mile run for Saturday. Not for my normal reasons of having to run 8 miles, but because I was scared my back would go crazy and leave me crying on the side of the road cursing myself for trying to run {I'll end your curiosity now...I didn't end up crying on the side of the road cursing myself}.

I went out  a bit later than I wanted. I had hoped to get out about 9:00 - 9:30 a.m., but I didn't actually get out until 10:15 a.m. Eh. It was cold no matter when I was going to go out, so really what did it matter?

What fun running temps! LOL! I'll be honest, I kinda feel like a badass going out in temperatures like this. I had so many layers on though {wear all the clothes!} - two pairs of pants, knee high socks, a cami, short sleeve shirt, long sleeve cold weather shirt, two jackets, a hat, gloves, and over the ears headphones that cover the entire ear. Running in the winter is my favorite time to run. I much prefer running when it's cold because it keeps me from getting too overheated.

I started out with my fingers in so much pain. It wasn't until I was 1.5 miles in that my fingers felt normal. I ran slow. But, because of the back issues I decided to just go slow and see what happens. I ran in the boring neighborhood that I hate having to run long distances in, but it's only a mile from my car at the furthest if my back kicked in.

Happily I felt good for almost the entire run. I was slower than I would have liked. Not 100% sure if it was due to being careful about my back, all the ice/snow that people hadn't cleared from their sidewalks I had to walk through, or I'm just this slow. I'm hoping it's 1 & 2.

I had some technology issues at mile 4 that I had to stop to fix. Stupid technology. Then off to finish my 8 mile run. Until about 6.75 miles in. I started to have left leg pain as I ran, which turned into a limping run. Since the pain was on the same side as the back pain, I got to mile 7 and called it a run. I am sure I could have gutted out another mile, but I didn't want to make whatever the injury was worse. So, I walked at least a quarter mile back to my car in temperatures that are not conducive to walking. LOL!

So, I finished my shortened run. Not happy with the time, but at least in less pain overall than I thought. I didn't think I'd get two miles in, so seven was pretty nice.

Did you get out this weekend? What it a cold run?



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Motivational Monday

Because sometimes motivation comes from a good laugh at our own expense.

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A bit revealing

I was checking in on Facebook this morning when I came across a post a friend from college posted - 22 Habits of Unhappy People. There are so many blog posts/articles/books that give you x number of things happy people do that I was interested in seeing the opposite. Do I do them?

Wooo boy. It was looking in a mirror. Out of 22 items on the list, I could only cross off 5 as not pertaining to me. Wow. I know this list isn't by an educated medical professional, but when 17 out of 22 hit home, there's gotta be something to it.

Here's the list without the lovely descriptions the author wrote. Check out the article above if you see yourself in these habits:

1. Chronic complaining
2. Retail therapy
3. Binge drinking
4. Worrying about the future
5. Waiting for the future
6. Lack of hobbies
7. Eating poorly
8. Talking poorly of others
9. Holding grudges
10. Stop learning
11. Not following through
12. Hating your job
13. Loneliness (How you choose to socialize)
14. Letting negative thoughts enter your mind
15. Jumping to conclusions
16. Magnification
17. Minimization
18. Self-labeling
19. Not having a goal
20. Worrying about what others think
21. Let stranger's affect your mood
22. Wanting more money

Do any of these sound familiar to you?
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Motivational Monday

I've been thinking a lot about this lately. I wish to lose weight. I wish I followed my training plan better. I wish I had the will power to not eat crap. I wish I had wishes to let me lose the weight without any effort.

So far, this hasn't worked so well. I wish and I wish and I wish, but I am still where I was before I started all the wishing. I think I can do it, then I sabotage my efforts. I just can't stay on track. I know I can do it. I've done it before, then fell back into bad habits.

And this is the result

This was taken Sat. at a wedding I attended. Sure, I'm leaning forward so not the most flattering angle, but that doesn't explain my face. In the last 2.5 years I went from being about 10 pounds from my goal weight to being 50 pounds from my goal weight.

So, I need to start standing up for myself more often {meaning standing up to me from me}. I have to tell myself the candy isn't going to get me to my goals. I have to tell myself skipping workouts isn't going to get me to my goals. I have to tell myself waiting to eat dinner will not get me to my goals {I snack uncontrollably unless I eat dinner at a normal hour}. I have to tell myself allowing others desires to eat/go out/etc. come before what I need won't get me to my goals. I need to stand up for myself. I need to ask for help. And I need to take advantage {not in a bad way} of those who are willing to help me.

Do you have a wishbone rather than a backbone?

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Motivational Monday

It is. Trust me. I had a career in fundraising for nine years and honestly, hated it. I only got into it because I was four months out of college and had no luck with getting a job. I have a B.A. in Communications, focusing on public relations and that's what I wanted to get into. I had three interviews in the non-profit fundraising field in a week, all were for entry-level. One  of the interviewers asked me in because I interned at a place he loved to go (told me flat out I wasn't qualified for the job and wouldn't be offered it), one the position wasn't entry-level and I didn't have the experience for, the third I got the job.

After five years there, we moved 100 miles away. I got another job as a fundraiser in my new town, but it was awful. I then changed jobs to a third place, again doing fundraising. While at the third job, I started getting a M.A. in American Studies because I wanted to change careers. I wanted to do something in public history.

For the past three years I have been volunteering/working in the public history field, but not how I would like to be. Today, I have an interview for a temporary job at the place I currently work for in a position I want to do for a living. While I will be out of a job in about 12-14 months, I will have 12-14 months of experience in my field that I do not have now...if I get the job.

I'll be honest. I have no confidence I will get the job. There were 80+ people who sent in a resume and I am estimating they are interviewing at least 10 people for it. While I have worked with the interviewers for 3 years, I doubt they see me with the skills to do the job. But, if I didn't apply I would have regretted it. At least I am trying to move towards my goals, even if I don't accomplish it today.

So, go out there and do something you would regret not doing! No one says you're going to be successful, but if you live with no regrets you will have a happier life for it.

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Motivational Monday

There are all sorts of quotes that say the same thing. This one struck me because when I sign a wedding card I write, "May today pale in comparison of all your tomorrows." It struck a chord with me.

It's funny. I'm always trying to find the key to losing weight, being happy, having a good job. There's gotta be something, right?

I overwhelm myself by trying to  change all sorts of things and in reality, it might just be some small thing daily or just making one better choice today than I would have made. Life is full of choices, some big some small. I'm starting to think those small daily choices have more power than we imagine.

So, here's to making better smaller choices each day that add up to all the things we want from life.

What small, smart choice will you make today?


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A test of endurance

This coming weekend I have a race....well I have two races. On Saturday I'm going to run the Baltimore Running Festival's 5k and on Sunday I'm running the Kid's Chance 10k. I ran the BRF Marathon Relay in 2010 and had a blast! I had some fun running friends with me and I ran the farthest I've ever run at 7 miles. It was what got me to run my first half marathon that following February.

Sunday I'm running the Kids Chance 10k in Harrisburg. My co-worker had been looking for a 10k to run as she had mastered the 5k {meaning she wanted a challenge} and I asked if I might run with her. I didn't want to take away her first 10k thunder. She said no, she should love for someone to run with her, so come Sunday afternoon {yes, it's a 2:00 p.m. start...thank heavens!} I'll lace up and run 6.1 miles.

This is a good thing because I need the challenge. I have a double race weekend in March that's really important to me - Shamrock 8k and Shamrock Half Marathon. My goal is to set PR's at both distances. So, getting in a double run weekend, even when I'm not running well, is good practice.

I have a feeling I'm gonna be a bit tired come Sunday afternoon. LOL!
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Motivational Monday

For this precise moment in time, this is exactly where I am. I am not happy where I am and I do not want to stay here.

I have decided that the whole eat crap/don't workout/gain weight/wear clothes I'm not happy with-don't fit right is not where I want to be anymore. I will say, it never was where I wanted to be, but...

So, I am deciding to move on. Get back to doing my workouts, changing my meals for the healthy, lose weight, and start fitting back into the clothes I look good in. It won't be easy, but not everything worth doing is.

What are you going?


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Hard decisions

This past week I celebrated my birthday. I've always loved my birthday, who doesn't? LOL! It's the one day a year that's all about you. We spent the day at the Baltimore Aquarium and dinner at the Owl Bar. Both were lots of fun! And I spent the day with my hubby, who is oh so good to me.

But, it made me think about things. I guess I'm at the age where people have those mid-life crises. I'm don't think that's where I am, but this birthday did make me think about my life. That's why I posted the above photos. The one of the left from 2012 was me at the Baltimore Women's Classic. I love that race and have run it five years in a row. The one on the right is from this past August 2014 at Chickie's and Pete's Boardwalk Run 5k. Can you see the difference?

I can. It's so obvious to me. I have let my workout desire and my diet just crash in the last 2 years. Horribly.

I've gotten to the point where I'm having trouble finding clothes I own that make me look good. I just look fat. Yes, it's relative. But to me, having been 40 pounds lighter, I look fat and I don't like it.

I need to make changes. I've been saying this for two years. But, after trying to find things that flatter me for two weddings in the last three months, not liking how I looked on my birthday, and knowing I have a wedding next month and gasp! half marathon training coming up, I gotta do it.

I have a notebook to keep track of my food, water, and workouts. I had a running trainer for the month of September that helped me get back into a workout grove. I need to keep moving with the workouts and add in healthy eating. I'm in a challenge group for the next 21 days and I'm going to put my all into it. I blew off the warm-up week, which is my fault, but I can come back and rock the actual challenge.

So, what have you put off doing? What do you need to work on to make yourself happy?


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Motivational Monday

This past weekend, hubby and I went to Philly to see the Philadelphia Phillies play the last two games of their season. I have all sorts of Phillies gear to chose from to wear. I tried on multiple items and was upset when nothing looked good because I have gained too much weight.

I decided then and there that this would be the last time this would happen. I'm tired of doing this...finding a way to make clothes look ok on me. I need to change. I need to make myself a priority. I need to say what I've been doing hasn't worked. I need to make changes if I want to be happy with myself...which I am not currently.

Oh sure, I'm happy with the way I've gotten back to my workouts - due in no small part to the running coach I hired. But, while I thought my eating habits would fall into line because I was working out, they haven't. So, I am making a concentrated effort to focus on my food intake and what it should be rather than what it is.

This is my Motivational Monday. I felt so bad about how I looked over the weekend that it has motivated me to get my shit together. I have done it before, so I know it's possible.

What are you needing to focus on? Is it time to start making and implementing plans to make changes in your life?


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How far you've come

I've got to remember this... So often I forget and only think of how far I have to go. It's much better to remember how far I've come.

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Instinct

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Change

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Motivational Monday

This is all. Better as a person, better as a wife, better as a kitty mommy, better as a friend, better as a co-worker, better as a family member, better as an athlete, better as a writer, better as a photographer, better as a blogger. I want to know when I wake up that I learned something from the previous day and will be a better person for it.

I know I won't be better in all of those in one day, but one a day, maybe two, that's doable.

What about you? Do you strive to be better than you were yesterday? last week? last month? last year?


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This is what I want

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How to stay motivated

I'm always struggling with this. Thought it might help you too.

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That day

I've had many a goal that has been rolled over New Year's Day after New Year's Day. I want this.

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Go for it!

What things do you want to do, but you're too scared to go for it? Do them now!

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Motivational Monday

It's amazing how many things we dream of doing, want to do, imagine doing but somehow never do. If you're like me, it's because you don't think you can. You lack the faith in your abilities to accomplish the things you want. Why? I don't know. I'm sure a psychologist could answer that question better than I.

But, I decided in August that I have goals and things I want to accomplish with my running. I'm no Usain Bolt or Meb, but I know I can be better than I am. So, I made some decisions:

1. I investigated a running coach and on Tuesday, September 2, 2014 I signed up with one. I started my training with my new coach yesterday.

2. I'm going back to personal training at the Y.M.C.A. I had fantastic results {hello 5k, 8k, and half marathon PRs}.

3. I am going to do boot camp once a week.

4. According to my running coach I will be back at TRX. I am actually happy about this because I've wanted to do it, but I always found an excuse. Since I have to report on my workouts, I need to get my butt there!

5. Since I'm working hard on my training, I'm thinking this will lead me to eat healthier. I was told earlier in the year that when you concentrate on your training, your eating habits will start to shape up so you don't lose the effects of your training.

So, I am trying. My goals right now are simple...I've been trying to reach these goals for a couple of years now.

Sub-35 minute 5k

Sub-60 minute 8k/5 mile

Sub-2:50:00 Half Marathon

My coach believes it's doable. I believe it's doable. I just need the accountability and the support to reach these goals. 

What goals do you have? What are you doing to reach them?

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