If you think you can...your right...if you think you can't...you are probably still right...

I don't think you can become an outstanding runner unless you get a certain amount of enjoyment out of the suffering. You have to enjoy absorbing it, controlling it and—ultimately—overcoming it.

Derek Clayton in The Masters of the Marathon

Normally I end my blog with a quote...some tid bit of inspiration that sort of links the whole thing together...a way for people to maybe retain what I blabbed on and on about for 5 or 6 paragraphs...today...I think the above quote is worthy of its own blog...cause I am pretty sure I have never read anything more true. 

One of my links to all things running...is my Facebook page where I have carefully "liked" certain motivational pages...one being Runners World.  When I updated my page yesterday and I saw this quote pop up...I can't explain my excitement...I even sent it to a few people who I thought would appreciate it and posted it as my status...it’s totally true!

I wake up almost every day at 5:30 am...hard in and of itself...but then I unconsciously put on my shorts, sports bra, and lace up my shoes...to hop on the treadmill or hit the streets...and punish myself for an hour if not more!  But oddly somewhere during mile 1 that punishment turns into pleasure...something that I know I would have regretted living without had I not got up and out of bed!  Sometimes I even do something crazier...I go to work...and then I come home and I run again...I just can't get enough!

Lately I do have to say...I have been considering just where I am planning on taking this rekindled love I have of running.  Do I really want to hop back on a regular racing circuit...is this just a hobby...is it time to share this love with others and become a cross coach...I am just not sure...but I do think it’s become more then a hobby...I feel like it’s something I want to nurture...and share...and embed into my life...and heck into the lives of anyone that wants’ to do it with me! 

I think what I love most is the accomplishment I feel after every single run...because each time I get further along...or I do it faster...or I find something new about myself that I never knew.  I think if your not a runner its hard to understand why people do it and for sure why they do it and love it...and that's fair...as the quote above states...you really have to get a certain amount of enjoyment out of the suffering...but I find the feeling you get from overcoming it is well worth the effort. 

Running is a time consuming activity especially as you build your mileage...alot goes into going out to run 12 or 13 miles or more...you do have to eat right...and drink water...and stretch...and get pleanty of rest...and right now these are all things that I am willing to do...I have found something that I am passionate about that I want to grow and develop...and I feel that I am lucky because we don't always have the opportunity to find something we really really love to do!

Courage, sacrifice, determination, commitment, toughness,heart, talent, guts. That's what little girls are made of; the hell with sugar and spice!

Well...sometimes life gives you lemons...and you have the choice to settle and make some lemonaid or get a little creative...and make something all your own! Over the last five weeks I have been MIA on the blog site...and sadly MIA from running!

It all started with some pain...I really didn't think anything of it...I just thought my foot was a little sore...but then it got worse!

I thought if I just took a tiny break...it would get better...and it did...right before it got worse!

After a trip to the orthopedic surgeon...I was sidelined...for 5 weeks...with hopes that it was tendinitis in my ankle...and not a tear.

At this point I had a choice...mope around at the thought of being unable to run...or find something else to do...enter some serious swimming here!

So to the pool I went everyday...I had to...I was trying to hold tight to the training I had built up with hopes that I would be able to run the half marathon still...as sadly I had to already give-up the full marathon.

Funny thing about that swimming...it will absolutely kick your ass! I thought I was strong...because I could go out and run 10 miles...little did I know that was nothing compared to fly, back, breast and free!

3 weeks of this and I felt stronger then ever...but the pain and swelling in my ankle was still there...so back to the doctor...for an MRI...my fingers were crossed...that there would be no tear. As the days passed and I waited for the results...the swelling eased up...and the pain to! By the time I got back to the doctor for the results a week later I was almost pain free...and..there was no tear! As well...I was given the ok to run! So on Monday March 7th...after 5 long weeks...I burst out of work threw my shoes on...and went for the best run ever!

Now I slowly have to ease back into it...and over these last few weeks...I have found a new love also...swimming...that I want to keep in my life...but wow...it was great to tie those shoes back up!

Sadly...I must admit I won't be able to run the full or the half Flying Pig...as I won't be able to get back into that kind of shape in time...but I have accepted that and have decided that I may be able to try my hand at the 10K the day before.

Sometimes life gives you lemons...and it's up to you to figure out what you are going to do with them!


“If one dream should fall and break into a thousand pieces, never be afraid to pick one of those pieces up and begin again.”

I will prevail...

Sooo...last week was sort of a tough week...I fell on my face Thursday during my run...Thursday night I tried to pinball myself across 35 during the snow storm...Friday was a bit emotional...pretty sure I had post traumatic stress syndrome from the near death experience the night before...not to mention I was in a lot of pain...and Saturday well I decided to end the week with the stomach flu! However through all of that...I managed to run...a lot! What can I say...I'm a freak...I love to run...and it makes me feel better when I do it! I think I feel worse when things happen and I don't get to run...in fact all I could think of on Saturday as I sunk into the deep dark depths of the current stomach bug going around...was at least I finished my 10 miles! But I must say...the events over the last few days...sort of shook my faith! Was I hurting myself doing all this running...do I need to cut back...am I not eating right...how the hell do I hydrate to account for all this madness! These are really questions I can't answer...but the one thing that's keeping me going...is that I just love to do it! I am aware that running is very stressful on the body...and I am also aware that right now the thought of doing a 20 mile training run is very scary! However...I am strong and confidant and extremely motivated which keeps me in perspective...and above all...I know I can do it...and that I will be ready to do that run when the time comes! In fact I think I took dedication to a whole new level on Saturday...and I saw how tough I really was! It was so cold that the only real way to do the 10 mile run was inside on an indoor track...and 90 laps...1 hour and 50 minutes...and the onset of the flu at about mile 8 later...my first 10 mile run was completed! And I never stopped once...I kept the pace steady...and was very happy about my accomplishment!

I think all you can really hope for is to find something that you love to do...and to set goals for your self that are achievable for you...maybe it doesn't have to be so crazy as a marathon...maybe it's a 5k or a 10k...or to walk or run your course faster than you did the week before! It's all about you and your goals and your mindset! I do have to say...and I know I should probably take my own advice...be mindful of your body and what it's telling you it needs! I know I have a tendency to listen to the runners high my body wants...and not to listen to the rest that my body may need...but I realize that about myself...and am working on it ;). It's super important to find the right balance...so that you may continue to love what you do!

"Hell, there are no rules here - we're trying to accomplish something"
Thomas Alva Edison

And we all fall down...

So...I totally wiped out today 2 miles into my 5 mile run!  Thankfully I am the most AMAZING faller...because I was able to flatten out...and keep my face up...so in the end I didn't hurt anything...well maybe I have a banged up elbow...and I may have had the wind knocked out of me...but I recovered quickly and finished the run!  But this sort of got me thinking...we all fall down sometimes!  At times it’s possible to fall harder than other times...but we all bite the dust every now and then...whether physically or metaphorically...I think that’s just life!  It’s hard...and every day is a challenge...but like a great run...life is rewarding...but very clearly has its bumps in the road.  But we can’t let those bumps define who we are anymore then we can let one fall end our run!  I guess I could have gone inside after I fell...but I had only done two miles...I didn’t want to stop...and there was no reason to I was fine...got my adrenaline pumping a bit...but that's not such a bad thing! 

I don’t know about any of you...but I for sure don't want the hard or tricky times to be what define who I am...I want to define who I am based on how I handle those difficult times!  It does seem like every day we are dealt a new hand of challenges...relationships are hard to maintain, work is overwhelming, the kids are bouncing off the walls, the house needs to be cleaned, the laundry is piling up, the dog needs to go out...I think you get my drift!  Life is the universal balancing act...and some days we keep ourselves up right...and other days...we trip and fall on our faces...and we feel like we should just go home...go to bed and try for a more balanced day tomorrow! 

I think it’s important that we remember to do things in our lives that help provide us with balance.  It's so easy to get bogged down by the hard things in life...we really have to fight to surround ourselves with what provides us with positive thoughts and feelings.  As with anything...the feelings that stick with us the most...are normally the negative ones...I don't know why...maybe they have more of a dramatic impact on our lives or maybe we hold them closer so that we can learn from whatever mistake may have lead to these feelings originally.  Whatever the reason...it’s our nature to do this...and I know in my life it’s important that daily I give myself all the positive thoughts, feelings and emotions that I can because I know that I want my life to be characterized by the positive rather than the negative. 

These days I find these happy thoughts stem from running and yoga...and I try to do as much of both as I can.  It’s hard to find the time...but with anything...I have to balance my running and my yoga into my life...and make them both a priority.  And I can honestly say that during the course of the last four months my list of priorities have changed completely also...daily I feel that my life is starting to be in the right order...and I am learning what is most important in my life.  Plus...these two things I have incorporated into my life...make me happy...and when I am happy I am calmer...and when I am calmer I am more focused...and when I am more focused I do my work better...and when I do my work better I feel more successful...and when I am more successful I feel more empowered...I could go on and on...but I think you get that one thing leads to another and another.  This is not just professionally either...I feel like I want to let people into my life and open up more to those that are already part of my life.  Focusing on the positive rather than the negative has lead to some amazing realizations in myself...both good and bad...but these realizations will ultimately make me stronger...happier...and more balanced...hopefully keeping the "falling" to a minimum...and giving me the strength to better handle the situation when I do fall. 

Happy balancing everyone...and drive safely home today...it's snowy out there :)

"Even if you fall on your face, you're still moving forward."

Hale the tredmill!?!?

So due to the fact that it was raining ice this morning...and the last thing I need to do is fall down...I opted for a 4 mile run on the tredmill...YUCK!  However...a funny thing happend on that tredmill today...I found a new appreciation for it!  It was sort of great...because I did the first 2 miles at 5.2 mph (11.5 minute mile pace) then decided that the last two needed to be quicker...so I bumped it up to 6 mph (10 minute mile pace) and the thing about a tredmill is...if you dont keep up you will fly off...so you better keep up!  It hurt but I kept up!  Now I think I have decided that once or twice a week I may do my 3 mile runs on the tredmilll so that I can increase my pace...its hard to do outside in the ice, rain, snow and wind we have been having...what a great way to push myself!  Who knew...you learn something new everyday! :)

"Each day learn something new, and just as important, relearn something old." 

Teach me your running ways oh wise one...

I now take requests :)...my friend Jake commented on my FB status...and asked me to teach him my running ways :).  I don't really have any running ways to teach...all I can say is that the first couple weeks you do it...it will hurt...and you will want to quit...and it will be cold...and you will probably not be able to breathe...but then you will start to feel AMAZING...and your clothes will fit better...and you will have more energy...and you will suddenly want to do it!  The trick I have found is making sure you do it at a consistent time...a time that works for you and a time that you know you will for sure accomplish your mission!  I picked the morning...for the obvious reason that I have yoga at night...and then I just want to be LAZY for a little while before bedtime!  Plus...doing it in the morning ensures a runners high for the entire day!  My best advice...find a routine that works for you!  It’s all about you being able to maintain your program!  And its possible running isn’t the thing for you...there are lots of other fitness activities out there!  Once you find what works...you will begin to enjoy the rewards...and honestly it just becomes a habit...but remember to form a habit does take 30 days!  Oh one more thing...try to do it with a smile on your face...I think it tricks the body into thinking that your really having fun...and who are we kidding it’s in our nature to do things that make us have lots of fun!!!! 

Happy running (or walking or jogging or biking...or whatever you so chose to do!)

"Unless each day can be looked back upon by an individual as one in which he has had some fun, some joy, some real satisfaction, that day is a loss."

Chasing dreams...

Sometimes years, months, weeks, days, and moments pass so quickly that we forget to appreciate what we have...what we accomplish...whose in our lives...and most of all we forget to asses where we are going. I'll be the first to admit...there were about 4 years of my life where I just couldn't figure out how to get myself completely together. Now in those 4 years of course I had a great many number of accomplishments...a new job, new house, masters degree...but there was a link in this chain...something missing that left me drifting. In the lovely words of Taylor Swift...I was a flight risk...with a fear of falling! I had sort of "failed" at a few big things during that point in my life...and it was easier to turn away from things and hide...rather than figure out how to make things better. But after A LOT of self analysis...and vodka :) I came to the realization...only I have the ability to make myself happy....and only I can let go of the things that happened in the past...so that they don't affect me in the present. Only I can set goals and work diligently to achieve them. When it all finally clicked...is when I decided that I no longer wanted to hide behind my weight...I wanted to shake that barrier I had built up and find myself again. What an eye opening experience...I remembered things about myself I had completely forgotten...above all my love of running! But things happened on other levels to...I opened up more to people...and let people be part of my life on a level that I really hadn't in many years. I decided that my future does hold a place for a family...and that this life is better when shared with others. I remembered that I love my job...but that I also want to help the world...so I decided to start with agreeing to coach cross country in the fall. I remembered that we only get this one life and we should live each day as if it were our last...because a life with out regret...is a life worth living. I remembered that I was always happiest when running...and that it gives me this clear vision of my life...and the opportunity to chase my dreams as well as the time to create them! This new found focus is empowering...and exciting. I feel like I have opened up a whole new world to myself...and my plan is to continue to move forward and create my own opportunities...to remember that I control my life and my future...My destiny will be what I want it to be...my dreams and goals are plentiful...and I am in love with the strength and determination I now see in myself.

“The size of your success is measured by the strength of your desire; the size of your dream; and how you handle disappointment along the way.”