Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Steph: I am the Tortoise

I have decided that I am the tortoise of the group ... I may have started off slow, but I am going to win this race with determination and persistence.

There is only 1 month until our Cheviot Run/Crawl. And I am going to make it ... as long as I keep going. Slow and steady is my pace. I faithfully have gotten in 3 runs a week. This week, (thanks to Jill) I started moving on up from 1 mile to the ... BEYOND!!!

And then ... I got sick. I didn't run yesterday. And that was the FIRST time I have skipped a workout since we have started. "Oh no" is all I can think today ...

... I am a little OCD and I like schedules and plans and knowing what is expected of me and fulfilling that and then "checking" it off my list. And today ... I am freaking out that I won't get my 3 runs in. And if I don't get my 3 runs in, is that the beginning of the end for me? I am a quitter. I quit slowly .... but I do quit.

So I am keeping this 5k run in mind that is now only one month away. And I refuse to fail ... so I refuse quit ... so I refuse to let this one missed run get me down ...

I can do it.

I can do it.

I can do it.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Steph: Jill has reached new levels ...

Apparently I am in need of some tough love right now ...

Jill decided that I have NO choice but to up my running to 2 straight miles starting next week...

She said that I am holding onto that walk in between miles like a security blanket ...

Tough ...

But much needed kick in the a** ...

Thanks Jill ... :)

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

HC: Reasons 3.0

Keeping with the theme of reasons to run and other reasons not to I have created my own list that includes both. Tonight I actually made it to the gym after being at work for 13 straight *&%$@#!  hours.  Wait don’t teachers only work from 8-3?  Grrrrrrrr.

 I DON’T run because I have six other teachers I have to find time to plan with even though half of them have never looked at a single IEP and those same people have no idea everything that I do. (This can sometimes be turned into a DO)

I DON’T run because most of my “free time” falls on the weekends, which is also the only time I have with my sweetie who works 2nd shifts. If I run on the weekends it’s only after confirming schedules and takes away time we spend together (after two knee surgeries it’s not a great idea for him to run).   

I DON’T run when my inhaler is empty. I don’t need it nearly as much as when I started this but let’s not get crazy.   

I DO run because I’ve been working extremely hard to lose/maintain my weight. I mean really, really, really hard. I’ve been successful in my overall journey to become healthier but it’s a daily struggle to keep up with it.

I DO run because I’ve had a lot on my mind lately. I tend to have trouble clearing my head and running helps me take my mind off things for at least a few minutes.

I DO run because it’s been a great experience with my friends and gives us more time to spend with each other.

I DO run because I never thought I could and now somehow I am. 

Steph: The Reasons

Keeping with Jill's list idea, I wanted to create a list of my own on why I really run.

But first I wanted to say, I think it is HARDER to keep running than to START running. I started under duress and peer pressure, but had fun with the camaraderie. Then I hit a stride where I was determined to keep running to matter if I hated it or not - no matter if one of my friends could run with me or not. Then, suddenly in the last 4 days I have given excuse after excuse on why not to run. I realized how bad it was yesterday, when the excuse I used would not truly have affected the running. I could have run and then continued to work when I returned, but I didn't. Maybe it has something to do with the "real" distances I am now running. They sound scary when I say them out loud. But whatever the reason, tonight I am NOT letting myself talk myself out of it. I am going to psych myself into going running all day.

THE REASONS I RUN ... AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO

1. Running makes me feel better afterwards
2. Running is making me lose inches (if not pounds)
3. Running makes me feel like I am not a real couch potato
4. Running is fun when you have a friend to run with
5. Running has somehow (inexplicably in my mind) brought my husband and me closer
6. Running makes it hard for my husband to keep his hands off me afterwards
7. Running is something new to do ... that I am actually O.K. at doing
8. Running hurts while I am doing it which makes me know that I am alive
9. Running makes muscles in my body hurt that I didn't know existed ... and I love learning about things that I didn't know existed :)
10. Running makes me feel better about eating that big old piece of cake later in the day
11. Running makes my clothing fit better
12. Running has opened new doors of conversation with old friends
13. Running gives me hope that I control my own "in-shaped-ness"
14. Running will make walking around European mountains this summer a lot easier
15. Running has made my husband believe in me again
16. Running makes a big glass of wine at the end of the day taste even better
17. Running makes the stresses of the day melt away (something I didn't believe was really true until it started happening to me)
18. Running has made me realize that I can do other exercises too (I started a 25 min Tae-Bo workout that kicked my arms into full gear - wow it even hurts typing this right now!)
19. Running makes my heart happy.
20. Running sucks ... but not in the way that a lot of life's real stressers suck - so it has given me perspective.

These are the reasons I run. These are the reasons I want to continue to run. Now I just have to talk myself into not falling off the wagon tonight.

:)

Monday, January 9, 2012

Jill: Reasons

I've had this saved for awhile. Although I find a lot of "motivational runner speak" to be a bit high brow, this has a great mix of motivation and reality even though "Run because you'd rather be drinking a nice bottle of wine" isn't on the list.

Now I'd like to share my list of reasons why I haven't been running more than once a week.

Not running because I went back to work full time after a nice extended maternity leave
Not running because I am still nursing the baby
Not running because I am spending way too much quality time with my breast pump
Not running because I gave up my plan time at work to pump milk
Not running because the exhausted 2-year-old wakes up in the middle of the night and crawls into my bed
Not running because I am getting between 4-5 hours of sleep
Not running because even on the weekends I am not sleeping more than 4 hours uninterrupted due to exhausted toddler
Not running because I have 120 6th grade science students and 120 5th grade science students
Not running because my hubby is sick and I may be on my way to joining him
Not running because the laundry is a never ending black hole of death
Not running because the Christmas tree is down but the ornaments and other decorations are still not put away
Not running because I don't go more than 2 days without having to clean up puke from our "miracle" kitty that is still alive and well despite a brush with congestive heart failure, a skin allergy, knee problems, and being lost for a week

To put it simply, this new transition has been H.A.R.D.  But I have races on the calendar so I've got to figure this out soon.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

HC: Backseat

It has been forever since I’ve blogged! I guess part of the reason is running took a backseat to all the craziness of the holiday season. I was able to get outside a few times and to the gym once but I really didn’t push myself nearly as much as I do when I’m running with someone else.
SG and I decided it was time to get back on track so we hit the gym yesterday, our last day of Christmas break. That alone should be applauded!  Who really wants to spend their last day of freedom running around in a dreary gym? Anyway we started on the treadmill and warmed up. I was thinking to myself “Hey! I remember how this works, not too bad just keep going” Then the running part started, and I had trouble with even a half mile. Seriously? We were doing half miles like a piece of cake before (mmmmmm cake). SPEAKING of cake …. BEST GIFT EVER!


Well I spent the next 5 mins walking and huffing before deciding to finish it out with a full mile. This had to be one of the most difficult miles I’ve ran so far. It’s amazing how much you can back track when you take off a few days from running!
We finished it out with a wonderful game of racquetball. I finally looked up the rules and actually will know how to play for real next time. I was surprised to find out we were already doing it somewhat correct and there are not many rules involved. I still think we burn more calories laughing than actually running around on the court!