mindfirerunner

You wish today was cancelled, right? It’s Monday and all you can think about is the past weekend and looking forward to the next. After a challenging long run on Saturday and biting the pavement once again (you’d think I’d learn) I was ready for a relaxing day and getting to bed early tonight. After wrapping up the to-do list for the day I hit the sack at a decent time. The only problem is I couldn’t seem to stay asleep.

Fresh snow and a frozen layer of ice underneath from the previous snow storm made for yet another exhausting long run on Saturday. It was one of those long runs where you wanted to give up after four miles…getting to 12 works every mind game strategy in the bag. Add a nice little one-on-one time with the pavement at mile eight and all tricks go out the window. I needed to change my game plan. Sometimes the hardest runs are not the most challenging physically, but rather mentally. I realized I was thinking about how cold I was and how much I really did not like snow at that particular moment in time, and that I should instead be thinking about someplace I wanted to be and warmer temps. I had a long run not too many moons ago in the warmer weather of fall and the entire run had the song “Knee Deep” stuck in my head. It drove me absolutely batty at the time but now I began to think about sandy beaches, getting lost in the sunshine, and how good it would feel to be running in shorts and a tank instead of three layers of clothes feeling like the Michelin Man.

I got through my run one mile at a time and headed home where I crawled up the stairs (somewhat literally) and into a steaming hot shower. Ahh, the rewards of hard work which included a hot shower, staying in my pajamas the rest of the day, and enjoying some quiet time. I know you don’t have to run 12 miles to enjoy those things, but they seem so much more rewarding knowing how hard you’ve worked for them.

Monday is on the horizon and there’s still ice and snow on the ground. I have eight miles to greet me on the road at 4AM, but unfortunately can’t put my pajamas on and head back to bed afterward. I’ll get through this winter and I’ll be stronger because of it. At least that’s what I keep telling myself. It doesn’t always get easier ~ sometimes you just get better.

There’s nothing quite like having a Neil Diamond song running through your head at 4 o’clock in the morning. I must have been desperate to find my motivation. A busy evening turned quickly into a late night. No sooner did my head hit the pillow when my phone went off – work. I replied to the crisis at hand and hit the pillow again – baby. Okay, I’m sensing a theme for the night. After a few rounds I was finally able to doze off before waking up shivering cold and sweating again for reasons still unknown. Got up, changed jammies and headed back to bed. Round two – I clearly have no idea what time it is, only that I’m cold and have sweat dripping down my neck and back and change jammies again.

3:45 rolls around and I managed to find my phone and shut the alarm off. I pulled my tired body out of bed giving myself every reason and excuse that I should just go back to sleep. I really was not looking forward to a long hill workout this morning. It was incredibly cold (single digits) and I’ve been having vasculitis issues with  joint pain and numbness in my hands and feet, and wasn’t looking forward to being cold. I thought about how nice a treadmill sounded…

I got up, dressed in so many layers the abominable snow man would be jealous, laced up my shoes and still thought I should just go back to bed, but headed out the door instead. I got my two mile warm up done and headed for the hill thinking the whole time about just turning around and heading home. I was tired, sluggish, and cold. The roads were slick and “my” hill was covered in ice and all I kept thinking about was how frustrating the run was just trying to get a good footing. Halfway through the first set of hills I realized I was just kind of doing my workout and focusing more on wishing I was done versus focusing on what I had set out to do. I finally said (aloud) “Listen, you didn’t drag your butt out of bed to just give up. You came out here to work on becoming a better runner so snap out of it.”

Then, I realized “Where was the love?” (Commence Neil Diamond) I began singing “Turn on your heartlight. Let it shine wherever you go. Let it make a happy glow, for all the world to see”. I was grumpy and I needed to turn my frown upside down. I had to get past my immediate discomfort and frustration and focus on what my next race would look like with the work I was putting in now.

Sometimes we just need to get our heads out of the moment and think ahead long enough to remember why we’re out there in the first place. Do we get grumpy and cranky? Sure, but next time you’re feeling a little frustrated during your run, turn on your heartlight and think about the reasons you’re on the road. Time to show a little love~

So, hill workout was a blast. No really. Don’t be fooled. I run the same route usually most days and am quite familiar with every step, slump in the road, uneven surface and even the clumps of dirt left by construction crews. I usually run this route on early morning runs because I know it well which tends to make me feel safer and less prone to twisting an ankle or tripping over something in the dark. It’s hard enough to run in the dark, but add in a new route and a little bit of dirt road and it becomes a whole new experience.

I had to leave for an early meeting and knew I had to be ready to hit the road earlier than normal. I needed to be organized and not waste a minute of my morning getting out the door. I wrote down my run since there were so many segments, found my head lamp, and gathered my running clothes the night before. I thought about taking my sticky note on my run but didn’t want to be distracted trying to read my notes or fumbling to get it out of my pocket, so I spent a few minutes before bed memorizing it and running it through in my head.

3:45 came and it was time to get moving, but I was t-i-r-e-d. A poor night of sleep and it’s easy to find an excuse (any excuse) to not get out and exercise, but I spent my time the night before planning everything so that I would be ready and I didn’t want all of that effort to go to waste. So, out the door I went. It was definitely a challenging workout and there were times I felt myself slacking a bit, but I could hear my coach in my head yelling “Get up on your toes!”. On I went.

My legs didn’t feel too bad after, but I was certainly ready for a nap come mid-morning. Last night was no better for sleep and with a massive blood headache and a pending snow storm I knew I wouldn’t get any more sleep and wouldn’t feel any better lying in bed. My legs felt heavy and my head hurt.

My mom used to give me grief every time I complained and would say “Aw, my heart bleeds peanut butter”. I’m tired and it’s easy to think about everything that hurts or that didn’t go as well as planned. I can dwell on those few and really minute things, or I can look back and know I really kicked it yesterday on my hill workout and I’m tired for a reason. I might be tired now, but come Saturday’s long run I’ll be ready. Somedays you just have to give it everything you’ve got, regardless of many things can get in the way of making it even happen. Nobody said it would be easy. Besides, if it were easy everyone would do it right?

Mom, this one’s for you.

Wednesday’s Hill Workout Summary:

I signed up to receive emails on local deals in the Denver area and had one come across my Inbox this morning that I just could not resist. You might recall a previous post about admiring your strongest assets and flaunting them. Well, I thought I’d live up to my own advice. We work hard at keeping up with our running plans, eating well, and staying focused on exercises and activities that keep us strong and healthy. Most people continue to look for ways to improve themselves whether that be physically, mentally, or otherwise, but as humans many of us lack the motivation to keep up with our plans and create a lifestyle out of our improvements. Sure, we can keep it up for a week or two or sometimes even a couple of months, but why is it that it’s so easy to fall back into old habits? Before we know it we’re eating more potato chips, refined and processed foods, and less of the simplest and most delicious things on earth – fruits and vegetables. It’s time to get back to the basics. Simplify your diet (and by diet I don’t mean skimp on food). I love to eat. I could eat all day long, every single day. For me, I need to stuff my face with apples, bananas, cucumbers, carrots and other simple foods like Greek yogurt and milk in order to not sit down and eat an entire bag of potato chips or M&M’s (yes, I’ve done both).

But let’s face it. Easy is, well easy. We don’t have to think about it, don’t have to plan anything, but we always seem to regret it. No wonder we never have the motivation to head out the door for a run or pack a healthy lunch. We’re always looking for the easy way out! This is not to say you shouldn’t enjoy food. You just need to retrain your pallet. Don’t let all of that hard work of running and exercising go to the wayside because your brain and stomach can’t work together as a team. Sometimes we just need a little incentive to help us along.

My current incentive is not for the upcoming races that I have on the docket. It is not even for my long run on Saturday. My current incentive is the fact that I just signed up for an hour long photo shoot of my derrière. Talk about finding some motivation to eat right and lace up my shoes every morning.

It’s time to step out of your comfort zone and get moving! Be adventurous and learn about yourself. You’ll be amazed at what you are capable of.

We look in the mirror, usually first thing every day, and are quick to notice all of our flaws. Our necks are too thick, our waists too wide and our derriere is too plump. We all have something we identify as our worst “asset” and twist our face in dissatisfaction. Then, we start making agreements with ourselves as if bound by some magical force that will absolutely, without a doubt, make us “be good” and stick to our diet and exercise plans…at least for today. Come on – admit it. (Ladies, even the guys do this. We are not alone.)

It’s time to change the way we think. It hasn’t worked for us so far, has it? So why not make a few changes and see what comes of it? First, instead of looking in the mirror first thing in the morning and starting your day by pointing out areas that you don’t like, find one thing (or more if you’re feeling ambitious) and focus on how awesome that one thing is. Accentuate it. Flaunt it. Show it off! No one has your same awesomeness. It belongs to you and only you so own it.

Think about what it is that makes that part of you awesome. Then, start expanding your awesomeness. You are going to have to do the work. Nobody else can do it for you. Days will turn into weeks and weeks into months, but your awesomeness will continue to expand if not for the sheer determination and drive that makes you the awesome creature that you already are. Keep in pursuit of your goals and remember that nothing takes the place of planning, preparation and basic hard work. Stay focused and committed to your health and well-being. Think about it – have you ever regretted feeling better and being healthier?

Watch out Captain Awesome ~ we’re coming for you.

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I always say I want to win the lottery. My husband quickly reminds me that in order to win the lottery, I must first play the lottery. The same holds true for other things in life. In order to reap the benefits of healthy eating and exercise, you must first (wait for it…) eat healthy and exercise. What a concept. It’s funny that we expect to be healthier and look and feel better when we don’t put the work into it. We expect to be able to do something just because we want to and then get upset because we fail.

My son told us this weekend that he wants to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro (he’s 12). Our reply was, “Great! Now how do you plan on preparing for that?”. He had to think for a while and then started talking about exercising more so that his body and mind were fit enough for the climb. He talked about learning how to rock climb and practicing by climbing 14-ers, and saving money so he could buy the tools and supplies that he would need in order to make the climb. It’s easy to say what we want to do, but a little more challenging to put thought into what it is that we actually need to do in order to see our wants and desires come to fruition.

You say you want to find the motivation to exercise and eat healthier. What are you going to do to prepare yourself for that? Here are a few ideas to get you started. Take time to make your own list and post it somewhere it can be a constant reminder. Planning takes practice, but the more you do it the easier and more natural it will become.

• Get feedback from others and learn from past experiences.
• Plan your grocery list and spend most of your time on the outside aisles where the freshest foods are at.
• Take time to cook healthy food and sit down long enough to enjoy it.
• Pre-determine what time of the day is best for your runs and then plan the rest of your day around it. 
• Ask for help.

All of these things require a little planning and preparation. Take the time to prepare your mind and body and stop wishing upon a star, because it might not be there tomorrow night.