Inspiration

What inspires you to run?

I have lots of inspirations. 

One of the things that inspires me is my memory of how healthy and great I felt as I was training for my half marathon right before I had my third child. I was like 5 pounds from my goal weight, had lots of energy, and had no clothes in my closet I couldn't fit into. *Sigh* That was the life

I also am inspired, or maybe driven, by wanting to be an example to my kids. If they've got my genes they definitely need to learn to embrace exercise because being naturally skinny does not happen here.

A big inspiration for me lately has been a friend of mine from college. I haven't spoken to her in 10+ years but have followed her on her blog and admired her determination. When I first found her blog a few years ago, I just admired her fitness level after having twins and then a third child less that 2 years later and looking great, you have to respect that! Then one of her twins was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor, was treated aggressively for a about a year, then passed away. At the time he was diagnosed she was training and qualifying for the Boston marathon. She put the actual race on hold, but continued to train and was able to run it this year, 6 months after she lost her son. The Oregonian did a story about her and I really was inspired by her talking about being exhausted from being up all night caring for her sweet sick boy, then still going for her runs early in the morning. Because she was going to be beat anyway, so why not just run?

Wow.

I want that kind of control and motivation. If she didn't use the excuse of her son being so ill, none of my excuses are valid at all!

So I'm still pushing through and drawing on these inspirations to help me keep going. I'm planning on doing a local 5K on May 11th and will  look forward to running that hopefully with my husband and 11 year old son!

Outside at last!

I had my first outdoor run of 2013! It was great to get out in the sun, smell the cows, and have them stare at me creepily while I ran by. We recently moved to a more rural spot, so I am really in the country now. I love it! I think I have secretly been a country/farm girl deep down for my whole life.

Anyway, back to the running. I started off great, no endurance issues at all! Then I hit the half way point, turned around, and realized I had been running at a slight decline the whole time. Which turned into a HUGE incline on the way back. Well...not huge, but I sure felt it! I also was contending with southern Idaho's ever present wind. Still, it was great and I enjoyed it very much.

I have a little tip to share! Maybe you already do this, but I have started running with a half a piece of gum and I am hooked. It keeps my mouth from feeling dry and (obviously) tastes great! 

I am looking for my first 5K of the year, can't wait to get back into the swing of things!

Starting over...again

Do you ever feel like your whole life is a series of restarts? I am constantly recommitting myself to get in better shape, eat better, be a better mother, be more organized, be more consistent with church goals, the  list goes on and on!

I achieved my goal of running a 5K, then just kind of tapered off and got distracted and lost the endurance I had built up. (insert palm to forehead here)

Boo! So here I am again, recommitting myself to getting my distance running going. Part of my lack of running was caused by winter and getting sidetracked in a Zumba class (which I actually loved until my teacher moved!). 

Now I'm back at it...again! I'm on the treadmill at the gym since it's still too cold in the mornings to run here and I can't go later until my older kids get out of school for the summer.

I am now on week 6 of the couch to 5K app that I used last time. I'm feeling pretty good, but I know once I start outside again it will be an adjustment. 

I keep reminding myself of this:

 

and I will keep plugging away!