Getting back into it...

The weather is changing for the better so that means I'm back on a fitness kick.  Funny how the season dictates my interests and how my mind always plays tricks on me.  That statement needs some explanation.... I mean, when I am not "active" my mind diverts to thinking negative and I tend to forget all of the positive things I have done; my mind reminds me of all of the days I haven't ran and forgets that my body is capable of running a half-marathon; I think of the extra weight I carry around my middle instead of the fact that I can do over 30 pushups (REAL pushups) and that I can hold a plank for over 2 minutes!!!

There is a very difficult and highly technical process (yes, I am being sarcastic) that I have formulated to "change my mind".

Step 1: Sign up for a race....this creates a deadline and prompts me to take action.  I signed up for a 10K at the end of April.  I haven't competed in a 10K before and the medal at the end gives me motivation.  The distance is far enough that I will have to put some effort into training; if it were a 5K I wouldn't be scared enough to put forth the effort to "train".

Step 2: Go outside and run.  To prepare for the Manotick 10K I need to first assess where I am at.  I have been doing some "fitnessy" stuff but not a lot of running.  Yesterday I went out with the goal of running straight for 3K.  Once out there I was feeling good so I completed 5K in just under 32 minutes.   There were moments of greatness (first 2K I felt like a running rock star) followed by moments of struggle (remaining 3K) but overall it was a success.  I learned that my body hasn't forgotten to run and that I still love it!  And despite the fatigue and awkwardness of being out of practice, I still liked doing it.  I thrive on a good struggle and that is what running gives me.  Each run I am faced with a point where I want to stop or make it easy and then something turns on and I fight through it and overcome it, which all in all gives me more endurance and more importantly, confidence:)

Step 3: Keep doing Step 2 over and over again. The more I do, the better I feel, physically and mentally!

And what's a good blog post without an ending quote from Oprah....

"Running is the greatest metaphor for life, 
because you get out of it what you put into it"
Oprah Winfrey
So true:)

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