I am a believer in karma, horoscopes, the universe and all
things spiritual. Every morning I check
my horoscope to see what the day will hold and yesterday this was my message:
“It can be
overwhelming to make a long-term commitment, whether you're thinking about
signing up for a new course of study or planning a journey of discovery. You
may like your idealistic aspirations in theory, yet are worried that you will
want an escape route if you get scared along the way. Instead of talking
yourself out of taking a risk; find ways to amuse yourself, even while
following through on achieving your lofty goals.”
Last week I had my “oh shit” moment. The excitement had worn off, I had begun to
read all the stories about injuries/black toenails (eww) and I was getting cold
feet. Did I really just commit myself to
26.2 miles? To raising $3,700? To changing my lifestyle for 18+ weeks? Oh yes, I did and there is no turning
back. My friend Gina will tell you that
I am infamous for my enthusiasm in the beginning of a project or plan but my
follow through is often lacking. I can
make excel spreadsheets, detailed plans, training calendars until the cows come
home but if the deadline is too far away I will lose sight of it and fall off
plan.
When I realized what lie ahead of me, I freaked out. I buried my running sneakers in the corner of
my room and spent the week avoiding anything with the words “run” and “marathon”
in them. I consumed some cocktails
(because that’s always the answer, right?) and watched Bravo on repeat until I
woke up one day and realized this marathon wasn’t going away and I had to do
it. Sure, I could allow myself to have
an off day here or there – no one maintains enthusiasm for a goal 100% of the
time (although Gina comes pretty damn close!).
But a whole week of slovenly living is not acceptable anymore. I won’t give up before I start and I will run
this marathon.
Yesterday I lugged my soft body to the Hard Bodies class at
the gym. From what I have read, core and
upper body strength are very important in your success as a long distance
runner. I also really, really want
Michelle Obama-esque arms by my 30th birthday and lifting a wine
glass up to my lips just doesn’t work the muscles like holding a plank does! Thanks to the crazy storms that passed
through here yesterday the temperature has dropped a bit so I am looking
forward to a 3 mile run at lunchtime. And
if I need a little extra motivation, I saved this picture on my phone as my
lock screen as a reminder:
Happy running! :)
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