Run, Laugh, Eat, Repeat

Got just over 2 miles in today .. had intended to run at least 3 but life got in the way.  And as we all know that is often unavoidable.  That means tacking on distance to another run this week to make up for it.  Isn't a bad thing.

Feeling great after my run this morning.  Feeling good about stringing days together into a week of running.  A week of feeling like I'm grateful to have the strength to run, and the dedication to get it done even when I don't feel like it.  Or when life gets in the way. Even convinced the family to get out and walk after work last night.  A couple laps around the block while darling daughter was on her bike and husband and I chatted on the walk.  Air is getting warmer and we can feel Spring around the corner.

The idea for this post came from:   Courage to Run blog    I just cannot resist a quiz .. to assess me in some form or fashion.  To be honest it doesn't matter to me what 'kind' of runner I am, it just matters to me that I RUN!! Here's the link to the quiz:   What Kind of Runner Are You? Here's my answers (multiple choice) and results! Do you often vary your routes? d) No. I stick to a few routes because I find that the time seems to pass more quickly when I'm on familiar ground. How important are the health benefits of running to you?  b) I'm glad there are long-term benefits, but I'm more focused on how good running makes me feel today.  You're a minute slower for a 5K than you were last year. What do you do about it?  b) Don't care too much as long as the experience feels the same. You usually run after work, but your new boss asks if you want to go out for a drink. Do you go?   d) Yes. I'll rearrange my schedule and mak

This bunch of irises helps to remind me to find the beauty of all things.  And that includes the beauty within.  Not to judge myself based on how far, how fast or even the consistency of my run.  The beauty to me is the fact that I do it! This reminds me to find the beauty in my daughter - her laughter, her smile, the fact that she still wants to do the 'kissing hand' before we part in the morning - at age 7!  It reminds me to find the beauty in my marriage - my husband and his kindness, patience and never-ending flexibility with schedules, child-rearing and 'work' that a marriage takes to be successful.  And what does success look like anyway?  The beauty of that is we make that choice - and it's what we model for our daughter. When I went to change the channel the other day during a kissing scene on television.  She said, "Mommy, why are you changing the channel?"  I responded, "Because you don't need to see all that kissing!"  &quo

Today was DAY TWO of making decisions for me that involve good eating, mindful choices and a good run.  I can say that after several weeks away I felt yesterday's run when I got out of bed this morning.  And that hasn't happened in awhile.   But I ran three miles again today.  I did it!  As I sit and type, add my mileage to dailymile.com  I feel better than I did on Sunday.  Better than I did last week.  And that's because I choose to not make excuses and JUST RUN! Proud that I'm using my time for better meal planning, packing lunches and enjoying the journey.   I had a wonderful chat with a co-worker today about work and home life.  She said, 'I'm close to 50 now and I choose to have a quality life outside of work.  That's the part that matters!"  I knew exactly what she meant.  I love my job, the people I work with and the life it allows.  And I also know that how I choose to spend my time is in direct proportion to how I feel.  

Yes, it's been hard.  Hard to give up.  Hard to feel like I'm not doing my best.  What I know to be true is that it will also be hard to choose differently starting (again!) today.  I will not settle for excuses .. from myself.  I know just how darn good it feels to be healthy, and I deserve to feel that way.  And, yes, it takes hard work.  But I"m worth it!!

I read this post this morning and thought ... "does this really happen to other runners?"  I guess it does!  Thanks Lea for your awesome post! Running for Dummies GUEST POST PHOTO CREDIT:  Running for dummies.net

It gets to be this time of year and I'm nearly ready to bolt from my surroundings and find a warm destination.  This is more than a cry of, "I need a vacation!"  This is more of a craving for sunshine that warms my insides and brings a smile to my face.  Now when you combine that with the smell of the ocean and the crash of the waves on a beach it's near heaven. But I have no such vacation planned. It's nearly mid-March.  Our BIG family vacation was last fall to celebrate our 10th anniversary.  So this year is full of long weekend trips for adventure and escape.  In a couple weekends we'll celebrate my daughter's birthday with a trip to Chicago - American Girl Place, hotel with a pool and a variety of Chicago sights.  This will likely bring much laughter, good food and a family adventure.  Yet, not the warm sunshine that I crave. I'm determined to find a way to turn this into something good.  The craving, the running away feeling, the need to

I'm sure each of us could find something to complain about on a daily basis.  In fact many of us know people who manage to complain about things on an hourly basis.  I've decided to enhance my focus on gratitude.  The grateful parts should not just enhance my day, but be the norm of my focus. As this week was a tough one professionally which resulted in many emotions, I found at the end of that week when I remembered all I had to be grateful for, I breathed a sigh of relief. Another way for gaining perspective was to think about what I want to be remembered for, and realizing that's where I've put my attention and energy .... ahhhh, so I AM focusing on the right things!  Yes, I am most grateful for those parts ... being a wife, a mother, a friend, a good cook, a runner, a sharer, a listener, a knitter, a reader and a caring, strong woman.  Yes, that makes me smile! Perhaps dusting off the old gratitude journal is in order ... to list 5 things at the end of the