[Fitness, Health and Happiness]

PINspiration Wednesday || Believe In the Run

Celebrating a passion for running and my [almost complete] 2012 race calendar!

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Ever feel like you have 1 million things on your mind?

I find that lately I'm distracted by my own thoughts. 

• It's time to change my strength training routine.
• Chicago Marathon is only 10 days away...
• I need to decide what I want to wear for the race.
• Work is stressful. I need to manage the stress better.
• Giveaway sponsors have been so generous and fun to work with.
• I want to change blogging platforms.
• I need to remember to lace the heel lock on my Sauconys. 
• Socks are the unsung hero of running. I forget how much of a difference they make until I put on a new pair. Depending on the run and the shoes these are my favorites. 

• I wonder how much it would cost to have a trainer for my next marathon?
• I'm loving the signs of fall...leaves changing color, cool refreshing air, apples, pumpkins...
• I signed up for another virtual race, The Cupcake Classic at Run with Jess.

• A friend shared this from Mile 22 Bags on Facebook. Love it!

What's on your mind lately? Do you have a favorite pair of socks?

Come back tomorrow for Fitness Friday. Share your health/fitness related blogging. 

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And I leave you with a new favorite quote. Because sometimes I forget.

‎This was the day I decided to stop beating myself up and taking away the

glory that is finishing. ~Christie O.

In Memory of 9/11

I don't have the words that truly express my feelings except to say I have not forgotten. And a heartfelt thank you to the men and women who do what they do everyday.

Fitness. Running. What's Next?

My focus this year has been the Dayton Air Force Half Marathon in September and the Chicago Marathon in October. 

What's next? How can I challenge myself? I seem to keep coming back to...

1. Complete Insanity 60-Day Total Body Conditioning or P90X2 90-Day Challenge beginning in December.
2. Run marathon #2 in November. 
3. Run 2 marathons in 2012.
4. Run half marathon/month in 2012. Still deciding if this is realistically doable.
5. Run my first ultra in 2012. 
6. One day run a 200-mile relay like Hood to Coast. At this point I don't know 11 other people that will commit. Anyone interested?

During a recent conversation about health and fitness someone made the comment, "I'm not giving up the fun stuff" and my frist thought was, "This is my fun stuff!"

What will your next challenge be? Any thoughts on future fitness dreams? 

 

Thoughts of A Runner

• Despite having the most supportive family ever, I'm currently suffering from runner's guilt. A condition commonly associated with marathon training.
• I need to incorporate speed workouts into my existing training plan. [KEY: Without adding an additional running day!]

• I want to start a local group for Moms Run This Town. I'm running anyway and it will be a fun way to meet new people. Still waiting to find out the details of starting a group.
• I own about 2 dozen Nike running shorts and, except for the Nike running skirt and a recently purchased Asics running short, that is all I've ever run in. I'm ready for a change.
• My next virtual race is Hotter Than Hades Virtual Half Marathon. Cool!
• Lately, when I run I crave cold watermelon and/or grapes.
• I've run more trail races this year than ever before.

• I love the concept, "strong is the new skinny". I wish I could find a t-shirt.

• My next real-life race is Bob Ronker's 2011 Dirt Days Series, East Fork Lake Backpack Trail Race.

Runner or not what's on your mind this morning/today? 

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Come back tomorrow and link-up for Fitness Friday! A weekly blog hop for blogs that focus on overall fitness and health. A way to meet new friends, find new blogs and get new followers, subscribers and readers. Click Fitness Friday Blog Hop for more details.

One Little Word || Captured

Week 23

val-i-date verb \ˈva-lə-ˌdāt\
b : to recognize, establish, or illustrate the worthiness or legitimacy of 

On my mind....

Validation. More specifically the need for it. At the moment I can't remember how this concept came to mind or why but it has in a big way. So many questions. Is the need to feel validated healthy? Is it a need everyone (or at least most people) have? I want to understand more about this concept and the role it has or hasn't played in my life and who I am. Who I want to be.

Guess what's next? The link up :)

 

Nike Women || Make Yourself

Love this...

Thoughts Right Now

As always, inspired by my friend Lee at Embrace Life.

listening: Christmas music. 
eating: breakfast sandwich (veggie sausage pattie, swiss cheese and mustard on an english muffin). 
drinking: water. 
wearing: capri workout pants and a sports bra. 
feeling: relaxed.  
weather: cold. 
wanting: a new camera. Canon's T2i to be exact. 
needing: to run. 
thinking: about what I need to do today. 
enjoying: the quiet of early morning. 
wondering: will I be able to run Chicago in 2011?

Continuing with

Prompts 1-12 #reverb 10 | sharing my stories. Leave a link if you're participating too. 

And I've been thinking about my One Little Word (inspired by Ali Edwards) for 2011. Past OLWs have been balance (2 years), simplify and time. I have it narrowed down to a few but haven't decided for sure yet. Have you picked a word for 2011?

 

Thoughts: Training for A Marathon

• Half marathons are my comfort zone and when I hit 13 miles my body thinks it's time to stop running and enjoy the finish.
• After checking the mileage (300+) I realized I was right. I need new shoes.
• I'm experiencing "hitting a wall" for the first time.
• I'm in a state of total discouragement. 
• I'd like to add a trail run so my training would be 1 trail run; 3 street runs.
• I woke up so frustrated a few mornings ago that I sat in our library and re-read every Runner's World and Running Times magazine that we have. Looking for information on how to train for a marathon (Note: I didn't find anything I didn't already know).
• I like running without music until about mile 12.
• Recoveries have been easier than I expected. 
• Re-evaluating my diet. Quantity and quality. Am I eating enough?
• I started a 30-day strength training self challenge.
• My question for the week has been do I change the way I train? 
• I check weather dot com everyday. Not to find out if it's going to rain but for the temperatures. The heat has been unbearable.

 

• At the very minimum I need to change the how much I eat during long runs and maybe the what too. 
• I enjoy running half marathons. Do I really want to run a full? Yes.
• My husband says I'm on information overload and he is right LOL
• I still love running :)

‎"The battles that count aren't the ones for gold medals. The struggles within yourself - the invisible, inevitable battles inside all of us." Jesse Owens

 

 

This week marked the start of Creativity Bootcamp.  I was intrigued by a class that is described as an intensive two week course designed to deepen and enrich your creative spirit. You will be asked to perform outward projections of creativity as well as examine your inner creative soul.  Immediately I questioned whether or not I even have a creative spirit. With that questioning of myself I immediately signed up.

Day 1

Journaling Prompt: Write a letter to yourself. 

Yes, I wrote the letter. Still not sure if I want to share the details.

Random Word Prompt: Ivory

 

Day 2

Journaling Prompt: Do you shy away from calling yourself an artist?  

I don't  consider myself an artist. Oddly I have photos that I consider artistic but in my mind that doesn't make me an artist. Maybe I've never really given it much thought. I create with photos simply because it's what I love to do. It's my medium of choice. 

Random Word Prompt: Picnic

 

Day 3

Journaling Prompt: It’s possible that certain elements come into play which you might consider your “creative opposition” {i.e.: people, things, thoughts, or life situations which seemingly work against your creative goals} or as Maegan refers to "creative buzz kills". Name some of your biggest creative buzz kills, including a person or two, and disarm them! 

This one is easy and takes very little initial insight. My creative opposition is...me! Now that I think about it that is pretty much my only creative buzz kill. Maybe time but even that doesn't feel like an opposition. Sometimes inconvenient but not an opposition. So now on to the task of disarming me.

Random Word Prompt: Multilayered

  
As I continue this creative journey. This attempt to disarm myself as a creative opposition. My thoughts come back to my goal of looking through the lens with a creative eye. A little less literal. Yes, that is what I'll try for the next few days.