What Am I Thinking?!

Valentine’s has long come and gone, February is almost over, and I am nearly ill with my lack of progress.  Of course it doesn’t help that I’ve been less than stellar with both my training and my eating habits.  I think maybe I’m having a mid-life crisis (a.k.a. pity party) as nothing seems to feel right these days.  And right now, I’m of the opinion that it’s too late for me to do any of my “Bucket List” items – I’m too old, too overweight, and too unmotivated to do anything different.  What do I do with that?

So, I decided to sign up to run the Spokane Marathon on Sunday, October 11^th.  Truly, I am a nut job – I’m aware of it – thought you all might as well be too!  This gives me 8 months to pull it together and make something happen.  By the way, this race has “several challenging hills along the way” with one called “Doomsday Hill” at the 22 mile mark ... that just seems like a sick joke to me.  Maybe I better look at doing a different race; this one isn’t even a Boston qualifier! 

In reality, I’m not worried about “qualifying for Boston” right now.  I just want to get one full marathon completed and see what it’s like and how I do.  Then maybe I can look at doing a race that would “get me to the big time” or in my case, “get me a check mark on my bucket list” – which is to run the Boston Marathon. 

If I can accomplish this goal – running a full marathon (not necessarily Boston) – then perhaps I will feel confident enough to undertake some other things that I’ve been afraid to try.  Fear has always been a powerful de-motivator for me … and the list of my fears is long and complicated – I’ll not get into that whole thing here; but suffice it to say, I need to get some courage (think of the cowardly lion).

How’s that for a prayer request?  Please, if/when you think of me, pray for courage and perseverance for this journey; and not just for the physical one (exercise and eating), but also for my spiritual journey (specifically my relationship to CHRIST and the path HE currently has me on).  All of this is – and has been – very hard for me … much harder than when I pressed on before to run the half-marathon.  As I said at the start, so far it’s not been a great experience:  I’m emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually drained.

I’ll leave you with this, my quote of the week by Mary Anne Radmacher:  “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow’”.

Lori <◦})><

Sharing life ... sharing Christ

Happy New Year!

It is January … 2015 … can you believe it?  It sounds like some kind of sci-fi movie year – something you hear of but never really expect to reach.  And now that I mention it, my time clock is counting down for my full marathon experience.  YIKES! 

In actuality however, my training is going okay – slow, but steady.  I’m up to 2 and 3 miles at a time on my treadmill and I’m picking up a second workout in the afternoons of varied inclines (also on the treadmill) for 30 minutes or so.  Both 3-6 days per week.  (Throw in a little weight training, cycling and some stretches and I’ve got a complete workout … too bad I don’t have enough time to get to do that every day!) 

Thankfully, the Christmas “goodies” are off the counter as well so that I can start putting more effort into my diet.  Low-carb living here I come!  (Bob Harper – from The Biggest Loser – and I have become “friends”, so I’ve been following some of his “Skinny Rules” regarding food.  Not full-on low-carb since he includes:  oatmeal, whole-grains, apples, and berries on the menu; but still good.)

Did I tell you all that I’m doing this because “running a marathon is on my bucket list”?  That is true, running a marathon is on my list, but to be more specific, it’s actually “running the Boston Marathon” that’s on my list.  Why Boston you ask?  Because … it’s the only marathon that has to be qualified for!  The other key word is:  running.  I want to run it, not walk it.  Run. It.  (I should put that on a warm-up jacket!  Speaking of which, the one I really would like would say:  “training for a marathon” on the back with the words: “walk, jog run, sprint, bolt” down the front – something just for fun, and with a little attitude!)

Anyway … I’m trying to be more definitive in what it is I want and then reaching that goal.  I’m a good starter of things, but haven’t really thought of myself as a good finisher – which I think is maybe more important.  “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish … and the hardest part about finishing is starting.”  I just made that up, right now, on the spur of the moment … of course someone else has probably already made it up, but none-the-less, I like it.  And it’s true ... probably for most things in life.  

Okey dokey then.  Must go and get something done – chore-wise, not workout-wise – we’re having guests and I have some housekeeping and food preparation to do.  Until next time …

Lori <◦})><

Sharing life ... sharing Christ