I love you man!

You know what feels good?

Here's the deal.  Tomorrow is an awesome seven mile race put on by my running group.  Registration is free with the suggested donation of one can of food for our local food bank.  A pretty amazing deal!  We get to have fun AND help others.  Of course we can donate as much as we like, and since we're there, why not give a little more?   

The projected high temperature for tomorrow so far is 25 degrees, and there is already snow on the ground with more on the way.  I am currently working my way back into my endurance groove and have been doing intervals, running and walking mixes with a timed plan.  Our last group training run was three miles.  That was tough for me trying to keep both my walking and running paces where I wanted them to be.  But I felt so wonderful when I was done!! I did it!  I met my goal!  I went out after work!  I ran at night!  I ran in the COLD!!  Here is what makes all of the previous such a big deal to me, I am a steadfast morning runner, who much prefers the lovely temperatures of a balmy Spring day and find running in the cold terribly painful, both mentally, as well as physically, I also enjoy being able to see where I'm going.  But, by pushing through some of my own personal challenges, it felt even better when I actually completed it!

Tomorrow's run is much longer than that for which I am actually physically prepared.  If I dress for the weather and shoot for a walk pace of 15-20 minute miles, I could be out there up to two and a half hours!  That is a loooooong time in this weather, and pushing for the distance as well.

Right now, if you're like me, you would probably be hearing all kinds of little excuses trying to push their way out to the front of your thoughts.  "It is going to be soooo cold", "This is going to be so hard", "This will take soooo long", "I'm already tired", "I need to clean house"... Seriously, I hate to clean house and I will even hear myself thinking how much there is to do, like I would even actually DO it!  HAH!

But, you know what feels good?  

Photo taken by Janelle Speir Preiner
GO GIRL TRIATHLON

Don't be afraid of a little hard work...

Time to lace up and head out the door!  Bundle up, layer up, lace up and GO!  It is those times when we feel least like getting up off our butts that we need most to make ourselves do it, do something, anything, just get up off of that damn couch and get moving!  It feels so good once you do, and once you start moving you keep moving.  It is called momentum.  A wonderful physiological thing happens when you get up off the couch, you stay up off the couch!

We all want to feel good, it doesn't need to be about how you look.  We are bombarded with television, billboards, internet, movies, society....EVERYONE and EVERYTHING telling us that until we are ultra skinny or too thin, that we might as well not even consider getting out there.  Why bother? There will always be someone prettier, skinnier, stronger, healthier.  Yep that's right and so what?  There WILL always be someone prettier, skinnier, stronger, healthier, but there will also always be someone that is not as far as you are right now, someone heavier, weaker, sadder, lonelier, more afraid.  Just think how you could inspire them.

Let's not worry about trying to fit into someone else's mold for ourselves and our lives.  Let's get up and get moving, let's feel good, feel good about ourselves, help someone else get moving, help someone else feel good about themselves, be strong, get stronger, take a first step, then a second, keep moving.  And one day, sooner than you think you will wonder why you waited so long!

peace

Change can be good!!