Monday Motivation

Have you ever seen a 3 year-old walk down the beach doing something they love?  Yeah they have a swagger that screams to the world...watch me I'm going to rock this!  I'm not quite sure where that goes as we age but I wish I had half the confidence our girls have when they are doing their thing!!  There are days when I walk out of my door for a run and I feel it...like that feeling of "oh yeah I'm going to rock this" and then there are the days when I wake up three miles later!!  Go out this week knowing you can rule your world!! 

Dear Preschool...

Monday morning our baby girl is going to start Preschool....

The thought immediately brings tears to my eyes.  This one just went far faster than her sister.  I honestly feel like I turned around and she was a big girl.  She's tried on her uniform...has all her supplies ready...and her backpack and lunchbox is proudly on display for all to see.  I know she is nervous because there are times as we are driving in the car that her little voice (that's a giveaway that she's scared since she seldom has a little voice) rings through saying..."Maybe I don't have to go to school Mom", or "What if I don't have anyone to play with?", or "I can just stay a baby Mom."  If I could write a letter to her teacher about what my heart is feeling, here is what I would say...

Dear Mrs. S,
   Today we hand over to you a piece of our heart....our baby girl.  I have prayed for you...for her...for your classroom...for the other students...for this school year all summer long.  Please love her...be firm but kind...love her for who she is and gently push her to be her best.  She has a light within her that burns so bright.  Please don't put that out...but instead help us to show her how to shine it so that it lights up the world.  She loves hard...lives fully...and plays with all she has.  She has practiced your name since the day we decided to come to your school and has proudly told everyone from the mailman to the grocery clerk that she is going to school.  She so badly wants to be a big girl but is scared at the same time.  Please see that...that fear and help us to walk her through that.  Please see that fear in her father and I and help us walk through it too!  One of the scariest and most exciting things we will do this morning is watch our baby walk through your door.  We pray that she grows in just her way and above all else that she feels loved.  Thank you for understanding as I'm sure I will be without many words as I struggle to keep the tears at bay until I can get into my car!  I can't wait to hear all her stories...she is so excited for this day to be here!

Much love,
Mrs. Fancy Nancy

Let's Talk Training...Fighting the Funk

I was out on a run the other morning and drafting this post in my head.  I think that it is safe to say this summer has been a struggle for me in regards to my mental and physical game.  Yes I have been doing a lot of sweating and logging a respectful amount of miles, but my head and my heart are no where to be found and it is showing.

My weight has been creeping up ever since I broke my toe in June and it has been SO HARD coming back mentally after 4 weeks side-lined.  I find myself cutting runs short...talking myself out of walking...negotiating to get more sleep.  If this was happening and my weight wasn't at the level it is, I would say perhaps I need a break since this sounds a lot like overtraining....but I had 4 WEEKS OFF!!!  I am not in the place to just stop training!

I did the Shred Bootcamp with Amanda Tress...loved it as always...but my weight did not budge!  I did lose inches but not enough to make up the difference.  I am clearly at a place where I am needing to get serious about a few goals and get to reaching them!

Otherwise the summer has been awesome!!!  I have cherished my time with these little ladies...

and get chocked up just thinking about the summer coming to an end!  If I could just go ahead and freeze time with them I'd be golden!

So goal time....My main goal is to get back to a weight that I feel comfortable at.  Now I don't even tell my husband how much I weigh so I am not putting it here!  My goal is to lose 15lbs by October 10th.  I will check in each week to let you know/keep myself accountable.

My second goal is to bump up my mileage with 25-30 miles working my way back to double digit long runs.

Finally I made some great gains in strength thanks to Amanda's programs so I want to keep 3 days a week of weight training.

There it is....bouncing back after a summer that physically was not super (otherwise it was AWESOME!).  How do you get your groove back after you find yourself in a funk?

Monday Motivation

The Olympics are not without daily motivational stories from athletes all over the world...triathletes battling cancer...two runners encouraging others ahead of themselves...escaping a war torn country...the stories go on and on.  Of course the one I am talking about today came on the last day of the games...with the fabulous Meb!!  I think Meb realized early on that this just wasn't his day...but he didn't give up!  He gave all that he had and the display of who he is came out not only in never giving up but when he slipped just inches from the finish line...

Personally after running that fast for 26.2 miles, I would probably need someone to drag me across the finish line but not Meb!  He got up and even did a few push-ups to add to it before he crossed the finish!   I mean really Meb!

It has been no secret on here that I have been struggling this summer...struggling to get my groove back.  It is a stumble for sure but it is NOT the end of my journey!!  I will not stay down....and I may even do a few push-ups on my way up!! Don't let your stumbles keep you from where you are going!!!

Monday Motivation

Sorry for the late post!!  We took a last minute trip to celebrate my sister's birthday yesterday and we are all moving pretty slowly this morning!!

 This past week with nudity levels well above 90%, there has been no lack of sweat to go around, but yesterday's interval run took the cake!  95% humidity at 6am meant I was pouring sweat even before my Garmin beeped in the first mile!  I pushed on knowing I would feel awful if I quit....well I reached my doorstep saturated but certainly feeling lighter in the stress department.  There has been a situation that I have been struggling through the past few days and this sweat was the cleansing that I needed...for my head and for my heart.  The power of a good sweat never goes to waste!  Get out there and sweat it out!!

TTT

It seems as though it has been a thousand years since I have consistently posted on here.  Clearly I am in a writing funk combined with lots of chickie summer time.  I'm working on a lot of posts in my head but for today, since I am being interrupted every 5 seconds by toddler tantrums, randomness will have to win out.

Olympic Love....I think it is safe to say we are in full Olympics mode in the Fancy Nancy house!

Seriously I love the Olympics and am always psyched to watch the events!  I always find myself getting all chocked up watching all the events!  My friend came over with margaritas so we could watch the opening ceremonies together and we've been texting every morning about the medals the night before!!  So fun!  Are you an Olympic fan?

Vision Evolved...I was so excited to be part of a campaign with Nike Vision to try out their new running sunglasses the Tailwind.

Not only are they pretty fabulous looking but they are super light and comfortable!  Normally when I wear sunglasses running, they fog up from the heat from my face or I get annoyed with them bouncing all around.  These did neither.  I honestly didn't even realize they were on my face...except the fact that I wasn't squinting!!  Check them out for yourself!

Running Buddies...Last week I put on my professor hat and taught at my alma mater in the North Shore.  I do this every August and while I am sad to leave my family behind (they actually were able to come visit me and spend the night at a water park!) I am always excited to catch up with friends in the area!!!  First order of business was to get in lots of miles with my BRF Jill!!!

On Wednesday we joined up with the fabulous Dani of Weight Off My Shoulders for a 5k with the Slumbrew folks.  It was a great run around Somerville and playing I Spy with Dani's Instagram photos!!  As always it was great to see Dani and catch up on her running adventures!  She's running her first ultra this weekend so head on over and remind her that she's a rockstar!!

How is your week going?  Any fun plans for the weekend??

Monday Motivation

If I am being honest...this voice has been winning out almost every run I have been on lately.  A little voice telling me to walk...convincing me that I can't...making me doubt I can ever come back from this injury...making me doubt I can ever get to where I used to be.  This morning...this Monday...I'm calling it a liar even if it means that I need to call it out over and over again until it gets the message that it is not welcome in my head!  It has been there far too long and it is no longer welcome.  What is keeping you back?  Get out of your head and go do great things!!

Monday Motivation

Yesterday during my run I had intervals on the menu.  The first few were fine and I finished them pretty easily.  However as the intervals got longer, I started to find myself up against my limits...my mental limits more than anything...the fear that I wasn't going to make it....that I couldn't do it.  We push ourselves to our limits but there are times when our limits push back.  The key...don't quit!!  When they push back, and they always do, use it to fuel your next round but do NOT let them make you quit!!