2 Words

Last week AMR posted the question on their Facebook page,

I fully understand that I am not that old...even though there are days when the creaky joints and lines around my eyes tell me differently...but I feel like I have really learned a lot over the years (whether or not I actually listen to what I've learned is something very different).

I thought a lot about this question and about my high school self.  On the outside I looked like I really had my shit together...I was vice president of my class, National Honor Society, two sport captain, involved in just about everything...however on the inside I was always afraid.  I was afraid that someone would think I wasn't enough...if I gained weight...if my clothes weren't just right...if I wasn't the best...then it would all crumble.  Now there were a few people (some I only saw once in a while and one was my best friend) who really knew me faults and all...and loved me just the same, but most people did not.  Now looking back and after seeing so much of the same behaviors in my high school students now, I'm sure we all felt that way to some degree.  It reminds me of the new Cinderella movie (I mean really I have two girls...everything I need to know about life has come from a princess movie) when she goes before the prince at the end of the movie and asks if he would love her just as she is.  We all at the heart of us want to be loved for just as we are....wrinkles and mistakes...but my younger self (and honestly my older self at times) are too afraid to take that step.  So after much thinking about my younger self and the question we had, I chose these two words...

You're enough

I would tell myself that I was enough.  No need to put up the perfection veil...I was enough.

What would you say to your younger self?

AMR Own It Week 3

I have to admit that this week was a huge challenge for me to get it together and get my runs in.  My hubs was away all week for business, which meant I needed to get creative...even more than normal!

Monday: 3 miles...I ran on very tired legs after I taught until 7pm!  Came home...put the ladies to bed...and hit the mill. 

Tuesday:  1 mile WU...3X1 mile tempo...1 mile CD...I ran 3 miles of this on the mill first thing in the morning until my oldest woke up (she loves to just sit there and stare at me which just turns up the mom guilt to a new level so I usually stop).  Then I geared up and headed out at lunch.  The weather was awesome and the route was hilly, but I managed to negative split it!!  WIN!!

Wednesday:  Rest:  I did the Lower Body Fix video from the 21 Day Fix program

Thursday:  10 min WU...HILLS 6X1 min...Headed out again at lunch and tackled some serious hills!!  ZOOMA Cape Cod and Newport 10 miler have some killer hills especially at the end so these hill days are super important for me!

Friday:  3 easy miles...I had taken the girls to my visit my family and the day got away from us...no run

Saturday: 10 miles (4 miles @ Race Pace)...After waiting for the rain to clear...and possibly a fair amount of whining about the weather...I tried out a new route FILLED with hills!  This was a mental run for me but listening to the AMR podcasts with Summer Sanders and Terzah Becker was just what I needed.  I wish I had had a notepad with me to write down all the quotes!!!  Definitely two podcasts I need to revisit!

Sunday: rest...you don't need to tell me twice!!  It was a great Easter...the only running I did was after eggs!!

Don't forget...Come run with me at ZOOMA Cape Cod!!!  Use the code NANCY15 for 10% off!!!

Monday Motivation

This weekend I caught up on my AMR Podcasts.  It was as if these two latest podcasts were just for me for just this run.  I have been allowing doubt to creep in this past week...the pressure of being alone with the girls while hubs was away I began to question whether or not I "had it in me" to reach the goals I have been setting for myself.  The wall was up and hearing Summer Sanders say this quote I knew....am I going to sit here behind this wall...comfy but always wanting what lies just beyond the wall...or am I going to bust through it and show myself just what I can do?  I reached my house at the end of my run and I knew...watch out wall....I'm coming for you and you WILL NOT stop me this time!

What wall is stopping you?  How will you bust through it this week?

TTT

Whoot Whoot!  It's Thursday!!  Sit on down for this week's dose of randomness!!

Busy...Do you ever have those times in life when you continually hear the same message over and over until you realize that that message is for YOU?  It started with reading the fabulous post from Miz Carla Birnberg about "Ending the Glorification of BUSY" and taking off our "busy" badge of honor.  It got me thinking hard about the things that I fill my time with...it challenged me to monotask and to show my girls that when I'm playing with them I am WITH THEM and no one or thing is pulling that from them!  Easier said than done but it certainly has challenged me to go in that direction.  Then today I was listening to this week's AMR podcast with Sarah and Dimity. They were talking with a life coach, who's name is escaping me at the moment I am so sorry!, and she was talking about how to make time and about...you guessed it...the glorification of busy!  A few things that she said really stuck with me as well and has me continuing to think more about the choices I make and the busyness of life.  She talked about how we feel when we are overwhelmed...for me it's trapped and angry.  She also spoke about when you see people socially and they ask you how you are...so many of us describe how busy we are!  I am so guilty of this!!  I am busy yes...I have a husband and two small girls, I work full time, I also work part time, I am a distance runner...but these are all choices I have made and they are ones that yes make the days full but also make life full in an amazing way.  I am getting the message...being present...owning my choices...and stop putting that busy badge on every morning and just live!  Do you wear a badge of busy?

Recovery...After Sunday's 10 miler, I was noticably sore...like cursing the flights of stairs at school sore or why must the curbs be so high sore!!  Going up...no problem but going down...not pretty!  I decided on a rest day Monday since it was the day after the race.  Tuesday I ran slowly and did kettlebells but took out the leg exercises.  Wednesday I did something not like me....I rested again!  I have Ragnar Cape Cod coming up next weekend and I don't want to be sluggish.  Well look at that.....I'm listening to my body and being NICE to it!!!  It's only taken me 14 years!!!!  I'm not saying that it is easy to rest mind you...my body is saying, "Oh thank you Jesus!" but my mind is saying..."Warning...Need to run!"

Ragnar...Like I said Ragnar is coming next week and now that the 10 miler is behind me, I have turned my focus on  the relay and not only what to pack (anyone want to tell me what to pack????) but also how to train.  I have put in a lot of miles...(Scored 130 miles in April!!!!)...but the key I'm thinking with the relay is the fatigue.  Yes I fully realize that it is NEXT FRIGGIN WEEK but I think I need to get in at least one trial run!  I am going to try on Friday to wake early and do my first leg (4.5 miles) then run at night my second (3.8 miles) and on Saturday morning run my third (8.4 scare the every loving crap out of me miles).  I am concerned about the last leg since I am the last runner and I want to finish strong (i.e. not getting to the finish line crawling across the sand and deliriously cheering!)  Amy is some serious inspiration in Ragnar training...this girl even ran on her treadmill with the lights off!!  You're amazing!  Any advice for this Ragnar newbie?

Motivation Monday

Oh come on!  You think I would let a Marathon Monday that Kara Goucher was running go by and not use some of her wise words for motivation?!  While talking with Sarah and Dimity in their AMR Podcast, Kara revealed that Nike had put the words

Courage to Believe

in her shoes for Boston.  I just thought this was perfect!  Not just because it was from Kara but because it could fit everyone's lives!  I have the courage to believe that this post baby journey is going to lead me to a place where I am stronger and fitter than I was before!  I hit some paces on my long run Saturday that were really encouraging!  I know I can put in the work and I have the courage to believe I can do it!

What do you have the courage to believe?  Where will your journey take you?!