The Assessment

There are 11 days left in the year, and while I've made some progress, there are some things in my life that need work if I'm going to get to my Running Nirvana. I realized that I am really terrible about allowing outside distractions (translation: other people) interfere with my health pursuits. I've got to stop being quiet and start saying, "Nope, it's exercise time. You can either join me or come back in an hour or so." While I made a great effort to take control of my sleep, I didn't realize that my sleep environment can easily take control of me. No more being patient with loud neighbors! I looked at my sleep record and saw that I was averaging 3.06 hours a night until I fought to get my sleep back. Is it any wonder why I've been struggling to workout?

Even though I have improved, I still have a problem with eating. Years ago I had this awesome rhythm: on Sundays I would cook my lunch for Monday and all the snacks I needed for that week. I need to reinvent that rhythm. Being tired and hungry is a recipe for disaster!

I also need to stop getting sucked into the snack vortex! When other people come over and they are hungry, there is a 99.999% chance I will eat whatever they are eating. I need to flip that script! Finally, I need to start being nicer to myself. I need to believe that I deserve to be on this journey. I need to stop letting people get in my head because I'm not the same size I was six years ago.

It's time for an upgrade.

RW suggestions for a playlist

http://www.runnersworld.com/running-playlists?cm_mmc=NL-Womens-_-1531882-_-12182013-_-20-Great-Playlists-for-Running

Back to the track

I didn't make it to the trail, so I headed to the track. It wasn't fun with people standing around on the track and their kids playing ball on the track. However, it is done. At the end of the day, that was all that mattered.

30 min run

Renewal pt 2

Renewal

The Blerch was tempting me something fierce this morning. But my dog would not let me go back to sleep. So I got up, got dressed and went out. After discovering that the track was being used by douchey track team, I decided to give a public trail a try. It was surprisingly devoid of people. The peace and calm was the perfect accompaniment to the scenery, which was reminiscent of Robert Frost. While I was out running, I felt alive for the first time in ages. Why was I not doing this every day? Why was that sloth monster holding me back? Being out on that trail made me feel whole, it woke up my listless soul. I felt connected and at peace. A 6.05 mi run/walk was completed today.

Time for some help

I've been a bad, bad chica.

I haven't exercised in ages--maybe once last month. This is shameful and highly disappointing. Maybe it is time to start looking for an accountability partner.

Ugly run done

It was short and it was ugly, but I got a run in this morning!

I asked Miles, he answered!

Anyone with a subscription to Runner's World is familiar with the column Ask Miles. Miles bluntly answers your runner-related questions ranging from spouses being jealous of run partners to road etiquette. I tweeted him this afternoon, but didn't expect a response because I figured he would be really backed up with tweets. He responded!

It was just around the block. Barely a mile of work, but oh it felt so wonderful to feel my feet hit that pavement during this morning's run!

10 Songs for Fall Running

I only liked three of them.

http://www.runnersworld.com/workout-music/10-songs-for-fall-running?cm_mmc=Facebook-_-RunnersWorld-_-Content-Blog-_-FallPlaylist

Emotional health is a component to fitness, too

Seeking sunrises

This month has been a rough one, my spirit was drained. It undoubtedly contributed to the rare trifecta I experienced this morning: my mind, body and spirit told me to get up and go run.

I've been surrounded by people all month yet felt completely alone. My space invaded, my words ignored. An enclave of takers yet very few to no givers. I had not run in a while. Yet this morning my soul told me that I needed to go run, that these demons plaguing it needed to be exorcised on the pavement. My body demanded that I get up to do this deed. Even my mind went, "No sleep-ins. Not today. This must be done to help you stay sane." So I got up and prepared to run. The sun had already kissed the horizon but was not quite up yet. By the time I rounded a corner, that iridescent sunrise was a beautiful payment for waking up in darkness.

As my feet hit the pavement, I tried to pound out those stresses, the things that hurt me, the things that hated me, the things that held me back. All the rage, tears, shame, and fears were ground under my feet into powder. I thought about something I read in the Oatmeal, about how he ran very fast so he could stand very still. I needed that now. I needed to be able to stand very still and I ran faster to achieve it. As predicted, the world decided to wake up while I was outside, but I didn't care about their stares or the pointing. Let them ogle and talk about this fat girl running. This run was for me and only me. I was not anyone's source of entertainment. This run was done to purify the dark night that haunted my soul. I'm a runner, that's what I do.

This morning I ran 5K in a little attempt to fight back for the parts of me that feel lost.

The Inner Warrior Woman strikes back

A late night workout is better than none at all! That inner warrior woman nagged me until I did The FIRM Maximum Cardio + Abs. That chick is relentless and I love her for it! Now I remember why I always dreaded this workout: Firm Master Instructor Allie del Rio isn't a woman...she's the Terminator! 

I'm going to have to ice this knee though, ouch!

No gold star this week

The week got away from me. I'm really disappointed that I didn't do a better job of adjusting to the schedule.

Battle of the Blerch!

The Blerch (that lazy part of you that you have to fight to achieve fitness) was working on me really hard this morning, and I confess that I caved. But this afternoon, that superwoman inside me was strong enough to fight back and get something done! Completed The FIRM Complete Aerobics and Weight Training workout! 

On a slightly side note, I forgot just how difficult that workout is! This will serve as a lesson to never give away the DVDs that have worked for you in the past just because you have gotten used to them.

Beat the Heat virtual 5K

Completely forgot to post this: Beat the Heat virtual 5K, done  on July 4!

running to heal

I haven't been doing any planned exercising because my current employment is essentially an all-night workout. Right now I'm more sore than when I did a half. I've been trying to make it feel more like a workout where I get paid. Lots of squats. LOTS of squats. I don't understand how it is possible for people to be overweight with a job like this. 

I would very much like to go running, but am afraid, because this new job has done a number on my feet. Every night I am in so much pain that I can barely walk. But I just got my heart broken this night, and I need to run it out. My hope is that it won't affect my ability to do this job.