A Case for Cross Fit

06 Jun 2017 4 Comments

by Lori in Exercise, Fitness, Strength Training Tags: , , , , , ,

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Source: gethellthy: “Neyxi Barraza by Pedro Matute ”

I should be enjoying some downtime. Ideally, freeing myself up from training for any long-distance event should see me enjoying some kickback time, a snooze fest or two and some down right lazy days, no doubt designed to get me just that- lazy. Only, I haven’t really gotten round to breathing much since getting back from that Ragnar event two weekends ago far less to get lazy. Sure I haven’t been running as much, but that only means I’m doing a hundred other things. In fact, I’ve been so elbow-deep in a project, I haven’t even had time to write on here; it didn’t help that the project was sort of writing-related. Thankfully it’s over and I can get down to some fun, i.e., exercise fun. I mean, my body really knows no other way and I don’t do lazy; what I do is get antsy, anxious and a tad crazy.

So I’m changing things up a bit and because I can, I’ve decided to explore my limits and push my boundaries, well kind of, with CrossFit training. If you’re wondering, why CrossFit?  Well, aside from the fact that I love a challenge, I’ve been slowly building a curiosity about it for some time and it’s not so far out of the left field given my passion for exercise and fitness. In addition, it is on my new year resolution list this year inspired by the stories I’ve been reading and hearing from others who have dived into this sport/lifestyle.

CrossFit, according to Stacie Tovar, CrossFit athlete and co-owner of CrossFit Omaha, is varied, functional high intensity movements meant to help people become more physically prepared for anything. Many people hear CrossFit and think weightlifting and more weight training but according to Stacie and others like her, who enjoy the sport, CrossFit is so much more and its participants exist along a wide spectrum from the curious, young, adventurous and self-motivated to the student, business owner, competitive athlete and everywhere in-between. Many, while touting its biggest challenge, that it’s hard, have talked about the benefits of getting you to a fitter and stronger level, if not your fittest and strongest. It goes without saying that this does not happen overnight, as with any sport it requires commitment, motivation, a desire to succeed and the ability to stick with it.  Beyond that, it encourages a healthy lifestyle as exercise is wont to do and, if anything, even more so than other forms as persons become aware real quick of the time, effort and sacrifice that is being applied to achieve the success they desire. Then it becomes a matter of course to pursue a lifestyle in keeping with that goal.

I am beyond inspired by the determination, commitment and pure mettle of those who pursue this course to achieve their desired results. While I can promise I won’t ever be a pro, let’s just say faint-hearted I’m not.

Motivate, Inspire, Encourage..Run to the Power of Words

05 Mar 2017 Leave a comment

by Lori in Fitness, Health and Wellness, Running Tags: , , , , ,

Source: shape women's magazine

        Source: shape magazine

It’s not the average person who gets up on a typical day and decides – you know what, this is it..this is my kick-butt, bad- ass day; today I decide to stop with the excuses and show up and do shit ( yep I said it). No, even if you’re a veteran in the game, most days you have to do some heavy self-motivating to get those feet moving out the door. So for the newbie or ambivalent, I imagine it’s much harder. Lucky for you, I’ve been there, I’m still here and likely to be here for sometime into the indefinite future. That way I can always motivate my and your asses to lace up those sneakers and hit it up for some mileage.

Very often I’ve found that if you distance yourself from the naysayers and immerse yourself in an environment that’s supportive of your goals and ideals, you’ve gotten rid of the biggest obstacle to your success. We’ve heard it often enough – words are powerful, they have the power to change the world..to start wars or bring about peace (on a global scale). If this is true, and history tells us it is, then consider if we use, or allow them to be used, to allow positive change in our lives. Of course this is already the case with all the self-help books and other motivational material out there, but what if you and I, we, decide to make it our personal goal to immerse ourselves in those positive, transformational and inspiring words to motivate our next step? What if we make it so it’s the first thing we see and ingest in the morning and the last thing we breathe at night? I think crazy stuff will happen..blow-your-mind stuff.. I mean, we’d be unstoppable, both physically and emotionally; talk about goal achieved!

See, I’ve always believed that our destiny is inherently ours to decide, granted it’s guided and overseen by our Heavenly Father, but ultimately ours, as a by-product of His gifts of unconditional love and freedom of choice to us. We get to take these beautiful, and often self-serving machines, and make it into what we will. And the funny thing is words can help us, be it ours or someone else’s, verbosely, orally or in print. Stick it up, write it down, tattoo it on..however works best to get and keep you moving on the good days and not so good days.

Here are five of my favourite get up and kick ass quotes:

“Obstacles cannot crush me. Every obstacle yields to a stern resolve. He who is fixed to a star does not change his mind.” –  ascribed to Leonardo Da Vinci

“Once you make the decision that you will not fail, the heart and body will follow.” – Kara Groucher

“Nothing great in this world was ever accomplished without passion.” – ascribed to George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel

“It’s when discomfort strikes they realize, a strong mind is the most powerful weapon.” – Chrissie Wellington

“Our limitations and success will be based, most often, on our own expectations of ourselves. What the mind dwells upon, the body acts upon.” – Dennis Waitley

Of the millions out there, these are my every day mantras. You need to suss yours out and wear it like a talisman, Scouts (runners) honor it will serve you well!

 

 

 

All I Need to Get Up and Keep Going

19 Feb 2016 Leave a comment

by Lori in Running, Training Tags: , , , , , , ,

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ricepirate.tumblr.com

They say a promise is a comfort to a fool. Hmm… I don’t know, maybe it depends on the promise? And the fool? All I know is the promise of Spring keeps me running. These winter days are numbered and so are all the layers that go with them. So in-between time, I focus on keeping myself motivated and getting in tip-top shape for the glory days.. heck yeah!

Staying focused, happy, confident and motivated is a lot of work; It demands many self-lectures and constant support mentally, spiritually and physically. Aside from that, there are a few things I just can’t go without, especially during this time. I find comfort, speed and my get-up-and-go attitude in these running must-haves:

Faith: in God and in myself. One depends on the other and I depend on both. I find strength and hope in the One who runs with me every day. His quiet presence and constant care helps me to rely on and trust in His love for me through all seasons and all things.        

My Running Group: this is how I get the majority of my speedwork in. Since the importance of speedwork to the competitive runner cannot be overestimated, I swear by these speedies, they’ve made me question the term “limits” time and again.      

Running shoes: my Mizunos are my road babies while on the trails Saucony gives me wings.                                                       

GU gels: for anything over 10 miles these gels have become a necessity for running efficiency. Half the time, I suspect age is the culprit. I never needed these things till recently.

Head/Ear band:  I only don’t wear these in the summer, in every other season they provide comfort from the cold and acts as a buffer from the noisiness of my surroundings.                                               

My Gamin/Phone: used to be a time not so long ago when I wouldn’t hesitate to leave either of these behind but it turns out I’m often competing with myself out there and they act as my time keepers.

My Nike Rain/Wind Jacket: I am the real deal and I even have a talisman to prove it. Lol. Really, since the cold has started, I have not been a day without it. Indeed I shudder to think of running without my second skin, I would not survive..I mean that.

As they are, they may seem a pithy list but in truth I don’t need much and I like to keep it simple as there’s only so much keeping up I can do – at least in this instance I’m a minimalist. On the other hand, what’s on this list actually have a big responsibility: getting me to Boston and beyond. So far they’re doing a darn good job of keeping me focused. My faith expects nothing less of course.

How to Run things this Season

04 Dec 2015 Leave a comment

by Lori in Running Tags: , , , , , ,

Source: active.com

Source: active.com

“I succeed on my own personal motivation, determination and commitment. My mindset is: if I’m not out there training, someone else is.” – Lynn Jennings

Thursday gone was not the typical running day; rather it was windy, cold and dank, with the promise of temperatures getting progressively colder within the next few weeks. This is not strange at all but merely the signs of Autumn falling behind and Winter fast approaching; which then begs the question, If this is what it looks and feels like now, what will we do when Winter gets here? Since this is no simple question, it follows that the answer is not simple at all but should be more of a determined, precise and focused response to a challenge faced by many runners who live in seasonal climates, particularly that of Winter. A double challenge exists for those of us who, not only dislike the cold, but have Spring races lined up and must thus spend our Winter months in training.

Between the holiday festivities and the cold weather, I’d wager that training for a marathon or any other endurance-type race in not high up there on anyone’s wish list, mine least of all. But I’ve figured for some time now that being a runner  means one rarely gets vacation or even have off days. We are more likely to get a rest day in-between training, but really if one is in this thing competitively – even competing with oneself – then it’s pretty much open season on running. The truth is, after a while, it becomes a way of life and is no more scheduled than eating is; however, if you’re in that place where it’s still a bit of a chore then of course around this time it becomes the proverbial millstone. And ouch, that’s darn heavy. But, lucky you and me, we are not alone. Running, while often done solo, is at base a community sport and so wherever you may find yourself this holiday season, I urge you to link up with the local running community. This may take the form of a running meet up, running group, running club, a couple running buddies or a friend – those willing to share their run, experience or just company with you – will make all the difference to your cold, wet and even icy runs.

The more structure you add to your training is the more likelihood you have of it being a success. All this means is that you should add a training plan to your schedule, holidays included. This plan should be a guide to keep you focused and engaged taking into account the necessary rest days and dutifully rewarding you for your hard work. It helps if you either do this with a group or person for motivation and accountability and stick to a regular schedule as much as possible. For sure, we can’t always be certain how things will pan out especially with the weather; snowstorms, road blockages, black ice, loss of power, any number of things could and may go wrong. While we can’t control any of these, we are certainly resourceful and determined and so it’s useful to add a plan B to your training schedule as well as to ensure maximum leverage of this training period. The gym: cross training, spin or cycling or a conditioning or aerobic class and/or the treadmill or indoor track are good just-in-case options, at-home: You Tube workout video, jump rope, Pilates, yoga or even just hooking up with a friend for a jog around the block, park or a local school track if it’s crazy out.

You will find that, as it becomes more routine than novelty, those runs will inspire more challenge and greater effort. Aside from the bonus of staying fit and looking fabulous through Christmas and into the New Year, there will be no guilty pleasures, for everything you eat is well deserved and thus tastes twice as good. You may even find that you’re actually looking forward to getting out, nothing like the fresh, cold air and a training run to work up an appetite and leave you invigorated and ready to run the world.

10 Reasons to Run a Marathon this Fall

03 Sep 2015 Leave a comment

by Lori in Marathons Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Source: smileswithmoms.com

Source: smileswithmoms.com

You never know what life is gonna throw at you. One day you could be trading stocks on Wall Street, the next serving a humanitarian crisis in South Sudan. While that may be an extreme there exists many others; from health to sickness and every and anything in between, a person’s goals and life could change in an instant. And so we plan, our God-given right we believe, in the hopes of a million dreams coming through while ironically we have no control whatsoever over any of it.

So what does that mean for you the runner? For my part it says that while planning is necessary to maintain an illusion of order and control in our lives, it is far more important to live in the moment – making use of the days and seasons as they come and fulfilling our dreams as far as we can now. Dreams of running, loving, living, adventure, missions, service..whatever they may be, more often than not, we only get one shot at.

With that in mind, I propose a running dream come true this Fall. How about a marathon? The ultimate running experience for every person who considers him/herself a runner awaits you.  There will never be a better time, a more perfect season or better reasons to challenge yourself. Here’s why:

  1. Fall weather rocks a marathon with near perfect running conditions and is the most scenic and awe-inspiring to runners who are closet nature lovers. Think trails, mountains, foliage etc.
  2. It’s great for destination marathoners. That would be me! I love to pick a beautiful city right off the map just because it promises a beauty of a course.
  3. This is the best time to run (for first time marathoners), complete and even record a PR as it follows Summer where you would have had ample opportunity for executing a great training plan.
  4. Generally, travel rates are lower since it’s post summer so deals are on to make it a few days vacation with a marathon added for good measure.
  5. It presents the perfect opportunity to cross off that bucket list event or new year resolution. I’m guessing a marathon was high up on there.
  6. If you’re anything like me, you love a challenge. Well maybe I’m a bit much, but hey.. how about a Fall challenge to take it to the next level. For steadfast half-marathon folks or those who enjoy still shorter runs, how about pushing those limits while increasing your mileage and building endurance and ability. I promise you will be pleasantly surprised.
  7. Lots of charity runs happening this Fall as we head to October and Cancer Awareness month. Your marathon miles can do a lot of good to so many.
  8. Training for a marathon could just be what you need to put you in tip-top shape for the upcoming holiday season and all the irresistible food and treats that will surely tempt you then. The hard work you would have put into training to get you looking so svelte will help temper your palette as you will want to stay fit and healthy.
  9. A marathon is an inspiration to so many people, those who can’t run, those who do, and others who want so much to. Why not earn bragging rights as a marathoner while inspiring others to do the same.
  10. Lastly, if you didn’t know it, Fall is unofficially marathon season with two really big marathons taking center stage, the New York City Marathon and the Chicago Marathon. You could have a place in either one of these and run the opportunity of a lifetime. Now which runner out there can say no to that?

I guess if after all that you’re not thinking in terms of 26.2 then there’s really no hope for you. Tick-tock, tick-tock, the clock’s a’ticking – to marathon or not to marathon.

What It Means to Run with Faith

03 Apr 2015 Leave a comment

by Lori in Health and Wellness, Running Tags: , , , , ,

bigstock-Runner-athlete-feet-running-on-34709543
 “I have learned that track doesn’t define me. My faith defines me. I’m running because I have been blessed with a gift.” –Allyson Felix

Ten years ago when I started running seriously, I would never have imagined it becoming so intricately woven into the fabric of my life that not a day goes by when I either don’t run or think about running.  Back then, my future mapped out looked pretty simple: humanitarian work, writing at some level, and travel and adventure on the side.  The New York City Marathon was to be a bucket list event among a host of others.  Today, I remember it as the running event of a lifetime that inspired many others.

I recall completing my first half-marathon and the heady feeling that ensued, but I really didn’t think it would transform into the passion for running that it is today.  Life often hits you with nice surprises like that.  Eight years ago when I moved to the united States, I moved with a ton of baggage by which I don’t don’t mean suitcases; rather, my issues and a ton of issues on top.  In hindsight, running was my saving grace. If you have ever made a major change in life, then you can attest to the life transforming event it is.  Because I was in a new environment, where a lot was also new to me, I had to find something that was at once comforting and familiar, but which gave me the opportunity to lose myself and not focus on the uncertainties I was faced with.  Enter running – my saving grace – it became my outlet, my escape, my connection, my mode of survival.

Running, I discovered peace, beauty, tranquility, inspiration, challenge and a profound sense of self.  Conversely, my future loomed, a blank, uncertain canvas.  Many years, runs and races later have added splashes of color and slowly an image is breaking forth.  The process has been painstaking: deliberate and tough, but extremely instructional and not a journey I could have completed without my faith.  Daily, those runs have taught me that I do not, nor have I ever, run alone.  I am immersed in the love of God; whether evident in the trickle of a running stream or the mad rush of a waterfall, the burst of sunrise or the quiet outrageous sunset; He runs with me.  In the white mass of winter or the first signs of spring, the solitary morning run or the packed course filled with runners, every step I take, I take with Him.  He surrounds me with His presence, covers me with His protection, enfolds me in His love and when the going gets tough, armors me with His strength.  He is the wind at my back, the lift in my legs and the power in my stride.

Some Fun Spring Runs

27 Mar 2015 1 Comment

by Lori in Competitive Running, Running Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Source: Precor.com

              Source: Precor.com

After a long, cold Winter you deserve some fun. And I’m not talking laying-under-a-beach-with-an-umbrella-drink type of fun, heck no, we’re not sedentary like that. I’m talking body painting-mud covering-rock climbing, kinda running fun. Don’t mind if we celebrate everything with a run, we don’t know any other way. It’s just too darn bad that some of us are still experiencing winter-type air but for the rest of us, there’s nothing like a crazy, adrenaline-pumping, butt-kicking running adventure for Spring initiation. Never mind the rains we’ve been promised, plan on getting soaked anyway with all the sweat and grime that’s coming your way.

I did some digging and scored what I think are some of the best fun runs around the country – only because I think hopping around adds more adventure and fun and you get to meet runners. Here’s hoping these 10 suggestions help to kick off Spring and get you on your way to earning a bad-ass runner reputation.

1. The Original Mud Run – DFW Spring 2015, Bear Creek Road, Lancaster TX 4/04/2015
This race boasts three courses: 5k fun run, 10k fun run and 10k competition and a new Apex 200 yard – Super Obstacle Course (competition only). All courses are Military Style Obstacle Courses and boots and loose-fitting cargo or sweat pants are mandatory for competition categories while recommended for non-competition runs where crazy costumes are also welcomed.

2. Mud on the Mountain – Seven Springs,Pennsylvania 5/09/2015
A 7-mile mud run through some of the most challenging terrain in Pennsylvania traversing ponds, scaling boulder fields, climbing over obstacles and clawing up impossible inclines to a triumphant finish.

3. Savage Race – Georgia Spring 2015, Dallas, GA 4/18/2015
An intense 5 miles, 25 obstacles on rolling hills and rocky terrain to include mud, fire and barbed wire. Run individually or as part of a team.

4. Spartan Race – Tri-State New Jersey Beast 4/18/2015
A distance of 12-14 miles over New Jersey’s Mountain Creek with steep inclines and rocky track descents. Athletes are asked to carry a headlamp & water supply in a camelback or similar type pack as the average finish time is 5+ hours. Teams are encouraged but there is also individual registration.

5. Spartan Race – Citi Field, NY Sprint (Stadium) 5/09/2015
3 miles of throwing, jumping, crawling and grueling climbing will take you to the remotest corners and every level of this ball park.

6. Virginia Rugged Maniac – spring 2015 Petersburg, VA 5/02/2015
A 3.1-mile run averaging 30-60 minutes with 25 obstacles the likes of 12′ high walls and 50′ water slides while running, crawling and jumping through a combination of forests, fields, motocross tracks and ski slopes.

7. Ultimate Challenge Mud Run – Columbia, SC 4/11/2015
Run 36 military style obstacles spread over 6.2 miles with Marines to “motivate” your team at each one. This is a team event only challenging you both physically and mentally through mud, water, and over obstacles just like veterans do in training. Obstacles are built with the same materials and techniques as used in military training courses around the world.

8. The Color Run – Camden Waterfront, Philadelphia, PA 4/25/2015
Dubbed “the happiest 5k on the planet” this run is designed to uplift and inspire runners to shine and live in a happy healthy way. Get ready to do that with special sparkle/ glittery attractions on the course, new shine elements at the finish and paint of course.

9. Virginia Wine Country Half Marathon – Loudon County, VA 5/30/2015
Who needs mud when you have wine. The race starts and finishes at Doukenie Winery, with post-race access to the Wine & Music Festival. This scenic, grape-scented course runs north of the winery on historic byways, passing vineyards, farms, ranches and estates along the way. Midway is your water and wine stop.

10. Barkin’ Dog Duathalon – Denver, CO 5/30/2015
The largest duathalon in Colorado and a popular run-bike-run race, this race has two distances participants can choose from: a 1.2-mile run, 18k bike, and 5k run or a 5k run, 34k bike, and 5k run as they transverse the trails and roads through Cherry Creek State Park. Enjoy a post-race picnic and the 4200 acres of the park upon finishing.

Of course there are a lot more going on this spring, hundreds of mud runs and obstacle races in each state through the end of the year actually, and sometimes multiple in any given state, at various locations. The point is that there are so many races and so much fun to be had, it would be a tragedy to let it all slip away without stepping out and grabbing as much as you can. Another positive is that these races have a charity component and so you could always do good while you’re having fun. Enjoy Spring!

The Other Side of Running the TCS NYC Marathon: Volunteering and Cheering

06 Nov 2014 2 Comments

by Lori in Marathons, Running Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Runners on the Verazzano Bridge, Staten Island

Runners on the Verazzano Bridge, Staten Island

Last Sunday was Marathon Sunday here in New York City. Over 50,800 runners braved the most windy and chilly day we’ve had in the longest time for the coveted title and medal for having run the largest and, some would argue, best marathon in the world: the New York City Marathon. As far back as last year, I had decided I wasn’t running this year; I felt I wanted to explore and expand my boundaries and focus my running outside of the city. I’ll be honest, on Sunday I was torn. Witnessing runners of all persuasions with varying abilities and over 50,000 reasons for running brought out my competitive spirit and I couldn’t help but wish that I had run. On the flip side, volunteering at the start quickly assuaged those running notions as I witnessed the anxiety and chilly determination of runners as they hunkered down in near-freezing temperatures to await the start from as early as 6am.

TCS NYCM 2014 VOLUNTEERS

TCS NYCM 2014 VOLUNTEERS

We did the best we could, chatting them up and seeking to encourage them as we too bore the brunt of the wind. Finally, it was time to usher runners on their way, as the canon boomed in the distance declaring the sending off of the first, second, then third and finally fourth wave of runners at 10:55am over the Verrazano bridge in Staten Island to the sound of Frank Sinatra’s “New York.” Consider those runners as they progressed throughout the five boroughs, oftentimes to the company of a head wind especially upon crossing the five land-mark bridges of the race. Tenacity is the one word that comes to mind, it describes the mindset and spirit that pervaded runners as they struggled against the odds, having to adjust their strategy and even goals. Through their journey they were not alone; accompanied each mile by cheering spectators: an estimated 1 million in total, and hard-working volunteers encouraging and providing sustenance, many persevered despite the prevailing conditions and made their way through Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, The Bronx and finally to Central Park and the finish line.

images

There was never a doubt that after finishing my shift I was going to be a part of the most amazing cheer crowd the world over. 26.2 miles of spectators lined the streets of New York City, themselves braving the weather to make this race the phenomenal experience it is. It wouldn’t be the same without them and so more than anything, I wanted to be a part of that. I chose to stand close to the finish in Central Park and for four hours, cheered my encouragement and support, along with thousands of others, for runners I had never met but felt such an affinity with. Running, jogging, hopping, walking, crawling they came: an incessant wave from all over the world: young, old and everywhere in between they kept on coming; smiling, crying, in-pain, determined and victorious, to the utter delight of the crowds they came. From as early as 12pm runners were already in Central Park, Wilson Kipsang leading the pack as he cruised to the finish line in a time of 2:10:55 and picked up his first New York Marathon title, $100,000 and an additional $500,000 for going on to win the World Marathon Majors title with his win here in New York. Fellow Kenyan, Mary Kietany won first place in the women’s category with a time of 2:23:10. We clapped, hooted, whistled, rang bells, screamed and cheered for hours for thousands as they made their way home to the finish line, more than 3/4 of which were first time NYC marathon finishers and/ or first time marathoners at that.

Wilson Kipsang, 2014 TCS NYC Marathon title holder & World Marathon Majors 2014 title holder

Wilson Kipsang, 2014 TCS NYC Marathon title holder & World Marathon Majors 2014 title holder

I finally gave in to the chill and my voicelessness around 6:30pm while runners just kept on coming, no end in sight. In spite of the cold, I walked away with an incredibly inspiring feeling and felt much love, kudos and the deepest admiration for all runners this year. It does a girl’s running heart good to see so much love, support and dedication for her sport of choice. Thank you New York Road Runners, TCS New York City Marathon and the city of New York including all spectators, volunteers and runners for putting on a phenomenal event. See you next year. I will be running!

Running Heals

18 Sep 2014 Leave a comment

by Lori in Running Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

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Running is one of the best solutions to clear the head. -Sasha Azevedo

How many times have you felt the need to get away, to disappear, to just up and run away from the stresses of life: pain, sorrow, disappointment, and the clichéd heartache. The ever looming shadow of death, illness or disease of a loved one can be a frightful threat become reality. For everyone, at some point, life can become overwhelming. Even for the most positive of us challenges arise. How do we cope; refresh our minds, renew our Spirits and become inspired again to face said life, only with a new perspective, from a different place, better able to treat with the issues of the day, stronger and more enthused. If I may venture a suggestion, a remedy, a  practice, a solution, an oasis to your desert experience – it is running.

Often in the last few years, in the face of life difficult moments, I’ve found that my answer has been to throw on some running shoes and hit the road. People would often joking ask – what are you running away from – and unknowingly they would have hit the proverbial nail on its head because sometimes that is the only answer I have to the crazy stuff that life throws my way. Not that I’m running away from life issues as a coward turns away from a challenge but it is more of a step back and regroup sort of approach. You see, the thing with running is it puts distance between the moment/issue and me. To me, this is paramount when dealing with issues of great magnitude and grave importance. The initial surge of energy as my feet picks up speed and as the air rushes by allows me to clear my head as my mind travels. I breathe and run, letting go of the weight of the world, breathing in the gift of life, the further I run, the more I become.. as a dove, peacefully flying as new sights and sounds set in, my senses become alive and attuned to the call of nature and soon the dove is behind me as I’ve taken on new wings, soaring like an eagle I’m now larger than my problems, I am not my pain, nor my sadness, nor my distress. I can feel it, embrace it even, as part of the human process but I don’t have to be afraid or feel overwhelmed anymore. I am not alone, never alone. I can do this. I can face life, I am ready.

Indeed, with my world re righted, I’m now ready to take on whatever life decides to pass my way. Mind you, it’s the same me, I haven’t changed personality or character but what has changed is perspective. People who know me, know I’m big on perspective..It’s everything. Running gives me that; it’s no wonder I call it my happy place, I now have a new or fresh spin on things. It does not mean that I’m not bothered, angry, disappointed or hurt, only that I can now apply wisdom; seeing through the eyes of faith I am now in a stronger position to deal with the various feelings and emotions that are part and parcel of  the challenges of our human existence.

Something inside…

01 May 2014 Leave a comment

Something inside of me just said ‘Hey, wait a minute, I want to beat him,’ and I just took off.
You have to wonder at times what you’re doing out there. Over the years, I’ve given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement.
~Steve Prefontaine

No matter who you are, we all need inspiration, motivation, encouragement, support and love to accompany us on our life’s journey. For my part, I try to surround myself with those who will empower me  to achieve my best self.  My personal credo is to always give of my best; be it running, writing, volunteering… whatever I do and wherever I go, this is never far from me.

Your challenge, is to find your little world of supporters..your personal cheer squad..that will do all of the above and then some; particularly on those days that you feel uncertainty, doubt and the desire to give up creeping in. Here are a few ideas to help with focus:

. Join a club/gym; make and meet new friends who share your passion
. Enlist the support and help of a girlfriend/buddy who will engender encouragement, motivation and accountability
. Read, watch, listen to inspiring testimonies of persons with like passions who have overcome adversity to achieve their goals
. Be open to constructive criticism from those who are knowledgable and informed on the topic
. Open your eyes and heart to the inspiration that abounds in people, nature,
things
. Weed out the negative elements in your life that will bring about discouragement and disappointment
. Finally, affirm yourself. You are who you say you are and others opinions contribute very little to you achieving the self-satisfaction and sense of achievement that comes from believing in yourself.

 

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Quote by Lori

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