Forewarning....shameless plug for my favorite non profit women's organization and one of my favorite singers/performers on the planet: Gamma Phi Beta and Kristin Chenowith who is a Gamma Phi Beta.
Both Gamma Phi and Kristin are crazy good for the following reasons:
They embody the ideals and values of being a strong and intelligent woman
On many occassions they have made me laugh (any cry - the good kind)
They remind me what being good is all about - Love, Labor, Learning, and Loyalty
Hopefully this rendition of For Good will sing you to sleep tonight.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
crazy good (business) advice, but I think it should apply to life in general
Following is an excerpt from one of the best business books I have ever read. Good to Great by Jim Collins.
Disciplined people: "Who" before "what"
You are a bus driver. The bus, your company, is at a standstill, and it’s your job to get it going. You have to decide where you're going, how you're going to get there, and who's going with you.
Most people assume that great bus drivers (read: business leaders) immediately start the journey by announcing to the people on the bus where they're going—by setting a new direction or by articulating a fresh corporate vision. In fact, leaders of companies that go from good to great start not with “where” but with “who.” They start by getting the right people on the bus, the wrong people off the bus, and the right people in the right seats. And they stick with that discipline—first the people, then the direction—no matter how dire the circumstances. Take David Maxwell’s bus ride. When he became CEO of Fannie Mae in 1981, the company was losing $1 million every business day, with $56 billion worth of mortgage loans underwater. The board desperately wanted to know what Maxwell was going to do to rescue the company. Maxwell responded to the “what” question the same way that all good-to-great leaders do: He told them, That’s the wrong first question. To decide where to drive the bus before you have the right people on the bus, and the wrong people off the bus, is absolutely the wrong approach. Maxwell told his management team that there would only be seats on the bus for A-level people who were willing to put out A-plus effort. He interviewed every member of the team. He told them all the same thing: It was going to be a tough ride, a very demanding trip. If they didn’t want to go, fine; just say so. Now’s the time to get off the bus, he said. No questions asked, no recriminations. In all, 14 of 26 executives got off the bus. They were replaced by some of the best, smartest, and hardest-working executives in the world of finance. With the right people on the bus, in the right seats, Maxwell then turned his full attention to the “what” question. He and his team took Fannie Mae from losing $1 million a day at the start of his tenure to earning $4 million a day at the end. Even after Maxwell left in 1991, his great team continued to drive the flywheel—turn upon turn—and Fannie Mae generated cumulative stock returns nearly eight times better than the general market from 1984 to 1999. When it comes to getting started, good-to-great leaders understand three simple truths. First, if you begin with “who,” you can more easily adapt to a fast-changing world. If people get on your bus because of where they think it’s going, you'll be in trouble when you get 10 miles down the road and discover that you need to change direction because the world has changed. But if people board the bus principally because of all the other great people on the bus, you’ll be much faster and smarter in responding to changing conditions. Second, if you have the right people on your bus, you don’t need to worry about motivating them. The right people are self-motivated: Nothing beats being part of a team that is expected to produce great results. And third, if you have the wrong people on the bus, nothing else matters. You may be headed in the right direction, but you still won’t achieve greatness. Great vision with mediocre people still produces mediocre results.
So this got me thinking, this should apply to life in general. I am the bus driver for my life. I really should think about WHO I want on my bus. It can be a really long ride. I want to have people on the bus that will make me laugh, let me sleep/cuddle on their shoulder, and sing along with me. If I have the right people on the bus it should be a really fun ride. It can be a really exciting ride. Some people may only ride for while and others may be in for the long haul. But I should remember, who belongs on my bus.
Disciplined people: "Who" before "what"
You are a bus driver. The bus, your company, is at a standstill, and it’s your job to get it going. You have to decide where you're going, how you're going to get there, and who's going with you.
Most people assume that great bus drivers (read: business leaders) immediately start the journey by announcing to the people on the bus where they're going—by setting a new direction or by articulating a fresh corporate vision. In fact, leaders of companies that go from good to great start not with “where” but with “who.” They start by getting the right people on the bus, the wrong people off the bus, and the right people in the right seats. And they stick with that discipline—first the people, then the direction—no matter how dire the circumstances. Take David Maxwell’s bus ride. When he became CEO of Fannie Mae in 1981, the company was losing $1 million every business day, with $56 billion worth of mortgage loans underwater. The board desperately wanted to know what Maxwell was going to do to rescue the company. Maxwell responded to the “what” question the same way that all good-to-great leaders do: He told them, That’s the wrong first question. To decide where to drive the bus before you have the right people on the bus, and the wrong people off the bus, is absolutely the wrong approach. Maxwell told his management team that there would only be seats on the bus for A-level people who were willing to put out A-plus effort. He interviewed every member of the team. He told them all the same thing: It was going to be a tough ride, a very demanding trip. If they didn’t want to go, fine; just say so. Now’s the time to get off the bus, he said. No questions asked, no recriminations. In all, 14 of 26 executives got off the bus. They were replaced by some of the best, smartest, and hardest-working executives in the world of finance. With the right people on the bus, in the right seats, Maxwell then turned his full attention to the “what” question. He and his team took Fannie Mae from losing $1 million a day at the start of his tenure to earning $4 million a day at the end. Even after Maxwell left in 1991, his great team continued to drive the flywheel—turn upon turn—and Fannie Mae generated cumulative stock returns nearly eight times better than the general market from 1984 to 1999. When it comes to getting started, good-to-great leaders understand three simple truths. First, if you begin with “who,” you can more easily adapt to a fast-changing world. If people get on your bus because of where they think it’s going, you'll be in trouble when you get 10 miles down the road and discover that you need to change direction because the world has changed. But if people board the bus principally because of all the other great people on the bus, you’ll be much faster and smarter in responding to changing conditions. Second, if you have the right people on your bus, you don’t need to worry about motivating them. The right people are self-motivated: Nothing beats being part of a team that is expected to produce great results. And third, if you have the wrong people on the bus, nothing else matters. You may be headed in the right direction, but you still won’t achieve greatness. Great vision with mediocre people still produces mediocre results.
So this got me thinking, this should apply to life in general. I am the bus driver for my life. I really should think about WHO I want on my bus. It can be a really long ride. I want to have people on the bus that will make me laugh, let me sleep/cuddle on their shoulder, and sing along with me. If I have the right people on the bus it should be a really fun ride. It can be a really exciting ride. Some people may only ride for while and others may be in for the long haul. But I should remember, who belongs on my bus.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
If you have 8 minutes watch this, worth the time and you will smile when its finished
Gotta keep it short today - BUSY DAY - but not too short to find something crazy good.
Found this short film, A Finger, Two Dots Then Me on FB this am. Made me smile and I wanted to share.
I will never look at the stary night sky the same way again.
(Photo credit to Jonathan Black - A small taste of the Orionid meteor shower, from atop Flagstaff mountain.)
Found this short film, A Finger, Two Dots Then Me on FB this am. Made me smile and I wanted to share.
I will never look at the stary night sky the same way again.
(Photo credit to Jonathan Black - A small taste of the Orionid meteor shower, from atop Flagstaff mountain.)
Monday, October 22, 2012
looking for the crazy good
Its been a long time since I last posted. I have not made time to do much other than work and keep up with my girls' busy schedules. (Note to self, that is a weak ass excuse about usage of time on my part.)
There are been a lot of crazy stuff that has happened this past year that has made me feel really sad. Which has caused me question WTF is going on in the world I live in?!
An (ultra healthy) co-worker has a devasting brain anurism; another co-worker passes away suddenly; in my local community a little girl is abducted and murdered; and most recently a (dear - she doesn't know I think of her this way - which is sad too) friend is in a serious car accident and injured badly.
None of this makes sense, so crazy and sad. I am fed up with the sad and bad, they are really making me MAD! (My little Dr. Suess moment)
So today, I decided that I can't let the crazy bad and sad win.
I am on a mission to find the crazy good and happy today and every day.
Here are two things that I found that made me happy, smile, and stop and think, yes, crazy in a good way.
They are both presentations from TedxBoulder. If you weren't able to attend like me, here is where you can see all of the presentations. I am a pretty big fan of Tedx and if they ever have presentations that come to your community I would encourage you to go, as I think it is time well spent hearing and learning from some pretty amazing people.
The first presentation is from Erika Napoletano. This woman just makes me laugh, and says a bunch of shit I wish I could (should) say on a daily basis. Her blog is brilliant too. And for Christmas I want this t-shirt, size M should work:
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This woman is right on about being HONEST, and honoring those people that really should matter, and all too often we completely take for granted. Those people that love you just as you are and YOURSELF. When I am done posting I am going to go build my own blanket fort and make a list of who can and cant' come in.
The second presentation that made me smile (through tears) was from Shannon Paige. Shannon's view on how to GET IN YOUR OWN SKIN really reasonated. I concur that the BODY can CHANGE THE MIND. I will have to work on making my schedule work so I can get to one of her classes here in Boulder at om time. In closing I commit: "to take five deeper breathes a day, to be aware to take up more space in my heart, and to be bold and brave enough to line up to that instant where we have the capacity to change; To respond rather than react".
I hope this post made you smile and you found a few moments of joy. All I ask is that you tell someone about it and carry the crazy good forward.
There are been a lot of crazy stuff that has happened this past year that has made me feel really sad. Which has caused me question WTF is going on in the world I live in?!
An (ultra healthy) co-worker has a devasting brain anurism; another co-worker passes away suddenly; in my local community a little girl is abducted and murdered; and most recently a (dear - she doesn't know I think of her this way - which is sad too) friend is in a serious car accident and injured badly.
None of this makes sense, so crazy and sad. I am fed up with the sad and bad, they are really making me MAD! (My little Dr. Suess moment)
So today, I decided that I can't let the crazy bad and sad win.
I am on a mission to find the crazy good and happy today and every day.
Here are two things that I found that made me happy, smile, and stop and think, yes, crazy in a good way.
They are both presentations from TedxBoulder. If you weren't able to attend like me, here is where you can see all of the presentations. I am a pretty big fan of Tedx and if they ever have presentations that come to your community I would encourage you to go, as I think it is time well spent hearing and learning from some pretty amazing people.
The first presentation is from Erika Napoletano. This woman just makes me laugh, and says a bunch of shit I wish I could (should) say on a daily basis. Her blog is brilliant too. And for Christmas I want this t-shirt, size M should work:
This woman is right on about being HONEST, and honoring those people that really should matter, and all too often we completely take for granted. Those people that love you just as you are and YOURSELF. When I am done posting I am going to go build my own blanket fort and make a list of who can and cant' come in.
The second presentation that made me smile (through tears) was from Shannon Paige. Shannon's view on how to GET IN YOUR OWN SKIN really reasonated. I concur that the BODY can CHANGE THE MIND. I will have to work on making my schedule work so I can get to one of her classes here in Boulder at om time. In closing I commit: "to take five deeper breathes a day, to be aware to take up more space in my heart, and to be bold and brave enough to line up to that instant where we have the capacity to change; To respond rather than react".
I hope this post made you smile and you found a few moments of joy. All I ask is that you tell someone about it and carry the crazy good forward.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Mission completed
Its been eleven days since I finished my half ironman tri, and even with the time and perspective I can still say I have ZERO desire to do a full ironman. Forewarning now, I will continue to repeat that.
Here is what I learned in the pursuit and completion of this BHAG:
1. First that I had defined my BHAG the wrong way. I thought this whole time my big hairy audacious goal was to finish 70.3 miles. When in reality, by definition of a BHAG, what I was truly in pursuit of a much more visionary goal and something emotional. What I was in pursuit of is proving that I was strong enough mentally and physically to do it thus coming to a new level of self confidence. I didn't really have this aha moment until I realized I had ZERO desire to do a full ironman. (Repeat #2) I am pretty damn confident now!
2. To be okay with not being, first, or fast, or anything that relates to being elite. This race, and the Olympic were humbling. I was not the fastest in the water, but I had a reasonable time. I was definitely not the fastest on the bike. This proved to be true when another biker hit me going up hill because I was going to slow. I was not the fastest running, even though at that point I was woggling (walk/jogging). I had to come to terms and acceptance with just finishing (uninjured) as the accomplishment. Finishing was proof enough that I am strong enough to deal with anything.
3. To follow your plan or you are planning to fail. I know this sounds trite, but it really is true. There is no way in hell I could have done this without the training I put into it. It required a daily commitment on my part to train, and that ensured that I would be able to finish without injury.
4. Sharing this accomplishment is really important. When I ran and finished my full marathon last year no one was waiting for me at the finish line because I picked a race that was out of state. So no one was there to share the joy of the accomplishment. That really ended up bumming me out. I had just done something pretty damn cool and I had to hug a stranger to celebrate.
However, since this race was "close" to home (45 minutes away) I was able to have my family there waiting for me when I finished. I was so over joyed to see my husband and girls there (and they were glad to see me!) I hope that my girls understand that staying committed and focused will allow them to do anything they want, even if it is to swim/bike/run over 70.3 miles. Here are photos of the signs they made for me at the finish -
So now the questions begs itself, what's next? I would really like to do Hood to Coast next year. It just seems like a really cool race. Perhaps I will adjust the focus on finding a new type of "strong" to continue to foster self confidence.
I will say I want another hundred moments like the one when I finished hand in hand with my girls.
Here is what I learned in the pursuit and completion of this BHAG:
1. First that I had defined my BHAG the wrong way. I thought this whole time my big hairy audacious goal was to finish 70.3 miles. When in reality, by definition of a BHAG, what I was truly in pursuit of a much more visionary goal and something emotional. What I was in pursuit of is proving that I was strong enough mentally and physically to do it thus coming to a new level of self confidence. I didn't really have this aha moment until I realized I had ZERO desire to do a full ironman. (Repeat #2) I am pretty damn confident now!
2. To be okay with not being, first, or fast, or anything that relates to being elite. This race, and the Olympic were humbling. I was not the fastest in the water, but I had a reasonable time. I was definitely not the fastest on the bike. This proved to be true when another biker hit me going up hill because I was going to slow. I was not the fastest running, even though at that point I was woggling (walk/jogging). I had to come to terms and acceptance with just finishing (uninjured) as the accomplishment. Finishing was proof enough that I am strong enough to deal with anything.
3. To follow your plan or you are planning to fail. I know this sounds trite, but it really is true. There is no way in hell I could have done this without the training I put into it. It required a daily commitment on my part to train, and that ensured that I would be able to finish without injury.
4. Sharing this accomplishment is really important. When I ran and finished my full marathon last year no one was waiting for me at the finish line because I picked a race that was out of state. So no one was there to share the joy of the accomplishment. That really ended up bumming me out. I had just done something pretty damn cool and I had to hug a stranger to celebrate.
However, since this race was "close" to home (45 minutes away) I was able to have my family there waiting for me when I finished. I was so over joyed to see my husband and girls there (and they were glad to see me!) I hope that my girls understand that staying committed and focused will allow them to do anything they want, even if it is to swim/bike/run over 70.3 miles. Here are photos of the signs they made for me at the finish -
So now the questions begs itself, what's next? I would really like to do Hood to Coast next year. It just seems like a really cool race. Perhaps I will adjust the focus on finding a new type of "strong" to continue to foster self confidence.
I will say I want another hundred moments like the one when I finished hand in hand with my girls.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
my fear of the acronym D.N.F.
Its also worth mentioning that I run with an ipod full of music from "Disney" peeps and Glee and that this alone is like mental therapy. Its hard to be down listen to any of this stuff. About 5 miles into my run I realized part of what I really do like is the challenge of the training and then racing was just to prove the point that all of that training was worth it. I would like to thank Miss Miley Cyrus and her song The Climb to remind me of this point.
And then I got a lil more inspiration from the Biebs to stop all that negative self talk.
Okay you can stop laughing your ass off at me now. I have plenty of normally kick me in the ass running music like 3OH!3, Ke$ha, Lady Gaga and the like.
The net is I came out of the run refocused to just do my best and not worry so much about finishing, because what matters more is the doing and the trying in the effort to finish. If the finish happens great, I will just start over again with something else new.
I closed out my run to one of my favorites -
Tomorrow is a 56 mile ride of the bike course.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
the importance of Body Glide on your Attitude
I discovered Body Glide last year during my marathon training. I came to realize quickly how important this can be when you need run 6+ miles and want to avoid blisters in all sorts of places beyond your feet. Trust me when I say a heart monitor can cause the mother of all blisters.
As I ran my miles this am on the treadmill I was annoyed I forgot to pack my mighty stick of body glide. I did knock out 4 miles, but ended up with a blister, but I can't tell you where.
Then as my day progressed I found myself wishing I had body glide for all of me. Like a ultra layer that keeps all of the annoyances of the day from really bugging me and festering into a blister. How cool would that be if someone could invent a pill that gave you that state of mind to not get annoyed and with no side effect on your brain allowing you to make rational decisions?
I realize that all that wishing can be redirected to my attitude and my choice of how I elect to respond to everyday annoyances. I can't stop the fact that the blister is going to manifest itself, but I can choose how much I want to focus on it, and bitch and moan about it.
A good quote that recaps this is by Charles R. Swindoll. “The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.”
So I have a bandaid on my booboo on my boo**, and pressed the reset button on my attitude.
As I ran my miles this am on the treadmill I was annoyed I forgot to pack my mighty stick of body glide. I did knock out 4 miles, but ended up with a blister, but I can't tell you where.
Then as my day progressed I found myself wishing I had body glide for all of me. Like a ultra layer that keeps all of the annoyances of the day from really bugging me and festering into a blister. How cool would that be if someone could invent a pill that gave you that state of mind to not get annoyed and with no side effect on your brain allowing you to make rational decisions?
I realize that all that wishing can be redirected to my attitude and my choice of how I elect to respond to everyday annoyances. I can't stop the fact that the blister is going to manifest itself, but I can choose how much I want to focus on it, and bitch and moan about it.
A good quote that recaps this is by Charles R. Swindoll. “The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.”
So I have a bandaid on my booboo on my boo**, and pressed the reset button on my attitude.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Excuses, excuses, and other general BS....
So the summer has flown by. I have been through summer swim team, an Olympic Tri (which completely kicked my ass), quarter end, and now back to school.
My goal for the fall is not to be completely crushed/humiliated by the half iron man on September 11th. I will do my best to hang tough with my swim/bike/run regime for the next 30 days. I am kicking around the idea of writing the names of some people who lost their lives on 9/11/2001 in remembrance during the tri to help keep me motivated and focused on what I am able to accomplish.
I had someone ask about my blog last week. One of my (5) followers (wow I rock) and I realized have been completely neglecting my accountability factor in my training from what I did last year and blogging and FB updates as I trained for my marathon.
Here is my commitment to the world out there. I will at least post once a day until 9/11/2011 on how my training is going.
Here is a quick recap for this week. Sunday, I did a swim/spin brick- 30 minutes spin (with sprints) on my own + 30 minutes in the outdoor pool. I felt lazy on Sunday. But that is because on Saturday I did a 90 minute outdoor ride and then ran 6 miles and I felt GREAT during the workout, but needed nap in the afternoon to recover.
Monday, was the first day of school. I was very too focused on my girls in the morning and did not work out. However, I did a quick outdoor bike (45 min) for lunch. It was freakin hot! It over 85 degrees and a sh**load of traffic at 11am, which completely freaks me out. I completely smoked Alan-( my husband) small personal victory, but I think that is b/c he had worked out earlier that day and was riding an antiquated bike. But, hell it felt really good to be faster than him for a change. Sorry hunny, love you though.
Today (Tuesday) I got a late wake up call so I worked out for 17 minutes, exactly. I ran sprints. I am in San Diego and I have to say I friggin love running at sea level! I should have worked out when I came back from meetings today, but I elected to drink wine and catch up on email. My bad.
I do have an early wake up call and plan on running BEFORE I get on the plane tomorrow. The flip side is to see if I can squeeze a bike or swim tomorrow after I get home after work. Really need to squeeze in some type of double/brick.
I have to admit I hate working out in the afternoon, in fact my brain is way happier working before 3pm. So an afternoon workout is almost like brain damage.
Here are the best excuses for not working out that I have found personally and/or posted on line:
1. I don't have the time. Well, no one does. Therefore you must make the time. So wake up 30 minutes earlier and go a for a walk/run, bike,etc , its that simple. Get your ass out of bed and just get it done. You will not die by waking up 30 minutes earlier. Or exercise in 10 minute intervals in between calls or meetings. I know you can find 30 minutes.
2. I don't have anyone to work out with . Ya know what you are your best company. Hanging with just you, yourself, and I is not a bad thing for 30- 60 minutes. Enjoy the solitude and time to hash out all of those self discussions. You might just decide you really like yourself and want to kick some ass.
3. I would rather spend 30 more minutes sleeping. This one is hard one for me to argue. I am a huge advocate for sleep, BUT the upside on exercising is so monumental that the benefits for exercise, even just a walk far out weigh the extra 30 minutes of sleep. So, put your work out clothes and tennis shoes RIGHT NEXT to the bed. Let the alarm go off, change clothes in a blur and head out the door with some rockin tunes. By the time you get back you will be awake and in a kickin mood to make a positive difference in your life and the lives of others.
off to bed now, I have an early wake up call to run then FLY!
My goal for the fall is not to be completely crushed/humiliated by the half iron man on September 11th. I will do my best to hang tough with my swim/bike/run regime for the next 30 days. I am kicking around the idea of writing the names of some people who lost their lives on 9/11/2001 in remembrance during the tri to help keep me motivated and focused on what I am able to accomplish.
I had someone ask about my blog last week. One of my (5) followers (wow I rock) and I realized have been completely neglecting my accountability factor in my training from what I did last year and blogging and FB updates as I trained for my marathon.
Here is my commitment to the world out there. I will at least post once a day until 9/11/2011 on how my training is going.
Here is a quick recap for this week. Sunday, I did a swim/spin brick- 30 minutes spin (with sprints) on my own + 30 minutes in the outdoor pool. I felt lazy on Sunday. But that is because on Saturday I did a 90 minute outdoor ride and then ran 6 miles and I felt GREAT during the workout, but needed nap in the afternoon to recover.
Monday, was the first day of school. I was very too focused on my girls in the morning and did not work out. However, I did a quick outdoor bike (45 min) for lunch. It was freakin hot! It over 85 degrees and a sh**load of traffic at 11am, which completely freaks me out. I completely smoked Alan-( my husband) small personal victory, but I think that is b/c he had worked out earlier that day and was riding an antiquated bike. But, hell it felt really good to be faster than him for a change. Sorry hunny, love you though.
Today (Tuesday) I got a late wake up call so I worked out for 17 minutes, exactly. I ran sprints. I am in San Diego and I have to say I friggin love running at sea level! I should have worked out when I came back from meetings today, but I elected to drink wine and catch up on email. My bad.
I do have an early wake up call and plan on running BEFORE I get on the plane tomorrow. The flip side is to see if I can squeeze a bike or swim tomorrow after I get home after work. Really need to squeeze in some type of double/brick.
I have to admit I hate working out in the afternoon, in fact my brain is way happier working before 3pm. So an afternoon workout is almost like brain damage.
Here are the best excuses for not working out that I have found personally and/or posted on line:
1. I don't have the time. Well, no one does. Therefore you must make the time. So wake up 30 minutes earlier and go a for a walk/run, bike,etc , its that simple. Get your ass out of bed and just get it done. You will not die by waking up 30 minutes earlier. Or exercise in 10 minute intervals in between calls or meetings. I know you can find 30 minutes.
2. I don't have anyone to work out with . Ya know what you are your best company. Hanging with just you, yourself, and I is not a bad thing for 30- 60 minutes. Enjoy the solitude and time to hash out all of those self discussions. You might just decide you really like yourself and want to kick some ass.
3. I would rather spend 30 more minutes sleeping. This one is hard one for me to argue. I am a huge advocate for sleep, BUT the upside on exercising is so monumental that the benefits for exercise, even just a walk far out weigh the extra 30 minutes of sleep. So, put your work out clothes and tennis shoes RIGHT NEXT to the bed. Let the alarm go off, change clothes in a blur and head out the door with some rockin tunes. By the time you get back you will be awake and in a kickin mood to make a positive difference in your life and the lives of others.
off to bed now, I have an early wake up call to run then FLY!
Saturday, April 23, 2011
the next 30 days
It has been almost 30 days since I posted. A combination of laziness and poor use of time resulted in not getting a post up. As my job has transitioned into a higher gear (which I had not realized was possible) and I have found the balancing act I had in place went completely into the shitter.
There are a couple of positives out of the last 30 days though. I set a PR in my first half marathon of the season by 5 minutes, yeah me! Negative split training worked well. I also managed to shed 7 of the extra 17 pounds I have been toting around with me. Again, yeah me! This was primarily done through portion control and calorie counting. I have to admit I am a completely emotional eater. Stress equals hand me a bag of chips and a glass of wine and let the serotonin do its job.
I think the next 30 days will be pretty interesting. I will be on the road between 50%-75% of the time. Being away from my family will completely suck. However, the upside is the potential impact I can have on my team who is a truly amazing group of people. My role now is to focus on execution, strategy, and empowerment. I will have to figure out how to squelch the need to be in control and exude implicit trust...... OMG that will be hard.
So in closing my mantra will be about karma. Lets pray I'm not a bitch.
There are a couple of positives out of the last 30 days though. I set a PR in my first half marathon of the season by 5 minutes, yeah me! Negative split training worked well. I also managed to shed 7 of the extra 17 pounds I have been toting around with me. Again, yeah me! This was primarily done through portion control and calorie counting. I have to admit I am a completely emotional eater. Stress equals hand me a bag of chips and a glass of wine and let the serotonin do its job.
I think the next 30 days will be pretty interesting. I will be on the road between 50%-75% of the time. Being away from my family will completely suck. However, the upside is the potential impact I can have on my team who is a truly amazing group of people. My role now is to focus on execution, strategy, and empowerment. I will have to figure out how to squelch the need to be in control and exude implicit trust...... OMG that will be hard.
So in closing my mantra will be about karma. Lets pray I'm not a bitch.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Top 10 things running has taught me
As I went for a late afternoon run yesterday I pondered the top 10 things I have learned as I have embraced running. Here's my list:
I have learned....
10. to spit while running. The art of spitting properly is not taught to most girls. So to learn how to do this effectively while running I think is pretty damn cool. I know this one is silly in relevance to the other items, but this one made me laugh the hardest.
9. to let go of "what I think I look like" while running. I think most women have a hard time with exercising because we don't want to look bad or stupid doing it. At this point I don't really give a crap how much my boobs bounce or what my hair looks like.
8. to breathe. I mean really breathe. Running, especially long distances requires you to be attuned to your breathing. If you can't control your breathing you are screwed.
7. to be in the moment. I will say that a lot of the time while I am running I am processing all sorts of stuff, work, family, what I should be eating, etc. But, I have also found that I am taking more time to really be present, notice my surroundings and the beauty, enjoying the time and spirit of my dog as she runs with me, or showing gratitude to my fellow runners, especially those that pass me and I wish them luck. (Someday I hope to be faster and be the one doing more passing.)
6. to listen to my body. I think most people have huge disconnect between their head, their heart, and their body. I will say running has taught me to pay attention even to the slightest of sensations. That being said a lot of those sensations are my legs, glutes, traps asking me (screaming at me) to stop. I definitely acknowledge that they are not totally digging going out for 13.1+ miles, but instead tell myself it will be okay and that my body can handle this.
5. that time does matter. Most people just roll through their days without a true concept of time or its value. From running I have really come to value my time. The time I spend away from my family to go for a long 18 mile run, all the way down to the 3 seconds I save and set a PR. Every second it precious.
4. goals cannot be accomplished without a plan, and that plan needs to be worked on a daily basis. This one really hit home when I completed my first full marathon last year. This was a BHAG of a goal, but I broke it down (with the help of my trainer, Jen), and came up with a plan that I worked at everyday to achieve it.
3. it's okay to give myself a break. This is a tough one for me. People are much more critical of ourselves than anyone else. I have found that I have to accept the days when I am not really feeling it and running fast, and just let myself walk. And more over appreciate the fact that I can walk. Showing self kindness is a lost art, again one that is not taught to most women.
2. that I am strong. Strong is powerful adjective that I think for the most part people (specially women) do not apply to themselves. I am proud to say that I have great physical power; have moral or intellectual power
1. to tell self doubt to take flying leap. You know that nagging voice in your head that tells you all the shit that you can't do, or that you suck, yadda yadda yadda. Well I finally had a come to Jesus conversation with that voice and told it no longer could run around wreaking havoc on me. I have found faith in myself that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to.
I have learned....
10. to spit while running. The art of spitting properly is not taught to most girls. So to learn how to do this effectively while running I think is pretty damn cool. I know this one is silly in relevance to the other items, but this one made me laugh the hardest.
9. to let go of "what I think I look like" while running. I think most women have a hard time with exercising because we don't want to look bad or stupid doing it. At this point I don't really give a crap how much my boobs bounce or what my hair looks like.
8. to breathe. I mean really breathe. Running, especially long distances requires you to be attuned to your breathing. If you can't control your breathing you are screwed.
7. to be in the moment. I will say that a lot of the time while I am running I am processing all sorts of stuff, work, family, what I should be eating, etc. But, I have also found that I am taking more time to really be present, notice my surroundings and the beauty, enjoying the time and spirit of my dog as she runs with me, or showing gratitude to my fellow runners, especially those that pass me and I wish them luck. (Someday I hope to be faster and be the one doing more passing.)
6. to listen to my body. I think most people have huge disconnect between their head, their heart, and their body. I will say running has taught me to pay attention even to the slightest of sensations. That being said a lot of those sensations are my legs, glutes, traps asking me (screaming at me) to stop. I definitely acknowledge that they are not totally digging going out for 13.1+ miles, but instead tell myself it will be okay and that my body can handle this.
5. that time does matter. Most people just roll through their days without a true concept of time or its value. From running I have really come to value my time. The time I spend away from my family to go for a long 18 mile run, all the way down to the 3 seconds I save and set a PR. Every second it precious.
4. goals cannot be accomplished without a plan, and that plan needs to be worked on a daily basis. This one really hit home when I completed my first full marathon last year. This was a BHAG of a goal, but I broke it down (with the help of my trainer, Jen), and came up with a plan that I worked at everyday to achieve it.
3. it's okay to give myself a break. This is a tough one for me. People are much more critical of ourselves than anyone else. I have found that I have to accept the days when I am not really feeling it and running fast, and just let myself walk. And more over appreciate the fact that I can walk. Showing self kindness is a lost art, again one that is not taught to most women.
2. that I am strong. Strong is powerful adjective that I think for the most part people (specially women) do not apply to themselves. I am proud to say that I have great physical power; have moral or intellectual power
1. to tell self doubt to take flying leap. You know that nagging voice in your head that tells you all the shit that you can't do, or that you suck, yadda yadda yadda. Well I finally had a come to Jesus conversation with that voice and told it no longer could run around wreaking havoc on me. I have found faith in myself that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
off the deep end
Its been since Oct 2010 since I last posted and I will admit that work and life in general seemed to be going so fast that I couldn't keep up. Its now 4 months later and I am sitting here thinking the excuses have to stop and I need to get serious and get committed again to making time to run ( or any form of exercise) and find some better balance in life.
With that in mind I have signed up for my first half marathon of the year, Boulder Spring Half Marathon, and will push myself to work toward a PR. I have found especially when money and my pride is on the line I tend to behave a little differently. Image that, me being motivated by $$$ and my ego?! I guess its a good thing I am sales.
I do also have plans for some goals for this spring, summer and a BHAG to complete a half Ironman this fall.
Here is the plan for the next few months:
May - must have six pack abs by the SilkRoad users conference. No way I can be seen in a bathing suit by co-workers and clients unless I drop some serious body fat. That means no more carbs and focus on consistent cardio and weights, and the all dreaded core workout. There is something really sick about sit ups and push ups.
June- Have massive upper body strength to be able to rock my first surfing lesson on the Big Island. Learning to surf is one of my bucket list items, and God knows that not only do I really want to be able to do it well, but I better look damn good doing it too. Good thing the goal for May is to look good in a bathing suit.
July - Have a really fun birthday party. And surprisingly enough, it will not be all about me. We decided in the Tapley household that any birthday that ends in a 9 will be philanthropy type of party. Since I am turning 39 I have decided to have a party where I ask everyone to bring at least one item to donate to to Dress for Success. It would be great to be able to have my own little "suit drive"!
August - Have a team ride with me in the Venus de Miles ride. I road in this event last year for the first time and it was well done. I am not sure I will commit to the 100 or even 67 mile course, but I will commit to getting more people together to go out and enjoy being on the road and supporting an amazing cause the Greenhouse Scholars. This is a women's only ride, but if any of my male friends want to ride you can do so, you just have to do it in drag.
September - Complete without injury my first half Ironman triathlon. The Harvest Moon has been recommended, so that is the plan for now. And I have put the money down on the race so I am committed. Lord help me.
I am sure there will be other halfs sprinkled in there.....
October - go on a girls only vacation to Disney World with my lovely girls and sister. The goal will be to hide my blackberry from me during business hours and ride as many roller coasters as possible.
I think that covers me for the next few months. Now I only need to commit to updating my blog more frequently with my progress. I think for the first update I may have to post before picture of my abs and then in May post after picture. Maybe that is not what the public needs to see, but it would keep me accountable.
With that in mind I have signed up for my first half marathon of the year, Boulder Spring Half Marathon, and will push myself to work toward a PR. I have found especially when money and my pride is on the line I tend to behave a little differently. Image that, me being motivated by $$$ and my ego?! I guess its a good thing I am sales.
I do also have plans for some goals for this spring, summer and a BHAG to complete a half Ironman this fall.
Here is the plan for the next few months:
May - must have six pack abs by the SilkRoad users conference. No way I can be seen in a bathing suit by co-workers and clients unless I drop some serious body fat. That means no more carbs and focus on consistent cardio and weights, and the all dreaded core workout. There is something really sick about sit ups and push ups.
June- Have massive upper body strength to be able to rock my first surfing lesson on the Big Island. Learning to surf is one of my bucket list items, and God knows that not only do I really want to be able to do it well, but I better look damn good doing it too. Good thing the goal for May is to look good in a bathing suit.
July - Have a really fun birthday party. And surprisingly enough, it will not be all about me. We decided in the Tapley household that any birthday that ends in a 9 will be philanthropy type of party. Since I am turning 39 I have decided to have a party where I ask everyone to bring at least one item to donate to to Dress for Success. It would be great to be able to have my own little "suit drive"!
August - Have a team ride with me in the Venus de Miles ride. I road in this event last year for the first time and it was well done. I am not sure I will commit to the 100 or even 67 mile course, but I will commit to getting more people together to go out and enjoy being on the road and supporting an amazing cause the Greenhouse Scholars. This is a women's only ride, but if any of my male friends want to ride you can do so, you just have to do it in drag.
September - Complete without injury my first half Ironman triathlon. The Harvest Moon has been recommended, so that is the plan for now. And I have put the money down on the race so I am committed. Lord help me.
I am sure there will be other halfs sprinkled in there.....
October - go on a girls only vacation to Disney World with my lovely girls and sister. The goal will be to hide my blackberry from me during business hours and ride as many roller coasters as possible.
I think that covers me for the next few months. Now I only need to commit to updating my blog more frequently with my progress. I think for the first update I may have to post before picture of my abs and then in May post after picture. Maybe that is not what the public needs to see, but it would keep me accountable.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
watching and wishing
I watched the Elite athletes run and finish the Chicago marathon today, via an online webcast, thank you to NBC. And I got to see glimpses of the other runners through the streets packed with volunteers and other spectators cheering them on. All I could think of, "man I really want to be running with them". So I am putting it out there that someday before I die I will run the Chicago marathon and then a serious BHAG, qualify for Boston, that means I have to drop some significant time off of my current pace, but hell, if you don't put it out there, then the Universe cannot bring it to you. Note to self, I just double check the qualifying times and this is one hell of a nutso goal.
So bring it Universe.
In an effort to work toward my goal of improving time I am looking forward to the Denver Rock N Roll half on Sunday. As long as I am faster than my time in March I am good. If I am faster than my splits from the Missoula full marathon I will be super happy.
Let taper week begin!
So bring it Universe.
In an effort to work toward my goal of improving time I am looking forward to the Denver Rock N Roll half on Sunday. As long as I am faster than my time in March I am good. If I am faster than my splits from the Missoula full marathon I will be super happy.
Let taper week begin!
Sunday, September 26, 2010
in sickness and in health
Its been a while since I posted and this past week I hit a rough patch as I caught my first virus (of what I will assume will be several) this fall from my kids. I was throttled with a tremendous head cold which made it hard to breathe through my nose and hear out of my ears. I ran at the beginning of the week, but missed my workouts for tempo and speed on Wed and Friday, and my Thursday Bikram class. I did manage to get myself to yoga class on Saturday and then run my planned 10 miles today.
During Bikram all of the sinus issues went away, gotta love a room that is 104 degrees and 90% humidity! Bikram just makes you get all of the junk, including boogies, out of your body. Yet this morning as I ran, I felt with every step a real challenge to breathe. This got me thinking that I am really lucky to be healthy person. I cannot fathom trying to exercise and not being able to breathe properly. When I got home I pondered even further what would it be like to be an athlete with asthma? Then in research I find that Paula Radcliffe lives with asthma and is the current world record hold in the marathon and has won 7 races.
That just hammers home the sentiment that with commitment anyone can persevere to succeed.
I am optimistic this virus is on the way out and that in 2 weeks I will finish my 3rd half marathon of the year with a PR. Today I was faster than my past times for 10 miles. So even with booger fest 2010 raging in my head my mind pushed my body excel.
During Bikram all of the sinus issues went away, gotta love a room that is 104 degrees and 90% humidity! Bikram just makes you get all of the junk, including boogies, out of your body. Yet this morning as I ran, I felt with every step a real challenge to breathe. This got me thinking that I am really lucky to be healthy person. I cannot fathom trying to exercise and not being able to breathe properly. When I got home I pondered even further what would it be like to be an athlete with asthma? Then in research I find that Paula Radcliffe lives with asthma and is the current world record hold in the marathon and has won 7 races.
That just hammers home the sentiment that with commitment anyone can persevere to succeed.
I am optimistic this virus is on the way out and that in 2 weeks I will finish my 3rd half marathon of the year with a PR. Today I was faster than my past times for 10 miles. So even with booger fest 2010 raging in my head my mind pushed my body excel.
Monday, September 6, 2010
getting my sh** together- time to set some goals
Okay, I have been meandering through the last several weeks trying to figure out what to do with myself and making up every excuse in the book to avoid committing to "exercising" or training for anything. I kicked around doing a tri, but didn't seem uber motivated.
I should comment that I did do a 50 mile bike ride, http://www.venusdemiles.com/ about two weeks ago. I am glad I did the ride as I learned a lot. I learned that I am just not happy on my bike (specifically out on a road with cars whizzing by me at 60+MPH) in comparison to other forms of exercise. While I can bike fairly efficiently, I never, not even once, relaxed the way I do when I run or swim, or even more importantly, achieved the endorphin rush. I can see myself still doing short distance and maybe even Olympic distance tri's, but I know the bike really is the big deterrent to doing a half or full http://www.ironman.com/.
I was a complete SLOTH over this Labor Day holiday, eating and drinking, eating and drinking, sleeping, eating more and more....ugh. Today I spent the day reading http://www.facebook.com/ updates, http://www.runnersworld.com/ articles, and learning about the http://www.posetech.com/ running method. One of the facebook updates came from http://www.lululemon.com/ and put out a challenge to go out and set some goals, and even better to take a picture of yourself with a BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal). And that is what prompted this post. Following is the list of my goals for the next 12 months, well at least 6 months, I will see how far I get at the end of the post with identifying 12 months out. I do plan to write up my BHAG and send it to Lululemon to see if they post it.
1. Sept 30 : I complete all of my outlined daily training plans, which includes strength training, stretching, and resting.
2. October 17: I have a personal best in the Denver Rock N Roll Half Marathon, http://denver.competitor.com/, with a time of 2:38:27. I know this is not super fast, but it is improvement over both of the half marathon times I have put down this season.
3. November 7: I lose 12 pounds from my starting weight from Sept 7, 2010. This loss will also include a 2 percent reduction in body fat.
4. December 30: I finish the year at 100% of quota - $750M while continuing to exercise a minimum of 4xtimes a week.
5. January 15: I learn to snow shoe and have gone 5x times, twice with Riley.
6. February 14 (or thereabouts): I complete my first 5K snowshoe race, the Screaming Snowman, http://www.racingunderground.com/sssnowman.html with Riley.
7. Mid March (date TBD): I compete in the Boulder Spring Half Marathon, http://www.bouldermarathon.com/27.html and improve my time by finishing at 2:35 or faster.
8, 9, 10, not really sure, there will be another marathon in there, with the goal to finish at 5:25, taking 14 minutes off of my time in 2010. I need to decide on a summer race, some place fun that I can bring the family so they can cheer me on and even see me finish!
Just the exercise of writing this post really makes me stop and think about what is possible and not, and again I remember that the only thing holding me back from anything is me.
I should comment that I did do a 50 mile bike ride, http://www.venusdemiles.com/ about two weeks ago. I am glad I did the ride as I learned a lot. I learned that I am just not happy on my bike (specifically out on a road with cars whizzing by me at 60+MPH) in comparison to other forms of exercise. While I can bike fairly efficiently, I never, not even once, relaxed the way I do when I run or swim, or even more importantly, achieved the endorphin rush. I can see myself still doing short distance and maybe even Olympic distance tri's, but I know the bike really is the big deterrent to doing a half or full http://www.ironman.com/.
I was a complete SLOTH over this Labor Day holiday, eating and drinking, eating and drinking, sleeping, eating more and more....ugh. Today I spent the day reading http://www.facebook.com/ updates, http://www.runnersworld.com/ articles, and learning about the http://www.posetech.com/ running method. One of the facebook updates came from http://www.lululemon.com/ and put out a challenge to go out and set some goals, and even better to take a picture of yourself with a BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal). And that is what prompted this post. Following is the list of my goals for the next 12 months, well at least 6 months, I will see how far I get at the end of the post with identifying 12 months out. I do plan to write up my BHAG and send it to Lululemon to see if they post it.
1. Sept 30 : I complete all of my outlined daily training plans, which includes strength training, stretching, and resting.
2. October 17: I have a personal best in the Denver Rock N Roll Half Marathon, http://denver.competitor.com/, with a time of 2:38:27. I know this is not super fast, but it is improvement over both of the half marathon times I have put down this season.
3. November 7: I lose 12 pounds from my starting weight from Sept 7, 2010. This loss will also include a 2 percent reduction in body fat.
4. December 30: I finish the year at 100% of quota - $750M while continuing to exercise a minimum of 4xtimes a week.
5. January 15: I learn to snow shoe and have gone 5x times, twice with Riley.
6. February 14 (or thereabouts): I complete my first 5K snowshoe race, the Screaming Snowman, http://www.racingunderground.com/sssnowman.html with Riley.
7. Mid March (date TBD): I compete in the Boulder Spring Half Marathon, http://www.bouldermarathon.com/27.html and improve my time by finishing at 2:35 or faster.
8, 9, 10, not really sure, there will be another marathon in there, with the goal to finish at 5:25, taking 14 minutes off of my time in 2010. I need to decide on a summer race, some place fun that I can bring the family so they can cheer me on and even see me finish!
Just the exercise of writing this post really makes me stop and think about what is possible and not, and again I remember that the only thing holding me back from anything is me.
Friday, July 16, 2010
now what????
So it's been about a week following the race and I have no flippin clue what to do with myself. Yes, I have a few other races planned, but I feel like so who the F*** cares, they are all shorter and some how "easier" in my mind. I have done nothing but sit on my ass and eat and drink this week, and drink some more..... I know the marathon was huge accomplishment, and I am stoked at my overall performance. But I feel like I should want more. Is that reasonable? Or just foolishness?
Perhaps I should set goals on time now rather than distance? Thoughts? Suggestions? I don't want to lose my mojo. I am still planning a 4 mi race with Alan (husband) through an obstacle course, then a sprint tri with a friend from HS, a 50 mile bike, and another half marathon in Oct with a friend from college. I just want to stay on track and have that mojo to do my best.... Any encouragement would be awesome. Perhaps this post should just go to my coach to put me in my place, but I would love to hear other insight on what to next after "the big one".
Perhaps I should set goals on time now rather than distance? Thoughts? Suggestions? I don't want to lose my mojo. I am still planning a 4 mi race with Alan (husband) through an obstacle course, then a sprint tri with a friend from HS, a 50 mile bike, and another half marathon in Oct with a friend from college. I just want to stay on track and have that mojo to do my best.... Any encouragement would be awesome. Perhaps this post should just go to my coach to put me in my place, but I would love to hear other insight on what to next after "the big one".
Friday, July 9, 2010
anticipation
It is two days before the race and I will admit I am nervous. First, I feel not so hot physically. I seem to have caught a cold or triggered my allergies and now have resorted to keeping a box of kleenex in tow with me as I have travel from Chicago home and now today from Denver to Seattle to Missoula. I am fuzzy headed from the OTC meds and am hoping I can wean myself from them in the next 24 hours.
The second aspect around the nerves seems to be from the looks of astonishment I get when I have told people I am running a marathon this weekend. They are all very supportive and verbally extend a "good luck", "you can do it", blah, blah, blah. But the looks on their face, well those are different. Those seem to be saying "What a f***ing nut case", "why in the hell would you want to do that?", and my favorite was one person who immediately looked at his feet and shook their head after I told him.
So as I sit here waiting for my final flight that brings me closer to one of the biggest challenges of my life I am wondering whether or not to share my plans with others.
My anxiety level is high enough normally, I really don't need it fueled by outsiders questions of my sanity.
I keep telling myself its all good. I will be fine. I will feel better. I will finish. Uninjured. I know what matters most is what I believe and know to be true, not what others perceive.
With that in mind, I probably won't chat it up at much over this next flight, but should someone ask why are you going to Missoula, I will answer, proudly to run my first marathon and to finish uninjured.
The second aspect around the nerves seems to be from the looks of astonishment I get when I have told people I am running a marathon this weekend. They are all very supportive and verbally extend a "good luck", "you can do it", blah, blah, blah. But the looks on their face, well those are different. Those seem to be saying "What a f***ing nut case", "why in the hell would you want to do that?", and my favorite was one person who immediately looked at his feet and shook their head after I told him.
So as I sit here waiting for my final flight that brings me closer to one of the biggest challenges of my life I am wondering whether or not to share my plans with others.
My anxiety level is high enough normally, I really don't need it fueled by outsiders questions of my sanity.
I keep telling myself its all good. I will be fine. I will feel better. I will finish. Uninjured. I know what matters most is what I believe and know to be true, not what others perceive.
With that in mind, I probably won't chat it up at much over this next flight, but should someone ask why are you going to Missoula, I will answer, proudly to run my first marathon and to finish uninjured.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
When the music dies....
Today was my final LONG run before the marathon next Sunday. Twenty miles to be exact. In all of my efforts to prepare for the run I had not realized that my iPhone had not charged properly the day before. So this morning I delayed the start of my run to almost 8am and left with the phone 3/4 of way charged.
I got to the track and started running at 8am. An hour and twelve minutes in, bam, phone dies! So I finish my run (jog and a shitload of walking) in silence. Three and half hours later as I come to finish I realize I was probably way more present during my run. Focused on form or lack there of, keeping my arms, shoulders and neck loose, and just an overall presence of what was happening to me physically. I was grotesquely hot, as it was over 95 degrees when I finished and the stickiness from all of the sunscreen was maddening.
At mile 18 I discovered two spots I had missed with body glide and the chaffing spots became pretty unbearable. I literally had to beg myself to do 12 more laps to finish and telling myself to ignore the irritant.
So I sound pretty miserable right? Yes, I was miserable, but amazed at the same time. I was (am still) in awe of the fact that I went 20 miles. Its something I have never done and honestly thought how is that possible?
So as I think about next week and taking on 26 miles, I am sure that I will probably at some point befriend some misery, but found that I can get through that by staying present and just taking it step by step.
I got to the track and started running at 8am. An hour and twelve minutes in, bam, phone dies! So I finish my run (jog and a shitload of walking) in silence. Three and half hours later as I come to finish I realize I was probably way more present during my run. Focused on form or lack there of, keeping my arms, shoulders and neck loose, and just an overall presence of what was happening to me physically. I was grotesquely hot, as it was over 95 degrees when I finished and the stickiness from all of the sunscreen was maddening.
At mile 18 I discovered two spots I had missed with body glide and the chaffing spots became pretty unbearable. I literally had to beg myself to do 12 more laps to finish and telling myself to ignore the irritant.
So I sound pretty miserable right? Yes, I was miserable, but amazed at the same time. I was (am still) in awe of the fact that I went 20 miles. Its something I have never done and honestly thought how is that possible?
So as I think about next week and taking on 26 miles, I am sure that I will probably at some point befriend some misery, but found that I can get through that by staying present and just taking it step by step.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
its been awhile....
Its been over 30 days since I last posted, my bad. I did complete my bike "race" which was more of a ride. I decided a week before the race to not attempt the 100 miles and focus on completing the 34 mile ride. I knew I had not properly prepared for a 100 mile distance and did not want to risk injury. I have to say that was one of the best decisions I have ever made. The course was fairly challenging with lots of hills. I don't mind the going up, as much as I mind the going down, that is terrifying....
Now to focus on my first marathon. Its July 11th in Missoula, MT. Twenty-four days and counting. I have to admit I am pretty excited for this race. Not that I will have some stellar smokin fast time, but that I will have accomplished something I thought was pretty much impossible for someone (me) who is labeled "not a runner".
I have been thinking about that label I gave myself, "not a runner". Why would I do that??? Hmmm, because its easier to believe the bad rather than the good? Because its easier to believe that something that is challenging is impossible?
Over the past few months as I started running consistently I have learned about perspective and what we tell ourselves. First the amount of negative self talk that happens in my head, wow, let me just say is just annoying and soul crushing. I have found that while running I must stay present and be my own best cheerleader, tellling myself that I can do this, to stay with it, ignore the tiredness, etc. I realize now that I am a "runner". Perhaps I will never be smokin fast, but that is okay. What I have gained is a realistic perspective that if you put fear and negativity aside and focus on the present, the positive, and investing in yourself the impossible becomes possible.
Now to focus on my first marathon. Its July 11th in Missoula, MT. Twenty-four days and counting. I have to admit I am pretty excited for this race. Not that I will have some stellar smokin fast time, but that I will have accomplished something I thought was pretty much impossible for someone (me) who is labeled "not a runner".
I have been thinking about that label I gave myself, "not a runner". Why would I do that??? Hmmm, because its easier to believe the bad rather than the good? Because its easier to believe that something that is challenging is impossible?
Over the past few months as I started running consistently I have learned about perspective and what we tell ourselves. First the amount of negative self talk that happens in my head, wow, let me just say is just annoying and soul crushing. I have found that while running I must stay present and be my own best cheerleader, tellling myself that I can do this, to stay with it, ignore the tiredness, etc. I realize now that I am a "runner". Perhaps I will never be smokin fast, but that is okay. What I have gained is a realistic perspective that if you put fear and negativity aside and focus on the present, the positive, and investing in yourself the impossible becomes possible.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
taking a compliment
I find that taking a compliment is a really tough thing to do. Today I had two friends post on my facebook status that they thought I was inspirational. Rather than just say thanks and bask in their kindness I felt really weird about it. I kept thinking, me inspirational? Really? I am not sure why it so tough for me to accept a compliment, I don't recall being overly rejected as a child, though I will admit, that parts of my childhood made me feel less than accepted. But as an adult I guess you don't hear compliments like you did when you were a kid getting stickers saying WAY TO GO, YOU ROCK, YOU GO GIRL, or even better, YOU'RE AN INSPIRATION!
So after an hour of feeling really weird about the compliments I have let them soak in and I am smiling, thinking HELL YESS! I DO ROCK!!! :-)
So thank you to Ashli, Joe, Cara and Dani for the Facebook stickers. I really appreciate it. I am happy to know that my posting about my crazy workouts motivates you to get moving too. I want all of my friends to be happy and healthy. In the end that is all that matters.
So after an hour of feeling really weird about the compliments I have let them soak in and I am smiling, thinking HELL YESS! I DO ROCK!!! :-)
So thank you to Ashli, Joe, Cara and Dani for the Facebook stickers. I really appreciate it. I am happy to know that my posting about my crazy workouts motivates you to get moving too. I want all of my friends to be happy and healthy. In the end that is all that matters.
Friday, May 7, 2010
time to focus
Its been a while since I have last posted and I will have to admit I have become highly distracted with work, travel, kids, more work, and even reading a book.
Yesterday I finally (after many days off) got a work out in, 1 hour 45 minutes on a spin bike. I got up on the bike and went to turn on my iphone to listen to music and whaddya know, I forgot to charge the damn thing. So I sat there and debated, screw the work out, its hard to spin with no music and motivation, or suck it up and deal and ride any way.
So I stayed on the bike and people watched and listened the plethora of chatter in my wee little head. Man I really have a lot going on in there.
What I realized though in that hour in forty five minutes was my struggle to FOCUS on the task at hand. To stop and just think about riding that bike. To use my legs all the way through the pedal stroke. To keep my form strong, shoulders relaxed. That aspect of the workout was 10x more taxing than the ride.
I guess in the world we live in today we live to be distracted. With twitter, Facebook, IM, email, cell phones, etc, its rare that we just do one thing. I am one of those multi-task until you drop kind of people, but this training made me stop and think, am I really being effective with all that sh** going on?
I am glad I stayed on the bike. It made me think about when I am going to be out on the road, for 8+ hours, and I need to get real with myself and focus.
I am going to apply this more to my day to day activities and thoughts, adjusting to one thing at a time.
Yesterday I finally (after many days off) got a work out in, 1 hour 45 minutes on a spin bike. I got up on the bike and went to turn on my iphone to listen to music and whaddya know, I forgot to charge the damn thing. So I sat there and debated, screw the work out, its hard to spin with no music and motivation, or suck it up and deal and ride any way.
So I stayed on the bike and people watched and listened the plethora of chatter in my wee little head. Man I really have a lot going on in there.
What I realized though in that hour in forty five minutes was my struggle to FOCUS on the task at hand. To stop and just think about riding that bike. To use my legs all the way through the pedal stroke. To keep my form strong, shoulders relaxed. That aspect of the workout was 10x more taxing than the ride.
I guess in the world we live in today we live to be distracted. With twitter, Facebook, IM, email, cell phones, etc, its rare that we just do one thing. I am one of those multi-task until you drop kind of people, but this training made me stop and think, am I really being effective with all that sh** going on?
I am glad I stayed on the bike. It made me think about when I am going to be out on the road, for 8+ hours, and I need to get real with myself and focus.
I am going to apply this more to my day to day activities and thoughts, adjusting to one thing at a time.
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