Strength.....

I have been having a super fun, but busy summer.  This week I have had a few opportunities to sit and watch what I want on TV and have been loving watching the Olympic Trials!!!  I am FASCINATED by the strength of these athletes!  I keep pointing out to the girls the muscles on each of the athletes.  I mean, like right now, I am watching the male gymnasts! The strength they have on the rings....WOW!!!    We've been watching the long distance runners.....the abs on the runners!  AWESOME!!!  The arm muscles on the swimmer...I'm JEALOUS!!!

The strength we see on athletes is amazing.....but we recognize it because we can SEE it.  What about the strength we don't actually see?  What about my former students who just had to bury their 4 month old baby girl, but can still find the strength to get up in the mornings?  What about the strength of a friend who just lost their mom and is handling all the preparations.  What about the strength of several of my friends who are going through divorces and are still smiling around their kids.  What about our everyday strength.....getting up and working out when we would rather sleep, cleaning our house when we would rather watch TV, smiling when we would rather cry.

My strength......<3

We all have days where we have to be stronger than people realize; because we are using our inner strength, not necessarily outer strength.  I think it's important to show/explain to our kids inner and outer strength.

We all LOVE to receive compliments....so why don't we hand them out more? Compliment people who are strong....let them know you can see it and how awesome it is!

For now....I will continue to watch the Olympic Trials and anxiously await the Olympics!  So awesome to see "regular" people representing us!!  I LOVE it!!!

The Truth About Me and Running.....

Okay...here is the truth...I don't love to run....until I have finished.  There are days that lacing up my tennis shoes is possibly the most dreaded thing on my to do list....but I do it.  As some of you know, I set a goal to run 500 miles this year.  So far (as of June 4th) I have run 258 miles, so I am over half way there.  I am super proud of this, but there are days I would rather do nothing.  

I truly believe that the best way to lose weight and be healthy involves eating healthy and exercising.  I know lots of people use a variety of things....but the truth of it is being healthy is a lifestyle change.  I am pretty good at the working out part. I would say I workout or run 5 times a week on average.  It is the eating part that gets me.  The truth...I LOVE food. 

When I workout it is mostly in a group setting...which I LOVE because I have other people going through it with me.  I have other people encouraging/motivating me.  I love the variety, the people, the fact I am completely exhausted and so is everyone else...it is AWESOME!

Running.....that is individual.  I mean yes, you can race the person next to you on the treadmill or sign up for various races, but running is all about you and what you can do.  Sometimes I feel pretty good about it...I feel like I could run miles and miles...other days, I am forcing myself to get on the treadmill, but the truth is I always feel GREAT when I am done and usually I question whether or not I could have gone further (which means...I could have gone further).  :)

I am so inspired by other runners...those that have NEVER ran in their lives starting the Couch 2 5K program, those that complete marathons with disabilities, those that wake up in the morning and immediately start logging those miles.....it's just impressive to me.

Running is not only exercise to me.  It is a time to think, I time to listen, a time for me.  I feel better after a run....I feel inspired after a run...I feel accomplished after a run.

I have just about 7 more months to accomplish my goal....only 242 more miles to go!!  I am excited about this goal and look forward to accomplishing and hopefully exceeding it.