Monday, July 16, 2012

Who do YOU want to BE??

So, on Thursday and Friday I [FINALLY!!] did my check-out dives for my Open-Water Certification. I can now officially dive up to 60' in open waters! YAYY!!!

Now, for an unexpected surprise and gift!! I had only met the instructor that was overseeing these dives a few days prior. His name is Lee, and he is a very experienced diver and a person who just seems to have done it all. He ended up riding with my mother and I up to the lake, and we had some decent conversations for the 2-hour drives (both ways) each day. (4 trips total).

I won't bore you with the specifics of the rants we had (About how rock from his day varied from rock of my day.. he's in his early 50's, me my mid-20's.) but when I brought up that I wanted to run a marathon as part of my bucket list, he gave me some awesome advice.

Here is a paraphrased blurb from him:

"You can't just work out to 'get healthy', you have to have a goal. If your sole purpose in the gym is to lose weight or get healthy, you're going to fail. It's nothing against you, or that you're doing something wrong, it's just human nature. Who REALLY enjoys being on a treadmill or elliptical for the sake of being on one? No one. The girl you see who'd rather get teeth pulled than finish her run on a treadmill has no place to be; she has no ending, no specific goal. Now, when you look next to her and see the guy with the gleam of determination in his eye, he's running as part of his training for an upcoming 5K. You can see that every bead of sweat is empowerment. Every muscle ache he'll feel is building his confidence. That is what I want you to take away from your training, Julie. Don't just start running to run. Don't start running with the hopes of one day running a marathon. Start running as if that marathon is next week. That doesn't mean to overexert yourself or hurt yourself, but it means you gotta focus on an end result and not focus on the process."



Now is that inspiration or what?

I think the reason I can't seem to tackle an exercise program is that I really have no current or immediate goal. Yes, I want to run to improve my knees, to lose weight, to get healthy... but what does that mean to me? When I drop my 50lbs, will I stop? I hope not, but without a specific goal in mind, where do I go from there? Forrest Gump may be the only man who can just "feel like running", but I'm not that kinda gal. I need end results, expectations, and guidelines. This couch to 5k program I'm trying to start seems like such a chore I can't even begin day 1.

This is how hoarding begins with people, I imagine. They have these great ideas that seem so easy in their head. So they start buying clothes to fill that void, because it gives them a temporary happiness, or they start bidding on china dolls because they think having the best collection will entitle them to something, but nothing ever becomes of it. They don't strive for something outside of their home, and so the buildup begins.

So, I have to ask myself, and you all.....

Who Do YOU Want To BE????


 Do you need to be a 5K runner? Do you need to be a marathoner? A mountain cyclist? A competitive swimmer? WHAT DRIVES YOU??!!!?!?!? 



I have been doing some soul-searching, and I really can't decide what I want to do. Not super-long-term anyway. But, I took Lee's advice to heart and instead of running to get fit, I'm going to run to start training for my first 5k. I haven't decided to which 5k I'll join, but I can always either: A- find one in a comfortable near-future, or B- make one up and make it a family event. Maybe I'll create my own 5k event at a local park? Or- I'll start with the smaller walk that the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society holds for their Light The Night event that my work partners with. That'll be coming up in November. I think that is a good starting point!

Anyway, what I want all of you to take away from this is that you should make sure you have a specific goal set in your mind when you're exercising. Otherwise, you'll feel like it's more of a punishment, your mind will start to drag its feet, and you'll be less willing to keep it up. If you don't have a goal, then set one! Even if it's not "race-related", set a goal. If you're a new runner like me, set some small milestones that show progress and also determination. My first goal will be to run for a whole minute without slowing down. That isa huge milestone for a blubber-butt like myself. :)


Now, to leave you with some lyrics. :-)


We can never go home
We no longer have one
I'll help you carry the load
I'll carry you in my arms
The kiss of the snow
The crescent (crashing) moon above us
Our blood is cold
And we're alone
But I'm alone with you

Help me to carry the fire
We will keep it alight together
Help me to carry the fire
It will light our way forever

-"No Sound But The Wind", Editors

1 comment:

  1. Great advice Julie....about 7 years ago, I moved home from the North (think Alaska) and was tired of being single. I told myself, in order to find someone to date, I need to lose weight. So, I joined the gym, lost some weight and in the process, met my future husband. He loved me despite my size and guess what?!? I quit the gym and gained back the weight. That was when I realized, I wasn't doing it for me, I was doing it to find a man.

    I just did my first night of Week 3 - couch to 5k....It has you go from running 1.5 minutes at the most to 3!

    I was sure I was going to DIE...but you know what? I didn't! In fact, I was able to run both sequences of 3 minute runs. Was I tired with legs like jello? You bet! But after, I feel accomplished and sexy. It has me addicted! Last week, I wanted to run every night! I also knew I needed to give myself a break last night or I would have a tough time doing the 3 minutes.

    So, for me, I don't know what my goal is or if I want to sign up for a 5k yet....right now, I am happy to say to people, "Yeah, I have started running!" Cause there are SO many people out there who don't even try that feat!

    Be proud of yourself...I am proud of you. It will get easier, I PROMISE YOU! If it feels too hard...write me, I will help push you along! :-)

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