So I’ve been “blog silent” for a bit. I like to equate that to me not having much to complain about. Just kidding. There is always something to bitch about. But in all seriousness, I’ve been busy with work and home and apparently doing random races that are so unlike me. I’ve done a 5k run, a Warrior Dash and a Spartan Sprint in the last few months. Sometimes I look in the mirror and ask – “Who are you?” When did you start to be this person that likes to lift weights, run around and carry buckets of rocks up a mountain? Ha, yeah, that last part, I am so not in tune with that last part.
Now don’t get me wrong, doing the Spartan, or more importantly finishing the Spartan, definitely gave me a feeling of accomplishment. But that shit wasn’t graceful by any means. If you saw my face ¾ of the way through, you probably would have wanted to scoop me up and drive me off the course. When I approached the last hill, I almost cried. Like, literally. I looked up – way, way up that hill – and I thought that there is no way in hell I am getting up that hill. But I finished the race, so somehow I got up that hill. I think it had a lot to do with my thought process as far as asking myself – What happens if I stop? How in the world do I get out of here? Does someone throw me in a golf cart and drive me to safety? Do I have to do the walk of shame via a short cut to behind the finish line? Ok, it wasn’t all me and my ridiculous thought process. It was also my teammates, husband included, telling me I would finish. Encouraging me every step of the way. The best part of the race was the vibe that “we are all in this together”. Of course when my husband kept saying – “ok, let’s make up some time” at certain points on the course - I wanted to punch him in the face. But I didn’t. And we are still together to this day. Amazing.
I will not do another Spartan race. I checked a box. I did something I thought I couldn’t. And I want to keep doing things I think I can’t, but I am done with the Spartan genre. I will do another Warrior Dash and probably another 5k because they gave me a sense of accomplishment and I didn’t feel like crying while I was doing them. I guess that’s high on the list of why I will, or more importantly why I will not, do something.
So what’s up next? Well I’m not all that good at multi-tasking. I can only do a few things at a time, not 700, like some extremely impressive moms out there. So working and keeping my kids alive are my first priorities. And with the way they test my patience sometimes, that's basically a feat in itself. And then it’s focusing on me and discovering more and more that I want to continue to be strong, to get stronger. For Christmas, as a gift to myself, I want to do a pull-up. I’ve been saying that I want to hit this goal for a year. But now it’s no joke. And it’s out there. I’m telling all of you. So now I have to do it. Besides, we just bought a new car so it’s really all I can afford to ask for. I also want to get to 24% body fat. Getting there, but not there yet. And when I get there I will set a new goal. What I’ve realized is that I am enjoying the process of getting to these goals. It’s not easy. This is hard work. When the hummus and pretzel chips are calling me from the kitchen as I’m working from home, I have to tell myself to focus on my goals. When I’m eating cold pork tenderloin and mini peppers while my kids shove handfuls of popcorn in their cute little faces at the movies, I have to remind myself of my goals. And when I really just want to sleep in and skip the gym because I slept like shit the night before, I have to remind myself of my goals. Now don't get me wrong, I'm only human, and sometimes the hummus and pretzels win! But I don't call the day a wash and start up with the peanut butter cups. I call it a misstep and make a better choice at the next meal.
In all reality, whatever goal you set for yourself is a challenge. Challenges in themselves are difficult. Big or small. Isn’t that why they’re called challenges? I think they make us feel just a little bit more alive. A little bit more “in the game”. And right now I’m full on digging this game.
I hope you’re enjoying your game. And if you’re not, set a goal. Get in it. High five yourself as you work toward that goal. You deserve it.
Now go kick ass and take names. And thanks for visiting.
Peace. Love. And sanity.
