A beautiful day!

I added up how many miles I ran last week....I did 4 on Monday, 4.5 on Wednesday and 9.5 on Friday. That's 18 for 3 days...then did 5 on Sunday...so, that's 23 miles...in a week...in 7 days...WOWZA! Who would have thought?

I pushed myself yesterday when I was running...so many times I just wanted to stop...to just turn around and sit in my car...or better yet, since on a bench in the beautiful San Diego sunshine...but I kept going...I love my Garmin GPS watch...I can tell how far I'm going....if I have .2 miles to go to reach a mile, I keep going...I always tell myself I can do just a bit more, or I can run to the end of the street, or to the lamp post...every time a bit further...I've figured out that once I reach the 3 mile point, I'm ok...I'm settled in for the run....but the first 3 miles ~ I make up more excuses than a middle school student...but I've learned to just do it...stop listening to the negative and focus on the positive...but it's not easy...it's the same battle every time I get ready to run.

The race is 3 weeks from today...it will be over 3 weeks from today. I will be home from Las Vegas 3 weeks from today. What will I feel like? Thanks for sharing this journey with me...3 weeks to go!!!

....and the running continues...with confidence.

I'm still running...a lot...well, a lot for me. I did 8 miles this past Sunday. I actually ran the first 4 without stopping...I couldn't believe it. I was at the one mile point, I felt fine. So I kept running. I was running along the waterfront in San Diego and it was a simply beautiful, stunning, makes-you-want-to-be-outside kind of day. So I kept running. It was unreal to me, but I must admit I was proud of myself. At the 4 mile point, I was in front of the cruise ships, and there were a lot of people walking around, so I began to walk...but I SO wanted to do the "Rocky" dance (you know the one, where he's at the top of the stairs and has his fists in the air....background the awesome Rocky theme...can you picture it? I was there...I was SO there...) I'm walking/running about 20 - 25 miles a week ~ amazing. I read an old post where I ran for 4 minutes straight...now, I'm running almost 60 minutes...what's the difference? Training ~ yes. Determination ~ yes. But I think the biggest difference for me is simply one thing: confidence.



The race is about a month away...I'm getting excited...I'm reading up on half-marathons, on the mental aspect of running. It's supposed to be cold at the start of the race, so I'm looking at what I'm going to take....I guess you just take off layers as you run, so you take clothes you don't expect to get back...I didn't know that. I'm learning more and more each and every day. My confidence is growing each and every day as well.



Many people have asked me if I'm surprised that I am running. They ask if I'm afraid I won't finish. Most tell me they could never run 8 steps, let alone 8 miles. I think that's what I've learned the most about myself. I can do a lot more than I think I can. My body can endure more steps than I thought it could. Mainly, I've learned that confidence will play a bigger role in the half-marathon than almost anything. Confidence. I would never have believed that I could be where I'm at with my running. Confidence. It's a good thing!

Motivation...is it for sale?

It's another dreary, cloudy day in San Diego ~ seems like the entire summer has been like this...and I am a sunshine kind of person...I get gloomy just like the weather. So, I am seeking motivation. I wonder if Amazon has any for sale...if you google the word "motivation" ~ there are plenty of people willing to sell you their secrets...just buy the book! But, I'm looking for real motivation..in the form of a tablet or a drink...and it's just not there...so, round two.

I've discovered that motivation can't be bought, can't be sold, can't be shared, can't be given away ~ it's up to me to decide to be motivated or not. I can read a thousand books, all the while not being motivated enough to run or exercise...it's kind of like reading about how to diet while eating a banana split. Sure tastes good, but why? What have I accomplished? So, round three.

I can fool others and tell them that I ran today, or biked today, or did my WII Fit...but who am I fooling? Myself. No one else would question it, but I would know. So, once again, I am discovering that motivation and the wanting to accomplish a goal must come from within. I've heard it before...deep down I know it....but I wanted it to be easier...to not hurt so much...the bottom line is that I didn't want to work for it. So, final round.

Motivation is free...it's within every one of us, including me. I just didn't know it. I never would have been where I am had I not read Barbara Hannah Grufferman's book "The Best of Everything after 50." I encourage anyone, whether you're 50, over 50 or almost 50 to purchase this book. Barbara has done the work for us. She has given me the closest thing to "free" motivation, as she has traveled this journey and found health, happiness and a positive quality of life. Barbara didn't ask me to "plug" her book...I just did it, since it has made such a difference in my life.

So, I will find some way to exercise today, it's not a running day, but I have the goal of working out 6 days a week until the Marathon...and after. I'm not just training for the half-marathon...I'm training for life...even if I can't buy motivation, I'm going to be looking for it within me every day...it's there...the weather won't stop me. I'm running a half-marathon. In December. Wow ~ that almost sounds like I'm motivated!