Couch to ATHLETE!

I feel like most people are suffering from SAD. It's a real thing. Seriously, I have been in the doldrums all winter, and every time I think it is over, I cry a little inside because I wake up to snow the next day. Case in point... In the last week I was running in shorts and a t-shirt. I was very excited for my run on Saturday (yesterday) until I looked at the weather. 39 degrees and chance of snow. We started the run and got through 6 miles and then it started pouring and started getting colder, and colder, and colder. As I was driving home from my friend's house last night, ice started falling from the sky, and then I woke up to snow on the ground this morning AND had to scrape my windows. WHEN WILL I BE ABLE TO RIDE MY BIKE AGAIN?????????? So upon further review of the weather forecast this week (I don't know why I bother), I found that the sun is officially going to appear. It surprised me today when it finally poured over me giving me a little taste of natural vi...

Sticking my tongue out at running. I'm not in the mood to blog today. I had a long day on Tuesday, preparing for Wednesday, which was also a long day. And then there was Thursday when I had NO interest in running (but I did), that led into the longest Friday... And then there was Saturday with a run in the morning, party prep and then company til 1 am. Followed by today that included painting. So, what gets me through weeks like this? Unconditional friends! They rock... Do you have one? I have a few unconditional friends and I also have an unconditional activity. Regardless of how much I hate running sometimes, it always makes me feel good at the end of the day. That is the true definition of an unconditional friend. Try it some time!!!

This is an instance in which taking a week off from talking 'athlete' is totally necessary. I am devastated because I lost my greatest dog friend this week. Dukie has been my pal for years. I have so much to say about him, but the most important thing about him is he reminded me to love myself. He came to live with me at a particularly difficult time in my life. I was depressed for God knows why, and he woke me up. I remember when I first brought him to live with me in Columbus, my boss told me my life was about to change forever. She told me that having a dog was like having a child and my routine was going to drastically change.  All of that was true, but it wasn't just my routine that changed. I changed... I woke up every morning for all the years he lived with me to a slobbery wet lick across the face. I came home and wacked him with the door, because he would lay behind it so he would know when I got home. He would lay on the couch with me, dance with me (no s...

Have you ever been in a workout funk? I'm sure you have at some point if you are an avid runner or cyclist. It is one of those things that you typically can rest your way out of and come back like you never skipped a beat. Have you ever been in a workout funk that you typically can snap out of, but for some reason, 'this time around', no such luck? No amount of rest, or telling yourself to buck up can make it easier. I can honestly answer 'all of the above' on this one.  Today I sit at the latter of the two above scenarios and I have NO clue what to do about it, but keep on keeping on. Sometimes telling yourself to 'snap out of it', simply isn't enough and it is SO discouraging. The only saving grace is that I have a friend who supports me and runs with me, even when I'm not my happy go lucky self on and off the trail. We meet on the trail and do our best to log some miles, for which we should always be proud... Recently I have had a...