First Blog

Happy 2015.  I have never blogged before.  Given that 2015 is going to be the best year of my life…. thought I would give it a shot. Mostly this blog will be about running, eating, fitness and probably my children will sneak in here.  I am a yoga instructor, certified personal trainer and an avid runner. So this will kind of be about my journey on how to do all of those things to the very best of my ability. 


Mostly, I just love to run.  I have always loved running, this might seem hard to believe.  In 5th grade we had a race at school.  The whole 5th grade. 1 mile. The top 10 finishers would qualify for the Woodward Park Elementary Cross Country Invitational. At this point, I had never really run.  I had danced ballet since about 3, but that was all I had ever done, physically.  We lined up.  It was a big school, there were over 100 boys and girls.  And they sounded that starting shot…. back then it was always a shot sound.  And something in my head and body just clicked.  And I ran like a speeding bolt of lightning with no idea of how long a mile was or what I was doing.  I will never forget the mixed reaction from the teachers of….. she started to fast…..OMG GO!  And I held it.  RAN with all my might.  Fighting for that first place.  Demanding that no one pass me.  Clinging to whatever that all meant.  As I wrote earlier,  no athletic background.  And eventually some people did pass me.  But I kept going, lungs burning, stomach starting to hurt…. until finally it was over……and I had earned my spot.  I had finished in the top 10.  It would be many years before I ran again with such vigor.  And sometimes, there is a part of me that wishes I would have pursued the track team with more conviction…. as many gym teachers asked me…. over and over….. "run the 800". "Will you try running the 800". "You would be great at the 800". And I did, and I didn't and I tried and I quit for about 3 years.  In middle school and again in high school.  Always succumbing to pain and agony in the training.  "5 MILES?!?!" "WHY DO I HAVE TO RUN 5 MILES?!?!?!" I hated this…. "I AM AN 800 RUNNER?!?!"  At that point I didn't get it.  It would be about 25 years later that I really got it.   In that time I still ran….. but I didn't understand what I was doing or what I was moving towards….. And in some ways this has been a gift…. not being pushed…. not burning out…. knowing enjoyment and love of a sport….without pressure….. BUT in other ways…. having raw talent and a desire to win, not having the sports background or the sharpened, defined, competitive mind set……. In other ways it has been crushing.  AND that is where I am.  Somewhere in between winning and loving what I am doing.  Struggling with strength, nutrition, sports phycology, logging miles, hitting goals, missing goals, laughing about it, crying about it….. oh yeah and then there is my actual LIFE…… lol. So this so this is the year I get it right. This is the year I focus on getting strong, good nutrition, SLEEP. Let me say that one again….. SLEEP.  I will train hard, but, also be kind to myself and truly appreciate what I am capable of….. I will focus on my goals UNTIL I meet them.  And when I do…..I will allow myself the enjoyment and happiness of my accomplishment…. then reset and do it all over again,  Better. One step at a time. THIS is about THAT journey. Training, nutrition, sleep, and life…. all in one little blog. Thanks for reading. 

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