Off to the Races

As I sit back and take out my calendar, I realize that I have six 5K races and one 4mi race scheduled every other week starting tomorrow. Holy Smokes! What was I thinking? I'm not a runner, or at least I don't view myself as one. What prompted me to create an account on active.com and register to participate in local events? Why now? Why so many? Why tell so many people about these little 5K's? I mean, it's only 3.2 miles for heaven's sake. It's not as if it were a half marathon, full marathon, or triathalon! All these thoughts swarm my mind as I experience a little anxiety about participating in my first event tomorrow night!



The more I think about it, the more I realize that I enjoy the personal challenge of doing more on this journey to better health and fitness. To be honest, this week has been a train-wreck for me nutritionally. I've struggled to eat well referencing total calories and nutritional content. I've posted comments about Tootsie Rolls for breakfast, M&M's, Snickers, and basically any type of chocolate on Facebook this week. I even made a pot of coffee for breakfast and I'm not a dedicated coffee drinker! I document all this to let you know that I am human. I may treat my body as a machine, but sometimes I crave the junk just like everyone else. The trick is to not let it consume your thoughts and to stay strong. And, of course, to remember that classic slogan of "everything in moderation" is truly key.



(I think) I chose to begin a series of races to challenge my endurance. I want to push myself to the next level as it seems to me that I'm in a plateau. I figure that if I challenge my body to perform different activities things it will start to change. Or at the very minimum, I will begin to notice changes taking place.



I've been running an average of 3 times a week since the beginning of August. Typically, I run anywhere between 2-4 miles outside vs indoors on a treadmill. The only time I use the treadmill is if it's really late at night or too dark outside and to work on hills. I live in a flat neighborhood so the treadmill is a great substitution for those environments. I've been experimenting with the time of day in which I run, speed, and distance. I've come to realize that I am definitely an afternoon workout kind-of-girl vs early morning! This is one reason why I'm super excited about tomorrow's race...it's at 7:45pm! Yeah!



In closing, I cannot wait for tomorrow to get here! I am going to give it my best shot! And no matter what place I take, I know that I am going to finish with a smile because it's the beginning of a new era. October is right around the corner. The temperatures are falling. The days are getting shorter. Winter is approaching. Before we know it, snow flurries will be flying and Christmas will be here. All I know is that I've found an activity that I enjoy and I am excited to share it with you. :-) Stay tuned. Tie your shoelaces. And get ready to run! I know I am...