I run for...the best me that I can be.

15 miles on Sunday morning. It was a hot one! I managed to complete 11 miles outside until I ran out of water. My husband offered to bring me extra water but with it feeling like 100 degrees outside, the comfort of the air conditioning and my treadmill sounded wonderful. So my amazing husband picked me up and I finished the last 4 miles on the treadmill.


I love running long distance for various reasons, many of which are mentioned in this blog. One of those reasons is that it is much needed alone time; alone time to listen to my own music, podcasts, etc. and to think. I think A LOT in the course of 15 miles. Yesterday was no exception.


Yesterday I got to thinking about the “old” me. There’s a lot I can say about that person. She had a lot of good qualities but as is usually the case, she also had her weaknesses. The problem? She didn’t think she was allowed to have weaknesses. She was a perfectionist and a planner and when things didn’t go perfectly or as planned, this caused her a lot of distress. I do believe this is ultimately what let to her demise.


Enter the “new” me. It didn’t happen overnight. It took years of self-exploration and experiencing failure after failure with a renewed sense of acceptance of my weaknesses that lead to more confidence, spontaneity, and an adventure for life. And you as you’ve probably guessed, running had a lot to do with this.


When I run, it’s not that I am perfect or even striving to be. When I run, it allows me to embrace the best me that I can be, weaknesses and all. I am still a human being prone to stress, anxiety, laziness, depression, insecurities, etc. The difference is that my running allows me to better cope with this. No therapy, no drug, no vacation, no seemingly quick fix has done anything comparably close to what running has done for me.


I want to be really honest about this because I think it’s important. Especially in today’s society with the filter of social media ever present, it can look as though certain people’s lives are “perfection”. It seems to be all about what everyone else is doing and what you’re not. I started this blog for many reasons, none of which involve tooting my own horn or talking about how great I am. Let me be perfectly clear. I run. I am a runner. I’m not fast. I’ll probably never win 1st place. But…I train hard. I’m determined. I believe I can do anything. All I want is to be the best me that I can be. By writing this blog, I just want to inspire others. I want to talk about the ways in which running has changed me and have it change others.


If this all sounds good to you, then you should start running! Experience first hand all of the amazing things that can come from changing your life through the simple act of running. Yes, it is simple. All you have to do is put one foot in front of the other. I promise it gets easier. "Run when you can, walk when you have to, crawl if you must, just never give up." - Dean Karnazes

Happy running!
Amanda

***DO NOT FORGET TO DONATE TO THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY!! DON'T MISS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PART OF SOMETHING AMAZING! DON'T DELAY!

I am running the Chicago Marathon AGAIN this year to raise money for the American Cancer Society. "Every mile (26.2 to be exact) means more birthdays." Your donation will help the ACS fight cancer by: 1) helping people stay well by improving cancer screenings and methods of prevention, 2) helping people get well by supporting treatment programs, including free transportation and lodging for out-of-town patients, 3) finding cures by financing research programs, and 4) fighting back by advocating laws that help defeat cancer and rallying more communities to get involved.

You may wonder why I chose American Cancer Society as my charity of choice. Part of it is that I do know exactly where the money goes when I donate to their cause. As a senior my little sister was chosen to participate in life-saving cancer research with the ACS and it was truly eye opening to learn of the incredible work that they do each and every day to find a cure. My family is unfortunately no stranger to this disease. I run in memory of my Mema and my Uncle Marty and in honor of my great aunt Yvonne, a survivor.

Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the US, accounting for nearly 1 out of every 4 deaths. Who would you be willing to dedicate your donation to? For anyone that donates $25, you will get a ribbon to write your dedication and I will run in honor of or in memory of your loved one(s) on race day.

To donate, follow this link: http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/DetermiNation/DNFY11IL?px=27819447&pg=personal&fr_id=69178&_ga=1.54451628.503825691.1437925766

If you would rather donate offline, please message me for details and I will get you an offline donation form.

I run for...routine.

Sounds boring I know. But I would be nothing without the routine that running and training brings to my life.

This winter has SUCKED! I typically like the cold and snowy winter months but this winter has been outrageous and we still have roughly 2 months left of it. My point is…I have not ran as often as I would like. I love running outdoors but when it is -15 degrees outside it is hard to motivate myself to get out there. Not to mention the amount of prep and recovery time involved. So for about the past month I have only been running once a week.

This is where routine becomes important. I notice a HUGE difference when I don't get at least 3 runs in a week. I'm more irritable. I'm more stressed. I'm more tired, lazy, indulgent, etc. I was really becoming restless staying indoors and needed a fix and quick! So I bought a treadmill.

I think I've mentioned before that I absolutely loathe treadmills. The majority of my runs are done outdoors. There are a lot of reasons for this but namely I like the environmental connection and it most aptly prepares me for races - since they are solely ran outdoors.

But I've had a treadmill for the last 11 days and I've ran 5 of those days for a total of 22 miles. Ahhhhhh! That feels SO much better.

Getting back into a routine is now even more important because this week marks the first week of my half marathon training program. I am also set up to complete a new challenge for the month of February. I will be running every day! Can't wait!

This February challenge is part of my New Year's "resolution" to complete a different challenge every month. Not every challenge is devoted to fitness/running but I thought I would highlight them here in this blog. Maybe it will inspire you to do the same.

FUN FACT about me: I have never NOT completed a New Year's resolution. I am tenacious. When I make up my mind to do something, I do it!

So here are my monthly challenges for the year 2014…

January - 21 Day Sugar Detox - Successfully completed as of yesterday!

February - Run every day. - Developed to jump start my half-marathon training program and keep me motivated through the winter.

March - Meditate every day. - Switching gears to focus more on spiritual development and mental well being.

April - Push up challenge. - Let's face it. I'm a runner. My legs are strong but my arms are puny. This will hopefully help me bulk up my upper half.

May - End each day reading a book. - I love to read but don't do it enough. Ending each day reading a book will hopefully get me in the habit of reading for pleasure more often.

June - 30 random acts of kindness. - This year I turn 30. *gasp* And it just so happens that the month of June has exactly 30 days leading up to my 30th birthday on July 1st. This way my turning 30 will not be defined by growing older but rather by helping others.

July - Spend an hour outside every day.

August - Write every day. - I have a lot of stories up in my head that I've never put down on paper. This challenge will hopefully inspire me to write the children's books that I've always wanted to write. I might even start journaling and writing poetry again.

September - Go Vegan! - I've been a vegetarian in the past. Longest time as a vegetarian was 5 years (sophomore year of high school through college). I just want to try something different and see how being vegan feels.

October - 31 movies I've never seen. - I've already got my list of movies. A lot of them are scary movies which is appropriate for October. I'm so excited for this one!

November - Write a letter every day. - Writing letters is unfortunately becoming a lost art. I'm hoping to write meaningful letters to loved ones that they may cherish for a lifetime, including a letter to my son to open whenever he turns 18.

December - Technology Fast. - This was a hard one to come up with because I know December will be so crazy and hectic. But that is ultimately why I decided to do a technology fast. So that I can spend all my free time, enjoying the holiday season, with the people that mean the most to me.

Stay tuned for regular updates now that my training is in full swing!

Happy running!

Amanda