Challenge Motivation Week 2, Part 2

Late-week check-in time on the challenge!  If you haven't done anything yet this week - this weekend is the perfect time to go for a walk, get in some treadmill stationary bike or elliptical time, or even get your food preparations done for next week.  We cannot live life looking through a rear-view mirror, so we must keep making forward progress.  This is the jump-start on developing healthy new habits, or reinforcing those which you already have. 

Let's use this weekend as the jumping off point for a very successful week 3, getting ready to feed both our bodies and our souls!  This weekend I am planning on making some homemade soups.  I have included the recipe for my potato-fennel soup below for those interested..

I am also planning on swimming Saturday morning with FAST and then Sunday evening with my friends Anne and Jaye.  I also hope to get in a ride on my bike and a 10-12 mile run although my knee is hurting after last night's run.  I may have to go shorter and see what my knee is telling me.

In addition to all of that, I hope to get some cleaning done, prep for the following week, some headway on my very last graduate research paper and my school work for the week done.  Ahhh... all in the life of Jenn!  5 weeks until the finish line!


Tale from Ironman, Part 2

Susie

When Annelise and I were heading out for the run that was not meant to be, we were seeing a lot of athletes coming in and riding their bikes around before checking them in.  We noticed that there were many road bikes and even a hybrid bike or two.  Interesting.  One of the athletes on a road bike was named Susie and she was from Canada, although living in Holland.  We discussed her race plans, why she was doing the race, and how she felt about it.  This was her first Ironman and told us that she would rather have an ocean swim than a hilly bike.  We saw her and her husband multiple times throughout the day, and come race day I saw her in the swim chute where I was a peeler and then again as she crossed the finish line.  It was so great experiencing her race day through her eyes as it was unfolding.  She stopped in the swim chute and gave me a big hug with a huge smile on her face and then again when I saw her finish I yelled to her and she ran over and gave me another big hug, telling me that she just DID THAT!

I like to take away the lesson that this is a privileged not a given, and if we work hard enough for our goals or rather even when we work hard for our goals, we need to truly enjoy the experience, the journey not just the finish line.  She never said thank goodness I am done, or I am glad that is over.  She simply marveled in what she accomplished that day - wide eyed and smiling all the way.   

If we are working towards a goal, we need to keep in mind what this goal means to us.  If it is for vanity reasons only, we are less likely to accomplish the goal because it has little real meaning to us.

When setting your goals be they short or long term based, we need to attach real meaning to them otherwise we are setting ourselves up for a failure or at best a shallow success. 

Challenge... Week 2

Hello everyone!  I have received some communication from challenge members with their week 1 progress or their personal challenge requirements.  Good job to everyone! 

If you are finding this challenge late, there is still time to make use of the last 7 weeks of 2011!  Maybe you want to start December 1st and make it a 30 day challenge.  Whatever you chose, just chose to make the most of the last bit of 2011.

I just returned from a trip to Panama City Beach, FL where most everyone knows that I volunteered at the Ironman race.  I stood in line with my friend Annelise and we registered for 2012.  It is done.  We are committed.  NO MORE EXCUSES.

I mention this because it was exactly what I needed to experience in order to provide me with the right encouragement and motivation for my own personal journey to the victory lap.  The race itself is in a class of its own.  Words cannot capture the emotions rolling around PCB all weekend.  I will share a few stories here throughout the week as this week's motivation.   This is not about Ironman, triathlon, or any race.  These are stories of perseverance, dedication, and never giving up even when doubt looms.




TALES FROM IRONMAN 2011- Part 1




The reward is not in the destination, but in the journey...

And some people's journeys are shorter than they think.  The swim cut-off is 2 hours, 20 minutes from the start of the age-group race at 7:00am.  Some swimmers pulled themselves out due to various reasons, jelly fish (one lady was stung), swim distress, any sort of reason.  Of the athletes who completed 2.4 miles, only one did not make the cut-off.

As the swimmer made her way to shore, the volunteers, family members and all the people remaining at the swim start stood and cheered for her as if she just won the race.  Dave, the announcer, made comment that sometimes the journey we take is shorter than we think it will be.  We must remember that this is about the journey and not the destination.  Her race day ended at 9:22 am on this particular day, however she is able  to try again.

Do not allow a set back to derail you from reaching your goals.  Few people 'hit it out of the ballpark" their first try.  Success is in perseverance. Success is in never giving up and being tenacious in your progress attempts. Success is realizing that there is no perfection.  If you fail, that is good.  Why?  Because it meant that you made the effort.  You put yourself out there.  Take the lesson that failure means progress, and to never ever give up on yourself or your dreams.