Well hello everyone. I thoroughly enjoy days like this where the sun is shining and the snow is still fresh and white. The world is so pretty with a soft blanket covering our gift of spring to be released sometime next year. Okay, enough of that. Bring on the global warming and heat these toes back up!
Hard to believe that December is here to bring us the last month of our friends off to faraway destinations to enjoy their chosen race goals. Carol Poland is off to Vegas...Woo Hoo...Young-Mi is off to Sacremento...go zippy...and we have the big team off to Hawaii over the next week...sigh...yep, we will hold the fort here while you all enjoy these events. Best of luck to you all as you achieve your goals and make us all proud to know you. Hey Young-Mi, have you shaved off the moustache?
For those of us lucky enough to enjoy the great outdoors of Calgary, let's meet at Glenmore Landing for the usual reservior rumble. See you at McDonald's at 9 am for a view of the Saturday snow and sun. We will most likely take a different route than the reservoir as I think we might have to see how the Sandy Beach Christmas tree is growing. If you desire bring a bird treat, but we will do this route again before Christmas. See you all tomorrow!
-----
Attention you closet smokers! You know who you are. a story for you...
and you thought I did not care!
-----
If you ever want to know how far it is to your destination check out www.runningmap.com What a cool way to know your distances. And you don't even need a fancy GPS watch.
-----
I want to talk a little on the acts of courage that we see each day we go out to train. We all show great courage to set out on the goals we have undertaken. Intimidating as they can be, we choose our adventures to give us a challenge. We are willing to step out of the comfort of the known into the craziness of the unknown. This is a huge step for many. What has given you the courage to do this?
When we start our run, walk, or hike, we will experience the excitement of a start, the adrenaline rush when we get moving, and the cheering chants from friends and fellow participants as we follow our path to success.Whatever we have chosen as a destination to our success there are always roadblocks along the way. They take strength and courage to overcome. Foot and knee pains, road rashes, family crisis, or just life can all be roadblocks on our path to the finish. It takes great courage to overcome these obstacles that block our path and not give up on the opportunity of success. The journey will take patience, understanding, and of course courage. But we will do it, right?
The start is always intimidating. We stand around these other fit individuals who have the same concerns and excitement. They are stretching and warming themselves up for the challenges that lay ahead. Are we ready for this test of our skills learned throughout our training? We will have people blow by us with vigour and some that will straggle behind. We are all in the same journey and will enjoy the fruits of our labour when we arrive safe and sound.
We will all face bouts of fatigue and discomfort when we get into the day. For me I find I notice my body more at about three hours in to a marathon. I notice the same feelings of discomfort at about 1.5 hours into a half marathon. They are the same even though the timing is different. Could the psychology of the event be working it's way into my thoughts? How do we fight through this discomfort and get to the finish? We embrace fatigue as a badge of courage that everyone is awarded when they finish! This fatigue just proves that you are still alive and accept the challenges of the day.
We get a similar feeling when we are at work. Lethargic at the keyboard as we hit 3pm, we find our computer screen and office chair are attached like barnacles to a boat. But we still get the energy to get away from the chair, get out and get the blood pumping after work. We break through tiring walls at work, we break through those same walls at play. Does this mean I should embrace work as I embrace play?
When the first person gets to the finish line to cheers and accolades, they have gone no further than the person who comes in after the finish line has been taken down. They cross the same kilometre markers, they use the same porta-potties, they drink the same water. It is not as pretty or graceful, but the courage that last person has to continue the fight is far more powerful than that front runner. There are far more drop-out's from the elite runners than those that cross last. Power to the penguins!!!
So many people in the world are unable to walk a block, let alone do some of the crazy distances and adventures that we all have tried. Taking all that we have learned we gather the courage to face the demons of our goal and break through to the finish. The journey is long, but the rewards are far reaching. Cross your personal finish lines with your arms held high in the air as victory is yours. Tomorrow you can go out and do it all again.
Remember one of my favourite quotes, "Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional"
-----
April passed on this deal. It is a great price. If you are not so enamoured with the internet purchase, check GPS central on Blackfoot for prices in the same ballpark.
Really good price today on the new Garmin…so I thought I would pass it along!
April L Clay, R. Psych.
Bodymindmotion
Mental skills for sport and life
-----
So good luck all and see you next week.
No comments:
Post a Comment