Moving away from Fear

I was chatting with a dear friend about moving away from fear and not letting fear drive your decisions.

There are only 2 emotions you can feel and everything emotions stems from one of these core feelings -

LOVE is
Gratitude
Joy
Passion
Excitement
Hope
Enthusiasm
Satisfaction

Fear is
Hate
Anger
Envy
Guilt
Fear
Despair
Worry
Disappointment
Irritation

I know that I am working on moving away from fear-based emotions that crop up every now again and keeps me stuck. When I catch my mind trying to dwell in one of those fear-based emotions I work quickly to counter it with a love-based emotion. Yes, it hard work and it is work that requires a constant nurturing and daily attention and focus.

When things appear in our lives that we didn't ask for nor want, it is very easy to let your heart feel one of those emotions but it also very easy to chose LOVE. Love is much more freeing and it leads to more Love-based emotions.

I chose LOVE! It takes courage to chose Love. It forces you not believe what others would have you believe! It takes you believing in yourself and your unique energy.

Jesus is Love and you are love! You have a choice!!! Try it when you want to respond to a situation that maybe provoke a fearful thought and emotion immediately shift that feeling into Love and feel the peace that will fill your heart!

Being Comfortable Being Alone

Today while running an 8 miler I had this thought about why I will succeed as a distance runner and on this path that I have chosen.

First being a distance runner and training mostly on your own requires you to spend a lot of time alone. You have be very comfortable being with alone for long periods of time with no one to distract your thoughts. You have to almost need that peace.

I realized today that since I am training for a marathon through the winter I will be doing most of the running alone. I did it last year and it was just a theraputic experience. The torture of running in the summer made seek out more companionship to distract from the demands of pushing my body around in heat & humidity while suffering Much easier when you have a friend to chat with and who is also feeling the pain. They say misery likes company so that about sums up my summer and early fall running.

Now I am completely comfortable putting in the miles alone in these temps. Just my thing but that brings me back to being able to be alone with yourself for hours.

I was thinking about how my mom told me that as a child that I would often be found alone away from others doing my own thing being alone in my own world. I did not need to have company and didn't seek out the comfort that my sisters and brothers needed. This is so much me and this personality trait followed with me throughout my life and still holds true. I very much need long periods of time alone to be in my own head without distractions. I know that this was something my husband has struggled with me since the beginning of our relationship. I would always seek alone time when he would seek out time together. He almost never requires time alone so we are almost on the opposite ends of the spectrum on this. We have found a balance and he definitely knows when I am needing alone time and is very respectful when I am seeking solice away from the family, him included. Even being a part of a sorotity in college, I was apart of the group but very much a lone wolf doing my own thing and being in my own world away from the business and socialiness of the soroty house.

Anyway I realized today that this very personality trait is required as a distance runner and one that needs to put in a lot work to reach their potential. Solitude to me is like coming home and is such a peace place for my spirit and soul to rest.

Vlogging is a fun way to share

So I tested out this vlog thing and it is getting good feedback from family & friends. Especially with the next couple months of cranking up the intensity and duration of running which may make me a bit more tired and less available from chats or hanging out unless of course you want to run with me but chances are our schedules are going to clash.

Here is Vlog#2

<--------- Check out this sidebar Hope you enjoy keeping up with me via video content and yes I do plan to continue to write as I find that very therapeutic and it helps me get things out of my head. Just good food for thought -

Vlogging it

I totally got this niffy idea to vlog for some of my posts -

I think it is way more fun. It gives some of my family & friends far and away a look into my life that we don't otherwise get to see. I know reading can be boring sometimes or it time comsuming to sit down and read a few paragraphs. That is why I rarely get to read other blogs except for 2-3 favorites.

So a quick VLOG post every now and again will spice things up!

Here is my first try at it -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnDMDIMvLWw


I am sure that I will figure the camera angle thing and best lighting some time but for now this should work to introduce my Finishing Full of Awesome VLOG!! YAY!

Its been weeks - Week in Review

WOW - All the topsy turvey of my life and training and finally back to regular training.

Had a great week back in training where most of the miles were put in on the AlterG treadmill to keep impact stress off of the medial part of shin while we were trying to figure out what was the cause of the pain. By Friday, I had therapy done on it several times and seen lots of progress and so decided to try out the AlterG for the long run. It wasn't so bad as I had lots of company at the PT clinic and the time seem to go by quickly especially when they put on Tosh Comedy Central show on the TV.

Anyway I finally tested out the leg today. I decide to head to the track for the soft surface and easy to pull the plug on the run if the leg wasn't good. I felt great and the run itself made me think "did someone slip some EPO in my dinner last night?" or is this what fresh legs feel like seriuosly without realizing it I was running easy between 8:15-8:30 with the first mile a bit slower. Than I had strides at the end the totally blew me out of the water. I went into them thinking I just wanted run them gently as I didn't want to force the legs to run fast. I did the first one pretty effortlessly and fluidly and shocked to see I hit 5:15 pace, than 4:49, 4:40, 4:34 pace. Okay yes these are just strides but the crazy thing is I was not pressing them and I felt they were effortless and mind you I have never done strides in the sub-5 range. So this is what fresh legs feel like - you can actually run fast!!! I must remember this because Jeff is not going to let me stay fresh for very long.

Monday (AM)8.5 easy AG (PM)4 easy AG
Tuesday (AM) 6 easy AG
Wednesday (AM) 8 easy AG
Thursday Core
Friday 16 easy AG
Saturday Power Yoga
Sunday 8 easy + Strides

Total - 50ish miles - Pretty please with my comeback week

Pinnacle Pose

Yesterday while at yoga, I had this epihany as my favorite yoga instructor made a comment during our practice that the pose we were currently in was preparing for the pinnacle final pose towards the end of class.

If you practice yoga than you understand that every pose builds into the next one. You first work at warming up muscles slowly to allow them to go deeper. You do less intense poses as you open up more and more muscle groups so that by the end of class you are prepared for that one pinnacle pose.

Yesterday we were moving towards the beautiful & graceful cross-legged dancer. Early poses like half moon, warrior III and standing splits were all preparing the body and mind for balance, length and strength so that when you moved into this amazing pose that you did it fluidly without resistance.

I was thinking about this as this is how life works. Our entire life is moving us towards our pinnacle pose so that we will rise up fluidly and with grace for that point where we going into our pose with calm strength. We will not stumble and fall as our entire life has been building up the strength and balance needed to reach our potential. You can look at each experience as a lesson that has strengthen you and allowed you to move into the next lesson. Be thankful for all the experiences that allow you to move into your next lesson/pose.

Trust that each part of your life is building you towards your pinnacle pose.

"I am thankful for all my experiences and people that have come into my life that have taught me different lessons, have allowed or even forced me to go deeper and have played a part in moving me closer to my pinncale pose."

Love & Support

Another very personal post coming on here -

This AM I was having a little heart to heart with my hubby after kids left for school and he was getting ready to leave for work. I think I had been over-thinking some things in my head and it was causing me some doubts about moving forward & in which direction. My husband asked me how long I was going to be doing this for because me being upset and discouraged sometimes does not make him that happy. We would love to see me smiling 24/7. My answer was I have no idea but know that I am suppose to be here going through all this and have no idea where it will take us. Yes, I have hopes and goals but I am also wise enough to know that goals are just destinations that came sometimes get detoured along the way to get a life lesson to strengthen the journey.


After his departed to work, I couldn't but help but over-think his comments. Do all women do this or just me? HA! Anyway I sent him a message basically telling him I needed him to believe in me. I have no idea how long we will be on this journey for but need him 100% in my court.

His response - Simple & Sweet


I love you. Never doubt you. Keep on being awesome and getting after it!!

Sometimes all you need is one person to believe in you to renew your heart and spirit! Wherever this journey takes me and my family and whatever I accomplish it was not the force of one person but the heart and voice of my family that constantly are nourishing my spirit with their love and belief and of the friends that send notes of encouragement and belief.