Day 22 and 23. Project Begin Again

Gratitude: My favorite trail high up in the mountains that is currently covered in snow but will be open for long runs before I know it!!  

Day 22 and 23. It's really hard to sit myself down here to write.  For the most part, this 38 day challenge to write on this dusty deserted blog has been somewhat easy.  I've actually found myself excited to spend time reflecting on here.  It has energized my life in some pretty cool ways.  However, there are days like today when it feels more like a chore than anything.  It also feels pointless even though I know, I'm doing this for ME and as a way to begin again with some habits that bring me happiness and inspiration.... 

Speaking of inspiration...  How can I not feel inspired on Patriot's Day when I get to see so many pictures from the Boston Marathon?!  I haven't caught up with all the stats yet and since I was teaching, I didn't track anyone live. Ah, what a great race!!  Everything about Boston Marathon weekend feels special!  It feels weird not being there this year and I am absolutely craving being there again!  Without a doubt, this girl has some bad Boston Marathon FEVER!  In fact, I might just have to race a fall marathon (I've never run a fall marathon) so I can get a qualifying time for Boston 2018.  Or maybe I should run a marathon before September so I can run Boston 2017?  Hmmm.... probably too soon for me to want to plan a big trip to Boston.  Too many other things I want to do that cost $$$.  I find it funny that only weeks ago I was thinking how I never really had any desire to train for another marathon and now I've spent the last several nights googling marathons.   

Ok, on to Day 22 and 23 Gratitude and Intentions. 


Again, here  in link is the post that began Project Begin Again.  And below are the guidelines I try to keep in my posts as a reminder.  

So, here's how this will go. 

1. I will write something on here every day  (or as close as I get) for 38 days because that is how many days until my 50k.  
 
2. I will keep in simple!!! Some days will consist of three sentences if that's all I have.   
3. I will write for me.  
4. I will try very hard NOT to compare my old Runninghood self to the Amanda typing today.  
5. I will keep my posts to daily gratitude, intentions and.... because how can we not feel sad, heavy hearted and powerless at so much happening in our world...I will include at least one small way I can or have done something to make the world a better place (this can be as simple and powerful as helping my child learn a lesson about love and kindness).  
6. Why am I doing this?  To Begin Again.  Just as with training for a marathon when we put in our daily workouts, I want to get into the habit of focusing on the things that make me happy and my intentions for making my life what I want. Writing helps me with this.  

Day 22 and 23:

Gratitude:

• 15 mile run yesterday.  I stopped at 15 because I didn't want to give any more time to running. This is what happens when I'm not following a specific plan.  I cut lots of corners!  I know I need to be running more mileage and longer runs for this 50k if I wanted to run strong and feel ready.  But, overall I'm still getting a fair amount of miles in and I feel happy... grateful for where I am and I'm prepared to push through whatever I have to with this 50k.  
• I had a spontaneous drink with a couple of fabulous women the other day.  Before I knew it, it had been almost 4 hours and it felt as if we had only been there an hour.  Definitely a sign of a good conversation.  So thankful for this kind of company!  Conversations that leaves me energized, heard, reflective, and inspired!  I'd really like to sit down soon and write about this conversation more because there were some big ideas floating around in there...Ideas I want to embrace.  Lots that reminded me to keep being me in all ways.  
• Almost 80 degrees today!  This beautiful spring weather has me very excited for summer trail running up in the mountains on my favorite trails that are currently still covered in snow!  That's the thing... if I did seriously marathon train again,  I wouldn't be able to give up my trail runs so I'd have to find a way to balance tempo and speed work on the road and track with the majority of my runs on DIRT and in mountains!  Otherwise, a fall marathon simply will not work because I'm not willing to compromise when it comes to running in nature.  

Intentions: 

• Continue to laugh and find humor in my days!  I've been laughing lots lately.  I think by being more mindful of staying present and finding joy in my every day moments, I have been able to laugh at things that might have stressed me out before.  In fact, I think I've laughed more WITH my kids than I ever have.  This makes me happy! 
• Celebrate progress.  I think all too often I get so caught up in the things I want to do to be better that I forget to notice the stuff I'm already doing so well.  Checking in:  I've been darn good at this!  In fact, since beginning this project, I've done very little beating myself up and feeling discouraged and had LOTS of positive vibes and celebration!  This feels GOOD!  
• Continue to work on daily time for mindfulness and meditation.  I don't think this needs to be in stillness.  So often, this comes through trail running.  A moving meditation.  Checking in:  Again, since starting this project, I've been so much better about this too!  I relax and am in the moment way more often!  

Amanda