Thought 4: It's ok to be cocky . . . .

Wonder Woman was a big hit in the 1970s and was of course the theme of my 4th birthday party. It was held at Holder park in Titusville, Florida and my mom made capes for me and all my friends. There was an old army tank at the park that we always enjoyed climbing as kids. Trying to keep up with my two older brothers was always a big task for me. I often had a hard time climbing onto the tank by myself as there was not a natural place to plant your feet to push up. Sometimes I needed an extra push.  

A friend of mine and fellow runner gave me a challenge earlier this year. Those that live in the Atlanta area and know the stretch of road between South Cobb Drive and the Home Depot on the East-West Connector will appreciate this undertaking. She challenged me to run that stretch. To say it is hilly is an understatement. But, I was feeling good, even cocky I guess, and decided to try running it. There and back, it's about a 4.5 mile run. I parked at Home Depot, put my buds in my ears, and cranked up the playlist. Although it was chilly that day, I stripped off the long sleeve shirt early in the run. I knew it would be hard, but wow! I had my backside handed to me that day for sure. As I ran, I knew I had to share this experience in my blog, but I thought I would title it "Don't be cocky." The more I ran and the more I thought about it, I knew that my cockiness, gumption, confidence, or whatever word you want to use to describe the spirit inside you that gets you up a "hill," was what led me to take on the challenge in the first place.

Now that I have made the attempt, it is time to take what I learned from that run and use it as a starting point for my training. I am 9 weeks out from the Hot Chocolate 15K in January and I have not fit in a long run in nearly three weeks. I have let my running and gym time take a backseat to other plans. This is where I can get myself into trouble. This journey is so important to me and I have carved the time out in my life for my training. It is very easy as many know to let your personal goals take a back seat to your obligations to your family and others. Sometimes we don't have a choice, but many times it is my own head that gets in the way. I can talk myself out of a workout faster than most, letting my fatigue talk for me. I read a quote recently that said "The only workout you will regret is the one that doesn't happen." These words motivate me a lot. I never regret going for a run or going to the gym. Never.

What I do regret is not preparing my body with the resources it needs to do my very best. This is a big deal for me as my body needs extra fuel just to sustain itself during normal exercise, much less marathon training. Due to my past health issues, I now have a body that needs a lot more water and nutrients than most because it doesn't absorb these things or hold onto them as long as most other people. Not to say that everyone does not have to watch their nutrition and hydration, because they most certainly do. I just have to be extra careful. When I get dehydrated, I end up in the hospital very quickly.

So, to avoid all that unnecessary nonsense, I need to pay special attention to what I eat and drink, as well as when I eat and drink . . . right? This will probably be my greatest challenge during my marathon training (I may take that back when I am running 18 or 20 miles next summer). I have the hardest time with making sure I am attending to my nutritional needs. The past few years, I use my daughter as an excuse as I have been so focused on what she eats and drinks. But, if I am not getting all the fuel I need, I cannot be there for anyone else. My loved ones, in particular my husband and dad, have pushed me for years, "Are you drinking enough water?" or "Did you skip any meals?" I think this is a problem for a lot of people as we all lead crazy, busy lives. But, if I want to continue this journey, it is no longer acceptable.

I can look toward race day and imagine how good it will feel to cross that finish line. But, as we all know, it is not about the destination. I can feel it when I don't have enough fuel to give the run or workout what I know I can do. I want to give this journey my best, but in order to do that I have to attend to all the components of what will make this a success.

I would love to hear from others who share this challenge with me, as well as tips or resources that you have found helpful. I will share this advice and what I have learned in a future blog.

I am hoping what will come out of this besides three race medals and a lot of miles, is a stronger, more balanced Susie with new habits that I can carry forward into my 40s and beyond.  So, I will continue to let my spirit be cocky when it needs to be and give it the fuel it needs to take on any hills that come along my path.

Disclaimer: In honor of my husband, when I use the word "cocky," it is in no reference to the University of South Carolina - Go Tigers!