26.2 Quest

Get up..... NOW!

I think if asked you would find that for every morning runner there is one (at least) that not only is not a morning runner, but just doesn't understand it. There has been many times I have talked to runners that are not morning runners. When these runners find out that I wake at somewhere between 4:00 and 5:00 to hit the roads they just don't understand it.

I understand that there are morning people, and then there are non-morning people, but are we truly morning and non-morning people internally or just based on our habits and lifestyle?

I have found over the years that I can be both, it just depends on how disciplined I am and what my life currently is comprised of.

Some of the things that I have found need to be in place to be or become an early riser (regardless of what you are doing when you get up) are:

Get to bed at a decent time - your body needs rest
Eat healthy so you can get a good nights rest
Turn off the TV

I am sure there are many more that I am not thinking of right now.... it is still early you know :)

One of the easiest ways I have found to sabatoge being an early riser is becoming slave to the snooze on your alarm clock. There are many reasons for this, but to put it simply, when you wake and go back to sleep only to wake again your body is getting confussed and you are robbing your body of the rest it needs. I have found that if I get up with the first alarm, reguardless of what time it is, I feel better than if I go back to sleep for 5 or 10 minutes.

What do you think of early risers? Are you an early riser? What are some of the key things you do to make it possible to get up early?

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

Another day.... Another run

I have officially made it my first two run week for well over a month. I even pushed myself to three miles and it felt really good.

I am not at the office today so I was able to make the trip to the gym with my wife. She is always a great motivator and I love it when we are able to go to the gym together. Once we get there we both do our own thing, but I know I have to keep busy for at least 30 - 45 minutes since that is the minimum she does. Many mornings at 5:00 AM I will only be at the gym for 20 - 30 minutes because of the limited time I have.

I ran 2 miles on Wednesday, and then walked briskly for 30 minutes yesterday, so today I had my mind made up that I would do another 2 miles. The running is still difficult because I have allowed myself to get so far out of shape. This has not been completely my fault, but much of the blame does find itself resting squarely on my two shoulders..... one shoulder taking a little bit more of the weight :)

My mind saying two miles kept me going through the first 2 miles, but pure determination kept me going through the next mile. It felt so good to put 3 miles in, but was so hard at the same time.

Keep on coming back and reading, I still have some hurdles to get over in the next couple months, but I will be back running regularly before you know it.

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

I needed that

Lately I have been apathetic about running, or maybe the definition for pathetic would be a better overall synopses.

The last time I ran, long long ago, my shoulder hurt for a few days following. I used that as an excuse to not get out and run for the rest of the week. The weeks following I continued to use that excuse and added to it the excuse of stress of work and lack of sleep. Truth be told, I just didn't feel like trying to fight running with one arm and causing any discomfort. I was just not feeling like running.

One of the side effects of not running is that my eating habits have been suffering. I just have a hard time keeping my diet clean, healthy, and in check when I am not exercising. I think there is something physiological about cravings and how much physical activity we participate in. There is just a very real difference in what I crave and how much I eat when I am being sedentary.

Last night I got to bed at a decent time, so this morning it was a whole lot easier to get up when the alarm went off at 4:30. I was up and at it immediately which felt good as a change. I don't think it was by chance that as I was doing my morning devotions that the scripture was James 1:22-25. It was just very encouraging to me this morning considering all I have been going through lately.

I made it off to the gym this morning for a 2 mile run on the treadmill. It was a difficult 2 miles as my lungs were not being shy about telling me that I have not been doing this to them lately.... and they were not happy. I persevered and hit the 2 mile mark. This was a great accomplishment because I wanted to give up at the half mile mark.

Keep encouraging me..... I will get back there.

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com

I don't want to look

Right now my running log is kinda like my 401k..... I don't want to look at it.

Lately my running log has been very similar to my 401k. I have not wanted to look at either of them. Both of them have nothing good to show. If I looked at either one of them I will just get depressed.

But, looking on the bright side, like my 401k, my running log will also get better, but the even more encouraging thing is I know when it will get better, the same cannot be said about my 401k.

I have my surgery scheduled to get the pin removed from my collar bone the second week of December. I am not sure how long after that I will be able to start running regularly, but I am hoping by the first of the year I will be back at it pretty strong.

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com