Life Goals

So a year in "limbo" as I am calling it seems to be long enough. It is time to set some goals. Evaluate what my actions are saying. See what choices I would like to make. I have been feeling a bit trapped by the lack of ways I can distinguish time. There are no semesters, no summer breaks, and not my regular fall cross country and spring track seasons to mark the passage of a year for me. My goals were always short term- next season, next race, next visit home, next team meeting, next class, next test, next summer job. The long term things always seemed to just work out for me. I had the easy four year goal of graduation. Another easy goal was finding a job. But now what? An entire year has gone by and I have very little to show for it. (Example: there is a large lack of planning going on for that wedding thing)

Realization #1- Since my life is no longer dictated by summer breaks and school semesters, my years are finally free.
-I am not limited to a 365 day plan.
-My goals have to be shaped differently and have a little more direction because of the freedom from restraints
-The easy road is the one already paved. Trying to carve semesters and school time periods into this time in my life is destroying what I have been released from. Wishing for college again because I didn't have to worry about what the next year would mean is WIMPY. Time to suck it up and find who I thought I discovered in college.

Realization #2- A lack of confidence is detrimental to goal setting, relationship building, and being able to perform consistently.
-Cutting myself down is an easy way to always be happy with what ever result
-Really common in my running attitude
-Easy way out, WIMPY again
-I know there is a believer in me still

It is new for me to try and think so far ahead, meaning more than a year in the future, so I have to take baby steps. If I can work on my two realizations above, my goals and efforts will be a bit more productive and then I can work on more.

Life Goals
- Short Term:
    Do my shufflebutt exercises everyday
    Practice patience with my dog and keep him smiling
    Take more photographs
    Explore where I live
    Give back more- people are incredible
    Write more letters
    Stay motivated
    Positive Visualization
    Prepare for 2012

-Long Term:
    Practice the policy of no regrets
    Race at an elite level
    Live in Oregon, Wyoming, or California
    Train with the right attitude
    Connect to the ones I love again (Family and Melissa Buckley, I freaking miss you)
    Prepare for hard times
    Do something worthy of getting a tattoo about it**

Now I can't write down goals without finding ways to aim for them. These are just as important as my goals.
  
Ways to achieve my goals:   
-Make time for things= friends, recovery, eating right, balance, love
-Understand that my actions lead to my happiness and how I choose to live life
-Smile
-Do 10 push ups any time I say sorry
-Quit my lack of confidence and my fear of pressure
-Hold my self accountable
-Set out with a mission for every day
-Journal more, write down how the time is passing
-Create a budget (time to understand how grown-ups spend money)
-Find inspiration in life, draw from it
-Practice visualization and use it well
-Get in the GYM
-Want to be SORE
-Run like a demon, race like a god, and pray like a saint
-Keep the mantras coming....

Now I know I am getting pretty self involved here. I don't normally like to state my goals so openly. I certainly have some pinned up only in my head and heart, but there are some that just help to be typed out.

Re-evaluation is a good thing and reminds us all what we want from life.

**Note- I am not sure if I actually want a tattoo. I just want to do something that I could say was deserving of getting a tattoo for it. One of those life moments that make you want to remember the experience in some way :)

Shuffling

Since my butt is currently out of commission, my runs have taken on a different sort of stride. Shuffling is getting me back on the road, and helping to keep me sane.

Meanwhile, I have some major work to do.

 

Since I work in shoe retail, I feel the need to remind you that
this is not an actually legit return reason!

So this is how we think (Airrosti and I) it all went down. Being the dedicated runner I am, I spend 98% of my time pounding the pavement. I figured if I didn't have much time, I better get in all the miles I could in order to get better.

It worked until I cheated on the saggital plane.

Jon's Run was such a blast and I almost had too much fun racing. Even though I had not put on my flats yet this year, I figured I would be fine racing. My second mistake was not checking out the course before hand. It was curvy, loopy, and not a track.This meant I was working muslces that didn't exist in my butt because I only move my legs in a running motion. I overstrided a bit trying to go fast and ended the race with a tweaked hamstring. Not that big a deal if you have strong butt muscles...

My worst and third mistake was still running after all of this and not letting my wimpy muscles rest. And finally, I didn't strengthen anything. I was so happy with the way I was running I figured if I was doing something wrong it would show up and I could just do some core again. 

60 days of running with no rest days led me to the office of Dr.DeRoche.

It was time to work the muscles that didn't exist in my little straight world.

While I was excited to get some exercises to work on butt strength, it really hit me that I am terribly behind in the derriere department. (Puns intended?) I can't even complete the myrtl routine with out pain. So Airrosti helped me take a large step backwards and work on progressing towards those exercises that looked so simple and easy. If you are a runner and have a moment, look it up and try it (to avoid a depressingly weak booty like mine) I can't stabilize my hips the correct way yet so I use a Physio Ball under them so I can actually start engaging my muscles the right way. This isn't the only routine I am starting but its the easiest way I can describe how far I have to go.

While my first steps with a new caboose are short and shuffley, they will hopefully be leading towards a habit. A good habit. One where I have a powerhouse pushing this little old train. A habit of stepping outside my little running box and exploring the wonderful world of athletics! Just don't count on seeing me play basketball, tennis, softball, lacrosse, volleyball, frisbee (unless the pup really wants to), ice skating, water skiing, rock climbing, football, and all those scary sports. Wait... what else is there?

Oh right, running.

Here's to hoping I can make running and body building work?

Well, the type of shuffling a runner can do. Plus, I am learning that if life doesn't give you time to do the things you want/need to do, you have to make time. So until I figure this out, my sleep is taking the brunt of the burden with the promise of a better future. Temporary. Until my good habits survive the 21 day challenge. If it can help me stop biting my nails in the 3rd grade, it will for sure help me now.

At least I can still smile while I shuffle.

Weak Sauce

Yes, Weak Sauce.

Would you like that served with a side of potatoes? Weak Sauce works especially well when served steaming on top of rump roast. Too well, in fact, for this runner.

My rump is officially roasted. Specifically, the butcher has decided my left rump was perfect for a Sunday dinner.

C'est la vie.

Or so I thought.

You all know, just run through it. Throw some ice and some dirt on it and you are good to go.

It got me through 4 years of college. But I am not trying to be a college runner any more. I am trying to grow up and run with the big ladies. They are stronger, faster, and more experienced.

So in hopes of turning my current Weak Sauce into some sort of stronger marinade for my obviously lacking backside, I needed a reset button. I needed help in the athletic kitchen. My rump was too twisted, too tight, and too off for all my tenderizing attempts.

Enter top chefs- Dr. Jason DeRoche and Lauren Martinez from AIRROSTI.

If you see someone in normal clothes and KT Tape, they have been to Airrosti. If you see some one in running clothes, KT Tape, and a big smile on their face- they have most definitely been to Airrosti...

Let me just explain the difference between when I walked in their office to when I walked out. Walking in I was depressed, worried about stress fractures, and thinking I wouldn't learn much more than I already knew. I limped in sleep deprived and frustrated with all of my attempts to make things better.

Just so you know- I walked out. No limp. No numb. Big smile. And some KT Tape. Add a pinch of strengthening exercises, a dash of active release therapy, and a topping of ice to turn any Weak Sauce into a Super Strong Brew. Airrosti knows runners especially well but they also understand how to help anyone with a huge range of Weak Sauce problems.

My rump still has a chance.

And life lesson learned. I can mess up with out any help, but I will need a lot to get better. Time to get hungry for something other than WEAK SAUCE!

Thank you thank you thank you Airrosti!

PS- to all of my weak butt muscles, welcome to the world. Get ready to be kicked. Period. If I don't kick you, someone else most definitely will.