I was excited to run this morning! I don’t know why I have been more excited than usual. Maybe because I am still able to wear shorts, and I know there isn’t snow out there yet.
I have to admit, I’m not always excited to run. There are definitely some days it takes some coaxing and self-discipline to get out of bed. But not this week. I have honestly been looking forward to running. I think it was because I wasn’t able to run for a week after the marathon, and it reminded me how much I truly do love running.
I ran with Sadie for 0.5 miles and then dropped her off at home. That’s about the extent of her endurance and then she starts lagging behind. I finished up running 6.5 miles by myself for a total of 7 miles for the day.
Generation UCAN before and after my run. Weird, but I actually look forward to these beverages.
Tonight for dinner Craig made BLTs with his homemade bacon! So so so good!
Unfortunately I did not get any more pictures of it being smoked after taking just a few when they started working on it. Craig and his friend were diligently working on it all weekend to perfect the taste. They spent a great deal of time strategizing and figuring out the logistics and then three hours of smoking the meat. As a former Pork Ambassador (Yes, I know—nerd alert.), I can attest it is very tasty! I comes very close to the bacon from my parent’s farm.
~~~~~~~
Lately, I have had several people tell me that my running inspires them: random “strangers” (people who read my blog), good friends, co-workers, etc. I had NO idea I was inspiring these people. Honestly, I did not realize how much others look to me for inspiration and motivation. Now I am NOT here to toot my own horn, I merely am here to say that I am flattered by these compliments and this inspires me to keep doing what I do.
It also makes me think about who inspires me.
* My sister
My sister is six years younger than me, but I look to her as if she were my older sister. She definitely is faster than me, so that pushes me to train hard in hopes of beating her one day. She also teaches me to relax and enjoy the journey. Look at her smiling at mile 22 of the marathon she just ran. I mean who enjoys a marathon that much. She said she had a runner’s high the whole time!
* Kara Goucher
The one and only professional athlete who I look to for inspiration. I’ve been obsessed with following Kara’s journey for the last 5 years and she is truly the one and only idol I’ve ever had. I’m inspired by her because she keeps it real and seems like the nicest sweetest, most humble person ever. Could be due to the fact she’s from Minnesota.
* Bloggers: Skinny Runner, Nichole
I find inspiration following other bloggers and reading about their highs, lows, and everything in between. Both of these girls are faster than myself, which pushes me to want to achieve more.
* Every other runner out there
Seriously, no matter how faster or “slow” you may think you are, if you run/jog, you inspire me. I’m inspired by the overweight guy running for the first time in a pair of old sweat pants and the elderly lady shuffling along. I don’t care what your speed is or the clothes you are wearing, if you are out there making the effort to better yourself and your health, I’m inspired by you.
Question
Who inspires you to keep running mile after mile?
Your blog inspires me to eat healthier 🙂 Keep up the good work.
Aww. . thanks!!
My inspiration is my fiance! We just started hitting the gym together to get our hot wedding bodies on and as much as he hates running, he gets on the treadmill right beside me and does it. It makes me so happy to see him doing something I love so much because I want him to do it with me. 🙂 He pushes me to go those extra miles!
Oh and pinterest. We can’t forget about all those motivational pins out there that make me feel lazy for not getting up! 🙂
Nice! My husband (who is not much of a runner) will run occasionally, which is pretty inspiring because I know it isn’t his cup of tea.
Love this! I am always inspired by faster runners like yourself 🙂 What flavor of UCAN do you like? I have tried I think a berry flavored one but I think I need to venture out with the other flavors.
I have the cran-raspberry pre-workout mix and the vanilla-flavored post-workout drink mix. I really like both of them. (I haven’t tried other flavors.)
i have a lot of runners i’m inspired by, but i think it’s the atypical runners who inspire me the most–the ones who keep going and going no matter what. i don’t know how to phrase this so that it doesn’t sound insulting, but i don’t mean it that way, i promise. there’s an older man who lives near my parents that i see running EVERY time i go running while visiting. he has an obvious limp, runs slowly, and has had one of his arms amputated above the elbow. but i always see him running, and we always wave and/or smile and say hi to each other. it’s just so obvious that he loves running and will not let anything stop him. i love it!
I know the type of people you are talking about! It is inspiring to see them out there each and every day.
It has been awesome following along on your progression as a marathoner. I run similar times to what you did a few years ago, so it gives me hope I can get faster too. I love that you post workouts too, we get to see exactly what has worked for you. 🙂
Is it narcissistic to say that my previous self inspires me? When my training gets tough or I’m exhausted during a race, I think of the year I spent fighting cancer. I still vividly remember the heavy weight of fatigue that nearly broke me near the end of treatments. I tell myself that I’m not REALLY tired until I feel like that again.
I don’t know what it is like to fight cancer (and I truly cannot even imagine what that would be like!), but I will often think back to tough workouts and use that to motivate myself as well to keep pushing because the pain I might be experiencing now is not nearly as bad as it was “back then.” (Kind of the same. . .oh wait, not at all.)
You, Hungry Girl Runner, and Skinny Runner all inspire me! I love that you all post your workouts and your love of running is contagious! When I’m reading your blogs at 11 o’clock at night I just really want to go on a run, haha! Keep up all the good work! And that BLT looks delicious!! 🙂
Aww. . .thanks so much!! I am flattered.
You’re so sweet sister!! 🙂 And you of course have always inspired me to run!! I would have never ran in high school, joined cross country in college, or ran a marathon. I would have never had the friends I have now or be running with my LifeTime Fitness group. All thanks to you!!
Aww. . .there are many good memories there.