I recently discovered the benefits of running with a buddy. I had been feeling a bit unmotivated after Sophia was born and I solicited people to run with me...via facebook. Cheesy, I know. But I was desperate. I got a taker (shout out to Lindsey if she ever happens to read this blog!) and now I am hooked. Running with someone is an opportunity to catch up with a friend and sneak a workout in, without your body even realizing it. It is also a great way to stay honest. Who wants to be that girl (or guy) that bails on the run? NOT ME. I am that nut at the gym that creepily looks at the machine next to me just to be sure that I am running or ellipsing (word??) faster, longer, or at a steeper incline. (It is really a sickness and I am sure that I developed quite a rep at the gym that I used to go to.) It is that competitive spirit that makes me really push myself when running with a partner.
Don't get me wrong. It's not that I don't love an occassional solo run with my itunes on full blast and in my own little zone (it is amazing to me that I haven't been hit by a bus because I am truly oblivious on those runs) or an adventure with my girls and the jogging stroller. I love both. But, I am the type of person that needs a positive, external influence (a pace-setter, if you will) every now and again to get me moving faster. Sometimes to get me moving at all.
Unfortunately, the opposite can be true. Just like a running buddy can help you to move faster, the wrong running buddy can really slow you down. Not good for a slow poke like me. The other day I was on the phone with a friend and we were gossiping about something or other when I realized that whenever we spoke I became pretty judgmental and caddy (hate the thought of that! Yuck.). Apparently the ability to be motivated by external influences in my workouts applies to other areas of my life as well. As I mentioned in my first blog, I am trying to get to a healthier space both physically AND mentally. And the type of negative energy that comes along with judging others and being caddy is just too much for this girl to bear. And truthfully, I am not an authority on...well, anything. I am a very smart girl and I know a little about a lot of things (e.g., I don't watch sports but it amazes my husband that I can carry on a conversation with someone that doesn't know me about Thomas's amazing save during one of the Bruins games or the audacity of Lebron to leave Cleveland the way that he did) and a lot about a few things. But, sadly, I am not an expert in anything. This has come as quite a realization and has really made me think a lot about what right I have to judge someone else's decisions.
So my new goal is to be aware of what I am saying, stay positive, and speak positive despite who I am around. This also means surrounding myself with pace-setters and potentially kicking a slacker or two out of my running club. You can keep the complimentary t-shirt of course. HAHA.
And, who knows? Maybe I can start to be the pace-setter (possible in this scenario but not probable if I run with Lindsey again;)
Happy Father's Day!!
Until next time...
No comments:
Post a Comment