Excuses are getting harder to come by...................................

This is the thought that occured to me as I was standing in the line at the bank doing my one-leg squats. Okay! So I probably looked silly, but I'm sure it wasn't the first time, and won't be the last time that I looked silly in public.

After going to the bank, I ran all over trying to find some goo, (the energy stuff that you use when you are doing high milage.) and a sports drink with protien in it. I had no idea it would be that hard to find them, but turns out I was wrong. I finally ended up getting a drink with protein, but no carb, and one with carbs but no protein, and mixing the two together. Why you ask?

I have been reading that your muscles recover faster, and you have less over-all soreness when you have some protein right after you work out. Less soreness is ALWAYS a good thing don't ya think? The protein is suppose to aid in re-building your muscles quicker, and it is the breakdown of the muscles that cause the soreness in the first place.

When I do the trail run in June, I will be running in the morning and in the afternoon. It will be much warmer than the last time I raced, and I don't want to get de-hydrated in the morning, and then be feeling sick for the afternoon run. To avoid this, I have started (last week) doing two runs one day of the week. The plan is to try different things on the trail (and between the morning and afternoon runs ) during practice so I will know what works best come race day. It really tired me out running twice in one day, but the fact that I did it, make me feel good. Right now, I am running pretty slow on the trail, so I have to get my time out their way up to be sure I can handle the distance. Getting back to my first statement...............................

When I finally got back home, finished assisting a resident with his dinner, and getting my running gear around, it was raining. Our the door I went for my sixty minute easy run. Six months ago, a litte rain would have put me comfortably on the couch! What I am finding, is the more I train, the more adverse conditions I over-come. The more adverse conditions I conquer, the less brain looks for reasons not to exercise. This is pretty amazing to me. Trust me, I used to be the queen of good reasons not to exercise. Back when I made the commitment to just get on the treadmill, I was having many a fight with brain over why I couldn't fit in exercise. At each tiny milestone, I was able to show her that "she could too do it!" Having run in the snow, wind, and rain; uphill, downhill, through the valley of the shadow of death. (Hey! It seemed like it at the time!) Having ran fast, slow, and close to three hours straight without stopping, Brain now sees things as "possibly hard, but definitely do-able." You don't know how much time I am saving not having to argue with her about whether or not we are going to exercise. Most days we are finished in a much shorter time than we used to spend just getting ready and out the door, or to the free weights. When I used to hear the Nike slogan, "Just Do It" brain used to mouth back, "Easy for you to say" and launch into her litany of reasons why she couldn't. Now she has a greater understanding of what they are trying to say.

The other interesting thing that has come of not relying on excuses, is that when I do forgo a work-out there isn't a pile of guilt that comes with it. Maybe this is because I have made some headway towards my goal of self-love? I know that part of it is knowing that somedays life is going to get in the way. When (my) Mister was down and out with his back, (Which is doing much better by the way.) I didn't run for a week. It just occured to me that I also didn't beat myself up over that fact. NOT EVEN ONCE! Once upon a time, not running for a week would have meant the beginning of the end of my running. As long as I keep those carrots dangling, (otherswise known as races) I am pretty sure I will keep heading out that door. Not to mention I am getting pretty used to being strong and powerful, two gifts I have received since beginning my quest to improve my physical condition. I get that these gifts are conditional, and will be taken away if I don't keep making deposits into my body. Kind of like those high yeild savings accounts....... The more you put in them, the more you get back......... And, usually, if you drop below a certain amount you stop making any interest on your money. Wouldn't want to see that happen now, would we? Best get busy, to assure that it doesn't....... At least not today.