February 16, 2020

So much support! (And a great goal as a result)

I really can't say thank you enough for the support on yesterday's post. I will try to respond to the comments over the next couple of days. I always hate writing things like the post I wrote yesterday, because I feel like I'm admitting to failure. But so many of you have made me feel like like I'm really just seeing a part of the (never-ending) process. I appreciate it so much!

I'm going to keep this post short, because Jerry is off work tomorrow, so we're going to watch a movie together tonight.

My good friend Adam (who I met right when I started my sophomore year of high school) texted me today to say that he read yesterday's post and he was wondering if there was something we could do together to help each other get/stay on track with personal goals.

This is my very favorite photo of Adam and me... it's from 1998 (Yikes! That makes me feel so old.)



As far as doing something together to get on track, nothing really jumped out at me because I've been trying to think of things like this for about two years now! However, I finally suggested something that was mildly uncomfortable (in a good way)--running the Detroit Free Press International Half Marathon together this October.

You may remember that I ran the full marathon with Rik in 2012; and I walked/ran with Jerry in 2015. I love love LOVE the Detroit course (out of all the races I've done, it's my favorite course). Adam has never actually done an "official" half-marathon... he's walked them and he's run them on a treadmill; but financially, he's not been able to afford to do races.

Soooo... I suggested that we run the Detroit Half this October, and I will pay his entry fee. If he bails for whatever reason, then he has to pay me back. And if I try to flake on him, then he will guilt trip me big time. I feel like this is a great solution for both of us!

(Adam is someone who you can never win against in an argument. I could give him a trillion excuses reasons why I can't train, and he won't hear of it. That is exactly what I need to stick with it.)

Just the fact that this will be his first big race and I'll be running it with him makes me super excited--I don't know if he's ever even been to a big race, but the excitement of the experience is totally worth it for a newcomer. I think that is what is most exciting for me--being there when he experiences the race and gets his medal and all that.)

I love this whole idea... I will be motivated to train (because I'll have to if I want to run with him) and he'll be motivated to do the race (because if he doesn't, he'll have to pay me back for the entry fee). He's excited about the idea because it'll give him something to work toward. So, it's a win-win all around.

I feel like this will really be helpful in getting me running again! I'm not going to come up with a crazy training plan--I'll write up something simple next week, something that will get me to the finish line but without all the complications of training a particular way.

SIMPLE is the name of the game this year.

I also agreed to read a book that he suggested--Can't Hurt Me by David Goggins (Amazon affiliate link). I looked at the synopsis, and it looks really great! (Otherwise, I wouldn't have agreed to read it.) He said it is super inspiring and will likely help me in getting determined to work on my goals. So, I bought the Kindle version today.

Anyway, I love that he reached out and that we came up with these things we can do to help each other out. I'm probably going to start the book on Tuesday (my kids and Jerry are off tomorrow, so we're doing a family day). And I'm going to write up a training plan during the week to get ready for the half.

I have no plan to break any personal records for speed, but if I can just run the whole thing, I'll be happy. I'm mostly excited to see Adam finish his first "official" race!

I haven't come up with a plan for my diet, yet, but for right now, I'm happy to have a plan going forward and through the summer for exercise. It'll feel good to have a training goal again. I wouldn't want to do this race if it didn't mean something.

While I'm not "cured" after what I wrote on yesterday's post, I'm feeling good right now about this plan. And it'll be fun to write about as I train :)

Here is a photo of Adam and me from a few weeks ago. He came over to watch the season premiere of The Biggest Loser with Jerry and me. Jerry fell asleep halfway through, so Adam and I took a photo with him anyway ;)  (Of course, Estelle had to insert herself in the photo, too)



4 comments:

  1. What a great friend! I love the photo with Jerry! Hysterical!

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  2. What an awesome plan! Working on it together will be fun and without rules or a set goal other then to finish will allow it to be fun!

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  3. Sounds like a great goal to work towards. It’s been a while since I’ve read your blog and I was so happy to see you still posting and the reality that I’m not the only one having trouble finding my determination again (after gaining back 45 of the 140 I’ve lost in the last 10+ years). But we haven’t given up and we haven’t thrown in the towel which means there is still time to get back to your fitness goals and find our determination. So proud of you!

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  4. Can't hurt me is an amazing read. Also the audio book contains A LOT of extra information in it as Goggins gives almost a mini interview after each chapter! I hope you find it as inspiring as I did. :)

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