If Everyone Else Jumps, Will You Jump Too?

Have you ever gotten really comfortable with something?  Maybe there was a job, a relationship, something that was fun or made you feel good?  Everyone who knows me well knows that I am NOT a people person.  If you are my friend, then you probably made the first move.  Well, joining my local running group made me a tad more friendly.  I started getting out and (gasp) socializing!  I had a core group of BRFs (best running friends) and for the most part we had similar racing goals and paces (kind of).  And then, IT happened: marathon mania!!!

Why not?  It's only 26.2 miles right?  Everyone is doing it (You know, 10 of the 500 people in my running group).  They said, "Run for the Marines!"  "It will be fun!"  I'm sorry, what???  So I decided that I was going to run a marathon.  In true Natasha form, I immediately decided not to do it, and then to do it again, and then not to, and so on and so on.  I went out for a run and it was agonizing.  Making something that you love to do into something that you have to do is no good!  And by the way, why the f@%$ was I doing this again?

I realized that I was feeling a little left out and trying to hang on to my friends.  I feel like I finally got comfortable and the ground started to shift at my feet.  It highly likely that I will be living somewhere different at this time next year.  Everyone is marathoning or pregnant and I am so happy for them.  Still, I feel a little like the high school senior who's friends are all leaving to go to amazing out of state schools while I work at the local supermarket. 

As it turns out, I don't want to run a marathon.  I have a fitness goals of my own.  I intend to be fully shredded like Serena Williams someday in the very near future, and I am on my way.  So while I may not be down for 17 miles at 4:45 AM, I'm still down for 3-4 @ 6 or a walk and coffee at 9. Oh, and I still fully intend to accessorize to the fullest.  :)

XOXO,
Natasha

Run or Die

If you scroll through the Facebook postings from the local chapter of my running group, you may see the following:

"Anyone want to meet up tomorrow morning?  I need at least 9 miles."
"Who's running this weekend?  I need 15, 11 min pace."

These posts always give me a little chuckle.  In this country we tend to get a little to loose with the work need.  "I need this new outfit."  "I need the new Garmin GPS watch."  Do we ever stop to think about what the word need really means?

In real life, most of the people I know are fortunate enough to have food, shelter, and clothing on their back (plus a few extras).  I am so grateful to God for all of it.  Do I really need to run?

I was sitting in front of our hotel with my husband during our recent vacation.  It was early in the morning and I saw about ten people all coming in from their early morning runs.  They were jovial, glistening with sweat, and ready to take on the day (I imagine).  We boarded the bus for our excursion and came to a pause at a stop light.  I saw a couple jogging on the path that runs alongside the main road here in Cancun.  An interesting feeling started to bubble up inside of me:  jealousy!  I was jealous!  I wanted to run and sweat and feel my heart pumping and my feet on the road.  Me, me me!!!  "I NEED to RUN!!!"  It wasn't I should run, could run, will feel guilty if I don't run.  It was the feeling that I must, must, must run!

I always say that I'm retiring from running.  I say that I will bike or swim or find some way to exercise that doesn't wear out my bunions or my knees.  In the end, it always comes back to me and my running shoes hitting the pavement, mile after mile, fast or slow, running or walking.  I need to run! (After I get home and all of the tequila is out of my system of course. :0))

What fitness activity is a must for you?  What do you need???  I can't wait to hear!

Natasha

Ten Tunes Tuesday (Dance, Dance)

"Let us read and let us dance - two amusements that will never do any harm to the world." -- Voltaire

When life hands you lemons, slice those babies up and make a margarita! Life has a weird way of working out sometimes. Last week was a good week, but a stressful week. I got some of my workouts in while I was away, but I'm still in a funk - I just can't seem to find my groove, and it's just adding to my stress level. What gives?

When I was in college, I had a habit of dancing in my bedroom whenever my mind would be uneasy. I would pick out some good tunes, turn up the music, and just sing and dance until I couldn't feel my legs. If that didn't work, I'd pack up my CDs and go for a long drive to the foothills of the Sandias... getting out to hike for a bit until I could breathe again. I lost this habit when I moved to the gulf coast, and I'm not sure why.  For whatever reason, I found myself dancing again suddenly when The Weekend's song, "Can't Feel My Face" came on my radio while I was cleaning house this weekend. I'm not sure what spurred it - I just let my music play as I danced and cleaned my little heart out. It reminded me of how helpful this habit was in college, so I figured I would employ this stress relieving tactic for the rest of this week too. As an added bonus, my little 30 minute dance session apparently burned 485 calories, so it doubles as a workout too! Score! 

Here are some of the jams I danced to this weekend:

1. The Weekend - "Can't Feel My Face"
2. Natalie La Rose - "Somebody"
3. Nicki Minaj - "The Night Is Still Young"
4. Skrillex & Diplo -"Where Are Ü Now"
5. Silentó - "Watch Me"
6. Tove Lo - "Habits"
7. Zedd - "I Want You To Know"
8. Pitbull - "Fun"
9. Sage the Gemini - "Good Thing"
10. Prince Royce - "Back It Up"

I'm hoping I can get a better handle on my stress this week. It's hurting my sleep, and that's never good. What tactics do you employ to relieve stress? Do you like to dance like nobody's watching too? I hope your week is filled with more calm than mine! Until we meet again, my friends....

Cheers!

Becky