Motivation Monday – Finding my own
For this Monday’s post, I’ll bring it back to something personal:
My own motivation, which has been lacking as of late.
I signed up for Grandma’s Marathon. June 21st. I’m really excited about it, from a coaching standpoint. I have SO many athletes that are targeting that marathon in their “A” race. From sub-3 to BQs, there are BIG goals on the line at Grandma’s. I am SO excited to be up there to cheer everyone on!!!!
[Aside: anyone know of a house we could stay at or rent out as a team? Or know a college student that might have a vacant house we could rent?!?]
I have been wrestling with myself lately: you SHOULD want Grandma’s! OTQ! Craig and Jeff have registered and are excited to pace me to OTQ. Perfect opportunity!!! Wouldn’t it be fun to hug my athletes post-finish, sweaty and smelly, goals achieved?
But, have to say, I have “family” on the brain… 🙂 🙂 🙂
Oh, gosh, this was hard to disclose here… but it’s so true and I want to be totally honest here.
That makes it even harder to jump into something 100%, which I know I need to be if I’m going to run sub 2:43! AHHH, what a big mental change for me!!! 🙂 It’s amazing how a switch just is turned, and family all of a sudden feels like the absolute right thing, and the best thing!… vs. a year ago, I wanted nothing to do with it. Weird 🙂
I thought about leaving that desire out of this blog journey, but wanted to be real… plus, I think this is a journey that most elite athletes don’t really talk about…
That aside, I will still be up there for Grandma’s, but I can’t say that it is the “spark in my eye” that I’ve usually relied on (and is typical of me!). Is it because I’ve changed my priorities? Since I am not expecting yet, should I just plow through, train hard for Grandma’s and snag my OTQ? It’s a tough timeline/athletic journey that, like I said, is often left out of most journeys/stories…
Any advice on this from others?!? Wish I could just switch that portion of my brain “off”. 🙂 (well, maybe…)
BUT, leave it to my best friend, Craig, to know what is (or might be?) best for me:
He suggested a trail ULTRA: Afton 50k. At first, I thought he was just referring to our friend group, so I said: “That would be fun! Nate would do it, I’m sure! Jake as well!”
But then he quietly said, “Maybe YOU should do it?”
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| Oh, dear…. I’ve done the 25k before, “for fun”, and it is killer… 50k?? Perhaps I need new friends… |
I hadn’t even considered it. I HATE trail running. I have done about 80 trail miles TOTAL during my entire life. I am slow. I was beat by a 16 year old in my last trail race (and I was TRYING!). I’m not a good hill runner. I’m not fast when I have to watch where my feet go.
BUT, it MAY just be crazy enough that it would spark that motivation in me. I sent an email to Chris with the idea. He hasn’t responded… mostly because I’m sure it’s a bad idea :). But I told him, perhaps I could pace my athletes at Grandma’s, then do the Afton 50k 2 weeks later?
Although, secretly hoping something bigger happens soon… but am happy to have something a little crazy that I’m sort of (hard to admit) excited about :). I think something crazy, new, something I know nothing about will be really good for me.
Oh, my…. 🙂
I can't really speak from the experience of having kids, but I hear it is pretty amazing. I say if you're not in it, don't try to force it. Sometimes I feel like I should do a trail race since that's what a real Alaskan runner does, but the training to train for it and the actual race do not appeal to me. Find some shorter races and do those instead of focusing on the marathon–half-marathons, 10Ks, etc. That's my two cents.
Thanks for sharing! It's nice to see a more personal, real side sometimes, something to relate to. I'm not going to say whether you should do the 50k or not, Jake is for sure, but I'll be on the sidelines cheering 🙂
There's never a perfect time to have a baby and having a little one will inevitably change your priorities. You will have to sacrifice a lot of (most, actually) of your free time (and sleep) for a while. But to create a human being with the person you love is the most incredible thing. Nothing would ever be the same and that will be okay. Good luck with that decision!
Psyched you're running Grandma's!!!!! -AO
So I don't know anything about trail running but I do know about having kids!! I blogged a lot about trying to get pregnant with Landon after I did Kona. I had to jump thru my hoops (my gymnastics background means my period is messed up and I had blocked tubes from my emergency C-section with Zach) but I have never ever ever even for a second regretted putted some of my athletics goals aside to pursue having my kids. Trust me, it's absolutely worth it. And every mom I know has come back stronger, faster and more determined (although on varying time lines depending on circumstances). Good luck with it all and feel free to send me an email if you ever want to discuss further.
You and Nate are so in tune, so my advice is to follow your heart and passion. I was a runner who never pictured life as a mom, but that changed 2 weeks before my 35th birthday. Best surprised gift ever. You will never loose your abilities and gusto for running. So many world class running moms out there. You and Nate will know when the time is right to try for changes in life. Regardless, I look forward to seeing you at Grandma's!
That is a lot of options. You are starting to sound like me, you want to do everything, coaching, gardening, road races, trail races, riding a bike, having babies (ok, maybe that one doesn't sound so much like me), crazy road trips. Any interest in learning how to canoe? (ok, mostly kidding about that one). Should be an exciting summer however things work out. For now you better stay in shape, that's your best strategy for whichever of these crazy things you choose to take on. It will be fun to strap on the running shoes and get back out on the roads with you, but I can't really say I'm looking forward to it because the skiing is so good right now.
So, another piece that I haven't already mentioned…I was training hard this past summer when I got pregnant….maybe train, and try…the path that is meant for you will happen…whatever you do, don't stress out about it 🙂
I agree proceed as you normally do. Don't stress about the family thing. Train as you normally do and if "it" happens then be happy. Lot's of great runners that are moms also. Carrie Tollefson comes to mind. Two kids promoter of fitness and almost breaks 3 hours in her very first marathon! It can be done… Willie is another example. A mom and a trail marathon champion!
Once you get baby on the brain its really hard to get back "into it" full tilt again until you have one. Go for it, you will have soo much fun as a mom and probably be faster once you are back from baby.