Running is the REWARD + Not Okay

Hello:)

My Monday morning included 6 miles @ an 8:22 pace.  Even though I slept 84% of Sunday, I still woke up Monday feeling so tired.  Thank you running for always waking me up and making me feel like a person starting half-way through the run.

ANDREW SAW THIS ON HIS RUN.  Not okay.  I am very glad that I did not see this on my run.  Add this to the list of reasons why treadmill running is awesome too—> You don’t (hopefully) come across one of these mid-stride while on the treadmill.

Rewind to Sunday morning, Brooke gave me some major cash in the Mother’s Day card that she gave me so I took that straight to Target yesterday.

Okay, I didn’t go just to spend the $1.33 but I did leave with this shirt.  I felt it was very fitting for me.

Came home and made a bltatp (bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado, turkey, pepper—> try this combo) sandwich.  Brooke had a friend over for awhile and then it was time to go to gymnastics.  Brooke takes her goodbyes to Beretta very seriously,

In the one hour period of time watching gymnastics, Skye experienced every emotion possible including exhaustion and

pure happiness.

Andrew is doing his long run for the week today so we had pasta to carb load last night with ground turkey and roasted broccoli.

It was delicious.

How long is it going to last that she actually WANTS to do the dishes?  Hopefully this is a life-long love for her. Or at least until she is 18.

Andrew headed out for his softball game.  We stayed home since it was raining and windy.

Pretty thrilling evening along with some yoga with Andrew once he got home.  Chocolate chips= dessert when you can’t find anything else in your kitchen.

PS I am BEYOND excited about this… I am going to be able to go to the Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle this summer!  I’ll be able to volunteer and have an incredible experience there, I can’t wait to share it all with you too!

Another rewind to Sunday—>  Skye was pretty freaked out by this face mask that I used that night (PS putting it on evenly is hard one-handed).  I won’t recommend it because it left my skin BRIGHT red and blotchy once I took it off but I’ll continue trying every face mask out there until I find the perfect one.

Random thought of the day, I saw this the other day and didn’t know people cut their toast any other way than #1;)  I think I used to cut it differently but the kids have convinced me that #1 is the only proper way.

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Let’s play I spy—>  can you see me running?

The other day in the comments one of you mentioned how when you were growing up, running used to be the punishment for your sport.  When I was in high school I was on the tennis team for all three years (PS high school here is usually 10th-12th grade… I know it is different in other states) and running was definitely the ‘punishment.’  If we were late to practice or off-task or not following through with the drills—>  we were sent to run around the tennis courts a few times.   I was running at that point with my sister and on my own at times so it wasn’t a big deal but it was used as the ‘punishment’ for doing something wrong.  I remember running the timed mile in 7th grade and feeling like my teacher was punishing me for the one time I rolled my eyes at her (ps I was a pro at rolling my eyes for a good chunk of my life… Karma has already been visiting me because of this).  Not only do I remember different teachers/coaches using running as a punishment but I used it as my own form of punishment in my early twenties as well.  Ate too much at my roommates bday party = you better run x amount of miles.  Feeling bad about gaining 10 ounces over the weekend= well, I better run harder this week.  Too much candy (ps is too much candy even a thing?;) while studying for finals = I better burn off all of those calories at the gym and think about burning the calories the entire time and how I better NEVER do that again.

Exercise (the elliptical especially during college) and running was my form of ‘punishment’ for eating something on my ‘NO’ list or too many calories.  PS if you are a new reader you can read more about my struggles with disordered eating (really, it was an eating disorder) here, here and here.

Therapy, getting older, scary injuries, getting pregnant with Brooke (which is what I think really changed my eating/exercise habits), having great coaches and LOVING letting my competitive side out for a race really helped me to realize that exercise is not a punishment.

Over the years running has become my reward and it is a whole lot more fun that way.  It’s the way I treat myself to a little bit of me-time where I can be as selfish as I want for a few miles:)  It’s my favorite way to treat myself to de-stressing and some relaxation (isn’t it crazy how sometimes the higher our heart rate gets on a run the more relaxed we feel?).  I see running as this thing that gives me time to feel gratitude in nature or to catch up with my best girlfriends for an hour or to fill up on endorphins to help me out with my perspective on problems in life.

So, treat yourself to some good runs this week.  Reward your body to some type of movement that makes you feel strong and alive.  Celebrate the fact that you can run up that crazy hill in your neighborhood or run 4 miles without stopping.  Do it because you love yourself and want to do something good for your body!

PS please note I am not a professional in anything but taking 1000s of pictures of my children each day.  PLEASE seek help if you are struggling with disordered eating/exercise.  Just remember the above is my personal experience but you do you:)

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Has running ever been a punishment for you?  In other sports that you played or your own personal punishment?

What grades were at your high school?  9-12, 10-12?

What animals have you seen on the run?  

How do you cut your toast?  #1, #2, #3 or you don’t cut it? Also, favorite toast toppings?

-The best is avocado toast then toast with homemade jam followed by toast with butter and cinnamon sugar.