May the Fourth be with You

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Happy May the 4th internet lovers of all things Star Wars!! Have you brushed up on your Star Wars knowledge or re-watched the movies recently? I have been watching A LOT of those wonderful YouTube videos of kids watching the infamous, "I am your father" moment. Sometimes they are hilarious, sometimes they are borderline sad, and sometimes they are just so cute! For me, there was no "oh my gosh" moment, a kid from school spoiled it for me long before it was socially unacceptable to spoil a movie. I still have harsh feelings towards that kid, maybe a therapist will help me get through it someday. 

But, back to the 4th, this article is a must read for every Star Wars lover, nay, breathing person out there. It takes a cold, hard look at what that simple line was saying, must we be doomed to follow in our parents footsteps? Have their same success and their same failures? Or, can we really, truly become our own person? 

This is such a great question and one that, honestly, plagues a great many people in the world today. And, Steve over at Nerd Fitness tackles it beautifully! 

Happy Monday and May the Fourth be with You!! 

RunDisney Lovers, This Will Make You Laugh!

Hehehehehe, I found this while trolling Instagram and immediately began uncontrollably laughing in the middle of a waiting room. It was rather embarrassing, yes, but totally worth it.  One of the recent Mickey Miles Podcasts talked about some of the issues people had with signing up for the Wine and Dine a few weeks ago. Many of my friends ran into the same error screen after putting in their payment information (did this happen to you?) and are out of the race- quite literally. 

This got me to thinking how hilarious it is that 1) runDisney races are the price that they are and 2) that we will take off work, wake up at odd hours, and have the internet equivalent of Thunderdome battles to give runDisney our money. And you know what? I don't even mind!

Maybe that is the crazier part, we all find it laughable, but we will all keep doing it. Because it is a group of people going for the same goal together with some of the most iconic characters of our childhood, nay the world's childhood, at the happiest place on earth. I would say that is a darn good reason- plus the race after party, let's not forget that. 

Yep, I have not even run my first runDisney race but am already planning my second and third. In fact, the chances are pretty high that I will have signed up for another 2016 Florida race and a 2016 California race before even running the Wine and Dine. Sounds a bit crazy right? What if I hate this whole running thing? What if it is about the worst thing I have ever done and I have visions of burning my running shoes in an runDisney fueled hatred of how awful this event is? Well, thankfully, there is no one who can make this race amazing or terrible except myself and what mental attitude I have. Even better, I have made a personal guarantee to myself not to let negativity creep in and to listen to my body for guidance. I will not push past my physical capabilities, but I have every intention of pushing past as many mental ones as humanly possible.

Goodness, we went from Fry yelling to some pretty deep stuff. So true though, our mental fortitude is what will guide our success or failure in most parts of life. Running, yoga, kickboxing, whatever physical activity you do that pushes you past where you are comfortable and into the unknown, it is not just making your body stronger, it is strengthening your mind. And, that is one of the greatest reasons to workout that I have yet found. 

Now, runDisney, shut up and take my money.  

Last Week in Workouts: The Longest Run

Last week, at 2:00 in the afternoon with a cloudless sky and 82 degree heat, I ran my longest run yet. It was hot, It was sunny, but it was also incredible. I keep doing the math and checking on my run keeper apps and Google maps to see that I actually ran that far, because my ody just does not feel like it usually does after a 3+ mile run. 

Maybe it was the heat that helped lubricate my joints and loosen my muscles. Maybe it was the incredible views of running next to the bay and by the beach. Maybe it was the run-walk-run time that I was using, but something was definitely different from the prior week's 5-miler from hell, and I am so happy for that!! 

Other than running this week, I did a wee bit of yoga and walked. That was it. I know, should have done more. But, with Easter, work, and just not wanting to, I just did not want to. So here is my workout sum-up and a hope that next week your will see a bit more yoga on my list! 

Oh, and the picture above, that was taken while on the six-mile run. With that view, running really cannot be too bad! 

Monday: 5-mile long run. This was definitely the hardest run yet. My pace slowed to an 11:33 average and my knees and ankles hurt like nothing else. There were also plenty of side stitches and lots of exhaustion when done. Yuck. 

Tuesday: Rest day. Still in pain from Monday. But, have been using this, and it makes everything better! 

Wednesday: 30-minute run using the 3/1 Run-Walk ration. Ended up doing a bit over 3 miles! 

Thursday: This new yoga sequence from Candace! 

Friday: 6-mile long run. This week I only fit in one 30-minute run since I was still catching up from last week. But, this run was incredible and my pace ended up being 11:16. Getting better!!

Saturday: Some nice walking :)

Sunday: I cooked a lot, but as far as a workout goes, that's about it. 

Happy Monday! Do you have any fun workouts planned for this week? 

Motivation for Your Monday

Happy Monday! I hope you have some fun plans this Valentine's Day week! If you are still looking for last minute gifts, be sure to check out our gift list for the yogi and the runner in your life. 

As for motivation, this week we are getting back into the motivation for your Monday spirit with this running quote from some unknown runner that I am so happy said something great! Even if you are not a marathoner, half marathoner, or runner at all, this quote can mean something. In life, there are days that we do not know if our goals are attainable, but then, if we are wise, we keep going and we get it. Sure, there will be moments of doubt in any pursuit of any goal. Keep going through that doubt; you will have moments of discomfort, but a lifetime of reward.

Keep going for those goals, aspirations, and dreams. Reach high. I believe in you and know you can get it!