Run for your life.

The next half-marathon I will be participating in will be November, 25 in Seattle.  The one after that is the Rock N Roll Marathon in Phoenix in January.  I have decided to work my way up to a full marathon which I intend to run in Paris, France.

I never thought of myself as a goal orientated person.  Since last spring I have come to realize that having a goal is what has been keeping me motivated to workout, run and stay fit.  I need to have a structured program that tells me how many times I should workout, when I should workout and how hard.  So far the apps I have been using are helping out in ways I could never imagine.

My original goal of running the Race of a Soldier Half Marathon was achieved so I figured why stop there?  Most bodybuilders I know usually do a bunch of contests all in a row because they worked so hard to get to competition ready that it would be a waste not to do as  many as you can at once.

My goal is to do a half-marathon every other month.    This is a very big deal for me.  I never would have guessed in a million years that I would ever be a runner.  I think it just took a clear mind to make me realize my potential.

To be perfectly honest it has been hard to stay motivated lately.  The weather here in Washington has changed to rain and that comes with doom and gloom for nine months.  It's very hard to stay motivated to run outside when it is constantly raining and windy.  I was supposed to run yesterday but it was raining so hard I just couldn't bring myself to do it. The fix?  Rain gear.  I have to go find some good rain gear for my runs.  This is an obstacle I have to overcome because this is where I live and it's like this every winter.  The blessing is that is rarely gets too cold to run outside.  We rarely get snow and when we do it doesn't last too long.

The fix for the doom and gloom is to schedule half-marathons in warm states throughout the winter.  Pheonix, San Diego, LA, Las Vegas, etc.  Not only are they great places to run races but it's a valid excuse to get the hell out of the rain and into the sun.

My motivation and inspiration has it's ups and downs like everyone else.  I think if I have a goal to focus on than it will be easier for me.  It's a no brainer I know but if you have had depression for as long as I have, it's a "lightbulb" moment.