It occurred to me when talking with my husband, that I really don't know how to commit to something whole heartily. Admittedly I was the kid in high school that could sort of half-ass things and still make good grades. I could do just enough to play sports and not be the worst on the team. DH is the complete opposite of me.
If there is anyone I could look up to, it would be him. In high school he was a multi-sport athlete, and really excellent at all three, his dedication was obvious, although even he is the first to admit it didn't always help him in the classroom. So needless to say, we were on opposite ends of the spectrum. One of us could semi-study, the other could conquer the field.
But what he did take away from all those athletic activities and holding down a job was dedication, commitment and 'stick to itness,' which are traits that, frankly I've never had. And have been a B**TC* to figure out as an adult. I'm getting better at it where school is concerned, but my health and my running....I can 'get by' with just the bare minimum, so I never feel strongly about putting out more.
Until I saw this movie called "Vegducated." I had tried once before to do the whole vegetarian thing, but I was still eating chicken and then I just totally fell off the wagon. Mostly because I did not learn how to actually cook anything that was vegetarian and I was replacing it with fast food that might just have chicken in it.
This has been an eye-opening year for me, mostly because I've come to learn a great deal about myself. I've had to learn that commitment is not the same as perfection, we can be committed to doing better everyday without expecting ourselves to be perfect 100% of the time.
I really really love animals, and watching Veducated has shown me how horrific the conditions are for not just factory farms, but family farms too, who now have to use the same practices in order to keep up with corporate backed farms. It hurts my heart that I've spent almost 29 years of my life contributing to something so cruel. Pigs for instance, have the intelligence of a 3 or 4 year old...we wouldn't do these things to a toddler, why is this acceptable for other creatures? Paul McCartney said something to the effect that if all slaughterhouses were made of glass, everyone would be a vegetarian. I think he is right. What upsets me more is the fact that I allowed myself to be ignorant, that so many of us enable the ignorance.
Even if you don't love animals as much as me, you can't ignore the fact that the meat industry causes more pollution than the transportation industry, both in emissions and what it does to drinking water and destruction of the forests!!!
Now, don't get me wrong, I get it. Hubby came from a meat and potatoes family and they cook everything with meat in it, shoot the green beans had ham in them (what happened to just eating green beans??) At the holiday party at work, I think I was the only person who supplied food that was not a starch. So, I understand that food tends to be an integral part of traditions within families and it is sacrosanct...but even if we all tried, once a week, twice a week, part-time to eat whole foods that grow out of the earth, to put a variety of colorful foods on our plate, to not eat meat, we would save lives and contribute to preserving a better future. I personally believe that I will be moving to a vegan or plant based lifestyle. I can't fathom the idea of another little moomoo ending up on my plate. Even if you won't join me totally, I hope you will consider going meat free once or twice a week.
Some would say that 'I alone can't make a difference, so why even bother.' Giving up meat for one year saves almost 100 lives, so yes, that difference is made to that cow or chicken. Others say that "they'll just kill it for someone else who still eats meat." Guess what, positive meaningful change does not happen overnight, it is slow and takes time to gestate...people were probably afraid of Henry Fords new fangled contraption, or thought that the Wright Brothers were just a couple of insane guys out to kill themselves...look at how these individuals set the ball in motion.
If we as a community take charge of our food source, eventually the market will have to change, maybe not soon, maybe not in my lifetime...but that doesn't mean I'm not going to put my best "hoof" forward.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Thursday, December 13, 2012
RnRBunny Did WHAT!
I registered for a 50 mile race. Yes, you did in fact read that correctly. I registered for a 50 mile race. Originally I thought I might have another commitment in May, but that fell through and so I bumped up my goal of the 50 miler to May.
Back in 2006 I ran my first marathon, the Air Force Marathon in Dayton, Ohio. It took me 6 hours to finish, mostly because I really had not trained well for the race, but I finished nonetheless. Immediately after that race I discovered that people participated in these races called Ultra's. And that there were even distances of 100+ miles.
That was quite awhile ago, and I have completed one 50k in 2011. But, I've never quite been in a place where I felt like I was capable of running that kind of distance, and who knows maybe I still can't.
I did sign up last year, but as I've mentioned before my year kind of fell apart, but I decided I would make 2013 my year. So I signed up for the 50's For Yo Momma race in May.
Honestly, I'm really nervous. But in keeping with my goals (the one about dreaming big, but working even harder) I thought that I should just go for it!
All of this is in preparation for my big goal of completing the 100 miler. I don't have one officially picked out yet. Mostly because the idea of registering for a 100 miler scares me shitless (apologies for the language). I have just never been the model student when it comes to training, and I am trying to change that.
God bless my hubby. I told him last night that I registered and the first thing out of his mouth was, need a buddy to run with? I can help you train...
That's why I married him :)
I hope 2013 brings lots of fun races and good times. I know it will be hard work, but it'll be good for me.
And I side note, I changed the title of my blog a little bit. It's now called Running My Cottontail Off :) I still like to think of myself as the RnRBunny...but I thought the blog could use a little more catchy title. Hope you will continue to follow me.
Back in 2006 I ran my first marathon, the Air Force Marathon in Dayton, Ohio. It took me 6 hours to finish, mostly because I really had not trained well for the race, but I finished nonetheless. Immediately after that race I discovered that people participated in these races called Ultra's. And that there were even distances of 100+ miles.
That was quite awhile ago, and I have completed one 50k in 2011. But, I've never quite been in a place where I felt like I was capable of running that kind of distance, and who knows maybe I still can't.
I did sign up last year, but as I've mentioned before my year kind of fell apart, but I decided I would make 2013 my year. So I signed up for the 50's For Yo Momma race in May.
Honestly, I'm really nervous. But in keeping with my goals (the one about dreaming big, but working even harder) I thought that I should just go for it!
All of this is in preparation for my big goal of completing the 100 miler. I don't have one officially picked out yet. Mostly because the idea of registering for a 100 miler scares me shitless (apologies for the language). I have just never been the model student when it comes to training, and I am trying to change that.
God bless my hubby. I told him last night that I registered and the first thing out of his mouth was, need a buddy to run with? I can help you train...
That's why I married him :)
I hope 2013 brings lots of fun races and good times. I know it will be hard work, but it'll be good for me.
And I side note, I changed the title of my blog a little bit. It's now called Running My Cottontail Off :) I still like to think of myself as the RnRBunny...but I thought the blog could use a little more catchy title. Hope you will continue to follow me.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Goodbye 2012, Hello 2013
Where does the time go? Mom always said I was the kid that looked ahead-that I was impatient with the present and in too much of a hurry for the future. When it was winter, I wanted spring, spring summer. Well, it's a few weeks early yet, but Goodbye 2012, Hello 2013!!
What I have gotten much wiser about over the years is understanding the importance of the past, without letting it dictate everything you do in the future. 2012 was a sucky year for me, both in terms of races, general running, and in other aspects of life. I've been thinking quite a bit about what I could do differently so I (hopefully) don't repeat that same performance this year. I'd really like to meet the goals I set for myself.
1) You are what you eat- no seriously...you are. It is incredibly important to pay attention to the kinds of things you are eating so you can stay healthy and run. I was sick with some kind of nasty cold on and off the whole year. So, DH hid the scale from me and instead I am just paying attention to the kinds of foods I am eating.
2) Dream Big, Work Even Harder- it is important to have big dreams, but that means very little if you don't intend to work hard for those dreams. This is something I am constantly striving to be better at.
3) Don't let a bad run, or several, make you give up- For most of us, running is painful. Perhaps we are all masochists, but running is not easy most of the time. If you have to, leave the watch at home and remember that consistency matters.
4) Do a 5k for fun- for no other reason than just to be out there with your fellow runner and walker folk. It is rejuvenating to see everyone.
5) Volunteer for a race- the last couple of years I have raised money or volunteer directed a race and it has been one of the most rewarding things I have ever done.
These are my 5 lessons learned and my 5 goals to keep in mind for 2013. What are your goals?
What I have gotten much wiser about over the years is understanding the importance of the past, without letting it dictate everything you do in the future. 2012 was a sucky year for me, both in terms of races, general running, and in other aspects of life. I've been thinking quite a bit about what I could do differently so I (hopefully) don't repeat that same performance this year. I'd really like to meet the goals I set for myself.
1) You are what you eat- no seriously...you are. It is incredibly important to pay attention to the kinds of things you are eating so you can stay healthy and run. I was sick with some kind of nasty cold on and off the whole year. So, DH hid the scale from me and instead I am just paying attention to the kinds of foods I am eating.
2) Dream Big, Work Even Harder- it is important to have big dreams, but that means very little if you don't intend to work hard for those dreams. This is something I am constantly striving to be better at.
3) Don't let a bad run, or several, make you give up- For most of us, running is painful. Perhaps we are all masochists, but running is not easy most of the time. If you have to, leave the watch at home and remember that consistency matters.
4) Do a 5k for fun- for no other reason than just to be out there with your fellow runner and walker folk. It is rejuvenating to see everyone.
5) Volunteer for a race- the last couple of years I have raised money or volunteer directed a race and it has been one of the most rewarding things I have ever done.
These are my 5 lessons learned and my 5 goals to keep in mind for 2013. What are your goals?
Thursday, November 29, 2012
"Eat Like A Bunny"- the Diet for Life!
You know what is so strange? I am more careful about what my rabbits eat then what I eat. You know that old saying:
Part of my mission at becoming a better runner also has to do with eating better and losing a little bit of weight in the process. Which as anyone knows who has tried to change their diet...this can SUCK ROYALLY. Last night was no exception, got home prepared to go run-what did I do instead? Ordered a pizza...sigh.
I think one of the hardest parts of any lifestyle change is breaking the old habits. For me this is mostly due to emotional eating. Not because I am down specifically, but because I come home worn out and don't want to have to THINK anymore :) But the truth of the matter is, on those night I could just make peanut butter and jelly and that would be better than other alternatives. Not just to my waistline, but to my wallet as well.
I obviously can't change last night but I can remind myself of the importance of eating like a bunny. Where does this phrase come from? DH told me that if I wanted to be able to train harder and smarter then I would need to start eating like a bunny.
Ok...maybe not exactly like this bunny but she is modeling the lettuce leaf pretty well!
When in doubt think HAY! This bunny is like the food plate for humans, mostly veggies and fruits (fruits for hoomans ONLY) with just a smidge of the carbs (of the bread and pasta variety) and protein.
I think one of the hardest parts of any lifestyle change is breaking the old habits. For me this is mostly due to emotional eating. Not because I am down specifically, but because I come home worn out and don't want to have to THINK anymore :) But the truth of the matter is, on those night I could just make peanut butter and jelly and that would be better than other alternatives. Not just to my waistline, but to my wallet as well.
I obviously can't change last night but I can remind myself of the importance of eating like a bunny. Where does this phrase come from? DH told me that if I wanted to be able to train harder and smarter then I would need to start eating like a bunny.
Bunnies are designed to eat lots of greens. Do you remember Thumper and how he always got in trouble for only eating flower tops in "Bambi?" Well, that's because greens are like bunny super food. They keep their digestive tract happy. It just so happens that greens happen to be good for people too!
While Bugs Bunny was a great cartoon, one thing it didn't do well was promote or help people understand what rabbits even eat. Carrots are like our version of cakes and cupcakes-or what Cookie Monster calls a "Sometimes Food." Same thing with apples, banana's, and any other fruit-bunnies may have small quantities, but too much can not only make them fat, but it can make them sick too!
So, keeping all this in mind I wanted to remind myself today to eat like a bunny. No, I am not just going to have salads all day, but I am going to start limiting the numbers of sweets and junk food that I consume because it's not doing me any favors.
I even joined a group called "Cookie Free December" that some of my friends started. I am not sure if I will make it through the whole month without eating a single cookie, but I am sure as heck going to try. Every year I repeat the same mistake, bake cookies, work cookies, Santa cookies, then the New Year hits and my stomach is a hot mess because I've consumed nothing but sugar for a month and a half!
So, just remember "NOT THE GUM DROP BUTTONS!"
When in doubt think HAY! This bunny is like the food plate for humans, mostly veggies and fruits (fruits for hoomans ONLY) with just a smidge of the carbs (of the bread and pasta variety) and protein.
Remember those Bunny 500's? When rabbits are happy they can use your room like a race track and zoom around at high speeds. Think, if you eat like a bunny you can run like a bunny, and hopefully lose a little of that padding in the middle!
I am only going to meet my running goals if I start putting better fuel into the system. Trust me, I really want to run those 500's!
Happy Thursday folks!
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Motivation= Registering for a 50k
Since I am trying out the new me, before the New Year....I decided to locate a 50k training schedule to get my tush in gear! I found one that I think will be handy dandy and it's nice because the higher mileage is on the weekend when I can get up early and still have plenty of time to work on my dissertation. It also still gives me some time to work out or cross train during the week...
I found this awesome race series that is being put on at Alum Creek near Columbus Ohio. It's a series of two races and you can pick from multiple distances. The first is on January 20th and I opted for the 20k and then the monster is on February 17th which is the 50k. I am totally stoked because I have a schedule that is doable, and a plan to keep active through the worst months in Ohio. AND....I totally made it fit around writing a dissertation!
There are only 250 spots open for this race so if you find yourself interested register at Premier Sports and as mentioned there are a variety of distances that you can run.
Did I mention that this is my FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR....I confess that I hate to run in the cold, but I just totally dig the holiday lights. I started a tradition of running on Christmas Eve around my neighborhood to enjoy the lights. One year I went out absurdly late but it was unbelievably peaceful. A run plus hot chocolate is the way to go!
I started thinking about 2013 as I mentioned in a previous post and am slowly readjusting and defining my goals. Never a good time like the present-I say why wait until the New Year. What are your plans?
Monday, November 26, 2012
Dream Big
Happy Monday friends. This was an appropriate pic today and one that I really needed to see. So often I put things off with the idea that things (or I) will be better, stronger, healthier..etc at some future date. The problem is that date never arrives and I've sadly missed out on doing something exciting with my life.
I have this friend in my running group named Mandy whom I just really admire. I admire her because she is one tough lady with what I like to call 'lady b@lls'. I first ran with her almost a year ago because she needed someone to pace her for her last run before her half marathon. I think she finished somewhere in a little over 2:30 minutes. A year later this chick has made an attempt at mountain climbing (she's going back I believe to take that motha on again!), finished several half marathons, other races and a MARATHON.
She inspires me because she just puts her nose to the grindstone and doesn't let anything stop her, not her post baby weight (which she has shed most of!), not yucky trainers, nothing gets in the way of this gal doing her thing. And it reminded me last night after reading her blog that I've got to stop a) feeling sorry for myself and b) stop delaying my dreams because I am too scared or worried to pursue them.
Most of you know that I am a recovering scale-a-holic. I have room to improve, weight to lose, muscle to put on..but mostly I just have a life that I need to live. If tomorrow was it, I would be pissed at myself if I hadn't made every attempt I could at chasing down my dreams.
The biggest dream of mine...a 100 miler. Ever since I saw that people did those I've wanted to run one. I'm thinking 2013 might be my year.
What about you? What is your biggest dream?
Oh, and check out Mandy's No Standing Still
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Hug a Runner...for that matter hug your family too!
Today is hug a runner day! So on my blog I am handing out hugs to all the runners in my life, hoping I can remember all, or most of them :)
Corrie
Ann
Anne
Julie
Jeanne
Molly
Michelle
Rohit
Susanne
J.P
Randy
Richard
Bill
Michelle H
Kim
Amy
DH
Mandy
Melanie
Judy
Sarah
Abby
Emily
Chad
Joe
Jeff
If I forgot someone I SORRY and HUGS TO YOU!!
Make sure you hug whoever you run with...get 'em when they are sweaty or their paws are dirty!
On that note I just had to say that I conquered the little man on my shoulder who tells me to be lazy. Yesterday I was so tired when I got home from work I really did not want to go for a run! I promised myself that if I got out there I only needed to do 2 miles...well 2 turned into 3! One of the hardest things for me has always been consistency. Many of my running buddies are champs when it comes to training. They just seem to know how to STICK TO IT! They run multiple races a year, complete ultra's and ironman events....me, I just bail out when it comes to the consistency of training week after week.
So, my goal is to run the mileage that I set out for myself this week. I'm trying not to look ahead too much, just get through this week and see how it goes.
In the spirit of stick to itness...get out there and move!
Corrie
Ann
Anne
Julie
Jeanne
Molly
Michelle
Rohit
Susanne
J.P
Randy
Richard
Bill
Michelle H
Kim
Amy
DH
Mandy
Melanie
Judy
Sarah
Abby
Emily
Chad
Joe
Jeff
If I forgot someone I SORRY and HUGS TO YOU!!
Make sure you hug whoever you run with...get 'em when they are sweaty or their paws are dirty!
On that note I just had to say that I conquered the little man on my shoulder who tells me to be lazy. Yesterday I was so tired when I got home from work I really did not want to go for a run! I promised myself that if I got out there I only needed to do 2 miles...well 2 turned into 3! One of the hardest things for me has always been consistency. Many of my running buddies are champs when it comes to training. They just seem to know how to STICK TO IT! They run multiple races a year, complete ultra's and ironman events....me, I just bail out when it comes to the consistency of training week after week.
So, my goal is to run the mileage that I set out for myself this week. I'm trying not to look ahead too much, just get through this week and see how it goes.
In the spirit of stick to itness...get out there and move!
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