Okay, so I’ve had this 90s Mariah Carey tune in my head all day. No, it’s not because tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. (I’m so not into Valentine’s Day, even though I did pick out my gift online and ask my husband to order it for me; I can’t let the day go by completely unnoticed.) Rather, my emotions are tied to several other exciting things happening for me this time of the year.
Before I get to the good stuff, I have to say that I started off this day feeling rather guilty about how horribly I ate yesterday. I would be embarrassed to document my food intake as you would notice it barely contained a single vegetable or fruit. That vegetable, if it can be called that, was a “mashed potato casserole” from a BBQ establishment and that fruit was a few measly raisins in the cereal I ate for dinner. Wait, does wine count since it’s made from grapes? No? I thought not. Anyway, today was much improved. I upped my fruits and vegetables to three servings each, enjoyed plenty of dairy, a handful of cashews, and tried to properly hydrate. Sure, I had a coffee energy drink this afternoon and I might be snacking on something cheesy and greasy while I write this post. Few people are perfect in their healthy eating habits, and I will never be. Life is too short not to indulge. However, moderation is most definitely the key, a lesson that was reinforced yesterday.
Despite my lousy diet on Sunday, I was able to run well this morning as I officially started my training for Grandma’s Marathon 2017! Can you tell how excited I am? I have been anticipating this day for months. After not doing a marathon last year, I am beyond ready to take on the challenge this year. I will be following an 18 week program by Hal Higdon, Minnesota’s own running extraordinaire, with the hopes of making it to Duluth on June 17th injury-free.
Thanks to my EXOS performance training sessions at Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine, I am beginning my marathon training program feeling a little stronger than usual. I’ve been through 6 sessions so far, and despite the enormous embarrassment I’ve experienced each time due to my lack of strength and coordination, I feel that I’ve made some improvements. I know I can’t undo decades of ignoring my core muscles in such a short period of time, but little-by-little I will get better. It’s very motivating to work hard and push myself as I understand this is a key factor in preventing overuse injuries. Luckily for me, Mayo Clinic hires very patient trainers who provide lots of encouragement and don’t laugh at my incompetence (at least not to my face)!
Then there’s this fantastic weather! I know I’m not alone in feeling very thankful for what feels like an early spring. I would not complain if it stayed like this for the duration of the winter. Like a lot of you, I’m certainly hopeful that we’ve been through the worst of the season and we can avoid the white stuff from here on out! With the warmer temperatures and ability to run at the UB Bank Stadium a few times over the past couple of months, I’ve been able to avoid the treadmill a bit more this winter and retain my sanity.
Finally, I’m feeling very optimistic about my volunteer coaching role that will start next month. I recently completed some online training and have gained an appreciation for how in-depth of a program it is, and will further that training in person next week. I think this is going to be a great adventure for me, and I am eagerly looking forward to being involved with this girl-centered program.
So there you have it- the emotions behind my generally good mood. Now, if I could just get the tune out of my head because it’s really not one of my favorite Mariah Carey songs. And whether you are a fan of Valentine’s Day or not, I wish you all a love-filled day tomorrow.