We Love Blogger, Yes We Do

Warning; this post contains some serious self-love. Feel free to skip to the end.

For once my lack of recent posting hasn't been for lack of trying. I haven't been able to login to blogger for the past several days or comment on blogger blogs. Grrr... but then, I guess you get what you pay for.

For anyone out there who is thinking about running a marathon, or has been kicking the idea around in the back of your mind for years, I can't encourage you enough to go through with it. The process leading up was exciting and rewarding as I passed each new hurdle in the training program. The trip to Vegas was a blast, and the race day is one I'll never forget. But, what is surprising to me is the lasting effect the whole experience has had for me.

I've never lived a particularly healthy lifestyle because by luck of the gene lottery I haven't really had to. Before starting my training program, I ate fast food drive through at least once a day, never exercised, didn't get enough sleep and drank too much alcohol. I couldn't do that leading up to Vegas, not and be able to sustain the successively higher and higher miles per week.

Now I’m no longer training for a race but I’m still getting that excitement and wonder at what each tomorrow brings. I have cut fast food from my diet entirely. I bring all my food to work from home usually and have worked out a healthy calorie regime with plenty of fruit and veggies. I go to the gym at least four times a week and try to run around the lake three times a week. I’m slowly and steadily getting better in the gym and running 3.7 miles around the lake is effortless. I make myself go to bed on time and limit my alcohol consumption. I have a lot more energy at work and in the evenings than I used to and I imagine I’m probably more pleasant to be around.

Running a marathon is not magic but for me it seems to have been a catalyst that got me off my butt and up to make some positive changes I’ve wanted to make for a long time. Drew made a post a few weeks ago about missing the excitement of sharing new discoveries and accomplishments leading up to our respective first marathons. I guess that even though I’m no longer training for a long run, I’m trying to find ways to apply that same successive process of accomplish to life as a whole.

Thank you and good night.