A Purposeful Way

The other night I was finally updating my mileage info in my sidebar.  LBM came over and pointed at the header photo.  See it up there. 
He said, "Me in the joggy."  
I was prepared with an encouraging speech about how much fun he had in the jogger and how he needs to get back into the jogging stroller habit so mommy can run outside more often but he didn't give me the chance. 
He looked my right in the eye and said, "Mommy please let me out.  I run."

What made me think about that this morning?  It was waking up to the nice realization that I had inspired someone.  Specially, Jennifer at Decaf, please.  Her post was entitled "How does a running streak begin?" may seem to some to really be about believing in yourself.   But I think it's about coming to a realization. 
A Truth, if you will.

It's the Truth that our bodies were made to be used.  In the effort of challenging ourselves we are not wearing ourselves out instead we are refining the person we are into the person we were meant to be.  With a limited number of days to have at my disposal, I am committed to moving in a purposeful way every day to improve myself physically and mentally.  To some this might sound crazy.  To think that our bodies don't need a "day off."  Insanity, some say!  I disagree. 

This is a realization that many runners/athletes come to.  The realization that recovery does not have to mean not moving in a purposeful way.  It does not have to mean sitting on the couch that day.  Recovery simply means doing something different that day or for a few days.  It can mean moving in a purposeful way at a comfortable pace.  It can mean working more on your mind while you give your body an lighter activity for the day.

Some people get this Truth sooner than others.  LBM seems to be the child for me who gets it.  He wants to move every day, purposefully.  He seems unhappy if he hasn't run around our house or the yard until he nearly sometimes really falls over.  And while I am joyful in the completion of each and every goal I have set to challenge myself, I am ever more elated when I see those around me come to this same realization. 

Each day is an opportunity.  Each day is a chance to look beyond where your eyes have last seen.  Each day is a moment in which you could amaze yourself.  And you never know who might be watching.

Go out and inspire someone through your own insanity and move yourself on purpose, every day.

Dusting off a few Dreams

I am often finding inspiration and encouragement in unexpected places throughout my days.

Yesterday I received an email from a running friend.  He and his wife are people I admire a lot.  Don't take that last sentence lightly because I do not admire many people.

I find inspiration in others.  I see examples of how to do certain things in others.  I received motivation from people around me but rarely do I admire someone else.

I typically feel that I am capable of similar accomplishments if I were given the same opportunities.

Let's be clear, I do not feel that I would win the Nobel Peace Prize if given the opportunity.  I am talking about people of a certain character who share the same interests that I do.

This friend sent me an email unknowingly at just the right time.

It was filled with positivity and encouragement.

I'll share the final sentence with you.

"So how about your dreams? Dust a few of them off and bring them out in 2011!! This is the year!!!"

As regular readers you will know that I am hopeful to make the leap from 50ks to a 50 miler this year.  I have registered for two trail 50ks in March.  My plan had been to use those two relatively close races as a gauge of my ability to make that leap perhaps in the fall.

This email has created a fire in me that I had lost over the past few months of entrapment.

I have allow other people and their opinions and judgments to direct how I have handled my winter running.

Sometimes it's hard not to do that.

Allow others to influence my behavior.

But after this email I am reminded that not all influences are negative ones.

I have already thanked my friend for the much needed "you got this girl" email.

So I do not type this to thank him again, I don't think he reads anyway.

I do type this so that you, faithful readers will be reminded that you never know what kind of impact you might have on someone by doing just the smallest of kind gestures.

So send that email, make that call, write that thank you, go for that visit, or invite someone to run because you never know just what an impact you might have.

The Same 365 Days

Here we are again at the close of one year and the beginning of the next.  It's a familiar place.  A place where we can either relish the successes of our past year or eagerly proclaim that the new year will be our fresh start closing out a year of challeneges.

This is where my year began. 

You can click the link HERE and make your own accessment of whether or not I achieved what I wanted to in 2010.

I won't bore you with a recap of my year.  We each had the same 365 days to change and grow into the people we look at in the mirror today.  So if you have been following you already know the moments that I have shared with you, the ebb and flow of my little journey.  And now to look back might change the way I feel about the path I have already traveled.

Beacuse sometimes looking forward our choice seems like the right one but with the benefit of time the way we view our decisions changes and sometimes seems like a mistake.  But maybe it's more about the journey regardless of which turns we took to get there.

Again this year I find inspiration in odd places through my days.  Currently my running life has been held hostage but circumstance thus putting me on the treadmill watching movies while I run.

I just finished the movie Inception. 

I find a quote from the movie meaningful right now.

"You're waiting for a train. A train that will take you far away. You can't be sure where it will take you. But it doesn't matter - because we'll be together."

The train for me is life right now.

I don't know where it is taking me but I am excited about the journey.

I hope that my trip will take me through amazing places and experinces.

I hope that my journey and all the challenges that I will face in traveling it will help not only be but will influence those around me.

The train could be life or a situation you are facing but whatever it is for you I hope you boldly board that train with your ticket in hand even if you are not quite such where it will take you because on this journey we will be together.

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

2 Timothy 1:7

Can Junk Mail Predict the Future?

Journey Joiners who read reguarly and anyone who follows me on My Daily Mile know that in fact junk mail CAN predict the future.  I have accumulated just under 800 miles so far this year.

And if I do say so myself, I have EARNED every one of them.  It will be interesting to see how many of those miles were with the jogging stroller and how many were solo.

Thanks to everyone who has followed along through all those miles.

About 1210 more miles to go to reach my goal this year.

Who knows what motivating junk mail I might get tomorrow!

What odd places have you found inspiration to meet your goals?

You wanna talk about inspiring

Amy Palmiero-Winters

I encourage you all the click the above link to USA Today.  Amy Palmiero-Winters is an ultra runner who made the US Track team despite being a leg amputee. 

She inspires me.