16 reason I love running

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I have to laugh at the saying above because I am 100% sure on Sunday I will be saying this to myself.  Sunday is my last long run before the Columbus Marathon.  Training for a Marathon is not a walk in the park...it is HARD.  I am up early every weekends and most week days.  Doing something I love but something I hate at the same time.  Why I do it... well because I can!

Here are a few reason's why I love running so much...
1. Post Meal-Pancakes!
2. Chatting with my friends. I get to spend a lot of time with my running friends during training.  We get to spend time talking about problems, our future and our fears....my running friends know everything about me!
3. It makes Louie tired for at least a few hours.
4. The endorphins-The runners high is NO JOKE!
5. It is MY time to get away from the world....even if it is only for an hour.
6. I get to be out in nature...it is AWESOME running in the morning when you can hear the birds and see an amazing sunrise.  It is absolutely stunning!
7. To improve my life....it will help me live longer and happier.
8. To do something most people only dream about.
9. To push myself past my own personal limits...
10. To believe in the POSSIBILITIES....Running makes me feel like I can do anything.  If I can run 20 miles, I can tell people how I feel...etc! Running proves to me that it is okay to be me and to take the courage to walk towards my dreams...EVEN when people don't agree with them. 
11. For the race shirt
12. For the experience
13.  For the hardware
14.  For the accomplishment
15.  For the excitement...if you have ever been to a race you know what I am talking about.  Races are exciting...everyone is positive and happy.  I wish the world was like a race morning..
16.  Lastly....to have a great stories and memories! None of my brothers and sisters can say they have ran a race with our Dad.  This is our story, our memory that I will get to carry with me forever! They don't understand why we do it but I know Dad understands why this bond is so important to us....it isn't about the miles it is about the time we get to spend together.  This probably is one of my favorite things Running have given me.... A moment spent with the best guy in my life! :) Well best two guys...Dad and Louie!

So why do you run?

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For the love of YOGA

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I keep forgetting how much I LOVE YOGA.  My mind is always focused on logging in the miles or getting in heavy weights..I often forget about how yoga makes me feel.  So many people think yoga is easy but for me it is the hardest exercise. There is not much sweating in yoga, my heart rate doesn't increase a lot and I have to toss all my worries aside for a solid hour.  Maybe that is why I love it so much....it calms me.

The interesting thing about yoga is you feel energized and alive while calm and relaxed. You feel like you just had the most intense workout of your life and the most relaxing spa treatment ever! It feels amazing and painful all at the same time. 

I use to hate yoga.  I loved the whole idea of stretching but couldn't stand how slow it was, seemed pointless. For someone that loves movement and is always on the go, this exercise was painful for me.  It was hard for me to sit still, to stay calm and to stop thinking so much.  But that is why I love it too.  I had to really work on relaxing and turning my brain off once I stepped on my yoga map.

Now, I have moments when I am present but my mind is completely gone.  It feels amazing, calming and extremely peaceful.  I have cried when practicing yoga not because I was in pain but because the pain I was holding on was being released.  It took me a long time to get to that phase in yoga.

I highly suggest picking up a yoga class or checking out some poses.  Sit and calm yourself once a day.  Listen to your breath and your heart.  Yoga has so many health benefits....so check it out!

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Fitness Bucket List

Have you ever saw the tear jerking movie called The Bucket List? The movie is about two terminally ill men that escape from the cancer ward and head out on a road trip.  On this road trip they set out to cross off items on their own bucket list before they die from cancer.  I bet that after you saw that movie you started thinking about your own bucket list? I know I did!

For some it might be to see the seven wonders of the world, for others it might be running with the bulls or riding a hot air balloon over Paris.  The one thing I am certain is that we all have a list, we all those things we want to do before we leave this earth. 

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The athlete in me wants more than just the local races, I have a desire to do something more, something bigger. So why not start a Fitness Bucket List? I am certain that my list will continue to grow each year but I will do everything in power to cross items off....unless I die suddenly (let's hope that isn't the case).

Things already off my list..
1. Finish a Marathon...the day I fell in love with running, was the same day I decided that 26.2 miles was for me.  I am happy to say I have finished one marathon and am not 27 days away from completing my second!

2. Beat my Dad in a race...Yep! My dad is my hero! He loves running and racing just as much as I do.  He always beats my time.. ALWAYS.  So I decided this was something that had to be on my Bucket List.  I beat him last year in Florida at the St. Pete's Race by 15 minutes.  He told me that beating him would only happen once in my lifetime....I say WATCH ME DAD!

3. Finish a Triathlon...I was so scared of swimming but I wasn't going to let fear push me away from this dream.  I completed a sprint tri, as well as an Olympic Tri.

4.  Tough Mudder....when I saw this race I said, "That is stupid crazy! Where do I sign up?" I have completed 4 of them this year.  I hated it and loved every single minute of it.

5. Complete two half marathon's in one weekend...Another awesome crazy thing but I had to do it! So I signed up for the Commit to be Fit half and the Pittsburgh Half in the same weekend. 

Fitness Bucket List
1. Complete the Goofy Challenge...this is another CRAZY event but something about this challenge brings a smile to my face.  Disney is probably one of my favorite places in the world.  The Goofy Challenge is running a half marathon on Saturday (13.1 miles) and follow it up with a full marathon on Sunday (26.2).  That is completing 39.3 miles in two days :) Crazy maybe, Goofy for sure!

2. Complete a 1/2 or full iron man...now this is the REAL deal! Can't wait to check this off the list.

3.  Complete a Marathon in Greece....I want to run the same path as the man who ran the first marathon.  I will be wearing shoes and maybe a Togo.

4. Sky Dive
5. Rock Climb
6. Do 10 pull ups without being assisted
7. Spartan Race (similar to the Tough Mudder)
8. Study Yoga in India for a week
9. Get my personal training license
10. Run the Country Music 1/2 marathon 
11. Run in Washington DC 
12. Surfing
13. Scuba Dive with Sharks and Dolphins
14. Run a race in all 50 states
15. Go to a real boot camp
16. Bike across America
17. Do NOTHING for a MONTH

Source: perfectbucketlist.tumblr.com via James on Pinterest

So that is it for now... I am sure I didn't even list everything! 

Tell me about your Fitness Bucket List! Maybe we can do something together and cross a few off the list!

Mission I'mPOSSIBLE

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Dare to dream? Anything in this world is possible if you have the desire to achieve it.  You have to work hard and do things that will challenge you physically, mentally and emotionally.  But it is completely up to you if you believe in the statement mission I'mPOSSIBLE.  If you look at that statement and see mission impossible then maybe you don't believe in all the possibilities in you.  When I see this statement I see and feel POSSIBLE.  It is up to you.  You hold the power of what you do with your life.

If you think 'I can't' then of course you will not be able to achieve whatever it is you want to do.  So think positive, think 'YES, I can' and definitely 'I WILL.' If you really want to do something in life you need to be determined, you need to apply yourself and apply your ultimate effort and strength.  YOU can do anything in life and create a new shining destiny within yourself.

So my question is to you? What do you see when you see the state mission impossible? 

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