Hot Chocolate 15k Atlanta

A lot of "firsts" today. First race of the year. First 15k. First race in Atlanta. First race with my best friend.

 

It all started yesterday at the Expo picking up my race packet. This is before I figured out exactly what I'd gotten myself into. :) Just kidding.

 

 

 Beautiful sunrise to start a cold, beautiful race day. No better way to hang out with several thousand of your closest friends. :)

 

This is the Moms Run This Town-Rome Chapter. Had a great time meeting these ladies this morning. Now I'm going to start meeting them on Saturdays (hopefully) to get in some long runs. Only four weeks until Disney Princess Half Marathon!!

 

This is my bestie, Elizabeth, and me after the finish line. We are training to do the Disney Princess Half together and this is the first race we've run together. It was great being able to push each other. Special shout out to her husband, Aaron, for pacing and pushing and motivating today.

 

Nine long, grueling miles through Atlanta, starting at Turner Field, going up through Georgia Tech and by Centennial Olympic Park, then back to Turner Field. A lot of hills. I'm so no used to that. :) Though I must have to say that the downhills seemed to be longer than the uphills. I'm ok with that.

 

 

And here it is. My bibs and medal from today. I love that it's a chocolate bar. :) They also had souvenir  finisher mugs that had a banana, a marshmallow, mini pretzels, a rice krispie treat, and a wafer cookie all to dip in delicious chocolate fondue. And let's not forget the hot chocolate. :)

 

 

Overall a good day. A bit sore tonight, and probably will be for a couple of days, but it's going to be good. I have a good sense of where I am in my training for Disney and what I really need to work on in the next four weeks.

 

Here's to a new year, a new me, and new adventures. :) :) :) :)

New Year, New You

New Year, New You!

Every time I turn around this time of year, this same phrase is everywhere.

EVERYWHERE!!!

I can't get away from it.

Don't get me wrong, I fully believe that the start of a new calendar year is a great time to begin a new tradition, habit, break an old habit, etc. However, I've been feeling a little selfish and out of sorts this new year. Reflecting on all of the "fails" from last year. Remembering all the good times too. I don't know how to describe it.

It's not depression.

It's not happiness.

It just is.

There are so many great things happening all around me right now....New life being born. New lives beginning together in marriage. Engagements. New life in the form of organ donation.

The list could go on. And on.

But there are also some not so great things going on...Death. Unexplainable death. Death that has no feasible reasoning for occurring. Natural death. Cancer. In the young and the old.

Then there are the "everyday things". The "what ifs" of life. The decisions that have been made, are being made, and will have to be made. I despise decisions. Why can't they just make themselves? God gave us free will to choose things for ourselves, and I'm grateful for that. But sometimes, just sometimes, it would be nice for Him to say, "It's ok. I've got this one. I'll decide for you."

It's frustrating to know that you have no control over certain things. And feeling bad for being jealous over a friend's new job, promotion, pregnancy, new home, etc. Pushing through day to day trying to battle the anger and bitterness. Wondering "when's it going to be my turn? our turn?"

New Year, New You.

I feel like I'm in a whirlwind of changes. I know that's good and change brings about progress. But the waiting is torture. I'm not a very patient person when I set my sites on a goal. I'm a victim of  "I have to have it now" syndrome that plagues today's society.

New Year. New You.

It's that button that keeps getting pushed. You know the one. The "if I hear that phrase one more time.." button.

But........

It is a New Year. And this is the time for a New Me. A New Us.

Brack and I made some decisions in the past year that made sense at the time they were made, but now aren't feasible to our circumstances. Those are the times I wish God would have said, "Hey. Might want to wait." or "Hey, don't bank on that just yet."

Do I regret those decisions? No. Do I wish I could have avoided the consequences? Sometimes. But I know because of my faith that "All things work together for the good of those who love God." (Romans 8:28) Was any of these decisions life threatening or devastating? No. Not really. The world as Brack and I know it won't end because of any of these decisions. But that doesn't make it any easier.

New Year. New You.

There are those words again. Stop looking in the past and focus on the future. And I'm trying. I have several goals set personally and professionally in this first quarter of this new year that will result in a "new you" for myself.

I'm running my first 15K and my first Half Marathon within 4 weeks of each other. And I'm doing them with my best friend. I'm super excited. It's a check mark on my bucket list. A step in the "right direction" of my path to a "better, healthier me."

Now for step two......the eating part of it. I'm a foodie. I'll admit it. I love to cook, though I don't nearly as much as I would like. I love to eat. I like all types of foods. Mainly sweets. :) I've made some changes, but I never stick to them because "I'm too tired to cook" or "I forgot to go grocery shopping this weekend" or "We're not going to be home at the same time so it's 'fend for yourself for dinner' night". I could go on.

But they're all excuses set up by the enemy to break my willpower. To tell me I'm not strong enough. To tell me I'm not worth it. To make me feel that all my hard work is pointless.

New Year. New You.

Now is the time to break out of this rut and focus on the promises God has for me and Brack. We ARE going to be a healthy couple. We ARE going to hold each other accountable physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. We ARE going to accomplish our goals this year. We ARE going to be successful.  We ARE going to fall. We ARE going to stumble. We ARE NOT going to get it right 100% of the time. We ARE going to take it one day at a time, TOGETHER!

Time to break down the doubt, fear, strongholds for the enemy. Time to break out of the chains and bars that are holding us back. Time to go one day at a time and focus on me. On us. One day at a time. Together. One breath at a time. Together.

New Year. New Us.

Here we go.........