I DID IT!!

I had to bang out a quick blog post to let everyone know that I finally ran a 5K distance yesterday! It felt fantastic! I could not have done it without this Home Improvement Challenge. I have really used the encouragement from others to get off my butt, even when I am exhausted, and get moving! Also, next week I will be posting Challenge #2. This one has been even more of a struggle for me than the getting active regularly challenge. However, I think it made an impact on why I was able to do what I was yesterday. I can already feel a difference in the way I feel about myself and in my moods. (You might want to check with the Straightforward Dad to be sure on that one!) I hope that you are getting active with Challenge #1. I know a lot of you are participating and I would love to hear updates--especially from those who have just started. What are your problems? What walls have you ran into that keep you from doing what you should? We will help you get through them! :)

Home Improvement Challenge #1: Get Active--REGULARLY

I don't know about you, but recently, I have felt very blah. Maybe a better way to phrase it is I have been "in a rut." For the last month (probably more), I have been feeling like a tired, spent, sticky, smelly mother of two and wife of one who has too much on her plate and not enough sleep. It has started showing up in my attitude and my appearance. The other day when I looked in the mirror, I realized that I have to put an end to this. It's time to step up and regain some of my former glory (or better yet, some of my former glow). I decided about two weeks ago that I was ready for a change. However, instead of jumping in with both feet all at one time (in the typical Straightforward Mom type way), I decided to approach these changes just like I do a cold pool--one tippy toe at a time. I don't know about you, but I hate cold water with more than a white hot hatred. It completely destroys any shot of me swimming, wading, tubing or the like. If the water is not bath water temperature, I have to ease myself into the water in the slowest manner possible or I will never get in. People always yell at me to just jump in. "It gets it all over with at one time," they tell me. I have done it a few times and it is like a brain freeze for me. It is very painful and it takes me years to get over the event. I realized the same thing happened to me when I tried to implement a bunch of changes (even though much needed) in my life. My head would hurt, things started to spin, and then all I wanted to do was get out of the mess I was in (or that terribly cold pool, to try and pull these two stories together). To keep myself from getting frustrated and quitting before I even got started, I decided to start implementing small changes every two weeks to help me get my motor running more efficiently. It was soon after that the light bulb (that had disappeared for a few months) went off above my head. Wouldn't it be great to start a Home Improvement Challenge on the blog?!?! I know there are other people who are about to hit the "middle of the year slump" (not just other moms) and could use a pick-me-up too! Well, here is the first installment of the Home Improvement Challenge! I hope that you will join me in this quest to defeat the blahs!

I know that most of you have been reading my blog from the very first post. Many of you know that I have been trying to become a runner. (Trying is the key word in that sentence.) I have had all kinds of breakdowns since I first posted my running goals. Actually, I should probably just go ahead and call them what they are--EXCUSES. Yes, even the wonderful Straightforward Mom makes excuses. Cold weather caused me to stay inside more than I wanted. I let it get the best of me (darn you cold weather). Then I had a few unexpected injuries (a few turned ankles, one tumble carrying one of the boys, etc.) that sidelined me for a few weeks or so. Of course, these each lead to my favorite one of all--I was too stinkin' tired. Did you hear me world? I, the most competitive person I know, was too tired to get out and do it. I think that was the one that disappointed me the most. How could I let that get the best of me?

About two weeks ago, I decided that I was going to get into a routine. I started back slowly and decided that no matter how I did it each week, I was going to make a commitment to getting back into it regularly. Personally, I have decided on a schedule of running three days a week with one day of cross training (or in my case, doing something other than running that would be exercise related--even if it is just running stairs at home). Are you wondering what the other three days of the week entail? Two days are used for rest (that means no running or extra-curricular exercising) and the last day can be used for rest on rough weeks or I can add in a tough or light run depending on how energetic/motivated I feel that week. So far, I have made the Straightforward Dad push me out the doors on the days I don't feel like it. When I get back, I am very thankful for his gentle (sometimes not so subtle kick) shove out the door to get me on track. To be quite honest, he likes me better after I run! To be honest, I do too. It helps me drop the stresses of a typical day (and sometimes too typical of a day) and come back energized and ready to take my duties on again. I have even found it gives me some alone time with God. I can get out there and focus on some positive music or even pray! (Please don't go camp out along my route to see if I am running with my eyes closed! You won't get to see me run into any trees or fall of any inclines!)

Now, you may be thinking, "What in the world is she asking me to do to get involved?" First, I am asking you to join me in this first challenge! I am not asking you to run. What I am asking is that you commit to 4 days of exercise a week. It can be walking, swimming, push-ups, sit-ups, cycling or ANYTHING active. I am asking you to get out and make a commitment to exercise the best way you know how. Please consider talking to your doctor before you start any type of exercise depending on your health situation. I am by no means a doctor or expert on exercise. I am just looking for others to partner up with to help get out of the blahs. Second, help me out by encouraging me and asking me constantly how my runs are going! Guilt is always a great motivator for me! Third, let me know how you are doing. I want to know if you build yourself up to doing great things in the terms of exercise.

I am completely serious about this. If you are ready to make a commitment, let me know by leaving a comment below. Even those expecting mommas can get out there and do this. Staying active in my pregnancies helped me stay focused and healthy. For all you parents out there, REMEMBER--your children are watching you. They often model their lifestyles after yours. I want to see how many people I can get to start the Home Improvement Challenge with me! Will you take the challenge? I have already started this challenge and am about to tackle Challenge #2. I'll post it in two weeks! GET ACTIVE!

He Wants to Know: Feeding a Competitive Spirit

First off, I would like to thank everyone who stopped by the blog to check out, "A Cry for Help." Because of people like you taking a stand, the show has taken a hit in numbers and sponsors. Please keep yourself informed on the situation. I did take some flack for being against the show, but I was very encouraged by those of you who supported my stand and stood with me.

This blog is a new little item you can look forward to called "He Wants to Know." This is where I will ask a male for a topic they would like to hear a female opinion on, or offer to answer a question about why women act so strangely--yeah right. Anyway, the first topic I was given was a tough one for me. My first victim wanted to know this:

"Since you are a former (who is he calling former?) competitive athlete, what do you do to feed that desire now that you do not play competitive sports? Leave it up to a guy to come up with a question for a woman that somehow still leads into a conversation about sports!

Ok Mr. Anonymous....here we go....

Me in college---Go Lady Lions!

Since leaving the world of competitive sports after college, the one way that I used to feed that competitive desire was to coach. This helped this desire immensely--except when we lost and I could not put on a jersey myself. My husband will be the first to tell you that any time we lost, I beat myself up. There was always something more I could have said or a different play I could have called. I also have always wanted to be the best teacher out there. I was always trying to find different activities to do or ideas to make learning in my class different than learning in other teachers' classrooms.

My first real coaching job

Most of you now know that since I have become a mom, my life has changed drastically. I gave up coaching to spend time with the boys. I made the commitment to stay out of the coaching arena until my boys were prepared for me to be able to spend that time in that profession. Now, I am self-employed and not teaching full-time either. At this point, I have very little avenues to which I can steer my competitive nature. I have to be honest since this is the Straighforward Mom Blog. A lot of my competitive aggression has been directed towards my husband. I wasn't beating him up or anything, but I was always complaining that he went soft on me when we played pick-up games or (when he was still coaching) that I would have made a different decision in a game situation. I know he was ready to tell me to zip my lip at moments, but he never did. I also would nose my way into other situations where I could give my opinions and thoughts to others with that same drive.

So, to answer the first ever "He Wants to Know" question, I have very few places to let my competitive nature run free. I have started running. This does help because it pits me against myself right now instead of taking out that aggression on another person. I literally will push myself to the point of blisters some days just so I can do better than the time before. Recently, due to cold weather, sick kids, and other time constraints my running time has been limited--and boy can everyone tell a difference. When I don't get to run, my mood and waistline suffer.

Another place I try to channel my competitive spirit is through my photography. I am always looking at other people's photographs and trying to be better. It's a lot like what I was doing with teaching, except this is a field that I don't know as much about. Therefore, I get frustrated and angry at myself sometimes because of my lack of knowledge. Yet, that is what pushes me to want to do better and learn more. This is one area my competitive nature actually does me good!

As for any other ventures that I can branch out into Mr. Anonymous, I would love for you to give me some suggestions. I could use some for sure. Especially if it offers an opportunity for some physical contact and elbow throwing....I sure miss basketball!