From Here To The Post Office

Listen to your body, when? All the time. Listen to your brain, when? Hmm, jury is still out on that one. We have to depend upon ourselves for so much, I for one would plan out events so I could pace myself physically (and honestly decide if the effort was worth the event).

But I have found that even now that I feel 100% more mobile then I did a year ago, I still listen to that inner voice that tells me I can't do something.

A year ago, walking to my mailbox (I know I've said this many times, so please forgive yet another reference) was a chore. I would pull into the driveway, park the car at the end, then get the mail and drive the rest of the way up to the house. I can now walk to that mailbox and back and the only reason I park at the end (when i do) is because currently my driveway is a sheet of ice and the fear of a fall outweighs the need to feel like I can walk it now.

Earlier this week, I walked to the post office from my office. It is a little over a block away (a little further than my mailbox), and it was the first time I had done it in the year and half that I have worked there. Typically I go to the post office on my way into work, drive there, then drive on to the parking lot. I walk further to and from my car every day, but something in my head said I can't walk to the post office, so I never did, until this week.

I was almost in tears when I came out of the post office and turned to head back, I could actually see the pillars on the front of our building from where I stood in front of the post office - it was that close. I know that walk would have been very painful when I first started my job and the fear of that pain has kept me from even considering it, until now - which by the way was a fluke that I even did so, I had parked on the street and while I was walking back to my car I noticed how close the post office was and decided I would walk to it, instead of driving to it as I left for the day.

This is a long post about a short walk; but it is monumental for me emotionally, I still have a lot to work on in thinking I can do something and not just continuing to immediately say "I can't do that".

Happy New You!

Well it is hard to believe that it is 2014, but here we are, only a few short days into the new year and visions of fitness goals are dancing through my head.

Last year I accomplished so much; way more than I thought I would, and heck I even blew the doors off goals I didn't even know I would make for myself.  I owe a huge thank you to my coach (and loving husband) for motivation, modification and above all patience, and I also want to thank my training mates (Deb, Bob, Paul, Chris, Anna and Paulie), I have no words to fully express what it means to train with athletes, especially when you don't see yourself as one, but they see you as they see themselves.

By now we all know that with a New Year comes R-E-S-O-L-U-T-I-O-N-S.  Personal goals we set for ourselves.  I have never really been a goal girl.  I always tried to improve upon myself throughout the year, but something struck a chord with me this year.  If I can accomplish what I did last year with no goals set, what could I accomplish this year with goals in place?

You dear follower may not know this about me, but I'm incredibly competitive (especially with myself).  So if I give myself a goal or a challenge, chances are I'll do everything within my power to prove I can do it.

SO LET'S GET TO MY GOALS:

• Initial Goals - I say initial because like I said above, I have no experience setting goals for myself; so I read what another training mate posted (lift more weight - heavier olympic lifts) and agreed that was a good one for me, too - especially since my coach feels this is an area I will excel in.  The other initial goal was better recovery after walking lunges.  2013 was the first time I did a walking lunge, the first time was with weight overhead and the second was in an attempt to do so for 10 laps.  The second attempt ended at 5 laps (13 minutes) as my coach wanted me to get some time in on the other parts of the WOD; I was sore for a good solid week, and the muscle pain was equivalent to what I experienced after walking my first 5K (that took over an hour).  So you see improving the recovery is a valid goal, but also inevitable, the more experience the more quickly I should recover.
• Actual Goals - I'm still sticking with the above two goals, they are good goals, but not really a challenge beyond continuing to workout, the more you do, the easier they become (better form, tighter core, quicker recovery, etc.).  But I wanted a challenge, I wanted to give myself a goal that I could potentially not be able to complete.  So when I thought about what challenged me throughout the year, the 800lb gorilla that stood out was the tractor tire flip.  I had only been able to do the flip with help last year, and this year I want to flip the tire myself.

I'm not sure how long it will take me, or even if I'll be able to do it by year's end, but I will give it my all.  So what fitness goals did you set for yourself this year?  Are they good, solid, but doable goals, or are they challenges that you just might not reach, but the effort and hard work along the way will make them all worth while just the same?