I’m blowing out 36 candles today. Actually, I probably won’t blow out anymore than one, but you get the point.
36 Candles
Filed Under: FAQ with A Gutsy Girl, Inspire, Love Tagged With: goals, happy birthday, inspire, life, love, motivation
40 Before 40
I made a 40 before 40 list today for my 35th birthday.
When I turned 32, I created a list of 105 things I wanted to do in 1,095 days. Yesterday I shared the review of those 105 things.
I didn’t complete 105 things in 3 years, but I would love to see the completion of 40 things in the next 5 years.
105 in 1,095 Review
Tomorrow I turn 35 which means that 1,095 days have already gone by since I had this idea to do 105 in 1,095 days. Before moving forward, I thought it would be fun to do a 105 in 1,095 review.
105 in 1,095 Review
In case you’re new around here, on my 32nd birthday, I created a list of 105 things I wanted to do by the time I was 35 (3 years or 1,095 days).
The full list can be found HERE.
Yesterday I updated it.
Did I complete all 105? Not even close. But was I shocked by how many things I did do? Yes. Absolutely yes, especially some of the big things.
Here are my top 7 things I crossed off from the list:
- Number 3: Finalize Samarah’s adoption (It’s crazy to think that just three years ago she wasn’t even adopted yet.)
- Number 7: Adopt baby/child #2 (Isaiah)
- Number 14: Begin writing a book (That would be Gravel Roads)
- Number 33: Get baptized (again)
- Number 59: Be in our forever home (or have a plan for it) (We are not in it, but the plans are set to move in this upcoming fall or early winter, 2018!)
- Number 74: Make a vision board
- Number 4 from the bonus list: Samarah’s Gotcha Day video (we made not one, but 3 of them! view them: Gotcha Day Video 1, Gotcha Day Video 2, Gotcha Day Video 3)
And these are the top 9 things I wish I could have crossed off from that list:
- Number 4: Go to Vietnam
- Number 11: Do 7 unassisted pull-ups (that said, I guess I didn’t even try)
- Number 27: Read the Bible (ugh)
- Number 38: Take an official food photography class (nope, still haven’t done this….a couple random ones online, but nothing in-person)
- Number 58: See Miranda Lambert in concert
- Number 67: Go on a mission trip
- Number 77: Begin concept and implementation of: “You Got Smoothied” or “You Got Real Food-ed” (surprising people with random drops of goodies, real food style vs. the standard chemical, additive and preservative-laden junk) (this one wouldn’t have been hard, I just forgot about it)
- Number 87: Write The Gutsy Girl’s Bible: an approach to healing the gut, 3.0 (It’s ALMOST done, and will release during my 35th year!)
- Number 89: Have my Social Media Content class become an online program in addition to an ongoing on-campus class (However, I eventually want to put the content together in an e-book for anyone to consume since I spent like a hundred hours building it out!)
The most unexpected thing that was not on the list was to finalize baby #3’s adoption. When I created that list, all I wrote was, “(begin the process of) adopting baby/child #3.”
It still seems unreal to me that during the past 1,095 days we finalized 3 adoptions!
I am so glad I made the 105 in 1,095 list because I would return to it from time-to-time to see what I had accomplished, and to be reminded of things I wanted to cross off next.
What I learned, looking back, is twofold:
- 105 things, whether they are small or not-so-small, are hard to accomplish in 1,095 days. When I made the list, I thought (for most of them anyway) “Easy peasy squeezy. I have three whole years to get these done.” But three years goes by in the blink of an eye, and even though it seems like such a long time, in order to accomplish 105 specific things, you’d have to be very planned and intentional almost daily.
- The best things cannot be planned out. They totally just happen, sometimes (usually) when least expected. But that said….
My new list is almost complete, and I’m going to share it with you tomorrow for my birthday!
Xox,
SKH
If you don’t have time to read these posts daily, but don’t want to miss them, be sure to follow via Bloglovin’ and/or join my personal e-newsletter HERE. I am doing my best to send a once per week email recap of prior week’s posts.
These posts will all live under “Wellness+Lifestyle” and also tagged with “101 Days of Blogging.” The 101-day series runs from Monday, January 8, 2018, through Wednesday, April 18, 2018.
If there is a topic surrounding change that you would love for me to include in this series, please just CONTACT ME.
Previous 101-Day Change Series Posts
- Beginnings are Scary
- Change Pain Point
- Making Sense of Change
- Gratitude Journal
- Love Your Baby Girl
- Little Things Add Up
- House and Home
- Sunday Reflections
- Two
- Chocolate Shake
- 3-Ingredient Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Shake
- Chaos is a Temporary State
- Thirsty Thursday
- Month One
- The Nudge to Connect
- 11 Favorites from 11 Years in California
- One Box at a Time
- Good Enough is Enough
- There is No Dishwasher
- WWDW Number 8
- Move Initiated
- Sharing My Journey
- Back with the Tribe
- Small Town Grocery Shopping Part One
- January 2018 Catch Up Over Bone Broth
- Patsy Clairmont is My Spirit Animal
- Let There Be Light
- Forgot About Rae
- Smiles
- Coconut Oil Makeup Remover How To
- 9 Ways to Embrace Winter
- Escaping People
- Coming Home
9 Ways to Embrace Winter
After reviewing the following 8 notes I jotted down on May 28, 2017 (shortly after we knew we were moving back to Minnesota), I created 9 ways to embrace winter (because it’s so d#$%^ cold right now and I thought we could all use this).
-
- Where will I grocery shop?
- How often will I go to Minneapolis?
- How will winter affect me? For better? For worse?
- How can I still find the inspiration and motivation for long-distance running?
- Where will we go to church?
- Is there a farmers’ market?
- Will I ever get over Palm trees?
- How can we keep the children’s birthplaces special?
Do you think I’m random enough yet? It’s okay to answer, “Yes.” I fully recognize it. But during a massive transition, sometimes pure randomness is exactly what we need to process.
Today we’re going to talk about #3. Winter. Why? Because as I type this, it’s currently NEGATIVE 12 degrees out. When I texted Ryan that I was writing this, he responded, “You mean how it’s COLD AS F#$%?!?!”
To that end, yes, kind of, but also no, not really.
Here are my 9 ways to embrace winter.
9 Ways to Embrace Winter
Click HERE to save this post for later.
I have been posting some early morning workouts on my Instagram Stories recently, and when I do, I oftentimes attach the current temperature. Lately, it’s never above 5 or 10 degrees, and someone always replies, “I could never get motivated during that cold.”
Well let me tell you, it’s not easy. It wasn’t 25 years ago or 11 years ago, and it certainly isn’t now either. The difference is that I’m not the same person I was 11 years ago, and I have figured out my way around this horribly cold mess.
- Get appropriate clothing. I didn’t bring an appropriate (warm) winter coat home with me from California, so I was freezing from the beginning. But I knew that having one would change my attitude instantly, so I quickly bought THIS ONE on Amazon. It’s saving me! It’s warm, has a hood, and is long, covering most of my body. It instantly changed how much I feared going outside. I wear it, mittens, a hat, and tall boots almost daily. I did, however, wear open-toed shoes on Saturday night and thought I might die.
- Buy new workout clothes, which is fun and inspiring. Beyond the normal wear, if you want to still keep motivated for working outside (or even in the garage), you have to wear workout clothes that make sense for winter. If you want the truth, I have just been layering up like crazy with what I have. I look like a total dork, but honestly, I don’t care. That said, here are some new things I’m looking to get (that were recommended by someone who runs outside all the time during winter): Oiselle Lesley tights, Oiselle Flyte Tank, Oiselle Flyte Long Sleeved, Light Weight Wind and Water Resistant Burke jacket, thick Fitsoks, shoes to combat the ice and snow, and Zensah gloves. Will I get all of these? Probably not, but just knowing what the appropriate pieces are for winter workouts is super helpful. I’m thinking of getting several of them, though, and I’d love to know if you have any other winter workout things you swear by?
- Put a treadmill and/or a set of dumbells in your house and/or garage. Being fully outside might be too brutal. I get that, but bringing it even into the garage can help. In California, we had a garage home gym and it was never that cold. It rocked! We don’t have the space for that in our rental, but I squeezed in the treadmill and set of dumbbells into the garage. Don’t get me wrong, in the dead of winter as it is now, you’re still going to freeze. But I just layer up and do it. I can’t use the cold as an excuse otherwise, come spring when I want to trail race, I’ll be way out of shape, making the training cycle harder. For me, the key was to add wearing a hat until I was warm enough to take it off. From home, there are so many things you can do. My absolute favorite is Jess’ program, but I have a whole Pinterest board dedicated to Tabata, Crossfit, and Bodyweight Only Workouts. You’ll find something.
- Take up something new, outdoors. For Christmas, my mom and dad got me a pair of snowshoes. I went snowshoeing once in California, and it was hard, but I loved it. I figured doing it here made even more sense, would get me to enjoy a winter activity outside, and (mostly) would be incredible cross-training for trail running. Whatever it might be for you, find it.
- Take up something new, indoors. In Minnesota, it’s inevitable that you’ll spend much more time indoors during winter. If you aren’t busy with three children, find a new indoor hobby. Write, read, learn to knit or sew, binge-watch a TV series, start a blog (!), find a new podcast, take an online course, start a side business, cook, bake, whatever. Just find and do something – it will make the winter go by that much quicker.
- Lights. If you have any touch of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), make sure you tend to it. I am fine with winter this year (because all of this is so “new”), but I’m usually not. The one thing I always ensure is that I have a ton of lighting around me. Just ask my college friends – I always brought all the lamps!
- Plan something. Plan something for the near-future or spring/summer to keep you motivated. A trip? An event? For me, in this season of life, I am planning my Expo West trip in March to Anaheim and then shortly after another trip out West to see clients. Beyond that, I am planning our trip to Italy (well, I’m looking forward to it and Ryan is planning it:) ), and my trail race schedule (which I will set this Saturday on my birthday!) Seriously, I know I’m Type A and that all this planning might come more naturally to us Type A’ers, but it really works when you’re in the thick of winter.
- Get over it. Some days this one is really hard to embrace because the cold is so awfully bitter. (Like right now.) But we live in Minnesota, and we have to get over complaining and setting life aside due to the brutal cold. It’s never going to be 70 and sunny in February. Ever.
- Find the beauty in winter. This one might be easier for me than for someone who has never lived away from a true winter, but I do see beauty in it now. In California, there are no seasons. I never used to care, until I came back. California was predictable. There were two seasons – lovely and then horribly hot and then rainy. That’s it. But here in Minnesota, all the feelings attach to different seasons. That first 40-50 degree spring day is like this beautiful light at the end of the tunnel. Summer nights are never taken for granted (I now remember why no one wanted to come visit us during summer – those months are precious). Fall has a cozy feel. And then there’s winter. It’s one season that makes all the others worth it.
After the rain always comes the rainbow. This harsh winter feels like any rainy season of life. There is no way of getting around it. You have to go through it. But once you do, the other side is incredible. Here’s the thing, I wrote this post for ideas on how to embrace winter because there is no use pouting for a few months. We have to dance in winter like we do in spring, summer, and fall.
I know I’m not sitting around, staying inside and moping all winter long. Life is far too short.
Also, Samarah in this coat and hat. I snapped it before school yesterday. Can you even stand it?!
p.s. You know what else winter does for me? Reminds me how amazing people in Minnesota are. Last night my cousin and his wife messaged me, “You guys need a plow out?” Instantly, they came over to plow our driveway. And during the big old snow dump a couple weeks back, our neighbor (who I’ve never met and don’t know at all), came over to blow out the snow so Katie could get out and then proceeded to snow blow our entire driveway. For nothing. Just because. People in Minnesota are so good.
Xox,
SKH
If you don’t have time to read these posts daily, but don’t want to miss them, be sure to follow via Bloglovin’ and/or join my personal e-newsletter HERE. I am doing my best to send a once per week email recap of prior week’s posts.
These posts will all live under “Wellness+Lifestyle” and also tagged with “101 Days of Blogging.” The 101-day series runs from Monday, January 8, 2018, through Wednesday, April 18, 2018.
If there is a topic surrounding change that you would love for me to include in this series, please just CONTACT ME.
Previous 101-Day Change Series Posts
- Beginnings are Scary
- Change Pain Point
- Making Sense of Change
- Gratitude Journal
- Love Your Baby Girl
- Little Things Add Up
- House and Home
- Sunday Reflections
- Two
- Chocolate Shake
- 3-Ingredient Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Shake
- Chaos is a Temporary State
- Thirsty Thursday
- Month One
- The Nudge to Connect
- 11 Favorites from 11 Years in California
- One Box at a Time
- Good Enough is Enough
- There is No Dishwasher
- WWDW Number 8
- Move Initiated
- Sharing My Journey
- Back with the Tribe
- Small Town Grocery Shopping Part One
- January 2018 Catch Up Over Bone Broth
- Patsy Clairmont is My Spirit Animal
- Let There Be Light
- Forgot About Rae
- Smiles
- Coconut Oil Makeup Remover How To
You Got This
“You got this,” seemed to be the mantra that played over and over in my head before I fell asleep last night.
You may have seen the post on Facebook or Instagram, but yesterday at my 7th half marathon, I finally PR’d again for the first time since my first half marathon in 2009. More on that in a bit…..
You Got This
Saturday
It all started Saturday morning. Ryan and I took the kids to coffee and the farmer’s market, and then Ryan had to leave to go to a golf event for work all day.
We needed some things at Target, so I took the kids by myself.
It was still morning, but even then, Target was packed. I parked. I got the kids out, one-by-one, then we went into the store. Every single time I take all three by myself, it’s chaos. There really is just no way around it. Amiya still goes in the Ergo, Isaiah in the front of the cart, and Samarah in the back. They are loud, they sometimes fight, and there is always a meltdown or two.
Never fails.
But I’m pretty used to it, and it’s okay.
So we did Target and headed out. I put the girls in the car and shut the door. I started wheeling Isaiah around to his side (the right side), when a man pulled his small SUV out of the space directly to my right, rolled down his window and said, “You need to learn how to park. You cramped me backing out.”
My right, rear tire was literally on the white line (everything else was inside the white line), and I had parked like that because when I got there, I was parked in on the other side and I needed a little space in order to get all the kids out.
I stared at him because I thought he was kidding. He had clearly seen me struggle with all three children, so I was thinking he was about to say something like, “Just kidding. Good luck with all the kids.” But then, nope, nothing. Just a lecture, rolled up his window and drove off.
It took every single last ounce of patience in me not to scream total obscenities at him. I haven’t been livid like that in so long. What’s wrong with people?!
I got Isaiah into the car, I got into the car, sent Ryan a picture of the scene and story, took several deep breaths and drove off.
On the way home, a man was trying to get out at a busy intersection. I stopped to let him get out when no one else would. Because, well, I had a decision. Pass along the horrible actions or create something good. I chose the latter.
A one, two, and three-year-old and a man with no class…..I’ve totally got this.
Sunday
I wish I had a big story about the race yesterday (like what I learned at my 10K), but I don’t.
The goal for this race was to PR. That was it. In 2009, I ran a 1:48:30. I wanted to pace at 8:15/mile or less. And I did it. But honestly? I’m not sure how.
Around mile 5 already I started to fade. I went in and out of feeling good from miles 5-13.1, but mostly I felt less than great. But still, I kept on telling myself, “You got this.”
I kept my eyes ahead, and while I thought it was a super pretty run, it was an extremely mentally challenging run because most of the time I was running alone. I steadily passed about 5-7 people, letting only 1 re-pass me.
Towards the end of the race, I kept looking at my Garmin, and she told me during that last .75-ish miles that I had to move fast or I would, in fact, miss my PR. And at that point, that was not an option because I had spent the better portion of 7 miles feeling blah so what would another mile be?
As I sprinted to cross the finish line, I saw 1:47 on the clock (but also knew I started several seconds after the clock began) and also threw up (well nothing came up, but all the motions happened). I have never ever thrown up after a race or workout in general.
But my whole body was spent, and sometimes I think this has to do with the fact that I don’t just run races, I run them while also battling a healing journey still. Running is super stressful on the body for the normal runner, much less someone like me. (And no, I’m not giving it up. It’s not currently an option, and you’ll understand why sooner rather than later likely.)
Anyways, the people at the finish line were amazing, and quickly got me water and food. I drank all the water I could, and then I was perfectly fine.
Ryan is amazing (as always) and brought the kids to the race so they were all at the finish line. We all left together, grabbed a latte on the way out of town, and headed home. I spent a few hours relaxing, and once Amiya and Isaiah were up from their naps, we all went to the pool.
Later that night it was confirmed that I did in fact PR. I clocked in at 1:46:49, and for only consistently training about 5 months now, I was (and am still) super excited!
My next goal would be to hit 1:45, but I also want to spend some time lifting again. I’m re-dedicating two full days to lifting because I miss the balance.
Shaving off another 1:49 might take quite some time. I have this amazing running mentor, and we talked after the race. She told me, “My improvements came over the years with consistency. Years ago I ran a bunch of 1:35’s. I could not budge past that. My goal for years was 7 minute pace. Which is 1:31:45. I kept plugging away at the training and one day skipped right on past 1:31 and ran 1:27!!! It takes consistency and keeping on doing the do. Trust me in this…. it all comes in time. Consistent training and recovery and your body builds fitness. Trust the process!”
Again, I have only been at this for 5 months. I feel optimistic, healthy, and happy for all that lies ahead – in so many facets.
Monday
And here we are, Monday again. I am thinking about all the weirdness, greatness, and everything in between from this past weekend.
During it all, no matter, remember……you got this, I got this, we got this.
Xox,
SKH
The Race Within
Yesterday I finally hit a 10K PR. And while I was running it, my emotions rose to the surface with the overwhelming feelings around the race within.
At dinner with some girlfriends on Tuesday night, one asked me, “Have you always been a runner?”
I laughed.
I have said it here before, but I need to say it again……I was never a runner. My friends joked all throughout high school that I ran like an elephant. Each season we had to do the timed mile run, my mind told me I’d do it in under 10 minutes, but my athletic abilities clocked me in around a 12-13 minute mile. I always felt so inadequate as a runner.
“So how did you get so fast,” they asked me on Tuesday night?
Let’s be clear. I’m not so fast, but I will no longer argue about how far I’ve come since then.
The answer is…..I’m not really sure what happened or what I did that took me from that 12-13 minute mile to today, except that I fell in love with running (I hated it in high school), and I started practicing and staying consistent.
But up until yesterday’s race, I have been competing with everyone and anyone but myself. And then it happened….
The Race Within
I ran my best race yet. I paced at 7:45/mile for 10K (6.2 miles, in case you didn’t know) (the watch shown in this post is off). My total time was 48:03. Out of 42 females aged 30-39, I placed 4th. Out of 189 total females, I placed 13th.
And yet, while running, there were older (and younger) men, women, and children who passed me.
There were older men and younger women pushing strollers who passed me.
On the flip side, I passed older (and younger) men, women, and children.
I passed people that “looked” far fitter than me and got passed by those who didn’t.
But when I was trotting along, the things I told myself, my breathing patterns, the adrenaline rush, all of it…..had zero to do with anyone else.
It was 100% the race within.
Someone beating me or not beating me would not make me better, faster, or stronger. Only I could do that.
And when I crossed the finish line and looked at my time, I felt a joy that I have not felt in so very long. I ran a race with myself and no one else.
I felt overjoyed with a 7:45 pace knowing that I have only been consistently running again for less than 5 months (and during each of those 5 months, there are a solid 5-10 runs that I am not able to practice Tempo or any kind of hard runs).
It’s so easy to compare and contrast in the world we live in today. Everything and everyone is in our faces. Highlight reels 24/7 makes it hard to feel like our own PR’s are not worthy.
But guess what? They are.
They are because another’s story is not yours. Their circumstances are not yours. Their season of life is not yours.
I learned yesterday that fighting for and challenging myself based only on the race within is far more fulfilling than looking horizontal to someone else’s race.
Xox,
SKH
p.s. It wouldn’t be truly successful if I didn’t learn something for improving, though. I learned: KT Tape is invaluable, and I need to tape my right knee, too (I only taped my left calf yesterday), I must learn to pace better the first 1-2 miles (or I’ll never make my half PR) – ugh – adrenaline, I need 2 pairs of shoes to swap in and out of for training (bought them immediately after the race yesterday), and I need to keep focusing on Tempo runs to push through even harder. And also, shorts. I need to wear shorts. I wore a tank and pants, and the pants made me waaaaay too hot. (As we’re teaching Amiya to say, “BOOM!”)