Every few weeks or so, my high school coach would plan cardio days. We'd go on a longish run and then come back and do agility drills followed by strength training. I hated those days. And I only managed to put enough effort into it to make it through. A typical cardio day looked like this:
- warm-up
- run an ungodly distance (I always thought it was 3 miles or so. I just mapquested it. It's 1.25 miles.)
- Finish the first half of the run at McDonald's.
- Stop and order a "snack"
- Run/walk/shuffle back
- Sprints
- Strength training
But that's not my point. What I am really trying to say is don't doubt that you can change. That you can reach your goals. It doesn't happen overnight and small changes add up. If you asked 18 year old TMB if she thought that one day she would be a vegetarian marathoner with three kids, you would have gotten laughed at. But the little changes and the daily choices transformed who I was and what I thought was important. Those changes and the drive to make them happen have made me a better me.
How are you going to make yourself a better you?
35 comments:
Love this post. Agree 100%!!
I played sports in high school (soccer and ran track), but, compared to the shape I'm in now, I might as well have been sedentary. There's no way you could have gotten me to run more than two miles without huffing and puffing. People really can change, you're right!
So true T! I am trying to vary my intake of vegetables more :)
Ok, so I'm LOL at the thought of McD's in the middle of a workout!
You've come a long way. You should be so proud.
I was an athlete my freshman year in high school and then stopped. I wish I'd kept doing *something*, but at the same time, it's not so bad to be an adult onset athlete.
Hahaha oh man... I'm thinking about having McDonalds milkshakes after training for Philly once in a while.. oops?!
I'm trying REALLY hard to curb my sweet tooth. That might be a huge undertaking though...
Couldnt agree more, I ate like garbage as a youngen and geez threw away any potential I had. I think my biggest road block now is just my mind. But I'm getting older and wiser.. just wish I had my younger body to go with it.
Nail on the head....you are right, it is a lifestyle change....period.
I too wish someone would have kicked my butt and set me straight...hindsight is always 20-20....thanx for the Friday read.
I so can't see you as a thrower! It's so funny (/amazingly awesome) how much you've changed.
Great post.
Loving the stop at mcd's part.
I'm going to only stop at mcd's once every 2 weeks. No joke. Those sausage mcmuffins......they call my name every Friday morning.
Awesome post.
But
Ummmm
I
Already went today. :(
So I'm all over this....starting.....now.
Ha! This totally takes me back to "running" to my house and eating Doritoes with the other throwers...bad!
I was a lacrosse player in high school and college. our big thing was to go to DQ before practice and not just for a blizzard. Seriously we would eat a full meal.
I wish i could cut out the meat in my diet, but sometimes I really crave it. Maybe i should do it slowly? it really is all about choices.
Shot put and discus!!!! I'm afraid of you.. HA. I know what you mean, I was too busy hanging out in da hood to do any school activities. Damn I wish I could turn back those days.....
I hated running in HS too. But I think I needed to hat it then so I could love it now. :-)
I'm a better me becuase I feel that I am getting to be a well rounded person. I am reading, again, working out, racing, hanging with friends and hubby. Over all, I'm a very happy person.
Great post T :) I totally agree. I wish I could go back and pull myself out of my shell so I could have ran track & CC. I missed out on so much. Then maybe I wouldn't have gained so much weight during the having babies time frame.
its looking back at my "former self" that helps me realize that i can make changes. its so easy to feel like the "right now me" is the most i can be/do. but really, there was a time i though running a half marathon was impossible. there was a time that running a full marathon was crazy. and there was a time that qualifying for boston was not possible.
but things change. we CAN transform!
thanks for the reminder!
Inspiring post.
Still working on a better me, everyday.
My 38 year old self could totally kick my 18 year old self's behind!
Great post!I'm training for my first half marathon, when once Presidential fitness testing would make me cry....
OH Tonia, I wish I could go back as well and tell myself to stop eating those cookies! I was actually not overweight, but I could have done much better for myself come freshman year of college. I was 100 pounds going to school, and I came out senior year at 135. While 100 sounds super light, I'm 4'10. After you hit the 120 range, I start to look a bit huskier than I should. But as a woman, I was blessed with large bosoms and tushees and that's just life. Now I'd be THRILLED to be down to 130. THRILLED! But I'd be even more thrilled to be down to 120, which is my real goal.
Great post!
In totally sad, sad, SAD news, they couldn't get my treadmill up the elevator!!!! I wanted to cry!!!!! It had to be retunred and I never even got to look at it! WAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!
I am glad that I finally am discovering my potential. At least I didn't wait to long and can really start to feel good now.
haha, I ran 100 m hurdles and was CONVINCED there was zero reason for me to ever run anything over 400m. I HATED long run days (which were like 2-3 miles, hahaha)
Awesome post! I was never an athlete in high school. In retrospect, I think I might have been pretty good at cross country if I would have just given it a chance.
if it makes you feel better...we had a 24-hour McDonald's right beside our building in Manila and I would order 'em greasy fries and chicken nuggets in the middle of the night. not good! 0_0
hmmmm. maybe i should stop going ot mcdonald's after I swim....
Awesome post!! Love it!!
I hated sports in HS, I was a cheerleader that was it, I never went out for anything else because I didn't want to run, and the worst part - I smoked :( thankfully, I got my act together!! There is no way I would have believed I would be a runner in my 30s.
You mean a soft serve doesn't help us run faster?!?! I really wish it did!!!
Great post! Thrower to runner!!
To make me better today: Choose a nutrient dense dinner instead of what is easiest!
Although "C" and I have stopped many times at McDonalds for a diet coke after a run, we once found ourselves very close to a McD during one of our runs . . . if only we had carried money with us we just might have stopped at the half way point. Hmmm!!!
LOVE!!!
I totally agree with this.
My 15 year old self would laugh until all of her spare tire rolls shook at my 30 year old self.
I used to think a long run was 200m or over. Today I ran 16k around a mountain to make me a better version of myself.
Great post!!! Right on the money!
what a GREAT post! I think one of the best ways to make yourself a better all around person is to constantly push yourself beyond your comfort zone...if you always stick to what you know, you will never truly know what you are capable of. Hence my crazy aspirations of BQing, Ultraing, and Ironmaning! Hope your weekend is great!
OMG, pit stop at McD's for a snack mid-workout = priceless! My how your perspective has changed.
You're so right about the little changes adding up. I heard a quote on TBL last week that resonated with me: "Once you change your mind, you can change anything."
Awesome and inspiring. In high school after basketball practice I would eat 2 quarter pounders with cheese. GASP!
Winks & Smiles,
Wifey
For my first two years of college I was on both the track and tennis teams. So running long(er) distances for stamina wasn't too bad. But when I quit tennis to focus on throwing (and eventually qualifying for nationals), running a mile was HARD. My training was focused on plyos and strength, not long distance. The throwers even wanted to get a shirt made up with the quote "Runners run then puke, Throwers throw then eat." Or something like that.
Another thrower and I went out for wings once a week in college (it was protein!). I WISH that I knew what I know now about eating unprocessed foods. It would have been much better for my body.
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