Before we get to the inspiring stuff, here’s how week 7 of my training for the Lincoln Presidential Half Marathon panned out:
Total Miles: 27
Monday: Yoga
Tuesday: 6 mile pace run
Wednesday: 1 hour easy run
Thursday: Strength/Drills, Pear Sports HIIT workout
Friday: 8xHill repeats
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: 11 miles (cold, windy, hilly course)
Everyday: Pushups and corework
Kids things are getting tough up in here. This was not an easy week for me. I spat in my coffee the first time I looked at the plan. But you know what? It’s done. And I lived to tell about it. If I thought last week was preposterous, this one coming up is even moreso. I think we’re cutting back after. At least I hope so. I guess that’s one of the many benefits of having a coach. They pull things out of you that you didn’t think you even had.
It was a big racing weekend. I enjoyed all the Princess Half footage that filled my Instagram feed yesterday. A giant shout to a few special friends who finished the Tokyo Marathon, the final major in their quest for all 6. Pure awesomeness. I swear I think the logistics of getting my tired carcass to London, Berlin and Tokyo at this point would be a bigger challenge than the run itself. But impossible is nothing, right?
Who Inspires You? While watching the Olympics, they often talk about an athlete being from a skiing (or whatever sport) family. I suppose all of the parents aren’t there, but the ones they show spectating in the crowd always look fit and highly engaged. It’s no surprise, I guess, that Olympic athletes often have a strong support system backing them up. These days my sites are set on longevity and living well more than they are on an Olympic spot…unless something opens up on a bobsled…or skeleton…I digress.
Whenever I think of people around me who have succeeded on those fronts, my maternal grandma comes to mind. She was a friend to all, free-spirited and fun loving. While her “workouts” did not extend beyond walking (alot) every day, working (hard) in her garden and dancing around her kitchen, she thrived vigorously well into her 90’s, rarely if ever sick. She lived simply, ate whole foods, stayed mentally acute, and laughed all the time. She was not an Olympic Champion and she sure wasn’t running marathons. As a kid I thought nothing of her lifestyle. But looking back, I know now there was so much she was doing “right”. I am fortunate and grateful to have had that kind of role model in my life.
Did you have positive role models growing up? How have they inspired you?
it’s trite and cheeeesy but it’s true.
for me right now it’s my CHILD as she definitely sees the great in me when I cant see it in myself.
I too am inspired by many who are not runners but who LIVE LIFE! I have been sick as a dog all weekend, barely managed to get to couch to watch the last 2 days of Olympic coverage! ha. Even a gold meal hockey match. But I love the scenes when athletes are singing their national anthem. How they are so excited about a great run or a comeback. I am particularly move by acts of good sportsmanship. Thing is people who give back to the community to help others inspire me to do better! And those who overcome adversity. 🙂
I gain my inspiration from those around me, and my teachers.
You had a great training week! I think that coaches often know better than we do what we can accomplish and are masters at getting us there.
Your grandma sounds pretty awesome–indeed a great role model. My maternal grandma wasn’t so much of a physical inspiration, but a somewhat feminist inspiration. She earned her master’s degree back when few women were even getting bachelor’s, and she taught and tutored kids in reading, sometimes for her job, and sometimes as a volunteer. She set a great example for what women can achieve.
I think the ladies that I workout with inspire me a little bit. I like to think I inspire them in the same way.
Love this! We are on the same wavelength today;) My grandma just turned 97 last week and still lives on her own. I hope I follow in her footsteps. She too didn’t “workout” but walked, worked hard, and was active and ate well. Low stress contributed to her longevity I think, which is something I need to work on;)
Wow – Tokyo marathon? Very cool.
Looks like your training is going well – nice to have someone else tell you what to do!!
I think that my inspiration to try and be as healthy as possible is my grandpa – he lived to 98 (almost 99) and was always active and busy. Both of my grandparents were hard workers but they firmly believed in the idea of a 20-30 minute rest after lunch every day!!
My grandmothers and great-grandmothers were similar hard workers who hardly had a moment to sit down! Although they didn’t exercise in the sense we think of it now, I think they were healthier for it (and all of this sedentary research seems to agree!)
None of my parents were in the least athletic. In fact my mother was very anti-exercise. She swore it would make it harder to have babies. Heaven knows where she got that little gem of information from.
None of my family was very athletic, altho my mom always “exercised”. I’m the weird one who has taken it to the extreme! I get inspired by people around me who persevere through adversity…friends and patients…my son who was always told he was too small to succeed at football but has had great success at the peewee level. We’ll see how he does in high school next year!
My maternal grandmother (“Grama”) was also a very important, inspiring woman in my life. She is the one who made me believe that I could achieve whatever I sought after – her message was something along the effects of “where you are doesn’t determine where you’ll be, it’s simply your starting point”
I honestly can’t remember anyone in particular when I was young but as an adult, I recall Rachel McClish, Linda Hamilton & Cory Everson getting me excited about muscles! 🙂
I did the Lincoln 1/2 last year!! I still haven’t made it outside to run!
Aww I love that your grandmother is your inspiration!! I have so many, from professionals, to my friends, to Mike, to myself (we all have to be our own inspiration every once in awhile)!