Habits...

Habits. We all have them. Some good, some not so good. They can be the key to success or your biggest challenges.

This topic came to mind while I was doing yoga, my first real workout since I finished my first 50k a week ago. And I was STIFF. I used to be really good about foam rolling and stretching and all that. Then gradually I slipped out of the habit. And today, during yoga, I felt it. Oof. But I hung in there. Pushed through. And actually had the best tree pose I've ever held. I got so lost in thought that I barely noticed when we were switching sides or poses. I could've held it forever.

But I digress...habits. Need to get back to building good habits again, daily things, small things because those little things add up. One of my favorite tools for doing this is the Good Habits app for iPhone (there are similar things available for Android, but I can't speak to any one over another...sorry!). You simply enter the habits you want to build and the frequency, and then tap when you've completed it for the day. It will give you a tally of the running streak of how long you've gone doing that particular task. Once you get a good streak going you don't want to stop...and it becomes second nature, you get in the zone.

So goals for the week--daily foam rolling, stretching and nightly plank. And next week I'll add a couple more.

What are your goals for the coming week?

Finding Your Zone...What does it mean?

In distance running, as in most activities, there comes a point when even a fair amount of effort feels effortless. It doesn't happen every run. But it happens, and those are the times most runners live for. You might be pushing, going at it hard, it might be a race or a training run, but at a point you find your zone and it just feels good. You're cruising, you feel like you could go forever. And the quest for that moment can keep you going out again and again, and gets you through the runs that flat out suck.
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I feel like that's what we're doing in life. We're looking for that sweet spot--your zone--where things are going smoothly, where even when you're working hard it doesn't feel hard. Where you're getting the things you want in life and you feel good. I won't call it The Zone because (1) that's a trademarked diet program, but more importantly (2) because it isn't the same for everyone, there is no definitive Zone for life lived to it's maximum potential. Each of us has to find it for ourselves, determine what it is that we want, what makes us happy, and figure out (and put in the work) to get there. And that's what this blog is about--inspiration, ideas, tips, and helping you find what you need to be your best self and live the life you want. And yes, I'm aware that sounds incredibly cheesy. I'm not an expert, I'm a regular person with a passion for healthy living and helping others. I screw up, have set backs, skip workouts and eat things I "shouldn't". I'm human. We all do that. The important thing is that we start again, we keep trying, we remember that no setback is permanent and we can always move forward.
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So what do you want? What are your goals?
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I'd love to hear from you...leave me a comment...let the conversation begin...