Today I decided on a quick blog. In life we tend to focus on things outside of our control such as other people's opinions, life not being fair, things not going according to plan or things changes (relationships, people, things). We spend too much time and waste too much energy attempts to change some of this things with it only resulting in frustration, disappointment, worry or anger. Its more productive to focus on aspects of your life that you can control. The key four elements to things you can control are:
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For me, my vacation home is Wildwood, NJ at my grandparents shore house. They live right on the water where the bay and the ocean meet. Their back porch is the perfect view to watch the sunrise every morning. After watching the sunrise and enjoying a hot cup of coffee, I set off for my morning run. I start out at their home in Anglesea and run the run the beaches and boardwalk to the Wildwood Crest and back. The full run is 14 miles roundtrip. Each morning I set out on a different mileage with my lowest being 6 and some days completing the full run. Although each run would not be complete without a stop at my favorite smoothie bar, ALOHA smoothie company. Their Smoothie and Smoothie Bowls are out of this world. My favorite is the Green Hero Smoothie which contains spinach, acai, banana, blueberries and soy milk. I always add whey protein too it though. If you are in Wildwood and looking for a vegan/vegetarian option or just something besides deep-fried greasy food then ALOHA is your place! After returning from my run, it is breakfast time then straight off to the beach to rest and relax in the sun. With just a beach chair and a book, I soak up the sun and fry everything but my brain. I always go to the same spot at the end of North Wildwood where it is not crowded because there are no lifeguards and you cannot swim. The beach is clean and the only neighbors are usually seagulls. I alternate between sleeping and reading for the next five or six hours. I feel my body, mind and soul starting to unplug. The crisp sea breeze feels my lungs as I breathe it in. Those afternoons dozes consequences in me feeling, rested, relaxed and ready to have the best night of sleep. The result of the lazy day’s work can best be described as “Hakuna Matata.”
Let’s face it- no matter how excited you are about running, there will always be days when your motivation lags. Days where it just sound easier to hit the snooze button or just sit on the couch and relax than to get up and hit the pavement and get that run in. Some days you need to be able to motivate yourself and a good quote can do that. It can be that little push you need to get going. Here is my favorite quote… Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows that it must run faster than the slowest gazelle or it will starve. Both realize that it doesn’t matter what happened yesterday, To survive, it’s about what you did today. Whether you are the lion or the gazelle, When the sun comes up, you’d better be running. Just remember that one is running from something, And one is running to something? Who would you rather be? A strong core makes a strong runner. Notice that I said core and not abs. Your core is made up of your abs, obliques, lower back and glutes. It is not about getting that six-pack; it’s about having a strong core for good running form. A strong core makes it easier to stay upright, even when you are tired. You should engage your core, keep a “tall” spine and avoid leaning too far forward or too far back from your hip. Having a good running form means less chance of injury. Remember the stronger you are, the longer you can hold running form, which naturally translates to improved performance.
I know its been over a week since my last blog but I have been busy working on my running and getting a side project started. Life is about doing more of what makes you happy and I am trying to accomplish that. Just like they said in The Shawshank Redemption, "Get busy living or get busy dying!" As of today (8.16.15), I have ran over 405.18 miles and made it outside of Columbus, Ohio. |
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August 2015
AuthorMy name is Patrick and this is my blog. It is my journey from being obese and down to healthy and happy! So far I have lost over 190 lbs! Categories |