The View from the Classroom

Got up this morning just a bit later than most Monday mornings…5:30ish instead of 5:00…went to the gym for an easy 3.25 mile run…surprised that most of the Monday morning regulars were nowhere to be seen…oh well…returned home to my usual egg white and spinach omelet, bowl of oatmeal, granny smith apple and a slice of cantaloupe…let that digest a little than headed back for round 2…shoulders…

I LOVE my Monday shoulder routine…short and sweet…

Shoulder Press on the Smith Machine…3 sets ( 8 reps at 50 lbs, 6 reps at 50 lbs, 5 reps at 55 lbs) after an easy warm-up set at 30 lbs.

DB Side Lateral Raises…this kills…start with 15’s and work down the rack (15, 12, 10, 8 lbs x 12, 10, 8, 6 reps), rest then repeat for 3 sets total…shoulders will be burning…

3 sets of cable rows…12 reps at 60 lbs, 10 at 70 lbs and 8 at 80 lbs

Shoulders done in about 30 minutes so I decided to work on the abs…they’re burning…but I feel so good having got both the cardio and the weights done for the day…off to visit some family

Have a GREAT Memorial Day!

I don’t usually take Saturdays completely off, but I had worked out in some form everyday for the last 7 days and thus, decided to make yesterday my off day.  No running, no lifting, no rollerblading, nothing!  It was awesome…had a nice lunch with friends, got a manicure and pedicure, did a little shopping, had dinner with the hubby…even had a margarita…first one since the holidays (at least the first one I remember having since then) and I slept like a baby until about 7:00 this morning.  Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that we stopped by the store on the way home from dinner to pick up some Ben & Jerry’s ice cream…I purposely didn’t get any last time I grocery shopped and I literally did not cheat once this past week…got "Chubby Hubby" and "Peanut Butter Cup"…had a little of both.  Ok, maybe more than just a little, but it was oh so good…heaven on a spoon…of course now the leftover portions are in the freezer which will make not cheating much harder this week!  I’ll have to summon some will power from deep within…or, I could just get my daughter to eat it.

Anyway, I feel SO rested today!!  Isn’t it amazing what a day of personal pampering does?  Now I feel really ready to tackle this next week and it promises to be a difficult one…we’re down to 14 school days…in 8th grade…brains are off…hormones are on…need I say more?

Back to the working out today…fixin to go rollerblading and for you non-Texan speaking bb’ers, that means I’m getting ready to go rollerblading…9 miles, nothing but me, my music and my thoughts…a different kind of heaven if you ask me…and the weather looks perfect…not a cloud in the sky, a bit of a breeze, temp in the 60’s…gonna be another AWESOME day!!

I am a Virgo, perfectionist to the core.  If I choose to do something, I do it right the first time or I don’t do it.  Not a bad thing, right?  Don’t agree with me quite so quickly. 

Being a perfectionist CAN be a bad thing.  In my pre-middle-aged days I think I let it be a bad thing.  How?  By choosing to NOT do things I wanted to do because I feared not doing them well enough.  I feared not being the best.  Anyone out there relate? 

I ran my first 5K in October of 2006, about a month after turning 40.  I had only been running for a few months and not "training" for an event at all.  Just running.  I was scared.  What if I didn’t run the whole thing?  What if I finished last?  What if, what if, what if?????  Those thoughts would have prevented the younger me from even signing up.  But…the 40-year old said, "what the hell" and signed up.

The night before the race, I wanted to just not go.  I mean, it wasn’t like I was gonna win.  Why even show up?  The fact that co-workers were going to run it with me prevented me from taking this path though.  I was stuck.  Had to go.

On race day, once at the race, I felt like I was gonna puke.  I got over it and ran the race.  I had to walk parts of it, but I had a goal of 33 minutes and I beat it…by more than 2 minutes.  Crossing the finish line was the best feeling ever.  I, the person who always said "I’m not a runner" did it. 

Prior to turning 40, I wouldn’t have done it, period.  But, that was only the beginning.  Since turning 40 I’ve run three 5K’s, improving upon my time each time out, a 10K, I did a figure competition, I’ve taken up rollerblading again AND I’m working on my PT certification.  

So what changed?  My attitude.  I’m living for me now, not anyone else.  If I want to do it, I do.  I don’t care so much what others think and I’m definitely not seeking approval from anyone but myself.  And, know what?  I’m happier!  I know it and the people around me know it.  I’m still the perfectionist, but I use the quality differently.  I use it to push myself to do better because I know if others my age are running a 5K in 23 minutes, then I can do it too.  Yes, I have to work hard to get there, but the fact that I’m not there yet isn’t going to prevent me from doing it.

My point…don’t let fear of not being perfect or even good enough stand in your way.  Don’t wait until your 40 to start living your life.  Decide what you want to do and go for it in spite of your fears.  You will amaze yourself at what you can accomplish. 

PS:  I ran a 5K yesterday and I felt like puking.  Only difference is that the feeling came after the race not before.  I pushed myself because I wanted to beat 26 minutes.  I ran it in 25:58.  I was hoping to finish in the top 3 for my age group and that didn’t happen.  Had that been my only goal, I would have been disappointed.  Instead, I was happy for accomplishing my time goal.  Crossing the finish line is still the best feeling ever.

Live YOUR life!