Taking A Step Back... — Weight Off My Shoulders

Sometimes the most important thing a person can do is step back from a situation and realize how freakin' strong and bad ass they really are! For me ... that happened twice during the last two days.

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Yesterday, it was during my 12-mile run.

As many of you know, I tend to run/race a lot. Not a lot compared to some of the runners I follow on Twitter, but more than most people I hang out with ... so I have a lot of time to think during those runs.

At this point in time, I am finishing up Half Marathon training, while beginning Full Marathon training. Yeah, I am that crazy. :P

Well last week, I had a disappointing run. I had set out for 11 miles on the morning of July 4 and I only finished 7.25, Yes I know that is a good run. And yes, I know I have knocked out 14 so the mileage on that day didn't totally matter since I am ready for the Half.

But the disappointment with myself made me really realize how much pressure I put on myself. I want to "Finish Everything You Start" - which I have etched on my GoSportID bracelet - and when I don't do that I feel like I not only let myself down, but I let you all down as well.

As I wrote what happened online - feeling dizzy and my legs felt dead - people tweeted to let me know I am not the first person this has happened to and that the world would keep on Spinning if I didn't complete every mile I set out to do. Instead, it was better to listen to my body.

Wow! Hello Perspective... nice to meet you.

I just needed someone else to tell me that it is okay to Fail.

Oohhh I hate that word.

I HATE failing!

So I took a page from the Weight Watchers book and removed that F-word from my vocabulary this week.

I didn't fail at running 11 miles. I instead dominated 7.25 miles ... and went for a 4 mile run the next day to get to 11 total miles run. ;)

Fast forward to yesterday morning ... my last long run before July 22's Half Marathon was on the docket - 12 miles.

I went in to the run saying I would just take in the scenery and just enjoy the run.

And you know what ... I easily finished those 12 miles ... and more importantly enjoyed every minute of it.

I thought to myself during the run about how far I had come. How I hadn't failed because I picked myself up and tried again.

I. Am. Stronger. Than. I. Think. I. Am.

I got to my car after the run, looked in my rearview mirror and said to myself "You are amazing. That girl that never liked to run growing up - just completed a 12 mile run and enjoyed every minute of it. You even kept a sub 9-minute per mile pace. YOU did it."

Wow! I needed that. I needed to take a moment and remember ... I am bad ass. ;)

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The second moment happened this morning...

Since becoming a Weight Watchers Leader, I haven't had a chance to attend a WW meeting as a member.

Wow! It really affected me. I got so wrapped up in helping my members that I forgot why I joined WW to begin with ... for me!

So this morning I attended my first meeting as a member since May and it was EXACTLY what I needed.

I put my WW member hat on, sat in my usual spot in the back of the meeting and took it all in.

I shared. I listened. I laughed. I got support.

But most importantly, I took that little step back ... and thought about me. Thought about my journey. Thought about how far I have come since the first time I walked into that Weight Watchers meeting.

And I once again remembered ... I. Am. Stronger. Than. I. Think. I. Am.

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It's crazy that I was in a funk for a few weeks and two small days turned everything around. For these last two days, I stopped looking at all the shoulda, coulda, wouldas and thought about the cans, the wills and the I wants.

I thought about me.