Day 10 - Inspire you? You inspire me!

I love that soft whisper of my wife's voice every morning to get my day started.  Today was no different,  and yet again it took a while for my body to feel lively enough to get out of bed.  The main difference is that I was attacked by a bear.  As I lay in my bed,  I closed my eyes, for what seemed like only seconds, and my next waking moment was being shook, and smothered with hugs and kisses by Jen.  Okay,  okay,  So I wasn't attacked by a bear, it was Jen but it might as well have been a bear because it scared the bejeezus out of me.   I wish I could tell you that her tactics today were enough to get me out of bed,  but it seems like I was crazy glued there and really the only thing that got me up was the time on the alarm clock, which threatened my schedule.   Get up "Marco" or else!

Every morning is a struggle at 5:00 - 5:30 A.M.  I honestly don't know how Jen does it.  It is probably attributed to the fact that she went to sleep at 8:00 PM and I went to sleep at 11:11 PM.   Never the less, I was up and did my usual walk in circles until my brain figured out that I need underpants, sweats, a shirt and some socks.   All suited up now, and ready to run!

Mobile AM/PM just seems so far away at 5:30 in the morning.  To add to the mental struggle, I couldn't think of anything solid to write about this morning.  I already had achieved my goal of making it there, so what's next?   As you can imagine brainstorming with zombie brains is not the easiest thing to do, but then I realized that my goal was not to get to the Mobile AM/PM.  The goal was to get fit enough to look great in my Green Lantern costume.  That is the real goal.   When I look in the mirror,  I still see a fat old man and this means I got some work to do.

Running is great, it is a great way to get the cardiovascular workout that I need.  It also helps with slimming up.  Just doing that for 10 days is not going to be enough, I have to keep going.  For the past few days I've been also doing a little workout after I run.  I get home and I do some push-up's, and sit-ups but I really have not been making that a priority.  So it is time I do.  There also is something to be said about a diet.  Sure I'm running, but I don't think the Islands  Big Wave burger lunch special is going to help me get to my goal.   So it is time to do something about that as well.

I'm ready,  let's do this!

Today's Goal.
Today's goal is to keep the momentum going and build up my endurance.  Run to the Mobile AM/PM.  You've done it once already.  Rinse and repeat!   Along with this goal, I'm also setting a couple other goal tasks for myself.  Today, I need to do some research on a workout plan so I can get a six-pack and build out my upper body. I also need to research the right diet for me so I can eat healthy.  I don't want to be just a skinny Green Lantern.  I want to be a hawt Green Lantern!






Today's Progress.

From the moment I stepped out my door, I knew something about today was different.   Yesterday was pretty brutal on my body,  my calves were killing me.   As an added bonus, it was by far the coldest day I have yet to run.   I shake it off and I hit the streets.   At 5:30 in the morning there is not much action going on.  There are a couple of people leaving for work, but the run this morning is a run of solitude.   As I'm nearing the end of my street,  I realize that I need to start distracting myself or this run is going to get boring pretty quick.  So as the nerdy programmer I am, I started thinking about all the stuff I have to do at work.   I find that distractions make a great way to take my mind off the boxing match that my legs and feet are having against the pavement.  

I made it to Dulin rd, where I took a moment to stretch it out and really feel the burn.  I'm pretty sore today so this felt extra good.  As I turn the corner and head to the bridge,  I got this super creepy feeling.  Like I said before, I don't like the dark, and I'm heading right into what looks like pure darkness.   There is not a person in sight, nor any cars to light up the path.  To make matters worse,  I think I freaked myself out and imagined that someone was waiting to jump me at the bridge that was barely visible.  I have no clue why that thought popped into my head,  but I can say that as I booked it through the darkness heading up to the Mobile AM/PM, I had my fists clinched so tight as if I were ready to punch someone right in the face.  At least I wasn't thinking about the pain in my legs!

Yesterday,  I told you that I didn't realize that there was an incline running up to the Mobile AM/PM,  let me tell you that I realized it today.  It must have been the excitement of seeing my goal and the motivation of getting there that made me ignore it.  That didn't help me today,  running up that little hill is quite brutal and exhausting.   "I can do this!",  that is what I tell myself repeatedly and before long I was at the Mobile AM/PM and ready to head back.

I'm nerdy!

Today's run wasn't too exciting, the run back was nothing but the norm.  I've noticed that every run back is the same.  They all carry the same brutality which is a combination of exhaustion, and jello legs.  What was once a controlled running style becomes limbs flailing about and I'm just happy that I'm able to keep putting my feet forward time and time again.   The end of each run carry's a sense of excitement and accomplishment,  but it is kind of like when you have to pee really bad and the closer you get to a bathroom the more it seems like you can't hold it any longer.   The closer I got to my house, the more I felt like I just need to stop and walk.  The pain is too much, I'm too exhausted to go on!  This morning, I thought of my friend Chris, whom wrote me the other day and told me that I inspire him to keep going!  A few moments of reflecting back,  I've actually gotten quite a few people saying how my blog and my mission of fitness has inspired them, and that gives me the extra will and strength that I need to finish strong each day!

I'm glad that I've inspired others to get out there and run or get back to their exercise routines.  Hearing about your success, is like a reward all of it's own.   It also is the driving force for inspiring me to press on and do better and better each day.  So thanks to all of you whom have posted comments and sent me personal messages and text!  I'm proud of all of you as well!  Today, is not just my victory, it's yours too!  Keep it going, I know you can do it!