"She's A Yellow Pair of Running Shoes, A Holey Pair of Jeans...."
Do you recognize the title of this blog post? (I'll get back to that soon...)
Hello, Friends!
It's that time in the training process: That point where I find myself questioning what I was thinking. I now drive places an hour or more away and think to myself, "Hmmm...I ran twice as long this morning as it took me to get here. How is that healthy!?!"
The miles are piling up! This last week, I ran out a sub-marathon pace 13.1 miles (or half marathon) as a training run on my trek to completing the Cellcom Green Bay Marathon in May. 13 miles...And I know people say, "I run half marathons because I'm only half crazy." But, you know what?!?!
But if you're like me, and you know that pride and euphoria you feel as you finish that last stretch of a long run and know you put your everything in to it, it's SO worth it.
But then again, like most things we enjoy in life, (For me the Top 5 would be: My family, running, a well-timed joke, music, & sweatpants....watching HGTV runs a close 6th...)
Case in point: #1 on my list: My Family. Or simply, CHILDREN.
Please don't tell me no one else has walked out of their room with strong "let's get this day going" intentions at 5am, found both your children (who operate in stealth mode only when doing things they are NOT supposed to do - like getting up at 5am on a Saturday during "Mom get s@#t done time") fighting over who has more blanket, and promptly said to yourself, "Nope," then turned right back around and shut the door?
You know you've been there, and if you haven't...well, this blog about motivation isn't for you. And I hate you. (Totally kidding, we don't just the h-word in this house unless it's in relation to running in winter....)
But like any mediocre parent would, I then give myself this pep talk:
Do I love my children? Yes!
Do they need me to provide them with nourishment in the form of some pre-made breakfast item that takes me 3 seconds to unwrap or put in a bowl? I guess so!?!
(Maybe we need to rethink this part...or just pretend I said made from scratch, blah, blah organic blah, blah something here instead.)
Do I want to love my children and make breakfast at 5am rather than stay in bed secretly scrolling Pinterest for the next 2 hours? Ehhhh........I mean, WANT or SHOULD?
And 10 seconds later I'm out the door to make myself an excessive amount of coffee armed with a second blanket to stop
"Blanket War III" and get the day started.
Yes, running is a part of my life that I have dedicated myself to. And just like you don't become a parent overnight, becoming a runner takes A LOT of work too.
So 17+ years into this runner thing, how do I get out the door when I just don't want to??
A race entry (Ahem...if you have NOT yet signed up to join me at the Cellcom Green Bay Marathon in one way or another (5k, 13.1, 26.2..volunteer...) here's your link: http://www.cellcomgreenbaymarathon.com/). Other things that might motivate me: a friend, and/or perhaps a new fitness goal.
Or money. (If someone wants to PAY me money to run some miles, I mean, I'm not going to say no...)
But of all these, my MOST powerful motivator in many walks of life is...MUSIC.
If you know me on a personal level, this will come as no surprise.
I'm a LOVER of music.
Outside of my running and mom life, I'm a musician. I play harp and piano professionally, and I freakin' LOVE IT!!
I love the art of music. The incredibly complex way it is created, yet how a simplistic melody can be so catchy (think "Jaws" theme song...two notes, friends...two...). I also love the message that a good song or a moving melody offers to the listener.
I love watching an artist perform or sitting with my eyes closed(and yes, I'm a weirdo and I do this at concerts too) listening to all the parts, instrumental and vocal, as they come together to form the magic that is a beautiful piece.
Music, much like running, is my happy place.
Music can provoke these deep feelings you maybe didn't even know were there, and a well-placed lyric at a certain time in your life can engrave it's place in your heart forever.
Easy Example: The "Rocky" movies. Who would Rocky Balboa be without his "theme song" playing as he runs up the stairs, fist pumping?!? Or when Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger" plays as he's getting all jacked?!?! All I know is, when I hear "Eye of the Tiger" I channel my inner Rocky and punch the person closest to me.
It's invigorating.
(Not the punching, the song. Should you choose to test the punching aspect of it to see if that's invigorating, that's on you....)
I could go on and on because it's true....
Seriously, ask me about a point in my life, and I'll have a song that goes with it.
I connect in my life through music.
Hello, Friends!
 |
| What will it be today.... |
The miles are piling up! This last week, I ran out a sub-marathon pace 13.1 miles (or half marathon) as a training run on my trek to completing the Cellcom Green Bay Marathon in May. 13 miles...And I know people say, "I run half marathons because I'm only half crazy." But, you know what?!?!
It's still really far! And also pretty crazy!!
But if you're like me, and you know that pride and euphoria you feel as you finish that last stretch of a long run and know you put your everything in to it, it's SO worth it.
Each and every time.
But then again, like most things we enjoy in life, (For me the Top 5 would be: My family, running, a well-timed joke, music, & sweatpants....watching HGTV runs a close 6th...)
There is ALWAYS a day where you just don't want to do ANY of it!!
Case in point: #1 on my list: My Family. Or simply, CHILDREN.
Please don't tell me no one else has walked out of their room with strong "let's get this day going" intentions at 5am, found both your children (who operate in stealth mode only when doing things they are NOT supposed to do - like getting up at 5am on a Saturday during "Mom get s@#t done time") fighting over who has more blanket, and promptly said to yourself, "Nope," then turned right back around and shut the door?
You know you've been there, and if you haven't...well, this blog about motivation isn't for you. And I hate you. (Totally kidding, we don't just the h-word in this house unless it's in relation to running in winter....)
But like any mediocre parent would, I then give myself this pep talk:
Do I love my children? Yes!
Do they need me to provide them with nourishment in the form of some pre-made breakfast item that takes me 3 seconds to unwrap or put in a bowl? I guess so!?!
(Maybe we need to rethink this part...or just pretend I said made from scratch, blah, blah organic blah, blah something here instead.)
Do I want to love my children and make breakfast at 5am rather than stay in bed secretly scrolling Pinterest for the next 2 hours? Ehhhh........I mean, WANT or SHOULD? And 10 seconds later I'm out the door to make myself an excessive amount of coffee armed with a second blanket to stop
"Blanket War III" and get the day started.
Running is the same way for me some days.
Yes, running is a part of my life that I have dedicated myself to. And just like you don't become a parent overnight, becoming a runner takes A LOT of work too.
(Side note: My 5-year old recently asked me to explain to him how babies were made in a way that I'm PRETTY sure someone told him how babies are actually made...I wasn't ready...)
So 17+ years into this runner thing, how do I get out the door when I just don't want to??
Well, I rely on other things to get me motivated.
A race entry (Ahem...if you have NOT yet signed up to join me at the Cellcom Green Bay Marathon in one way or another (5k, 13.1, 26.2..volunteer...) here's your link: http://www.cellcomgreenbaymarathon.com/). Other things that might motivate me: a friend, and/or perhaps a new fitness goal.
Or money. (If someone wants to PAY me money to run some miles, I mean, I'm not going to say no...)
But of all these, my MOST powerful motivator in many walks of life is...MUSIC.
If you know me on a personal level, this will come as no surprise.I'm a LOVER of music.
Outside of my running and mom life, I'm a musician. I play harp and piano professionally, and I freakin' LOVE IT!!
I love the art of music. The incredibly complex way it is created, yet how a simplistic melody can be so catchy (think "Jaws" theme song...two notes, friends...two...). I also love the message that a good song or a moving melody offers to the listener.
I love watching an artist perform or sitting with my eyes closed(and yes, I'm a weirdo and I do this at concerts too) listening to all the parts, instrumental and vocal, as they come together to form the magic that is a beautiful piece.
Music, much like running, is my happy place.
Music can provoke these deep feelings you maybe didn't even know were there, and a well-placed lyric at a certain time in your life can engrave it's place in your heart forever.
Easy Example: The "Rocky" movies. Who would Rocky Balboa be without his "theme song" playing as he runs up the stairs, fist pumping?!? Or when Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger" plays as he's getting all jacked?!?! All I know is, when I hear "Eye of the Tiger" I channel my inner Rocky and punch the person closest to me.
It's invigorating.
(Not the punching, the song. Should you choose to test the punching aspect of it to see if that's invigorating, that's on you....)
I could go on and on because it's true....
 |
| 2% Stuff I Should REMEMBER from 20+ years of school |
There is a song for EVERYTHING in my life.
Seriously, ask me about a point in my life, and I'll have a song that goes with it.
First major breakup? "Comfortable" by John Mayer.
The birth of my first child? "I Like You" by SJ.
In our house, we make sure we end each day with a song; one that's special for each child. For my son, JD, it's "Sweet Baby James" by James Taylor. For Julianna, often times I'm singing the theme song from "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", but otherwise, we favor, "The Boat Song" by JJ Heller. (If you've never heard a 3-year old sing this song, I encourage you to do so. It's so incredibly sweet it's almost nauseating.)
The birth of my first child? "I Like You" by SJ.
(Side note: I was going for a beachy, Jack Johnson, "I can do this without an epidural" feel when I made my delivery room playlist. But now I can't really listen to that song without provoking some psychosomatic stomach pains and a sudden urge to punch my husband. Who also happens to be standing near me most often when "Eye of the Tiger" comes on. Huh.....Weird....)
In our house, we make sure we end each day with a song; one that's special for each child. For my son, JD, it's "Sweet Baby James" by James Taylor. For Julianna, often times I'm singing the theme song from "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", but otherwise, we favor, "The Boat Song" by JJ Heller. (If you've never heard a 3-year old sing this song, I encourage you to do so. It's so incredibly sweet it's almost nauseating.)
I connect in my life through music.
So where does this fit into running?
As I mentioned earlier, there are points in the training process where you just feel like you can't go on. You might hit a physical block, a mental block, or even an "I just want to sit on the couch and eat chocolate" block. (That's my favorite kind.) Whatever the cause, I encourage you to find a motivator to push you forward.
You may have a personal mantra, inspirational quote, or other words to live by. But if you're like me and you love the sound of a great guitar solo, or a funky horn counter-melody to a dance beat (yeah, I'm talking about James Brown, Bruno Mars, Prince...just the best of of the best here...) then find something to dance along to!
I have found "my jam" over and over again throughout the years. But back to the name of this blog post, there's one song that I can say has been mentally motivating for me during difficult running times.
As I mentioned in my first blog post, back when I was training after having my daughter, I had a hard time running. Physically, mentally - It was just a bitter struggle between wanting to love the sport again, and wanting to give it up because it wasn't as easy to love as it was before.
It was during this same time that I discovered the song by Brad Paisley called, "She's Everything". Actually, I played it as a recessional selection for a wedding I performed at, and like most songs I don't know (I'm not a big country music person), I had to listen to it a few times to get a "feel" for it before I was performance ready. In doing so, I listened much to what the song was saying. The lyrics are what stuck with me, and really resonated with me during that time.
The opening line of the song being, "She's a yellow pair or running shoes, a holey pair of jeans. She looks great in cheap sunglasses, she looks great in anything..."
But what I really found in the lyrics was somebody saying to their partner, "You are not perfect, but I love that about you, and you should love that about you too. The simple things about you: your running shoes, indecisiveness, moodiness are what make you YOU. Things aren't always going to be easy, including the miles in that "yellow pair or running shoes....
I added this song to my playlist and I love when it comes on during a run. It reminds me of all these things I struggled with and really all those imperfections that I have learned to appreciate about myself; runner me included. The lyrics give me the motivation to keep trying, keep going when I don't feel like it's possible anymore.
Make today the best day yet!
Jill~
And why not have it be an amazing, kick butt song!?!
You may have a personal mantra, inspirational quote, or other words to live by. But if you're like me and you love the sound of a great guitar solo, or a funky horn counter-melody to a dance beat (yeah, I'm talking about James Brown, Bruno Mars, Prince...just the best of of the best here...) then find something to dance along to!
I have found "my jam" over and over again throughout the years. But back to the name of this blog post, there's one song that I can say has been mentally motivating for me during difficult running times.As I mentioned in my first blog post, back when I was training after having my daughter, I had a hard time running. Physically, mentally - It was just a bitter struggle between wanting to love the sport again, and wanting to give it up because it wasn't as easy to love as it was before.
It was during this same time that I discovered the song by Brad Paisley called, "She's Everything". Actually, I played it as a recessional selection for a wedding I performed at, and like most songs I don't know (I'm not a big country music person), I had to listen to it a few times to get a "feel" for it before I was performance ready. In doing so, I listened much to what the song was saying. The lyrics are what stuck with me, and really resonated with me during that time.
The opening line of the song being, "She's a yellow pair or running shoes, a holey pair of jeans. She looks great in cheap sunglasses, she looks great in anything..."
Clearly, he had me at the running shoes.
But what I really found in the lyrics was somebody saying to their partner, "You are not perfect, but I love that about you, and you should love that about you too. The simple things about you: your running shoes, indecisiveness, moodiness are what make you YOU. Things aren't always going to be easy, including the miles in that "yellow pair or running shoes....
But the imperfection might just be perfectly meant for you."
I added this song to my playlist and I love when it comes on during a run. It reminds me of all these things I struggled with and really all those imperfections that I have learned to appreciate about myself; runner me included. The lyrics give me the motivation to keep trying, keep going when I don't feel like it's possible anymore.
I REALLY hope you have songs in your life that make you feel the same! Be it something to listen to in your training for the next big running event, or something that gets you through any difficult time in your life.
Find what gets you pumped about life and crank it up!
Make today the best day yet!
Jill~
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