200 Miles into Our Quest for 2015! Seven Reasons Why You Should Run

Yes, we hit the 200 mile mark this week in our quest to run 2015 miles in 2015! Now we only have 1815 miles to go!

 We actually would be a little further towards our goals, but a few days of laziness took over earlier in the week! Yes, it happens to all of us. It’s been cold and damp so running outside was not appealing; and the treadmill was not as appealing as my pillow! Luckily, I realized after putting two zero days in a row in my log, that it meant I now had miles to make up. Not a good thing when you are trying to be more consistent. It’s also a team quest and Art was not happy with the zero entries! The sad face gets me every time!!! The logbook and all you blog readers got me back on track! The weather this weekend really helped with making up the miles as well.

So a common question I have been asked in the last few weeks is “Why exactly do you run?” I think people are curious if we become endorphin junkies or are we just health nuts? I think the reason each of us run is so personal that I figured I would just answer the question with good reasons why we should run. In fact, I think everyone that can run (or walk briskly) should try to do it every day.

Why should you run (or exercise) every day? The quick answer is because it keeps your energy levels up, keeps your heart healthy and really helps maintain your weight. But it actually does so much more!

Seven Benefits of Daily Exercise:

1.     It lowers your risk for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. According to the 2014 World Alzheimer’s report, regular exercise is one of the best ways to combat cognitive mental deterioration. This is thought to be because it improves circulation to your brain! It also significantly increases the size of the hippocampus, which is the memory area of your brain!

2.     It makes you look younger by making your skin glow. This is actually true! Working out improves oxygen and blood flow to your skin and sweating gets rid of skin toxins! A win:win!

3.     It improves your sex life! Why do you think runners are so happy? Just kidding, but regular exercise has been shown to boost energy and feelings of attractiveness, which leads to increased sexual performance. I’m not going to explain this one in depth, but exercise decreases the need for the little blue pill lol!

4.     It will help you crave junk food less. Yes, you may be hungrier but you will crave junk food less due to a suppression of a hormone called ghrelin (not gremlin like the spell check thought!) which is thought to be responsible for pesky food cravings.

5.     It makes you happy! Yes, runners are happier! Physical activity improves overall mental health by the release of endorphins. These are chemicals that reduce pain perception while triggering positive emotions. Having a bad day? Go for a run!

6.     It decreases the risk for the two most common cancers: breast cancer and prostate cancer! The American Cancer Society relates regular exercise as one of the best ways to reduce cancer risks! Enough said!

7.     And contrary to some crazy studies that have recently been publicized, you will live longer! Regular exercise, defined as 150 minutes of brisk walking per week – 2.5 hours, per week, will increase your life expectancy by 3.5 to 4.5 years!

Have I made a good point that to get out of bed and run/walk/sweat doing anything every day is really a great idea?! So instead of asking me why I run, why don’t you join me!

Resolutions: 2015 Miles in 2015! Why Resolutions Fail and How to Overcome Roadblocks

Did you make a 2015 New Year resolution? It’s January 18^th. How are you doing? I often have been quoted to say that I wanted to open a gym on January 1^st then convert it to a bar on February 15^th. Ha ha ha.  Funny, but not so far off. Nearly 50% of Americans make resolutions, but only 8% reach their goals.

Why is that? Resolutions fail for a myriad of reasons, but truly it’s usually because of the resolution itself. This year I have resolved to run 2015 miles in 2015! I’m actually doing this with my amazing man, Art Atchison, as a team because it makes it more realistic for us to achieve. The goal keeps us motivated and focused on being consistent with our running; while not making it such an onerous task that we would get discouraged and quit if we are behind our goal.

Here are some of the roadblocks to keeping resolutions! And how we help you run right past them!

1.     Too Big, Too Fast.  Just like I mentioned that Art and I are working as a team on our 2015 miles, this highlights a common problem with resolutions. Most people set unrealistic goals that set you up for failure.  Go small, and then ante up once you hit your goal. Taking baby steps will help you ore likely get to the end-goal. Answer: Set small, realistic goals and it’s OK to set levels of achievement.

2.     Too Many Resolutions. Reaching any goal takes focus. If you have a bunch of focal points, your concentration is scattered and you will be all over the place. It’s better to set one or two big goals to reach over the course of the year. Another option is to make several small goals to be achieved one at a time. This year we are running 2015 miles and ramping up for a PR in the Ironman 70.3 distance. These goals work together!

3.     Quitting Altogether When Falling Down.  It is inevitable that you will slip a little along the way. Art will tell you I fall down (literally) all the time. Some times the pillow wins! It’s OK. To err is human. To be lazy is human! What’s important is to get back up and make a plan to get back on track to achieving your goals. Have a contingency plan for when you slip knowing ahead of time that reaching your goal will take focus and continued effort. Noting worth having comes easy!

4.     Resolutions That are Too Vague. It’s amazing how many people set resolutions to “get in shape”, “to run more”, “to get faster”, “to lose weight”, or “to be a better boss”. What the heck does that mean and how do you track it? Tracking your progress keeps you focused. You need to make SMART goals. S is specific. M is measurable. A is achievable. R is result focused. And T is time bound. It is important to be able to track your progress and be able to measure your success.

So again I ask, it’s January 18^th; how are you resolutions doing? It’s still early. Sit back and think about your goals, write them down and discuss them with the people closest to you. Most goals require teamwork and reinforcement from your close family and friends to be achieved. Have an accountability team. Track your progress!

Art and I are doing well, we have reached our first 100 miles; 1915 to go! The last 18 days have not been all roses. The pillow has won a few times, but I’ve made it up in the afternoon. Work and children often get in the way. I’m making all my excuses in my head, then dismissing them or finding a work around. We have calendar in our home that we track our progress. I have my friends and patients following me. My goal is very public, so I’m more likely to reach it!

Happy Running…..share your goals!

Happy New Year! Can You Run/Walk 2015 Miles in 2015? Yes You Can!

I was challenged this morning by an ultra-marathon running friend to run 2015 miles in 2015. At first I thought that sounded like one of those resolutions that is like a gym that turns into a bar in February. 2015 miles! That's almost 6 miles a day!

Then I realized that walking counts and that if you average 10,000 steps a day at 2,000 steps roughly equaling a mile, then I probably walk at least 5 miles a day at work before I even tie up my running shoes.

Turns out this is not a novel idea. There is a whole group of people who have signed up for a virtual race that lasts all year long! Sounds like a blast! I'm in! And you can go solo, tandem or a team to get it done! For more info on the virtual race and how to join in on the fun, click here.

So I logged 4 miles on the treadmill today....too cold and wet outside for this girl! That means I have 2011 miles to go......and perhaps I need to buy a pedometer and or FitBit! Run Happy!

Happy New Year 2015!