the importance of being earnest

So the last time I went running (other than this morning) was Friday morning. Then I went up to a cottage (a fancy one! :) and ate and drank way too much! But, hey, I was on vacation. And while on vacation - anything goes! :) There was bacon. Mmm bacon.

Tomato carbonara sauces are really quite tasty! So there was much food and alcohol with sweet juices. However, on the Sunday we finally made it out to the swimming pool. It was a humid day, which made it perfect for the pool! It was rather small, but luckily not terribly busy. We tried to swim laps when there were gaps in the crowds. I love swimming and being in the water! :) Have I said that enough?

Along with that and my issues with feeling self-conscious and all that, which I mentioned in my last post, I have decided to just suck it up (literally and figuratively ;p ) and get over it. If strangers are judging me - who cares? If my friends are judging me, well, then maybe we're not really friends and in which case - who cares? So there.

So anyways, I got home late on Sunday night and just wasn't feeling it Monday morning. I now regret not having gone for a run, but there's nothing to be done about it now. So this morning I did finally go out for my run.

During the running bits I was trying to focus on the song I was listening to. I have decided to try to take this time and learn the lyrics! I figure that will get my mind off the running. I had some success with it. I am seriously considering books on tape, though. I worry that it won't really give me energy as music might, but maybe it'll work for me. Now I just have to figure out how to do the audiobook thing. :P And soon because I will be doing 8-minute running

So. The reason for my title is that I had to give myself some serious pep talks during this run. Especially the last 5-minute run. I had almost convinced myself to walk the rest of the way home. I was too tired. I was too much of a sloth this weekend to recover so quickly. I couldn't do it. Etc.

But! I forced myself to again suck it up and man up! I told myself not to be such a sissy and just do it. I told myself if I wanted to make a lifestyle change I couldn't just keep quitting. Did I want to be 40 and still a lazy bum? Did I want to continue to feel self-conscious about myself (even though I'm supposed to be over this, too :D ). If I didn't do it, how was I going to run the 5k and continue to progress. Etc. I pretty much berated myself into submission.

I just realized I sound crazy :P But whatever works, right?

Lessons Learned:

1. Scolding works.
2. I need to figure out audiobooks. Free ones preferably. I have a blackberry, an ipod, and an itouch. One or more of these things must be amenable to audiobooks :P Oh, I suppose this isn't so much as a lesson I learned as it is something I need. :)
3. I need a part-time job. This isn't so much a lesson I learned during running, but well, I am quickly learning I need one. Anyone know of a place I can work a few hours a week and make hundreds of dollars? I'm pretty sure we can leave stripping/escorting out of the brainstorming process, though.
4. Running early in the morning is really the best way to go. I need to go and be back before the sun starts cresting the houses, which is usually around 7am.

I have also been rather remiss in going out on alternate mornings for a blade or bike ride. And doing my lunges/squats/dips. So I am going to start being more regular about my workouts/runs again. I was so good for a while! I will try to be again! :)