Life's Hurdles Vs. Building A New Habit

One of my main goals in training for this marathon is to make a habit of running on a regular basis. This gets difficult when life comes at you full force in the form of Christmas, New Years and oh yeah a stomach flu. Fortunately, I'm taking this goal and my training seriously and have somehow managed to make it through. Yes, I admit, I've missed a run here and there during the week -- BUT! I haven't missed any of my group training long runs OR any of my hill training sessions with my team.

Christmas was great, lots of time with family on Christmas Eve, Christmas day and the day after Christmas. I successfully ran according to our training schedule on Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas. Had this been the "old" Melody I would have said forget it its the Holidays, I'm going to eat anything I want, sleep in and get to that run later. But the "new" Melody decided I'll take advantage of my day off, wake up at a decent time and go run in the sun on a weekday (instead of 7 or 8 at night like normal). I'll feel energized and good about myself and heck, not have to worry a whole lot about the junk food I may eat. For me, this decision was very important. Pre-TNT I had done "recreational running" but wasn't a runner. What's the difference? I would run when I felt like it, when time allowed. I'd get serious about it for a few weeks, but then something would come up and it would fizzle away. That's the key point! Now, stuff is coming up and I'm still committing myself to getting out there and running even when I'm tired, even when I think I don't have time. Because you know what? I always feel better afterward, and somehow there just seems to be more time when you cut out TV or goofing around online. I'm becoming a runner.


So I made it through Christmas, New Years should be a cinch. WRONG! Two days before New Years Eve, when I'm supposed to have people over to camp out and watch the Rose Parade.... I get a stomach flu. It was awful. Somehow, that Tuesday I made it through my entire hill training. My stomach felt a little funny but I thought it was all in my head. I came home from training and as soon as I walked in the door I knew something was wrong. My stomach suddenly felt like someone dove their hands into my stomach, grabbed all of my organs and was wringing them out like a wet rag. So for the next several hours I was in various stages of an unpleasant stomach flu... not pretty. The next day I slept and stayed in bed for almost 24 hours. I barely ate and spent most of the morning and afternoon battling a fever. Luckily I managed to recover enough to have a fun New Years, but I definitely felt weak. That Saturday I had a 6 mile run. Again, "old" Melody would have said forget it, stay home and in bed just in case. Instead I realized I felt well enough to run and should. Although I must admit my 6 mile run after New Years day... AWFUL! But it was for most of the team so, hey at least I did it.

Anyway, to make a long story short, life happens, but it shouldn't stop me. I faced these hurdles and soldiered on. I'm building my new habit and trying to make it concrete. This way when I no longer have a team behind me or a marathon ahead of me, I'll still get out and run. I already have my next hurdle to face. On March 1st (three weeks before my marathon) I'm moving! These next two months I have to deal with showing my current place, finding a new place and (ugh) packing. It'll get hard, stressful and tiring, but my hopes are to use my running as a stress reliever and something to do for myself. We'll see how it goes.

In the meantime, bare with me and my erratic posting (and non-posting), but know that I am STILL RUNNING!