Motivation is the word.

This week started off pretty nasty, weather wise. Sunday morning I woke up to the sound of the wind howling outside. I was really happy that I didn't have to leave the house until 5pm. I figured by then the weather would calm down, it wasn't even raining yet, just really really really windy. When 5 o'clock rolled around the skies decided to open up, first with hail and then with pouring rain. I live 2 minutes away from work. I usually leave 10 minutes before I have to be at the gym just in case the cross walk is busy and I have to wait 5 minutes before I just close my eyes and walk across the street hoping that the cars will slow down enough for me to get safely to the other side. Sunday 450 pm, I was prepared to go the distance in the pouring rain. I put on my coat, gloves, hat, sneakers... I opened the door to my building and proceeded to sprint the distance to the hotel. 452 I was in the lobby, drenched from head to toe, mostly to toe... I got to the gym, took off my shoes, hung my jacket and gloves in the sauna to dry off and went to work. By 6, the rain had calmed down a bit and I decided to make my way to my gym, to work out. The quickest, driest way there, was to run. I bundled up again made my way outside and started on my way down the block. As I was running I heard footsteps behind me getting closer and closer. As they got really close I turned around to see what was coming towards me and there was this guy running in full gear and a backpack. As he ran past me, he turns around, smiles and goes "what were we thinking?". And as he got farther and farther away I couldn't help laughing, he thought he wasn't the only crazy one out there, I knew better.

Where does the motivation come from? When I really don't want to go out and run I can find any type of excuse to go to the gym and not run outside. At least I run on the treadmill, you say, but it doesn't come close to the hills of this city. I can run on the treadmill for a long time, yesterday it was for 1hr 20 min, with only one bathroom break. The last time I ran outside was on Saturday morning with Danielle. The weather was beautiful (I put on sunscreen) and we even wore the same t-shirt (!), which was cool until we were walking and people were staring... We had a nice pace, didn't walk too much and even conquered hard hills. All in all, a great run to start a great day. This week, as the weather was totally going manic depressive on us, seeing people running outside in all weather causing me a pang of desire to join them, I came to the realization that I really do love running, outside, inside, mostly outside, just not alone. When I don't have anyone to share the pain with, I opt for the indoors, something there will distract me. So this week, I went to the gym instead, no matter that Thursday's weather was the nicest it has been since November. I think that once I have more time and the weather is back on its meds, I will go out on my own or with Danielle, (or anyone else who would like to join me, but that I can get along with...) and run.

Last night someone asked me how I find the time to train for the half marathon. I told him that I don't find the time, I do what I can and I am pretty confident that I will succeed, it just might take longer than if I had trained properly for it.

Mind over matter. No pain no gain. Running for a cause?

If you find my motivation, please send it back to me. New ideas are welcome too.

Until next time.

Peace.

For all those skeptics...

How Running Benefits Your Body:
It's All Good
More scientific proof that running keeps you healthy.
By Amy Rushlow
From the February 2011 issue of Runner's World


Scientists have discovered the fountain of youth—it's running. Studies continue to find that hitting the roads improves health and well-being. "The biggest benefits come from vigorous exercise like running," says JoAnn Manson, M.D., chief of preventive medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Here are the latest reasons to lace up.

LOOK AHEAD People who run more than 35 miles a week are 54 percent less likely to suffer age-related vision loss than those who cover 10 miles a week.

KEEP THE BEAT Runners who log a weekly run of 10 miles (or more) are 39 percent less likely to use high-blood-pressure meds and 34 percent less likely to need cholesterol meds compared with those who don't go farther than three miles.

FUNCTION WELL Men who burn at least 3,000 calories per week (equal to about five hours of running) are 83 percent less likely to have severe erectile dysfunction.

BUILD BONE Running strengthens bones better than other aerobic activities, say University of Missouri researchers who compared the bone density of runners and cyclists. Sixty-three percent of the cyclists had low density in their spine or hips; only 19 percent of runners did.

THINK FAST British workers were surveyed on a day they worked out and a day they didn't. People said they made fewer mistakes, concentrated better, and were more productive on the day they were active.

STAY SHARP A study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society reported that women who were active as teenagers were less likely to develop dementia later in life.

SLEEP TIGHT Insomniacs fell asleep in 17 minutes on days they ran, compared to 38 minutes on days they didn't. They also slept for an extra hour on days they exercised.

SNEEZE LESS People who exercise for an hour a day are 18 percent less likely to suffer upper-respiratory-tract infections than those who are inactive, according to a study from Sweden. Moderate activity boosts immunity.

BREATHE EASY Researchers had asthmatics do two cardio workouts and one strength session a week. After three months, they reported less wheezing and shortness of breath.

LIVE LONGER A review of 22 studies found that people who work out 2.5 hours a week are 19 percent less likely to die prematurely than those who don't exercise. A separate study found that active people have a 50 percent lower risk of premature death.

COLLEGE STUDENTS WHO EXERCISE AT LEAST 20 MINUTES 7 DAYS A WEEK HAVE HIGHER GPA'S THAN THOSE WHO ARE SEDENTARY.

Only in America...

Do you eat to live or live to eat?

I would like to think that I eat to live. I try to keep a healthy diet and make sure that the food I put into my body won't hurt me in the long run. There are those days, however, that all I want is a nice donut, preferably a Boston Creme with chocolate icing and colored sprinkles from Dunkin Donuts on Raritan Ave which I know are utterally unrealistic, but a girl can dream. The other day I had such a craving, sitting starving in class listening to a boring lecture on blood sugar levels. Obviously, I did not indulge in said craving, since that would be against all that I stand for and I am not in Edison anymore, Toto... Instead I went on dreaming. Luckily, earlier that week I went to pick up the latest Runner's World magazine that my parents sent with a friend, (thank g-d for Jew winter vacation), and as I was nearing the end of the 1st magazine I came across a very "interesting" race. It will be taking place tomorrow, February 5th, for the 7th time. It is called: The Krispy Kreme Challange or K2C for short. The challenge is running 2 miles to the Krispy Kreme Store, eating a dozen donuts, showing that your box is empty and running 2 miles back to the start, all in under an hour. The story behind this race is one you would only find in a frat house.

"A Tradition Begins...

The Krispy Kreme Challenge started in December 2004 as a dare between a few NC State undergraduate students. Sophomore Ben Gaddy took home bragging rights that afternoon, running the race in 34 minutes and 27 seconds. After receiving positive coverage from campus news papers and being placed as #85 on the "102 More Things You Gotta Do Before You Graduate" by Sports Illustrated. On Campus, organizers decided to publicize the Krispy Kreme Challenge and turn it into something that would not only be an event to bring together people from all over the country, but also to benefit an important cause along the way. It was no surprise, when organizers selected The NC Children's Hospital as the most deserving beneficiary of this ultimate collegiate challenge."

As the author of the article wrote, in order to successfully finish the race its better not to eat lunch or dinner the day before. He also reported that a lot of the participants weren't capable of keeping all 12 donuts down before running the full 2 miles back. He stuck it out and finished in under an hour. As much as I like donuts, I would never participate in such a race. I would most definitely throw up after the 5th donut.

On another note, I will be participating in the Jerusalem Half Marathon at the end of March, if nothing drastic happens from now until then. I do have some long runs that I must get in and I hope to be able to do that towards the end of February when I have a week break from school. It has been raining (yay for the water levels, boo for the bottom of my pants) so I have been running at the gym and on the occassional sunny-ish morning. It is time to get my butt in gear tho. I do believe that no matter what happens, Danielle and I will finish the race together and it will prove a test of character, mind over matter, when your body is not prepared for the challenge.

No pain, no gain.

:)

Until next time.

Peace.