MY Best vs. THE Best

"People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway."

~Mother Theresa

I really love this quote (yea I'm having a quote kind of week).  Even if you don't believe in any sort of higher power, the idea that your life is between you and you is pretty powerful.  The motivation to strive to do your best everyday regardless of where it gets you is inherent.  To give it your all is rewarding in and of itself.  Imagine, if everyone tried to be the best person they could be everyday, and treated others as they would like to be treated.  That would be some world!

It can be difficult not to compare yourself to others, not to judge yourself according to outside influences, or judge others against yourself.  We've all done it at some point or another: felt inadequate by comparing our lives to another persons, felt superior by comparing our choices to someone else's. (I can't tell you how many times I've left the house so pleased with an outfit, only to get to my destination and regret how over or under dressed I am compared to everyone else.)  That's one of my favorite things about the sport of distance running.  The competition is between you and you.  You're not racing against someone else (not really), you're chasing your own PR, or simply proving to yourself that you have the stamina, the dedication, the drive.  I've got medals from some of the races I've run, and certainly people have told me they're impressed I run such long distances, but the real reward is internal.  It's the strength I feel when I'm moving, the strength of will and body that I've cultivated, and the drive to always work harder.  As I age, I'll get slower no doubt, and have to cut mileage, but as long as I'm making the commitment to do the best I can every day, it will be enough.

I made some resolutions in January (as I'm sure most of you did too), but to be honest with you, I don't remember what they were, and I can't find where I wrote them down.  I've decided to make some new resolutions.  For today.  For tomorrow.  For the day after that.  Resolutions to make every morning before I get out of bed.

Today I will hold no grudges, I'll remember to forgive.
Today I will be kind and face the world with patience.
Today I will be honest.
Today I will be happy, at the very least grateful.
Today I will do good.
I will give the world the best I have today.  Maybe it is a lot, and maybe it is a little, but whatever my best is today, I will give it.

Going Superhero

"That's what running does to lives.  It's not just excercise.  It's not just acheivement.  It's a daily discipline that has nothing to do with speed, weight, social status, sexual orientation, political affiliation, where you live, what car you drive, or whether anyone anywhere loves you.  It's about the slow and painful process of being the best you can be.  That's why the first step out the door is always so hard.  That's when we choose between settling for average and being a superhero version of ourselves.
Some days, average wins.
But man, when you go superhero..."

~From To Be a Runner By Martin Dugard (seriously go read this book)

poppy art pink by essie

I don't know if it was the fresh mani pedi I gave myself before bed last night (yay pink), the 9 hours of sleep, or the beautiful weather this morning, but everything feels fresh today.  Hopeful.  Brilliant.  I sent an email right before I left work yesterday and today it yielded fabulous results, crossing a huge to-do off my list and giving me the momentum I needed to kick today's petutie (pronounced: peh tOOt ee).

Since I had such a wonderful time reading Martin Dugard's memoir through running (see AMAZING quote from above), I decided to try another.  New York Public Library's Mid-Manhattan branch has a pretty sizable section of sports books on the 5th floor (found where the 300 signs meet the 900 signs, I was confused too).  If you're an athlete and are looking for some inspiration in your sport without dropping any moolah, I highly recommend it.  I picked up Bart Yasso's My Life on the Run.  I'm super excited to read this one, as he's a great contributor to Runner's World (obV my favorite magazine ever), and apparently he was a groomsman at my aunts wedding.  So, even though he doesn't know I exist, it's like we're besties, right?

Tonight I'm headed out for another 5-6 miler.  I haven't decided which direction I'll head out on yet, but I think it might be a park day...either way, I'm totally going superhero today.

Retail Therapy...and a love letter to friends

Because when the going gets tough, the tough go shopping (that's how that saying goes right?).  In an effort to dig myself out of the funk I've been in, I did a little athletic wear shopping.  I ended up with two new sports bras and a pair of shorts, all from Old Navy, that were on sale for $10 each!  Armed with my new gear, I set out on a 5 miler around south Brooklyn last night.  I have to say, it was kind of glorious.  I was rocking some tunes, kept a steady pace, and although it was pretty hot and humid, it started sprinkling the tiniest bit during my last two miles.  In all my emotional overwrought-ness it felt like much need relief from the heavens.  The whole thing felt pretty victorious. 

I haven't been hungry in the evening lately (which is completely weird for me since I typically eat half of my calories after 7pm).  It could be because I'm getting more protein during the day (yay!) or it might be because I become morose and dejected when the sun goes down.  Either way, I've been making sure I eat a decent dinner and get in bed before midnight.  (I've been super super good about breakfast!  Bonus points?)  Last night I watched "Spirit of the Marathon" which trails a handful of runners as they prepare and run the Chicago marathon.  1) It was awesome. 2) I sobbed like a baby when the gun went off at the EPIC-ness of it all.  3) I'm keeping it on my instant queue on Netflix and will watch whenever I'm feeling stuck while training.

In other news, I have amazing friends.  It's really awe inducing to know that in spite of being spread literally around the world, that my friends are always there for me when I need them.  I can't even express how grateful I am, to all those new and old.  I'm going to have a chance to see some of my favorite girls from high school this weekend (who I haven't seen in an embarrassing number of years), friends from grade school, and family.  When I come back from my country retreat, I know I'm coming back to wonderful people here in the city.  I am incredibly lucky.  Your generosity fills me with gratitude and I hope I bring as much goodness into your lives as you bring to mine.

So maybe shopping isn't what the tough do when the going gets tough....maybe they reach out to their even tougher friends.