it's all mental

So I left off complaining [whining?] about my right shoulder. Well, aside from the fact that it still hurts, I push on!

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday last week were the first time I've been able to get up at 5:30am to head out for a run! I was so proud of myself for accomplishing this task. I've been wanting to get the exercise done in the morning for a couple of reasons.

1. I like to leave my evenings flexible for social activites.
2. The gym, seawall, kits park are crazy busy after work.
3. I tend not to do anything else after going to the gym in the evenings.
4. Sometimes watching some trashy TV lying on the couch in the evenings trumps running and lifting weights.

It was pretty darn awesome feeling.

Then Saturday was a day of acknowledgement. I got to speak to my best friend, who lives 4 hours away, for about an hour and completely divulge some of the more emotional issues that have been happening to the family. All of which I had been keeping at arms length. Well...they hit me like a brick and I felt really sad and alone all of a sudden. OH did I mention it was Valentines Day and I was single??? This is not a good mindset to be in to A) stick to your healthy living and B) want to exercise.

Common sense was telling me to buck up and go do something active. But in all honesty, I didn't want too. My resolve to do nothing outweighed my mental image of me ending up like either of my parents - overweight and cranky. Also, my couch was comfy. So was the quart of Hagen Daas Dulce de Leche ice cream. Yup.

Whoops.

This fog did not lift out of my head until Tuesday night. I tried to go for a run Wednesday morning, but it wasn't going to happen. However, I did manage to get in a run after work. Run/Walk 3:1 - running 9 times! I barely made it. My shoulder was killing me. The last two 3 min passes had me running 1min walking 1 min. It was cold and difficult to breath. But I did it. I had to do it. I had more desire to do it.

This morning I hauled my a$$ out of bed at 5:40am and went to the gym. It was just too cold and dark to think I could run outside this morning. But I did 2:2 on the tread mill for 30min. Jacked up the running spead from 5.0 to 6.2 for the last min and a half of the last 4 mins I ran straight. Awesome. Sure my shoulder was killing by the last 5min, but as soon as I jacked the speed and I had to pay attention to something else my shoulder was an after thought until the last 10 seconds. They were the longest 10 seconds.

Also: 30 burpees, 30 tricep squats, 30 leg squats

I thought my legs were going to go on strike and walk away on their own, with my shoulder following closely behind. Think it's time for physio on the shoulder.

With more family challenges ahead for the next month or so, the mental war continues. I did win this battle, although next time, I hope it doesn't last four days long.

**Oh.....this post on Women's Health Magazine also made me feel better something about busting myths!!