Brrr it’s so cold in Erie I really don’t remember what it feels like anymore to NOT be cold. It’s down right miserable.

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The worst thing about winters in Erie is the fact that it is ALWAYS windy. When the weather forecast calls for 10 degrees or below (almost every day recently) it really feels like below zero with the wind chill.  There are some things about this city I absolutely won’t miss when we move.

 

Yesterday morning started out with a run. A treadmill run of course. I completed 5 miles running followed by a 1 mile cool down walk.

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I finished it off with about 15 minutes of weights before I had to jump in the shower to head to some appointments.

  

When it gets cold my motivation slows down and I really have to focus on the reason behind my workouts. I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately because sometimes that is the only thing that can really push us out the door.

I don’t know about you all, but I’ve found that when I’m on the treadmill I do some of my best thinking. I don’t know if that’s why I enjoy the treadmill or running in general but it is one of the few times where I can spend quality time just thinking with myself. I think about the future, my hopes, dreams, and just about anything else one can think of.

The one thing that keeps me driving to the gym each and every day is knowing that my dreams are still alive. That dream that one day I will reach my goal and I will be standing on the starting line of the Boston Marathon and I will know that I finally did it!

I realize that sometimes our dreams have to be altered or pushed back.  It doesn’t mean we have to get rid of the dreams it just simply means that plans change. Life happens. 

 

Every day that I am focusing on adding 20 minutes of strength training, or stretching an extra 10 minutes, all of those things are eventually going to aid in getting me where I want to go.  I know I have a long way to go and I know that it could be a couple years but every step I take and every way I improve myself makes me one step closer to that goal.

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My nutrition is at the top of my priority list because my body needs it. It needs good foods and enough food to make it run and keep it healthy. Yesterday I had a couple appointments after my workout and I took lunch with me. I know that doesn’t seem like a big deal to a lot of you, but that is something the old me would have NEVER done. I would have used it as an opportunity to just skip the meal and eat more at night. I prepped and packed ahead of time and kept my body fueled properly! 

Our dreams are what keep us alive. They are what keep us moving and they are what help us push through the tough workouts.  To me dreams are a sign that we are alive and that we are really living.  I’ve spent a lot of my life “floating through” and like I mentioned yesterday I don’t want to do that anymore.

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I am so excited for the first time in a while about the future. I have nothing figured out yet, but for once I see that I can change my outlook, I can change my focus, and I can be the woman that I’ve always wanted to be. There are going to be set backs, there are going to be challenges, and not everything is going to work out the way we expected it, but my dreams are still alive!

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No matter what, no matter how, no matter when – keep your dreams alive! 

 

What are some of your dreams?

What do you do to keep your dreams alive?

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