Old news…

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if you follow me on Twitter, but I did a long run yesterday and MAN.AM.I.PROUD.

This whole endeavor has been an experience in trying to shed my Im NOT a runner! mentality & yesterday was no different.

Life conspired against me and, as a result, I was treadmill-relegated for my ten miler.

(I wont lie to you, People, this is my longest run.  I may not be the smartest half-marathon trainer but Im the half-runner who didnt let recent life events entirely derail her which counts for something!)

Treadmill-relegated *and* needed to be at the gym at 5a (on a Saturday!) in order to get the run done and not have it intrude on my family-day.

I did it.

One episode of Millionaire Matchmaker, one episode of Real Housewives, some cursing staring into space & I was done.

And Im woman enough to say Im so flipping proud of myself.

For me this was a huge huge step forward.  Not so much in the realm of fitness but in the arena of mental fortitude (which is where this misfit can, some days, be sorely lacking).

I longed to get off the treadmill.

I even had ready-made excuses to get off (please to see need-to-pee & cross reference under itouch-flying-across-gym) but I didnt.

It doesnt matter if for others a 10 mile run is a drop in their daily running bucket—-for me this is a tremendous accomplishment & Im thisclose to tearing a rotatorcuff as I pat myself on the back.

Recently Ive been asked quite frequently for tips on how not to compare oneself to others.

For suggestions on how not to examine one’s accomplishments, feel GREAT, then read a blog entry where the writer has done precisely what youve done and THEN SOME & let your accomplishments lose their luster.

My tip?  Celebrate you. Your accomplishments. Make your barometer/goal to be better than YOU WERE last time.

Celebrate other people’s successes *with them* but remember that we all carve out our unique path in fitness and in life.

Some of us may take longer to run down that path (*raises hand*) but the important thing is we choose, daily, to stay on/or climb on the healthy-living path.

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Yes this is in the gym bathroom.  I was trying to avoid the “why is that woman taking her own pic?!” reaction on the gym floor.

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Comments

  1. I <3 u so!!! U my friend r better than me! 10 on dreadmill??? I woulda punk’d out 4 sure!!! Give me the pavement but this just goes to show your strength. Taking a note of this and will remind myself of this the next time I’m forced to hit the dreadmill & not pavement!

  2. LOL! I’m so happy for you and your 10 mile accomplishment. I’m amazed at that distance. Wow! Good for you! I don’t want to sound stupid, but isn’t a 1/2 marathon 13 miles? You’ve got this!!!

  8. Hahaha, I would not judge if I saw someone whip out a camera and give a thumbs up on the treadmill 😛 I think it’s easy to compare yourself with others, especially with running. I read a lot of blogs with girls who pound out 10 miles before work, or run 8 min/miles, and while it’s all very inspiring, it can also minimize my own running accomplishments. But the only way to measure your own personal progress is to look at where you were before – not compare it to people who have nothing to do with it!

  9. Oh, thank you so much for posting this. You really don’t know what it means to me right now. I’m lying in bed getting ready to run a 5k race this morning and I’m so nervous about getting mentally through it when I decided to check in with my Google Reader and up pops this post.
    Thank you so much for the inspiration and the reminder that I cannot compare myself to others. I’m very grateful.
    Congratulations on your 10 miler and thank you again!!!!

  11. This post felt as though it were written for me.
    Frequently I will run what is for me a PR and then read a blog post where the writer talks about her PR and then think mine is no longer worthy.

  12. Are you sore today?

    SHOCKINGLY not very! A little in my quads and thats it. I stretched afterward…then again last night.

  14. Sometimes I feel like my PR’s are silly. But, more and more I don’t care. My life. My problems. I’m the one that knows how big a deal they are.

    I’m finding more and more that others willingly share excitement when I am exuberant.

    HOORAY MIZFIT! YOU GO! HURRAH, HOORAY!

  15. You are so amazing! Ten miles on the treadmill would have seemed like an eternity to me! No amount of ridiculous reality TV could have entertained me that long!

    I am so excited to hear about your marathon! You are gonna have a blast!

  17. I am so PROUD of you too. Way to go. It’s funny because I always envisioned you the epitome of fit and not to be totally mean or anything, it is encouraging to hear you working at running. I am a newbie runner having only began 5K’s last year and was very proud of what I accomplished, but you are right about then reading another persons story about how they run half marathons. One day that will be me!!

  19. Girl you are so inspiring. You know, I despise running but hope that I can someday do it. You are so right that we should celebrate ourselves!

  21. Way to go on getting that run in! Getting up early on a Saturday, no not just early- early enough to be there at 5 IN THE MORNING is just amazing! 🙂

  23. 10 miles on a dreadmill?! The thought of doing that even spread over 5 days gives me shivers! Good for you!

  26. I am impressed with your strength. Kick some tail. Way to go making it happen for yourself on your own terms. You are very inspiring.

    Cheers,
    Missa
    LosingEthel

  27. Wow…I remember when biking 10 miles was a huge accomplishment for me and you ran it on a freaking treadmill.

    You are hard core Miz and have every reason to be thrilled.

  28. wahoooooooooooo! You rock! Way to push through it! I can hardly handle anything over 6 on the tredmill (I just get too bored)- so I really think you are amazing. Any hooray for bravo and their trashy…I mean sophisticated shows…to help us make it through our workouts 🙂

  29. You ROCK! I HATE running so much it makes me wanna barf…really…but I applaud you for doing it. Also I am just happy that I don’t have to. lol 🙂 GO MIZ!

  30. That’s GREAT! I’ve run 3 full marathons in the past, and I can tell you, I couldn’t run 10 miles right now to save my life! 10 miles is HARD, HARD, HARD, no matter how you slice it. And on a treadmill to boot – treadmills SUCK! It’s so much easier to run long distances outside. So congrats on this HUGE accomplishment! You’re absolutely right – celebrate YOU, and don’t try to compare yourself to anyone else!!! Keep on being awesome!!!!

  33. 10 miles on the treadmill? Most I’ve ever done is 8…anything over that I *have* to run outside so you are a bad ass in my mind. 🙂 Proud of you too! You will rock that race next weekend!

    My accomplishment yesterday? 14 miles (outside), my mp3 player died 4 miles in and though I wanted to, I didn’t go home. It was actually pretty pleasant. Not tempted to do it on purpose or anything, but I got through.

  34. No, no, this is NEW news and it’s wonderful! I didn’t even *drive* 10 miles yesterday. Awesome accomplishment! When you get tired (or sore) from patting yourself on the back, I’ll happily take over! You DESERVE it! 🙂

  35. I’ve seen your website (mostly for weight lifting things), but just wanted to say congrats! I know what it means to accomplish something you never thought you would…I have run 2 half-marathons and at one point in my life (less than five years ago) couldn’t even run a quarter of a mile. As you run next week, keep telling yourself no regrets…you know there’ll be pain…make sure you hydrate (wish I would have done a better job of that during my second) and congratulations!

  36. Great job, lady!!! That is a huge accomplishment. Not only did you run 10 miles but you dealt with the mental block of having to endure the treadmill at the same time!

    You’re going to do great at the half marathon. And I bet you even have fun doing it. 🙂

    Mission accomplished.

  38. Miz that is so great!! I canNOT even imagine what it’s like to run 10 whole miles – no drop in the bucket here – that would be my Everest!! I think you are amazing for getting it done and NOT letting it interfere with family time. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – J’adore la Miz!! 🙂

  43. LOVE this! What a great reminder for all of us! So proud that you did it. The treadmill sucks for me. I’m a street gal.

    Winks & Smiles,
    Wifey

  44. Hoping to give you a high-five at the race, MizFit. You make a great point that many of us forget. It’s important to put it all in perspective, especially when we don’t feel like we’re good enough.

  45. YAY MIZ! I am supposed to run 10 miles next week, and after hating every minute of my 8 miler yesterday, I am kind of dreading it, but I am going to try and push through like you did. Way to go!

  49. Fantastic – 10 miles is hard to do no matter what, but on the treadmill? Wow! Very impressed and proud of what you are doing – one week until Blogger Run Day!!!

  50. Congratulations! I look forward to the day I can do 10, such a pretty round number 🙂
    Not comparing, just setting goals and getting a bit of inspiration.

  56. wow MizFit!! That is an amazing accomplishment! Did you ever in a zillion years think you would do something like that? I hope you remember that feeling of accomplishment forever!!

  58. I am late to the game but a great post! CONGRATS!

    Miz, you know I am no cardio fan but I do a lot of it & feel accomplished every time I do. You should be proud of you.. and you always are.. that is what is so cool.. no matter what, you are always proud of you!

  60. I continue to be so impressed by you and your attitude. And I totally agree – it’s not about how you compare to anyone else. At the end of the day, your only competition is yourself.

  61. Way to go!! I am so proud of you! That’s a lot of miles to slog out and I’m amazed you did it even though you don’t love running. You’re one tough chica!

  62. very, very late but I wanted to say I find it amazing that you can roll outta bed on a Saturday to tackle your goals, and have it not impede on family time!

    bravo!!

    seriously. I think I was more proud of that than the run. that running didnt intrude on my bigger overarching mission statement of family importance.

    and I cant wait to read your tweets next weekend!

  63. WOW! Ten miles AND on a treadmill. And having to go to the bathroom and having one close by. WOW. I don’t know if I am more impressed by the 10 miles or the holding off on going to the bathroom.

  65. Dude, your 10 miles on a treadmill totally beats my 10 miles on a beautiful day with a good friend! Like blows it out of the water. If it were me it wouldn’t have happened.

  67. CONGRATULATIONS! I have a 10mile scheduled for next Saturday and I am SURE you’ll do great in your race. I can’t wait to hear about it. Remember – bribes are key for mental hurdles.

  68. GOOD FOR YOU!!!!

    Another valuable tip is to surround yourself with people who will also celebrate you. I am part of some AMAZING running groups with some truly AMAZING women. There was an occasion when about 15-20 of us ran the same 10-mile race, in various small groups and at very varying speeds. I was cheered on VERY loudly as I approached the finish line by many of these women, who hugged and congratulated me after I crossed the finish. They were so incredibly enthusiastic about ME and what I had done that I momentarily forgot that they had all finished the same race — far enough ahead of me that they had all cooled down, gotten food, and meandered back over to the finish area to wait for the rest of us! They had already celebrated themselves and were ready to help each of us celebrate herself, too.

  69. 10 miles is a huge accomplishment!! It would be for me at least!! I’m working up to that! I like that you said celebrate you because that’s important. Give yourself a pat on the back for all your successes. Very important. I’m just starting out in the running world. I love to run but distance will be a struggle but I’m looking forward to the challenges and victories ahead of me!

  70. Awesome! You are going to rock it! I overtrained for my marathon, I realized that too late of course. 10 miles is huge and definitely a reason to be proud!

  71. CONGRATS!

    The first time my hubs and I ran 6 miles (yes, SIX) we talked about how awesome we were for days. That continued every time we reached a new milestone… 7, 8, 9, 10, and finally 11 miles before our first half marathon.

  72. TEN MILES IS HUGE.

    Huuuuuuuuge.

    And you should totally celebrate you.

    not just because you ran 10 miles. Because you’re you.

    And that’s pretty friggin’ awesome.

  74. Very, very cool Miz. Honestly I shudder at the thought of ten on a treadmill – you are ROCKING it. You so have this 1/2 marathon nailed already 🙂 Wear it proud!

  75. Thanks, MizFit, for the reminder to care less about how I stack up to others. And to care more about how I can be better than before. Needed that. (And congrats to you for kicking your previous booty!)

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  2. […] today…back and forth to the uni gym…and I got to thinking about MizFit’s post about her 1/2 marathon training. For me this was a huge huge step forward.  Not so much in the realm of fitness but in the arena of […]

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