Challenge Complete!!

Yesterday I lived up to my self challenge and completed a 3.4 mile jog. Click here for records of my results!
How did I do it?
I pushed myself hard and motivated myself non stop.  Before the jog I thought about it a lot and I began to imagine myself running/ jogging the route Everytime ---  I used the visualization technique. Everytime I thought of the longer distance run I visualized myself kicking butt and running hard.  I began to say it to other people and to myself that I was going to jog/ run that distance. It became normal and started to flow off my tongue and finger tips. As I thought about it later and read my notes about taking the personal challenge to understand what I was going to have to achieve.  I saw I had wrote that I was confident I could do it. This is what pushed me to finish. This is what made me continue my self-confidence during my run.

While I was writing my original post about my self challenge I never once doubted myself. I just took on the challenge head strong. I believe when I accepted the challenge I felt as if I was undoubtedly, no questions asked, and positive that I could do it!!!  It made me feel good to know that I had such self-confidence and therefore I could NOT let myself down.

I feel so proud of myself! I feel so good for living up to my challenge.

What was going through my mind?
 As I completed my first lap I had turned back to start my extra 1.4 minles. I was excited that I was on track with my faster time schedule for my usual 2 miles. That made me feel good.

 I do have to admit that I awarded myself with a bit of a walk before continuing at a steady jog. Then as I started to get back up to a jogging speed I was having trouble holding it steady. A thought ran through my head, I could just go half way instead of to the very end of the road. I immediately stopped that negative thought and thought positively instead. I thought that if I cut the run short I couldn't say that I did it. I wouldn't have the results I want even if the times are longer than I would hope them to be. I really wanted to say I did it! So here it goes...

I DID IT!!!! I completed my longer distance run with flying colors!!! YyAaYy!!!

Alright, back to the run. I pushed through the negative thoughts and thought positively, while keeping a steady jog. I also thought that I needed to not only be honest to my fellow bloggers about the records of my jog time, that I also needed to be honest to myself and less ashamed. I need to feel good for myself that I am trying to get my body healthier and more fit. I am doing the first thing about my weight gain, I am trying to exercise on a regular basis and eat healthier. I need to be proud that I am trying and need to know that it's ok to have times that aren't the best. That I am at least trying and that within this trying I am working on my recorded times and my fitness level. Not to mention my entire lifestyle change I have dedicated myself to.

So within this new found self honesty I  am finally about to give you my times records for distance and time. I will be setting aside some time to begin measuring myself one day a week.


Head over to my Helpful Tips page for the Measuring Chart. Click here.
The mental challenge:
Pushing yourself to exercise is overall a big part of a mental challenge. Once you are able to overcome your fears and push yourself harder and faster because you believe you can do it, than this is when you have won the challenge mentally. Once you believe in yourself your ability to preform boosts you up to success. Anything becomes possible. The other part of the challenge is physical and since you have already been able to beat the mental challenge and know your going to win, you are able to complete the physical challenge by mentally telling yourself it is already done. You become unstoppable...
All the way until you fall to the ground at the end needing air or throwing your hands up from your excitement as you run through the finish.

Don't forget:
When training for a 5k beat the challenge mentally as soon as possible! Grab ahold of the challenge and start thinking positively about it. Envision yourself running the race, finishing, and achieving a personal best time!

For this is what I have learned about me completing my first personal challenge. Instead of being ashamed of my times I have become comfortable with myself because I know I can do it! I can at least finish the race and I can now envision my final times/ goals for this 5k along the way.

To start doing this I will begin by determining what my goals are:
Average pace per mile?-
total time?-
Stay tuned for those. : )
After that gets decided I will try my hardest to make it out to the track where the 5k along the way will take place. I will prepare for this as a normal race and run/ jog it as a race with putting every drip of sweat into my effort of pushing myself through the practice 5k. By doing this I will finally understand what I will be up against in 25 days.

I also need to admit that seeing the number 25 does scares me a bit, because time goes by so quickly lately, life has been so busy. Twenty Five days doesn't seem that far away from actually being race day! Yikes, here come the butterflies in my tummy.

Now as far as today, Saturday Dec. 7,  goes I will go the 3.4 miles again today and not forcing myself to have a time limit. Today I will lightly jog the same distance. Still using this for a good cardiovascular workout by lightly jogging the long distance. Sometimes I feel that when I don't force myself to be timed and super fast it takes pressure off me and I still do just as well without knowing my lap times during the jog.

Alright, now go put your motivation to use and spread that Running Joy!
~ Maddie J.