Renovating Kaeti

I am a master of excuses. If there was an award for lame justifications, I would win (or at least come in second).* Take this week for example:

Me: I should run today. But I don’t know if I’ll have enough time.

S: Well, you have over an hour. You’ll run for, what, 30 minutes?

Me: Yeah, but then I have to shower, get ready and stuff. And by the time I leave I’ll be cutting it close.

S: If you go now, you’ll have plenty of time.

Me: I guess. But it’ll take me a while to get dressed and put on my shoes. Sigh. It is really nice out. I’ll bet tomorrow it will be really gross outside, just to spite me.

S: Actually it’s supposed to be even nicer.

Me: Ohhh, well in that case, maybe I’ll just run Wednesday and Thursday instead of Tuesday and Thursday.

Cut to Wednesday, and you’ll find me preparing the “why I can’t go running today” diatribe in my head:

I don’t have time. I need to get some work done. I should probably pluck my eyebrows. The American Idol results show is on the teevee. Oh man, I love Neil Diamond. I bet Neil Diamond doesn’t have to run. He was just born svelte. …

So in an effort to hit the pause button on this repeating track of excuses, I have a few tried-and-true techniques:

• Remind myself that I probably won’t regret going, but will definitely regret it if I don’t.
• Weigh the activities that stand to replace exercise (or eating well), and evaluate what actually matches my values. In other words, which is more important: a healthy body and balanced mind or getting lost in Jason Castro’s eyes?
• Run my excuses by a trusted friend, and realize how ridiculous I sound when said excuses are vocalized.
• Put my running/yoga clothes on — it’s hard to talk myself out of an activity once I’ve put in the effort to get dressed.
• Bully myself. I’m not condoning a bunch of negative self talk, but sometimes a little cajoling is helpful. C’mon K Slice, cowboy up.**
• Think about my longterm goals instead of giving in to the temporary satisfaction of procrastination.

If you’re interested in more inspiration about how to get your butt from couch to anywhere but the couch, check out these articles. This is the segment of the program that I like to call Motivational Procrastination:

• Ready, Set, Go! (November 2006)
• All Over It: How to Eliminate Goal-Blocking Obstacles for Good (April 2008)
• What’s Stopping You From Getting Started (from Lifehack)
• Can You Sacrifice Temporary Pleasure for Longterm Goals? (from PickTheBrain)
• 31 Ways to Motivate Yourself to Exercise (from Zen Habits)

So what are your sure-fire ways to bust through excuses? I definitely need some help in this department, because even my “tried and true” methods can falter when a Very Important Activity comes up (like the premiere of a particularly terrible reality TV show or the release of a new flavor of Fruit Gushers,*** for example).

**Yes, I refer to myself as K Slice.

***Just kidding about the Gushers. Maybe.

I’ve been training and building a fitness base for the past seven months, and that will help me actually cross the finish line tomorrow. But even more than muscle strength or cardio capacity, I think how I prepare mentally will make or break the race. Here some of my favorite resources, tips and thoughts on whipping your mind into shape — something that can help you accomplish whatever it is you’ve set out to do.

Have courage as you face your challenge. Whether it’s weight loss, taking time off to heal, changing careers or running your first race, there will likely be something that scares you — questions like What if I don’t make it? As race day looms for me (lessthan24hoursI’mtotallyfreakingout), I keep reminding myself that whatever happens, it’s not about my final time. It’s about crossing that finish line knowing that I’ve run fearlessly and celebrating how magnificently hard (but rewarding) it was for me to get here. Like Steve Prefontaine said, “A lot of people run a race to see who is fastest. I run to see who has the most guts…”

Surround yourself with positive energy. This applies to the people we spend our time with, the media influences we encounter, and the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves. (What’s that quote? Something like “Whether you tell yourself you can or you can’t, you’re right.”) When my mind starts veering into negative territory, I often try to get out of my own head for much-needed perspective and inspiration. I read blogs by real people who have made incredible feats, I turn off the TV and avoid the media blitzkrieg of negative messaging (there’s a great post over at Half of Me about this), and I remind myself that if someone like Buster Martin can run a marathon, we all have the capacity to do some amazing things.

Be present. When I’m facing a particularly difficult challenge, I often find myself worked up into a nervous ball of energy (job interviews are the worst). Some experts, like Zen teacher Cheri Huber, recommend that instead of fighting those instinctual butterflies-in-the-stomach feelings, you take them along for the ride. Accept and acknowledge how you are feeling, but don’t dwell on it. Meditation and mindfulness are both tools that will allow you to relax and focus on the task at hand.

Visualize success. I always thought this idea sounded hokey. But it turns out that just imagining crossing that finish line, or being at a healthy weight, or any number of other things, has helped push me forward and kept me going. Turns out there’s science to back this old maxim up: Studies have shown that athletes imagining themselves performing at their peak level or winning a race experienced corresponding physical responses — their muscles twitched and their neuropathways fired as if they were actually competing.

Building these neuropathways with regular positive thinking is just one more way to boost your performance and stay on track with your goals. If you’re anything like me and have a hard time keeping track of your thoughts, let along controlling them, The Sport Psychologist has an interesting article on how to train the way you think.

Find your mantra. The leader of my running clinic, a Boston marathoner and all around nice gal, told us that when she gets to those last six miles she will pick out a woman running in front of her and think “I will catch you, and I will pass you.” She repeats this mantra over and over again, which helps her make it through that final leg of the race. So far, my mantras have varied from “don’t fall down” to “just a little further.” Maybe tomorrow, I’ll pick something a little more inspiring.

For more tips, check out this article by Jason Gootman, MS, CSCS.

If you don’t already know (and own one), Garmin is a company that makes these nifty sports watches/computers equipped with GPS and many other fantastic features. While I honestly believe that you can get a great workout sans all the gadgets that are hawked these days, there are many reasons I’m thinking about making the investment. Here are just a few (feel free to add to the list)¹:

• It tracks your pace, heart rate, route, blood alcohol level, etc.
• It can read minds.
• It cooks dinner and does laundry. Generally very helpful with household chores.
• It knows why bad things happen to good people, among other of life’s greatest questions.
• When you get tired it runs for you.
• Nuclear disarmament function.
• Street cred.
• A Garmin will always love you back.

Perhaps I’ll reward myself after finishing the race on Saturday. Do any of you have tips or suggestions for my Garmin and me²? Is it worth the hefty price tag?

And if that’s not inspiration enough for the busy, busy week ahead:

“To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily. To not dare is to lose oneself.” Soren Kierkegaard

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” Helen Keller

And my favorite . . .

It hurts up to a point and then it doesn’t get any worse. Ann Trason

I spent way too many hours trying to find research on exercise motivation today. Specifically, how goals and a little competition can help fuel a person’s fitness endeavors. Le sigh. Sometimes, no matter how much of an Internet detective I think I am, Google just can’t give me what I need.

But, there’s a silver lining. My search-engine failure gave me the idea for today’s Friday Favorites! So without further ado, Here’s a list of some of the motivators that keep me going, and help me push past inertia:

1. New workout clothes or shoes. This normally wouldn’t be No. 1 on my list of motivators, but it’s on my mind because all the running and sporting-goods stores are clearing out last year’s clothes to make room for the new season, and we all know that means sales! Having new threads always gives me a boost, especially when I know that I only paid a small fraction of what those Mizuno running capris normally cost.
2. Putting on workout clothes. When I first started running, one of my friends gave me an invaluable piece of advice about getting my butt out the door on a daily basis. When I come home from a long day, tired and cranky and craving chocolate more than a run, the very first thing I do is put on my running clothes. Once I have my clothes and shoes on, I usually think, “Well I’m dressed, so I may as well…” Seriously, this has worked more times than I can count.
3. Community support. When my running program started ambling a bit, I jumped online and joined a running clinic through the Running Room. Having the built-in support of a running club has helped me keep my training on track. And while the real-life running partners have been amazing, I also love the help and support that comes with online running forums and blogs (see links on the right).
4. A little friendly competition. Whether it’s the person running next to me at the gym, or the person I’ve just got to pass before the finish line, a little competition will definitely give me an extra push. I especially like competing against my own times. The key here is to not get too carried away, and to make sure you’re not forgetting fitness for the fleeting pleasure of total domination. Ahem.
5. Booking an event. Once you get that race registration in, there’s no turning back (well, I guess there could be, but then you’d be a total wimp going back on an important commitment to yourself). My first event? The 100 percent Irish for a Day 5K on March 15. I hope this means there’ll be beer afterward. Which brings me to No. 6…
6. Beer. No, I’m only kidding. But it is Friday, which means I’m off to go embrace my adopted Irish heritage pursue a lifestyle of health and happiness!

In all seriousness, I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend and stays motivated — even in this oh-so-dreary month of February.

Because it’s Friday — and I can barely get my butt out of bed, let alone write a coherent blog entry — I’m happy to announce the inaugural “Friday Favorites” column. Every week on Friday, I’ll post a list of some things that are awesome. Because who doesn’t like lists and awesomeness??

This week, I’m reliving my glory days of the 90s and offering my current tracklist of favorite workout jamz. With one caveat: I only strap on my iPod when I’m forced to run inside because of late days at the office — or because the wind chill dips to 40 below (gotta love Minnesota). When I run outside, I leave the music at home for safety reasons (ladies, you can find more running safety tips here).

Here are some of the songs that keep me motivated:

1. Pump It by The Black Eyed Peas — I realize that I’m probably embarrassing myself by admitting that I like this song (strictly for exercise purposes, of course), but it makes a great warm-up tune.
2. Bottle Rocket by The Go! Team — The peppy, fast-paced beat makes this a perfect song for the beginning of my run (those first 15 minutes are always the hardest for me).
3. Babymaker by Dance Band —Dance Band is a local Minneapolis group that is exactly what their name denotes. This song must be effective because when I listen to it, I always want to “shake my babymaker.”
4. Lucky Star by Dizzee Rascal — This song is perfect for tempo runs. I like to match my pace to the beat.
5. Hey Ya by Outkast — Another guilty pleasure song. It’s just so catchy!
6. SexyBack by Justin Timberlake — You won’t catch me listening to JT outside of the gym, but I’m not ashamed to admit that I have a total soft spot for his music. This song was on my very first workout mix last summer because, well … I’m bringing healthy back? Haha. Wow, I’m lame.
7. Bam by Atmosphere — This track from longtime independent hip-hop artist Atmosphere always comes on right when I’m getting restless or distracted. It also reminds me to check in with my body and evaluate form, pace, etc.
8. Queen B–ch by David Bowie — I’m usually starting to enjoy my run by this point, so I tend to put some of my favorites on the back end of my mix. You can never go wrong with Bowie.
9. Da Doo Run Run by The Ronettes — I have a thing for this 60s girl-pop group, and the song has the word “run” in it.
10. Any number of songs by Mates of State, Balkan Beat Box, M.I.A., The Kinks, Supergrass, Basement Jaxx, Kanye West, etc. — My only criterion is that the music have a strong, fast beat.

Got any suggestions to spice up my jams? I usually get sick of a mix after about a week and have to shake it up; I think my mind adapts to the music, much like my body adapts to a stale fitness routine.

In other news, last night I tried out a fantastic recipe for beet burgers that I found at The Jew and the Carrot. The recipe is from Farmer John’s Cookbook: The Real Dirt on Vegetables (Gibbs Smith, 2006). They were fantastic — despite it looking like someone had been horribly maimed in our kitchen (beets may help keep blood pressure down, but they definitely make a mess). The recipe made more food than anticipated, so I’ll be finding creative ways to deal with leftover beet batter for the next week (beet quiche? beet couscous? frozen beet Popsicles?). I’ll be sure to keep you posted on whatever culinary atrocities I come up with.