Motivational Mondays (Feb. 16)

Is it summer yet?

While we haven't been hit hard with true winter weather here in Southern California, it hasn't been 90 degrees and sunny every day either. In fact, today is raining and the rain torpedoed a planned trip to Disneyland. It's a holiday after all, and no school means no obligations for Yvie which means we can all go to Disneyland. But the rain had other ideas, and although I think it would be a light day in terms of visitors, I don't want to subject my girls to cold and wind and rain.

Anyway, I can imagine the summer right now, waking up and not having to reach for a sweatshirt, going out to get the paper in my sandals and leaving the screen door open at 7 a.m., marinating some chicken and veggies to skewer them on the grill later, maybe preparing some burgers for the same, going to the store to get fruit for a fruit smoothie... and Disneyland of course, can't forget about trips to Disneyland and swapping the jackets for sunblock, making sure we have plenty of water and our sunglasses, maybe hats to protect from the sun...

While that in and of itself may or may not motivate you, what can be motivating is knowing that all of those memories will happen for me. I will grill burgers and veggie-chicken kabobs. I will make fruit smoothies and milkshakes. I will go to Disneyland in the blistering sun.

It's going to happen, and what shape do I want to be in when it happens? As sure as the sun is set to come up in the morning (or if you're technical, as sure as the Earth will spin on its axis to allow us to see the sun in the morning), the summer months will be upon us soon. Maybe not soon enough but before we all know it, it'll be March and then April and then May and then the summer months. Remember not too long ago Thanksgiving? That's been almost three months, and to me it doesn't seem that far off. Before too long, February will be just a memory too.

So during the summer months, I want to be in good running shape. I have the Mud Run scheduled for June 13, and not only do I want to do well there but I also want to be in good enough condition to continue running and training after that. I've got two races in mind for September and I want to be able to train during the summer months for those races.

I also want to look good. I mean, who doesn't? I want to be able to wear my size 32 swim trunks as I did last summer. I want to think of the beach as a fun place to take the girls instead of the dreaded place where I have to take my shirt off.

All the work I put into now is not going to waste. Every run, every workout I have is helping me prepare for the summer. Maybe not directly, but every workout will either help me prepare for continued training during the summer or help shed excess pounds in preparation for the summer. Just like we all have to endure this crummy weather, sometimes you just have to endure through a tough workout or an evening of fighting off temptation (no dessert for LB!) or anything that may be unpleasant but won't last forever.

Summer will be here soon; may as well look and feel good when it arrives.