The Color Run, CrossFit and Taking Care of Me

Happy Monday, y’all! 🙂 I hope y’all had a great weekend. We had company and hosted about 45 people in our home Friday evening for BBQ and S’mores. Then Saturday morning, Ernie and I ran in a local Color Run. It was so fun!

Remember that post I wrote about Breaking Free from Fear and Becoming Fearless? Well, this is one of those things that I’m breaking free of – fear of failure. Until Saturday morning, I hadn’t run 3.1 miles for THREE years. I’m not kidding. And you know what? I set a new personal record. BOOM. You’re probably thinking, “Huh?” Well, read on.

This is before the race. Ernie was so sweet because he ran the entire thing with me. It was just a slow jog for him as I huffed and puffed with each step. Haha!

Starting line!

And this is after…obviously. We managed to avoid a ton of color on our faces. And we held our breath as we ran through the clouds of colored powder. I wonder what that stuff actually is. I probably don’t want to know. LOL

I finished the Color Run in 31:10 which is 18 seconds faster than my first 5k I ran {after months of training} in December 2010. WOOHOO!!!!!!!

If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you probably already know this…I’ve been going to CrossFit for the past month {maybe 5 weeks}. My husband talked me into it and now I’m hooked…BUT it takes every ounce of will-power to drive there and just walk in the door. I have to kick my fear of failure and all the negative voices in my head to the curb. I’m a dork. I’m uncoordinated. I’m NOT athletic. I’m not amazing at weight lifting or proper form. My mobility stinks. I’m not fast. My upper body strength leaves much to be desired. I could go on….

But I’m doing it. I’m competing against myself. I’m not looking at others or comparing myself to them. I’m doing this for me. My goal isn’t to be THIN. I get so tired of people talking about getting thin.  It is NOT about being THIN. I want to be STRONG and toned. I’m getting there slowly, My Color Run success this weekend is proof of that. Hooray!

I want to show you something personal. I pulled up my post about my first 5k race four years ago and I almost started to cry. Four years ago, I was so unhealthy. But I thought I was healthy. The difference between then and now is astounding.

Then: I was 15-20 pounds heavier than I am now. I had been on numerous pharmaceuticals including IV antibiotics and steroids. I ate processed food. I used toxic personal care products and toxic household cleaners. I didn’t know any better or any different.

Now: I am 10 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight with Ridley {almost there!!}, I haven’t been on medication for anything in four years. I eat clean, avoid dairy, grain and processed sugar because they make me feel bad. I use non-toxic personal care products and non-toxic household cleaner.

Listen to me right here, right now. I am living proof that you are what you eat, you are what you put on your body and you are what you put IN your body.

Why do I share my journey? Because I want to chronicle these milestones and also because some of you need to know that you’re not alone and that someone else out there has been there. I get it. I understand.

There is a better way. I’m finding it for me every single day.

As a mom, I “do” all day every day for everyone around me. In the past several weeks, I’ve renewed my commitment to take better care of me. It’s hard to stop and take the time, but my health is valuable and I’m worth investing in. I have to do this for my sanity, health and wellness. I eat differently. I workout a few times a week. It’s a choice. A daily choice.

“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”  I Corinthians 6:19-20

I challenge you today to make better choices to take better care of YOU!

Have you ever run a Color Run before? 

xoxo

Myra