life can be an uphill battle.

blog-o-sphere, i'd like to introduce you to my newest training parter & friend, big red. if you haven't noticed already, beach season is almost upon us. (i think i just heard a collective gasp, followed by a long sigh.) i, like most of you, i'm sure, have a bit of a love/ hate relationship with summertime. on one hand i love all that it has to offer: warm weather, longer days, promises of bbq's, etc. but on the other hand - all of these goodies mean, it's bathing suit season. i think my whole outlook on wearing a bathing suit was shaped by a coffee mug by mom had in her cupboard (& still has to this day) that reads "things could be worse. we could be trying on bathing suits." with the fear of having to wear a swimming suit sooner, rather than later, i asked jeffy to help me get "bathing suit ready." that leads me to how big red & i met. it was monday, & jeffy & were out for a run. when we came across big red, jeffy announced, with a huge grin on his face, that my task for that day was to run up & down big red 10 times. although i didn't make the full 10 laps, my legs were like jello, i did manage to make 8. & seeing that i didn't bring my nano along, i had lots of time to think... & ya'll know that means i'm ready to dispense lots & lots of wisdom, because as i was running up big red, i started to think about how climbing this hill related to life, & i realized a couple of things.

first of all, that old adage is true. "slow & steady wins the race." about lap 3 or so, i was really pushing hard, trying to get up big red as fast as i could. on the way up i passed an older gent, who was walking. a little further up the hill, i lost my steam. i didn't stop running, but my steps definitely got closer & closer together & my pace slowed way down. & although he didn't pass me, i could really feel him on my tail. i for one know that this a lesson i need to take to heart regarding life. too often in life, whether it be a new project or simply cleaning the house, i start off going full throttle. usually though, it doesn't take long for me to get bored, or tired, & start to slack off. personally, instead of "go! go! go!", i need to remember to slow down, enjoy the scenery & just run along at an even, constant pace.

in addition to "slow & steady" i realized it's important to remain forward looking. what do i mean? in running, cycling, snowboarding (& probably several other sports i don't play) it's important to keep your eye on what's coming up ahead, instead of just the immediate future. by doing this, you can see obstacles like rocks or bumps, & have enough time to to respond. however, if you're only paying attention to the immediate future, no such luck. you'll see a rock, & you might side-step it, but without enough time to really process what's going on & your surroundings, you might end up in a hole or tripping over an even bigger rock. in life, it's easy to get caught up in "the now." sometimes i get so busy with what i have to do today & tomorrow, that i don't take the time to really plan for the future. things end up getting done at the last minute, are always rushed, & i'm constantly complaining that there isn't enough time. however, with some simple foresight & planning i think my life would run much smoother.

which leads me to my final thought. as much as i want to, i can't skip this whole "process" & immediately become bathing suit ready. i'm sad to say if that were possible, i would have no real appreciation of it, because i didn't have to work for it. a saying i often hear is "life's short eat dessert first." think about it. on the most literal of levels, is this really a good idea? if you were to constantly be eating dessert first (which really does sound divine), you would be filling yourself with sugar, chocolate & cream. although, i must admit, this is quite delicious sounding, it's not exactly the makings of a strong nutritional base. & if i was always eating dessert, i don't think i would really appreciate how good it really is. life works the same way. there are things i want to accomplish, places i want to travel, & i'd like to eventually be "at a certain place in life." i'm the first to admit, i'm totally impatient. i want it all, & i want it now! but just like learning to appreciate my "bathing suit ready" body, or a yummy dessert, if i could have it all & have it now, i wouldn't really appreciate it. instead, i need to better understand what life is truly all about - learning & preparing, so that one day, when have all that i want, i will be able to truly appreciate it & not take it for granted.

so with that, i'll step off my soap box & go snack of THIS (just don't tell jeffy, after all my hard work he'll be disappointed. but let me tell you... after working so hard & eating so well, i'll definitely appreciate a bite or two.) but before i say adieu, i'll once again reiterate the lessons big red has taught me:
1. slow & steady wins the race.
2. remain forward looking, keep your eye on the prize.
3. if you eat dessert first, you'll never gain a real appreciation for it.