Today I will do great things

Most mornings I wake up with a positive attitude. It's a fresh start. Each day is a gift. There are no guarantees that I will get a tomorrow so simply waking up usually reminds me that I've been gifted a new day.

Today was not one of those days. Those days seem to be coming less and less frequently. Something must be done about this.

Today was an off day. When I woke up my husband was caressing my face. I am sure he was hurting from some recent conversations we have had about the kids, life, and our marriage. I woke up dreading that I had to face the reality that is my life. Again. I hate waking up with a feeling of no hope.

So...I woke up at 5am and stayed in bed. I had intended to stay there all day. I decided not to work today. I wasn't planning to do anything. No fitness. No eating. No chores. No mommy. I had decided to lay there in defeat. I would not get up and take full advantage of my gift today. I was not appreciative of the life that I have. I was punishing myself for...not living my best life. Makes sense, right? No? I know...I really didn't think so either.

I woke up every half an hour or so until about 11:30. A friends Facebook status update came through the sms on my cell phone and it peaked my curiosity enough to call her. From there I felt hunger pains and decided to fix myself breakfast as I talked to her. I went back to bed. I fully intended to stay there a least until school was out.

I thought about blogging as I saw that my {real life} friend Liz was requesting fragments to add to her Friday Fragments blog. I couldn't think of anything to offer to her. I hopped over to Liz's blog to see what she had come up with. Her version of the Friday song along with her vlog gave me some motivation.

I'm not sure how she did it. Her blog was not about fitness. It was not about depression. It was not about a lot of anything that relate to how I was feeling. Who knew that Mrs 4444's Friday Fragments meme would be the ticket to get me on my feet? Not me!

My friends Facebook status update got me out of bed, and Liz's blog gave me hope. She helped me to see that it's not to late to accomplish greatness today. I reminded myself that greatness doesn't have to be big. You can achieve greatness in the smallest of tasks.

I quickly ran through my mental goal list. I had eaten breakfast, despite how late it was, so healthy eating-Check! Next on my list is fitness. I wanted to get in 30 minutes of movement every day, bare minimum.

I decided I would go to the gym to lift weights, run, and tan. I've been toying around with a goal of running to the gym and back instead of running on the treadmill. I have only ran 2 miles once. I have never ran 4 miles in one day. Ever. Not even when I ran track in school.

I decided this sounded like just what the greatness ordered. I got up and put on my GAP body capri pants and a GAP Fit halter tank. I placed new insoles into my running shoes and filled up my water bottle. I was ready to go!

I set out to run. It felt really easy today. I was shocked at my time. The first mile took 17 minutes. That was 3 minutes slower than my norm but the land is bumpy and very unforgiving so I took that as a decent time. The 2nd mile took me about 13 minutes, and it was the mostly sidewalk portion of the route.

I was never more happy to see the gym!

I completed a 30 minute workout on weights at the gym and when I laid down for that 15 minute tanning session I wasn't sure I would, or or physically could, ever get back up. The fan at the foot of the bed usually runs for 2-3 minutes after the bulbs shut off. I usually get up right away. Not today. I laid there until the fans shut off. I felt bad for the woman waiting for her turn, but every once in a while I have to learn to be a little self serving.

As I ran home I was kind of in awe with my body. I couldn't believe I did it. I really thought I would have to call a neighbor to come and get me. It never became to difficult that I even considered the option. Even when I fell in that last quarter of a mile and scrapped my knee I got up, raised my pant leg to let it breath and to access the damage and within 60 seconds I was running it in, road rash and all. Thank goodness for my GAP body gfast capri pants! My knee would have been so much worse had they not protected it! I seriously love those capri pants!

I came home and took the best shower of my life. I picked up my tot from PreK, ran to McD's for an unsweetened iced tea and Aid had himself a smoothie, and we came home to meet my 8 y/o's bus and then headed up to the middle school to pick up my oldest 2 from track. I took the laptop so that I could knock out this blog before I lost energy. Haha!

I'm going to sign off so I can rock out to Avril Lavigne "What the Hell" and cook up some Kung pao chicken for dinner. My darlings love them some chinese!

Today I feel great. I DID do great things, and I did them for ME!