1000 Ummmm Er....500 Miles In 2011

I finally have started running again.   I stopped for awhile. I stopped for four months.

Now I will officially be on the wrong side of the depressing statistic, “that only 8% of New Year’s resolutions will be completed.”  Boo.

I am not really surprised at myself.  I go through various phases of being in shape ….and not so in shape.  It’s no secret that I am hopelessly addicted to unfinished projects.  I even blogged about it once.

Back in June, I decided enough was enough, and I went out for a short 2 miles.  My fat cells screamed the whole time, but I did it…….and that “runner’s high” gave me the tiniest pat on the back when I was finished.

Gradually, I worked up to three miles, then four, until last week I finally did a 6 miler.  It really doesn’t sound like much, but considering the I-never-want-to-run-again-for-the-rest-of-my-life mindset I had adopted in February, it is pretty good progress.

In an attempt not to burnout again, I am setting some new goals for myself.  First off, I am slowing it down a bit. 

Instead of getting mad at myself when I don’t go faster and longer, I am simply putting one foot in front of the other until I get to the finish.

Secondly, I am resting more.

(This says, “Stop for traffic.”, in Japanese)

At the beginning of the year I took on too much too fast.  My knees hurt, my shins hurt, and my hip was begging me to stop.  I have finally figured out that listening to my body isn’t following the voice in my head that says, “Ummmm, it’s sort of hot outside this morning, do you really want to go on a run?”  (That’s laziness talking.)  It is more like being able to FEEL your body telling you it has to heal and letting it take the time to do the healing.

Finally, my third goal is to set new goals…..and I am aiming high.

My new goal is 500 miles in 2011.  I love this quote….. “Who aims at excellence will be above mediocrity; who aims at mediocrity will be far short of it.”  In other words, I would rather make a goal and not quite reach it than, never make a goal and not accomplish anything.

What goal are you going to set today?

*The pictures in this post were taken on my usual running route on our Air Force base in Japan.  Can you tell I love my new smart phone and photo editing apps?

I Want To Be A Photographer When I Grow Up

You might have once or twice heard me complain on this blog, about wanting/needing a new camera.  You will be happy to know that it finally happened!  For Mother’s Day, my husband pulled out all the stops and got me a new Nikkon D3100 with a bunch of extras.  The camera wasn’t exactly here on Mother’s Day though.  It showed up in the mail about 15 minutes before we left for Kyoto, Japan on a little trip. (Which again is why, I haven’t been blogging that much.)

I quickly figured out that 10 minutes alone with the owner’s manual, isn’t quite enough time to learn to be a professional photographer.  Regardless, I am addicted and I have found my new hobby.  Now I can be one of those, drummer, hairstylist, jewelry-designer, clogging, photographers.  Yay me!

I have so much to learn about lines and leading the viewer's eye…….

Slowing the shutter speed…….

Finding things that are visually interesting…….

Portraits…..

Portraits……

And more portraits……

Not perfect.....but much better than my old camera! I am so excited I might just cry my pants. (That’s when you don’t know whether to pee your pants or cry.)  Thanks baby for the new camera.  I love it!  I love you too….even though you are weird sometimes!