Forrest

"I used to run to get to where I was going, but I never thought it would take me anywhere." - Forrest Gump

"...My Mama always said you got to put the past behind you before you can move on.  And I think that's what my running was all about..." - Forrest Gump

As a runner, one of the most inspirational films for me is Forrest Gump.  My favorite scene is the running across America scene.  It's something that I have always wanted to do and every time I see it, I get the urge to try it (although I can't imagine running continuously for more than three years).  Still, it inspires me to keep going even when I don't want to.

Forrest was an ultrarunner and that is something that I always hoped to do at some point in my life.  It doesn't seem likely to happen at the age I am now but, hey, a girl can dream!  Watching this scene makes me wish I could do that - run alone for hours on end while being one with my thoughts and environment.  I feel like I'm living the moment vicariously through Forrest and let out a deep sigh after I watch it.       

This video shows the scene along with one of my favorite running songs EVER, "Running On Empty" by Jackson Browne, as the soundtrack.  In fact, the name of my blog is a play on the song title - I'm not empty; I'm heavy.  Get it??  Gotta credit the BFF for that piece of brilliance!      

Enjoy the video and keep seeking things to inspire you on your journey towards good health!

Happy Trails!
Valeka 

Size Doesn't Matter

It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog. - Mark Twain

Though she be but little, she is fierce! - William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream

To the casual observer, Big Baby is the obvious choice to be my running/wogging/trail buddy since she looks like the "athletic" one BUT...looks can be deceiving!  I've mentioned a few times that I don't look like a "typical" athlete but that I have just as much love for my sport as any other runner.  My little dachshund, Mimi, embodies that same attitude.

Mimi is chunky despite her best efforts to lose weight (she has a slow metabolism as diagnosed by her veterinarian) but she doesn't ever let that keep her from enjoying outdoor activities!  She tries hard to keep up with Big Baby during walks and will keep going until she just can't go anymore.  She has lots of fight and spirit and I love her for it.  

During a brief weekend getaway, she and I took a walk along a beautiful stretch of beach.  I watched her run and hop around with enthusiasm.  It made me wish I had a little more of that spunk!

The two of us ran our athletically chubby butts along the sand and had a blast!  She didn't worry about her jiggle and neither did I...which is exactly how it should be.  The joy of the activity should be our priority and not what we look like while we are doing it.  Size doesn't matter to her!  She just goes out, does her thing and makes the most of every moment.  

While Mimi cooled off with a dip in the ocean, I couldn't help but smile.  It's amazing the lessons we can learn from our pets when we really pay attention to them.  She reminded me that we shouldn't focus on what we look like or what OTHERS think our limitations are.  If we don't see obstacles in front of us, not only do we enjoy life more but we may even surprise ourselves and do some pretty cool stuff!

What do you think your obstacles are?  Now that you have acknowledged them, toss 'em away.  You don't need to impose limits on yourself especially the kind that keep you from doing fun things!

Mimi thinks you should give yourself a break and enjoy life.  Trust her - she knows what she is talking about!

Happy Trails!

Valeka

Scenes from the Trail

One of my favorite places to run is Town Lake.  I love the sound of the gravel crunching beneath my shoes as I wog along the trail that winds through the lush greenery around the stretch of the Colorado River that is a lifeline through the city of Austin.  Not only is it beautiful but it certainly keeps my weekly treks from becoming monotonous.  The natural scenery is wonderful but I also enjoy seeing the different types of people on the trail - different body types, different paces, different styles of running.  I am also inspired by the athletes I see on the trial.  On any given day, one can see professional athletes training for their next big race, people working out to stay in shape and novices that are just getting adjusted to the heat and moving their bodies.  The professionals inspire me because I admire their dedication and I must admit, I do envy their incredibly toned bodies.  I am certain that the elderly men and women out on the trail can run circles around me and that inspires me.  I hope to be that fit and healthy when I am in my golden years!  Of course, there are the Kens and Barbies that look too perfect for words (and, yes, I occasionally find myself rolling my eyes when they trot by me) but there are also a lot of people just like me that are trying to improve and do good things for themselves.  I can see their energy when they start out at the beginning of their run and that is infectious but what really inspires me is when they keep going even after they are pouring sweat and their bodies are telling them to stop.  The fact that they push through the pain renews my spirit.  I marvel at their tenacity and I think that if they can do it, I can too!  Seeing the excitement and pride of others when they discover they are able to do things that they didn't think they were capable of inspires me.  It renews my enthusiasm for my sport and for working out in general.  I like knowing that I'm not alone in my quest for better health and fitness.  As cheesy as it sounds, I wish I could give all of my kindred spirits out there a hug and let them know that I can understand their struggles.  But, instead, I smile at them and they smile back. 
 
Here are a few scenes from the Town Lake Trail.  Hope you have a place to walk/wog/run that inspires you!  

Happy Trails!

Valeka

Dress

You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection. - Buddha


It's been rather hectic lately and, unfortunately, hectic in my world means little to no time for exercise.  Don't get me wrong, I have been doing a little exercise here and there but nothing that is going to make me a size 10 again.  I have had the pleasure of hitting Town Lake a couple of times over the last few weeks with a new but awesome friend and we have had some wonderful talks.  Our hour walk flies right by!  I have missed my Monday post-work runs with my other friend Jen but I hope we can resume those soon (those runs really make me test my limits in this heat!).  I have been taking my big puppy for more walks although they have been short ones because the weather is so incredibly hot and I don't want her to overheat. Luckily there is a greenbelt trail behind my home that is fairly shaded so we are able to do some nice little walks during the day.

One of the things that has taken a lot of my time lately is finding a dress for a special event I'm attending.  I want to look beautiful and have had an image in my mind of exactly what I would like to wear but couldn't find just the right dress on any of my outings.  And, of course, I am carrying extra weight that makes the shopping even more challenging.  Things fit in one area of my body but not another.  Or the style was awesome and fit me well but the color was not flattering on me.  Or one size was too small, my size was out of stock and the next size up was just too large.  I felt like giving up and rocking a mu-mu with some heels instead.  I did manage to find what I like to call an "emergency dress" that I could wear in case I wasn't able to find something else.  Ladies, you know what I'm talking about - the little black dress that you can wear for every occasion but it doesn't quite knock your socks off (although there ARE some little black dresses that DO look amazing, the one that I bought was okay).  I convinced myself that I could dazzle it up with some great accessories and that I would look all right although just looking "all right" was so far removed from what I initially hoped for.  I chastised myself for not being more consistent with workouts and healthy eating and skipping breakfast.  "This is what you get", I thought to myself as I returned the last rejected dress to the fitting room attendant.  

I took a break from the shopping nightmare to get my hair cut and styled which did help to give my esteem a much needed boost.  I felt pretty even if it was only from the neck up for the time being.  Feeling revitalized, I decided that I would give the dress search one last try.  I walked into the final store expecting another let down but there it was - a tastefully sexy dress that fit me beautifully and gave me that oomph I needed.  I had to make sure there was nothing wrong with the dress because it would have broken my heart to find THE ONE only to see that it had a broken zipper or a tear or snag.  I paid for it and left feeling immense relief.  I started thinking that this shopping fiasco was all because I wasn't taking proper care of myself and that if I had just continued on my path and not deviated, things would be fine and I wouldn't have had to go to a bazillion different places to find a dress.  And then I stopped myself.  I was beating myself up for falling off the wagon.  True, I should have been more careful and stayed on track but the negative thoughts were not going to make me feel better and they certainly weren't going to motivate me.  Months ago I made a promise to be kinder to myself and banishing those thoughts goes hand in hand with that.  While I did have to spend Friday evening and the better part of my Saturday searching for a dress, I did find one.  And I love it.  I got to see myself looking pretty freakin' awesome (if I do say so myself) and I want that to be one factor that motivates me.  Sure being healthy and fit are my true motivations but, quite frankly, I just want to look good and there is nothing wrong with that.  Use what you have to to keep yourself motivated.  And never forget that you are beautiful even if it takes you a while to see it. 

Happy Trails,
Valeka  

Because I Can

Run fast for your mother and fast for your father
Run for your children for your sisters and brothers
Leave all your love and your longing behind you
Can't carry it with you if you want to survive

-"Dog Days Are Over"  - Florence and the Machine

It's too hot.  I'm too tired.  I'm too heavy.  I don't have time.  There is an Operation Repo marathon on TV tonight. We all come up with excuses about why we can't work out but whatever the excuse may be, it is rarely a good enough reason to not get in some form of exercise.  Yes, there are times when it is necessary to skip a work out but legitimate reasons are pretty few and far between.

This week has been a particularly difficult one for my BFF.  Lots of traveling and worry and very little sleep while still trying to be present at work.  Her father is experiencing a host of health maladies and has been in the hospital for much of the week in ICU.  Saturday morning, I debated whether or not to go for a run because it was an incredibly hot and humid Texas morning and I felt lazy.  I mulled it over and decided to stay in the comfort of my air conditioned home with my pups.  No sooner had I made that decision when I received a text message from BFF letting me know that her dad was going to undergo bypass surgery on Monday morning.  After I got over the initial shock of that, I retracted my earlier decision, put on my running gear and went for a run BECAUSE I COULD.

While I was out running with my dog, my thoughts drifted to all of the people that have been a part of my life that did not have the good health or physical strength to be able to run.  I thought about my paternal grandmother who was extremely overweight (I would say obese but I know she would be offended by that) and got exhausted walking from the living room to her bedroom.  She couldn't lift her legs when she walked and would instead, shuffle her feet.  I thought about my maternal grandmother who had such severe rheumatoid arthritis that she was bedridden.  My grandmothers would not have been able to work out the way that I can.  I thought about friends that I have with health issues that impairs their ability to run the way that I am able to.  I even thought about people that I have seen at the various races I have participated in that are in wheelchairs and how they don't let that keep them from doing what they love.  I thought about my grandfather who was healthy for much of his life and walked every day to the local post office to pick up his mail after dinner. I thought of how he would not have thought twice about whether or not to go out for a walk.  He would have told me to keep running BECAUSE I CAN.  He was blessed with good health and he didn't take that for granted.  None of us with good health should ever take it for granted.  

Enjoy your body and the wonderful things it can do.  Run.  Hike.  Swim.  Bike.  Dance. Yoga.  Do whatever it is that you love doing to keep your body healthy BECAUSE YOU CAN.

Happy Trails,
Valeka