All About Mindset :0)

This past Saturday, I did my very first 27km (16.78 Miles) Trail Run in San Tan Mountains in Arizona.  It was a last minute decision to do as I do have the Phoenix Full Marathon in 4 weeks to run.  But I figured I had to do a 12 mile training run, so why not run with a bunch of people and with Aid Stations and get a Technical T-Shirt and free glass mug (which by the way, Aravaipa Running, holds THE BEST trail race, I know I don’t have much to compare it to but WOW, it was good).

Amazing how when you go into a race with the mind of “just another training day”, how much fun you can actually have.  I had the best time EVER!  I decided to start at the very back of the starting pack because as I said, I’ve never done this before AND I DID NOT specifically train for this and I didn’t want to get in anyone’s way.  As we started out, I realized that I was passing all of these people and started to panic thinking I was doing the all-too-popular going out way too fast but then said ‘well you have 12 miles to run as a training run and after those 12 miles you can back off anyway’.  So I kept on trekking.  I felt so good.  I was sooo happy! Julie-Anne was BACK.  At PF Chang’s Marathon, I got angry (had to in order not to quit :)) and had to finish that race with that attitude and didn’t want to talk to anyone, didn’t smile for my favorite photographer, AM and had nothing left when I crossed the finish line and was upset a little with my behavior with my girl KM, who ran the last 12 miles with me.  So to BE ME AGAIN on this day, felt great.  I was cheering everyone on, I was smiling, I was dancing and playing with the people at the AID STATIONS (which by the way, they gave me “best dressed on trail award”) haha.  I told them I wore bright colors so the coyotes wouldn’t want to eat me.   And it worked!!

Anyway, when you race just FOR FUN its amazing how good you can really do.  Takes all the stress out of it and you actually benefit more.  I am happy to say not only did I finish with a big grin ear to ear, but I placed 1st in my age group out of 12, and I was the 7th girl across the finish line out of 37.  And even if I came in DEAD LAST, I still would have had that goofy grin…because I WAS ME that day.  I’ve been looking for ME for awhile now and staying true to my promise to myself for 2013 Race Season is proving to be amazing.  No one can take away my joy and by NO ONE, I mean ME…so I will continue to work on it and make it a reality.

Also, you just know that I have to give credit to my “putting all the pieces of the puzzle” together in my training.  I make sure I look after myself Nutrition wise (Can’t live without my Zija, Supermix and XM+ and now I’ve added Prime 90 Protein to my routine.  www.drinklifein.com and www.julieannecox.myzija.com), my foam rolling and stretching, my portaPT “quality” training runs.  Promise me to continue to train SMART and I guarantee you the same results.

4 more weeks and my BACK TO BACK Marathons becomes a reality.  I’m just so excited, I can’t wait….and yes I really said that and mean that…I can’t wait to run another 26.2 miles, but March 2nd, I run for ME and I have FUN the whole way across the Finish Line.  I promise me, I promise you!