Motivation to Run for Fun

I have admitted I don't love running, but there are some things about running that are fun! Fun can be a great motivator. I love making friends and running buddies are great friends. Racing, even when you are slow, can be exhilarating especially at the end. Feeling accomplished after a long run or completing a training schedule in preparation for your first half marathon is especially fun. Even during a difficult run, there can be moments of fun. Focusing on the fun stuff can keep you going when the going gets tough, or in other words, when you don't feel the motivation to run.

Running Buddies are Fun Motivators

I cannot say enough about the value of a running buddy. Running buddies encourage us to run when we would rather sit, to keep going when we would rather stop and to laugh when the situation seems dire. They commiserate over lost toenails and worn out running shoes. Running buddies indulge our desire to talk about food - a lot! They join us for a three mile run during a blizzard and accompany us on big adventures like the Grand Teton Relay. They are our cheerleaders. As they share our misery they become our community - our family. Running buddies are fun and they make us smile.

How Many Running Buddies do You Need?

Racing is a Training Motivator

Racing is fun and if you want to be committed to a regular running schedule simply register for a race. A paid race registration is second only to a running buddy when it comes to motivation. Download a training plan for a 5K, 10K, or half marathon and observe your satisfaction as you do the workouts then cross them off as completed. Don't forget to record your time! You may even find yourself looking forward to each training challenge.

Watch the t-shirts and finisher medals pile up as you find new challenges and races to test your endurance and fitness levels.

Motivation through Personal Satisfaction

Much of your running experience will be driven by personal satisfaction. Only your running buddies will understand what it means to cut ten seconds off your last six mile run. Remember, the entire running community is your friend. That's a lot of support, but your neighbor and even some family members may stare at you with glazed over eyes as you brag about your latest feat. Fortunately, you will feel enough satisfaction that it won't matter much who else doesn't understand. Besides, you can always reach out to another runner. You'll need to be prepared, however, to give them equal time to brag.

Enjoy comparing your workouts on your MapMyRun app, marking the workouts off on your training schedule, and rearranging your race medals by distance, year, size of medal, and so on. It feels good, even fun, to do something that challenges your physical and mental self. Personal satisfaction may be the only running motivation you need!

What better motivation than to know you are doing something that may prolong your life and make it more enjoyable along the way? I'm a granny and its the best job I've ever had! I want to enjoy it for many years to come!

Why do you run? Please share your motivation tips in the comments below.

Happy Running!- Carol aka Running Granny Green
Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!

How Many Running Buddies do You Need?

Training for a half marathon

Running buddies are motivators who can save you from yourself and make your run more fun. Whether you are just starting out or you have been running for a while and need a little fresh motivation, a running buddy can help you stick to your training plan – even if that plan is simply to keep moving. Here are a few examples of ways the buddy system works for me.

Training Buddy – You and this buddy have committed to a race. You are following a training plan with regular and specific workouts, times, and distances. You can’t let each other down because you know your buddy is counting on you – and you are a little bit afraid she might get herself into better shape than you if she does the workout while you skip.

I Need a Run Buddy – This buddy is willing to go for a run at the drop of a hat. She is also a good ear, and that’s why you need her at the drop of a hat.  She can help you burn some steam and regroup when you are feeling stressed.

I Will if You Will Buddy – This buddy helps you talk yourself into going for a run. I might text her and ask, “Are you running today?” Her reply makes me commit. “Sure, what time do you want to go?”

I Miss My Buddy Buddy – This is the friend that you have grown to love over miles and miles. You haven’t seen her for a time and a run is the perfect way to catch up.

I've had these buddies for years!

I’m just a Runner Buddy – This buddy isn’t one of your regular workout partners, but she is a runner, so you are friends.  That’s how it works – runners feel kinship to runners.  You might only run together once or twice a year, but when the regular buddies are not available you can find a friend to tag along.

Lot's of shapes, sizes, and ages!

Running buddies come in many shapes, sizes, ages, and a couple of genders. Some of them never go for a run together – they just like to talk about running when they are together. This much I know … If you become a runner, your social circles will expand in ways you never anticipated. Running will enrich your social life – it did that for mine!

How does your running buddy motivate you? Sound off in the comments below!

Running Granny Green encourages women, especially grandmothers, to gain greater fitness by providing tips and inspiration to insure long years of joyful grand-parenting. The cookie recipes are a bonus!

Happy Running!

- Carol aka Running Granny Green

Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!

Guest Blogger: Kimberly writes about Priorities

My name is Kimberly, I am 24 years old and mother to two sweet little girls. I'm married to an amazing man and we live in a little town in Idaho. I enjoy crafting, reading, running and baking! I have an Etsy shop where I sell handmade cards, and I am currently in the process of starting my own blog. We have one dog and three chickens. We dream of having our own farm someday (hence the name of my shop and blog The Farmhouse Dream) with lots of animals, and our 12 children (No joke, that's how many kids my husband wants. Pray for me please).

Prioritizing the 'Important' Things

 “I have a really good friend who I always call to go snowmobiling, water-skiing, hunting ... you know the really important things in life...”

I was sitting in church when I heard these words. The same church I always go to, just in a different building in a different town. As the speaker said these words the congregation laughed with him as though to say, 'You're so funny. We all know these aren't the important things in life'.

Hearing these words got me thinking about how we often treat these things as the important things in our lives. How often does that television show, that conversation, that text message, or that shopping trip you had planned two weeks ago become that ALL important thing? When do these (sometimes meaningless) tasks get more of our time than our families? How often do we tell our children (and/or spouse) 'hang on, just a minute, we'll do that tomorrow or next week' while continuing to do what we are doing and never really focusing on them and what they may need at the time? Our actions never really change.

We need to re-prioritize our lives and focus on what really IS important. Not just what is important to us, but our family and our Heavenly Father as well.

We need to realize that we need to slow down and enjoy the little things. We need to take time with our children playing 'kitchen', reading stories and coloring in those never ending Disney coloring books (Seriously we just colored four pictures of Bambi ... Another one? Oh, all right.) because that is what they NEED us to be doing instead of the never ending list of laundry, cooking, cleaning, baking, etc. that we THINK we need to be doing. For our children those little things that are annoying, or a nuisance to us, are the BIG things to them. Have you ever heard the quote by Catherine M. Wallace, “Listen earnestly to anything your children want to tell you, no matter what. If you don't listen eagerly to the little stuff when they are little, they won't tell you the big stuff when they are big, because to them all of it has always been big stuff.” I love this quote! When I hear it I also think of how it applies to what they want to do and not just what they say. Our children need to have these memories of us (Mom and Dad) doing what they want to do, playing dress up, reading their bedtime stories, and making mud pies ... because at the end of the day the mud from the pies washes away and all we're left with are the memories (and photos if you remember - not my strong suit).

When I take a look at my own personal life I can see myself focusing on things that are of little importance to my family and my Heavenly Father. I will admit that I am human though, and I do get caught up in the things of the world. But I know that I can change that, it just takes time and the ability to admit that it is something that I need to work on. The important things in life aren't how many times we went snowmobiling last winter, or how many elk we successfully hunted in the span of our lifetime. The important things are the memories we make with our families, the time we spend with our Heavenly Father, and making the world a better place for our children to live in. We need to be the examples they deserve when it comes to what is important in life.

So what can you do today to re-prioritize what is important to you?

This is Kimberly's first guest post on Running Granny Green. Give her some love by visiting The Farmhouse Dream on Facebook, her Etsy Shop, and The Farmhouse Dream Blog.

Visit my Guest Blogger page to get to know all my blogging friends.

Happy Running!

Follow me on Twitter and Facebook and Instagram.

Guest Blogger: JoEllen writes about Relationships

JoEllen Claypool is back for a second guest blog post. JoEllen is the author of The Secrets Behind the Eyes,  A Realist’s Guide to Being a Pastor’s Wife, Realistic Tips to Being a Pastor’s Wife, Are You on the Verge of a Spiritual Heart Attack  and a contributing author of the Eclectic Collage Volumes 2, 3 and 4. She serves in the ministry with her husband who pastors a small country church in Caldwell, Idaho. Understanding the impact that one person can make, JoEllen is eager to reach out and encourage others to make right choices so that lives can be saved.

THEY'RE EVERYWHERE! THEY'RE EVERYWHERE!

There is not one area of your life that you can visit where there is not a relationship with someone or something. Yes, they're everywhere! Think about all of the people that you interact with on a daily basis. Chances are, you interact with infants, the elderly and everyone in between. When you are not engaging with people, including your own self, you are having a relationship with inanimate objects: food, the TV, your computer.

Recently, I made a pie chart. The irony of that last statement just dawned on me, as one of the relationships I have is with unhealthy food ... like pie. That's an issue for another day, but I charted every hour of my day and categorized where my time was going focusing on relationships. How much time did I focus on my children? How many hours of my time did my husband get? Am I getting enough me time? How much energy was being spent on other relationships? I did this every day for a week and then combined the week's findings into one big chart. It was interesting and it showed me where I was doing well and where I needed to concentrate more efforts.

The truth is there are only so many hours in the day and they need to be used wisely. Here is another truth. Relationships take time. Your relationships with the TV and the computer take time, time that could be used nurturing human relationships. Ouch. I am speaking to myself right now. You cannot expect to have healthy relationships with people without spending time with them.
  
It is easier to steal time away from certain areas in your life for the people in your home. The balance comes when building relationships with groups of people outside of your home. You probably have pockets of people who are in your work environment, your church setting and your groups of friends. Keeping these relationships healthy is very important as well, but where do you find the time?

Well, your work hours are set, so utilize that time to "SEE" that group of people. When a church activity is scheduled, make the most of those opportunities. Take the time to truly see behind the masks that so many people wear just to survive the moment before them. Many people have built walls that are hard to break down. Maybe you are the one with the wall. We have to take risks in relationships and may have to be transparent. You have something to offer and there is a reason people are brought across your path. You need to understand that your words and actions within these pockets of people could impact their lives! What great opportunities we have everyday to make someone smile!
 
Enjoy the moments you are able to sneak in with your friends. The older we get and the busier our lives become, the harder it is to carve out time for people. That was a difficult adjustment for me when I first realized this truth. I have learned that friendship takes on a different role when you are older. I do not have the time to go hang out at the mall, but I can make time for a phone call. There are still ways to reach out and connect.

Be perceptive to the nudgings you get no matter which group of people you are with at the time. Someone in that group may need a kind word, a healing touch, a listening ear. I want to encourage you with this: take the time to look someone in the eye; you never know when they are going to let you see them.

I would love for you to visit my blog, Making the Most of Every Opportunity. You may be interested in my featured post titled "Be Careful With the Bananas" which shares more regarding relationships.

Read JoEllen's previous post

Slow Down! You Move Too Fast!

Visit my Guest Blogger page to get to know all my blogging friends.

Running Granny Green encourages women, especially grandmothers, to gain greater fitness by providing tips and inspiration to insure long years of joyful grand-parenting. The cookie recipes are a bonus!

Happy Running!

Follow me on Twitter and Facebook and Instagram.

Top 10 posts of 2015

I've been looking back over 2015 to see what my readers enjoyed the most.Once again you have shown that you like my friends! In reviewing my top posts of the year, I found that eight of the top ten posts were from my Guest Bloggers. And food. My readers like food. Two of my favorite recipes were included in the top posts for the year. Enjoy!

#10 - Sheila writes about investing in your dreams
#9 - Kristey writes about love
#8 - Paulee writes about decorating for you
#7 - Curtis Q, Purrhead III writes about self care (May he rest in peace)
#6 - Savanna writes about taking the plunge toward your dreams
#5 - Chocolate Thud Cake
#4 - Savanna writes about moving forward
#3 - My Favorite Sugar Cookie Recipe
#2 - Randall writes about depression and hope

#1 - Raquel writes about massage therapy

Thank you once again to my readers and to my guest bloggers!  You've made this a great year!  Here's to happy and healthy New Year!

Happy Running!
Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!

Tuesday’s Training Tip: Log Your Workout

One of my favorite training tools is a record, or log, of my running workout.  Whether you are tracking miles, reps, or time in the gym, you will find great satisfaction in watching the numbers add up each month. There are many ways to log your efforts from writing miles on a wall calendar to using an app that gives added information such as pace and calories burned.  Here are just a few.

Calendar

You choose the information you want to record.  Are you adding up miles each month or do you simply want to cross off each day in an effort to obtain consistency? A wall calendar is public and allows family members or co-workers to see your progress and encourage you along the way.

Fitness Apps

A fitness app can track your workout, provide workout analytics, link your favorite music, and even give feedback during the workout. I like Map My Run.  I set mine to give feedback every half mile. It tells me how far and how fast (or slow) I am going. You can even share the information on Facebook – if you are brave enough!

Follow a Training Plan

If you are goal minded and have decided to train for a 5K or longer, download a training plan and then write all over it. “Today’s run was hard.” Or, “I rocked it today!  Fifteen seconds under goal pace!” And so on.

Report to Friends

I belong to a group of family and friends that record our miles and share them with each other. This can help keep you on task.  “They are expecting me to log something today.  I better get out the door.” Or, “If I just go two more miles, I will have the most in the group!” Including others in your fitness pursuits helps encourage everyone to reach their goals. Never underestimate the value of friends!
Use a Journal

In addition to keeping a record of your workouts, a journal gives you an opportunity to record those things that are unmeasurable. How did the workout feel? What was good or not so good about it. Did you solve a world problem while running? What did you learn about yourself? Using a journal like this one is another tool to keep you on track and assist you in achieving your fitness goals.
Read More Beginning Fitness Articles

This blog post from Mark Williams has some great advice for beginners ready to "hit the gym." A quick read of Workout Routines for Beginners - What You Need to Know Before Hitting the Gym will help you prepare to succeed.

If you are having trouble with consistency in your training routine, maybe it’s time to find a new way to keep you accountable. Try something different or a combination of those listed above. The best training log is the one that works for you.

Tune in every Tuesday for more training tips and visit my Training Tips page to find all the tips you may have missed.

Question: Do you have a training tip you would like to share? Please leave it in the comments below!

Running Granny Green encourages women, especially grandmothers, to gain greater fitness by providing tips and inspiration to insure long years of joyful grand-parenting. The cookie recipes are a bonus!

Happy Running!

Carol - aka Running Granny Green

Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Lunch at Capitol Cellars is a treat!

Capitol Cellars' Crème Brulee

I know it isn’t Food Friday nor does this post include a recipe, but I just had to give a quick report on my lunch today! Some of my besties and I have been planning a lunch date to Capitol Cellars in downtown Boise.  It was recently opened by friends from Parma and one of the servers is a former member of our cross country team.  Naturally we were curious about the new business, the menu, the atmosphere, etc.  We also wanted to cast our vote of support and say “Hey” to our running friend.

Capitol Cellars did not disappoint. I had the Parma Sandwich and shoestring French fries. It was delicious! The besties had the Prime Rib Sandwich and the Ways and Means (gourmet mac and cheese). They were also satisfied and satiated.

We couldn’t resist trying one of their decadent desserts.  We opted for the crème brulee.  I would drive back for only the crème brulee!

The service was arm and friendly, the food was excellent, and the atmosphere was cool and relaxed. I recommend a lunch date there in the near future.

Capitol Cellars is located at 110 S 5th St, Boise, ID 83702.  It’s downstairs!  If you go and your waitress is Lauren, tell her Running Granny Green sent you - you know, the lady that bakes the best cookies ever!

Happy Running!

Follow me on Twitter and Facebook!

Tuesday's Training Tip: Time to Trot!

 

Oh, it’s Thanksgiving week!  Can you almost smell it?  Turkey and stuffing roasting in the oven, pumpkin pies cooling on the counter, and cranberries, rolls, and …

You can find all kinds of tips on how to survive the holidays and stay on your diet, such as, use a smaller plate, eat a snack before you go to the social event, wire your jaws shut, etc.  Let’s be honest.  Do you really want to diet during the holidays?  If you can do that, you are awesome!  The rest of us just need to do the best we can to maintain and not gain.

Thanksgiving Day is filled with opportunities to intake calories and we all know it’s going to be a challenge, but there is something you can do that will offset some of that caloric intake. Forgo the Thanksgiving Day Parade and go for a little trot while the bird is roasting.  If you‘ve seen one Thanksgiving Day Parade, you’ve seen them all. Consider the benefits of this trade.

1.       You will be moving and burning calories instead of lounging and conserving calories.

2.       While you are trotting (or strolling) you will not be snacking.

3.       The fresh air may ward off a holiday cold or flu.

4.       You will assuage some of the guilt associated with Thanksgiving dinner.

5.       If you invite friends to join you, they will also enjoy the benefits of a trot.

6.       It’s fun!

 

If you need a little motivation to commit, do as I did and create a Facebook event.  Your friends will be counting on you!

Visit this page every Tuesday for more training tips! I would love to hear from you. Comment below or message me on Facebook.

Happy Thanksgiving and …

Happy Running!

Another sneak peek from my next book

Ouch!

 

Here is another sneak peek from my current writing project. This book has a different focus than my previous works. It’s coming together and on schedule to be released shortly after the beginning of 2015, just in time to get everyone excited about the racing season – OR NOT if that isn’t your thing.

This excerpt is from the "Runners' Knees Lesson."

"Things were going well until I decided to dodge an oncoming car. I was certain it was headed straight for me. That is when I located a chunk of missing pavement with my left foot. I rolled my ankle and went down fast, landing hard on my right knee.  I did a quick assessment for possible injuries.  The ankle was sore, but strong. My knee, however, didn’t fare as well.  I left a bit of it on the road along with a part of my running tights. 

Three days later I was running the same route in the daylight with some middle school cross country runners.  Things were going well until one little guy decided to trip on the edge of the pavement.  He went down fast, landing hard on his right knee. He also left a bit of flesh on the road! I convinced him to walk for a bit.  He eventually began a slow jog and then finished the run!  We took a photo of our matching runners’ knees and developed mutual respect for one another.  It was a bonding experience!

What did I learn from the Runners’ Knees Lesson?

Shared trials can create and strengthen lasting relationships.  Think about an old roommate from college.  You studied, starved, and stayed up too late together.  Prior to those experiences you may never have sought her out in a crowd. However, the time spent together as struggling young adults cemented your friendship and you still send Christmas cards to one another. 

Some friends have been made by experiencing the same trials, although not at the same times, such as those who reached out to me in friendship and understanding after the sorrow of miscarriage. Their ability to empathize came from a difficulty of their own.  Although they were no longer in the middle of the same trial, their ability to express understanding at a time when it was greatly needed left a lasting impression on me.  For some, I can remember the very instant they reached out to me, where we were, and especially how it made me feel.  It gave me hope."


Do you have a friendship that was forged through a shared experience? I would love to hear about it.

Happy Running!

Watch for The Hard Run: Painful Lessons from a Running Granny due for release in January 2015.

 
   

Food Friday: Carol's Cinnamon Rolls

 It’s Food Friday and I am sharing another of my Go To Recipes.  Baking is one of my coping mechanisms (You can read about it in this book) as well as an expression of love. These Cinnamon Rolls never fail to please! This is an easy and inexpensive way to express love or concern to friends and neighbors.  Place them in a disposable baking pan and offer them up for any occasion when a gift of food is appropriate, such as birthdays, holidays, or when friends have cause to mourn.
 

Carol's Cinnamon Rolls

 Classic White Bread (Bread Machine Recipe)

 12 Ounces warm water

1 ¾ tsp Salt
2 Tbs butter or margarine
4 Cups Flour
2 Tbs Dry Milk
2 Tbs Sugar
2 ¼ tsp Active Dry Yeast

 Select dough setting on bread machine.  When dough is ready, roll out to 12 x 18 inches.  Cover with filling as directed below.

Cinnamon Roll Filling

Butter

Brown Sugar
Cinnamon

(Use more than you might think you  need.  Remember, as the dough raises the cinnamon and brown sugar will spread out, too.)

 Spread 2 - 4 Tbs of butter over surface of rolled dough.  Cover with a generous layer of brown sugar.  White sugar can be substituted in a pinch or if preferred.  Sprinkle with cinnamon until surface is dark.  Roll.  Use thread or floss to slice into fifteen 1 – 1 ½ inch pieces.  Place in greased 9x13 inch baking pan.  Let rise one hour.  Bake for 25 minutes at 350°.  Cool and frost with your favorite white frosting.

Raisins, nuts, or dried cranberries can be added for variety. However, the simplicity of the cinnamon rolls without extra goodies pleases even the pickiest of eaters.  Bake up a batch of Carol's Cinnamon Rolls to share with your Valentine, a friend, or a neighbor today!

Enjoy!
Running Granny Green encourages women, especially grandmothers, to gain greater fitness by providing tips and inspiration to insure long years of joyful grand-parenting. The cookie recipes are a bonus!

Happy Running!
Carol - aka Running Granny Green

Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Great news!

Guest Bloggers coming soon!

 

I am happy to share some good news with you.  First, the Panther Girls Cross Country team earned first place at the district meet last night for the third year running.  Congratulations to them!  Hard work does pay off – a little talent helps, too. The boys’ team will also be going to the state meet after placing third.  Go Panthers!

In other news I am excited about something I am adding to this site.  I will be featuring a weekly Guest Blogger on Thursdays.  I have an interesting assortment of friends and I want to share some of them with you.  They are not all runners.  Some are exercise enthusiasts of a different sort, some are writers, and others might be great cooks!  This much I can promise – what they share will be positive and informative.  You might just find a new friend for yourself.

Stop by tomorrow to meet my first Guest Blogger, Jennifer, and learn what she has to say about “Me” time.

And in further news, I will be spending most of today writing, editing, and working on some cover ideas for my next book.  I promise to announce the title very soon! 

Happy Running!

An easy two miles

A runner's view in Erie, PA

Today was an easy two mile run.  I remember the days when I would never have considered two miles “easy.”  It’s all about perspective, I guess.  My running buddy, Kelli, raced hard in the Old Fort Boise Days Fun Run on Saturday. I was so proud of her! I sat this one out, mostly for logistics.  There were too many places to be and not enough Me!

Back to my two easy miles – Kelli was sore from her race and our half marathon training plan said today’s run was a 2-miler at an easy pace.  That is a good distance for a recovery run. It was cool outside which makes running more comfortable.  I forgot my watch, and that’s okay.  We have been easily under the prescribed training paces on most of our workouts, even with each of us taking time off to travel.  Except, now I’m wondering how fast we were on that easy two miles. We discussed the usual – running shoes, who passed her during the race, religion, running aches and pains, who she passed during the race, cool downs, stretching, our kids – the same things friends discuss whenever they are together with a stronger emphasis on running stuff.

When I left the house this morning my hubby said, “Have a good run.”  I replied, “It’s always a good run when it’s just two miles.”

Just two miles.  Yes, two miles used to seem far, but we have a 9-miler planned later this week.  Nine is far.  Two is just a warm-up, unless, of course, it’s at the end of a race.  Then it’s an eternity!

Like I said, it’s all about perspective.

Happy Running!