Thank Goodness for Girlfriends!

I didn't know that today would be special. In fact, it was one of those days that you wake up with a looming sense of dread for one reason or another. This particular Thursday, I had three different workouts scheduled, a meeting with the City of Austin regarding a 5 mile race that I direct and a big presentation to prepare for a client. I woke up with that, "Why can't I just sleep in?" attitude. I've been in a bit of a funk lately, which is truly just self-pity and fear disguised as a bad attitude. I'm the type of person that relishes in emotion. When I'm happy, I'm happy. When I'm sad, I'm sad. When I'm scared, I tend to cower in the corner for a while until that particular demon passes. In any event, the only way to get myself out of those bouts with temporary darkness is to move. Literally. Get up. Get in my car. Go to the trail. Run.

I was actually meeting Amy and Anne for a 6am "recovery run" of 7 miles. It was a beautiful morning surrounded by the familiarity of the Town Lake Trail. Over the course of the hour or so, we talked about our families, our fears, moving, remodeling, kids, relationships and, of course, training. It's in those moments that I discover how different and yet so similar we all are. I couldn't help but pick up on the fact that these very powerful women also have fears. Suddenly, I could feel my veil of darkness start to lift. I'm not alone. I have my running girlfriends and we'll get each other through. We ended our 7 mile run in under 9 min miles...a little brisk for a recovery run, but when you see a sunrise like we did, you can't help but have a spring in your step.

My job at the Ad Agency (www.mmaustin.com) requires me to wear many hats. I write commercials, I pitch new business, I take Sales Calls, I get bids on ads, business cards, magazines, etc. I also work for two amazing women who started the agency a little over three years ago. They dropped all of their securities for the unknown world of starting their own business with nothing but a computer and a kitchen table with which to work. Again, I'm reminded that fear can do two things: stifle or motivate. These women were motivated by fear and so am I. I have my employer girlfriends and we'll get each other through.

Ahhh...abs, squats and lunges...the core of the body. I started taking this core class about 6 weeks ago. They aren't kidding when they say that it takes every bit of 8 weeks to start to notice a change. I'm just now starting to sense some tightening of the abs, legs and arms thanks to Trainer Sue. This informal core class from 6p-7p consists of a group of women consisting mostly of Jill's posse. We're a fortunate and loyal bunch. We're also crazy. Most of us are already athletes who are training for something or another. But what do we do? We spend the moments in between exercises pinching our love handles and "belly goo" as we verbally will it away. We mock each other's technique and style of crunches and ball work. We call someone out when their weight bar appears to be too light. Why do we do this? FEAR-Fear of not improving, fear that we are doing it wrong and fear of looking in the mirror and not liking what we see. We also do this to motivate each other to higher levels. This core class is a way of coming together to celebrate strength, grace and femininity. It's also a place to get great book recommendations :-) I have my Core girlfriends and we'll get each other through.

My swim clinic was tonight from 7:15p-8:30. Afterward, I also had to attend another party with several of my girlfriends who are former co-workers the radio station where I used to work. Several of us have now gone our seperate ways, but there's still a bond that unites us all. I knew I was going to be late for swimming and I also knew that if I went to swim class then I wouldn't make it to my friend's party until after 9:00pm. It took one email from a girlfriend to convince me that I needed to be at the party. What's one workout?? I was told that I was needed. Wow...After all this time of feeling a little needy. I was the one that was needed. You bet I went straight from my core class to my girlfriends and proceeded to laugh, cry, sing songs, look at photos, eat great food and drink a fabulous glass of vino in honor of my former co-worker girlfriends. We got each other through.

I drove home this evening from a long day with a little less fear and a lot more gratitude. God Bless Girlfriends.

Nutrition:

5:30am 1/2 Clif Bar and 1/4 cup of dry Kashi Go Lean Crunch

8:45am whole wheat bread with peanut butter and a banana, Minute Maid Lite Raspberry Passion (10 cal per can)

12:15pm Homeade tuna salad made with fat free cream cheese instead of mayo, a garden salad with fat free dressing and sugar free jello pudding, water

3:30p Espresso from Starbucks

5:30p Cup of Dry kashi Go Lean Crunch

7:45p Small salad with 1 small crab cake, 3 oz pork tenderloin, red pepper ravioli and asparagus, Desert was Strawberries with whipped cream and one chocolate truffle, 2 glasses of wine. ***afterall, I was with my girlfriend's house for her dinner party.