2013 New Year's Resolutions

I'm not sure why many people wait for the New Year to come up with a list of resolutions, however, every year, I truly look forward to setting new and improved goals for myself. This year, I decided that I wanted to work on my health and fitness. Above all, I want to get stronger, more toned and I'd like to eventually run a full marathon.

As of January 6th, I've been going to the gym approximately 4 times a week. I've been doing Yoga, Zumba, treadmill runs and some strength and conditioning workouts. I've invested in a personal trainer who has been truly amazing at pushing me to do things I never thought I could do. I won't lie, there have been some occasions where I've felt very tired and that it was just too difficult for me, but the bottom line is that I hate to give up!

This past week was by far the most challenging for me. I didn’t sleep well, felt sick, weak and completely exhausted, but I knew I had the RAK Half Marathon Team Relay Challenge to complete today (Friday, February 15th 2013) in Ras Al Khaimah. Of course, I only had to run the last leg of the race, which was 6km, but when your body is shutting down, getting up at 5am for a 6km run does not seem like the best idea. Nevertheless, I ran my 6km leg averaging at about 5 mins per km. I'm happy with my time, but most of all, I'm glad to know what time I need to beat during my next run! This was the first step towards running a full marathon. I still have lots of work to do, but I needed to start somewhere right?!

As I have said before, I may not be there yet, but I'm closer than I was yesterday. Anyone can give up; it's the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone else would understand if you fell apart, that's true strength.

Comments

In a World Full of Noise, Let’s Show Understanding

“Not everyone processes uncertainty the same way, and that’s okay.” The past few days have been unexpected. What started as a normal Saturday - coaching at the gym, breakfast with a friend, catching up on work with the TV on in the background - quickly changed when I heard a loud “boom” coming from outside my apartment. At first, many of us in the community assumed it came from one of the many nearby construction sites. But, within the next few hours, the loud sounds came again and again, and word spread that these were missiles and drones being intercepted in the sky. I’ve always felt safe here in the UAE, and believe it or not, to a certain extent, I still do. Like many other residents here, I have a lot of trust in the country I’ve chosen to call home for over 11 years. I’ve seen it overcome challenges in the past, such as COVID and floods, and I’ve witnessed how much the leadership cares for the residents, particularly over the last few days. That said, it’s no secret that I a...

Momentum Reset

"Momentum doesn’t just return; you rebuild it, one choice at a time." Before summer began, I was feeling a little low. The tipping point came when I found out my HYROX competition partner’s visa had been denied, meaning we wouldn’t be able to compete at the HYROX World Championships in Chicago. Deep down, I knew it wasn’t the end of the world, but I was still pretty bummed. I thrive when I have a goal, something to work toward, and for nearly two months, I’d been all-in. That training gave me momentum, purpose and energy. When that goal disappeared, so did my drive. Suddenly, my energy shifted in the wrong direction. I slipped into autopilot, stuck in the routine of daily life, work, and thought patterns that were becoming more and more negative. Social media didn’t help. It felt like everyone else was out there doing so much, and I had nothing exciting happening. I would catch myself comparing and as my thoughts spiraled, my body started responding, and not in a good way. Th...

Living Out a Dream

“Have you ever stopped and thought: “Wow. I prayed for this. It’s here. It’s happening.”? I recently received a message from an old student from my very first school in Canada. It was a simple note, but it sparked reflection in me about where I’ve come from and everything that’s happened over the last 15–20 years. At my age, I often look around and see many of the people ( my age ) settling down; getting married, having kids, buying homes ( A dream for many, especially women. ). And sometimes, I can’t help but ask myself: what am I doing with my life? However, that message from my former student reminded me of something I often forget: I’ve already been living a dream. When I left my first teaching job in Canada, it was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made. I absolutely loved my students, and together we had built a really special bond. But at that time, I had a dream to travel the world; to immerse myself in different cultures and to learn from people whose li...

One Rising Star

Search This Blog