Dream Big, Work Hard, Make it Happen!

Dream Big, Work Hard, Make it Happen - words to live by!  What am I dreaming about right now?  The same thing I've been dreaming about since I starting running 2 years ago - a marathon.  So what did I do about that dream?  I signed up for a local marathon, read every book I could find about running marathons, picked a training plan that was right for me, and ran A LOT!  What did I do when I started having issues with my knee?  I signed up for high intensity interval training (HIIT) 5 times a week to build some muscle.  Why?  Because muscle helps prevent injury.  How do I workout and run that many times a week?  Time management!  I often hear people say that they don't have time for fitness.  Well I'm here to tell you that you do.  You just need to make it a priority.  I knew that the only way I could train for a marathon was to workout before my kids get up and after they go to bed (I have a 4 year old, 3 year old twins, and a 2 year old).  Did I want to get up at 5:00 everyday?  Hell No!  I was not a morning person.  But guess what?  Exercise is better than caffeine!  After a couple weeks, I had no problem getting up at the time.  I tip toe around in the dark and get my butt to gym for my first workout of the day.  Then I go to work which happens to be the lower level of my house  (I run a registered home daycare).  What do I do after 11 hours of chasing toddlers and preschool children?  I run!  Yes, I am tired, but I NEED to run after that.  I run to get some alone time and to be able to hear my own thoughts for a little while.  I come back refreshed and ready to hit the books (I am also a grad student).  After that, I collapse in my bed and pray that all the kids sleep through the night so that I can get a decent amount of sleep before doing it all over again.  I actually enjoy having such a busy schedule.  I am not afraid of hard work because I know that's what it takes to make my dreams a reality.  With the marathon 1 month away (October 7th), I am feeling confident that I can make this happen!  The best part is that I am already planning my next challenge.  I look forward to pushing myself to new limits!