JUST DO IT!

**Author Note: This is a re-post from my first blog "I Feel a Blog Coming On". I've since switched over to "Running to Bake" exclusively but I'm in need of a kick in the ass to get back into running after my half marathon, so I thought I'd re-post this for me, but also for anyone who needs a good arse kicking right now!**

How many times in your life have you seen the Nike slogan "Just Do It"? I know for me, it's more times than I can even imagine. Since their campaign started (which was actually 1988, the year after I was born) those words flash across the TV screen, appear in magazines, T-Shirts & billboards. The interesting thing is, those 3 words never really meant anything to me. They were just catchy words meant to sell a product like "I'm Lovin' It" or "Got Milk?" and "Where's the Beef?"

Now, recently, I've started training for a half marathon (I know, you're all like "No sh*t Sherlock, you only post about it every 20 minutes) and something I've had trouble with is, getting up in the morning and going for a run. It's dark & cold and not REALLY early (7am is early, ok guys?). So last Wednesday, was one of those mornings I was supposed to get up and go out. I made excuse after excuse as to why I didn't have to. After getting up I beat myself up and felt like a schmuck. So, later in the day I relayed this to my Running Buddy and she said "You're psyching yourself out, when you wake up, just get out of bed and just do it"

Hmmmmm.

I've been thinking about these words a lot since then. The next morning I got up and hmm'd and haa'd a bit about going for a run and then I said "Just frigging do it" and I did. Then again the next morning and the morning after that and the morning after that.

It's not just for running either. There are so many things in life that are easy to put off that you should just get up and DO IT. Grocery shopping, laundry, vacuuming, taking the dog out, making amends with someone, clearing up a misunderstanding, anything that you're putting off...just DO it.

As cheesy as it is, this is my new mantra. It is so applicable and versatile and I feel almost certain that no matter what it is, and no matter what the outcome, I will be happy that I just DID it.

So thank you Nike, after 25 years of bombarding me with your slogan, I FINALLY get it and I am truly grateful to have it!

"Better for You" Peanut Butter Cookies

Soooo, for those of you who know me (and particularly those who knew me in second year university), I REALLY love peanut butter. For example, in second year I went through one of the HUMUNGO tubs of PB in TWO MONTHS...yes, you're thinking of the right one...they usually last a family of 4 about 6 months. In my defense, I was vegetarian for those 2 months and that was my major source of protein...*cough* yes, we'll go with that.

Anywho, I love PB, but I've never really loved peanut butter cookies. I felt like they took away from the essence that is Peanut Butter. However, last night, as I was pulling out all my ingredients to make my No-Bake Choco-PB clusters, I happened to see a so called "Better for you" Peanut Butter cookie recipe on the back of the PB jar that looked kind of awesome. 3 ingredients, 20 min total prep time "better for you" (not sure how, but sounds convincing to me!)...deal!

Holy. Amazeball. These are the ultimate PB cookie. PLUS the are Gluten Free and Lactose Free (not that I care, but I have friends who do!)

"Better for You" Peanut Butter Cookies

 

Ingredients:

1 cup Reduced Fat Peanut Butter (I actually prefer this type of PB, but you can use whatever you want!)

1/2 cup Sugar (I used brown sugar)

1 Egg

Method:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a medium bowl, mix together the above ingredients (seriously, just the 3 of them), until well combined. 

Roll into 1 inch balls and place on a greased cookie sheet. Use a fork to make that crisscross pattern that is on ALL peanut butter cookies (and oddly, only on PB cookies...must find out why that is).

Put in the oven for 15 mins (at the most). You can tell they are done when the start to turn a dark-ish brown. Let cool on pan for about 5 mins then transfer to cooling rack.

NOTE: I only say the "5 min on pan" out of obligation. My hubby and I usually dig in around 2 minutes, cool or not. We also usually burn ourselves, but it's SO worth it. 

We went crazy and added little extra icing to ours (since these are "better for you", I'm sure the extra tablespoon of icing is cancelled out...right?) 

Thank you Kraft for providing me with these yummy, yummy cookies! This will deffo be a new staple in our house!

Why I did a Half Marathon...

For the last 4 months, my amazing friends & family (and especially my hubby) have been putting up with my relentless posts, tweets, conversations & training for this half marathon. I feel a little silly because there are MILLIONS of people out there that run half marathons & marathons and even ULTRA Marathons (50-60KM) and don't go on and on and on about it like I did.

I just wanted to take a minute to explain why it was such a big deal for me to run this baby:

1. For my whole life, I've had anxiety issues with exercise (see here for full post) so part of me did it to show myself that I COULD. 
2. I did this race 100% for myself. I didn't do it to impress anyone, I didn't do it to make someone proud of me, I did it for ME. I think I can honestly say for the 1st time in my life, this was the case.
3. I needed to clear my head and rid myself of anxiety. The past 6 months have been pretty crazy and I needed an outlet. Zumba is a great workout, but doesn't allow me to "escape". I knew running would help me with that.
4. I wanted a challenge. I knew I was capable of already running 5K and 10K (I've done so in the past) so I thought I'd go to the next level.

All this aside, it was really all to prove to me that I am capable of anything I set my mind to. I've been told that I could my whole life, but never believed it.

So, from December 28 to April 20, we trained. We trained in snow, sleet, rain, wind, extreme cold, you name it, we ran in it (in retrospect, training in winter might have been a BIT ambitious, but it didn't matter because we did it anyway). Thanks to my amazing run buddies, we did it all with a smile on our face.

Run Buddies!

Then: RACE DAY. It was almost like the morning of my wedding. Something you've been waiting for, for what seems like an eternity, and it's finally here. I was all nerves and energy. When we started the race, it took everything I had not to sprint ahead with the rest of the runners (who finished with a time of 1:40 or something silly like that).

 I'll spare you the minute to minute details of the whole run, but to give you an idea, I can sum it up in one word: HILLS. Goddam HILLS. Just as you were catching your breath from one hill, you were on to the next one.

At 10K we said "eff it" and walked UP the hills. We were probably going to same speed we would be going if we tried to run up them anyway. At least, when you go up, you usually got to run down.

At about 15K, it didn't matter if I was going up or going down, my body was protesting.

At 16K Mom and Jon were there cheering us on and taking pictures. Same at 18K.That added a really nice boost (and also accounts for the money shots, like below)

That look right there, that's delirium.

At 20K, we were almost there. The end was in sight...At the top...of another hill. Luckily for us, Angie's boyfriend came galloping down the hill and yelled "GO ANGELA, GO LISA" and helped push us to the bottom of the hill. Angela turns to me and says "We can't stop, we have to just run up the hill" then, we heard a loud "WHOOOOOP" and saw our Dad clamoring down the hill and yelling "You're so amazing, you're almost there" and looked so redonkulously happy that I couldn't help but laugh and trudge up the hill.

Then...it was there. Less than 200 meters away. The Finish Line. I grabbed Angies hand and we ran like "hell" (I use this term loosely because we were most likely moving at a fast shuffle, but nevertheless, it felt like we were moving at top speed).

 When we crossed that finish line, I have never experienced the feeling that I had in that moment. Tears of joy filled my eyes when they presented us with our medals. I was happy, sad, proud, tired, entergized, amazed, confused...I was like a teenage girl all over again.

Then...our amazing team of friends and family piled on us. I was presented with TWO bags of ketchup chips (TWO!!!) and hugged until my arms were sore. My fave little munchkins gave us this amazing picture:

This brought on another whole wave of emotion as I realize how lucky & blessed I am to have such amazing people in my life to be there and support me. My running guru (AT) had finished the run with a CRAZY amazing time and was waiting for me and we hugged and cried together and went "Holy sh*t, that was hard"

All in all...this was an experience I will never, EVER forget. If you have a fear...go out there an conquer it. I promise you, it will change your life as this did mine.

Finally, I want to thank each and every one of my amazing friends on FB & twitter for never telling me to "Shut the Eff Up Already" about my posts every week. Thank you for supporting me and telling me I could do it. I truly cannot thank you enough.

I promise I will now shut the eff up already about it :)

Soooooo...what's next?