Marathon Monday #11

"Self pity is poison, but movement is medicine!" 

~Robin Arzon, Peloton ❤

"You are better equipped to deal with stress when you are moving.  When you feel tense or frustrated or worried, it is difficult to think your way into feeling better.  The more you think about the situation, the larger it becomes in your mind.  Trying to think your way out of it often leads to a spiral of overthinking and rumination.  The first step is not to think something different, but to DO something different.  It doesn’t matter what.  Stretch on the floor, go for a walk, work on a project.  Get out of your mind and move your body."

~James Clear

YES to that advice!!

Kate, Kirsten, and Becs are three women who inspire me today!!  Kate is a real-life friend who is fighting MS this year and has been busy fully reshaping her diet and lifestyle to be as healthy as possible for as long as possible - her attitude is faith-filled, determined, and inspiring!  Kirsten Ferguson is a feisty Peloton NYC coach who shines the light of Christ in her classes, and she ran her first Full Marathon last year!  Becs Gentry is a London Peloton Coach and a frequent marathon runner - love her spirit and love her 60-minute NYC Marathon simulation class (complete with music and her sharing race memories from all 5 boroughs).  I love it!

Happy Marathon Monday - starting week 11, officially in the second half of this training season!  I'm going to start throwing in 3 people who inspire me on Mondays - fun!  Here's to the power of movement and physical exercise to help us move forward in all of life with more mental clarity and emotional stability!! ❤

"I want to face the day as the version of myself who takes over by the time I'm done with my workout: braver, more optimistic, and ready to face whatever challenges await me!  Movement brings out the best in us by making us happy... the happiness that comes from having a sense of purpose and belonging, the happiness of feeling connected to something bigger than yourself, the happiness that is best described as hope...  If you're looking for a guideline, it's this: MOVE! Any kind, any amount, in any way that makes you happy.  Move whatever parts of your body still move, with gratitude.  Move by yourself and in community.  Move in your home.  Move outdoors.  Move to music or in silence.  Set goals that are personally meaningful.  Take baby steps, then conquer a big stretch.  Seek out new experiences and explore new identities.  Pay attention to how activities make you feel and how they change you.  Listen to your body; give yourself permission to do what feels good.  Revel in metaphor and meaning.  Look for places, people, and communities that inspire you and make you feel welcomed.  Keep following the thread of joy as long as you can!" ❤
~Kelly McGonigal, The Joy of Movement