Half-way into the year, I have achieved the biggest goals that I set at the beginning of this year. Now, I am embarking on other major goals as the year folds up.
They say, the first step to recovery is confessing that you have a problem…..and I am experiencing that straight in my face….watching this TV Show…don’t know what it is…my first time….on drug addicts on the road to recovery. The addicts are saying it all…Names of drugs I have repeatedly heard of, or never at all. Scary as it is, the judge has to listen to all this…and viewers like me have to suck it in. If I were into drugs, I would quit right now..or join a recovery center…Well, at least they are setting themselves goals…right?
I am thankful for setting goals; getting into jogging and running marathons are one of those outstanding examples.
I started jogging back in Atlanta, GA, as therapy. I was going through financial uncertainty – between jobs. I went on to participate in my first social run – the 2003 Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta, GA – an annual even on July 4. Oh! I also did the Atlanta’s Finest (Police Department) 5K Road Race, and won Best Female Category, and received an engraved mug in the mail.
Thereon, jogging has become great resource for my mental health, physical fitness and enjoyment. Setting myself the challenge of waking up to jog every morning in grad school in Boston, MA helped me stay sane- with little sleep but I could wake up and make it to my morning classes – that holy grail called International Legal Order. I even tried signing up for the Boston Marathon 2005, but the cold winters chased me from training. At least I inspired classmates, who had never jogged or been to the gym to get out and exercise.
I kept going when I moved to work NYC, using jogging to wake me up into a better mood. spent the first four months of my pregnancy jogging on the roads in Uganda, every morning from my family house and around the hills of Rubaga to Makerere.
Plus, keeping myself goal oriented to jog, helped me achieve my goal of having my baby all natural, no medication, and no epidural after 12 hours of labor! Post-partum, I resumed my jogging as soon as Dr. said, “you are good to go”. But I did not beat myself to lose weight; my goal was to breastfeed my son, and make sure he was growing health. I knew the weight was gonna come off.
Once we got to Uganda, I resumed my morning road runs; forty-five minutes every Mon-Fri and 21-23k on Saturday, until that car accident in January 2011. Good for me, I did not break or fracture any bones so, once recovered I made another goal of continuing with my jogging from track and field at the place I worked. Then, l I ran the annual MTN Marathon 10K in 2007 and 2010, and graduated to 21K in 2011 and 2012. With my running group – The Hash and Kisementi, I did my first full marathon in the 2012 Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon, October.
I became a running bunny – set and accomplished all running goals, ran every monday with The Hash, Tuesday to Friday by myself, and Saturday and Sunday with hashers.
I am thankful that I am setting myself another goal of doing the Boston Marathon 2014 with the Tufts Marathon Team [again]. My other goal is to raise $5,000 toward Tufts Medical, Nutritional and Sports program. I hope I can stick it out training consistently when the winter comes full fronto, here Pocono mountains and woods of Pennsylvania, where I live now.
I do not under-estimate the resourcefulness of social networks, family, will power, stamina, fall [yes] and hard-times in helping me fulfill my dreams. I also believe in mantras in aiding me achieve my goals. Here are my top three:
“Everything happens for a reason; even the hard times.” “Whatever does not kill you makes you stronger.” “Life always gives us what we ask for, but with a few twists and turns.” [according to G-Monnie]
So, T.G.I.F. – Thinking GOAL Is Fulfilling!
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