BASS PRO MIDWEEK MOTIVATION-The Start Over Club

Hello runner friends!

Welcome back to the Bass Pro Fitness Series

MIDWEEK M😊TIVATI😊N blog.

Now let's get started by talking about a club that you just might want to be a part of... a club that will motivate you to brush the dirt off your failed goal(s) and try once more. The Start Over Club. What exactly is this club? It's a group of individuals of all ages, sizes, shapes, and fitness levels who have decided to give it another shot, to forgo throwing in the towel, and to pick themselves up and start over again after one failed attempt or one hundred of them. It's a group that views failures as not only learning experiences but wonderful opportunities to discover better ways of doing something.

What does this "club" look like in real life? Well, consider the words of Benjamin Franklin who was most definitely a member of the Start Over Club, "I didn't fail the test, I just found a hundred ways to do it wrong." And Thomas Edison, also a proud member, who was quoted as saying, "I didn't fail. I just found 2,000 ways not to make a light bulb. I only needed to find one way to make it work." Both of these pioneers didn't stop until they succeeded in what they had set out to do... and neither should you.

And now consider the words of my friend, Thea Levine, a runner and athlete. But first consider that Thea is participating in a 75-day program that takes a person back to day one if they miss even one of the daily requirements. She is determined to finish this program no matter how long it takes or how many attempts it takes to do it, "Selfie of me at 4am when I realized my noxgear battery was dead but needed to get my outdoor run in. Day one (so incredibly embarrassing to admit I’m starting over for the third time). Anyway, here’s to all my fellow peeps in the start over club!!"

Do you just love Thea's attitude or what? I know I do. In fact, I was so inspired by her grit and tenacity that I reached out to her and asked, "Can you just kind of tell me about the other times when you had to start over? And also why it was important that you started over and did not quit. What is it that keeps you motivated to keep pressing on? And obviously you view failures as only stepping stones. Can you elaborate on that?" And this is what she said....

It would be easy for me to blame my do overs on the stress of life, the changes that are out of my control, or even my inability to not act out of pure impulse. However, I am tired of hearing my own excuses. We all have stress, we all have so many changes out of our control, and we can all let impulsivity take over. I think it comes down to my ability to choose me. To choose myself, my health, my happiness first. The first time I restarted was my 40th birthday, great excuse, right? The second time was me in a layer of self-pity that I wrapped around myself about some of the changes in my life. Each time, after I caved or “mistakenly” forgot to do my second work out I spent time truly debating on just pushing forward vs starting over. Each time, I realized I owe it to myself and my journey to do this honestly and successfully. I know I’ll succeed. I don’t know when, I don’t know how many more restarts I may have, nor do I care, because I know I will. I started this journey to be a better version of myself, as cliché as that sounds, it’s true. I want to be a role model to my children and accomplish the goals that I have set for myself. I am a proud member of the restart club but I’m ok with that because it means I didn’t give up and I won’t quit!!

And if that weren't enough to inspire you to join the "start over club," check out some of these quotes about not giving up. 

“How long should you try? Until.” ―Jim Rohn

"Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.” ―Dale Carnegie

"Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.” ―Harriet Beecher Stowe

"You do what you can for as long as you can, and when you finally can’t, you do the next best thing. You back up but you don’t give up.” ―Chuck Yeager

"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” ―Thomas Edison

"If you fall behind, run faster. Never give up, never surrender, and rise up against the odds.” ―Jesse Jackson

And my personal favorite? “You just can’t beat the person who won’t give up.” ―Babe Ruth

So there you have it friends. If at first you don't succeed, try and try again. And if you still haven't succeeded, try and try again once more. And if you fail again? Try again. Never, ever, ever stop trying!! After all, being one of those "peeps" in Thea's "start over club," gives you Rock Star status in my book. So to all of my fellow peeps (yes, I'm a proud member too) in the "start over club," here's another shout out... "You rock!! Keep killing it!"

Happy Running!!!

Live to please the One who enlisted you

"A soldier refrains from entangling himself in civilian affairs, in order to please the one who enlisted him." 2 Timothy 2:4 CSB

"Go Rebecca Ito!! Man you have stepped out of your comfort zone!! Early mornings, hills, cold and ultras!!!! Your friends are a bad influence on you." These were the words I jokingly wrote upon seeing my friend's post that included a picture of her bundled up from head to toe doing a 45-minute cold outdoor workout as part of a 75-day challenge she had embarked on several weeks ago. Less than two years earlier, Rebecca had not been very active at all. But after meeting a group of healthy-minded people that soon became friends, Rebecca was inspired and motivated by them to make positive lifestyle changes. Changes that included doing things she once despised like getting up regularly for early morning runs, running hills on purpose, braving the cold and elements for workouts she could easily complete inside, and even training for and completing her first ultra marathon. You could definitely say then that Rebecca's new circle of friends have had a positive influence on her.

 

And you know, the right group of friends will not only influence us to stay focused on our fitness goals, the right group of friends--those that wholeheartedly share the mission of serving Christ--will help us stay focused on living in such a way that "the one who enlisted" us is pleased. You see, the moment you and I chose to follow Jesus, we not only became soldiers in His army but joined countless others who made the same choice; soldiers that purposely and tenaciously refrain "from entangling" themselves "in civilian affairs" and keep their eyes, minds, wills and ears focused on their Commanding Officer. These are the friends that are much more than friends; they are comrades or fellow soldiers united for the purpose of joining us in the fight to see God's kingdom come and His will be done--and these are the friends that every Christian soldier must have if they are to stand strong and follow the Lord. 

So thank God today for those Christian brothers and sisters that are "enlisted" alongside you, vow to live worthy of the title of soldier and remember, in the words of J.C. Ryle, "The true Christian is called to be a soldier and must behave as such from the day of his conversion to the day of his death. He is not meant to live a life of religious ease, indolence and security. He must never imagine for a moment that he can sleep and doze along the way to heaven, like one traveling in an easy carriage."

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us comrades to join us in the battle to stay faithful, fight the good fight, and finish the race having lived worthy of being called a soldier in the army of Jesus Christ. Lord help us to understand how important it is for us to align ourselves with those who share the mission to serve You that we might strengthen one another and never shrink back from our duties. It's in Your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Soldier - Unspoken

Things aren’t always as they seem

“So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of all others. He took care of them on every side.” 2 Chronicles 32:22 NIV

As I do nearly every weekend, I woke up early Saturday morning, read my Bible as I drank a cup of coffee, and then headed to the park for a run with friends. And keeping to routine, I further prepared myself for the day and miles ahead by turning on praise and worship music from my favorite Christian radio station on my drive. But as I turned the dial up and then up some more and then up even more, I became concerned. “Oh my,” I thought to myself. “Am I going deaf? I can hardly hear this. I guess after all those years of using headphones, I’m losing my hearing.” But then a divine thought occurred to me... check the speaker settings. “Oh yes!” I thought remembering that my son, Luke, had recently borrowed my vehicle while his car was in the shop. And sure enough, that’s what it was. He had set it so only the speakers in the back were working. So just like that.. with a few pushes of the buttons, full sound was restored and I was singing along with the radio once again.

And you know, this story just goes to show that things aren’t always as they seem. Things aren’t always as hopeless as we think they are; especially when the Lord is on our side. Consider the story of King Hezekiah. He was seemingly surrounded on all sides by King Sennacherib of Assyria. And not only was this wicked and ungodly king taunting the people of Judah and ridiculing the Lord but making every attempt to persuade the people of Judah to doubt that the God who had saved them countless times before could save them this time. But as God is perfect at doing, He quickly and easily turned the tables by sending “an angel, who annihilated all the fighting men and the commanders and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king.” Just like that, “the Lord saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of all others.”

Perhaps you’re in a situation today that appears hopeless and has you doubting God’s power to “turn the tables?” If that’s you, look up my friend. Place your trust in the Lord and allow Him to do only what God can do.... turn a hopeless situation into one you can sing about!

Heavenly Father, thank You for showing us time and time again that You are the Supreme Ruler over EVERY situation. Remind us today Lord that you are God with a capital G and not the little and powerless god of our enemy. You are all powerful and there’s NOTHING that You cannot do. It’s in Your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen.

Happy Running!!!

There’s nothing that our God can’t do

God is forever faithful

" Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations," Deuteronomy 7:9 ESV

On February 4, 2012, I posted the following according to Facebook, "Getting so excited and nervous about tomorrow's Marathon. Low of 32 and a high of 50. They are bussing us 4.5 miles up the mountain at 5:30 am to begin race at 7. Its gonna be a cold and dark wait. But I won't be alone. I have my running buddy with me. He's also my personal trainer and best friend. Looking forward to running with you Jesus." And I can't even begin to tell you how much this memory made me smile. So many things have changed since that day. My teenage son is now a man and living on his own, my daughter is a sophomore in high school and I am no longer a stay-at-home mom but a working one. But some things, thank God, haven't changed. I'm still running marathons and my "Running Buddy" is still with me. He is still my "Personal Trainer" and is and always will be my very "Best Friend" in the whole world. God was faithful to me then. He is faithful to me now. And I know that He will be faithful to me until the end of time.

And you know what? God isn't only faithful to me. He is faithful to all "those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations." And if you're doubting that, consider this... the book of Deuteronomy was written around 1406 BC. That's a long time ago right? But during those thousands of years and all those generations between the time that verse was written and today, God has NEVER failed to keep any of His promises. Not even one! And you can be sure that He never will. In fact, you can read the Bible a million times and never find one promise that our Lord did NOT keep!. Each new sunrise is proof of that; despite our shortcomings, the Lord still loves us and always will. 

So if you're feeling as if God doesn't know or care about what you're going through today, think again my friend. The "Faithful God... keeps covenant and steadfast love" with you, with me, and with all who believe upon His holy name. So look up brothers and sisters, He is faithful and He is coming back soon. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for being faithful to us when we are anything but faithful to You and for loving us when we are totally unlovable. Lord, for that person who doubts that You are real or that You care, I pray that they would feel Your presence today in a way that they never have. Help us to be bold in sharing the Message of Your faithfulness to the world. It's in Your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Faithful Now - Vertical Worship

God can make it all good

"And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." Romans 8:28 NLT

On January 24, my 69-year-old running friend and retired veteran, Sid Busch, posted, "Heck of a day so far. I tripped in the dark walking to the start line, cracked a rib, in hospital waiting to be treated. Sure can use prayers right now." "Oh no!" I thought to myself as I read his words and immediately began to pray. Thankfully though, Sid had good news to give all his friends and followers this week when he wrote, "I continue to improve, ribs hurt a lot less than a week ago... I've stopped taking oxycodone and use a lot less Ibuprofen. Walking has really helped me, I take deeper breaths which helps me from getting pneumonia plus I am not getting totally out of shape. Only problem I have while walking is I see someone running and I have to hold myself back from starting to run, lol. If there is a silver lining to this, it's my knees haven't felt this good in years." Do you just love that or what? 

And you know, if a silver lining can be defined as an advantage that comes from a difficult or unpleasant situation, there was indeed a silver lining in Sid's misfortune. The unexpected time off from running allowed his knees to have some much-needed healing time. Isn't our God good like that though? He is always using our trials to bring about good in our lives. In fact, the Bible gives believers the assurance that "God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." Did you get that everything part? That means the good, the bad and the downright ugly. And this is something "we know" because we know that God keeps His promises. 

So if you're going through the fire right now, hang tight my friend. I know it may be hard to understand or even fathom how God can bring good out of your situation but He can. It may not be immediate but it will happen. Trust Him as you wait and prepare yourself to look back on this difficult and trying time one day and say with a smile on your face, "Thank You for what I went through Lord. I didn't understand it then but I do now and I know that I am so much better for having gone through it." 

Heavenly Father, thank You for promising to take all our pain, afflictions, troubles and trials and use them for our good and for Your glory. Lord, when we can't see how this could possibly happen, cause us to turn to Your word and read about the saints who have gone before us. Their testimonies prove that You can be trusted in every situation no matter how hopeless, desperate, bleak or impossible it appears. It's in Your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Into the Sea - Tawsha Layton

BASS PRO MIDWEEK MOTIVATION-Do not stop

Hello runner friends!

Welcome back to the Bass Pro Fitness Series

MIDWEEK M😊TIVATI😊N blog.

Now let's get started by talking about strategies to help you stay motivated when you're not seeing any results. 

Okay, so if you've been doing really, really good with your training plan and have been motivated by the results you’ve been seeing over the past few weeks or months. But now, as happens over time, you have hit a plateau; something that has stopped you from seeing any results at all. And something that has you frustrated to the point that you're now considering throwing your hands up in the air and shouting, "I quit!"  If that's you today, I beg you to reconsider that decision and consider the words of Confucius who said,  "It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop." 

So what does that mean for you exactly? It means, stop looking for quick results!! You won't be getting them anymore. The biggest gains in any fitness plan are usually gained at the start of that plan and then expounded on little by little. Think of it this way, if you were a house under construction, the foundation has been laid, your frame has been built, the walls are up, the shingles are on the roof and the windows have been installed--and all the while it was being done, you and those around you were saying, "Well, would you look at that? That project is really coming along quickly." And while that project, aka you, might indeed have been coming along at a rapid pace, the house is FAR from being finished; you are FAR from being finished. In fact, for all intents and purposes, that house isn't even able to be lived in yet. It still needs flooring, appliances, paint, curtains, furniture, and so much more. Are you getting the picture? All these things take time to install which means, from the outside, it appears as if the construction has stopped. But it hasn't..... unless you quit! 

So in an effort to motivate you to keep pressing on (after all you've already done so much!), I encourage you to check out these five strategies that might be just what you need to regain your motivation and/or keep it. And remember... "It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop." 

1. Eliminate procrastination. The definition of procrastination is putting off or delaying something. Which means when you're procrastinating, you're not moving!!! That means you're not even going slow, you've stopped altogether. A house will NEVER be built if you procrastinate. Consider this... even if you're moving as slow as a turtle in peanut butter, you'll still be seeing results; they may be small and long fought but you'll still see them. For instance, let's just pretend that your goal is to paint the kitchen in this new home you're building. If you procrastinate, it will NEVER get done. But if you apply just one stroke of paint from a small brush on a wall each day, the wall will eventually be finished and you can move on to the next wall. When that wall is finished after applying just one stroke of paint from a small brush each day, you can move on to the next wall and the next. See where I’m going with this? What you’re doing may be slow going, but it's going nonetheless! Do some type of movement every day and you'll be amazed at the results that occur slowly over time.

2. Go for a short run. I don't even care if it's just around the block. Get out there for 15 minutes. And if you're more of a walker than a runner, pick up the pace and speed walk as briskly as you can for that set time and not one second shorter. Just get your blood pumping and your mind intent on seeing those 900 seconds go down. This does two things. First, it reminds you that you are in charge--you control what you do and you have the power to make the decision to override those thoughts saying, "I don't feel like doing anything today," or "I'm just too tired." By the time you truly realize what you've done, the endorphins will most likely have kicked in and you might even want to go further. If nothing else, you might get lucky and get lost. This will kick in your survival skills and gain you more movement time as you make your way back to the couch. 

3. Visit a few "Open Houses." What do I mean by that? Check out what other successful people are doing or have done. Watch motivational videos and read books by people who have overcome the habits or mindsets that are keeping you from reaching your goals. Surround yourself with positive people who refuse to stand still and you'll be absolutely amazed at the changes in your life. After all, good "builders" never stop building and they will encourage you to do the same. 

4. Try something new. Or two something news. Start with finding a new place to workout. For real, sometimes a change of scenery is just what a person needs to recharge their passion to crush their goals. There's just something about being in a new place that re"news" our attitudes. And here's a good one... find an audio book, YouTube video or really long podcast that interests you. Then make a deal with yourself that you can ONLY listen to it when you are moving. That surely might get you off the couch when the plot gets good. 

5. Practice gratitude. For real, this works! Sometimes people forget that movement of any kind is not only medicine as it has the power to heal and strengthen the mind, body and soul but that movement is a gift from God. But not everyone has this gift! While it is today and you have the ability to walk or run, be thankful. Express those feelings out loud, sing about them even! The joy gratitude puts in a person's heart gives energy like nothing else can. It's crazy but it's true!

So there you have it friends. Every person striving to get fit or stay fit will experience plateaus and moments where it feels like nothing is happening. This is totally normal. But it's also totally the time when you need to dig deep and keep building on that fitness foundation you've worked so hard to erect and establish. You've come this far, don't quit now!! Keep moving... even it it's at a snail's pace knowing that each step forward is one step closer to seeing the project, aka the person you want to be, completed. You can do this if you just don't stop!

Happy Running!!!

Be prepared for the conditions

"But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you." 2 Timothy 3:14 NLT

On January 23, two trail runners went out for a snowy run in New Hampshire's White Mountains in hopes of completing the nine-mile loop on Mount Layfayette in four hours. And while they were wearing winter gear and running shoes with microspikes, they were totally unprepared for the 40- to 50-mph winds and four foot of snow they encountered on the far side of the mountain. To make matters worse, one of the runners lost a shoe in the deep snow--but the two continued to hike another mile and a half before calling for help and eventually being rescued. At the hospital, one of the runners was treated for frostbite and released while the other one who lost his shoe was admitted with damage to his hands and feet; the extent of which won't be known until later. Lt. Jim Kneeland of New Hampshire Fish and Game told Runner’s World that he sees things like this happen all the time throughout the winter season and that one of the best things runners can do to avoid the dangers of being caught unprepared like these two men were is to check the conditions before heading out.

And you know, when it comes to being caught unprepared, the Bible is very clear that Jesus is coming back. And while no one knows the time or the hour when this will happen, we do know with certainty that the conditions Paul warned us to be prepared for in the last days are now all around us. So how do we prepare ourselves for the terrible times we are told will occur before Jesus' return? By, as Paul instructed Timothy, remaining faithful to the things we have been taught; which means standing firm and adhering wholeheartedly to the truths found in the Bible, lest we fall away when we encounter the trouble and opposition that is sure to come our way.  

So make not mistake about it my friend... Jesus is coming back and it could be very soon. Are you ready? I sure hope so because there will be no second chances if you’re not  

Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us that no matter how much we might want the world to return to "normal," it shows no signs of ever going back. Help us to see the signs and conditions of what is coming that we might grasp the possibility of your imminent return and have a heightened sense of urgency to not only remain faithful to the Truth but to proclaim it to the lost. Set our souls on fire to share the Gospel Lord! It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen.

Happy Running!!!!

Are you ready - Becka Shae