Hi guys! I have a special treat for you this week. While I'm writing a paper tonight on the importance of Operations Strategy within a Corporate Environment (don't worry, I'll post it for your reading enjoyment-HA!), I wanted to introduce to you some of the amazing ladies of #FitFluential. First up, Molly Ritterbeck http://mollyritterbeck.com/ She has a great story about where she finds motivation. I think you'll like it! Take it away Molly!!
Motivation was something I always had growing up but not in a normal sense. I was a gymnast for 8 and a half years and was motivated by the attention of my coaches. The better I would do, the more attention I would get. I wanted to be #1, and who doesn't? Unfortunately as a child that can distort you view of a lot of things growing up! I then became a barrel racer all through college and let me tell you that motivation still didn't change. People only wanted to talk to you and hang out with you when you were in the top 5 each time. I didn't do this type of thing full-time so we would have good and bad days - so in turn this meant fair weather friends. I finally found a way to motivate my self and not worry about all those around me and what they thought.
After two children and struggling to find my motivation for quite sometime I realized I was struggling at life. I ended up one day asking my husband to run a 5K with me at the Army Base as it was free and I could get us a babysitter that day. I had never run a 5K and had not really exercised in, oh, years :). I ran and walked my way through this 5K that took me 44 mints and 45 seconds. I felt good the rest of that day and was motivated to get things done! The next three were a different story. I sat and thought back about that race. There were people of all kinds, shapes, and sizes. Some pushing strollers and some not. Some walked, some ran, and some even were questioned as to what they were actually doing. Regardless of all of this, everyone was motivating and cheering on everyone! I think I might have found something that could be so fun!
Our town within the next couple weeks started a run club that $5 - unless you wanted to buy the t-shirt, which would be a total of $10. Um, t-shirt please! I think the first day there was 10-20 of us. I can't really remember because now there is about 80-150 depending not he night. On gentleman shared his story of being once overweight and now being an ultra-runner. Pretty cool. He had motivation of the Army, got out and then needed to find himself again. Sound familiar? I thought so. We had a paved trail in town that could be used for 3-6 miles, with lots of variations in between. He gave us motivation by giving prizes for showing up, running races, and helping out. I learned that healthy and good motivation can lead to healthy and good habits. Through the motivation of all the runners in the group with high fives as we passed each other, some would even take turns taking my double stroller from me from time to time so that I could run without it, They were awesome. They were my motivation - not hatred, not my sorry point of view, not my anything but my friend who motivated me through their love and friendship.
Point is - there is always something for us. It may be running, it may be cross fit, it may be whatever. It is out there. Just get out and find it!!!
What motivates you? Do you have a story about what started it all for you? We'd love to hear it!
I have to admit I've always been mostly motivated by the opinion of other people. But as I've gotten older I'm more motivated by the internal feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction that goes into training for something like a marathon. And now that I'm a mom I really want my daughter to see me setting and reaching my goals.
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