HOLY COW! I did it.. I freakin’ did it. I have 10 little short months to prepare for… ya ready…
The Baltimore Marathon! That’s right, I registered. It’s official. I decided the earlier I signed up to more real it will be. I need it to be real. I WANT it to be real.
I also signed up for the Zooma half marathon in May. Ummmm Just for practice! LOL
So my plan is to relax a bit through the holiday season and then hit the pavement to start my training in January. Honestly, I can’t wait. I need the goal. I thrive on goals and I’m looking forward to accomplishing these two!
Other then that… nothing much has been going on. I feel much better after my weekend of Doritos. :) I did FINALLY record a podcast today, so I hope to get that published soon.
Now you may be wondering where the "Coffee Bean" titles comes into play. Let me share my food journal and then a story Louis passed on that I LOVE!
| Food | Units |
|---|---|
| pumpkin smoothie recipe to come – see pic | 3 |
| large double bowl of lentil soup | 4 |
| grilled chicken on a whole wheat muffin with a bed a baby spinach, tomatoes and honey mustard… side of carrot sticks | 5 |
| out for chinese with the family.. shared some chicken and broccoli, brown rice and low mein – estimate | 8 |
| over indulged a bit on my plum sweets… love them! | 4 |
| grapes | 1 |
| Total: | 25 |
Table provided by Roni’s Food Tweet, Eat, Post Generator.
Are you a carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee
A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up, She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.
In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, ‘Tell me what you see.’
‘Carrots, eggs, and coffee,’ she replied.
Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg.
Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, ‘What does it mean, mother?’
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.
‘Which are you?’ she asked her daughter. ‘When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?
Ask Yourself:
Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?
Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?
Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity?
Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?
Author Unknown
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About Roni
Roni started this blog in '05 to journal her weight loss. 70lbs later, she's committed to living a conscious, healthy life and hopes to inspire others along the way. Read more on the about page.
Oh my gosh, Roni. I love that story. I can’t wait to share that with my friends. Congrats on registering for the marathon! You are such an inspiration!
WOW! I love that!
nifty story :)
Great story!
Very cool analogy! Congrats on signing up for both the half and full marathons. You can do it!! I’m signed up for a half (Rock n’ Roll Seattle) in late June, but will probably walk more of it than I run. One of these days I’m going to do another half and RUN the whole course! :-)
Congratulations! A Marathon! Great story.
Hey Roni,
I just watched this quick documentary about a team of novice runners who trained to run the Boston Marathon:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/marathon/program.html
Really inspirational!
I think you just motivated me to do the same thing (but a half and in a different state). I’ve been scared and afraid of failure, but I’ll never know unless I try.
Good luck! I hope you update about your training progress!
Congrats on signing up for the marathon! I’m planning for my 2nd one in July, so I’ll be hitting the pavement starting soon as well. It is such a wonderful feeling to finish the marathon! Make sure the toddler and hubby are there and that you get lots of pictures. Congrats again and I look forward to following your training.
Hi Roni,
If I could offer a piece of advice…check out http://www.halhigdon.com, he provides schedules for marathon training. When I ran my first marathon, I followed his Novice I program and finished the marathon with no problem. Congratulations on signing up for your first marathon, can’t wait to follow you thorough your training!
Hi Roni,
If I could offer a piece of advice…check out http://www.halhigdon.com, he provides schedules for marathon training. When I ran my first marathon, I followed his Novice I program and finished the marathon with no problem. Congratulations on signing up for your first marathon, can’t wait to follow you through your training!
Valerie – That’s what I’m following! :) Thanks!
Good luck, Roni! May you beat my time of 7.5 hours. :)
Congrats Roni! I am excited to hear about your marathon training.
Congrats on registering! Now all you have to do is get through the training. ;) No worries. Hell, if I can do it, anyone can.
Thanks for the Coffee Bean analogy, Roni. I needed it today, when I am having feelings of being BadMommy and wondering if I should find a better caregiver for my home and family…it piles up so high sometimes, before I even know it’s happening.
Good luck on the marathon training. I set a goal to run the Jersey Shore Half in September 2009, and I am eagerly looking forward to the training. And I know the exercise will help lift me out of my little funks and keep me smiling.
Roni I love that story!!! Congratulations on the marathon and half marathon. How exciting for you. I know what you mean about having a goal. I have got to come up with one for me. I flounder without a goal!
I am so excited for you to run the marathon, and the half, too!!! I know what you mean about being motivated by goals. I am doing a half marathon in January, and sometimes it’s so cold outside, that without that goal, I probably wouldn’t run (I’d “wuss out” and do the elliptical down in the basement or something).
I’ve also watched the Nova special about the beginners training (it’s really cool), and I can’t wait to follow along with your progress (and yes, I’m one of those people that listens to your videos/podcasts while I run… I know it’s a little weird for you, but just thought I’d let you know what a fan I am).
Great story, too. I’m not surprised that you are a coffee bean. You have such a strong inner (and of course outer) self, and you’ve come so far, that you’ve definitely “changed the water”. I would love to say that I’m also a coffee bean, but in some ways, I think I’m still an egg. But luckily, I’m not a carrot. ; )
That is so awesome!!! I’m planning to run my first marathon as well, but I’m giving myself till next fall because I hate hate hate cold weather running. I did my first half recently, it was awesome!!! Good luck, I bet you will rock!
Congratulations on the marathon!!
That was one of the best stories ever! Congrats on signing up for the marathon!
CONGRATS on signing up for the marathon! I just ran my first half marathon this past Sunday in Dallas and I had the greatest feeling of accomplishment when I crossed that finish line! I’m doing another one at the end of February and HOPEFULLY I’ll be ready to do the full next December in Dallas :) GOOD LUCK!!!
Roni, I did a turkey trot myself for 5 miles on Thanksgiving. I am hoping to do a half marathon before the end of the year if all goes well. And the year after next I will consider a marathon myself. I am first going to do one more 5 mile run and then a 10K. If that goes well, then the half marathon.
Good luck and congratulations on your challenges.
I am honored that what I sent you had merit enough to be posted on your blog.
Congrats on signing up for the marathon! Wow! I’m still doing 5Ks. My goal is to run 4 races in 2009 (one per quarter). First one is mid-February, so I’d better bundle up and get back into my running groove again. Second one is in May…the “See Jane Run 1/2 Marathon and 5K.” I loved their slogan: “I run for chocolate and champagne!” Oh, and MAYBE I’ll be brave and do the 10K instead of the 5K at the Pumpkin Run in October. Haven’t figure out my Q3 race yet.
I wish I could say I was a coffee bean. I want to be a coffee bean.
But, …
:sigh:
I am an egg.
I am so excited for you! Doing a half in the meantime is a great idea and will give you a step up for the marathon. I just ran my first marathon on Sunday and can’t wait to do another.
I try very hard to be a coffee bean…sometimes I am the carrot, and others the egg….but I am striving to be the bean…
I’d heard that story before, but it’s good to be reminded of it now and then. I admire your strength and drive. I am slow to get my butt back on track, and feel that I will get there in time. Just when I found myself back to working out with a regular schedule I am side tracked by a nasty head cold. If I didn’t start coughing every time I get too warm I’d do fine..but this cough! UGH!
Anyway, I’m gonna work on that coffee bean analogy…trying to eat right while sick and get plenty of fluids and at least keep that on track! Good luck with the training!
I second the Hal Higdon method….. I’ve trained for different races under him and he has a good book out ….. I always felt well trained especially when passing all the red/white faced huffers and puffers and I’m smiling all the way. Just did the Seattle one in November.