I have always had a passion for running and being active. Not only do I enjoy my time in the gym but I also have ridden horses very competitively my whole life and now am a full time horse trainer for Arabian Show horses. When I was young growing up on an acreage I would run everywhere, to the barn, to the pasture, to the house. When I was old enough to join track in middle school I ran hurdles and middle distance and in high school I decided to join cross country as well. After high school I kept running and competing in a 5K here and there. The past several years I haven’t had as much time to run with trying to pursue my career and put more time into that. Last spring my fiancé and I went our separate ways and in the midst of the emotional toll it took on me I knew I needed to find my passion for running and the gym again so I started running again and last fall I decided I would start training for a half marathon and then a full marathon to fulfill a dream I have had since high school. Running a marathon has been on my bucket list for a long time so I thought, “what better time than now.” Not only has training helped me physically, but it has made me make healthier choices as far as eating habits and helped me get back to being the mentally tough girl that I used to be. Along with training for a marathon I decided to start lifting and toning and even though I used to hate lifting and dreaded that part of training in high school, I actually have now found a love for it and my time at the gym lifting. I love seeing the results and changes my body is making and I realize how easy it is to accomplish my fitness goals if I just stay positive and set my mind to do it. Don’t get me wrong, some days its tough when I have had a long, demanding day at work but I know that I will feel so much better if I get myself to the gym and get my workout in. I feel positive, energized and refreshed.
Another fitness goal I picked up just 2 months ago is yoga. This is something I never saw myself doing and I always thought that it was easy. I have discovered it is not easy and that I absolutely love how I feel afterwards. I try to go to class twice a week and then work on stretches and poses at home on my own in between making to class. I have found that yoga has gotten me in touch with my muscles and what they are doing and really focusing on where my body parts are and how balanced or unbalanced I am. I also think that stretching and being flexible is helpful with my running because injuries tend to occur when people don’t take the time to stretch and keep the body flexible.
So, all in all, being fit has always been a huge part of my life and always will be due to my career, I have to stay somewhat fit to train horses successfully, but in the past year I have gotten back in touch with some of my bucket list goals and trying to be the best that I can be. I want to keep learning new things and evolving and bettering myself to live a positive healthy lifestyle. So that is my reason.
