motivation

Weekly Therapy: “You will either step forward into growth or you will step back into safety.” – Abraham Maslow

- Mel

the week:
My Capstone project has been focused on burnout in organizations (and its relation to organizational culture and motivation), and thank the Applied Psych Gods that this course/project is only 6 weeks long because I’m sure that I would be experiencing burnout myself. I’m on my last couple days of assignments, with my final project presentation Saturday morning. And then, I’m DONE. D-O-N-E.

It’s so surreal from when I first started talking about going back to school and some of the obstacles that I encountered even trying to apply!

weekend:
I’m in Toronto for the annual APA convention, and I’m part of its Twitter Team again. If you’re into psychology follow along: @melindaurick and #APA2015

(AAAAAAAHHHHHH. I’M DONE WITH SCHOOL!)

I’m supposed to run Ray’s Race 5K Saturday morning, aka: the Running of the Psychologists as I like to call it. BUT with my final class presentation at 9 am, I’m nervous that I’ll be cutting it too close (and the starting point is a 30-minute walk from where I’m staying). I have 10 miles on my schedule for my long run on Sunday, so at least I’ll have that relaxing way to see some of Toronto without the stress of homework deadlines hovering over me.

seven things, seven days:
1. Experienced a water main break this week on my street. Thankfully, no flooding in the basement!
2. I attended my first info program about grad school… I know, I know, I’m talking all about being done but I plan to take at least 6 months off.
3. Changing your life is not a mid-life crisis. SO IMPORTANT! Change is certain in our lives; we need not judge others (or fear them) for wanting to change.
4. Seemed relevant: Perfectionism and burnout.
5. Something that I’ve been thinking about a lot lately (re: reducing the clutter and noise in my own life): One year without social media
6. 3 effective ways I’m dealing with professional burnout – a great personal essay from The Financial Diet
7. And if you’re suffering from burnout: How to recover {via Mind Tools}

Weekly Therapy: Action is the cause AND effect of motivation

- Mel

the week:
Because I’m trying not to procrastinate any further on my senior capstone, I’ve got mostly links in the “seven things” section today. But I have read every single thing, so I guess my procrastination likes reading about procrastination and motivation and such.

weekend:
Tonight is the Liberty Mile, which my team won first place in some category last year. I’m “competing” (lolz) as an individual this year, hoping to beat my mile time of 8:42. But otherwise, I’m just doing this one for fun.

liberty mile pittsburgh race downtown
Last year’s medal — and the FIRST medal of my collection!

Saturday: ROBERT RANDOLPH AND THE FAMILY BAND, YES. FEASTival looks to be kick-ass (I hope it’s not hot and crowded, double-lolz).

On Sunday, Bolthouse Farms and Giant Eagle are co-hosting a fun (and nutritious) community event as part of its #SnackMob tour. From 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., the event will feature live music and fresh food, with registered dietitians on-site to provide nutritional guidance for back-to-school snack options for kids. The family-friendly event this weekend will take place at Giant Eagle Market District at Settlers Ridge. Unfortunately, I cannot attend, but Bolthouse was kind enough to send me a few samples of their products. While I don’t have kids, I like snackin’ like them! Trust: these snack items are GOOD.

seven things, seven days:
1. My first sunburn in a few years, and I feel like an idiot (despite my use of sunscreen AND multiple reapplications).
2. But yay, more pool time at the club!
3. Holy crap, you guys — I won a twitter contest that includes entry to EVERY race from Elite Runners Pittsburgh this coming year. I AM SO EXCITE.
4. Probably the best article on procrastination that *I* ever read {via Mark Manson, naturally}
5. What kind of introvert am I? Social introvert. What kind of introvert are you? {via PsychCentral}
6. Me: The upside of being boring. I’ve had enough exciting life for three of me, thankyouverymuch. {via Fast Company}
7. This method would not work for me AT ALL, unless we’re talking about traveling around the world or you want me to eat cereal for every meal: The 2 words that every Busy Person should say before committing {via The Muse}

Pittsburgh Half Marathon: Training Week 14

- Mel

So, we enter the last two weeks of this training cycle, with the Pittsburgh Half Marathon happening already NEXT SUNDAY. Won’t be a lot of heavy training for Week 15 with race week and all, but I’ll get a few miles in, and a couple long yoga and foam-rolling sessions. PLUS because I signed up for the Steel Challenge (have you seen the medal?!), I’ll be running the 5K on Saturday too. Should be a really fun week, and getting a long run in today helped to alleviate some of my pre-race jitters and race-worthiness.

I'm running for the National Aviary! (Click to donate!)
I’m running for the National Aviary! (Click to donate!)

With a week to race day, I want to talk about the organization for which I’m fundraising: The National Aviary!

Full disclosure: I’m a former employee, but with the bird zoo right in my neighborhood I am frequently walking and running past, and dropping in to visit my bird friends. It was an amazing place to work and is an amazing place in Pittsburgh for families and animal lovers of all ages. They promote a respect for nature through the appreciation of birds, and their conservation and education efforts are commendable. However you can support, it is immensely appreciated. DONATE NOW!

Monday: WOO, REST DAY!

Tuesday: I ran to my CrossFit gym to do a WOD that included some road sprints (yep, more running!) and deadlifts (ooh, more legs!). I haven’t done much of any sprinting in training for this race (save for finish line sprints), so it was fun to incorporate with four rounds of deadlifts. Mileage was 1.56 miles to the gym + 1.26 home (yes, I took a wrong turn and got lost on the way home which ended up being less miles, weird).

Wednesday: Run//yoga club at Urban Elements returned together on the same night and changed to Wednesday nights, which makes me so happy because I love mid-week workouts for some reason. We completed 3.6 miles on the North Shore Trail — sans headphones — and I got to test out my running-while-chatting skills meeting some of the other ladies in the group. The “club” ended with an AMAZING 75 minutes of hot yoga (which felt pretty terrible at times given my raised body temperature), but my body felt so good afterward.

Thursday: Rest Day! Necessary!

Friday: Welp, boyfriend talked me into hamburgers and cured meats for happy hour, so my additional short run for the week was canceled.

Saturday: Baby shower day, so another day of rest and awesomeness (and, um, some wine) with my friends. That’s OK because I plan to do a long run on Sunday.

Sunday: Completed 10.26 miles in the late afternoon. My pace was all over the place again but I was happy with it. I was really hot even at just 60 degrees, shedding my long-sleeve outer layer by the end of three miles, but I accomplished a little more of the course — adding another two more bridges to my count! Smithfield and Birmingham, for those keeping score. Unfortunately, I did experience some knee pain again around Mile 5, but I continued to run through it. I needed to know if it eventually stops hurting the more I run (I know, it’s a little insane, but bear with my thought process). Well, it DID stop hurting, so… then I finished my 10 miles and then-some. At one point, I was so hungry that I thought about eating a smashed hot dog bun on the road; good thing I’ve figured out my fueling strategies. *eye roll*

Sport Beans helped me not to bonk, thankfully; the water fountains in Point State Park helped me stay hydrated when my water bottle went dry.

IMG_0329

In any event, I’m proud of this week and wish for this kind of motivation again for my future training cycles.

Game on, Pittsburgh!
Total runs this week: 3
Weekly mileage: 16.68
Total training mileage: 104.15 miles

Motivation. And puking.

- Mel

There was a moment I thought my knees would give out. And when I puked in my mouth leaning over to gasp for breath (ew, the sweet, sweet burn of blueberry waffles, banana and peanut butter). I also had a throbbing headache, coinciding with dizzyness (probably getting sick… again). And then i had to run to dry heave into the rink toilets when it was all over. Yeah, I pushed myself.

I still hear the voice of my junior high cross country coach, telling me that if I throw up at the finish line, I get a cheeseburger. I guess that meant then that we pushed ourselves just enough. I threw up a lot that season.

I not only passed my roller derby assessments; I nailed them. Surpassed all requirements, so that I can try out in January for our league’s A (Varsity) team.

I am endlessly amazed at what this 30-something body can do.