Milestone Weekend…

This weekend was chock full of milestones… and memories.  And while I’m utterly exhausted, I wouldn’t trade a single solitary second of it.  Not one.

First up was our first family 5K.  But, in true slightly off kilter fashion, we couldn’t do just ANY 5K… oh HECK no.  We did the Color Me Rad 5K and It. Was. Awesome.

My kids love races.  Many a weekend has been spent cheering them on as they compete in Jr. Triathlons and even a local Mud Run.  It has always been something that they do with their dad… and mom is the cheerleader…

A year ago, the eldest casually mentioned that it would be fun for us to do a race together.

My kids are overly amiable.  They rarely complain and don’t even ask for much.  They really took it to heart when they were in preschool and learned the saying “You get what you get and you don’t throw a fit” although, the youngest had a hard time with his “th” sounds so we say you don’t “fro” a fit because well, it’s adorable… my point… oh yeah…

They ask for so little that I KNEW I had to make this happen… but a year ago? I was nowhere ready.  Not even close.

But this year, the Color Me Rad race fell on the eldest’s birthday.  I took it as a sign.  There was NO WAY we couldn’t do it.

Fortunately for me, my friend Lori over at My Kinda Rain was on board too and she and her hubby came up for the race as well!

The other major milestone from this weekend was the eldest becoming an official teenager.  He’s growing up so nicely… although we have seen a few ’bouts of “teenager alien” popping through every now and then… mostly when he’s bored… or tired… or hungry… or breathing.  Just kidding.  For the most part, he is still helpful and a joy to be around… but I also know that my own personal CRAZY teenager years didn’t really happen until 10th/11th grade…. so I have a few more years before the mother’s curse truly kicks in… A fact that my mom likes to remind me of… often.

The Mamavation Grad campaign has “officially” ended… but that doesn’t mean my journey has.  I have a long road ahead of me but this time… this time I’m ready.  More than that, this time I truly believe to the core of my being that I am worth it.  I’m worth the effort.  I’m worth the hard work… the sweat… the tears… There are still many nights when I do NOT want to work out.  There are many nights I want to blow off the gym.  Truth is, there have been nights I totally caved in to those feelings.  But then I get right back into it without waiting a whole year month week and that is a victory.

I publicly check in via foursquare at the gym and post to Facebook – not to brag – honest.  I do it to hold myself accountable.  I do it because I know I have cheerleaders watching to keep me motivated.  I also have haters that would love to see me give up.  I do it for them.

My boys have decided that the Color Me Rad 5K needs to be an annual family affair… those nights I want to skip the gym, I’m reminded of that and know that next year, I want to cross the finish line WITH them… instead of 10 minutes after them. That keeps me going.  Who knows, we may opt to check out the Color Run (yes, it’s different) in April/May 2013…

But I also know that come January, there will be an influx of members at the already over-crowded gym.  I know that if I don’t switch to morning workouts, I’ll have another excuse popping into my brain “But it’s too crowded” and that is not acceptable.  I’ve done it before and I will do it again.  I am starting now to get back to the butt crack of dawn workouts.  The ones where you get your workout knocked out before your body is awake enough to protest 🙂 That’s my big goal for this week.  I’ll keep you posted on how that works out.