Have You Challenged Yourself Today?

          

     This weekend I took part in the Ragnar Relay www.ragnarrelay.com.  I was about to hop in a van with 5 other women.  There would be 12 of us total running 186 miles from Plymouth MA to Provincetown.  Nonstop. Overnight. As I stood in the merchandise tent I saw this on a sweatshirt: Run. Eat. Sleep? Repeat.   I began to realize the magnitude of what I had signed up for. 

          Have you challenged yourself lately?   I’ve heard my friends and colleagues speak of being in a rut.  As moms, whether we stay home or work, we’ve all been there.  Days go by and we continue to take care of the family and house.  We can’t remember the last time we sat down to rest with nothing on the to-do list.  Our sweatshirt would say: Feed. Transport. Clean. Sleep? Repeat. 

          When I told Jim I was going to do Ragnar two of his responses were: “That doesn’t sound fun.”  and “I don’t get it.”  This made me only want to do it more!   Choose a challenge that means something to you.  That you will find fun.  It can either be alone or with friends.  Choose something that is a little out of your comfort zone but won’t totally freak you out.  One of my legs was five miles long.  I haven’t run five miles in 15 years!  Never mind that I would also be running four miles seven hours earlier.  My last run was three miles at 4:00 a.m. through a state park.  (OK, this one freaked me out a bit.) 

          But I have good news!  The adrenaline of a challenge pushes you through.  It’s exhilarating!  You have to try it.  But I also have to warn you.  Once you have accomplished one challenge, you will want to do another.  I’m considering a triathlon next!