FFF Diva Update: Take Me or Leave Me

"Take Me or Leave Me" from the Broadway Musical RENT

"Take me for what I am, who I was meant to be. And if you give a damn, take me baby or leave me." -Maureen from RENT, 1996

Usually I write an end of the year re-cap when it's the ACTUAL end of the year, but I figure since it's December already then it's close enough. = )

2010 you have definitely been a year of many UPS and many DOWNS, but ALL were life lessons to keep me moving forward. Here are some selected highlights:



January 2010
*Ran 5K Run for the Homeless in Fremont, CA = first race of the year!
*Decided I would take running more seriously by running at least 20 miles a week (around 1,000 miles by the end of the year was the goal)

February 2010
*Ran 10K Valentine's Day Run in Campbell, CA
*Actually celebrated V-Day with a young man I was dating
*I was no longer single, thus ending my 3 year relationship drought

March 2010
*Got a horrible chest cold that restricted me from any exercise for two weeks before my first marathon
*Completed my first full marathon (Los Angeles Marathon) on my 25th birthday (March 21st) with my sister Leilani
*One week after my birthday my boyfriend broke up with me

April 2010
*Ran the Santa Cruz 10K Race with my sister (1st race with rain!)
*Got featured in the "Camper Spotlight" section of the national Operation Boot Camp website blog
*Celebrated one year with Operation Boot Camp (1 year as a participant!)

May 2010
*Left my job at the Youth Leadership Institute after 4 years to finally finish my MBA graduate degree
*Was unemployed for the first time in my adult life
*Had no health insurance, until the Health Care Bill passed (now coverage until 26)
*Celebrated my one year anniversary of my first competitive running race: 5K Marin Human Race

June 2010
*Got hired at a law firm as a receptionist
*Worked weekends at Bath and Body Works
*Got hired to do Poltical Organizing for June elections
*Got elected to be Vice-President of Membership for the Silicon Valley Young Democrats

July 2010
*Ran the Wharf to Wharf race in Santa Cruz/Capitola with the Ladies of OBC
*Became certified in CPR/AED/First Aid for Child/Infant/Adult

August 2010
*Rallied, organized, and worked it for Young Dems everywhere
*Started my 2nd to last semester of my MBA graduate studies
*Officiated a friend's wedding on a beach bluff in beautiful Half Moon Bay

September 2010
*A once in a lifetime opportunity came twice, but it wasn't meant to be
*Started my position of Secretary for the Dominican Alumni Board of Directors
*Ran the Run Until the End of Summer 10K Race with my Operation Boot Camp family (they literally helped me cross the finish line--I was so dehydrated that day)

October 2010
*Attended the California Governor's Debate at Dominican University of California (my alma mater)
*Completed my first full month at Operation Boot Camp with perfect attendance
*Completed my first Nike Women's 1/2 Marathon AND PR'ed it for a Tiffany & Co. necklace
*Completed my first 5K obstacle filled race called the Warrior Dash in full costume dress up as Thing 2 from Dr. Suess
*Started dating again

November 2010
*Survived Black Friday retail hell
*Survived 3 Thanksgiving events and didn't throw up! I ate relatively well.
*Ran the Morgan Hill 1/2 Marathon even though I was out sick from school, work, and exercise the week leading up to it
*Finally told the truth on my food log

December 2010
*Back in my OBC and running element
*Back to working out at the gym every weekday
*Back to stretching & foam rolling everyday

What will 2011 bring? I don't know. But I do know that it's easier for me to motivate other people to succeed and in the end I sabotage myself by making excuses and doing shortcuts. I always compared my weight loss to other people's weight loss. Totally drove me nuts. I always lied on my food log. I have been in my 250s for the last three years and even though I am stronger, more fit, and can run (unlike before), I am still FAT. I will no longer be comparing myself to others. I will no longer cut myself short. I will push myself 10% harder. I will continue cleaner eating, consistent exericse, and know that even if I had a bad day tomorrow would be a new slate. No more emotional eating, no more excuses, just success! Don't get me wrong, I have come a long way in my weight loss journey, but I could have been there already and for that I feel like a failure, a fake, and a phony. But on the other hand I now have the tools, knowledge, and experience of what TO DO and what NOT TO DO when it comes to living a healther lifestyle.

Bottomline: I WILL NO LONGER BE BOTHERED BY OTHER PEOPLE'S EXPECTATIONS OF ME. I AM JUST GOING TO DO ME. = )

Take me or leave me,
<3 FFF Diva Mo

FFF Diva New Year's Motivation: "A New Year = New Dreams = New Goals"

A New Year = New Dreams = New Goals

By Don Allison
For Active.com

Another year gone by. They sure go by fast. I made that statement last year at this time, and nothing has occurred during the past 365 days to change that outlook.

So, what's your plan for 2010? Is this the year you are finally going to pursue that long sought-after running goal? Do you have it in you? Is it realistic to think you can improve if you are more dedicated? That's the lure of running. You train harder, you run longer, stronger and faster. It's nice to have a plan, to dream of a goal that you hope to achieve.

The problem is that reality, which is often ugly and messy, often unfolds quite differently from our clean, efficient plans, laid out so neatly on January 1. When dreaming or planning, we don't often factor in days when we are tired, ill, injured, sore, or just plain not-into-training. We don't foresee days on end when our legs are dead. Life intervenes in other ways as well: work and family often put running on the back burner, as they should. Some days when you are raring to go, bad weather or an unscheduled emergency puts a damper on your run.

Sometimes our goals are simply too ambitious, although they may not seem that way, especially when we hear about the incredible feats of others. But we can’t base our goals on the accomplishments of others. We may manage 20 or 30 or 40 miles per week of running without too much strain, but in attempt to run 50 or 60 we break down, or become too tired or too harried to accrue any real benefits from the extra mileage.

As the years go by, I realize that there is just not much time to squeeze in a lot of mileage, even if it is available for running. Maybe I am just getting slower, but years ago, I covered 70 miles per week without too much difficulty. Now, even reaching 30 is often a challenge. Nowadays that seems like a lot! I also need more recovery days, recovery weeks, and recovery months. Necessary as they may be, they create a lot of empty space in the training log.

There are many things we can do to improve our running:

Set concrete goals
Run more mileage
Run more speed
Add strength training
Add cross training
Improve our diet
Keep a detailed training log
Get more rest
Do more stretching
Take a yoga class
These are all worthy pursuits, but tough to add to an already full running and life schedule. I'd like to see the individual who can manage many of these things inside of a workday lunch hour.

Should you make your running a high priority? Will it affect your or anyone else's life in a positive way? That's a subject for another column, but suffice to say that if you do have aspirations to reach as yet unachieved running goals, you will have to make a concerted effort to do so. Will it require a sacrifice of other priorities? That all depends upon how you look at it. One man's (or woman’s) sacrifice is another's pleasure.

Whether or not we are actually able to achieve them, setting goals to improve our running is a worthwhile pursuit. It defines our effort, which usually results in improved performance. Aimlessly going from day to day can result in stagnation, even if you are only in the sport for participation.

Whatever your goals, you should bring integrity and validity to them. It does not matter if that goal is to break the world record in the marathon or complete a three-mile run around your neighborhood. It's your achievement; thus, the feeling of accomplishment and the journey to get there are what it's all about.

A new year is simply a demarcation on the calendar, but I have always found it a good time to assess and reflect upon my own running. My motivation level may not make it all the way through the year, but I know this is the time I have set to commence achieving specific goals.

In the end, dreams do matter. They are the starting point for fulfillment in running. I wish all of you the best in realizing your own running dreams and goals during 2009. There is no time like the present—before you know it, it will be gone!

Don Allison, from Weymouth, Massachusetts, is the former publisher of UltraRunning Magazine and a founder of Cool Running. He has completed 55 marathons, with a personal best of 2:35. In addition, Don has completed several ultramarathons, Ironman triathlons and cycled across the U.S.A. in 2006.