When I am not running I...

Am working towards a major life goal - my Bachelors Degree!  As of June 1st I will be officially enrolled in my first term at Western Governors University(WGU) in the Accounting program.  I have been debating returning to school after my job search with an associates degree resulted in no-where jobs.  Like many people I have talked to I had some reservations: Money, time, motivation, etc.  However, when my mom told me I should look into WGU, I was very surprised!  Here is what I learned about my new school:

WGU is entirely online, so I study and do the work on my time instead of on my professors.  They do not give out grades instead you either pass or fail the class.  You choose your own pace as to how fast or slow you want to work toward graduating.  You can take as many classes as you are able to in one term at a flat rate and all resources are provided.  The only catch?  The resources are only available online, if you want hard copies you have to buy them out of pocket.  All together, for someone who wants to work full-time and still be working towards a better future, WGU is(in my opinion) the way to go.

So I don't start until June 1st but...

I still get to get a head start early!  As of today I have begun the first chapter of my first class and am hoping to have gotten through three chapters before the actual start date.  Since everything is available online the only thing I can't get a head start on is the assessments.  The hope is that by getting off to a running start I will be able to finish strong, just like in my runs!

Speaking of which, I am still training for that marathon with my mom.  This last week has been much harder on me than I would have liked.  I have felt unmotivated and unhappy with my progress, mostly because there has been no real progress.  I have felt running has been extremely difficult this week with little to show for it, but my main motivator helps me to keep positive.  My mom is always there to push me to keep going, even when I want to quit more than anything.

Story Time!

Saturdays are our "long-run days" which is basically: Run as far as you can and don't worry so much about pace.  Our goal was 4-4.5 miles on the trails.  It was a muggy and rainy day already so my mood was just not there, but I knew that if I did the run I got to go to the farmers market as well as get breakfast.  Obviously I was going to run.  Things started out as usual with light conversation and fun music, but they turned near mile 2.  Cramps set in and they refused to let up.  Mom pushed me through this and got me to keep running, at this point I dropped my goal down to a 5k for the day.  Now, later when we approach what should be the 3 mile mark my mom decides she is going to pick up her pace to get a bit more distance in.  She tells me to keep running and not stop until she gets back, I can do that right?  Well I did.  When we catch back up I am exhausted and want to quit, and hate running.  She tells me only 6/10ths of a mile to go, and I say something like, "Is that all?  I can do that!" I'm suddenly invigorated and ready to run like never before.  A mere tenth of a mile later though I am asking how much farther.  As it turns out, 6/10ths of a mile is in fact just over a half mile!  My general math knowledge had apparently been thrown out the window in order to keep my feet moving.  I wanted to quit.  I wanted to stop right there in the middle of the trail and never move again.  I would have too, if it weren't for my mom.  She always pushes me to be better than what I think I am.  She somehow kept me going and I did it!  I finished my 4 mile run and she got in 4.5 miles.

Since then she has been pushing me to work through this rut of mine, and while we haven't made it past it yet I know we can.  After All, my trainer is the best there is.