Motivation {Don’t Postpone It}

 

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Motivation isn’t always pretty… usually its sweat pouring off my red face!

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With so many things having been postponed in 2020 I made a vow to myself way back in April “do not postpone motivation… keep moving no matter what”.   And I am so thankful that through the months of worry and stress and concern… I kept physically motivated and finally I came to the place that I could say “I love running”!  And it was the pandemic that did that for me… running was something that I’ve been struggling through for three years.  It became such an outlet over the last 8 months and now I look so forward to my runs.

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My daughter and I and her husband run on our farm.  We have amazing trails that wind through the woods, up the hills, around the hay field, and through the pastures!   It is safe from traffic and dogs (besides my own sweet dog Belle!).  I can listen to my music, or listen to the music of the farm.  I can zone out in my own world and think.  Oftentimes my daughter and I run together and we go slow and visit.

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There is no better place to run than on trails that crunch with leaves…

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wind through little hidden meadows…

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go through the deep woods…

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and along the top of the hills…

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I love that 7 miles of trails can be so much more enjoyable than 7 miles of running along a road.

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Oak Barrel Half Marathon, October 24 with my kids and their friends 

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One thing that has always helped me stay motivated in my running is to sign up for several races a year.  I’ve written about my favorite race, the Oak Barrel Half Marathon four different times through the years! It is always held the first Saturday of April.  This year it was canceled of course.  But when things here in Tennessee settled out some in September they rescheduled it for October and we got to run it then!

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One thing that helps my nerves the night before a race is that I lay all my things out, and the next morning there is no worry on forgetting anything!  This time was even more fun since my last race was in February; so I just loved getting all my favorite race gear laid out!

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It was so interesting the way they managed the run this year.  Every runner had their own start time and literally everyone was staggered so that there were no crowds at the start.  I actually really enjoyed it that way as this is a big race with a lot of people and it can be a traffic jam of feet!

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It was a beautiful cool, fall morning with the leaves turning on the trees and I enjoyed every mile of the 13 miles.

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As a matter of fact, I enjoyed it so much that I actually finished a full 23 minutes faster than my best time.   I set a pace, got in my zone and just enjoyed it!  Starting, running, and finishing with a smile was so easy this year!

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I think the purpose of this post is to encourage any of my readers that are interested in running. Just START.  It is not easy, there are days when it is brutal.  But it is so rewarding to just stick it out.  Start slow, do a lot of walking/running intervals and sloooowly get to the point where you run more than you walk.  Whatever you do, just keep going.

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We are a family of runners… I took this picture as I was trying to keep up with my adult kids on a trail in Arizona in early October of this year!

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One of the things that helped me stay motivated so much this year is my sweet daughter.  She is such a huge encourager to me and so many mornings throughout the hot summer she would text me “want to run together this morning?”.   She runs at a complete different pace than me but would so often run slow so we could run together.  Or we would each run our own pace but would see each other all over the farm!  Find someone that will motivate you and help to hold you accountable.

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It doesn’t happen quickly!  And maybe that is why it feels SO worthwhile!!!  Because you have to fight for it!  It isn’t about speed or the pace you set… its about moving forward!

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I’m already making some goals for my running for 2021 and longer Trail Running Races is one of my goals!  I’d love to hear what some of your goals are!  I’m not one for New Years Resolutions but I’m all about GOALS!!!  Please share any goals you have for yourself to keep you motivated… in whatever form that takes!

Happy Thanksgiving Friends!!!  I hope you have the very best day ever.  There aren’t too many of us gathering together this year but that isn’t stopping me from baking all kinds of pies!

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Until our gravel roads (or leaf filled trails!) cross again…  so long.

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Dori 

  1. Bonnie says:

    Happy and Safe Thanksgiving!

  2. Candace Segar says:

    Thanks Dori. You are such an inspiration. Congratulations on your great run and time! That is gratifying to hear how your due diligence and hard work and enjoyment have all paid off! I am ready to put on my running shoes and do more than walk in them thanks to you! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

    Candy Segar

    • Carole Harmon says:

      You’re enthusiasm is contagious, Dori!
      I no longer run due to bad knees, but I still like to take at least a 20-30-minute walk daily on our 3 acres of lawn. I use my walking sticks to help stabilize me on the uneven spots. I hope to find a walking partner out here in rural eastern Idaho.
      Keep sharing; I enjoy your blog.
      Carole

      • Dori Troutman says:

        Hi Carole,

        That is SO awesome that you keep walking. Don’t ever stop. Also smart that you use walking sticks! You are amazing.

        ~ Dori ~

    • Dori Troutman says:

      Hi Candace,

      Thank you for writing to me… get those running shoes on! You’ll be amazing. Email me if you ever need a push to get out and run! And then you can push me too.

      Hugs,

      ~ Dori ~

  3. Howdy, Dori!
    Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours! I always love your posts and your dedication to running is inspiring. I’m so happy you found a healthy outlet during Covid times.
    One that you can stick with too! We’re on a whole foods path at our house which is feeling pretty good!
    Keep being wonderful you!
    xoxoxo
    Deb ( Beach Farmgirl forever )

    • Dori Troutman says:

      Hi Deb!

      Oh I miss reading your Beach Farmgirl blog posts. I’m so glad I get to follow along with your amazing flower business though. You inspire me so much.

      Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

      BIG hugs,

      ~ Dori ~

  4. Christine Martello says:

    Thanks Dori, Really enjoyed your blog.
    We have used our down time to restore our barn. Beams have been replaced with help from Amish. The red siding is finally complete. There is a 1900 sq. ft. “room” that will be an optional venue for our B&B business once we hopefully resume next year. It has been a lot of work but helped to keep us moving each day! Chris

    • Dori Troutman says:

      Hi Christine,

      Oh my goodness what an amazing project!!! How exciting. I’d love to see pictures of your B&B business. Do you have a website?

      ~ Dori ~

  5. Adrienne Kristine says:

    I run 4 miles a day (and do 5-mile Friday) up and down the hallway of my apartment building. There are many virtual races to run and I just finished the 150-Mile Kaiser Permanente Around the Bay Challenge in San Francisco. I’m not fast but I’m consistent at 72. I’ll keep going as long as I can. Kudos to you for running in such a beautiful place!

    • Dori Troutman says:

      Hi Adrienne,

      Oh how I LOVE this. And WOW!!!! Kudos to YOU for being so diligent that you do this in your apartment building. This is so amazing. I want to be like you!!! And yes… we need to do exactly what you said; keeping going as long as we can.

      Thank you for your motivation today!

      ~ Dori ~

  6. Victoria Hall says:

    You live in heaven

  7. DAIZY says:

    Whoo hoo!!! Run, Mz Dori. Yep…I run on the ranch also but my paths have gotten overgrown due to lack of foot traffic. I MUST do better. I have taken a snap shot of your trails map and will have to implement that for my place. GOALS! I want to host a ranch run this year…maybe in the fall. One of my mottos is RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!!. Hugs, Daizy in Alabama Farmgirl #1093

    • Dori Troutman says:

      Hi Daizy!

      Goals are the BEST and I LOVE LOVE LOVE your idea of hosting a ranch run. We want to do a 10K farm run for friends in the area that run/walk. It’s so fun!

      And oh my goodness I love your motto!!! I think I’ll steal that!

      ~ Dori ~

  8. Patty Vannoy says:

    As I am beginning to get back into my workouts after cancer treatments and recovery, YOU are giving me motivation. I have been walking 3.5 miles every other day for now preparing to get to running. I wish I had a place like your farm to run but I will conquer these farm road hills once again as I did before pre-cancer.

    • Dori Troutman says:

      Hi Patty,

      It is SO hard to get back to having good strength and energy after cancer treatments. I had breast cancer and went through 16 rounds of chemo and I honestly will never forget that horrible feeling of fatigue. I’m really proud of you for walking and now preparing to run! I’m so excited for you!! And YAY for being able to put those cancer treatment days behind you.

      ~ Dori ~

  9. Marilyn says:

    Wishing you and yours a Blessed and Happy Thanksgiving.
    Joan,Marion and Marilyn

    • Dori Troutman says:

      Marilyn,

      Thank you!!! I hope you had a very happy Thanksgiving. Ours was wonderful. Beautiful weather, wonderful family, and amazing pies! 🙂

      ~ Dori ~

  10. Sandi says:

    Hi Dori

    Wow! Amazing how much energy you have and I know it is great for you. Moving is so important for everyone. I know. I don’t move enough and I am stiff and in pain a lot because of it, so what I did because I don’t walk in my area, much less run, I ordered a slim cycle and I have it now. I had to put it together myself – feel good about doing it – and i have been on it twice, yesterday the day I got it and put it together and this morning when I woke up, I tried it again. I am in such poor shape I take it slow and don’t over time on it as that can hurt more than help when just starting out. But I feel if I can do this every day and get my time up and my speed up then I will be able to do so much more later on and feel great too. Thanks for your inspiring blog.

  11. Carol Sue Yensco says:

    This is great. I use our small 3 acres around thr goats to get my walks in on our busy rural road.

  12. Maureen says:

    Hey Dori,

    I can sort of relate, my back or knees can’t take running, but I walk every day. It is so soul refreshing and brain soothing. I have a little day planner and give myself a sticker every day I walk. If I go twice, I also earn a star. A small, but very motivating thing. If I can’t walk, I note the reason. This summer’s wildfires made the air quality dangerous on some days, but rarely did I miss. Keep up the good work…..outside is awesome and meant to be enjoyed.

  13. Kim says:

    Thank you! I LOVED this post and it’s message. I’ve never been a runner but I AM struggling with daily motivation to become a better weaver. All my stuff is laid out and I simply look at it every day as I walk by the looms. Clearly, lol, I need motivation. Thanks for this boost on my journey.

  14. JUDY says:

    THANKYOU DORI, I THINK YOUR AWSOME. I CAN’T RUN ANYMORE BUT I CAN KEEP MOVING, SO THANKYOU FOR THIS.

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