Inspiration/Perspiration Fridays
Running the Grand Life
St. Swartz: My new favourite run is around the Lanikai loop. Just the drive passed the Kalapawai Market and I start to lean forward as I navigate the curves to and over the canal. There is a lot going on in the evenings, plenty of people to slow down and keep an eye out for. Cyclists carrying paddles or boards, people walking in all different personal interpretations of beach fashion, runners and the occasional boozy holiday maker. My friend and I meet just passed the Kailua Beach Park at the boat ramp.
We set forth up the hill and begin running on the downhill. Keeping a look out is still important. One lane for cars and another for pedestrians makes for lots of interaction if you don’t pay attention. I love being part of this evening bustle. And I love the anticipation of my evening runs. I’ve got somewhere to go and all sorts of people to see. My friend and I run whilst keeping up an endless ream of chatter and laughter between us. Talking story, smiling and saying hallo to fellow humans out in the Kailua wonder. Ain’t life grand.
The Path is Made by Walking
Mizzfit: 
Self-Trickery Inspiration
LaFitterina:
Sometimes, a little self-trickery can work to get ourselves to exercise. For example, I had planned to forego working out yesterday, telling myself that I had a full day of errands. But then I decided to trick myself into going to the gym, rather than letting other priorities take over. I told myself that I would stop at the gym just to shower and wash my hair.
I put on workout clothes, put my gym bag in the car, put “gym” on my mental list of things to do, and realized I could postpone one errand (car wash). So, I totally set myself up for going to the gym, and it worked — exercised for an hour, cleaned up, got everything else accomplished, and went to Starbucks for coffee as a reward for my clever trickery!
Inspiration turns to Perspiration
Ms. Bockle:
When I got to the school where I was subbing today, I decided to do a ‘first’–go all the way down the SEVENTY steps, and instead of holding onto the railing, I focused on using the muscles from my feet and ankles all the way up to the muscles in my inner core, to keep me stable and balanced. Little did I know that all that balancing would help prepare me for events to come.
I was asked to remove all posters, children’s work, and charts from all the walls in two classrooms. Since I’m only 5 ft. tall, this task required the use of a chair and available shelving to reach the taller items—so my balancing act of descending the stairs came in quite handily.
I was enjoying myself until, when I reached up about the 60th time, and detected a scent that wasn’t so fresh—coming from me! I quickly reviewed the steps I went through during my morning ablutions, and realized that I’d neglected a vital part of the routine: the application of deodorant!
It’s always a great feeling of accomplishment, when we can work up a sweat during workouts, but not so much at 9AM, with the rest of the day’s hours lying ahead—with no shower facilities in sight.
My inspirational balancing act quickly became perspirational. Apologies all round.
