Hello and happy Monday! Happy brand new everything. I admit to totally loving the beginning of the week. The fresh slate, the abundance of pent up energy from a weekend of cuddling and eating spaghetti. The running schedule which is so far unaltered. : )

Everything feels fresh and possible on Monday.

This week for Marathon Monday I’m indulging in an idea sparked by a Twitter conversation with Joe Jacobi. Joe is a new running acquaintance I’ve made thanks to the OKC Memorial Marathon connection. I’d been asking friends to time travel a bit, to think back to what recipes rocked their young adult worlds in terms of convenience, cost effectiveness, etc. What we wish we’d known then kinda stuff. (I’m working on a fun kitchen surprise for our oldest girl who is cooking for herself now.)

Well, Joe suggested that the same question is a totally valid line of thought for sports, too. What do we wish we’d known in our twenties?

Friends, before we start, can we just pause for a moment
to appreciate and wonder at the fact
that I am discussing sports metaphors and philosophies
with an Olympic gold medalist and professional motivational speaker?
Because, miracles are real and life is full of wonderful surprises!
Amen. 

This is such a great idea. Hindsight may seem to be of little value for the present moment, until we consider that what we notice when we look back crystallizes for us our values. We can see clearly what we would change if we could, what we are still celebrating so many years later, and what is worth either repeating or forgetting entirely. Also, who knows? Offering what wisdom we discover in hindsight could help someone else.

Since I didn’t start running until my late thirties, I probably missed my prime. More than likely I am already well past my quickest, leanest years. I’ll probably never win a race, but I don’t care because I still plan to finish gobs and gobs of them. Running has changed my mindset and my overall well being in so many ways, I really wish time travel could be real long enough to go have coffee with myself twenty years ago. I’d say these things:

Just run. Yes, it takes a little time, but you’ll just spend that time doing stupid stuff anyway, like watching Real World or listening to the Cranberries on loop. Plus, and pay close attention here, you need time alone more than you realize. It will do wonders for you emotionally and socially.

Please cancel that dumb Mademoiselle “gym” membership and buy some running shoes. Don’t worry about how you think you look in sweat pants. You’re about to look pretty great.

Your writing will improve, too. Run that tangled mess of words into a streamlined sentence. Keep doing it.

Run! If you want to lose that little bit of weight after carrying two beautiful babies, running and eating better is the answer. Don’t you dare get a prescription for Fen-Phen. Just don’t, even if your doctor says it’s awesome.

Yes, seriously, I know that the new Pearl Jam album is really great. Agreed! But how about you go listen to it while running instead of just laying there with your ancient Walkman getting a sunburn?

You’re going to lose your Grandma not long after your first baby is born. Please start running now so she can see you finish your first marathon. She could be your biggest fan and you know it. She is worried about the path you’re on.

Run with your little sister. She needs it too. You need to be friends right now, before it’s too late. Trust me.

I bet, and I really mean this, that if you take up running and yoga and just slightly better eating, you won’t feel such a need to spend a gazillion dollars at the tanning beds. And by the way? That’s about to be really out of style anyway. Stop now, okay? Be the first to say enough.

If you start running you will feel better about yourself almost immediately. And I know you don’t want to talk about this with anyone who loves you, so listen to me: You need to get out of that toxic relationship earlier, in an adult way, with less destruction to everyone. Running will help. You will walk away peacefully and everyone will be happy for many extra years.

Run out all that stress instead of spinning your wheels in depression. Run so you can get quiet and listen to that voice inside your 20 year old heart saying this is not right, I’m not happy. Get outside and run instead of over thinking everything and talking and talking and talking about it every day. Talking is overrated. Running is a goldmine of mental health that you need to unearth now.

I know it hurts your lungs a little at first, and you wheeze and feel huge and clumsy and weird. But that’s normal! Do it in little increments. Make a plan. Get some encouragement. Have fun! Do not judge the whole experience by this first awkward beginning. Please give yourself a chance, okay?

Life is about to be so great. It’s about to be so amazing, you’ll soon look around and not hardly believe your eyes. Running will only amplify it all.

Okay, friends. Coffee with my younger self was nice, although she actually ordered a Dr. Pepper and chili cheese french fries and didn’t think twice about it, which was weird for me. I hope she heeds some of this hindsight advice. Now tell me what you would tell your younger self about health and wellness. I’d really truly love to hear it. And if you are a twenty-something reader today? Take this advice from someone who would love to have made this happy discovery at your age: RUN.

XOXOXOXO