So we had rain today for the like 65th day in a row…ok, I exaggerate; it’s been 3 days:-). Anyway, I had been enjoying getting outside doing some running working my way back into the groove since my surgery and then the rains came. Not a great big deal, I can go to the gym or work out at home, but it’s never quite the same.
As I was driving home from a lunch date today it was pouring….and I mean pouring! It was, for lack of a better term, raining the proverbial cats and dogs. I’m not just talking your garden variety of cats and dogs either, it was raining freaking St. Bernards and tigers! I digress; as I was driving I kept thinking of all of the reasons (excuses) not to run today. The obvious: it’s raining, duh!, I was kinda tired (I’m 8 weeks out from surgery, I’m entitled to be tired right?) and thinking a power nap on the couch would be awesome, did I mention it was raining?, I needed to run to the grocery store…the list was long in my head.
I walked in the house and the list continued to grow…gotta make dinner, the dogs need fed, ooohhh look there’s that darn couch looking SO inviting AND in front of the couch sat my sneakers….great….and for cryin out loud it’s raining! As I stood there looking at the couch…the sneakers…the couch…the sneakers, I made a choice: which do you want more I asked myself? Oh, I should be clear here; I LOVE rainy days, LOVE them; just not wild about running in them (or so I thought)!
Anyway, as you may have guessed, I changed my clothes, tugged my sneaks on, pulled a windbreaker over my head, grabbed my music and I was off. Now my normal route is about 5-6 miles and I haven’t been able to run the whole thing yet (the other day I did 3 miles, in the rain…yay me!). First mile-not so bad, it’s raining, but it’s ok. I hit the second mile and started pounding the pavement, gigging to my tunes, and it started raining those giant cats and dogs again.
Here’s the thing though..I started hearing the Rocky theme in my head; lol I know, silly, but there you have it. Rocky is playing in my head, it’s raining cats and dogs, I look like a drowned rat, and I’m expecting Noah to come along any moment and offer me a lift. In addition to hearing Rocky, I’m also thinking how good a hot shower is going to be, how yummy a big bowl of cioppino is going to taste, and how grateful I am to be getting back into my fitness routine…cool!
It’s SO easy for our minds to jump to excuses and reasons why we can’t…rather than on all the reasons we can! I felt on top of the world when I walked in the door…soaked, freezing, but on top of the world! Not only on top of the world, but so grateful and appreciative of the shower, hot food, snuggly couch, and everything else that I would have taken for granted this evening if I had not moved past my excuses and “shown up”.
How do you move past excuses? What makes you take action (or not)? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Below is my recipe for cioppino; it’s my take on a delicious, filling fish stew. I hope you enjoy it!
1 T (give or take) of olive oil
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped or minced
2 cans diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)
1 can tomato sauce (8 oz)
1/2-1 cup of your favorite vino (white or red; your choice)
1 tsp. basil oregano and parsley
dash pepper
1 large can of clams
1 lb fish, cut into bite size pieces (I use tilapia or mahi mahi)
1/2 lb scallops
1/2 lb shrimp (I use small frozen shrimp; tails off)
Heat oil in a large saucepan; add onion, pepper and garlic, saute until tender. Add the next ingredients up to the pepper. Bring to a boil and then simmer for15 minutes. Add seafood and simmer an additional 10 minutes.
I am always tinkering with ingredients, so nothing is set in stone here. Make it your own. If you don’t use wine, use chicken broth instead (but it’s much better with wine!) I serve it with warm crusty french bread. It’s a filling, healthy meal! YUM!
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