Holy Smokes

Holy Smokes…I am one busy bee!

If I actually stop and think about what all I have going on…

Starting a company (wearing lots and lots of hats).

Taking care of kiddos, dog.

Training for 100 mile race.

Fundraising for race.

Volunteering for charity events.

It’s enough to make anyone want to pull their hair out and say, “Calgone Take me away” J

People ask me how do I do it and still have a smile on my face (well most of the timeJ)?

I start with writing my goals down in areas of family, faith, health and career.  Then, I develop a plan to accomplish the goals and then prioritize each day and FIND A WAY!

If it’s a goal of mine, I find a way to get it done.  Take training for the race.  I have to make sacrifices.  On a business trip, I am up at 4am running some days.  Other nights, when some are winding down with a relaxing glass of wine, I am training.  Of course, I am like anyone else after being on my feet all day at a trade show selling, I want to relax; but, I know to reach my goal…I’ve got to get it done. So I do.

I normally run longer runs back to back on Friday and Saturdays. But, I was having difficulty getting a sitter for my Saturday run so had to shuffle a few things around and get it done on Thursday and Friday.  So, today we had an ice storm.  Could have been an easy excuse to get out of my long run.  The roads and trails were slick.  So, what did I do…found a way to get it done.  Even if it was 23 miles on a treadmill.  Yes, 23 miles at the gym on a treadmill.  But, I got it done.  No excuses.

Same for other areas of my life.  I prioritize and get it done. 

Over the years, I have learned the importance of balance.  I now make sure to schedule time in for relaxation, yoga, etc.  Even if I don’t have time for a yoga class (especially since the mileage has been picking up in my training or if I’m traveling for business), I do some poses at home or in my hotel room.  I am going to make it a goal to get to two classes/week.  It does wonders for my mind and spirit and it certainly helps my muscles stay limber while training.  

I have also learned that I am not going to do everything perfect and I am ok with that.  When I prioritize, I accept that some things are going to have to be on the back burner.  My close friends and family know what some of my "back burners" are.....can anyone say matching socks:-) And that is ok.  I can not do it all.

Same goes for you.  What do you want to accomplish in 2013?

Dream Big, set goals, work hard and watch the magic begin.

I always hear….I don’t have time for this or that.  Whatever the person’s goal is…..health: I don’t have time to work-out; Broken marriage: I’m so busy I don’t have time to go to counseling; career: complaining about the job he/she is in…but never doing anything about it.

Guys and gals…If it is a priority for you and your happiness and well-being depend on it….you are so busy you don’t have time NOT to do these things.

We all have the same time in a day.  We all have 24 hours.  Yet how do some seem to get so much done while others are left wondering where the day has gone?  Acknowledge the distractions in your life.  How much time do you waste on TV, the web, FB, gossiping….there are always things you can cut out.  You can also get up earlier.  It’s amazing what you can do if you just get up 15-30 minutes earlier. Surround yourself with positive people.  Have self discipline, self respect.  And yes, take time to relax.

So, the next time you want to pull your hair out…cause we are human…take a deep breath in…exhale, set your goals, prioritize and try and put that smile onJ

I saw God.

I Saw God.

Often times on my runs, I feel the presence of God.  I get into some sort of active meditation.

On my run this past Wednesday in Atlanta, I was feeling particularly close to God.  I was enjoying the beautiful scenery, praying and had this feeling something  was going to happen.

As I ran through Piedmont Park, I came to what appeared to be the boundary of the park but the trail continued on to the left.  I decided to follow it.

I ran for a bit and then saw a bridge.  I was on the verge of running through it when I noticed clues under the bridge that there were people living under there.  I have to admit I picked up my pace a bit, my heart beat a bit faster and was hyper aware of my surroundings.  I looked up to my left as I ran under the bridge and a gentleman looked down at me with a friendly smile and said, “Hi”.  I responded in kind.

As I exited the bridge underpass, I ran a couple of strides and turned around.  I decided to give the homeless man some dignity and ask him if it was safe to run down the path I was on.  He explained it was the railway belt or something like that.  He gave me direction and said not to run past the railroad tracks.

I thanked him and joked if I didn’t make it back in a bit, to look for me.

I was amazed at how he had his place set up.  It was set up like an actual home.  Old pictures lined the top of the concrete wall, I could see an old poster framed in plastic propped up in the dirt.  It was evident the pride he had in his living area. 

As I ran on, I had this feeling I was supposed to meet him.

I continued on the trail where I ran into another man, Scott.  Again, greeted him, shook his hand, introduced myself and felt as though I was supposed to meet him.  I explained to Scott that I was running a race for the Family Scholar House and what that was.  During our conversation, Scott shared his story. 

Scott was in the Vietnam War.  When he came back from the War, he moved to Atlanta and held a part-time job for a while but it didn’t last.  He became homeless and now he just gets by.  He doesn’t have any family around.

I told him I wished I had something to give him and if I ran through the area again, I would bring something.  He humbly responded, “Don’t feel like you have too.  But if you do, thank you.”

I told him about my blog for the race and asked him if he minded if I mentioned him.  He smiled and said, “That’s fine.” 

I took a picture of him and told him I would keep him in my prayers and ran on.

I reached the railroad tracks and turned around as the other man suggested.  When I ran back toward the bridge, I felt again like I was supposed to talk to the man under the bridge.  As I ran through, he was gone.  I thought, “Man, and he was supposed to be looking out for me?” I figured that with talking to Scott, I took too long and he must have thought I ran a different direction.

Anyway, a bit disappointed he wasn’t there, I ran on.  I thought, “I guess if it was God’s will and meant to be, it would have happened.”

I ran on various trails throughout the park and then low and behold at a picnic table- there he was.

We both smiled and waved.  I ran up to him, shook his hand and introduced myself.  He introduced himself.  Everyone, meet James, “Skeets”.

He said when he didn’t see me come back, he walked down the trail a bit looking for me and just assumed I took a different route.  I explained to him about my run, purpose of the run and feeling a need to help the poor.  I told him I talked with the man down the trail from him and that was the delay in my getting back.  He couldn’t believe the other man, Scott, had talked to me.  He said he has never talked to him and doesn’t really talk to anyone.  He told me when someone gives him money, he likes to give away half of it.  He will often walk down to Scott (he didn’t even know his name until I told him) and offer him money.  Scott will wave him off like he doesn’t want any money and then James will just sit it beside him.  James said the only thing he really knows about Scott is he likes to drink regular Coke and doesn’t think he drinks alcohol. 

James said many of his friends think he’s crazy for always giving away money.  I was amazed.

In the course of our conversation, he shared his story with me.

His mom was shot when he was 12.  He tried to find the person that shot her but couldn’t.  He said he then just took it out on others.  I didn’t ask exactly what that meant but he said his record wasn’t good and really no one would hire him. And so the vicious cycle began.  He was on his own at a young age trying to make it.

He said as time went on , he changed his ways but his record followed him.  Still no one would hire him.  He would do jobs for cash and after a while had enough money to buy chips and snacks to sell to people. He said the police found out he was doing this and warned him to stop because he wasn’t paying taxes on any of it.  He said the police like him around the area so they just gave him a warning.  That was his livelihood so he continued.  He got caught again and the police said, “Skeets, this is your last warning and if you are caught again we are going to have to put you in jail.” He said he stopped for good.

He said he has been in his “home” for a while now.  I said how great his place looked.  I could sense his pride.  He told me he takes in “homeless” people when it is cold or raining.  That really moved me. 

He said he makes a little money from the business near his home as “behind the scenes security”.  They pay him cash to make sure no one breaks into cars in the parking lot. 

James was married and has 3 kids.  He said he has a good relationship with his oldest son.  His oldest is in a community college and trying to make it.  He said his son “will come and kick it with him”.

It sounded like his being homeless in adulthood had been on and off again.

It came up in conversation it was his 45^th birthday the next day.  I told him I needed to continue on my run and explained my blog.  He was happy to be a part.

I ran away with a deep sense of purpose. 

I saw God in both of them.  This can happen in the most unexpected places and times.

Premium Gas

Achieving any kind of goal in my life, I need to have a good plan (a written plan complete with strategies and tactics) and then work really, really hard.

With a physical goal, my plan always focuses on three primary areas: mental training, physical training and nutrition.

Nutrition is so important to performing at my peak at anything in my life.  When I eat better, I feel better, am happier and achieve more. 

Our bodies house the dreams and goals of our mind.  It is our premium car.  We need to fuel it with premium nutrition.

Leading up to my race, I am fueling my body with plant-based whole foods; staying away from meat, dairy and eggs.  I am focusing on fruits, veggies, whole grains (quinoa, brown rice, lentils).

So excited when I received the NutriBullet for Christmas from my Mom and Dad!  The absolute perfect gift to help achieve my goals!  I have juiced in the past and although I love juicing, it does create a mess and a big clean-up.  It also takes out some of the nutrients of the foods. 

The NutriBullet pulverizes the fruits and veggies, leaving the most optimal amount of the nutrients available for our bodies. 

I cannot believe how easy the ‘Bullet’ is!  I am so happy that my parents found this for me.  I am not getting paid by the company and am not a sales rep….but, just telling you from my personal experience…it is an easy way to get healthy! 

I am on a business trip in Atlanta right now. Often times this is an easy way to make an excuse to stray from healthy habits.  To ensure I am on track, I brought the ‘Bullet’ and some whole, raw foods.  One of my favorites right now is blending some spinach, kale, banana, pear, blueberries, organic raw maca and a bit of raw cacao.  Packed with fuel for my body and mind…and tastes good too!

I also like blending avocado, cucumber, spinach, pineapple, pear and lemon. 

Happy to be able to continue to fuel my body even in a hotel room! 

This pic is from our hotel room.

This is a picture of a drink made up of rasberries, strawberries, apples, banana and spinach. This one is good for you and tastes great....my kids love this one!!  In fact, my 10 year now loves to create his own concoctions.  

This is a pic from our home of the "green machine" drink (as I call it) :-)  (avocado, cucumber, kale, spinach, broccoli, pineapple, pear, lemon).

How do you wrap your mind around 100 miles?

How do you wrap your mind around 100 miles?

People ask me that a lot.  In fact, they asked me how I wrapped my mind around the Ironman and running my first Ultra distance of 56 miles. 

The answer is early on in the training-I don’t.  

I am not ready to run 100 miles (just like I was not ready to compete in the Ironman 10 months before the race).  In fact, I had never participated in one triathlon when I signed up for the Ironman.  I had never swam in the open water and had never ridden clipped in to a bike.

There were days training for the Ironman that I thought I was going to die.  I can remember after one long ride and run in the sweltering heat and humidity (mid-summer in Louisville) and trying to keep up with the group.  I finished the work-out, got in my car and cried (and I don’t cry often).  Then, when I got home, took a quick shower and before I could even get myself dressed, I sat down to take a rest and passed out….that’s how completely empty my tank was.

If I had completely focused on the fact that I was going to have to swim 2.6 miles before that  ride, add 70 miles to the bike ride and then run an extra 15 miles to the run that day….it would have been overwhelming.  That’s where and when lots of people end up giving up.  It seems so hard on one particular training day and then they can not wrap their mind around how they could possibly do anything more. 

So my advice to you is…don’t try to wrap your brain around it early on.  Just get through what you have to do for that day and feel satisfaction knowing you reached your goal for that day.  There will be bumps in the rode that will probably not allow you to complete every work-out and that is to be expected.  But, know it is a long haul and get back in the saddle and get back out there.

I focused on crushing my plan every day and that was it.  Now, the day of the first long bike ride, it’s safe to say I didn’t crush it.  But, I did what I could, learned from it and moved on.  I knew my next ride I could do that much and maybe a bit more.  It was about building my body and mind.

While I do not focus on how will I ever do 100 miles when 20-30-40 are challenging right now.  I do visualize myself running the 100 miles in Alaska.  I visualize myself effortlessly running through the trails of Alaska taking in the sites and finishing the race.   But I don’t get caught up if I am tired at the end of 20 miles right now thinking “wow….and I have to run 80 more”. I trust the plan. I trust in my work ethic.  I trust in my persistence and determination and focus on crushing the plan each day.

Purpose

Hi, I am Kim Andriole.  This is my first-ever blog.  I start with hesitancy.  In the past, I have never been one to talk about a journey, a challenge, while I was experiencing it; I waited until I was done and, if people were interested, I was glad to talk about it.  

This journey, however, is different.  This is more than a personal pursuit.  This is about combining a dream of my son’s, a community need, and one of my gifts to accomplish a goal larger than anything I have tried before.

Let me start with my son’s dream, actually his prayer:  My son always prays, "Lord, please help the poor not be poor anymore." He has been praying this since he was five years old (he is now 10).  I have always thought, "My, that is one tall order."  But, I always continued to pray with him.

Recently, I learned of the Family Scholar House.  Their mission is to end the cycle of poverty through education. The people enrolled in the program are working hard to earn a four year college degree.  They do not want a temporary fix.  They want a change that will impact their lives and the lives of their families, a change that will make them independent. The Family Scholar House partners with the participants of the program, helping them not only in their efforts to earn a 4 year college degree but also offering participants life skill classes on interviewing skills, managing a budget, buying a home, etc.

A light bulb went off!  Why not use my gifts to help make a difference in this world.  Why not combine my gifts and passion with a purpose.  Even if it is small, I can do something.  In a very small way, I can "help the poor not be poor anymore".

So, my journey begins.  On July 28^th, 2013, I will run a 100 mile race in Alaska to benefit the Family Scholar House.  My goal is to raise $100,000.  I understand that amount seems like a lofty goal.  And frankly to many, so does running 100 miles all at once.  I am sure that many of the participants in the FSH felt that achieving a college degree was a lofty goal.  Many have probably been told that obtaining a college education was nothing more than a dream and that it is not possible. Yet, these participants find it in themselves to believe “it is possible” and work to achieve and break the cycle of poverty.  That motivates me to run 100 miles and work to earn $100,000 for the Family Scholar House.  I believe it is possible.  I believe they are possible.

I am stepping out of my comfort zone to raise money for Family Scholar House.  I am stepping out of my comfort zone to share stories and write of my journey but I do this for the people of the FSH.  I will also write about others I meet along my journey.  Other people who are on a journey of their own to making the impossible, possible. 

I hope you will join us!