2014: The Year of “I CAN”

As we move into the New Year many of you may have already set your goals and are ambitiously chasing after them. Way to go! Or, if you are like many that I have talked to, you may not be writing down resolutions this year because of your track record for not following through with them. Maybe you don’t see the point. Maybe you don’t think you can actually accomplish these goals that you have in your head. Well I am here to let you know that I truly believe that YES YOU CAN!

Instead of listing out all my goals for this year, I want to take this moment to reflect on the past year and encourage you to figure out what it is that you truly want from this year and then RunLikeKale after it! I mean really go all out. Don’t hold back! Why shouldn’t this be the year that you finally run that first 5k, or complete your first triathlon. Just go after it!

In 2013 I had two big goals that I really wanted to challenge myself to do: Eat a completely clean vegan diet, and complete a 140.6 mile Ironman Triathlon.

1.    Eating a Vegan Diet:

Truth: I did NOT think I would be able to do this for more than a week let alone a year! I mean I loved the taste of meat and cheese! Why would anyone want to give that up? I used to think. Those people are straight up cray cray! Don’t they know they neeeedddd protein, which clear only comes from mounds of chicken and eggs with each meal!?!   Ummm false! It makes me chuckle a little at how I used to think.

I actually began the new year with this 30 Day Vegan Challenge!
And honestly, that was as long as I had planned on doing it for. In the beginning it was a challenge, learning to eat and cook differently. As I pressed through it became easier and easier. I got used to ordering an ALT (avocado, lettuce, and tomato sandwich) instead of a BLT. And I actually enjoyed it more.
But what really convinced me to stick with this new way of

eating was how good my body felt! I felt fresh, and clean inside. I had more energy and not as lethargic. So as my30 day challenge came to an end, and I was about to dive into my Ironman training, I thought to myself if I feel this good then why wouldn’t I continue to eat this way? So I made it my new goal to stick to a vegan diet throughout my Ironman training. And it  was  awesome! I was able to go run 13 miles and bike 60 miles in one day and then wake up the next morning not feeling sore, because my body was able to heal itself faster not having all that meat and dairy product to slow it down. And yes, I got more than enough protein!

2.    Completing the Ironman:

This was another one of those goals that I thought I was crazy to even start. But my Dad, being the persuader that he is, got me to sign up for the 2013 MontTremblant Ironman. The thing about signing up for an Ironman is that you have to do it a year in advance or it will more than likely be sold out. These races are not cheap either. It truly is a commitment you have to make a year in advance. There was no backing out once I was signed up. I had to make it up in my mind that I was going to do it, even though it did not seem physically possible. It was the hardest and yet most glorious day of my life. If you want to know more about my Ironman experience and all the things that went wrong, and right…you can read about it here: Those four little words, “You ARE and Ironman!”

Honestly, both of these were things I never thought I could ever accomplish. I came across this quote once that really changed my perspective of “can’t.”

WHETHER YOU THINK YOU CAN, OR THINK YOU CAN’T, YOU ARE RIGHT!

That’s when I finally decided, you know what? I think I can do this. And so I did.

Many times people just become comfortable where they are and so they stop trying…I’m challenging you to strive for more!
So what are you going to decide that you CAN do this year? What do you want to accomplish? What will you do?