I interrupt this regularly scheduled Marathon Monday for a bit of a panic attack. I started writing this blog post in my head last week as I started to look ahead at my running schedule. The miles are building and so is the unknown. To train to run a marathon, most programs have you running at least four times a week with one of those runs being a long run, as I am doing. Each week you increase both the distance of your long run as well as your total weekly miles. Soon my long runs will be passing the half marathon distance (13.1 miles) which is uncharted territory for me. The unknown has me a bit nervous, so much so that I'm feeling nervous even when I go out for a "short" run. Regardless, I still get out there. Marathon training has definitely been valuable practice in routinely facing fears. So last week, my long run was twelve miles. I faced my fear and I did it! And it felt good. I thought I had maybe turned a corner. But then I came home with an achy ankle that did...

When I stop to think about it, the internet is an amazing place. For me, it's a great source of creative inspiration with so many wonderful blogs and sites like Pinterest . Sites like Facebook provide me with a sense of community and a simple way to stay in touch with friends. While I strive to get fit, I have found motivation and support from friends on Facebook, posters on Pinterest , and tools from Weight Watchers . It's been a true blessing. But sometimes it can be a source of insecurity. Sometimes you can't help but compare yourself to what you see out there. I've caught myself wondering how other bloggers balance the pressures of life, especially motherhood, with building a creative business. How do they find the time to come up with so many projects and blog posts, and take care of their family and home? Or I sometimes wonder why can't I run that fast? Or why is it so much harder for me to lose weight? Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera... If I'm not careful...