Devon Maryn Athletic Capris (c/o) / New Balance Sneakers (Check out New Balances in pink, mint, teal, navy and gray!) / Athleta Hoodie (c/o)
I am not an athletic girl.
Back in high school, the field hockey coach actually pulled me aside during varsity tryouts, and said something along the lines of, “Look. You’re not good at this. But you try hard. And we’re down girls. So… yeah. Welcome to the team.”
Hallelujah!
I spent my days cherry picking by the goal. With the “position” came fewer chances of being pummeled, the ability to focus my efforts on a relatively easy task (simply putting the ball into the goal once everyone else had done the hard work to get it there), and the opportunity to contribute something to the team besides getting in the way.
I fared a bit better in lacrosse, as my teenage self felt like the sport required slightly less coordination and “stick work.” It was a faster game, and demanded more running and endurance. And running and endurance were areas that I actually saw gains in when I put in the effort!
So that was good.
(Kind of.)
In college, I had a few stints on intramural teams. Fun fact: my softball team won the “World Series” my junior year. I had absolutely nothing to do with the victory, but it sure was awesome! Running, though, was my jam.
I started my freshman year, mostly because I was homesick, unhappy and suffering from insomnia. Thinking that running could help clear my mind and tire myself out, I ran.
And it worked! At one point, I was enjoying long distance running so much that I was seriously considering going out for the cross country team.
Flashbacks from my high school days stopped me. ;)
After college, I ran here and there. I’d run consistently for a few months–usually along the East River or through Central Park–and then abruptly stop, blaming work, the weather or my personal life. (Excuses, excuses, Kelly.) And then I’d pick it back up again. And then stop. Etc., etc.
My current stretch of inactivity, however, is the longest I’ve had to date. (Ouch! Remember this post? Hahaha.) I mean, Mitch and I are big walkers, and usually walk several miles together on a daily basis. But still. While it’s better than nothing, I can certainly improve.
So here’s the plan:
For now, I’m running once per week. I know. Dream Big! But I know myself, and if I go hard (heh) in the beginning, I’ll throw in the towel after a month or two. And don’t worry, I’m not running in these PERFECT navy and pink (!) New Balance sneaks that Jen and Jess found for me recently. (Real running sneakers are important.) But I am running in this adorable pair of Devon Maryn athletic pants. Because seriously: have you ever seen cuter pants?! They’re also ridiculously comfortable and soft. Like, silky soft. Newborn-kitten-kind-of-soft.
(Sorry. That was creepy. I blame the Chardonnay.)
I know that this is kind of ironic, but I’m obsessed with Devon Maryn. The brand realizes that when it comes to working out, every bit of motivation helps. And hello, motivation. I love you, in all your preppy, athletic cuteness. Favorite products include the capris I’m wearing in this post and their shorts counterpart along with these bow-adorned leggings and these anchor-themed shorts.
The sweetest, right? :)
Anyway, help a girl out! What are your best tips for staying motivated and getting into a routine? Even if they aren’t exercise-related, I’d love to hear them!
Also, I’ve taken shoe-tying to a new level. ;)