No More Races

What?!?!?!  Did I really title this blog "No More Races"?  Sure did.  And I mean it.

No, I am not giving up running.  I hate it and I love it.  Seriously.  This is how I feel about running:

I really do love it when I am done.  For example, I make plans to run, or I decide to run, and I grumble and complain about doing it all the way to the start of my run.  Oftentimes, even during my run I am battling every single second in my head.  Every. Single. Second.  But words cannot describe the runner's high I feel when I complete a workout.  There is nothing like it.  I wish I could bottle that feeling up and bring it out before I start a run so I can remember, but I cannot.  So I have the same mental struggle every time I get ready to work out.

So why will I not race anymore?  One word: budget.  I am not giving up racing completely.  I still have two races in April and the big race in May, but after that, I am going to take a break from paying for my races. Do not worry...that does not mean I will show up at random races and complete them without paying for them.  It means I will be running on my own, with a running buddy, or in groups, but not in organized races.  I am forfeiting my love of bling.  And you know me, I run for bling.

A long time ago, I took a class at church based on the principles of Dave Ramsey.  I sort of applied them since then, but not on a consistent basis and not in a way that has shown great improvement in my financial situation.  The time has come where that needs to change.  I need to pay off debt and position myself so that I can be a blessing to others.  One of Dave's famous sayings, and one that has stuck with me since the class is this one:

This is going to be challenging for me.  Eating out and spending my money on what I want, when I want, has been pretty normal for me.  But when I think about things I want to do like be able to donate money to various organizations I feel led to, or help someone out in their financial time of need, or even go on vacation, I am unable to do these things.  Hence the need to focus on my budget right now.  I would love to get to this point:

What does this mean?
*No more eating out
*Creating and sticking to a budget
*No more races or unnecessary expenses
*Follow Dave Ramsey's principles

The most challenging part for me will be not eating out.  The thing is, I eat out all of the time.  All. The. Time.  I could say that it is to be social, and I can argue that point, but there are many times when on my way home from school or on my way to school it is easier for me to get fast food than it is to prepare something at home.  That has to stop for me.  Sorry, Friends, I still want to see you, and I want to hang out with you, but I can't go out to eat anymore.  Surely we can find things to entertain us that does not involve money, right?  I know that with the love and support and outpouring I have received for running that my awesome friends will do the same thing when it comes to my budget.

I know I have not blogged in awhile, but I have some topics / posts that I am working on right now so stay tuned!