Before and After

Just for fun, I thought I would show Jeff and I's before and after pics to show how far along we've come in our goals. It has been one awesome year filled with blessings.

Celebrations

So I started thinking about how I'm going to celebrate when I finish this Marathon thing. To me, it is important to celebrate your accomplishments. It is what keeps me going.

Jeff and I were planning on a Cruise to the Mexican Riveria for our anniversary/birthday/celebrate weight loss/have fun before the Marathon. I was stoked. But...when all the $$$ added up with rushing passport fees, and the lack of reliable internet service (needed when you are teaching online classes) That dream quickly went away. So....not sure what the alternative plan is...all I know that is after I cross the finish line, I want to go on vacation and eat lots of food that is bad for me (Just for a week).

I'm trying to get to the point where I can run consistently before taking a long walking break. So far that effort hasn't gotten anywhere. I push myself and feel okay (tired but okay) but the moment I stop I realize that I can't actually breath and am about to faint. Not such a good thing. My goal is to figure out how to read my body signals while I'm running. I can't seem to find a balance between pushing myself enough and pushing myself too much.

3 Months Minus one week to go......Cross your fingers I make it!

Rising From the Ashes

Today was a great day. I hit a new stride of running for an hour and got to 4.66 miles. I was thinking back, and I would have never imagined a year ago that I could even possibly do this. So if nothing else I have that.

The thing I'm struggling with is balancing my eating habits with exercise. Its almost like since I know I'm exercising consistently that I convince myself it is okay to eat poorly. I'm not sure exactly where that comes from, but it is making it difficult to meet my weight loss goal that I am so close to.

I bought a watch today that tells me how far, fast, how many steps, and my heart rate. It is mostly accurate, but I think it will help to run outside which I still struggle with.

2 Months to go.... I can't wait until I reach that finish line because it will mean so many things. I was talking to a friend of mine about why I'm doing it. Its closure to the year, this is a year where I've built my confidence and it has shown in my marriage, work, and physically. I know if I ever will have confidence to run 13 miles, now is the time.

I was listening to a song while running by Vienna Teng. In one of the lyrics it says, "Like a phoenix, I rise from the ashes." That is what this year is about, rising from the ashes.

Pushing Too Hard, Too Fast

So I learned a lesson today (or shall I say my body learned a lesson today). I'm sitting on my coach in a lot of pain, not able to comfortably walk. Why? Because I decided to not listen to my body signals and keep going to reach my goal. As the Simpsons say, "I am Smart, SMRT."

So I'm going to be recovering for a couple of days, both physically and mentally. A huge part of all of this is mental. You know yesterday when I said if I put my mind to anything I can do it? Well....that's true long term, but not in one sitting.

So I feel a bit defeated. I'm struggling with balancing that I only have 13 weeks to do a 26 week program, and that is affecting how I set my goals. In talking with my husband about it today, and not reaching a goal I seen as failure, versus as feedback of what to do next time. So 4 miles is too much....how will I get to 13? Only time will tell......

All I need to Know I Learned from Running

So as I'm training for the PF Changs Marathon, I realized there is a lot I'm learning about myself. Seems rather silly that putting one foot in front of the other can teach you life lessons, but when it comes down to it, I'm learning more about who I am and what I can become each time I put on my ugly running shoes.

I'm in week 4 of training. At least I think it is week 4, the days and weeks are kind of running together. I can say I feel very comfortable running 2 miles....but not much more than that. I've heard over and over, that if you just keep doing it, just one day you will be able to go much farther. I'm waiting and waiting for that day to come. Everyday I train, I try to push myself a little bit farther or a little bit faster, and somedays my body likes to take revenge on what I am putting it through. Other days...things are just fine.

So in a nutshell this is what I have learned in the past few weeks:

• Consistency is everything.

If I allow myself to not train for even one day I'm suppose to train, it will set me back. I did this with weight watchers, and I know the same will happen here. It is almost like if I negotiate one time is okay, I make every other time I don't want to do it okay too. I've always been a big dreamer, but never really followed up on the steps to take to actually get to my big dream. Over the past year at work, this is the one thing I've learned, being consistent makes or breaks trust, credibility, and the ability to get to your goal.

• If You Want Something, You can Have it.

Okay so in trying to avoid sounding like an inspirational hallmark card, this is so true. Everytime I set out to do something, and failed...I believe I just didn't want it bad enough. Wanting something for the right reasons is the only way to remove the mental block of not being able to accomplish something. Most the time you miss a goal, it is either because 1. You just don't want it enough 2. You are scared, or 3. You mental barriers got in the way.

• The biggest battle is Physically getting yourself to the Place You need to be

Thinking about doing something is one thing. However, the hardest part is actually getting on your running shoes and going to the place you need to start running. The gym, the track, even the elementary school down the street...it is just getting me there. This is true about anything, you have to surround yourself with the right people, the right enviornment to succeed...but you have to put yourself in the right place to do it.

• Remember the Why

I think the one thing that helps me get through what currently seems like torture but will be empowering is remembering my Why. Why I'm doing this in the first place. I can thank University of Phoenix for their fine training to help me ask myself this. It is a simple phrase, "To be more than I ever have been, and to show myself I am more than I think I am"

In conclusion....its time to get some rest, and get ready for a new day. Time to put on those running shoes once more and take just one step to make myself that person I want to be.

Marathon Training

This year has been a year of change for me, and proving to myself that I could do what would normally seem impossible. It was time to do something for myself, and prove that I am better than I think I am. This is the first New Year's resolution I've kept : Sticking to Weight Watchers and losing 40 lbs.

So now I'm on to the next step. Marathon training. I reluctantly agreed to train for the next 3 months to run a 1/2 Marathon. Now, this typically would be seen as as something that is difficult to do, but it is more than that for me. I've never ran in my life, and remembered the tortured days of High School PE being forced to walk a mile. So why this? Why such a big step? Well because I need a long term goal to reach, need something to force me to run every other day, a goal to get to. Not to mention my company is paying for the race fee. I thought this would end up saving me money, but after buying $50 worth of books, $30 on race wear, and $140 on Shoes....this race is well...Priceless :-)

Some days are better than others. The one thing my husband mentioned was that I'm thinking about January 17th rather than thinking about today. This has made it much harder. So now...it just about making this fun, and accomplishing something small which is bigger than the day before.

So My accomplishments thus far:

• I can run almost 2 miles straight
• I can walk run 3.2 miles
• I have gone to do some form of running every other day for 2.5 weeks.
  
• In the process I've lost a little weight

My Challenges:

• Avoiding justifying eating poorly based on the fact that I am exercising
• Finding Low Calorie High Protein Foods and eating it often without getting bored
• Realizing I actually can do this....

Stay tuned, and keep me in your prayers. It will be a long 3 months, but well well worth it. I just need to keep repeating that to myself.