I had a goal to not only run a 5K but to see what would happen if I stopped focusing on dieting and just learned how to eat normally and exercise consistently. I'm happy to report that I also had success in this area. To date I have lost 23 pounds.
I said in an earlier post that I was going to focus on looking forward and never look back. My attempts at eating better have had highs and lows. I've overeaten, underexercised and done everything in between. I never gave up the things I love like chocolate, ice cream or pizza. I just started eating a little less at each meal and got myself to the gym on a regular basis.
The scale has been stuck many times. It is right now. But no matter if I regain a pound or two or lose nothing for 3 weeks, I always look forward. I'm 23 pounds closer to my goal and 23 pounds lighter than I used to be. I have my eye on the prize and know that next year at this time I will will have accomplished this goal as well.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Taking a moment to be thankful
How appropriate that yesterday was Thanksgiving. I need to reflect on the past year since I started this journey and recognize all I've accomplished.
I'm thankful that I'm sleeping better at night and night and waking up feeling more rested
I'm thankful that my energy level has increased and I no longer come home from work and fall asleep but go to the gym instead
I'm thankful that I can work out at all. There was a time when that wasn't possible.
I'm thankful that I can run, no matter how slow or how short the distance. I can run.
I'm thankful that I persevere
I'm thankful that I'm sleeping better at night and night and waking up feeling more rested
I'm thankful that my energy level has increased and I no longer come home from work and fall asleep but go to the gym instead
I'm thankful that I can work out at all. There was a time when that wasn't possible.
I'm thankful that I can run, no matter how slow or how short the distance. I can run.
I'm thankful that I persevere
P a t i e n c e
Patience is the state of endurance under difficult circumstances, which can mean persevering in the face of delay or provocation without acting on annoyance/anger in a negative way; or exhibiting forbearance when under strain, especially when faced with longer-term difficulties. huh...
To say my patience is being tested is an understatement. After successfully completing my first 5K my natural inclination was to sign up for a 10K. Unfortunately not being able to run, or walk at times, for the past seven weeks has put that on hold for the moment. Patience in this case will entail going back into running slowly...very slowly. Slower than I ever could imagine. I thought slow would be starting out at one mile and getting back to 3 in a week or so. It looks more like I'll be working on it by the MINUTE as in, walk 9 minutes, run 1, walk another 9, walk 1. Then in two days I can increase to 2 minutes and so on.
I did attempt to run a mile a few weeks ago and I was able to. The problem was the next day I couldn't walk again so I realized that I need to listen to my body and stop what I'm doing because it just isn't working.
To say my patience is being tested is an understatement. After successfully completing my first 5K my natural inclination was to sign up for a 10K. Unfortunately not being able to run, or walk at times, for the past seven weeks has put that on hold for the moment. Patience in this case will entail going back into running slowly...very slowly. Slower than I ever could imagine. I thought slow would be starting out at one mile and getting back to 3 in a week or so. It looks more like I'll be working on it by the MINUTE as in, walk 9 minutes, run 1, walk another 9, walk 1. Then in two days I can increase to 2 minutes and so on.
I did attempt to run a mile a few weeks ago and I was able to. The problem was the next day I couldn't walk again so I realized that I need to listen to my body and stop what I'm doing because it just isn't working.
I did it!
Yes, there is good news in all this. On October 3rd, one day before my 42nd birthday, I ran my first 5K...and I did better than I ever imagined I would. My original goal was to do it in the spring but my injuries sidelined me for months. I never gave up and whenever I could, I kept running and building endurance.
I hadn't checked out the course beforehand, just signed up for the race. I was GOING to do this if it killed me. And it nearly did. The course was very hilly. Something I hadn't anticipated or prepared for. The weather was perfect and I was feeling great. I started slowly as others blew past me looking like they were running from a stampede of wild boar. I kept my pace and sped up on the downhills. I felt incredible. My breathing was good and my legs felt light. On the uphills I talked myself through. Then about a half mile from the end I noticed that the course went off road. Now I was running on sand and rock and it looked like I was about to go up the side of a hill. It was a pretty steep hill with loose rocks and branches and tree roots. I soldiered on. I got to the top and couldn't catch my breath and it was the first time I stopped. I had intended to run the entire race with no stopping so I talked my legs into running again after a 10 second reprieve.
Coming around a final corner I saw my boyfriend. He started jogging with me, pushing me to make it to the finish. And I did. With a time of 34:40:08 I finished and I was ecstatic.
That is until we got home. I opened the car door and went to get out. I couldn't set my foot down. It was like my muscles had locked up. The pain was excrutiating and I had to crawl to the front door. I lay on the floor writhing in pain. And the pain lasted a long time.
It is now 7 weeks later and I'm just finally able to start running again. I developed tendonitis and it took a long time to heal. This has been a huge lesson for me in patience. Something I don't have.
I hadn't checked out the course beforehand, just signed up for the race. I was GOING to do this if it killed me. And it nearly did. The course was very hilly. Something I hadn't anticipated or prepared for. The weather was perfect and I was feeling great. I started slowly as others blew past me looking like they were running from a stampede of wild boar. I kept my pace and sped up on the downhills. I felt incredible. My breathing was good and my legs felt light. On the uphills I talked myself through. Then about a half mile from the end I noticed that the course went off road. Now I was running on sand and rock and it looked like I was about to go up the side of a hill. It was a pretty steep hill with loose rocks and branches and tree roots. I soldiered on. I got to the top and couldn't catch my breath and it was the first time I stopped. I had intended to run the entire race with no stopping so I talked my legs into running again after a 10 second reprieve.
Coming around a final corner I saw my boyfriend. He started jogging with me, pushing me to make it to the finish. And I did. With a time of 34:40:08 I finished and I was ecstatic.
That is until we got home. I opened the car door and went to get out. I couldn't set my foot down. It was like my muscles had locked up. The pain was excrutiating and I had to crawl to the front door. I lay on the floor writhing in pain. And the pain lasted a long time.
It is now 7 weeks later and I'm just finally able to start running again. I developed tendonitis and it took a long time to heal. This has been a huge lesson for me in patience. Something I don't have.
My how time flies
I began this blog a little over a year ago. I haven't posted anything in 9 months. The going got tough, really tough. I have been plagued with shin problems the entire time. I've seen a podiatrist, sports medicine doctor, gotten orthotics, compression sleeves, had my run evaluated by a foot specialist and done accupuncture for the past six months. The journey I set out on last year took a couple of detours but I'm committed to the process.
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