Running on the brain....

I have an itch that will not go away.  Ever since my last post about it being 2 years since my half marathon I can not stop thinking about doing another one.  Hubby says I need to stick to a 10K but I don't know.......  I agree I need to start small. Start singing up for 5K's and 10K's again and see how it goes.  I promise I really don't like running! So why do I keep on coming back to it?

I enjoy the feeling of accomplishment when I finish a race. I enjoy a good runners high. But for me none of this happens during the process only after I am done running. Granted during my half marathon the parts that were in the part to start with were AMAZING!!  I actually enjoyed that run.  And I guess maybe that should be my goal.  I need running to be fun. Like the first Warrior Dash that started this whole thing. That was slow but so fun! I want to be able to go do a 5K and not worry about feeling like I am going to die. Heck I would really like to be able to run at a nice slow pace a whole 5K.  I've always been a walk run person.  

But I am also into my weight training with the 21 Day fix. Man do I love lifting!  But even though lifting gives me a great feeling of accomplishment right away it isn't quite the same and finishing a race.  Dare I say I've been looking at races and I've almost registered for a few but always back out.  I want to do another race at Disney SO BAD!! Chad said he will run 10K's with me but not a half. and I am like well if I am running the 10K one day and do the half the next then we get more medals. LOL!!

I am thinking I will start very small with runDisney's Virtual Running Shorts for this summer. It comes with 4 medals if I do all 3 5K's one in each month (June, July and August) I can do them on my own at my own pace and even on my treadmill if I need to.  My goal will be to get faster with each one.  I am decided this is my plan! It will be an easy way to ease back in to running and give me a goal for each month. I have to submit my info to them before they will send me my finishers medal each month. 

So there you have it, I guess I am going to start running again. *GULP*

2 years ago today...

Thanks to Facebook Memories and Timehop I know that 2 years ago today I completed my one and only Half Marathon.  It made me wonder so I looked up the results and I don't know that I ever looked up the official results before.  Official time was 3:50:28 just about 18 min miles. That is nothing great but we did have some 2 or 3 bathroom breaks during the run and then my freak out at mile 10.  If it wasn't for my BFF at that moment I am certain I would have just curled up in a ball and sobbed. LOL!!   I do not miss running, I do not miss training for the half marathon but I do miss the feeling that you get when you cross that finish line.  It made me want to do it all over again.

                            

 

Knowing I was not in the best shape when I did this and knowing I am already in better shape and health now I can't help but wonder what it would be like to start running again.  I am not that much lighter than I am allot smaller in size.  I am still a little apprehensive to actually say yes I am going to do this again. I want to lose more weight and get even healthier with my programs I am doing now first.  But it is something that has been burning in my mind for a while now. I am thinking I need to start again with the C25K and do some 5K's and see how I do and how I feel because I remember feeling and saying I would NEVER do another Half Marathon again! But if I sign up for another Half Marathon, you'll guys will be the first to know.

It's been a while and things are great!!!

Normally when I am not around blogging it means I am not doing well on my journey to health and this time it couldn't be more the opposite.  I am officially down 16 lbs and 20 inches!!!! Tat is a big deal!!! I am running accountability groups on Facebook and they are going AMAZING as well!!

Normally I blog when I am up late and can't sleep but the strangest side effect of eating healthy and exercising for 30 mins a day is I am tired at a normal time at night.  I used to blog somewhere between 12-2AM and now I am almost always asleep by midnight. Granted I am still not getting enough sleep but it is still more than I used to get.

Here is my most recent before and after. 20 inches gone!!! Plus confidence, happiness and so many other good things.

I still have a very long way to go and I have seemed to plateau, but my eating has not been 100% and I am very close to where I need to adjust my eating plan to go down because my weight loss will have brought me into the next level.  Mean I lose a carb, fruit and 2 tsps!! O_O  I am really not looking forward to that but I know if I want to make more progress that day will come.   I told hubby I was starting to wonder if I need to make that adjustment a little bit earlier since my weight loss has slowed to a halt.  But I think I am going to make sure this next week I go back to measuring everything out, not just eyeballing it, and tracking it all down on paper. I am also thinking about adding a daily cardio routine to my work out schedule. Meaning working out for not just 30 mins a day but 60 mins. Preferably not back to back.  I did complete the doubles week from the 21 day fix and the strength I gained and noticed that week was so cool!! I had been doing these work outs for months and doubles week made a HUGE difference.  

Oh and get this! I have a butt!!! I have never had a butt in my life. you can see in my before pic it was very flat and that is what my Dad's side of the family has and I just always assumed I was stuck with it. But all these squats and lunges and I grew a butt.  I noticed and thought I was going crazy but then hubby noticed and my Mom noticed! LOL!!  I have kind of a small obsession with my lower half between my new butt and my legs that have next to no fat on them now. I am like how short can I where my shorts?? HAHAHAHA!!  But I am an apple shape so my middle is my problem section and will be the last to lose the weight.  I am not even half way to my goal yet but I am thrilled with my progress so far.

I can not say enough positive things about Beachbody, Shakeology and the 21 day fix.  I am in love with it all!!  There have been allot of things that this program has helped me fix with in myself.  But that is something to write about in the next blog.  I hope to get a post up weekly again.  

So until next weekend in all things Choose Joy!!