Fuel to my Fire!!!

You just never know how you impact people. So you're thinking.....nobody cares, nobody is watching anyway, so why does it matter. Well I just found out that people do care, they are watching and what I do matters!!

I have a family member who has really struggled with life. I mean really!!!! He is in very poor health, close to being bed bound and is addicted to pain medication. At one point he was in the hospital and I was telling him....You know you can be and should be your own health advocate. You see, until then, all the answers were in what the doctors told him and in the pills they prescribed, which lead to dependency and addiction! Never did he try to get better on his own or try to do anything for himself. He always relied on what he was told, even when he knew, some of the stuff they wanted him to do,  was not good for him.

I had the awesome opportunity of seeing this relative this weekend. I have to tell you, that I was not really looking forward to it. Most of the time when I see this person or talk to them on the phone, he's drugged out of his mind. Usually our conversations are about nothing and I get to listen to the whole thing with his slurring words and ramblings. Saturday, I saw a new man!! He's totally off of his pain meds. He was bright eyed and interested. He had packed on a few pounds and looked really good. He was happy and engaging. Wow who is this man?

I had told him that I was now looking at the real person and not some drugged up person. I had my relative back. He said something back that was amazing. He said, "I don't know where this came from, but  just one day, I decided that I needed to be my own health advocate. I decided to take my life back! "Well I know where he got that!!  Anyway, with his doctor's help he got off of the narcotics, found a pain management group, is eating better and exercising!!!

Wow!

Today, he called me and wanted to share with me his experience he had with his pain management class. He said he told them of what I was doing with my health. Told them that I've lost a lot of weight and that I'm now able to run 1/2 marathons. He told the group that my progress has so inspired him, that he now wanted to do more with his life. He said, that for 3 days now, he's been able to do more than he ever thought he could do. Said he was feeling great!!! He's inspired and now is even considering walking a 5k with ME!

Honestly Friends, I had totally written this man off. He was dead man walking as far as I was concerned. Before he took control of his health, he was totally lost, unable to move, in terrible pain and truly drug crazed!!!!

Oh my goodness. Now he wants to live and wants to do 5k's. Never dreamed he would be in this place!! Never!!! EVER!!!

It's amazing!!


A miracle!!!

This has sooooo lit a fire in me!!

Now I know the impact I had on myself, now others. There is no way, I would ever go back to how I was before. This fuels me to keep pushing and reaching for my next goals. I'm on fire!!

How about you?

Keep focused!!!

4 Days and Counting........

Just 4 more days to my next 1/2 Marathon.....

Can't believe it's here already! Can't say I'm as prepared as my first one. That first 1/2 Marathon was  a dream for me. I was totally ready, physically & mentally! I had tons of support. I was fueled and rested and the weather was perfect! Could not have been better!!!

This one....not so much! Physically, I'm still recovering from a sore knee. Probably not smart running two 1/2 Marathons in a weeks time. Thankfully it's been 3 weeks from the last race and I've rested, stretched and iced this thing a lot. So it's better! I was able to run 6 miles last Sunday with no problems, but it was not the mileage I had hoped to get in. I did not really want to push it! Mentally....I'm working on this.....Seems the momentum is building and I'm starting to get excited! Support...still got that for which I am thankful. But the weather....supposed to rain. That really dampens my spirits. Pun intended :-P

After this event....It's time to refocus and set some new goals.....

• 5k Run on 4th of July. Want to beat my 44 minute time!
• Get back to regular weight lifting and cardio
• Bike to work 2 days per week (18 miles round trip)
• Row classes in September
• Train for 1/2 Marathon in October

Just some things to do to keep me out of trouble!

Hope you are doing well!! Are you focused!?!?!?!?!

Are you like me?

If you are like me....just 2 and 1/2 short years ago, you would be feeling like you were about three minutes from being bed bound. Back then, I was 274 pounds. Which is heavy, OK fat, but not as big as some other people. But for me, at 5'4"...274 pounds was unbearable. Every day I felt like I was getting closer and closer to being bed bound. My body hurt....I'd get weird ailments and pains that were unexplainable and sometimes untreatable. It was hard for me to move....I could not squat, bend over, walk very far ~ let alone run, my body just was not functioning as it should....I truly feel, if I did not get control of my health, I would be chained to my bed forever! Is that where you are today?

If you are like how I used to be, I challenge you today, to make a difference in your life. The way I was headed...the way you are headed will only lead to misery and maybe even death. I was on a one-way train heading for my final days of life.....even before I actually got to live some life. How devastating is that!!!!

I never knew.......

That by changing my life and keeping my focus on good health and fitness how WONDERFUL life can be! The things I've been able to do since losing 74 pounds has been amazing!! No longer are days of watching TV and eating junk food considered a good day. Never do I desire to stay in bed and not face the day.

NO WAY!!

Now the days just don't seem long enough! I want to do so many things....

Biking, running ~ 5k's 10k's and half marathons, strength building, camping, boating, golfing, playing with my grandkids, entertaining family and friends, traveling, exploring and on and on!

The other day, I decided I wanted to try to learn to golf. So Hubby and I went to the driving range. I was able to hit 105 golf balls, fairly straight and about 100 yards. Not bad for my first time. Then we got to go to the putting place (mound.....holes - I don't know what you call them). Anyway, I'm standing there with balls everywhere ~ practicing and I happen to look up and take in my surroundings. It was a beautiful, warm, sunny May day. The air was crisp and scented with flowers. I looked around and realized that the place was just beautiful. The breeze was warm. And all I could think about was how free I felt. Free to be silly missing my shot, free to try, free to be successful in getting in a good shot, free to be just like everyone else. Free to just have fun!

It was amazing!!!

So if you are where I was 2 and 1/2 years ago.....start today to change your life...make small changes toward good health. Surround yourself with your health and fitness team. Set goals and focus every day on achieving your health and fitness goals. Because life is worth living!!! Don't waste it!!!

You can do it!! I BELIEVE IN YOU!!!

Keep focused!

Oh Yeah We Got This!!!

Are you with me?? We can do this!!

Push through!!

JUST DO IT ANYWAY!!!

Keep focused!

Just do it anyway!!!!

Today, are any of you not interested in your health and fitness plan? Are you tired of exercise? Tired of eating plans? Tired of recording food? Tired of drinking your water? Tired of the focus on all of this?

Is that you today? It's kind of me today. OK it is me today.

Well even though you and I are tired of it all.....JUST DO IT ANYWAY!!!

Each day we put our focus on our health and fitness....it's one more day we are closer to our goals!!!!

Don't give up!!! Stay the course!!! And DO IT ANYWAY!!!




You won't be sorry!!!

I'm off to my treadmill!!!

Keep focused!!

OK ~ Enough is Enough!

So.....it's been over a week since my last 1/2 Marathon...Have to say, I've spent this entire week....healing and....feeling sorry for myself!

Doing two 1/2 Marathons....in a week was, should I say...a little hard on my body! OK a lot hard on my body!  I think most things on my body hurt and if hair could hurt, then mine did!

My knee was the most troublesome part. It was just achy and sometimes even had some pretty good pain. Then my feet and calves just hummed with pain....if that's ever happened to you, you know what I mean. Just a constant reminder all week of the punishment I caused myself.

The feeling sorry for me part was.....I am just disappointed once again, that I'm dealing with injuries. I know most athletes experience injuries, but I'm feeling that I've had more than my fair share! I'm tired of it!

Even though my legs were definitely hurting and sore last week, I still went to the gym and did what I could do. Monday it was rowing and upper body weights. (Don't know why rowing did not hurt my knee, just glad I could do something) I did a couple of days of walking....2.4 speed on my treadmill, slow...but at least I did it. Water aerobics one night and and another day of upper body weights. All week long I did my stretches and iced my pains.

Finally today, I feel back to normal and I will start my training again tomorrow. The other thing is I've readjusted my attitude and I'm not feeling sorry for myself. I'm feeling strong and ready to go!!

How to you handle injuries?

Keep focused!!

Stretching Myself (Part 2)

Really really REALLY did not think I could do this....First of all, I just finish a 1/2 Marathon last weekend and since then, I was nursing a sore knee. Besides the pain of that, I had an extremely busy week. So I did not feel prepared, physically or mentally, for my next adventure. So doing this event and the other things that came into play really stretched me to my limit!!! I would be doing this all by myself....NO SUPPORT from family or friends.....going on the train to Portland (which is scary)....not prepared....it was raining....to push my body to new limits!!!!

Even though I did not feel prepared, I was alone and I was scared...

I DID IT ANYWAY!!!

So with my trusty running gear, I set out for another 1/2 Marathon!!!

Always have Margene in my pocket!! Because if she can do hard things...so can I!!

Getting on the train is not that big of deal. It's getting off and finding your destination that's hard. But not to worry, I just had to follow all of the other crazies out there to find the race. Unfortunately, I got there about 10 minutes (poor planning) before the race started and I needed to go to the bathroom. But the lines were too long, I could not chance it. Then I got my I-Phone set up for my tunes and it would not connect. I started to panic because I could not do this without my music! Fortunately there was a lady there who assured me that it was most likely that everyone was doing the same thing and it should connect soon. Which it did ~ Whew!!!!!

Because there were thousands of people there, they sent us off in packs. The race started at 8:00am, but my pack did not take off until 8:15 or so.

Then to make things really fun, it started to rain.

Fortunately I did wear the proper clothing and I was perfectly warm the whole way.

My plan was....because I was not really supposed to be in this race, was to run my scheduled 4 miles (for my training) and then walk the rest of the way.

My knee did pretty well, only had trouble on mile 11 (what's up with that mile...I really struggle there) and I only walked a couple of minutes the whole time. I can't for some reason, run and drink the water or sports drink, I can only walk while doing that. Oh and then I had to stop for some lights....but the rest of the time, I ran. THE WHOLE WAY!!!!

Came in at 3 hrs and 32 minutes!!!!

So EXCITED!!!

Now I'm focused on my final 1/2 Marathon of the year and that is on June 9th.

How about you...How was your weekend?

Keep focused!