My New Adventure

I have never considered myself an athlete. I like sports and enjoyed playing softball and basketball and tennis in my younger days but an athlete? Not really. I definitely never thought of myself as a runner!! I didn't particularly enjoy walking for exercise either so running was never in my plans or things I wanted to do when I grew up.

Well, never say never. About 8 weeks ago my best friend, Lisa was telling me that she had taken up running. She was using a program called Couch to 5k. I listened and loved her excitement and supported her but didn't really consider it to be something I would do. I had just started Weight Watchers and I knew that I was going to have to incorporate exercise into my new lifestyle if I wanted lasting success but what would that be? I really can't tell you exactly how I decided to give it a try but one day after talking to her and reading a couple of post on the WW message boards I decided to look up this program on the computer. I started reading and before I knew it I was strapping on my shoes and out the door I went. The first week you run/jog 60 seconds and walk for 90 seconds. You do this 8 times. Do you know how long 60 seconds is?? A lot longer then you think if you are running and think you are going to die before the end of the 60 seconds. On the other hand the 90 seconds of walking went too fast. Before I knew it I was having to jog again. Also I was trying to watch the time on my iPod which was not working out so good. But, in 30 minutes I had completed Week 1 Day 1 of my new adventure. And it felt good. Soon it became too hot and I moved to running on a treadmill at the YMCA. Also I had found out through Lisa that I could download a podcast that would tell me when to walk and when to run. Oh what a difference that made. (Here is the link if you would like it http://www.ullreys.com/robert/Podcasts/ )

I have just finished week 6 of my training and I can say that I feel like a runner. I am not a fast runner by any means but I love it!! I never thought that was possible but here I am actually looking forward to my runs. Friday I just completed my 25 minute run. I remember when I didn't think I could increase to 90 seconds or 3 minutes but now here I am running 25 minutes straight. One of my very favorite moments was in Week 5. Lisa and I are scrapbookers and I was having a crop on the day that we were scheduled to do our first 20 minute run. We were both nervous that we wouldn't make it. This would at least double our longest runs. She lives in another town and was coming down to go to my crop and I had an idea. I said "Why don't you come down early and we will go to the Y and run this thing before we go to the crop?) So she did some rearranging of her schedule and she came down. I was so excited to have her by my side. So we jumped on the treadmills and away we went. First 5 minutes--not bad. Next 5--halfway there but having to talk my feet into not stopping. Having Lisa there to run with me helped. This is a big journey for both of us. When I didn't think I could make it I would look over at Lisa and get the encouragement I needed to continue on. Before I knew it we were at the end of 15 minutes. 5 left. I thought, I can do this. I'll just pretend I am just starting a 5 minutes run. Pretty soon I am counting down from 1 min left and getting excited!! We did it!!! Thank you Lord!!! My family has also been a great source of encouragement for me. They have cheered me on. I couldn't do this without the support I get from family and friends.

I got a Nike+ and new Nike+ running shoes. The Nike+ is a little sensor you put in your shoes and it records the stats of your runs. My girls and I are challenging each other to do the most miles. I started using it on June 20th and as of today, July 4, 2009 I have done 18.05 miles and burned 2950 calories. I love coming home and putting my iPod on the computer and recording my times and distances. I am not a fast runner at all. My average pace is 15.39 minutes per mile but hey that is more then I was doing 8 weeks ago!! Who knows, one day I might be running in a real 5k. I am getting the bug but know I am not ready yet but I will be. And when I am I will be out there running. I am not there yet but as I have said I'm Getting There!!

Diet. One word that puts fear in a lot of people. One word that can frustrate people. One word that can change ones life forever. I never liked that word because it usually is used in a negitive way,. "I can't eat that because I am on a diet." " I can't go to that resteraunt because I am on a diet." Well I have decided that this time it will not be a negative for me. I will learn, with the help of this wonderful Weight Watchers program that even though I am on a diet I can eat things I like. I just have to learn that I don't have to eat it everyday and very much of it. I can go to resteraunts I like. Just learn to make good choices. I am also learning that it is a positive as I feel that my meals satisfy me more now. I am making choices that fill me up more but are also good for me. The result: I feel good after the meal is over instead of wishing I hadn't eaten what I had eaten. It is all in how you look at the word. I have also learned that it is not just a word. It is a decision. A decision that I will take control over my diabetes, high blood pressure and all of the other annoying things that come with being overweight. Not fitting in the seats comfortably at my kids auditorium. Being winded after going up a flight of stairs. Feeling like my head is going to explode when I bend over to tie shoes or pick something up off the floor. Not being able to get the seat belt on easily at the go karts for a work party. The list goes on and on but that is about to change. I am embracing my new lifestyle which includes exercise. Will I mess up? Yes I will but I am fully prepared for that and have already experienced it but I have learned that I can just as easily get back on the wagon and I will be fine.