When I began my fitness journey, the thought of running never really even crossed my mind. I had always told myself that I was not built to be a runner. My thighs were too big and rubbed together. My arms were giggly and could not pump hard enough. And to be a little TMI, my boobs were too big and no sports bra could contain them. I have bad knees. I get shin splints. What if I get hurt? What if someone comes after me? Let me tell you, I had every excuse in the book as to why running was not for me.
I ran a little bit in college for stress relief and to be active, but nothing serious. I was more into fitness videos and starving myself to lose weight. During college, after gaining the freshmen 20+, I was obsessed with losing it, and I would do anything to become skinny. I ate very little and would workout for a ridiculous amount of time every day. I even got to the point to where I was using over the counter laxatives to get rid of what I had over eaten that day. This was so unhealthy and quite frankly, disgusting. I would spend way too much time in the bathroom, rather than just eating healthy and exercising and living life. I was consumed with losing weight and it overtook everything that I thought about and everything that I did. I struggled. I still struggle.
With the help of my husband and family, I overcame my disorder, but I struggle every day with having the "fat girl" mentality. After having my two gorgeous babes, it started all over again. I was fat, unhealthy, depressed. I so badly wanted to fall into my old habits of starving and purging. I struggled for a little over a year after my youngest was born, before I finally took charge and made the changes that I talked about in my last blog.
Now onto my running. When I hit my plateau, I so badly wanted to once again fall into my past disorder and take what I thought, would be the easy route to seeing more results and seeing them quickly. This time though, I jumped on the treadmill. So March 17, 2012 began my journey!!
Let me tell you, getting on that treadmill that night was hard and even trying to run that first time was excruciating. I was out of breath, heaving, thought I was going to die. But, I kept at it. Each night I would try to run for a mile. And little by little, I was able to run faster and longer and the whole time. As my confidence grew, so did my desire to run longer and farther. I kept pushing myself. Mind you, all of this was on a treadmill!! I was nervous to run outside because I was so used to the comfort of my treadmill and my basement.
I asked for some advice from some fellow runner friends of mine on Facebook and they encouraged me to try the Couch to 5K program. Even though I had been running for a few months, I decided to try the program from the beginning when I ran outside. I actually used two different apps on my IPhone for C25K so that I could alternate, making it easy to run every day. I worked hard to complete each week with these programs. And eventually it got to the point where I was able to jog for 30 minutes without stopping. That was such a momentous day for me. I had never been able to do that in my life. I was amazed!!! I was finally beginning to feel like a runner.
Now that I was beginning to feel like a runner, I felt like I needed to do what real runners do. I signed up for my first 5K. In September I ran in the Henry Vilas Zoo Run Run. I finished with a decent time in the range of 34 minutes. And I ran the whole time. I didn't stop for water or walking breaks. I felt so alive running across that finish line. Although the best part was seeing all my family there cheering me on. My mom and dad, my mother-in-law, my 2 beautiful kiddos, and my amazing husband, who had just had back surgery not even a month before!! The proud look on all their faces and the excitement in their voices made me the happiest momma, daughter, wife on the planet. I loved this feeling!! I loved the rush!! I had the runner's high!! I wanted more! I was a RUNNER, at last!!!!
This first year of running, I completed 4 5K's. Some for fun and some to improve. So far this year I have ran in 6 5K's and have at least 4 more that I will complete before the year ends. I am hoping for more actually since I love it so much!
I am currently training for a 10K. I have not officially signed up for a 10K yet, but my ultimate goal is to run a few 10Ks, run half marathons, and finally run marathons, including the ultimate runner's dream of running the Boston Marathon.
So now you know a little bit more about my journey as a beginning runner. I still have issues and I still struggle with everything from running to workouts to eating. The biggest struggle I have right now is my eating. I have increased my workouts and my running distances, so I am hungry all the time. And because I workout and run so much, I feel like I can eat anything. So not true!! But this is for another blog all together.
Until next time my friends, let's inspire and encourage each other. Let's build each other up instead of put each other down. Rock on my fit friends, rock on!!
I ran a little bit in college for stress relief and to be active, but nothing serious. I was more into fitness videos and starving myself to lose weight. During college, after gaining the freshmen 20+, I was obsessed with losing it, and I would do anything to become skinny. I ate very little and would workout for a ridiculous amount of time every day. I even got to the point to where I was using over the counter laxatives to get rid of what I had over eaten that day. This was so unhealthy and quite frankly, disgusting. I would spend way too much time in the bathroom, rather than just eating healthy and exercising and living life. I was consumed with losing weight and it overtook everything that I thought about and everything that I did. I struggled. I still struggle.
With the help of my husband and family, I overcame my disorder, but I struggle every day with having the "fat girl" mentality. After having my two gorgeous babes, it started all over again. I was fat, unhealthy, depressed. I so badly wanted to fall into my old habits of starving and purging. I struggled for a little over a year after my youngest was born, before I finally took charge and made the changes that I talked about in my last blog.
Now onto my running. When I hit my plateau, I so badly wanted to once again fall into my past disorder and take what I thought, would be the easy route to seeing more results and seeing them quickly. This time though, I jumped on the treadmill. So March 17, 2012 began my journey!!
Let me tell you, getting on that treadmill that night was hard and even trying to run that first time was excruciating. I was out of breath, heaving, thought I was going to die. But, I kept at it. Each night I would try to run for a mile. And little by little, I was able to run faster and longer and the whole time. As my confidence grew, so did my desire to run longer and farther. I kept pushing myself. Mind you, all of this was on a treadmill!! I was nervous to run outside because I was so used to the comfort of my treadmill and my basement.
I asked for some advice from some fellow runner friends of mine on Facebook and they encouraged me to try the Couch to 5K program. Even though I had been running for a few months, I decided to try the program from the beginning when I ran outside. I actually used two different apps on my IPhone for C25K so that I could alternate, making it easy to run every day. I worked hard to complete each week with these programs. And eventually it got to the point where I was able to jog for 30 minutes without stopping. That was such a momentous day for me. I had never been able to do that in my life. I was amazed!!! I was finally beginning to feel like a runner.
Now that I was beginning to feel like a runner, I felt like I needed to do what real runners do. I signed up for my first 5K. In September I ran in the Henry Vilas Zoo Run Run. I finished with a decent time in the range of 34 minutes. And I ran the whole time. I didn't stop for water or walking breaks. I felt so alive running across that finish line. Although the best part was seeing all my family there cheering me on. My mom and dad, my mother-in-law, my 2 beautiful kiddos, and my amazing husband, who had just had back surgery not even a month before!! The proud look on all their faces and the excitement in their voices made me the happiest momma, daughter, wife on the planet. I loved this feeling!! I loved the rush!! I had the runner's high!! I wanted more! I was a RUNNER, at last!!!!
This first year of running, I completed 4 5K's. Some for fun and some to improve. So far this year I have ran in 6 5K's and have at least 4 more that I will complete before the year ends. I am hoping for more actually since I love it so much!
I am currently training for a 10K. I have not officially signed up for a 10K yet, but my ultimate goal is to run a few 10Ks, run half marathons, and finally run marathons, including the ultimate runner's dream of running the Boston Marathon.
So now you know a little bit more about my journey as a beginning runner. I still have issues and I still struggle with everything from running to workouts to eating. The biggest struggle I have right now is my eating. I have increased my workouts and my running distances, so I am hungry all the time. And because I workout and run so much, I feel like I can eat anything. So not true!! But this is for another blog all together.
Until next time my friends, let's inspire and encourage each other. Let's build each other up instead of put each other down. Rock on my fit friends, rock on!!
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