The joy of pain.

I know I may have some of you a bit confused, and others of you already get what I am talking about.

I haven’t written for a bit just because I have felt uninspired. So a quick catch up.

First I did not achieve 250 lbs. by the New Year’s. But I did manage not to gain any weight which will suffice for a victory in itself.  I did however reengage my diet by going back to logging my food. My first week I was able to lose almost 6 pounds, the second week plateau but I can learn to accept that there will be those weeks. The fact remains though I am closer to my goal then I have ever been. I don’t remember the last time I was this size. I use the LoseIt app for my smart phone to track daily intake of food and nutrition. In working with Gruver fitness that information is then used to help me make better choices and be more informed about my own habits.  I really do hate logging my food, but it has helped a lot. Yes there are still times when I want to just throw caution to the wind and eat how I used to eat but in honest logging I consider the numbers. This in no way means I have abandoned my favorite food. I just consume less (usually). I have gone back to cutting out soda. I have snuck a sip here or there. But almost completely out, which is a huge win for me. Consistency is key. Consistency in eating, consistency in logging. Consistency in accountability. I know if I don’t log someone is going to call me on it. I know that my nutrition and my eating is how I lose my weight.

Now goal number two. As you may or may not know the relay for February is out. But the Ocean City Half Marathon is in. On May 2, 2015 I will complete a 272.1 mile long journey which will culminate in crossing the Finish line. Up until yesterday the runs had been fairly painless, which I count myself lucky for. Yesterday I ran miles and set 3 new personal records. 1) six miles without stopping or slowing to a walk. 2) I did not throw up completing this run. And 3) my time was 8 minutes shorter than the first time I ran 6 miles.  (Throwing up took a few minutes, and there was a few big **** hills on that first 6.)

I ran, felt good. I did stretch after and several times throughout the day. Last night though my knees started to bother me. Man did they hurt all night long too. There was no comfortable position.

BUT… I earned my pain. I ran 6 miles! My knees did not hurt for no reason other than my weight. The weather no longer has a huge impact on my body. Yes really cold and damp days I still feel it, but not like I used to.  I used to hear others who have earned their aches and pains with age talk about the weather and their bodies. But what was my excuse? I was obese. It hurts inside to say that but it is the truth. I am still not a healthy weight but I am doing something to move in a positive direction.  My journey to 13.1 will have a lot more aches and pains I know that but my joys afterwards will be in knowing I earned it. I earned it in pushing myself to new limits!

Climbing to greater heights! I come home from a run and I am tired, but I can pick up my boys and swing them around and know that I left them for an hour to insure I can give myself to them for a very long time to come.  Life is never guaranteed, but I will no longer actively shorten my own life.

I am growing as a person. My life is better-rounded (not my stomach).  Someone asked me am I doing this because of boot camp.  The answer is simply no I am doing this because I want to see what I can do. I started this venture not believing that I could but I agreed to try because so many people believed could. I have started to see what other could see that I could not. I am a runner. WHOA did I just say that, yes, yes I did. I may not look like that guys you see on the cover of runner’s world, but we’re a lot more alike on the inside then the outside.  Besides the physical perks, running has allowed me to escape the rapid fire world of my own brain. I can run and I can think clearly and work things out, or I can run and just be in the run. I love to run with others, it is a great way to get to know someone. I love pushing someone when they want to quit and two minutes later experiencing them do the same for me.

In case you wanted to know 248.1 miles to go.