Lesson of the day: Don't give up!

I hit 3.1 miles today for the first time. It took 56:49 but I did it!

Today's run was a bit of a mishap. I set out to the river earlier in the day and spent two hours enjoying the cool water. A good part of that time I spent swimming/walking against the current in an effort to reach the shallows so I could collect rocks for a project. My legs were tired by the time we got back to the van!

Powers

Bill jumping off the diving board

Even though my ankle was still sore I decided to go for a run while my Mom cooked dinner. I got dressed and told her if I wasn't back in 45 minutes or so to call me. I've driven the area around my parents house countless times, but wasn't quite sure which way to go when running.

My initial plan was to do an out and back down the road I was most familiar with, but my Step-Dad suggested doing a loop around, promising it was just over 3 miles. Mom said it was probably longer, but I really liked the idea of not doing an out and back so I took off the direction Bill suggested.

Almost instantly I was ready to quit. My legs were heavy and tired from swimming, and my stomach hurt. Instead of turning around I kept going. The road was a nice change because it had some subtle hills and sharp curves, but there was barely any shoulder. I had to hold my breath while big trucks came barreling at me.

My parents live in an incredibly rural area (population 120 - and I think that includes domestic animals ;), and I'd say a vast majority of those people are farmers of some sort. Some keep organic dairy cows, others have horse ranches, a few pig farmers, a couple large scale gardeners, and chickens everywhere!

View while running.

These drivers aren't used to slowing down for runners on the road. I know how I drive these roads... I doubt I will run it again! The entire way I was beating myself up because I couldn't keep pace with my training app. The walk periods felt short, and almost every time I glanced at my phone it said I still had 15-40 seconds left to run. It was agonizing!
At one point I was pretty sure I was lost and tried to call my Mom but the phone was busy. Finally I just kept going, trying to run as much as I could, still really disappointed in what I thought was my inability to do a full minute.

View while running.

Once I hit 3.1 minutes I realized I still had a good mile to the house. Defeated and angry I tried to channel that negative energy in to something positive. Even though my training for the day was done I'd run as far as I could as fast as I could, walk, catch my breath, and go again.
When my Mom drove up next to me at 3.42 miles I was overjoyed! I turned off Nike + and climbed in the passenger seat. I'd been gone for an hour, so she'd come to make sure I was ok. I have the best parents! I'd been thinking about calling for a ride from the moment I hit 3.1, but didn't want to give up.

View while running.

I started fiddling with my phone to post my run to Facebook and realized I had set my training to the wrong day. Instead of running 1 minute, walking 4 minutes, running 1 minute... I was running 1.30, walking 3.30, and repeating. No wonder I could never make it as far as my phone said to go!
Between the new road, tired legs/sore ankle, and wrong training day I still feel like I did pretty well today. Once back at my parents I collapsed on to the floor and stretched. Then I enjoyed dinner. 1 rib, a serving of cottage cheese, and baked beans. Mom had cooked me two ribs, but I could barely finish the first.

The best thing about running so far has been its affect on my appetite. It's shrinking!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Gone Swimming

My whole post from yesterday seems to have disappeared. Now I get to tell my story all over again.

Yesterday morning I dropped by the store for shrimp, green onions, and Red Box movies on my way home from work. I walked out with those things and cereal. Why? I ate the whole box of Fruity Pebbles. Although I have several trigger foods, cereal is the easiest one to avoid since most are not gluten free. Seeing the big 'Gluten Free' sign on the box made it impossible to resist though.

Feeling like a loser, I got myself busy, as if doing chores could erase my failure. I cleaned the litter box, then washed the back/side of the house and my back porch. One of the windows the sunroom wasn't quite closed and my bed got a little wet.

So I pulled out the sleep sofa and crashed on it. After 3 hours sleep I woke up and headed to the river with my parents. At first I almost didn't go. My stomach hurt, I was tired, and I was still furious with myself. On the way there I confessed about the cereal to my Mom, who is basically my accountability partner about the early morning binge.
Little did I know that she'd picked out the swimming hole you have to hike to. I may not have burned off the entire box, but I certainly felt better after hiking down, swimming for a few hours, and hiking back up.

The hike down.

Me at 313lbs.

The swimming hole.

My Mom.

The swimming hole.

My step-dad, Bill.. and Buddy.

Another picture of the swimming hole.

By the time we got home I was pretty set on skipping my planned run for the day, but instead I threw on my clothes and headed back outside. I started out strong and was actually pushing my running interval to almost a minute when my phone rang. I slowed to a walk and talked to my Mom, who had left her glasses in my bag.
We arranged for her to pick them up tomorrow and I picked up the pace. The phone rang again. It was Mom letting my know that my step-dad was on his way to get the glasses. Since I was almost halfway I just kept going and figured he'd have to wait for me to get home.

Not 2 minutes later a motorcycle pulled up in front of me. It was my step-dad. I told him where the glasses were, gave him my key, and he sped off to go get them.

Finally halfway I turned around and tried to make up time. If you use the Nike + app you know you can use power songs, so I turned on of those on. Once it was over my music didn't come back on so I slowed to a walk and started playing on my phone trying to get the music going again.

My left foot hit and rock and down I went on to my right side. It scared me more then anything at the time, and honestly I was really embarrassed because I run on the highway and there were plenty of cats going by... Typical fat girl can't even walk. Beating myself up I sprung back up and considered calling Mom for a ride home.

That would mean waiting on the highway though, so I just kept going. My ankle hurt, but not enough to make me walk the rest of my runs. I made it home in great time. Actually had the best pace and distance yet.

Nike + stats.

Once home I forwent my plans of making fried rice and had eggs, potatoes, and fruit instead. Dinner tasted delicious! Sometimes simple is perfect. I got my ankle elevated and iced and quickly fell asleep.
I skipped church this morning since it was still sore, and have been hobbling around trying to get chores done so I can spend the day at the river again tomorrow.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Training Partner & Races

Awesome sauce baby! My sister has agreed to train with me for the Prefontaine Memorial Run (10k). We live 4 hours apart but are using the same Run 10k app and keeping each other accountable. The 10k is in September, so hopefully I will be able to schedule a vacation around it, that way we can hang out a lot while she is in town.

This won't be our first race though. We are both signed up for the Fat to Finish Line Virtual 5k. I am over the moon about this 5k!

Fat to Finish Line

My original plan was to do a Couch to 5k program and then find one in my area. The app I was using though was just too tough, it moved so fast, I couldn't keep up. I found the Run 10k app and it progresses at a better pace, plus I've always wanted to participate in our local Pre.
Steve Prefontaine was from my area. The 10k is run every year here in honor of his memory. Our training program ends quite a while before that race, so the FtFL 5k is perfect timing.

Today has been great. I got off work early this morning, that never happens anymore, which means I got some extra time in bed. Then I got a text from my sister saying she had done her first training run! Just a few more hours at work and I'll be headed home. This weekend is supposed to be gorgeous, so you better bet I will be outside enjoying the sunshine.

Here are a few iPhone pictures from my drive home... The best part of my day, I love this area.

View from car.

View from car.

View from car.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Labels

Am I a blogger? A runner?

Yes and yes.

I may not be good or consistent at the whole blogging thing, but I have one and occasionally it get used. Therefor I am a blogger.

My mile might be 20 minutes long, but I do it. I may walk part of it. Jog part of it. Run part of it. I do it though, and that's what counts. A lot of the running blogs I read focus on the importance of identifying yourself as a runner regardless of what others say.

Running Route

No one has commented negatively on this new habit of mine. In fact the support I am getting from friends (many of whom run marathons!) is amazing. It's part of the reason I run. Knowing these women are out there cheering me on my way to a healthier life means a lot.
I've worn a lot of labels in my life. Some came from others. Some from doctors. Some from a deep ugliness inside of me that God has been patiently streaming light on waiting for me to realize that darkness is beautiful. It is His. His to heal, His to claim, His to transform. All I have to do is give it to Him.

Another label I wear is beloved child of God. This, this is the label I wear most proudly, yet struggle against hardest.

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Fertility and Running

At a doctors appointment earlier this month I found out I am not ovulating. My progesterone is extremely low. If I remember right my doctor said to ovulate your level should be 5. Mine was 0.38.

I was deflated. After years of trying with my ex-husband, we were told that an infection I had as a teen left me infertile. Last year I found out that the scarring from that infection was none existent and I was told I -could- have children.

So I had been contemplating babies... And then BAM. No babies for me. Not right now.

In hopes of increasing my progesterone naturally, I am supposed to be working out 6 days a week. I say supposed to because to be absolutely honest I am lazy, especially on the days I work. 12 hour shifts plus a commute makes working out look lame compared to sleep.

So I ran for a week and then took 2 weeks off. I am one of those people that has to deal with one thing at a time. An extreme depression low hit me hard, and I have spent the last two weeks healing my soul.

Today... Today I went out and ran! For 30 seconds. Then I walked. Then I ran. An app on my phone tells me what to do, and I just goooooo. It felt so good!

Once I lose 60lbs I am going to have my progesterone rechecked. Hopefully running pays off and my body starts to work again.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Testing

I have been struggling with a desire to communicate with others lately. First I had this blog, but without a computer it has been difficult to maintain. So I made a Facebook page, but it didn't feel right. Instagram is amazing, but sometimes I have a lot more to say than a blurb to go with a picture. Although aren't these flowers from my Mom beautiful?

So I have tried a few different apps and social network sites, but nothing seems to fit. Finally, I bit the bullet and paid for BlogPress. This is my first post using it, hopefully it works! I have so much to share.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Lagging

My desire to blog comes and goes. Not much to say right now, other than hello