Run? I Thought You Said 'Rum'

For my first blog entry I think it would be fun to get to know one another. I want to tell you a little about my fitness journey. I am a runner. Hard to believe, I know. Check me out; that’s me on right after completing the Seattle Hot Chocolate 5K in March. I do not look like the other bloggers. At 5'1 I am currently 206 lbs and 6 months ago I weighed even more. I spent too many years inactive and overweight. As Louis C.K. says, "I don't think you are supposed to weigh your age plus 200 lbs." In January 2013, with my impending 31st birthday, I was nearly that large. The husband and I had made a decision to run a zombie-themed 5K in August 2013; the trailer for the race was very compelling. Soon I was scrambling to find a strategy to lose pounds and run 3.1 miles without keeling over before I reached the finish line. My plan started out simple enough. I was going to talk as much crap as I could, set the bar so high, that if I failed I would suffer incredible embarrassment (credit to Tim Ferris here). I told anyone who would listen about the zombie race. Then, I joined a running group. On January 22, 2013, I stood in front of a local running store with 30-40 other people of all sizes. As we discussed why we were all there something awful projectile vomited from my mouth. "I am here to run 13 races in 2013." Where did THAT come from? What on earth was wrong with me? I can still feel the absurdity of my own statement. The look of skepticism on the faces of those around me is vivid in my mind. I’m still embarrassed. January is mid-Winter here. Much of the group was scurrying in and out of the store purchasing mittens, ear covers and jackets to brave the frigid night air. Not me. A wave of doubt was washing over me. As I eased towards the edge of the crowd a hand touched my shoulder. A woman smiled at me and said "Hi, my name is Tracie. I am one of the mentors. “With no way to exit, I was stuck. Later I was introduced to my first interval challenge. This meant that I would complete 1 minute of running coupled with 2 minutes of walking. It wasn't long before the group nervously jogged into the cold, many of my fellow 'runners' also wondering why they too chose to start running in the winter. Later, I fell into bed feeling accomplished and somewhat scared. At about 220 lbs I knew I would have to work harder than most of my group...just to keep up. As I drifted off to sleep I also knew that this potentially could change my life. It did. On March 3rd, I ran/walked my first 5k. It took me 45 minutes. My husband patiently stayed with me the entire way. It was a huge momentum builder. I immediately signed up for another one. Over the next 12 weeks I saw massive changes. I increased my water intake, veggies and protein. My form improved and I learned to belly-breath. I changed my shoes and my clothes. When I had a run scheduled, my whole day revolved around prepping for success. I wanted this. At the end of April, my class ran a 5k as a group. Without much ceremony, we quietly signified the end of our training time together. We savored the small victories as we ran across the finish line that seemed impossible in the weeks before. I finished this race in 36 minutes! Tracie, the mentor, shook my hand as we took pictures together. Then it was over. Our group dissipated into the crowd and I was left feeling unsure of myself. Am I runner? An athlete? I don't look like one. Would I continue to run alone? Would I accomplish my goals? The answer is yes. I laced up my trainers the following Tuesday evening and headed out on our familiar route through the park. I met up with our groups' "Bloom's Day Transition" coach to prep for the next challenge, a 12k. In May, I ran 5.7 miles of that 12k. I am now six races into my 13 race goal and I have no plans to stop. You will hear a lot about running from me. Running changed everything about my life. TheDailyHiit has become my 'go-to' cross training. I want to share that with you. I want to share my whole journey with you. Hopefully I have given you some insight into my fitness journey.  Tell me about your fitness journey. Credit for the title goes to my clever friend Lydia.