by Sarah | Sep 22, 2012 | 45 before 45, All About Me, Get Fit - Or Kill Myself - Whatever Comes First
[flickr id=”8011911337″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]When I made up my 45X45 list I put a few things on there that I didn’t think I’d ever accomplish. Swimming with whale sharks, paying off the mortgage – seemingly impossible but you have to have lofty goals mixed in with the more attainable dreams.
Among the “probably never gonna happen” goals was “Run a 5k”.
I’m just not a runner.
Never have been.
Even when I had stamina and did regular cardio through dance.
So this was a pipe dream, but I felt like I had to have it on there.
[flickr id=”8011917340″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”right”]Today I crossed that finish line. I achieved one of the goals I swore would never happen.
There are a LOT of the negative Nellie thoughts in the back of my head. The “I finished…but” phrases.
BUT.
I’m ignoring them today.
Today I completed a 5k.
Not only did I complete it but I raked in an approximate 11.5 minute mile. I came in second in my age division (not far behind the first place finisher for my age division).
I did it.
I really did it.
Cross another one off that list.
Next year I’m setting my sites on one of the color runs…and probably this one again.
I’m still not a runner – but I know I can do this now.
And I want to do it again.
by Sarah | Aug 28, 2012 | 45 before 45, All About Me, Get Fit - Or Kill Myself - Whatever Comes First
[flickr id=”7267389774″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]Some time ago I made a pledge. I signed up for a 5k and determined that I would make it through the c25k program with time to spare. I’m not a runner, but I wanted to get healthy again, in shape.
Then the drought hit.
The insatiable, undying, intense heat.
Every day over 90*, starting in the 70’s.
So blasted hot.
Too hot to run without passing out.
Finally we had a break. Cool mornings.
So for the past 3 weeks I’ve been back at it.
I still can’t sustain a run for a long time and I’m sort of speed-bumping my way through that c25k thing. My muscles are weeping, my body is tired – but I can see that finish line now.
In 25 days come hell or high water – I’ll be running a 5k.
I just hope I come out the other end. 😉
by Sarah | Jul 19, 2012 | 45 before 45, All About Me, Blogging Life, Get Fit - Or Kill Myself - Whatever Comes First, Indy Geek Girls, Story of Me
[flickr id=”7598819772″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]*Showing off my new haircut. HUGE change here – took off 8-10 inches, people. Loving it!
Yesterday I turned 36. I’ve realized in recent months that I always demure “30-something” when referring to my age; and maybe it’s my new haircut, maybe it’s the events of the past year, or maybe I’m just growing up – but I realized I don’t like that I do that.
I need to own my age.
After all, my teenage years sucked. My 20’s were short-lived as I got pregnant right before my 21st birthday and had to become responsible for a young life that wasn’t my own. I became a mother three times in my twenties, a wife once. I bought a house, went into debt and started the isolation of a mom of very young special needs children.
Now I’m 36.
While we’ve had our struggles in our marriage (2 brief separations), Erik and I are finally reaching a new level of communication and cooperation. After 10 years my marriage is growing into a much stronger and powerful force.
My children’s needs and demands on my time have eased into a comfortable realm. While I still struggle with the demands on my time, and probably always will, there is now a level of relaxation in there. We’re “used to” the struggle and know how to power through it.
My 30’s have seen my return to my love of writing, I’ve found myself published, and I’ve written several novels that are either ready or almost ready to put out into the world to find a home.
While my 30’s have also seen me enter menopause (thanks to my emergency hysterectomy), and the failure of my body to maintain shape as I gave into the comfort of SAHM-hood…My later 30’s are seeing me return to exercise. My progress is slow and I fail, but I am working toward being strong & healthy again. Getting in shape is more important than the number on the scale, and I’m feeling the changes as they happen.
The best part of my 30’s has been the reintroduction of friendships – of a LIFE – into my life. My “fake” online friends have become real. I finally got to meet my BFF Jess in person a couple of years ago, and she’s returned the favor by coming here. Thanks to this blog (also started at the cusp of my 30’s) I’ve found a community of bloggers here in Indiana that are beyond comprehension in their awesomeness. We support each other, we help each other – and most importantly, we find ways to get together and develop that community in person. Girls nights, major events, smaller day trips. They are a real and present force in my life now.
I am 36.
I am in the prime of my life and proud of it.
by Sarah | May 25, 2012 | All About Me, Get Fit - Or Kill Myself - Whatever Comes First
[flickr id=”7267389774″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]When I was growing up I was the kid that hated gym. I despised it.
Okay, so I liked the times we did gymnastics. When I got older, I was cool with tennis and even took a semester of tennis in college.
Other than that? HATED.
My least favorite wasn’t the contact sports – it was track & field.
Running?
Ick.
Let me dance. Let me twirl and leap or do gymnastics (even though I was never great at it, that was my cousin’s realm).
Track and field made me cry. I don’t remember, but I probably mean that literally. HATED.
So what am I doing now?
Oh, just signing up to run in a 5k in September.
Running 3X a week using C25k to get there.
The thing that is shocking me?
I’m enjoying it.
When I got “injured” with some funky nerve pain last month and ended up laid up for days that turned into weeks, I missed it. I craved working out again.
I’m not just running, but I’m getting my ass kicked daily by Jillian Michaels. I favor her Ripped in 30 & Yoga Meltdown DVD’s. For some reason I never got along with the 30 Day Shred. I think it was the stupid jumping jacks. Jumping jacks should never ever be in my workout. We don’t get along.
I’m doing this for me.
Because I’m tired of hating myself because I’ve become lazy. I don’t ever expect to look like I did in high school again.
Actually, I want to look better. In high school I was so skinny I got called “Anorexic” by not just students, but teachers (heads up, I was not anorexic. I ate tons…mostly crap, but I ate tons).
I want to be healthy. Strong. I want to feel good about myself.
I know I have had kids, and a hysterectomy…but they are not fully to blame for my current state.
I am.
So now I move forward.
I’m not going to starve myself dieting – but I am going to eat better.
I’m not going to try to get back to high school weight (112 is an unrealistic goal) – but I am going to get back in shape.
I’m not going to deprive myself of treats & sweets – but I am going to practice moderation.
I want to be healthy…
So I run.
by Sarah | May 10, 2012 | All About Me, Get Fit - Or Kill Myself - Whatever Comes First
[flickr id=”5094799890″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]A couple of years ago I decided to try the C25k program.
Me? So not a runner.
Still, I did fairly well. I made it three weeks in – but since I had started in September the cold weather hit and gave me a marvelous excuse to quit.
Back during that time I didn’t have a smart phone, or an iPod or anything to download that handy app and listen to what I want. I found a couple of sites that created a download with the “run now” and “Walk now” instructions built into a set playlist.
I don’t remember any of the songs on the playlist save for one.
[amazon_link id=”B001AUEMFS” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Viva la Vida by Coldplay[/amazon_link].
I don’t know why this one sticks out, maybe because it met my pace perfectly, or because it was one song that I really liked.
Either way – any time I hear it now I remember running through the streets of my town. It is all I can think of – and I actually get the urge to go running.
I’ve recently started exercising again. Hubby bought an elliptical, I’ve been using Jillian DVD’s (I love to hate her)…and once in a while I go for a C25k run.
I want to get back into it, and I plan on it. Part of me wants to be a runner (the major part is a scared, screaming little girl that HATES running, HATES track and field, HATES sports…let me DANCE).
Once school is out. Where I can run at 7:30AM once hubs is off to work in the school parking lot across the street.
Unless I can run around the empty high school parking lot where it is flat, I am faced with running downhill first, uphill second. That about killed me first time I tried to do this LOL.
I have a feeling that when I start running again, I’ll be seeking out Coldplay on my Pandora and starting my daily run w/ it.
