Beginnings

I have been thinking of starting a Blog for some time now, so here I am. I suppose the best place to start is to tell a little about myself...

Growing up I wasn't very active in sports, well I take that back... I was an active bowler. Some people don't consider bowing a sport, but in my eyes and to my body, it is a sport. Bowling was my only sport. I tried softball when I was in third grade and didn't even last one practice! A ball to the nose resulting in a bloody nose, pretty much detered me away from softball. I tried playing basketball in 5th and 6th grade. Key word there was "tried." I just wasn't that good. I was slow on the track when it came time to run in gym class. Sports, with the exception of bowling, just wasn't my thing. Bowling I was good at. I am still a bowler to this day. I have stopped bowling on leagues a couple of times, but always seem to go back. Right now I am not on a league, but I do bowl a couple times a year.

I have struggled with my weight most of my life or maybe more of my body image. In high school I weighed in between 110lbs - 120lbs, but it was a pudgy 120lbs. In college, I gained about 10lbs. I wasn't to happy about my body and what it looked like, but I wasn't unhappy enough to do anything more than complain about it. A couple years after college, I got married and then had a beautiful baby girl (she just turned 13 earlier this year). I gained a lot of weight, like 50lbs! I tried to lose it by walking and eating less. I didn't have much luck and the whole self-esteem was trashed. I started using Herbalife and it really helped. I got down to 145lbs and was so excited, yet devastated. Why devastated? Because it still wasn't good enough for my then husband. I heard him say things like I "wasn't tone enough" and "you used to be beautiful." Those words still hurt at times even now. I stopped using Herbalife (also got divorced) and did fairly good for a few years. Then the weight started creeping up again. I started working overnights, was getting less sleep, I got remarried, and I started packing on more weight.

In 2009, two years after I got remarried, my then Husband, Chris, left me. A few months later he had joined a gym and then I joined under him. I even got a couple sessions with a personal trainer. I tried so hard, at least I thought I was trying hard. For the four months I went to the gym, I had lost less than 5lbs! I was so frustrated. During those months, my husband and I worked things out. He had stopped going to the gym within a month and half of him joining, but I had continued to go for a few more months. I just got to the point that I felt it wasn't doing any good, so why keep going.

Then two years ago, a co-worker had asked me to sign up with Team in Training to do a half marathon here in Kansas City. We had already been helping our manager raise money with fundraisers for her Team in Training events. My co-worker and I decided that we could walk a half marathon and we both signed up. Wow, how signing up with Team in Training has changed my life! Started training in June of 2011 for the Waddell and Reed Kansas City Half Marathon (they have a full too). My co-worker was a little bit faster than me at walking and sometimes she couldn't make it to team trainings on Saturday mornings, but I there was another walker. We helped each other get through the miles. We learned a lot about each other and we even tried a few bouts of running. When I say bouts, I'm talking like maybe 30 seconds. We would use landmarks to start and run to. My new friend couldn't make it to the 9 mile training day. That was a tough one for me, but also a great learning experience. I got to mile 7 and I just couldn't walk anymore. I wanted to be done. So, I started running. Just one foot in front of the other. I would have to stop and walk a little, but I didn't let it last for too long. Walking just hurt too much. As bad as I felt, I finished strong and was really proud of myself.

So in October 2011, I started and completed my first half marathon... in 3 hours, 46 minutes, and 23 seconds. I did have the support of Chris; he actually came and took pictures. He and my mother were there at the finish line, cheering me on. Ah, thinking about it brings tears to my eyes. I set out and did something I never thought of doing before. I was so sore, my hamstrings hurt so bad, I was so excited, so amazed, so thrilled, yet was limping around for a couple of days! BTW, even before completing this half marathon, I had signed up again with Team in Training to do a full marathon in June 2012... in Anchorage, Alaska.

After the KC half marathon, I took some time off walking. Then training started back up in February for the full I would complete in Anchorage. Training for a full takes up a lot of time and can result in a lot more struggles. That second group training run, I met some new walkers. I even helped get them through their first long training walk. One of them even asked me if I was a coach and when I said no, told me I would be great at it! The third week of training brought me a new walking friend! Carrie, she's amazing and awesome! We helped each other get through those long miles. We even met at least once when we both missed group training to try and put in our 8 miles. We only put in four miles that day... great memories were made that day. I'll never forget how at about a mile and half out on our training walk, it started down pouring. We thought it might let up, so we made it to the 2 mile turn around point (we were going two miles in one direction, head back to our cars and go two miles in the other direction), however, it didn't stop raining and we were soaked by the time we got back to our cars. During the week day runs on our own, I would attempt to run more. I was able to do pretty good. I even did a half marathon (Running with the Cows) on my own in May of 2012 and loved it so much! Then there was the 16 mile training day... I was supposed to go bootblocking after our training, but it was also rainy and I'd never done 16 miles. I didn't bootblock, but Carrie and I had to help each other finish. I think she carried me more that day than I carried her. The 22 mile training day... wow, what a long, hot, and miserable day! By mile 20 I started making up my own words and signing. We laughed and giggled and it helped us finish those last two miles. Yeah, I am pretty sure I was delirious or something. Come to find out, on long mileage days (greater than 16 miles) I tend to start signing and making up songs the last two miles! Yep, did it during the marathon as well. We finished in just under 8 hours. We still chat every once in a while.

After the full marathon, I took some time off. I was experiencing some really bad leg pain. I was so tired and just blah. My weight was still an issue and I couldn't understand why I hadn't lost any weight. I had actually gained a few pounds. I was frustrated and when the scale tipped 212, something clicked. I HAD TO DO SOMETHING! So in the middle of July last year, I joined a gym. I did a little research and found that people training for marathons and half marathons usually had a hard time losing weight. I added some weight training, I did some walking and tried to run some more. I had signed up for the Kansas City Half marathon again. I wanted to improve my time. I wanted to be able to run more. The weight slowly started coming off. I didn't do a lot of long runs, but I did get in an eight mile (on my own) and an eleven mile run (as an alumni with TNT).

Race day... It was weird doing a race and not being a TNT member. I did meet up with the group, however, it just felt odd to me. I was pretty much on my own most of the race. I felt really good too. Chris was there again, but not my mom. This time Chris didn't meet me at varies spots on the course. I did however see my manager! She came over to cheer me on. She was volunteering at an aid station, but wanted to see me. I got another surprise as well, my co-worker that I had signed up with TNT the year before was out there and cheered me on in several locations. It was such a surprise; I didn't know she was going to be out there. I felt great that day. I was running a lot, slow, but I was running. I did walk/run with someone for a little while, but we soon parted ways. I came to the water station that was being run by TNT and oh what an awesome site. J-Ro even sprinted out to meet me and ran with me for a few hundred feet. Kim was there (mentor from the KC group the year before) and they all said I was looking so good! Wow, I felt amazing really. I wanted to finish between 3 hours and 3 hours 15 minutes. When I realized I was going to do it, I was so excited. When I crossed that finish line, I wanted to cry and jump for joy. My time for this half marathon was 3:04:12! I had improved my previous years time by just over 42 minutes!

So somewhere between Anchorage and KC, I had decided I wanted to go back to school to become a personal trainer. I started that in February this year and will be done at the end of December. I've learned so much already.

In December 2012 I also decided I wanted to complete five half marathons in 2013. In December, I signed up for Running with the Cows (May) and Kansas City (October). On January 1st I signed up for Hospital Hill (June). In the middle of January, I added Rock the Parkway (April) and by February I added F*L*A*T*S (October - this is a trail half) and Bass Pro (November). In May I also picked up Kansas City Corporate Challenge half marathon, which was the week after Running with the Cows. So far I have completed Rock the Parkway (3:05:46), Running with the Cows (wore wrong shoes and had to get a new timing chip, which messed up so I have no time, but think it was 3:11), KC Corporate Challenge (3:11:34) and Hospital Hill (3:07:44 - omgoodness the hills! There is isn't just one).

The first part of 2013 has been filled with great accomplishments (4 half marathons within 7 weeks, three of which were completed in a 4 week time period) and much sadness for me. Chris and I have separated, we have moved to opposite ends of the KC metro area, and we will be filing for divorce. My daughter decided to move in with her dad. These two events have been very tough on me emotionally. If it wasn't for school and all the miles I try to put in, I don't know how I would have been making it through these events.

I took a few weeks off for recovery after Hospital Hill, okay maybe like a week and half. I've gotten back into training. I've done a couple 5k and 10k's. I did my first trail 5k and came in last! I will save that for another entry. I have a couple more 5k's coming up in the next few weeks. I've also found the "Get out and run" program from US Road Running (www.USRoadRunning.Com) and they have a monthly medal. I have a few of my friends running or walking now. I am part of Moms Run This Town (www.momsrunthistown.com), in which I am the Chapter Leader for the Kansas City Group (www.facebook.com/groups/kansascity.mo.mrtt/).

So what about my weight? Well I am down 30lbs! I started using MyFitnessPal (kitcatkiss12), I also have a FitBit Flex that keeps me motivated to get my steps in for the day. I currently have the goal set for 10,000 steps per day. Tuesday seems to be the day I have the most trouble in reaching this goal. I am working on this though. I still have about 40lbs to go, but to lose 30lbs over the past year is a big accomplishment.

I look forward to putting into words my thoughts, experiences, and any other thing I feel like writing about. I am going to try to keep my focus on health, fitness, and running, however you may find other things here and there. I am hoping that I will be able to help others, inspire and encourage. I know I have already done so with some, but I want to continue to do so.