Mission Accomplished...

If someone had told me one year ago that I would be able to run a 5K this summer, I would have thought him to be crazy. I detested exercise - especially in the heat - and I was so out of shape that a flight of stairs could do me in.

This morning I arose at 4:40 a.m., donned my running clothes and tennies and, with my husband, headed to my first race. I didn't sleep well last night, not only because of nerves, but one of our dogs decided to sleep in our room, and she was on and off the bed making as much noise as a 9 pound ball of fur can make. Despite the lack of sleep, I wasn't that tired. When my husband was driving the forty-five minutes to Jasper, he commented that he felt like a father taking his kid to a baseball game. I do admit that without his support, I would have still been curled up in bed, not preparing to run.

So, we arrived, checked in, and waited. I am always early for events, but I need to acclimate myself to my surroundings. We saw a young man who grew up in our town soon after we arrived. He said that he had recently begun running in 5Ks, and loves it. We also saw a women with whom my husband and I have both worked. She had just had her fourth baby in May, and was running this race. Wow! Although it was only 7:00 a.m. our time (time zones around here are crazy), it was getting hot and humid. The high today was going to be 96, and we were well on our way to the 90s.

Soon it was time to line up. I knew that my pace was slow, so I didn't want to be in front. I thought that others might also have a slow pace, but when the siren went off to start, the other runners seemed to just leave me in their dust. It was intimidating. It's easy to say that I don't care that I am slow, I just want to finish, but when I was suddenly alone (or so I thought), I wished that I could be faster. As I proceeded down the first hill, I could hear a family behind me with small children. I couldn't bear to look back and see that they were possibly the only ones back there. I just kept my pace. I know that my first mile is always difficult to get through, so I pushed and kept positive. A couple of the runners began to slow, so I wasn't completely alone. I picked a couple of women around me that I wanted to beat (so, I am a little competitive), and forged ahead. The course description said that there were three hills. I guess they only counted the big hills, because I certainly counted more than three! I definitely know that I need to do more hill work. At one point I wondered why I ever signed up for the race. It really wasn't very fun, but I was determined not to walk. I have been running over three miles, so I knew that I could do it, but it was hard. As we were running the last mile, I saw two teenagers walking in front of me. How great would it be to beat them?? I was closing in, but as soon as they heard my heavy breathing, they took off running. The last 2/10 of a mile was uphill. My original plan was to really pick up my pace at the end, but that plan changed when I saw that hill. I just wanted to get to the top - without walking. I made it, and I crossed the finish line. As soon as I was near my husband, I pointed out that there were others behind me. I wasn't last.

My time was 33:01, which is not good, but I finished. Now my goal is to improve my time a little each race. I think I would have had a better time today if it weren't for the hills. I normally run about 11 minute miles on flat ground, so in a sense (at least in my mind) my time was better. When we talked to a couple of experienced runners after the race, they told me that I had chosen a tough course for my first race. Guess I'm a tough gal!!

Busy Summer

I can't believe that it has been a week since I have blogged! So much has happened, and not all of it is good. Last week my middle daughter accidentally backed over one of our dogs. I honestly didn't think the dog, Gracie, would live. She stayed at the vet's for a week, and we brought her home Monday. Her back legs are paralyzed, but the vet is not certain that it is permanent. I must say, it certainly seems to be. She has no movement in them at all. We carry her outside, but then she can pull herself around with her front paws. It is very sad to watch.

My oldest daughter lost her job, just two weeks after purchasing her car (that I co-signed for). The company she worked for has a reputation for firing; their turn-around rate is quite high. Morgan wants to move to Nashville, so this might just be the motivation she needs to get moving.

Exercise...it's still going well. There was a point about a week or two ago that I just wanted to quit running. It wasn't getting any easier, and I was tired (it doesn't help that it is still early in the summer, and it is in the 90s already!). It has gotten much better. Sunday night I pushed it and ran 4 miles, and last night I ran 4 1/2 miles!! If someone had told me a year ago that I would be able to run that far, I would have never believed it. By gradually building up, I am able to go further. My husband has run 3 miles the last two times we went out. This Saturday is my first 5K run in Jasper, IN. I am nervous because I don't really run hills, and I know the course has some. I am just going to go up there and run. I don't intend to place, but I hope I don't get beat by an 80 year old man!

One thing about running that was bothering me was that I couldn't just relax and think about other things. I would dwell on every ache or on how much further I had to go. I am beginning to be able to just get into a pace and think about other things - but I do go back to thinking about how hard it is. I used to walk a lot, and I really enjoyed being able to just have the solitude to think. I hope that I get to that point with running.

It's getting easier

Last night we ventured to the track at about 8:30. I had convinced my youngest daughter to try running - well, I actually bribed her. She is really proud when she runs one lap, which is 1/4 mile. She says she can't run. Addison is 12 years old, and could run if she chose to. I told her that if I can begin running at my age, and her step-dad, who is 58, can run with an artificial knee, she should be able to at least make an attempt. The second weekend in August our town hosts a 2-mile run. My husband and I both plan to run, so I told my daughter if she would enter the 2-mile, and try to run as much of it as she can, I would give her $100. The child likes money, and she is saving to buy a laptop, so I figure it is worth it to get her more active.

She and her friend met us at the track last night. They ran two laps and walked three. They also did a couple sprints, so at least they made some effort. I ran three miles, and it didn't really hurt. I actually felt pretty good the whole time, other than my stomach was a little upset. That was God's way of letting me know that I shouldn't have caved in and ordered a quarter pounder at McD's earlier that evening! Another lesson learned...

This morning I met my oldest daughter and played tennis. What a great workout! I am starting to feel more comfortable with my game, although I still hit some atrocious shots! I really enjoy playing, and it is nice to have some time with my daughter. I feel like I know more about what's going on in her life through our 'tennis' conversations.

Well, my dirty house awaits. I am hoping to get it cleaned quickly so we can go to the pool for a couple of hours.

Ugh - I almost ate a bug

Our nice, relaxed summer has obviously been busy. I am continuing to run. Saturday morning my husband and I got up early and went to town. I wanted to run 3 miles, so he rode his bike with me and kept track of the distance. We went 3.17 miles, and it was actually very pleasant. I enjoyed having him with me; I think I would have run less had he not been there pushing me. Having company also makes it go faster. I was energized for the rest of the day, which was spent repainting my youngest daughter's room.

On Sunday, we went to church, and I continued working on Addison's bedroom. Once I start I get this HGTV mission going, so I ended up repainting dresser, and ordering new linens. She is 12, so we are giving her a more grown-up looking, without being 'girly'. So, after working like a mad-woman all day, we decided to run late Sunday.

Gary and I headed to the track at about 8:45. When we pulled up, there were several people there. We started our run together, but break off into our own paces. After about a mile, tragedy struck. Okay, to most people it wouldn't be tragedy, but I have a very weak stomach, and am easily nauseated. I was running along thinking about how far I would run that night, when I sucked a bug partway down my throat! The lady in front of my must have thought I was disgusting because the noise I made as I forced the bug out of my throat was loud - kind of like an old man hocking something up. Though the bug was dislodged from my throat, I could still taste it (it makes me gag just writing about it!), so I continued to gag, certain that I would eventually vomit. My husband was at the other end of the track, oblivious to my plight. I went off of the track to an area of grass just hoping no one was paying any attention to me. I guess no one was, but then again, if I had been having a heart attack, would they have just walked by?? So, once most of the bug taste was out of my mouth, I began running again - this time barely opening my mouth, especially under the lights! Lesson learned - when running at night keep your mouth closed as much as possible.

Running isn't always fun

Despite my desire to stay in shape, I am finding it increasingly difficult to remain dedicated, especially to running. This morning I got up and went to town at 7:30 to run before Morgan and I played tennis. I have been running in the evening, so I wanted to see if I could run in the morning. I managed to run 2 miles (though I had been running 3 in the evening), but the whole time I just couldn't wait to be finished. After three months of running, I would have expected it to get easier, but it is still such an effort. I really enjoy biking, playing tennis, and doing the TurboJam workout, but I just don't like running. So, why am I doing it? What am I trying to prove?

I keep thinking that it will become easier if I just stick with it. When I finish a run, I feel exhilerated and proud that I have accomplished something. Right now, that's what is getting me through. It is also great for burning calories and building leg muscles. It's a great cardio workout. I know all of this, but as I run I am thinking I hate this. How healthy is that? Today as I ran I was thinking about stopping running, and just sticking with the other activities, but I know that I will try again. I still haven't mailed my entry for the 5K that is in 2 weeks; I just don't know if I can do it.

After running, Morgan and I decided that the courts were too wet for tennis, so we did TurboJam together. It is a dreary old day, so since that time I have dozed on and off, and finished some reading for my classes. Now I am supposed to be working on assignments, but am blogging instead.

I have started to keep a small journal of my exercise and what I eat for the day. Nothing much, I just purchased a small notebook from a dollar store, and make notes each day. I think that if I have to write down everything I eat, I will be more accountable.

That's it for today...homework is calling.

How long can I keep this up?

I can't even recall when I last posted. I found that I don't have much time on the weekends, so weekday posts will have to cover it all. Gary and I managed to bike 10 miles Friday evening, which was a challenge because we live in a small, hilly town. We had to circle the town twice, and we worked to avoid the big hills. Someday we hope to conquer Mozart Street and Tell Street, but we do know our limitations at this point.

Saturday turned out to be pretty busy, so we really had to make ourselves work in exercise. We were at the high school track at 10:00 pm running! Fortunately, we don't really have a social life, so it didn't cramp our style (just our legs). I actually like running late at night; it's very peaceful, and much cooler. I went to the track that evening with the intention of only running 2 miles because I really was tired. Once I had run 2 miles, Gary was still running, so I thought I might as well run 2 more laps, which would make it 2 1/2 miles. Of course, at that point I might as well go the rest of the way to complete the 3.1 miles since I am still contemplating running a 5K in 3 weeks. I did it - and felt terrific afterward. As I was running, I thought that I would just run until Gary stopped; he was thinking that he would run until I stopped. Good thing I finally stopped or we would have been there at 2:00 am both waiting for the other to quit!

Did I mention that my principal is now a runner? She is partly responsible for my new hobby. I had always used the very logical excuse that I was just too busy to exercise. Once I finished grad school I would begin. Well, here comes Mrs. Noble, who works long hours, and has three young boys, and she has begun running mini marathons. That made my excuse look really lame. Of course, I let her know that I was up to 3 miles (which doesn't compare to her 13.1), and she has suggested that we run one morning at 6:00. YIKES! I am going to try it; I do like a challenge. She runs 4-5 miles most mornings, sometimes more. I am not sure how I am going to pull that off without making a complete fool of myself, but who's out at that hour anyway??

The tennis game is coming along slowly. I really enjoy playing, but this morning it really wore me out. My daughter ran me all over, and being just slightly competive, I didn't want to look like a wimp.

...But I did it last night!

Last night I was determined, the weather was great, and I ran 3 miles - well, it was actually about 2.95 miles, so I will have to work on my route a bit. I felt great afterward. It is hard to believe that just 2 months ago I was so excited to be able to run a mile, and now I have made it 3! I hope that I can keep it up. My husband also ran, but we don't run together. My daughter rode her bike along with me, which made it go much quicker. There is a 5K run on June 27 that I am considering entering, but deep down I am really a chicken. I know that the most important goal would be to finish the race, but I really don't want to come in last place in my division. I do have a little competitiveness in me.

This morning Morgan and I met to play tennis. I actually played better than I did last week. I had a few decent shots, but my serves are horrible. I am constantly telling Bethany to get her toss up so that she doesn't hit it into the net, but I had many low tosses. There were also times that I truly thought I could get to the ball, but was a few inches short of making it. I am going to keep it up - it is much easier to hit a big yellow ball with a racquet than a little white ball with a club!

This evening we plan to bike. I plan to go 10 miles, but I don't know if that's what my husband plans. It should be a beautiful evening, so I think that we can make it.

I just couldn't do it!

So, did I run last night? I tried, but my stomach was just upset enough that I only ran about 4 blocks, and then decided to head back home. I was really disappointed because it was a beautiful evening, and I wanted to see just how far I could make it. Instead, my husband and I did TurboJam at 9:00. The Turbo Sculpt routine is low impact, so it didn't bother my stomach.

Tonight, I will try once again to run. It is very cool outside, particularly for June. Addison and I went for a walk in the woods, and I wore a long-sleeved shirt and a sweatshirt. I might just have to stick to the treadmill tonight, which is BORING! It seems to take so much longer than running on the street, plus I obsess over how much further I have to go. Morgan and I had planned to play tennis this morning, but it was raining. Honestly, I was happy to sleep in, and I worked on homework all day. I am OCD when it comes to work for my classes. Though I have several days before the assignments are due, I was determined to get them in today - which I did.

That's it for today. It's a dreary day - great for being lazy (or for working on laundry, which is where I am headed!).

I Co-Signed a Loan!

When I got out of bed this morning, I expected to spend my day working on homework for my master's classes, and possibly hang out at the pool if it didn't rain. So, I dressed, pulled my hair back, grabbed a Diet Mt. Dew, and sat at the computer ready to log-on to the Ball State site. As I began to view a webcast about reading comprehension, my youngest came flying out of her room and into mine. "Did you forget something?" she asked. Clearly, I had. She wanted to go to school and take a test over her first summer reading book. We still had an hour, so I paused the computer, and we took off for town.

As my luck would have it, when we arrived, the teacher wasn't there; no one had seen her. I knew that it was very possible that we had misread the form that we thought said tests could be taken on Wednesdays throughout the summer from 9-11 in the morning. I needed to run to the store, so we did that, and went back home. I quickly found the reading information, and I had not misread. There was no start date listed. Long (boring) story short...the teacher told the kids that it would begin on June 10; Addison didn't hear her.

So, at this point it was still morning, and I still had time for homework. Morgan had other plans. She wanted me to take her car shopping. She was driving a 1995 Explorer that was on its last leg - well, wheel. She did need a dependable vehicle, so off we went. She ended up choosing a 2008 Ford Fusion. It is really a nice car, and should last her several years if she cares for it properly. I am happy that she found something, but really nervous about co-signing. I paid for her first vehicle, so I didn't have to worry about payments being made on time. Now she is responsible, and that worries me. However, if I hadn't co-signed, she would not have been able to get anything. I truly hope that she learns to be responsible, and to take care of her car. Have you ever followed your child while he or she is driving? If you haven't - don't! I followed Morgan home from the dealership, and it made me crazy. She isn't a bad driver, and if it hadn't been my daughter, I wouldn't even have noticed her. I think she tailgates; she thinks she is fine. I worried she was talking on her phone - even though I was the one who called her to tell her to quit tailgating!!

Exercise...Last night I ran 2 1/2 miles. It actually felt pretty good. I don't start feeling confident until after 1 1/2 miles. It is just such an effort! My husband ran 2 miles for the first time, so we were both proud of our accomplishments. I plan to go to town this evening and run again, though I would love to plop on the couch and watch pointless television! Sometimes it is so hard to get going. It does look like rain...maybe I should stick around and do TurboJam instead!

Biking with Morgan

As I had stated, I am attempting to vary my exercise so that I don't get bored with one thing. I tend to get really into something, and then just quit, and I can't afford to quit exercising. My oldest daughter, Morgan, is 20 and works evenings. After getting out of shape the last couple of years, she is trying to begin an exercise routine. Since I am out of school for the summer, we are meeting in the mornings for some type of exercise.

Our first morning together we played tennis. I used to play, but now I stink. Mentally, I think I can still hit the ball, and even run down those corner shots. Physically, my body just isn't doing what my brain is thinking! Morgan, who is a very good tennis player, can lay down her racquet for a year, decide to play again, and resume hitting her powerful shots. I simply can't keep up; but I will keep trying.

Yesterday I thought I had convinced Morgan to run with me. She said she would try, but she only ran about 3 blocks. We walked 2 miles. It was still exercise, and I ran a mile when I returned home to be certain I got a good cardio workout. I also walked with my youngest daughter at an amusement park, and then walked 2 miles with my sister in the evening. Of course, even with all of that walking, I still found time to snack a lot. I have to work on realizing that just because a snack is low fat, it doesn't mean that I can eat continually throughout the day. Being at home more, I find myself grazing in the kitchen.

This morning our exercise of choice was biking. I have a 5 mile course through our town that I enjoy. There are a few hills, but nothing that is impossible. By 2 miles Morgan was ready to quit - and she had complained the entire two miles. I pushed her to keep riding, and we made it the full 5 miles. I enjoy biking, and I know that my legs get a decent workout on hills, but I still feel like I need to do more after biking. My plan is to run this evening, but it is really hot and humid outside! I need to find some type of motivation - maybe stepping on the scale will work!

Family Wellness Plan

Though we often see on the news that our nation is becoming more and more obese, many of us have made excuses for putting on a few pounds over the years. Women have the most logical excuse - we've had babies. I had all of the best excuses: no time for exercise; I've had three kids; I am over 40; I hate vegetables; I love red meat, potatoes, and all sweets (I am a pretty decent baker); and my husband loves me like I am!

I am very blessed to have decent metabolism. My mother's family has always been concerned with weight (my grandmother was always quick to point out when anyone gained the least amount of weight), and my mother, who is 75, and sister, who is 53 (11 years older than I), both exercise regularly and weigh less than 110. I must point out that though those weights might seem very low, we are also a short family. I am only 5 feet tall, and my mother and sister aren't much taller. When I got pregnant with my first daughter, I weighed 102. I managed to gain 38 pounds with that pregnancy, as well as with my second pregnancy. I did lose the weight, and with my third daughter I only gained 28 pounds. Fast forward a few years...I went through a divorce in 2002 - now there's a diet! I became obsessed with walking because it was good psychologically, and I just didn't feel like eating. I probably got a little too thin during that period.

In 2003, I remarried. With happiness came food and with food came weight gain. My husband and I both put on some weight. I wasn't overweight, but uncomfortable with how I looked and with how my clothes fit, and I got winded going up a flight of stairs. Even that wasn't enough to get me to eat healthy and exercise. I was teaching full time and in grad school, so I just didn't have time. And I didn't look that bad. It was really difficult to make myself work at being healthy because in the past I never had to. I could live on burgers and junk food, and still not gain weight. Turning 40 changed all of that!

So, what finally motivated me? My children. They are not blessed with my metabolism, and all three of my daughters have to watch what they eat. My 20 year old is in the working world, and busy all of the time, so she was living on fast food and gas station junk food; my 16 year old was pretty active, but had (actually, still has) bad eating habits, and my 12 year old was considered overweight for her age and was approaching adolescent obesity. That was the real wake-up call. I accepted responsibility for my kids' bad habits, and I had to do something about it. I had never helped them to develop healthy habits, but it was time to start. We, as a family, needed to get serious. Personally, another motivating factor was that my father died when he was my age of a heart attack. I have had high cholesterol in the past, and I knew that I am at high risk for heart problems. I plan to stick around awhile.

The changes we have made have been phenomenal, but not unbearable. First, we cut out fast food. We still eat Subway about once a week (I love the chicken bacon ranch - probably not the best choice!), and I go to McDonald's, but only for a fruit and yogurt parfait and a Diet Coke. We don't buy junk food for home anymore, and we don't go to buffets. I also cut out school lunches. We have the best school lunches, but many are high in fat. I started taking a sandwich and yogurt every day. The problem with eating healthy - it's expensive!! I spend a lot more on groceries, but my husband and I made the decision that our family's health is worth the extra money, and we aren't spending much eating out, so it probably balances out. The cost of healthy food makes me realize why so many people living in poverty are overweight. How could they possibly afford to buy healthy food?

I know that many 'dieters' are into the low-carb plans. For me, watching the amount of fat works best. Although I am certain that I eat more than 30 grams of fat a day, I use that number to make decisions. If I were to limit my fat to that amount, and I see that a candy bar has 15 grams of fat, I know that it is not worth it to give up half of my daily allowance just for a candy bar. My youngest daughter has also begun reading labels. She will now tell me how much fat something has. I have to recommend a wonderful book that my family has been using: Eat This, Not That. I can't remember the author, but it is available on Amazon.com. It costs about $11, but I can tell you that it is money well-spent. It lists popular restaurants and tells you what to order, and what not to order, as well as the nutrition information. I keep it with me when I know that we might go out to eat. Some of the information is surprising. Did you know that a quarter pounder without cheese is healthier than a premium grilled chicken sandwich from McDonald's?? I was happy to read that there are healthy choices at Cold Stone Creamery! The book also has a section for the grocery store. It is categorized and tells the better choices to make for items such as cereal, breads, juices, breakfast foods, etc. There is also a kids' version of the book available, which my daughter really likes.

That's how we have begun to change our eating habits. Smaller portions and better choices can make a huge difference. I am still not a fan of veggies, but I am trying to add to what I eat, and am adding more fruits. As I come across healthy, good recipes, I will post them on this blog.

Exercise...that wasn't easy. We were all out of shape. My husband actually started first. After the holidays he decided to run. He is 58 years old, and has an artificial knee, so he needed to start slowly. We have a long gravel drive, so he began by running to the end of the drive and back. Even in the cold, he trudged along and began building endurance (I hate cold weather and refuse to exercise out in the cold!). I still wasn't fully into the whole wellness plan, but as I watched him and learned more, I dusted off the treadmill and found out it still ran. I tried to run a bit - just 1/4 mile at a time with walking in between. One Sunday evening after the news there was a dreaded infomercial on. It was for TurboJam, an exercise DVD. As I watched, I began thinking that almost looks fun. Needless to say, I ordered it. At first I just did the 20 minute workout; that was enough for me. As the weeks progressed and I began to feel better, I tried the 40 minute workout that requires weights. I loved it. I started with 3 pound weights, but now use 5 pound. I try to alternate Turbo with running so that I don't get bored. Over the past three months, I have worked my way to being able to run 2 miles. I ran 3 miles one night, but I think that was a fluke! We also bought bikes. My husband and I can't really run together, but we can bike together. It is something that we have thought about for a year, and we finally just did it.

So, now I feel that I need to exercise every day. I somehow find the time - my house might be a mess, and the laundry piled to the ceiling, but I am healthier. Our family (husband, 2 of the girls, and I) has lost a total of 64 pounds! We are working together and supporting one another.

Here's a quick summer dessert:

angel food cake (store-bought, torn up into small pieces)
package of frozen strawberries
fat free vanilla yogurt
fat free Cool Whip

In a casserole dish, layer half of the cake, about 3/4 C. of yogurt, 1/2 container of Cool Whip, and half of the strawberries; repeat layers. Refrigerate.