Tag Archives: fitness

Jan1

So long, 2013. It’s been swell.

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photo-5I’ve often heard, and I suppose I believed that the first Christmas (or other major holiday you may celebrate) without someone you  love is the hardest, but now I’m not sure that’s true.

Last Christmas, it had been 6 months since Joey’s death, and I missed him so much, but I feel like I was still just in shock so much that I couldn’t quite come to terms with the reality. I had started walking and set my goal to run a 5k in 2013, and these goals were so important for me to keep moving and taking breaths every day, but in some ways they were also a much needed distraction at the time.

This Christmas, however, I have felt the absence of Joey much worse. The permanence of death has set in, and the least of things has moved me to tears. Read the rest of this entry →

Nov6

Perspective

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beofppDuring my run Monday I had a passing thought about what I look like when I run. It wasn’t a self-conscious thought. More of a curiosity. And it got me thinking back to past attempts at this whole running thing. Because I’m pretty sure one of the things that really held me back was worrying about how I looked while I was running.

I was younger then, and concerned with outward appearances. I compared myself with others and always felt that I came up lacking when it came to athletic ability. I was the kid who HATED field day – coming in last at every event, it seemed.

But now I’m older and wiser, and I love running so much, and I.don’t.care. what I look like when I run. I’m not doing it for onlookers. I’m doing it for me. So, if the way I look when I run makes anyone uncomfortable…well, your problem, not mine. -I’m freakin’ running!

*Sorry no family photos, yet. We had to postpone our session until next week, but I promise to post them as soon as I get them.*

Nov4

Journey

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4215669914_59f859dd60_zFinally got back out there for a run today. I wasn’t feeling 100%, and honestly, when I woke up this morning, I REALLY didn’t want to go run, but the thought of another day off just didn’t sit well with me. So, I laced up my shoes and went for it.

I love that phrase about lacing up my shoes, but to be really real I have to admit that getting out for a run actually takes me a TON more work. I have to get 3 boys dressed, pack the twins’ bag with extra clothes just in case they have an accident, make and pack lunch for the boys to eat when we leave the Y, pack my water and a post-run snack, lace up my shoes and velcro three more pairs, strap all of us into the van, drive to the Y, get everyone out of their car-seats, drop boys in their respective classrooms, drop my bag in the locker room, and THEN…go for a run.

But anyhoo, once I got out there, I just took it one stride at a time, and I ended up doing 5k in just under 40 minutes! This is close to my best time for the distance, so after a week off everything and not having run a full 5k in weeks, I feel pretty happy with my performance.

The progress I really want to acknowledge today, though, actually has to do with who I have become. In my past, I have gone on diet & exercise programs repeatedly, and each time I eventually went “off plan” as they say. I’d feel excruciatingly guilty as well as completely out of control. But last week when I was sick and ate some foods that weren’t the healthiest (including way too much Halloween candy), I didn’t let it get to me. I just thought, “I know I’m going to get back to running next week, and hey, this is just food, after all.” It’s taken a lot of work, but I think I’m finally starting to make progress in the area of  no longer allowing FOOD to have the power in our relationship. I don’t just think of it as fuel; I do really enjoy tasty foods all the time, BUT it’s not my life anymore. It has no hold over me. I don’t think in terms of “good foods” and “bad foods,” just foods that make me feel good, foods that I can enjoy and also count on having energy for my run later.

The other thing I discovered this week when I was feeling a bit bloated and yucky was that life really is all about the journey. I know it’s a cliche, but truthfully, the destination of a healthy body isn’t a place I’m going to get to and just stop moving. I’m going to be a runner for as long as my body will keep moving. So it’s no big deal if one day I don’t feel super fantastic. It’s just one day. It’s just one speck of my life. As long as I keep moving forward, the good days will outweigh the bad days, and when I look back at them all, I believe I’ll see a life well-lived.

Oct31

Not who I used to be

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Christmas 2011

Christmas 2011

What a yucky week we’ve had here. Last week I started out so strong, biking and running every day and feeling really good. Then Friday, one of my boys woke up with a cough, so I decided we should stay home and keep everyone else’s kids healthy. Of course, then Monday I woke up with a severe sore throat and congestion along with full body achi-ness.  I’m feeling a bit better now, but everyone in the house has been fighting this crud, so we’ve been effectively benched.

I can’t believe this is who I am now, but a whole week without running has been unbearable! And I must admit I’ve been a little off my game with my eating as well. You know how it is when you’re sick – you just want comfort food. Read the rest of this entry →

Sep12

Spinning Reprise

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Joe's Texas bike 042311SInce I didn’t make it to Monday’s bike/run/bike class, I decided to pick up a spin class today and see what I could do. This was my second ever cycling class and my first attempt had been so painful, I doubted a repeat performance would occur. But I’m SO glad I gave it another try.

This was one of the most strenuous workouts I’ve done, but also the most invigorating. Part of it, I’m sure was the instructor and her way of encouraging and inspiring me to push myself further. Read the rest of this entry →

Sep10

Bummer

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20130909-192246.jpgWell, I’m sorry to say I didn’t make it to the running/cycling interval class today. But when your 4-yr old wakes up looking like this, getting to the doc becomes priority number one for the day.

Turns out he has a skin infection on his eye, so we have started antibiotics and hope to see improvement in the next 24 to 48 hours.

I didn’t let myself off the hook for exercise, though. Once I got the boys settled down for their respective naps/quiet time, I threw on my workout clothes and queued up the 30-Day Shred workout. It’s still ridiculously hard, but as with running, I’ve learned to talk myself into FINISHING instead of QUITTING or even SLOWING.

Yep, that’s what it means to NEVER BETRAY.

Sep5

Another goal CRUSHED!

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3f6jtI looked really hard for an epic Morgan Freeman audio file, but just couldn’t find the right thing, so this will have to do.

That’s right, I did it! 5k in 39:38! I know for some runners out there, that probably sounds incredibly slow, but for me that’s a huge improvement. I feel amazing and fierce.

And as usual, I learned some really important lessons on this run. I discovered that I had started phoning it in a bit without really believing in myself and pushing my body to perform. I’d been defeating myself with negativity. It’s so important for me to keep my self-talk positive and to continually remind myself of what I CAN do.

Yesterday’s run was possible because I believed it was. By the time I finished my first mile I was 100% convinced that I would finish in time, and so I did. What I believe about my ability is integral to my performance, and I must never forget that.

“Now FAITH is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” – Hebrews 11:1 (KJV)

Sep3

Spinning My Wheels

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1002873_692840057410242_1308072675_nI must confess that I feel a bit as though I’ve been spinning my wheels over the last few weeks. I haven’t gained a bunch of weight or given up on running & exercise, but I just haven’t been wholly committed in the same way that I have been up to now, thus the scale has been immovable. Which adds a bit of sadness in its turn. I know, of course, that the scale isn’t even the reason I’m doing this, but I can’t seem to shake the disappointment of hitting a plateau.

But I can’t quit just because the terrain here isn’t very interesting. I will not betray myself with self-sabotage. I will keep putting one foot in front of the other, and eventually, I believe I’ll reach the downhill.

So tomorrow I run, and fast or slow, it’s gonna be epic, as the quote here implies, since every step is taking me closer to my goals. I’d love to take my run to the trails, but unfortunately, that’s not an option, yet. Read the rest of this entry →

Jul12

Where do I go from here?

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The view from the start of today’s run.

So this blog feels a little like your house the day after that huge party you planned for months. It was great fun, but now it’s over, you’ve cleaned up, and now you just can’t seem to figure out what to do with all the energy you’d previously spent planning.

Of course, my journey isn’t over. Nor is my grief. I have released Joey, said my big goodbye, but that doesn’t mean I’ve stopped loving him or missing him. I will always love him. I will always miss him. I will always be a different me without him in the world.

But I do feel like it’s time for this phoenix to rise above the fire & ashes and to fly with my own wings. I want to keep writing because that’s a big part of who I am, and I’ll probably still mention Joe from time to time, but you may see some changes around here as I make NEVER BETRAY more mine. Read the rest of this entry →

May31

My name is Sarah, and I am a runner.

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As proud as he’d be of my accomplishments, this is likely the type of reaction my ranting and raving about running would incur.

My workout on Tuesday was like turning a corner for me on this journey to fitness. I almost feel…reborn. Born into a runner. Today I ran for 20 consecutive minutes. Sure, I only covered about a mile and half, but I’ve NEVER run for that long before in my entire life! And maybe it wasn’t easy, but it was possible, and I knew it. For once, I knew that I could do it.

Oh no! I’m turning into one of those obnoxious people who talks about how much they like exercise! I’ve always hated those liars, but…. it turns out they’re not lying. If you find the right sport or activity for you, it can actually be fun. And I do look forward to branching out into other things like more lifting, cycling and dance, but for now I’m content to just lace up my shoes and run.

And this is where things all come back to Joey. All of you who knew him will remember how single-minded he was. When he was excited about a new interest, it was all he could talk about or think about – whether it was building freak bikes, learning a new instrument, or just discovering an interesting part of history (like the Mayan civilization). Read the rest of this entry →