Getting Stabbed in the Eye with an Ice Pick

That used to be my choice over running. When people would tell me they were running, I'd think to myself, "Are you kidding me? Why? What's the point?" Running and myself were never on the same level. I used to be a very active child. I participated in soccer from grades 3-7 until I developed asthma and it was a struggle me. In jr. high, I was on the drill team and played basketball, volleyball, softball and track. In my 9th grade year, I injured my knee and how to go to physical therapy. In high school, I was on the drill team again so I danced about an hour a day. I LOVE to dance. In another life, I would have loved to learn to dance professionally. Right now, I just get my own grove on. In my senior year, I reinjured my my knee dancing and had to be on crutches for a month and go back to physical therapy. That year of high school, I dropped out of the dance team since they were more into the flags and I wanted to dance to MC Hammer. Not even realizing it, this is when my weight jumped up 20 lbs. It's taken me this long to figure out that my body needs to be active. I was active so long to just drop it was not a good thing.



I have been on this weight loss journey for a long time. I look back over the journals I've kept for the last 10 years. Besides my current weight, the lowest my weight was was 155 on my wedding day. Now a month earlier, I weighed 170. How did I drop the weight so fast? Like many people in the 90's: Phen Fen. I won't EVEN go into how stupid that was and how much it messed up my body. Quick fixes were my thing.



Having previous knee injuries and weighing 191 on this 5'4 frame it was HARD to walk let alone run. But walking and step aerobics is where I started. It's embarrassing to admit it, but my thighs used to chafe when I'd walk. They would burn and itch. My mom bought me some balm to put on before I walk to see if that would help. I liked step aerobics because it seemed dancey in nature. I have another embarrassing admission. Since I was on the dance team in school, I have pretty good rhythm and can catch onto routines easily. Even though I was bigger than many others in class, I could do the routines faster than many. I used to love being in the front of my class and showing my stuff. It made me smile when the instructors would point me out as someone to watch and follow. I'm horrible huh? I had to feel good about myself for something.



What's my point to all of this? There has to be SOMETHING active that each of us like to do and are physically able to do. I started out liking a certain type of exercise, but found as my weight dropped it was easier for me to try new things. I've read many of your blogs and a lot of your enjoy gardening. That's a great. low inpact exercise along with:

*walking

*housework

*swimming

*parking your car as far from a store as possible

*cleaning out your car

*playing with kids/grandkids

*taking a hike

*yoga

*cycling

*lifting light weights

*using the stairs rather than elevator

*dancing (with my kids is the most fun)

Last year when my school year began, I gave up running and pretty much exercising altogether until January. I do NOT and WILL not do that again. Right now, I have decided to train as if I will do the 1/2 marathon on October 12. It can't hurt. I'll still see about the race. I'm following an 8 week beginning training program from Runner's World. So here is how my week has been so far:

MONDAY- Stretched and rode bike pulling my monkeys through strong winds

TUESDAY- 5 min. warm up walking, ran 4 miles doing 7 - 1:00 speed intervals, 5 min cool down

WEDNESDAY- Cleaned classroom

THURSDAY- 5 min. warm up walking, ran 1 mile 4% incline, 1 gentle pickup, 1 mile 1% incline, 1 gentle pickup, 1 mile 4%, gentle pickup, last mile 1%, 5 min. cool down walking

I have to have a goal for myself, otherwise I slack. Another people with goals out there or advice on training for a 1/2 marathon?