I Can Be Spontaneous

It's very easy to fall into a routine. Actually, I purposefully put myself and my family into a routine.

Wake up at 7 am. Off to school by 8 am. Housework and workout. Lunch and naps. Homework at 4 pm. Bedtime at 7:30 pm. Bath nights on Wednesdays and Saturday. Wash the bathrooms on Wednesdays. Do the laundry on Tuesdays and Fridays. Chocolate chip pancakes on Saturday mornings. Church on Sunday. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Rinse and repeat again.

It can be my saving grace. But sometimes it can be just plain boring. Lately, I've been feeling the "boring" part of it wearing on my sanity. And then something happened today...

A fellow running friend asked if anyone was interested in buying one of her friend's bib for a half marathon on Saturday.

At first I ignored it.

Me? Run a half marathon on a whim? Pfft.

Well...my training mileage is high enough. I could technically do it.

But I need to run 16 miles on Saturday, not 13.1.

But I could just run 3 extra miles before. Or after.

Nah. I don't want to spend the money. Besides I have plans for later in the day.

But it's only $25. And your plans don't start until the afternoon.

But I haven't been training for this race. It wasn't really in my plans.

But isn't that the best part?! It's something new and different and out of the ordinary.

Well...But...I...Could?

Maybe I could.

Yes. I WILL!

It's just what I needed to shake things up. Goodbye routine. Hello spontaneity!

I can't think too much about it or else the anxiety begins to set in. It's kind of like signing up for the ACTs four days before when you've already been studying for the SATs for several months. You've done the work for something else and because of it, you'll be prepared. But still...it's kind of...scary.

Scary in a good way. Scary and spontaneous and fun!

I can't help but pause a moment in my anxiety and excitement and just be grateful and rather amazed that I CAN do this. It suddenly hit me that I am at a point in my life and well-being that I can just up and run a half-marathon with four days notice!

Woah.

I'm feeling very alive today.

K.I.S.S. Weight Loss Style

I got ambitious and finally blogged on my main blog under the premise of K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid). How can I forget the weight loss blog too? So I've reset my 15 minute timer and what happens...happens.

So much has happened since I last posted in July. I'm sad that I've slacked off on recording my weight loss journey. While this blog has served its initial purpose of getting me started and committed to a healthier lifestyle, I have not served it very well back. Bad Jolly Green Giant.

Noteworthy things:

I ran my first color run (Color Me Rad 5K in Orem, Utah). WAY too much fun! Definitely a race I would recommend to a beginning runner. It's not timed and it's purely about having a good ol' messy time. Next year I want to take my older kids along.

I bought my first pair of REAL running shoes. Very glad I did. They have made a significant difference. Along with the super comfy running socks I splurged on too.

I ran my first half marathon (13.1 miles) September 1, 2012 (Running the Gap, Pocatello, Idaho). What an incredible experience! As soon as it was over I was ready to sign up for the full marathon in 2013...

...which I did on opening day. Fall 2013. 26.2 miles. It WILL happen.

And I'm playing the lottery for the first time. And go figure...It's in the state of Utah. That would be the Ogden Marathon Lottery. Frustrating that this race I've heard so many great things about has moved to a lottery system the year I decided to join in, but I'm feeling lucky. *fingers crossed*

I've started taking my kids on weekly hikes in the SLC valley. This has been more fun than frustrating (and with four little ones ages 7 and under, it CAN be frustrating!). I'm trying to teach my children all sorts of things on these hikes (about plants, about exercise, about eating, about life, about spiritual things, about anything and everything). My hope is one day they will remember a few of the more important things from "those hikes we did with Mom".

At the beginning of September I joined an online weight loss competition hoping to jump start my weight loss back to life. I have struggled to lose any significant weight since April. It seems to be working. Mostly because I'm finally finding some will power to abstain from sugar. This is not an easy task, my friends.

Weight loss as of Sunday, September 31, 2012: 92 pounds!! Getting soooo close to that 100 pound mark!

That's about all the time I have today. Hopefully I will be back to expand on some of the more noteworthy noteworthy things. Until then...Happy Tuesday!!

Baby Steps and Gag Orders

Joe got home last night (WOOHOO!)

Now that he's home I couldn't wait to do one thing...

I woke up early this morning and went running. ALL BY MYSELF!!! Ahhhh...

I've heard people say before that exercise is their escape. I just didn't understand that until now. But an hour of running all by myself, without four little ones underfoot, in hand, and within ear reach was the perfect release from two weeks of married single motherhood.

I did 3.5+ miles on the local high school track. I ran 2.25 miles of that and 2 of those miles without stopping! I didn't hurt. I wasn't out of breath. I even thought about going farther, but in my training I have so far to go in such a short amount of time before I'm ready for my half marathon. I can't risk injuring myself now.

I have to remember to take baby steps. 2 miles is enough for today. But 2 miles makes me feel pretty awesome nonetheless. If you had told me a couple of months ago that I was capable of running 2 miles continuously...I would have laughed in your face...or probably cried. That's more my style.

Who knew that running could be such an emotional affair?

It really is. My sister gets that. She's training for her first half marathon on September 3rd. I'm so proud of her! And I can't wait to be there when she crosses the finish line. I decided to not only be there, but BE there running my first 10K, a good baby step towards a half marathon.

It's funny how a 10K (6.2 miles) used to seem so impossible, but now that I am aiming for a half marathon (13.1 miles) it's a walk in the park.

Kind of.

Not really.

Whatever. It's all relative.

For her own reasons my sister hasn't told very many people about her upcoming race. I didn't understand why she was keeping it on the downlow. It's such an admirable goal. But after the reaction I got the other day when I told a woman that I was training for a half marathon I kind of get the secrecy.

My sister is a runner. She weighs about a hundred pounds less than me. She's a beast. And if she's worried about telling people...

When I mentioned I was training for a half to a neighbor lady, she looked me up and down and I swear her thought process went something like this: "Suuuuure you are. All 246 pounds of you."

I felt so stupid.

Note to self: Keep half marathon to self until half marathon is over.

So, I'm placing a gag order on myself and keeping my training to myself.

Oh and anyone else who reads this blog.

Whatever.

This is scary...

I must be insane.

My stomach sure thinks so. It gets all queasy and crampy every time I think about what I have committed myself to today. I keep having to run to the bathroom just from the pure anxiety, fear, and excitement that are wreaking havoc on my intestines.

What's got me so crazy?

I decided to bite the bullet and start training for a half marathon. THIS half marathon in fact.



*runs to bathroom*

I'm scared to death! I'm excited beyond belief! I'm definitely insane.

Running. 13.1 miles.

I weigh 246.5 pounds. I can only run about a mile without stopping. I have four little kids.

But I have 14 and a half weeks to train.
I have a willing heart.
And I even have a sister who has agreed to do it with me!

I can do this. I can do this? I can do this!

I think...