Monday, June 27, 2011

Bring on the Heat, Bring on the Workouts

The first week of summer is here and my schedule doesn't change at all. 

I am committing this week to get my workouts in before the dishes are done, or the floor is mopped or the laundry is put away.  I am not letting my chores curtail my workouts this week.  I have to shove the mommy guilt to the side and get a workout in.  I actually can see and feel a waistline on myself and I am not stopping now.  

I am out of the 200's for the first time in MANY years.  I was so thrilled last week when I got on the scale last week and it was under 200 I almost did a cartwheel.  I try not to put such an emphasis on the number because the main goal since I embarked on this fitness and health journey has been my health.  I started on this trail of getting healthy because of my breast cancer diagnosis.  It was a wake-up call and I have now become a sponge for health information and am willing to do any kind of exercise. 

I have run a couple races and signed up for a ½ marathon.  I am telling you that a year ago if you would have told me that I would be running races and even thinking about anything with the word marathon in it, I would have laughed you out of my house.  But as my body changes, and the workouts aren't making me as sore as I once was they are easier to do and it's not as much effort to drag myself or talk myself into do them.
I mean the pain when I started running was just crazy.  My feet hurt, my back hurt, my ankles, my knees, my neck - I thought I was crazy for even doing it.  But what it was doing for me was worth the aches and pains.  It was giving me something to work for, I had goals to meet to run races, it was doing more for my mind than any amount of therapy and anti-depressants could have done.  This was something that I could do just for me, not for my kids, not for my husband, not for my family or friends, it was just something that I was doing and could do for me.  I really could go at my own pace, and my goal is always just to finish running, I don't care how far or how long.  Just finish and that has always been my goal.  I have started so many things in my life and not finished them, running is something I can always finish, and that is good enough for me.

My feet, my ankles and my back still hurt not as much or as long but the pain is worth the mental release that I am getting from these workouts.   I really think if I wouldn't have embarked on this as my "sacrifice" for Lent, I would have gone bonkers by now.  The economy and autism and a toddler and marital strife the running and working out have brought me clarity and strength to plow through the muddy part of life.  That I am looking better is a bonus, that I have more energy and patience is also a tremendous help in my house.  I am grateful more and more each day that I have found a fitness community online to be accountable to and to not have to be on the treadmill at a gym next to some skinny biotch in a blingy sweats.  I am doing all of this in the comfort of my own home, garage and neighborhood.

I am looking forward to reading and learning more from all that have run the trail ahead of me to see what the fitness life has in store for the summer.  I am loving feeling and looking better and feel like the smile on my face right now is more real than it's been in a long time.


Rebecca

1 comment:

  1. New follower here via Bloggy Moms.... Thanks for the motivation! I'll think of you as I'm sweating it out at water aerobics this morning.... lol.... Have a great week & don't forget to get those workouts in!!! :) - Olivia Blue Music

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