Who is she and what did she done with Rebecca?

I'm not sure who this woman is that woke up at 5:15am today and happily trotted off on a run this morning.  It surely is not Rebecca, who would procrastinate, and snooze button herself into a late day.  What has happened?  When did exercise become something I looked forward too?

I am happy to report that I consistently ran over for the last week minimum of 2.5 miles everyday with my longest run of the week being 4.2 miles.  I don't care that I run at a snails pace.  I don't care that I'm still not sure what a tempo run is (like the real runners), I don't know how to do speed work, and am too afraid to ask someone.  So I just keep trecking along my neighborhood trails or my treadmill in the garage, and everyday I get a little bit stronger, go a little bit farther and feel a little bit better.

This running thing was supposed to be my Lenten sacrifice.  I started on Ash Wednesday, and said I was going to commit to doing at least 20 minutes of running or walking a day.  By the end of Lent I did a 5K, I have done 3 more 5K's and am training for a 1/2 marathon now.    This was what I was doing for Lent, Easter has come and gone months and months ago, and I'm still getting at least 20 minutes of exercise a day.

How did that happen?   How did I get hooked?  I was thinking about this on my run this morning.  I think because I took the running like baby steps.  20 minutes, I can do anything for 20 minutes.  I can carve 20 minutes out of my morning or day somewhere to get something done, and now I usually take and get more than 20 minutes.  I think it was that tiny commitment of time that made the exercise not such a burden to my schedule,  it wasn't an overwhelming amount of time that I was going to end up giving up because I couldn't find 90 minutes in my day anywhere, and go with the excuse that I don't have time.  I commit daily to 20 minutes, now I'm running before work and since I go so early I am up and out for 30 - 50 minutes before anyone in the house knows I'm gone.

I feel better, I'm looking better, I'm happier.  I need to eat a little bit better, I have come a long way with that, but I have big areas that need improvement.

When Lent started in March I had lost 40 lbs.  Since Lent has started I am down another 40lbs. through diet and exercise.  I don't belong to a gym, I don't have a personal trainer, I bought a pair of running shoes and dusted of the treadmill we bought a few years ago and the weights my husband has moved into 3 different houses since we have been together.  I use a lot of online resources and workout apps.  THe Nike Training Club is AWESOME, like having a personal trainer, and Nike + tracks and motivates me to run.  The technology that is out there is very motivating and making me very accountable.    It's very bizarre, I almost feel like I'd be letting people down if I stopped exercising,  and posting about it.  However, I may also be dilussional and people on Twitter and Facebook may be glad I'm not longer yapping about it.

So to all you fitness newbies out there.  If I can do this, you can do this.  Get out there and do something anything you like or don't like.  Just give it 20 minutes and see what happens.