Monday, November 19, 2012

The Athlete In Me

I was really moving along and kicking ass, and was inspired to find this inner athlete in me.  Earlier this year I participated in the Barry's Bootcamp 30 day challenge.  It was an amazing opportunity and an incredible workout.  Kara Perez the manager at the Irvine, CA location was key to helping me find the athlete that had been buried under years of inactivity.  In the 30 day challenge I found my wind, I found speed, and I found strength that I never thought I had.  I was able to train and successfully complete 2 half marathons, a couple of mud runs, and put some miles on the road in Mission Viejo. 

During the challenge I lost 16lbs, and really was able to do more than I ever thought my middle aged, cancer stricken, overweight body could have ever done.  But I did it.  I did it with this tiny little girl Kara yelling "Yes, it's going to hurt, so what, keep going!!!!",   "It hurts, it sucks, but the hurt brings the body you want",  "DON'T STOP"!  She would tell me what to eat, and when to eat, and how to move, and what to do.  I felt the best and strongest that I have ever felt in my life.

Over the summer, I continued working out and running and completed my 2nd half marathon.  I did get a little complacent about my fitness.  My son spent a week in the hospital, autism was running rampant, and I put myself last on the list, and didn't properly plan to take care of myself.  My eating went to hell and my fitness fell apart - I'm not where I started, but I gave into the chaos of the house for awhile.  But I'm over it. 

Sweaty mommy is a happy mommy
I feel like Kara Perez is that little Angel on my shoulder and she is screaming at me to "KEEP GOING".  So to do that I have to incorporate everyone.  I'm turning these two little autistic boys into runners, and hikers.  They like to be outside, and they like to be with me so we are hitting the trails.  Who says that they can't be athletic?  I mean really fitness is a family deal.  If I'm fit, I can share it with everyone.  The boys go with me, we walk, we trot we run we play.  Part of autism is that theymay have low muscle tone, well not if I can help it!! I am making them do the things with me that I didn't want to do with Kara at first.  But they are participating and now asking to go out to the greenbelts and run, and play, not just sit and watch TV.

I really am a runner and an athlete no matter what my head says.
So I thank you Kara Perez and all your training because your voice stuck in my head these past few months, and Barry's Bootcamp for drilling that inner athlete into me, and not letting her die.  I will be back,  things are getting better, and I'm learning that if I fail to plan for myself, then I am planning to fail.  So this middle aged mommy athlete is getting back on the treadmill and getting her game back on, so I can teach these kids and keep them healthy.  This is a family, and we will all be together in fitness rather than on the couch.

So as we slide into the holidays, I won't be pigging out, I'll be running, lifting and repeating with a tiny little girl yelling at me.  Because truthfully, isn't the best gift I could give everyone in my family a healthy me???


 
Rebecca

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