You can RuN....

If someone would have asked me to go running...even a year ago, I would have laughed in their face!! I've NEVER been a long distance runner.  Always a sprinter... sure, I could run pretty fast all growing up. But, at the beginning of the year, so many people I knew were big into running and I wanted to be able to do it so badly. I truly never thought I could run for very long, to run for even a minute was like a killer for me. I've always been pretty active though, just didn't have the endurance to run.  I tried starting slowly with walking/jogging intervals, but not consistently in January/February 2011.  Still seemed so hard to run for too long.  In March I went running/jogging with a few other "runners." I had to keep going with them, I couldn't stop....and I thought I was going to die from NO OXYGEN...haha, but I did it without stopping and we went 2.2 miles that night.  What?? That was seriously the farthest I had gone in my life without stopping. Since that day I realized I did it once, I for sure could do it again.  Sure it seemed hard, but the feeling of finishing that was so rewarding!! Doing it the 2nd time was easier and it got easier and easier after that.  I realized, you just have to believe you can do something AND JUST GO FOR IT!! Just try!! Really! I never thought I could do that, it seemed so hard to me, but I guess I had never had so much motivation to try so hard to do it until now.  I believe anybody can do anything that they really want to do if they just try!!  It takes hard work but YOU are capable of anything!  Believe it!!

Few of us know what we are capable of doing… we have never pushed ourselves hard enough to find out. – Alfred A. Montapert
 
Since that day I have not really looked back, I just try and get better and better.  I have finished my first two 5 K's and my first 10 K and I just can't wait to improve each time.  I'm not super fast, I'm not the best.  But, it's a great feeling and sense of accomplishment that you get from running. I only compete with myself.  It's very stress relieving for me, an energy and mood booster, and I feel like my body is stronger. So many people say to me..."oh, I'm not a runner, I wish I could run."  I have to tell you, I was there only a few months ago and I believe you can!!! 

You don't have to be into running.  Find some other form of exercise that you think you would enjoy. But don't feel discouraged about exercise and feel frumpy all the time....you can get that body you want!!! Really!! You have to try, you have to be healthy.  It's as hard for me as anybody.  I have 4 children, I gained 65-70 pounds with each of them and have gotten back down to my pre-pregnancy weight with each of them.  Many people do it, some are just lucky!! Dang them! But, I actually like exercise and that is what I do...very consistent exercise and I believe that is what worked for me.  Now, eating healthy most of the time....I'm okay at it, but not super great, I wish I was better.  But, I love health, exercise, fitness.  I could read articles and resources, try new exercises etc, etc. all day long if I could.  I just love it!! I love to learn about it, I love to try new things.  I still have a lot of work to do to get my perfect body and health :) But, I believe it is achievable. I will get there if I keep going.


"The task ahead of you is never greater than the strength within you." - Unknown

Now I really don't want to sound cheesy and I totally am on my soap box right now..LOL.  I am not the perfect role model of health by all means.  But, I want to motivate people, I want to help those struggling with weight or those wanting to exercise but just don't, to get into it and do it for their health. If you are unhappy with yourself you don't have to be.  Nobody has the perfect body, you don't have to be super skinny to feel good.  But, I guarantee you that consistent exercise will be a natural mood booster, energy booster, stress reliever. It's such a passion of mine, and I know how yucky you feel when you are overweight or just don't exercise or frumpy feeling, it doesn't feel good, it brings you down, it keeps you at home when you could be doing something else with family or friends...playing with your kids.  It's such a downer and it doesn't have to be.  So, get out and go!!! If you want to lose weight, if you want to get toned, if you want to eat healthier.....I believe in YOU!  Let's do it together!!


“There are two kinds of people in the world. Those who think they can and those who think they can’t…And they are both right!”


Tell me what you struggle with, do you have a lot of weight to lose? Do you need motivation? What do you like to do for exercise? Questions?? I'd love your comments, tips...anything you'd like to share!!

*update- to see what I've done since realizing I can run you can see a recap of all my races so far HERE :)