It has been a few months (3) and I have been working hard...training on schedule, journaling about food, being aware of a new healthy lifestyle. I feel great.

So, it is not with a heavy heart or with sadness that I reflect upon a week with was less than perfect and I may even catorgorize as "falling back into the same old routine". With this new outlook on life I can recognize the good that has happened and the steps forward that I have taken. So many steps forward in fact that a few steps back (or even sideways) don't really get me too down.

I still did my training...3 times and improved my time.

I did not keep a food journal but I did keep aware of what I was eating and didn't feel the guilt or downward spiral, but yet this time I felt empowered to make better choices the next time and know one bad choice does not constitute another bad choice and so on and so on....I have power to turn things around and take control.

I am woman hear me roar...numbers too big to ignore....!!!!

Marching On and Out of March...

March is almost over...well 10 more days and it I am still a little amazed at myself for sticking with this for this long.  I guess I will officially have to get over it and just realize that now I have made a lifestyle change and bad habits are broken after 6 weeks so...there you have it.

New Woman!

I am in week 8 of the Couch to 5K and this is the only week I am repeating.  2.7 miles last week and this week.  I feel (and so does my trainer) that I need to work on my times.  I need to get faster.  Build speed.  It feels right to me too.  Last time I thought about repeating a week, I was scared to move ahead and felt tired, this time I feel ready to move ahead (faster) and am getting more and more ready for race day.

Sometimes when I am running that little voice in my head starts the question game...why am I doing this?  Why am I going to enter a race?  How will I ever get better?  What is this all for?  Will I ever finish?  And amazingly enough at the end of the training...guess what?  Those questions are left on the side of the road.  They are turned to enthusiasm and accomplishment and exhilration. 

For the first time Carlos saw me run.  Hayley and I had started at a near-by track and made a loop that ended at my house.  As I was coming down the street with three blocks to go I saw Carlos holding Zac out front of our house.  What a treat!  I felt so focused and determined to finish strong, big and fast that when I reached them I was out of breath (thought about puking) and said very quickly..."I see you,  hang on", then walked it off and came back around for hugs and thanks. 

I have the best husband!

March...March On!

Here I am in March!  Still jogging, still training, still going at it and getting ready for the 5K in April.  I am proud of myself for coming this far and I love, love the feeling I have after a run.  I know that I am actually jogging, but saying "run" is cooler.  :)

I am getting come very nice compliments on my new and improved shape.  Those compliments feel great.  They let me know that others notice and care enough to say something.  Sometimes it can be a double edged sword...is thinner "better", (I know, it is not necessarily, but it is healthier) and what did I look like before?  Not good enough to warrent a "you look great".  It kind of makes me laugh.  As Hayley and Anna would say..."Paige,  you think too much.".  I know I do.  I will continue to take the compliments, they make me feel good and encourage me.  Some days are really hard. 

I just finished up week 6 of Couch-to-5K and in doing so ran 2.5 miles, straight in 32:26.  I am just a bit proud of that!!!!  Interesting though, at about mile 1.5 I realized how to run...push off with my feet, use more of my thigh, pull more with my arms, lean forward a bit and tighten up my core.  When I was doing all that and not really thinking about it...it felt great!  I was amazed at how much more pavement I was able to cover.  I did feel like a blur rounding a corner!  ha! 

Anyway, it was nice to feel a good run.  I know what I can do and what my body can do...usually more than I think. 

I guess I do think too much!