Running

I feel like I am finally back after my muscle pull. That was not fun. Stretching and warming up are now much more important to me than they were. I did my 3 miles this morning. Now I am going to work on my pace and endurance on the 3 miles for the next week or so then start adding. My goal is to run 1/4 marathon in November which is a little over 7 miles. I think this is a reasonable goal that is attainable for me. I have found not to set those huge long term goals shorter works better for me.

It amuses me that people say I have inspired them. I so don't look at myself that way. However it does make me smile and maybe put a little more run in my step the next day when I am thinking about it.

Some have asked how I got started well here it is. January 2 I decided I was going to lose weight I said it was to be healthier but at that time I didn't yet have the proper mindset I was still too hung up on the scale. I watched what I ate, but I didn't really exercise regularly I would more play at it here and there. In May I had lost about 25 pounds but I really wasn't feeling better. Starting mid May I was talking to a friend who is an inspiration to me and she had started running. I was like okay I might enjoy that. My first day out I huffed and puffed out 1 mile of walking. However after I felt pretty good. I continued knowing I had to keep pushing myself. I worked up gradually first working up to walking a mile easily, then 2 then adding running in and then walking until I could run 3 miles. I never understood the term runners high because hey this is exercise and believe me I am a couch potato. But there is such a thing as a runners high and passing that finish line on the 5K was a just wonderful feeling of accomplishment. It was not an easy path believe me I wanted to quit so many times, I had weird issues like my toenails would bleed, muscle aches things I had to push through but the end result is so worth it. Now I feel awful during the day if for some reason I did not get to get out that morning.

My next race is August 16 it is a 5K my goal is to finish it at a better pace than I did my first one on July 3. After that I will be running in September another 5K and continue to work up to the quarter marathon in November.

Running is fun never thought I would say that but it is. Also my health has improved soooo much my blood pressure is the lowest it has been in years. I am weaning off some blood pressure heart medication successfully.

There is a lot of fun events as well. I am getting my kids involved in the kids run in Tulsa, OK in November it is with the marathon events. Cool Running is a site where you can look up events for your state. Here is a begin to run article.