Happy Runniversary to Me!

Three years ago, today, I laced up my shoes and set out to complete Couch to 5k and lose some weight!  I had already changed my eating habits the prior month and now it was time to get serious about my fitness, or lack there of!  That first day about killed me!  I was way out of shape!  Run, walk, run, walk, run, walk..,,you get the picture!  The next day I hurt but I laced up and did it again!  I did the walk/run until July 13 when our new shelter dog took me out at the knee!  ACL reconstruction soon followed as did recovery and my return to running!

Fast forward 3 years to today!  I have lost 60 pounds, completed numerous 5 Ks, ran from Mattoon to Peoria (140 miles) in a relay type run to benefit St. Jude and completed my first 1/2 Marathon!  I am also a coach for Girls on the Run, teach Bootcamp three times a week and will begin teaching swimming lessons and a Homeschool PE program in the fall!  Has running changed me?  Heck yeah!  It has made me stronger physically and mentally!  It has made me grateful for all the wonderful people it has brought into my life and it has made me inspired to inspire others in any way possible!  Am I fast?  Nope, but I am determined to better myself each time I pound the pavement!  For better or worse, I AM A RUNNER!  Wow!  Someone call Coach Stiff!  She will never believe it!

     Before running    @     after running!

This Crazy Thing Called Life!

Blogging kind of went on the back burner while I was busy pursuing other life goals!  Believe me when I say, I have been super busy!  So now I am ready to bring you all up to speed!

First, I started instructing a boot camp 3 days a week at our local YMCA.  5:15 AM is mighty early but it is so worth the effort!  My body loves me for it and so do the folks who come to my class to be tortured.  Don't laugh, it's tough!

Then I got the bright idea that I wanted to take my running to the next level, so I signed up for my first 1/2 Marathon.  That's 13.1 miles!  It seemed like a good idea at the time but training 3 days a week, before the sun came up was super tough.  Rain, sleet, snow, ice.....my training partner and I endured it all just so  we could cross that finish line!  We did it!

 

While I was training, I was also coaching Girls on the Run!  It is an awesome program that teaches girls about self worth, confidence and dealing with bullies while teaching them to run a 5k!  This program and the girls have changed my life and made me a better person!

I was nominated for Coach of the year but the best part was running with my 6 year old Diva!  It was her first 5k!

So now that summer is here and school is out life is pushing forward.  There are races to run and many fun trips planned! Our first trip will be this Friday to see the St. Louis Cardinals play!  The tickets were a gift from the Moody Teen for my Birthday (which just happens to be this Friday)!  It will be the Diva's first MLB!!  Bring on the summer fun!