I'm Just Being Honest...

Okay, so I was going to blog about fueling up while running or other exercising but I have changed my mind. I have decided to blog about body image and weight. I have a scale in my room that needed a new battery. I have been putting off changing it because I know myself too well. I would get on the scale and be discouraged. Against my better judgement I went ahead and put a new one in. Sure enough I got on the scale and became very upset. Logically I knew to not be upset. Let me explain.

I have been running seriously for close to a year now. I have run over 300 miles in less than a year. I have not been eating out of control but yet I have lost NO WEIGHT! That's right, none! My very first thought was, "I must start eating less. What can I cut out of my diet immediately? This is horrible!!" However, have felt better and I can see my body changing for the better but no weight has been lost. I can only conclude that I was at my target weight when I started running and my fat has turned into muscle (which we all know weighs more than fat). My legs are more muscular and my arms are less flabby and more cut and I have almost no cellulite. So I get it, don't get me wrong. My clothes fit the same or better but I just thought that I would have lost at least a few pounds. I also know that I am healthier and reducing my risk for heart disease. That is very good since it is the leading killer ahead of cancer.

I just thought I would be honest. After thinking to myself I must start dieting (which I have not been since all of this running), knowing that I don't over eat and I am a relatively healthy eater, I realized that I was being crazy. I am where I am supposed to be. And to all of those people out there who get discouraged by the scale, maybe we should all just not get on them period. It's not like we walk around with a sign on our body stating our weight. NO BODY can tell if you are 3 pounds lighter or heavier. Only you can tell. Don't let all of your hard work be reduced to a few pounds especially if you are within your target weight. If you are not and you have some legitimate weight to lose that is a different story.

It's important to have healthy expectations for your weight. You can visit http://www.halls.md/ideal-weight/body.htm to get a gauge of your ideal weight.

...and just to prove my morning insanity and to continue with honesty, here is my weight.

This morning on the scale:110 lbs.

I was upset by approx. : 2 lbs.

My ideal weight: 109 lbs.

Do You Have A RoadID?

One of the best things I ever purchased for running safety is my RoadID. It has my important info on it incase I am hurt and unable to tell someone who I am. I am a street runner and never run with a wallet or anything like that. When I found this I immediately purchased one. They are only $20! You can get them at www.roadid.com

My Genius Strategy

Okay, so I am running in the ING Half Marathon Miami next month. I am ready cardio-wise. However, my quads get so tight when I run long runs that I can't go anymore without stopping and stretching. So...I have decided to stop every 3 miles during the race and do a quick 10-15 second quad stretch and then keep going. If I do that I will only add no more than 2 minutes to my final running time. I can totally make that up during the run. I am so excited because I feel like I am ready and I could do this tomorrow. Thankfully though I have another month to train.

Establish Your Base

When I first started running I remember thinking that it would be impossible to run anything more than a mile. I could not figure out how people ran 5, 7 or even 10 miles at any given time. I had to syke myself up just to run from my house to the Miami Shores park and home again. That was 2.2 miles (gotta include that .2 miles!). When I finished the run I was dripping with sweat, exhausted, beat red and it took me about 30 minutes to cool down and not look like I had been thrown into the pool and sunburned. That was before I got pregnant with my son who is now 16 months. I tried to run that route 2 times a week and felt like I was really accomplishing something. I know that I was because it was alot for me at the time. I signed up for my first 5k that I would run (the others I did and just walked). I ran the 5k in 30 minutes and was really proud of myself. I honestly couldn't believe that I actually ran 3.1 miles...without stopping!!! At that point I got the running bug. I could not wait to go running. The thought of running was so exciting to me. But the actual act was still a chore. I could not get past much more that the 2.2 miles to the park and back.



Fast forward to after my son was born. I decided it was time to get back to running. I ran 1.1 miles around my block. Then went to the midwest for the summer. I ran all summer long! I mean I really focused because thankfully my mother-in-law watched the kids every time I wanted to run. I learned through weeks of running this summer that you must establish a base when it comes to your running. I felt like once I got to the point when I could run 4 miles (4 miles was what worked for me but might be different for others), I was able to add mileage easier and easier. Running was no longer a chore. It was so enjoyable and fun. I could even run without my iPod and be fine. BUT...I had to get to that 4 mile mark. It took me all summer to be able to run 4 miles without ANY PROBLEM. For me it was at that point that I felt like I had a repertoire of running if you will. But it was hard to get there I am not going to say it wasn't. If you are committed to it EVERYONE can be a runner. Work on your "base" first and try on to get burned out.

My First Blog

Well, here it is. My first blog post for my running blog. Why am I here? Well, I have been thinking about this for some time. Aside from my husband and kids and my faith in God my true love is running. I am not going to lie, I have only been a serious runner for 8 months now. I am currently training for my first half marathon in January. After that I plan on running another half marathon in March and possibly the 7 mile bridge run in April that goes over the causeway to the Florda Keys. Prior to this I was pregnant with my son and prior to that I only ran a few 5k's and maybe 6 miles per week on a good week. So needless to say I am not a pro...yet. I am learning as I go and that is why I am starting this. I want to share my experiences with other beginner runners, be a resource and share what has and has not worked for me. I am excited to do this. I am constantly thinking about my running all throughout the day. What can I do better? How did my body feel today during my run? How is my running affecting my mental and, let's face it, physical health.

I know there are women out there who want to start running and are not sure how to start. The thought of running long distances can be overwhelming and exhausting. So if you are a new mom and want to start running to get your body back, or maybe you aren't a new mom and want to start running to train for your first race, please join and read my blog. I will update this weekly or more to talk about my recommendations on products, things to try, and injuries. Please note that I am not in the medical profession and injury related topics are of my own opinion based on what research I have done and what has worked for me.