ready, ready, ready, ready, ready to RUN!

So I went for another run today. I was pleasantly surprised that my knee didn't give out. I still had pain but thank goodness I made it all the way through it. I am a bit depressed on my time and that I only did 2 miles. BUT that is 2 miles more than yesterday. I love running. I love it, I love it, I love it. I think I have made this special connection with it because it is my time to run my mind out. Literally I process so much stuff while I run. And now that I am in charge of a special group of 12 & 13 year olds who are absolutely AMAZING I have so much more on my mind. I have a million things running in my head all at once.

I was happy when I got on the scale before my run that I haven't gained any weight in the last 6 weeks. That makes me happy. So tomorrow its time to hit the pavement again. I have a feeling my knee is going to struggle but we will see! WISH ME LUCK!

I hate you KNEE, I HATE YOU!

Well, it has been 4 weeks since I went for my last run. It hasn't been 4 weeks since I went to the doctor... BUT it has been 4 weeks since my last run. SO... I decided to go for a run. I got up the hill to start the run and I was so PUMPED for this run. I started jumping up and down and clapping my hands. Well, I was just doing great until I hit my infamous mile marker 1. By the time I got to 2 miles my knee gave out and I was done. I was devastated. I came home kicking the rocks and cursing my knee. OH BLASTED KNEE! Sometimes it feels like it needs to pop but I can't pop it. UGH! So frustrating... ANYWAY... I guess its time to look into other cardio options.

Speaking of not letting go...

So as I have told you my knee has been killing me when I run. So I knew after almost 6 weeks that I needed to go into the doctor. Verdict? Well, NO RUNNING FOR at least 4 weeks. ME NOT SO HAPPY RIGHT NOW. <: ( Actually I am more devastated about it then angry. It would be like taking away a favorite binky/blanket/toy from a one year old... NOT SO MUCH FUN! BUT I will find my exercise in some other way maybe walking, swimming, dancing, or the local gym. None of which appeal to me as much as my beloved running. DANG IT YOU STUPID KNEE.

Can't Let go part 2

Race DAY! I convinced my sister in law Kristin to run our first 5K together. Here are some pre-race pictures. We got there an hour early and it was FREEZING. Hence the winter get up... By the time I finished the race I WAS HOT!

Me pinning on my very first racing BIB!

Kristin laughing at something... She has a great laugh and my running clothes on

Thumbs up BEFORE the race

Pointing to our names on the race sheet

I was feeling pretty excited until I saw these people warming up....

Why do military people intimidate me? Umm... BECAUSE THEY RUN EVERY FREAKING DAY! Wait I run every day.... Well, they are skinner then me... Yes thats the reason...

Before we knew it, we were off to our official starting point.

This was a picture of me almost to the half way mark

I should mention that we started the race and at about 1 mile I noticed I was coming up on a group of air force guys. I passed them and heard this, "Oh HELL no, we are not gonna get beat by an army wife." We had a nice little competition for a bit. Anybody want to guess the outcome?! Wanna know why they knew I was an army wife?

This was the back of my shirt. The front of it said. I am doing this for... and the back said MY HERO AND MY BOYS!

This is me finishing the race... I had my best time. Oh thats right it was my first race ever! I actually would have kicked a lot more butt if my knee wasn't KILLING ME! I hauled balls there at the end. IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE feeling crossing that finish line. They had these guys at the end of the race banging pots and pans. IT WAS AWESOME. TOTAL NATURAL HIGH! I rounded the finish line and headed back for Kristin. When she saw me she took off running and I couldn't keep up with her! Truly one of the greatest experiences of my life. CANT WAIT FOR SOME MORE NATURAL HIGHS! Only thing better would have been to have my best friend and lover there.... Maybe next time?! KUDOS to Don my father in law for taking the pictures for us!

A few pick me ups while I run

This is a picture of me today after my 3.5 mile run. Hinckley took it. I had a fantastic run with a fantastic time. Well, a fantastic time for me! I am still slow but I am picking up the pace. Do you notice what is hanging on my zipper to the right?! Yes that is pepper spray. Yes I run with pepper spray. Too many dogs that people neglect and crazy people in this world to not run with it. But what picks me up?

1. Looking at this picture and realizing I was fat. Very fat. And knowing that I am working on loosing it. That motivates me... Take a look at this picture right before I started my journey... Now look up at my picture today. Thats a pretty exciting difference if you ask me!

2. SONGS. Not just hip hop ones but sentimental ones, slow, fast, short, long all sorts of music.

3. The old man who walks his dog that I pass almost every day.... If I run at a different time he asks me why I wasn't out running. It keeps me on my toes. When he sees me he gets this big old grin on his face. I think I make his day as much as he makes mine.

4. Putting on my running clothes. I feel EMPOWERED! I LOVE MY RUNNING CLOTHES and I am looking pretty dang good in them too

5. When a car passes by with an obese person. I think to myself... I am changing that. I am NOT going to be obese anymore.

6. Being able to log in on my spreadsheet the amount of miles I did and how long it took me.

7. My boys who run to give me hugs after every time I step back in the door. And my mom who cheers, " YOU DID IT YOU DID IT!"

Yes my boys are matching! And YES they are just adorable!

A sweet surprise

So on Tuesday December the 28th I headed out for my normal run I was finally up to 3.5 miles. I felt great. I felt encouraged. I felt on top of the world believe it or not. Then about .16 miles into my run. Yes I said .16 there is a point in front of that I rolled my ankle on a small rock. In the process I went tumbling to the ground. After I realized I could get up I instantly started crying. Not that I was hurting I was just devastated because I knew my running would have to be suspended for a bit. And maybe I was a bit embarrassed.

So I hobbled home and laid on the couch for the next hour. I was devastated. Really I was. I consulted with my running buddies and decided I would have to take a few days off. So after my hour on the couch I decided to change my clothes and get comfy for the day of rest. Imagine my surprise when I discovered my knee bleeding and my other knee bruised. Well such is life... Take a few days off and I will be good to go. UMMM... NOPE... WRONG... U TURN IT....

So imagine to my surprise on Monday when I went for my run and it was HORRIBLE. Absolutely HORRIBLE! It was pretty much all in my head but it was awful. My nose was running down my elbow, my ankle was killing me, I kept hearing the splat of my very large body hitting the ground. I thought every car was going to hit me, every dog was going to jump the fence and eat me alive! It was awful.

Well, Tuesday started off much better and was going great until I got to mile 3.2 and I had this horrible pain shot from my right knee (the same leg I rolled my ankle) and up to my hip. It was awful and only got worse after I finished my 3.5 mile run and started my cool down walk. I gimped home again and felt defeated. I took Wednesday off to let my knees recover. My guess is I hit the ground first with my knees they took a bigger beating then I thought. So today I did my run with no hills and thought it would be a bit better which it was but I still have pain in both knees now. I have just come to the conclusion that I will probably have pain when I run for a long time and I will just have to deal with it.

So now that I have shared my sob story.... wanna hear the best the song in the world? It came on right as I started my cool down on Tuesday and it was just what I needed.... I actually forgot I put this on my playlist so it was my sweet surprise.... This guys voice is seriously the most amazing singer in the world.

So I hope you dont mind the pictures. I didn't know how to post this song without doing some type of slideshow. And did you guess who this handsome singer is? PS I am totally working on a special Valentines slideshow for Troy. Although it is very personal I might just share part of it with you!

6 months pregnant...

So tell me what do you think... Does this baby bump look like a 6 month pregnant lady?

No really take a good look...... Be honest.... Does it look like a 6 month pregnant lady?

Want my opinion? Yes.... Yes it does. and YES that is me.

and NO I am not 6 months pregnant or pregnant at all for that matter. But I did have a lovely lady at karate ask me if I was... Amy & Shauna it was that mom who repeats everything the kids are suppose to say... Yes that one! I was soooo taken off guard I think I ho hummed a bit. And was like ahhh... no but ummmm... thank you? No I mean how rude... Umm.... I hate you and I dont even know you....

Okay not really its just more motivation for me to kick obesity in its ass. Pardon my language. But really I am. I AM KICKING OBESITY IN ITS ASS! As of to date I have hit my first weight goal... AKA 23 POUNDS LOST! I know that sounds crazy but its true! And thats with the Holidays and a ankle injury! And if you go scroll up back to those pictures... Yep go ahead... scroll back up... Examine them.... Pick away at my overweight self but know that I am completely sticking my stomach out as far as it will go. Had I done that 2 months ago I would have looked more like a beached whale... Now I look like a 6 month pregnant lady. HEY I WILL TAKE IT.

And here is my true picture with the best posture I could have so I look thinner! HERE'S to another 23 pounds people!

How's my running?

Well I have to tell you that I still LOVE running. I am finally running 3 miles a day. The last two days when I am running it feels like it takes me forever and I am pretty pooped by the end of it. But I have to stop thinking about how others can run faster, longer and more graceful and just focus on the fact that i am feeling better. I have lost 10 pounds which is exciting. I was hoping for quicker results but at least I am working on it. I went to the doctor a few weeks ago to get a health check. They did some blood tests and amazingly enough all my levels were within normal range. I just need to loose weight. That is promising!

I have been running in my parents neighborhood which I LOVE because there are only about 5 houses and there are a lot of open paved space. I've had a few run ins with a coyote, stray dogs, some questionable people and so I have decided it would be best for me to run on the main road most of the time. I do run with my cell phone and pepper spray. I am thinking about buying a gun holder to carry my gun while I run... We will see how it goes.

I took pictures the other day of my hills that I go up in the neighborhood. I love them! I use to name them people who I didn't like because I despised them. But now I find joy in running up them. I will really miss them if I completely decided to run the main road. BTW I totally knocked of 3.5 mins off my time on my Saturday run. I RAN MY GUTS OUT!

This hill is long.... it goes beyond the bend at the top. I go up it twice.

This is the shortest but steepest hill I go up. Its my favorite one.
This is the third hill I go up. Its near the prison.
Dog tracks? Coyote trakcs? Cougar? Bear? JUST KIDDING probably dog
This is where I ran into the coyote one day and a stray dog the next. I have also ran into a few questionable people at the end of this dead end. I will for sure NO longer be running down it. Today there was an old school ghetto looking car parked at the end and when he saw me he zoomed off and about 20 seconds later a police officer came zooming down the road looking for it.....
The prison I run by
Yahoo for the prison!

Things I am learning about running in the desert and running period.

1. Donny Osmond music is great for love making, not so much for running.

2. When you see a stick in the road it could be 1 of 3 things..... Dog poop, tumbleweed stick, or a rattlesnake.

3. Look down sometimes when you are running so you don't step on, step in or get stuck in the above mentioned.

4. Even if you are 100% sure the stick in the road is a stick do not step on it. It will probably have little stickers in it that will get in your shoe.

5. When you turn the corner and see something BIG and brown double check to make sure its not a coyote, dog, or some other rodent that will eat you. Likely, its just a HUGE tumbleweed the size of a mini cooper.

6. Do not wear a gray sweatshirt and gray sweatpants when you are running near a prison, they will think you are a prisoner trying to escape.

7. When you run past a used condom do not freak out and think, "GROSS, thats disgusting." Say to yourself, "At least they used protection." Eventually you may believe it.

8. Always remember to turn on your garmin. You will be pretty sad at the end of your awesome run that you forgot to hit start!

9. When you spend $25 on running pants make sure they are the right size, you do not want to be pulling up your pants your whole run.

10. When running underneath a flock of birds you will be a moving target for poop and they will find it a game to see how many times they can poop on you.

Running

A few years ago I found something that I love. I love to run. I am not fast and actually I dont look very pretty when I run. I look more like an extremely obese person trying to speed walk. I have decided that it is time to get back to running. I really need to loose weight. I have never been this weight before in my life so something has to change.

I stopped running 2 years ago because something happened that changed me. I was pregnant and went for a run (which at the time was nothing unusual). When I came home I started to bleed and ended up miscarrying. I blamed myself for a long time and to an extent still do. I couldn't get myself to go out and run again after.

BUT! All that has changed now. I am excited to run now. I have goals for myself and I am excited for the future. So I started this last Monday. It felt SOOOO GOOD to get out and run. The first 2 days were perfect minus the rain the second day. On the third day I kept having this feeling that something bad was going to happen but I pushed through it and made it. I clocked my run the other day and its only 1.4 miles. I know sad huh? But its a start and plus I go up 2 decent size hills.

I am dedicated. I am strong. And I am ready for this new challenge. But today something happened that has shook my faith in myself. Wanna know what happened????????

Do you notice anything in the sand in this picture?????

Can't see anything??????

Really? Well, look a bit closer.....

THATS RIGHT A BABY RATTLE SNAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! At least it was dead. Our neighbor came over yesterday and told us he killed one right by the mailboxes. But you know most people take care of it... Not our neighbor leaves for God and country. I nearly stepped on the dang thing. I have a huge fear of snakes, HUGE. Ask my brothers or sister why I have a huge fear of snakes in the toilet.....

It was right next to my parents house! Its a baby which means it probably has brothers and sisters and parents close by. This picture is of my parents house and the dirt below is where the snake resides. I let my babies outside in the back all the time. NOW I WILL CHECK THE BACKYARD HIGH AND LOW before I let them outside in the back and I will stay outside with them. I have a feeling they have a nest somewhere close

Another thing that bothers me is that fact that I thought it was a twig. Living in a desert you see a lot of tumble weeds and twigs or plants and such in the road. When I run I do not look on the ground, I try to keep my head up and back. I noticed today that I couldn't get my eyes off the road and every twig, branch, anything in the road I freaked out. But I am dedicated to continue and pray that I have no more run ins.

To be fat or not be fat?

That is the question. This is my promise to you that I am no longer going to be content being fat. I am looking forward to some future post that will explain my plan and how its going....