Inspiration

I love reading Brie's blog.  She's funny, down to earth, and just says what she wants to say.  I am inspired by all the women's blogs that I read, but there's just something about her.  She posted this on her blog about a month ago.  I have had it printed on a piece of paper at my office, but today it rings especially true.  It's from a Nike ad:

All your life you are told the things you cannot do.

All your life they will say you’re not good enough

or strong enough

or talented enough;

they will say you’re the wrong height

or the wrong weight

or the wrong type

to play this or be this or achieve this.

THEY WILL TELL YOU NO,

a thousand times no,

until all the nos become meaningless.

All your life they will tell you no,

quite firmly and very quickly.

And you will tell them Yes.

A dose of reality

On August 28, I went for my first run with my group after returning from vacation.  I was excited to get back to running with the gals and continuing to improve.  During the run, something felt "funny" in my girly bits (yes, that's the diplomatic way for me to say groin).  I kept pushing through thinking it would be ok.  I finished my run and went home.  Later in the afternoon, I thought I was going to die.  The pain between my legs was killing me and I really couldn't lift my right leg much more than an inch off the ground.  I continued through the weekend with my three best friends:  Advil, ice, and a heating pad.

The next Monday, I went to see my chiropractor before my appointment with my trainer.  We talked about what happened, etc. and mapped out a plan to get me back to running.  Dr. Evan worked on the different muscles around the pain for nearly a month (a month that I wasn't allowed to run - I had to use the boring elliptical). 

On Wednesday, September 22, he released me to start running again.  He gave me a series of stretches to do before my run and after.  That evening, I went for my first run and did ok.  I went a total of 2.25 miles/1.57 running, at an average pace of 15:23.  Big problem noticed around mile 1.4 - the pain was back.  Although it wasn't nearly as bad as before, it was obviously still there. 

I ran my first 5K on Saturday.  I did all my stretches, dropped my intervals to 3:1 and completed in 45:56 - not bad in my opinion.  After the race, I was so confident.  I was ready to go for another run.  I was ready to move on to the next adventure.  Then I tried to run last night...

Last night did not go well at all.  I got to Shelley Lake prepared to do 3:1 for just over 5K.  I was excited to see what my body could do, then I took the first step...  Needless to say, I realized that the pace and intervals were not going to work.  I ended up walking after about a mile - sadly, my walk wasn't much slower than my "run".

So, I have an appointment with my regular doctor today.  I am going to go try to explain to her where I have been, what I have done, and figure out what she recommends we do from here. 

I have a horrible fear that she is going to tell me to stop running.  I hope not - it is the first form of exercise that I have ever loved.  I want to go for a run, even when it is raining.  I am looking forward to running in the cold, just to test my body.  I know that I can do this, I just have to take the time to get myself fixed.  I can do this.

How did I get here and now what?

On July 14, I added a little bit more to my challenge to transform myself.  By that point, I had been working out with a trainer for about 8 weeks, had been eating better, and just treating myself better.  After a particularly intense workout with Ed (trainer) earlier that week, we talked about my goals and things I just wanted to accomplish.  One of those things was to run a 1/2 marathon and not just any 1/2 marathon - the Disney Princess 1/2 Marathon.  At that moment, Ed and I discussed how I could realistically get to that goal and do just about anything else.  I did about a week of a Couch To 5K pod casts, then realized that running on the treadmill was torturous and I needed to find a running group.   

Lo and behold, I found the NCRC Women's Beginner Running Program.  My first run with the group was on Saturday, July 24.  During the 10-weeks in the program, I have had the privilege to meet some of the most awesome, supportive, and inspiring women.  We encourage each other to keep going, even on the hardest of days.  It is so great.  The "end" of the official program was the Women's Distance Festival on Saturday, September 25.  After battling a pretty annoying tendon pull for most of August, I was determined to complete the race even if I had to walk.  My doctor released me to run the Wednesday before the race, but urged me to just take my time and listen to my body.  On Saturday, I set my Garmin for 3:1 intervals with a goal to run (not walk) during all my designated run times.  I finished the race in 45:53 (chip time) at a pace of 14:53 (239 out of 285 participants).  I was able to stick with my goal.  The way I see it - that ain't to shabby for a chubby gal that hasn't run since the Presidential Fitness Test requirements in 5th grade (and I tried my best to get out of that).

So, now what...  The ladies that I have been running with the last 10 weeks all seem to want to move on to something more.  We're working out some times for runs and making plans for participating in races.  I thought the questions provided by NCRC at our "graduation" dinner were the perfect explanation of the "now what":

What are your goals?

• Complete at least 3 more races before the end of 2010.  So far, I am signed up for the Monster Dash 5K, Free to Breathe 5K, and Ridgewood Turkey Trot 8K
• Complete the Beaufort Road Race 10K in July 2011
• Complete the Disney Princess 1/2 Marathon in February 2012

How many times a week will you run?  I plan to run 3 days per week.

Where will you run?  Through the running program, I have discovered the Capital Area Greenway system.  I hope to run as many routes as possible on the area greenways.

When will you run?  I plan to run on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday most weeks.

Will you run alone or with a friend?  I am going to run with friends as much as I can.  While running alone allows one a lot of time to think, it isn't all that fun.  I like the encouragement that I can offer and receive from running with others.

How many miles a week do you plan to run?  I am going to start following Hal Higdon's Novice Half Marathon training program.  I will probably spread the training weeks out a bit too.

Why?

Why? Funny you should ask... I have been asking myself the very same thing...

My name is Regan. In May of 2010, I made up my mind to transform myself, my entire self - my mind, my body, my diet, my mood, everything. I began by joining a new gym and making changes to how I thought about food. Not long thereafter, I started working out with a personal trainer one day per week. Of course the entire time I was working out with my trainer and going to the gym, I was cussing every piece of equipment in my head. The cussing in my head and working out consistently made me more determined to do more.

In July, I learned about a women's beginner running program offered through the NC Roadrunner's Club. I talked to a girlfriend that did the program last summer, and after much contemplation joined. I ain't gonna lie... The 1st three or four runs were absolute hell on wheels, but after that I was hooked. I finished the 10-week program on Saturday by participating in the Women's Distance Festival 5K. While I didn't finish the 5K at a sub-30 pace, I did it and that is all that matters.

This blog will be about my adventure to transform all of me...