My running story

Well my running story started back on April of this year. I had always envied runners and thought that they must be extreme athletes to be able to run and enjoy it, because why would anyone run if they weren't being chased, I mean really? I just thought they were super crazy type A personalities and since I wasn't I'd never be a runner.

Back in April, right after my 41st birthday Johnny and I began the Atkins diet. After finding out that I had a sensitivity to gluten I cut it out completely and figured it was a great time to start a diet since I was quite over weight. I've always had a weight problem but I had never been able to beat it.
Anyhow I've secretly dreamed of being a runner. Like I said, I didn't even imagine that I ever could run but here I am, I'm a runner.





We started out slowly using the free Couch25K app on our phone. The first day killed me! It was like 30 seconds of running 90 seconds walking. It sounds like a piece of cake (btw, cake is what got me into this mess in the first place) but really 30 seconds of running was a killer! I thought my heart was gonna pop out of my ears! It was so hard. Then day two was more of the same. We kept doing it and trying but it was super hard. We did everything the chipper, and surely skinny voice on C25K told us to. She was master and we were the sad beat down slaves.

By week 4 we were jogging 3 minutes and walking 90 seconds, jogging 5 minutes walking 2,5 minutes. This was the first time in the whole process that I actually thought my young (40ish) life was seriously coming to an end. I felt dizzy and lightheaded. I felt really stupid, weak and discouraged but we headed out on our next appointed day of torture and tried again. This time I made it. I actually made it through.

So, here we are, 4 months later running 5 kilometers couple times a week. for some of you, you're like, "What?? Wow 5 kilometers!",  and for others of you you like, "Big deal!". Yea actually you're both right, it's wow and a big deal! Do you realize how far 3 miles is? It's a long way! If you had told me at the beginning of the summer that I would ever be able to run 3 miles  I would have laughed you to scorn. The feeling I get after a run is worth it all. I feel so strong and able. I love it! So, here I am, I'm a runner! I never thought I would or could but I did and you can to.

As a side note.
I am always doing my best to dress the way I believe the Lord would want me to dress so I only wear dresses and skirts so finding something to run in and still look somewhat cute wasn't easy. I looked for a running skirt but the skirts most runners run in aren't modest and another thing, if I were to wear one of those little skirts, there wouldn't be anything cute about it. I went to Joann's Fabrics and found a great black fabric that was a sporty, stretchy fabric that had super fine holes in it like you find with some basket ball shorts. Anyhoo, I made a very simple tube skirt that came to my knees and then I purchased some back leggings so just in case the skirt was to come up at all you wouldn't see any flesh. when looking for a shirt to wear I realized that workout shirts made for women are made for women with stick skinny arms so I headed over to the men's department and found a pretty, yes pretty, purple Adidas shirt with sleeves big enough for my guns! Anyhow, I didn't look super cool but I felt sporty and the skirt was awesome. It had such stretch that I couldn't even tell I was wearing it. I will say the skirt makes my already midget short legs look even shorter but it works and it was cheap.

BTW, I hate the above photo, it doesn't look like me, it's not flattering, 

but it's all I have. It was taken 4 months and 20 lbs ago.

There are a few tings I would do different next time. 1. I'd sew in a thin slip. when the sun is bright you can kinda see a split through my skirt and 2. I'd sew in a wide waistband with a place for my phone and keys. 

I said all that to say this:

So you're not a runner, neither was I. 

So you've never done it, neither had I. 

So you're over weight and running is difficult, it was for me too. 

So you're embarrassed that folks will look at you and think, "what's that fat girl doing running?" well maybe they will but most likely they'll applaud you for caring enough to try and if they are laughing, they won't be for long. 

So what's keeping you?

You have tennis shoes?

You have a dream?

You have will?

So what's stopping you? Download C25K. Go out and start and in a few months we can compare notes and pat each other on the back. 

If I can do it, you can do it!!!

Btw, check out Amber's blog, Simply Siberia. She an amazing runner and so encouraging.