Eight Weeks

Tomorrow I will start training for my 2nd 8K race. http://www.runawayrace.com/ I am fortunate enough to work for a company that sponsors this race, so my entry is covered. Last year, I trained for about two weeks, and pushed my two kids in my jogging stroller up the steepest hill I have ever walked. And I finished the race in under two hours. And I evaded any major injury and even soreness! Needless to say, I was on a major high. I totally believed I was capable of doing a half-marathon this past August. This was the last race before my knee surgery. And I didn't do the 1/2 marathon.

This year, I get to participate in the race with my husband. He will be pushing the considerably bigger kids this time. And this year, I will train for 8 full weeks. My lofty goal is to finish the race in one hour. Considering I barely completed my 5K two weeks ago in under an hour, it is a hugely lofty goal. A more realistic goal is an hour and a half. I hope to be able to jog a bit of this race, and I hope to finish at least close to my husband, if not with. Most of all, I hope to finish!

So, my prayer for the next eight weeks goes a little like this:

Lord, please take away my ability to make excuses. Please help me get through the next eight weeks and my 8K race healthy and injury free. Please walk with me as I know you will, as I prepare to do this the right way. And help me finish the race with as much pride and joy as I did the last. Each step is a step in faith and dedication to the life you have blessed me with, and on the path you have paved for me.

Amen!

I am the one on the far right with the kiddos. :)

Conclusion

I know it's a little premature, since there are still two more weeks left in this month, but when God speaks, it's not on my terms. So with that, I've received three answers to prayers this week:

1) I'm not going to have surgery.
2) I can't do this alone.
3) I will succeed, but I must be faithful, committed and believe in myself.

With these answers, I have found some direction. I'm relieved that I can take surgery off of the table. I didn't really want to do it. To me, it was a way out. And if can't do it on my own, I probably won't do it after surgery either. I can't do this on my own. I just can't. I'm not strong willed enough. I'm competitive by nature, and alone, I have no competition. I am not disciplined enough. I don't have strong enough willpower. These are all things that I can change, but they won't happen overnight, so to do this, I must seek guidance. And not just from the Lord, but from those whom he has blessed with the gifts to help people like me. So, I'm going back to Weight Watchers. I've been successful there before, but never stuck with it. It's easy for me, because I have a room full of people who are going through the same struggles as I am, and it doesn't matter if they have one or 100 pounds to lose. They will hold me accountable, because I have to weigh-in every week. They cheer for you when you lose :) I blush like a fool, and claim to hate recognition, but it really does make me want to keep going! And I want to be a success story. I would love to be the one leading a weight watchers meeting. This is not a new thing for me. I can remember the very first weight watchers meeting I ever went to when I was in my early 20's, in Illinois. That woman stood up there with that picture of herself (my size) and said if I can do it you can. Ever since that, I have wanted that job. I think it is part of my calling to help women and children. I would love to be a motivational speaker, showing the ordinary person she can do extraordinary things like lose the weight of her two kids or more! And I know I can do it. I will do it. I will succeed, I will be patient, and I will be committed, and I will be successful. I'm not going to put a start or finish goal on this journey. I hope it's sooner than later. But it's not on my time. It will happen and I will continue to listen for the directions of God, and follow this path he has paved for me. And I'm at peace with that.

Day one of the last month before D-day

So, since I can't do AM school work on Monday's (no one posts anything for me to respond to this early in the morning on the first day of the week in class) I decided to blog. Saturday is the Woodstock 5K. This will be the second time I have done this. After last year I vowed to train better. Last year, I just dilly dallied around all week and went into the 5K which nearly killed me by the end of that hot, hilly, humid 3.1 miles. And I just walked! This year, I didn't do as I had hoped in training well for weeks before. But I will make an attempt to prepare myself as good as possible this week. So that means, with mom'ing, schooling, work and life in general, my workouts will take place before the sun rises. Because I'm not totally recovered from my many injuries to my knee, and my silly foot that feels the need to make itself known, I need to make sure I include my physical therapy in my training. This morning, the alarm went off at 4:30. I rolled out of bed, yawning thinking I am crazy (no need for confirmation, thanks), and put my cup of tea in the microwave. I rolled out my mat on laid on the floor to begin my exercises. They took me all of 10 minutes so I completed the routine with 100 crunches.  Then I got up, changed into my public appropriate workout clothes, drank my tea and headed out the door. I decided to turn the radio off and have a conversation with God on my way to the gym. That led me to make a wrong turn, lol. I guess I can't multitask that early in the morning. When I finally arrived, I pushed through a hilly interval on the elliptical, and after 30 minutes and 1.10 miles I managed to burn 453 calories. Not bad start to the day. Now, to continue this mission for the rest of the week. I can and I will....I have to!

Happy first week of August, friends!