Washington, D.C.

One reason I took a break from blogging is because I went to Washington, D.C. with advocates from all across the country to participate in the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network's Annual Advocacy Day.  Our mission this year was simple: to tell Congress NOT to cut cancer research.  We had worked for five years previously to get a bill passed that would make pancreatic cancer research a priority.  We finally achieved that last year with the passing of the Recalcitrant Cancer Research Act (formerly known as the Pancreatic Cancer Research and Education Act).  We were so excited that this bill became a law, but we realize more work has to be done to find a cure for this disease and double the survival rate of pancreatic cancer patients.  We cannot accomplish these goals without federal funding.  So, that is what I was doing.  I was able to meet with elected officials from the state of Indiana and share my dad's story with them and why cancer research is so important to me.  I always feel so empowered after the trip to D.C. - like I am really making a difference in this battle against pancreatic cancer. 

I left for D.C. on a Sunday and returned home to Indy that following Tuesday.  It is literally a whirlwind of a trip!  I had a meeting Sunday, training all day Monday, and was on Capitol Hill all day Tuesday.  I was one busy girl!  But I was still committed to running, and that is important for you to know.  I was so careful in my packing because I wanted to make sure I could get my running shoes in my carry on luggage.  You can imagine how upset I was when I got to D.C. and realized that I had to pay $15 a day to use the hotel gym.  Are you kidding me?!??!?!!  Who pays money to use the gym at the hotel?  Not this girl! 

My friend that I traveled with and I both wanted to do some sightseeing while we were on our short trip so after my meeting on Sunday we took the metro and headed out to see the monuments.  Here are some of my favorite pictures from the monuments:

We even walked over to the White House.  We could not get very close so I zoomed in as much as I could on my camera so it looks like I was hanging out on the front lawn of the White House.  It was cool to see it because I did not get to see it the last two years I was in D.C.  Here is one of my zoomed in pictures:

How close I wanted to be...

How close I actually was.

On Monday, after our day long training, we took off again to see Arlington Cemetery.  Again, a place I was not able to see the last two visits.  It closed at 7:00 p.m. so we had to hurry quickly through our visit.  I was able to take some pictures of that as well, and I was able to at least look up where my Grandpa Shake was buried (although we did not make it over to the section he is in).  Here are some of those pictures:

We walked all over the Capitol on Tuesday.  We were on the Representative side, the Senate side, and back to the Representative Side.  We walked between six different buildings during our meetings.  Part of me wishes I had taken a pedometer so that I could see how many steps we took during our trip to D.C.  We walked so much, and I was so exhausted, that I was only a little itty bitty disappointed that I was unable to run. 

New Shoes

I got my very first pair of professionally fitted running shoes!  My mom took me to The Runner's Forum in Avon, Indiana.  I was looking for the right running shoe, and she was looking for walking shoes.  We each had one employee assisting us.  The first thing I had to do was take my flip flops off, put socks on, roll my pants' legs up and walk down the runway.  (They literally have a section of the store with different flooring that they call the runway.  I love it!)  While I walked, the employee watched how my feet were striking the ground.  He then asked me to do a light jog up and down the runway (which is good because we all know that I am not a fast runner at this point in my journey) to see how my feet were striking the ground while running.  The helpful employee then went to the back to find me some shoes.

Now keep in mind, I already generally wear an 11 shoe so I was worried that I would have to get a 12.  I had been doing my research on running shoes and found out that many runners will buy shoes a size larger because of swelling or to avoid blisters.  The store did not have larger sizes in stock, but it turned out that I didn't need them anyway.  The employee (I wish I had gotten his name now) was so nice and told me that the first time I ran in the shoes, if they felt too snug, to bring them back and he would order me the larger size.

I tried on three different pairs of shoes and finally found the ones that had the support I needed while still feeling very natural.  The employee also talked to me about running socks.  He asked if I always ran in cotton socks, and I told him I did.  He suggested I try a pair of running socks, and honestly, I thought he was just trying to sell me some expensive pair of socks.  I went ahead and got a pair.  He did tell me that since my birthday is coming up that I would also be getting an e-mail with a coupon for a free pair of socks.  Well, I love FREE!

Before I left the store, I asked the man about how often I needed to replace my running shoes.  I specifically asked about mileage.  He said to listen to my body, especially my knees, and if they begin hurting it is probably time to get new shoes.  He said that most pairs of running shoes last for approximately six months.  He also told me that I would get an e-mail from The Runner's Forum in six months to remind me that my shoes may need replaced and a $10 off coupon for my next pair.  Sweet!

I had a chance to test run my shoes and socks the next morning, and they felt amazing!  I could really tell a difference after running.  I guess those running socks are a good investment and not just a reason to drop $10 on a pair of overly priced socks.  I may actually have to go and buy some more!

Want to see my new shoes?

My New Shoes

And I love the box that my shoes came in so I had to take a picture of that to share with you.

Run Happy!

So Stinkin' Proud

Hello!  Long time, no post.  I will explain more later, but right now I just want to brag on my friend Kristal.  I could not be prouder of her right now!  Saturday was PurpleStride, and she ran the entire 5K!  We have been running together, and I am not sure if I am ready to run a 5K, but she did it!  She did it all by herself, and she did it in the heat and humidity that comes with June in Indy.  Unfortunately, I do not have photographic proof of her huge accomplishment because she swore to me that I would not take any pictures of her, but I was at the event, and I know she ran it.  Congratulations, Kristal, on running your first 5K!  You are an inspiration to me to keep running! 

Number 14

RUNNERS WORLD SELECTED MY ENTRY!  CHECK OUT #14!!!!!!!!!

Thanks, Dad, for Being My Running Inspiration

THIS IS SERIOUSLY THE BIGGEST HONOR!!!!!  I AM BEYOND WORDS THRILLED!!!!!

Playground Fun

Today I was hanging out with the world's cutest three year old / trainer, and she wanted to go to the park.  The park she was referring to was the neighborhood playground.  It is pretty close to my house, probably less than .5 mile away, so we got our shoes on and started walking.  Shalom wanted to take the car, but I told her it was close enough to walk, and she was excited about that.  We took off walking to the park.  When we got there, it was deserted which was perfect for both us.  Shalom started off on the swings where I got to push her higher and higher.  When she was done with that, she played on the playground equipment.  I watched her play for awhile, and the whole time she was playing, I was thinking to myself, why am I not playing with her on that equipment?  The answer was simple: I was scared.  Scared I couldn't play on it.  Scared I wouldn't fit on the equipment.  Just plain scared. 

I finally got fed up with being scared and decided to jump in and have some fun, too.  I climbed up on the different pieces of equipment and slid down the slide.  I practiced climbing up and down and the whole time chalked it up to training for the Warrior Dash.  It just amazes me how something so simple as playing on a playground has been so hard for me.  I mean, this weight of mine has just held me back from living.  No longer.  Yes, I am overweight.  Yes, I am ashamed of it, but I am working on it!  I am trying every day to be a better, healthier version of myself.  So, I am getting out there.  I may make a fool of myself, but I don't care.  I am just so sick of being held back by this weight bondage. 

I woke up early this morning and went to Kristal's house to do a workout DVD.  This one was a strength training one for abs.  After Kristal gets off work tonight, we are planning on running.  2 workouts + playing on the playground = pretty sweet day!

The only thing that could have made this day better:

Multitasking

This morning I went on my run.  I will not be able to run tonight since I am leading the GriefShare bible study.  Since I cannot run tonight I had to run on my own.  I am one of those people that has to get up and workout first thing or I will find a billion other things to do instead.  Unless, of course, I have firm plans to workout with someone at a different time in the day. 

So, I rolled out of bed, changed into my workout clothes, laced up my running shoes and took off.  Well, kind of.  I really struggled with whether to run inside or outside today.  It is summer, the weather is beautiful (maybe a little humid), and the sun is shining.  It should have been a no brainer.  I am not sure if I am feeling self conscious or what, but it was a struggle.  I decided to get outside because I will be kicking myself when it is winter and icy out, and I cannot run outside. 

I started running and was using my phone as my timer.  My mom called me about halfway through my workout, and I needed to talk to her anyway so I decided to answer while running.  Plus, at this point in my training, I should be running slow enough that I can carry on a conversation with someone, so why not have that conversation on the phone?  I answered and my mom and I talked.  I decided to try something and I ran the entire time I was on the phone with my mom.  I did not walk at all while talking to her.  When I got off the phone, I panicked a little bit because my timer I had been using previously to the phone call had disappeared.  I did some quick math, and I figured that my running / workout time was done.  Then, I began thinking...wait, a minute, how long was I the phone with my mom?  I checked my call log, and I had talked to her for 12 minutes, 55 seconds.  Do you know what the means?  I ran continuously for 12 minutes and 55 seconds!!!!!!! Wow!  Maybe I should plan on calling people a little more while running to distract me. 

Yesterday, I got up in the morning and worked out to another Jillian Michaels' DVD.  This one is called Shape Up Backside.  This is what it looks like:

After that, I went swimming with Kristal and Shalom.  We swam for about two hours.  I did some laps in the pool and I ran in the water.  I love swimming (not the whole self-conscious thing that comes along with getting in a swimsuit) and being in a pool and feeling so graceful.  I counted my time in the pool as my running yesterday. 

Today I am not planning on doing any sort of weight training to give my muscles a break.  Tomorrow I will be doing the front side video and Friday I will be doing the backside video.  In addition to those videos, I will be doing my running training as well.  Need to burn those calories and get in better shape for The Warrior Dash! 

Runner's World

On Facebook, Runner's World posted this:

Sunday is Father's Day! To celebrate, tell us in 50 words or less: How has your dad inspired your running? Post your response and a photo of your dad on our wall. We'll pick our favorites to include in a slideshow on runnersworld.com! | Please remember, sharing your response gives us permission to use your content on our website. Thank you!

Honestly, I have been avoiding all things Father's Day for obvious reasons, but for some reason this post caught my attention.  I decided to share my mini-story on their page, and who knows, maybe it will end up in the slideshow.  Here is my mini-story (it is REALLY hard to write in 50 words or less...my post, for the record, was exactly 50 words):

Nothing has broken me more than watching my beloved dad die of pancreatic cancer. Depressed, my doctor gave me medication to cope. When that didn't help I turned to running. With each step I take, I grow stronger physically and emotionally. Running has helped me heal while honoring my dad.

Dad and Me!

Run Your Butt Off

I have started reading my next book on running.  It is called Run Your Butt Off.  I am a couple of chapters into it already, and I really like it.  It talks about the same principles of starting running slowly.  Here is what the book looks like:

This  book also talks about creating a calorie deficit in order to lose weight.  I have decided to use My Fitness Pal since it is free!  Today was my first day of tracking the calories.  Granted, I am only half way through the day, but it has not been so bad. 

I have an 8:00 appointment for running tonight that I plan on keeping.  In addition to that, I have to start training for the Warrior Dash so I decided to do Jillian Michaels' workout DVD Shape Up Front. 

This DVD incorporates strength training with cardio so I thought it would be a good place to start.  I did that this afternoon, and I had sweat dripping off my face.  Oh my word.  This DVD is tough, but when I did it several years ago, I remember that it does work.  I am hoping this will help me build strength so I can be a kick butt Warrior in August! 

I have to go to a meeting at church now.  You know what this means...the Run for God bible study will be starting soon!  Yippee!  Have a great day!

Kara Goucher

I just finished reading Kara Goucher's book:

This book is an easy read and is very motivating.  I have learned a lot of great things about running from this book.  I recommend it highly! 

 

I was very excited when I found out that Kara and I share our birthday!  We were born on the same day; Kara is just one year older.  How cool is that?  Someone in the running community that I look up to, and we share our special day (which happens to be one month from today). 

I have decided to no longer track points and cancel my Weight Watchers subscription.  This has nothing to do with Weight Watchers and everything to do with me.  I am having a very difficult time tracking my points.  I feel like I have been throwing my money away this past month since I have not been tracking.  I have also been doing a lot of reading on running and losing weight, and every thing I read says the same thing.  Losing weight is simple math.  You have to burn more calories than you consume.  I have decided to count calories.  This means I will also be keeping my food journal so I can count those calories.  Maybe this will help me change things up and get back on the right track. 

I have had a couple of friends talk about wanting to run with me.  I get excited, and I love running with people, but then I get all self conscious because I do spend some of my running time walking.  This is my warning to people who want to run with me for now (until I work up to continuous running): 
 

I also, when I run, run at a slow pace.  It could be called jogging, but that is still running.  I am working up to being a faster, more continuous runner.  This benefits me since I am carrying a lot of extra weight.  Starting out slowly, though, will help me not to get injured.  It will also help me to not get frustrated and give up. 

Again, there is no deadline.  Yes, I have races coming up (much quicker than I care to admit), but I am not doing this for those races.  I am doing this for me. 

Thanks, Captain!

This blog is a shout out to the person I affectionately call Captain.  I was in training today and this was the second day of just sitting in a row.  I was having a hard time concentrating, and I did what I always do...I reached for a piece of candy.  This candy was in the middle of our table staring at me.  Taunting me.  Begging me to eat it.  I snatched a piece of candy and Captain looked at me and said, "You don't need that."  I looked at her and knew immediately she was right.  I threw it back in the basket and didn't try to take another piece of candy.  Today was a perfect example of why I surround myself with friends that support me and know what I am trying to accomplish.  Thanks, Captain, for stopping me from making a mistake!

National Running Day!

Happy National Running Day!  Why do you run? 

 

Here are 10 ways to celebrate National Running Day (none of them include going out for some Mexican food, weird):  

In addition to it being National Running Day, I had some epiphanies today that I think I should share.  Now, the first thing I need to explain is that I had these epiphanies during a leadership training I was at.  Not really a place you would expect to have them, but I will take them where I can!  Our superintendent was talking about a book entitled The Knowing-Doing Gap: How Smart Companies Turn Knowledge into Action.  He summarized it all by saying that he knows what he has to do to lose weight, but he just doesn't do it.  Duh!  So do I!  I know I need to eat better; I just don't always do it.  I know I need to exercise.  At least I am doing that part right now.  So, am I going to fall into this gap and not turn my knowledge into action?  I hope not!

During one of my breakout sessions I was in a room where health was taught.  There was a bulletin board with all sorts of fun facts on it.  One of them said that people that keep a food journal are twice as likely to lose weight as those that do not.  This just reaffirms that I need to be keeping a food journal. 

 

Happy National Running Day and here's to us not falling into the knowing-doing gap! 



Where Does Motivation Come From?

Where does motivation come from?  Seriously...I want to know!  Because I am seriously lacking some right now.  I was going to get up early and do a workout DVD, but I hit snooze and slept for another hour.  I am still planning on running tonight.  This is week two of my new running program so I will be running two minutes and walking one minute.  I will do this a total of eight times.  I am looking forward to that.  I feel like my eating is what is currently off.  I want to eat all of the time!  Not only that, I want to eat junk all of the time.  I thought it would get better now that school is over, but it has not yet.  Argh!  What is the deal?  I even saw this awful picture of me on Facebook that was taken of me today.  That should motivate me to eat better, but it hasn't yet.  So frustrating!  Tell me really...where does your motivation come from?  Where can I find mine? 

June!

It is officially June 1st.  My summer vacation has begun.  Sure I have some trainings here and there, but I can feel the stress of the last several weeks melting away.  Now it is time to get serious.  We had a teacher talent show yesterday for our last day of school.  The first act that I was in was to show the kids what we would be doing over summer vacation.  I, of course, put on a sweatband and broke out my running shoes to show them that I would be running.  And I will.  This summer I am focusing on me - on my health, my wellness, my workouts, me.  I am taking this summer to be selfish, and I am not feeling bad about it at all.  If I am my healthiest, happiest self then I can be in the position to bless others.  I don't usually say such selfish things, but this is the summer of me! 

How am I going to start this summer of me?  I am going to get an inspiration board.  A board that I can post short term and long term goals, inspirational sayings, milestones, whatever I feel will keep me motivated.  I plan on hanging this in my bedroom so that I see it when I wake up and right before I fall asleep.  I may even go to the store after I get done with this blog to get my inspiration board.  A picture will be posted as soon as I get it done! 

I am going to continue to run, but I am really going to use this summer to focus (thank you, Shalom) on working out.  I have a Warrior Dash in my future, and in addition to running I will be doing some other cross training and workout DVDs.  Since I am not in school, I will be able to amp up the workouts. 

My goal is that when the kids return to school on August 1st that I wow the people (adults and children) that have not seen me over the summer with the transformation that has taken place.  Can I do it?  Absolutely. 

I generally post a picture each month of my progress, and I am planning a special June picture this month.  Watch for it to be posted later on in the month with the story behind the picture. 

I am weighing-in tomorrow.  I know that I will probably have gained weight again this week, but that will be stopping, too.  In addition to my commitment to working out, I am re-committing to Weight Watchers. I will be doing a much better job of tracking my points this summer then I have been doing this past month.  After all, I am worth it...don't you agree? 

Happy June!