Trails, long runs, and friends

I have said this since the start that I am not a fan of trail running...well this is why

- EVERYONE FALLS!! - yup first fall! I face planed pretty hard..ok I am sure it was funny to watch :) What a crazy half marathon that was! I finished in 2:05 not bad for my first trail half. Not only did I run 13.1 but I am a crazy nut that agreed to run with my friends who are training for the full marathon. I ended up running 20 miles! I felt great...now I will be honest here and say that at mile 18ish I was wanting to kill my friends and myself for being so easily convinced into their foolishness :-) It was a great day and I know that when I decide to run a full again I will do so much better than my first. It is a great feeling to know that I have the ability to run 20 miles...I never in my wildest dreams thought I would like running...let alone hey I feel like running 20 miles with my nutty friends! 

I just turned 28 on Saturday..yes I know I am not very old :-) I can say with 100% certainty that I am healthier than I have ever been! I am not only healthier but I am happier. I am starting to love myself and open myself up and allow amazing people into my life.  

This is me in 2006- over weight, not happy, and letting food control me! 

Today, I feel great, am starting to like the reflection I see, and have amazing friends. 

I am always a person that makes the best of any situation and I have amazing memories of when I was bigger, but I am slowly discovery how much happier I truly am! This journey has been one many tears, frustrations, ups, downs, and life changes. I am not done with this journey I have more work to do but today I want to dedicate this some great people who have been with me from the start and joined me along the way for this journey! 

 Talk about loving me for me no matter my weight!!! 

2 amazing women who have joined me for this journey :-) 

My Nazi running friend and go to free dietitian!

Rock Star Friends that push me to my limits! 

 The one and only Mike :-) Enough Said! :We have a competition to win, suck it up buttercup, we're not training for a 5k! That's just a few famous quotes :-)  

My amazing morning running partner who had guts enough to let me join her bright and early one morning...and now I hate missing those runs!!! Thanks for saying sure that day and running countless miles in the worst weather day after day! You have pushed me to burn hundreds and thousands of calories! You even helped me train for my marathon....we are running one together next year! :-) 

This picture stands for KRRC- every mile we have logged, every friendship I have made, every blister I have popped, and the group that has helped my find my love for running! Thanks for accepting me for my weight, my craziness, my drama, and my love of this sport! 

Final Weigh in and New PR

Here they are...the results!!

Starting weight 178.6- today 147.6. Original fat mass pounds 65.9- today 35.6. Body fat originally 36.9% today 24.1%. Do you know what this means???? I am no longer in the obese category or unhealthy range on that stupid chart!!! That is what this is about...this is not about being "skinny" this is about being healthy! I can say that I am healthy and the numbers prove it!!! I was the "Fittest Loser" at my gym for the second time! WOOT WOOT!! TIME FOR SOME NEW CLOTHES!!  This is by far the greatest birthday present I could have ever given myself. I am about to be 28 and I have a long life ahead of me...what a better present then to start year 28 the healthiest I have ever been. I am healthier and happier than ever. I have the greatest friends and support system a girl could ever want or need! This has been a week to remember...I ran a 5k last Saturday and smashed my old PR. Not only am I in a new decade with my weight the 140's but I am in a new place with running. I am in the 23 minute zone :-) Yes, you read that right I ran my last 5k in 23:19!!

What is next you may ask....well I am asking myself that as well. I would like to figure out what number I should be at and maintain within about 5 lbs, this means I have, I think 7-10lbs left to lose then I can begin to figure out how to maintain that. I know that I have made healthy new habits but now I need to learn to maintain them. Food has been a crutch of mine for years and the fear of coming back to that moment is very real...I know I can do this- it will take more time, patients, and healthy life choices! That's the answer key to this journey...I am not making moment long choices, I am making life long decisions to be the healthiest and fittest me I can create. I am going to stumble (I have), I am going to freak out (I do), I am going to cry (I have), but what I won't do is allow myself to give up, lose, or quit! I will NOT go back to that person that hid under 88 pounds of fat and hid behind others!! I will be me....I will be strong...I will give 110%...I will push myself.....I will surround myself by people who love me for me and want all of these things for me!

This girl is gone...

 

 

 

 

This woman is here to stay!!!