2011 Ride for the Red Recap (My 1st Biking Event)

by Josie on April 17, 2011 · 7 comments

in Emotions,Events,Milestones and Goals,Pictures

A few weeks ago I announced that I registered for my first bike race, the 2011 Ride for the Red which benefits the American Red Cross. I signed up for the 15.5 mile ride and had just three weeks to train for it. THREE weeks to go from riding ZERO miles to 15.5. Was I unrealistic to think that I could accomplish that? Well, I’ll actually never know the answer to that question because the Red Cross changed their route distances. Instead of 15.5, 31, and 62 mile routes, they changed it to 10, 17, 31, and 62. UGH! I now had to decide between 10 miles, which I was fairly confident I could do with no problem at all, or 17 miles which scared the ever living crap out of me! I was already nervous about being able to finish 15.5 and now I might have to ride 17?!

So I made a decision (that I’m trying hard not to regret) to go with what I knew I could do, the 10 mile ride. A part of me regrets that decision because I like to challenge myself beyond what I know I can do. BUT! That’s precisely how I injured my foot last year and I definitely don’t want to go through that again! When I first started running last year, I went into it with reckless abandon. I didn’t really do a lot of research like I should have because if I had I would have been taking calcium everyday. I would have been monitoring my increases in distance more closely. I wouldn’t have increased my running distance from 4.5 miles to 9.3 in just four weeks because I would have known just how much risk was involved. Don’t get me wrong, the Miracle Miles 15K was my favorite moment of 2010, but pragmatically speaking, I shouldn’t have ran it. If I had held off and just been a little more patient in increasing my distances….well, as they say, “if if’s and but’s were candy and nuts it’d be Christmas all year long”.

Truth is, I can’t go back and change what I did or didn’t do wrong in my running training, but I CAN make sure I don’t repeat the same mistakes in my cycling training. So yes, I went with the smaller route and feel like I made the absolute best decision for me.

The event was very well organized! What else do you expect from the American Red Cross though? They certainly know how to volunteer and this event was no exception. From the moment Lynne and I got there they catered to our every need from going over the route map to giving us bug spray. (The mosquitoes were out in full force that morning!)

Lynne and I got there not knowing really what to expect with it being our first biking event and all. We got there so early we had plenty of time to take a few silly pictures:

Me being silly

My best friend, Lynne

We quickly learned that this wasn’t really a “race” at all. There was no definitive start time. Hell, there wasn’t even a definitive start line. Just grab your map and go. And so we did.

In one word, the ride itself was AWESOME. But if you know me you know I can’t limit my description to one word. :-P The weather was perfect for it. That’s one of the advantages of running over biking: the cool breeze you feel as you ride. The course was all on the open road, but there was very, very little traffic, so I think I only had to stop once. Everyone else might tell you that the course was flat. However, I have a cheap mountain bike that doesn’t like inclines AT ALL. There were a few really small overpasses on the course that I’m sure the other road bikes had no problem conquering. My bike, not so much. My bike came to almost a complete stop the second I hit the incline. They were brutal and just confirmed for me that if I do continue riding I will NEED a road bike at some point. Definitely. My bike was not made for this.

One thing I always liked about the running community was just how welcoming and inclusive they are. I never really felt like I didn’t belong or that I was too fat to be there. I never really felt intimidated, even when surrounded by some of the most elite runners there are. At first, I couldn’t really say the same about the bikers at this event. As they all started showing up with their expensive bikes and gear, I started to feel like a fish out of water and very inferior to those around me. Maybe I was self conscious because of my weight? Maybe it was my cheap ass bike? Maybe a combination of both? Not sure. But once I was out there riding, all of that changed.

Regardless of how much I weighed or what I was riding, I was one of them.

As I crossed the paths of other bikers they would say things like “enjoy your ride” and “how’s your ride?” They were cordial and by the end I felt every bit as included as I did in the running community. One gentleman even rode alongside me for the better part of a mile and a half, even though he was clearly a faster rider than me. We met at a turn where there was a discrepancy in our map and the road markings. He asked me which way we were supposed to go and trusted my answer. As we took off together he struck up a conversation and genuinely seemed interested in my answers. After about a mile and a half he took off ahead of me, but I’ll never forget him and the kindness he showed me.

The ride was actually 10.87 miles and I finished in 1 hour, 9 minutes. I have now completed my first cycling event and am itching to do more. In fact, I came home yesterday and registered for another one already: Sharky’s on the Pier 9th Annual Ride the Beaches on May 1st.

Man it feels GOOD to update my Race pages after all these months!!!

(P.S I still miss running, but cycling is quickly becoming more than just a substitute for running. The more I bike, the more I genuinely love it.)

{ 7 comments }

Onward and Forward

by Josie on March 28, 2011 · 5 comments

in Emotions,Exercise,Food,Milestones and Goals

Ok, now that I’ve explained where I’ve been, it’s time to discuss where I’m going and how I intend to get there.

WEIGHT GOALS:
09/28/2009: 256 lbs (Starting Weight)
09/28/2010: 196.7 (59.3 Lbs lost)
03/24/2011: 224 lbs (Current Weight – Gained 27.3 lbs for a net loss of 32 Lbs)

My next goal weight is 206 which will be a net loss of 50 lbs. (I hit that mark once before back on April 12th of last year.) I’m excited to hit it again and just think – I only have 18 pounds to go!

I can do this.

EXERCISE GOALS
From the time I walked my very first 5K in 2009, I was instantly hooked. And then I started running and training with Caleb’s Crusade. I truly believed that I had found my passion in running and started making plans for half and full marathons. My foot had other plans, however, and here I am on my 6th month without running. I kept telling myself that I would start biking or swimming or [ fill in the blank] to make up for the lack of running, but I never did. So I made a decision a few days ago that THIS HAS GOT TO CHANGE ONCE AND FOR ALL.

So, I signed up for my first ever biking event!

It’s the 2011 Ride for the RED, a bike ride through Cape Haze to benefit the American Red Cross.

Registering for this event was PRECISELY what I needed! I feel motivated for the first time in months! The race is only 3 weeks away (April 16), and has three different routes to choose from. I’ll be doing the shortest one which is 15.5 miles long and the best part is I’ll be doing it with friends! I have no expectations regarding my time or pace; my only goals for this race are to finish and to have FUN!

So, here’s my plan leading up to the event:

03/30 – Thu. – Have helmet bought by this date
03/31 – Fri. – Bring bike out of garage and ensure proper tire inflation
04/02 – Sat. – Meet w/Caleb’s Crusade and ride while the runners run. (Try to ride at least 30 minutes)
04/03 – Sun. – Rest
04/04 – Mon. – Ride for at least 30 minutes.
04/05 – Tue. – Rest
04/06 – Wed. – Ride for at least 45 minutes.
04/07 – Thu. – Rest
04/08 – Fri. – Rest
04/09 – Sat. – Meet w/ Caleb’s Crusade and ride while the runners run. (Try to ride at least 45 minutes)
04/10 – Sun. – Rest
04/11 – Mon. – Ride for at least 1 hour.
04/12 – Tue. – Rest
04/13 – Wed. – Ride for at least 45 minutes.
04/14 – Rest
04/15 – Rest
04/16 – RACE DAY!

This plan is just what made sense to me. I’m not even sure what speed I ride at, so I have no idea if these times are really feasible or not. I’ll know more after my first ride on Saturday, so this plan may change depending on my actual ability/speed. Honestly? It feels good to just have a plan in black and white.

FOOD GOALS
Ahhh, food. I’m back to logging everything on My Fitness Pal. (If you’re on there, add me :-) )

#1 – Less tea, more water – I’m still soda-free (and rarely even crave it anymore), but I could definitely use less tea in my diet. As in, sweet tea. Very sweet tea. So that’s goal #1. Less tea, more water.

#2 – No more fast food – Pretty self explanatory. I’ve been eating way too much of this junk and it needs to stop.

#3 – Eat breakfast every day – It’s no secret how important breakfast is and I LOVE how much better I feel on days when I eat breakfast.

#4 – No snacks after dinner – Another bad habit I let creep back in…it’s got to stop.

So that’s my plan to get my exercise, food, and and as a result, my weight, back on track. Thank you all for your supportive comments on my last post and for welcoming me back with open arms. It feels so good to be back. As I wrote on my facebook, I forgot how cathartic blogging can be. I need to remember that and do it more often.

{ 5 comments }

I haven’t been struggling at all

by Josie on March 24, 2011 · 18 comments

in Emotions,Milestones and Goals

After reading that title you’re probably thinking “She’s delusional full of sh*t! or “Just who does she think she’s fooling?!”

But, it’s true. I’m not struggling and haven’t been for a while now.

From Merriam Webster:

strug·gle verb \ˈstrə-gəl\

Definition of STRUGGLE

intransitive verb
1: to make strenuous or violent efforts in the face of difficulties or opposition
2: to proceed with difficulty or with great effort

To struggle means one must be trying.

Proceeding.

Putting forth an effort.

Sadly, I’ve done none of that (as it relates to weightloss and/or fitness) for the past 3 months. I lost my mojo. My “give a damn” was busted, you could say. I did something completely out of character for me: I gave up.

How could I go from being so successful at this, losing pound after pound consistently for a year and achieving more goals than I ever thought possible to eating foods I’d sworn off in quantities that would make anyone cringe? Honestly, there are a myriad of reasons. I can’t pinpoint just one thing. My foot injury played a huge part in my decline. At first I just viewed it as a temporary setback. It would heal and I would get right back out there running again. Then November came and my foot still hurt. Then December came and my foot still hurt. Then January came and my foot still hurt. It was around then that I started to consider it a permanent injury and began accepting the fact that I would never run again. Which, as devastating as that was for me, I probably could have lived with that and not spiraled out of control had that been the only factor I was dealing with. Emotionally, I became very disconnected from my friends. It’s been [very] hard to watch all of them finish race after race when all I can do is either sit on the sidelines and cheer or post “Congratulations!” on Facebook. I’m so incredibly proud of each and every one of them, but it’s hard because I want to cross those finish lines with them! An analogy? Going to Disney World with all of your friends. They’re going on all the rides, meeting the characters and having a grand old time while you’re stuck on the bench the entire time. That’s what I’ve felt like for the past 6 months or so. Stuck. Then, of course what happens when you feel disconnected from your friends since you can’t do the *thing* that brought a lot of you together? You get depressed. And what happens when depression sets in? You start to eat more. And we all know what happens when you eat more and aren’t doing anything to burn those calories. Yep. I’ve gained weight. And what happens when you gain weight and feel like there’s nothing you can do about it? You eat more. And so I did. Vicious cycle, rinse and repeat.

So that’s where I’ve been the past few months. It’s so sad to me that I allowed myself to go back to old habits that I thought I had conquered…and a weight that I thought I’d never see again. What is that weight, you might ask? 224.

Eek. Take a look at my weight progress page and you’ll understand where that “eek” comes from!

So here I am. The same weight as I was in January of last year. Niiiiiiice. :roll:

BUT.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned since September 28, 2009 it’s that I’m strong and very much capable.

I’ve done this once, I can do it again.

And that’s exactly what I intend to do.

♥

{ 18 comments }

1 Year “Run-iversary”

by Josie on January 6, 2011 · 6 comments

in Emotions,Events,Milestones and Goals

What started as an ordinary night at the gym, turned into a night that would forever change me. It was a year ago today that I ran for the first time. I put all my fears and doubts aside, stepped outside of my comfort zone and just ran. To be honest, it was more of a slow jog, AND I could only do it for 30 seconds at a time, AND I was totally out of breath and felt like I was going to ABSOLUTELY DIE during every second of it, but I DID IT…and just like that, I became a runner.

Don’t misconstrue that to mean that it was easy. It was anything but. I struggled a lot and it took me nearly 4 months before I could run a mile straight through without walking. That was an amazing day. Shortly after that I connected with the group, Caleb’s Crusade, and began training with them to run my first half-marathon.

Disney Half Marathon

That race (The Disney World Half-Marathon) is now 2 days away, and after months of training and fund-raising, I unfortunately won’t be running it due to my foot injury. This saddens me more than I can even attempt to express in words. Just ask my friends and teammates who had the unfortunate opportunity to witness me break down at the very mention of the race (or running for that matter) a few weeks back. Yeah, I was pretty devastated and even had an embarrassing meltdown at our last fundraising event. I have a hard time controlling my emotions, and they were on overdrive that night. I’m not telling you this to elicit sympathy…I’m just trying to be real. I’m in a much better place now and have accepted embraced it. Yes, EMBRACE. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love nothing more than to cross that finish line with my friends and teammates and get that medal I worked so hard for. But, really, after everything I did accomplish with Caleb’s Crusade last year, I already feel like a winner. It’s an amazing group of people and I’m so honored to be a part of their team.

So I had a choice. I could either sit at home and sulk and be angry that I can’t run it, or I can go and cheer on my team. I chose the latter. And you’d better believe I’m still getting my bib and will be “at the starting line” ( ;-) ) with my friends.

We’re leaving in the morning and I’m unbelievably excited!

{ 6 comments }

A New Year = A New Start

by Josie on January 1, 2011 · 11 comments

in Emotions,Lists,Milestones and Goals,Weigh-In

January 1st.

A day of reflection. A day of hope. A day where millions of people worldwide resolve to make “this year” better than the last by making a list of goals they’ll probably forget about once all the confetti and champagne is gone.

That used to be ME.

I’d always resolve to “lose weight” but would forget all about it after the first few weeks. Last year was different though – I set some pretty great goals for myself to achieve and I surprised even myself by continuously working to achieve them.

I gave it my all, but unfortunately, my all just wasn’t enough.

LAST YEAR’S GOALS:

  • Walk/run/jog 500 miles – I logged 324.4 miles in 2010.
  • Finish the C25K program Purposely stopped it. (Read why here)
  • Start riding my bike: ACHIEVED
  • Not drink ANY soda – ACHIEVED
  • Participate in (12) 5k races for the year (hopefully running at least one): I ran in 9 races this year including a 10K and a 15K.
  • Start a garden – Never did
  • Sign up for karate (or another martial art if karate not available) - had to put this on hold due to finances
  • Stay within my budget every month (using YNAB) Mostly achieved this.
  • Organize family reunion: ACHIEVED
  • Read the entire Bible using this plan. Not even close.

As you can see, 2010 was a bitter sweet year for me and I find myself full of mixed emotions as I welcome 2011. On the one hand, I am SO ready for the new year ahead, but on the other hand I feel like I’m leaving 2010 with unfinished business on the table. There was SO much more I wanted to accomplish in 2010 and I only scratched the surface. You might recall that I suffered a stress fracture back in October. I’m still not completely healed and as a result haven’t ran since then. I was on target to reach both my mileage goal and my 5k goal before I got this injury. Like I said above “I gave it my all, but unfortunately, my all just wasn’t enough.”

I accomplished a lot in 2010, so I’m choosing to focus on that instead of focusing on my struggles or where I fell short.

My favorite moment of 2010 was the day I ran the Miracle Miles 15K. It was an amazing experience from start to finish. I went home with a PR, a medal, and an even greater love for the sport of running. It’s also the race where I injured my foot. Injury and all, I wouldn’t have traded this race for anything in the world. It was a glorious day, and one of my most proudest achievements. I love that day and everything about it.

Some other great moments of 2010 for me were:

When I exposed myself
Placed 3rd as a team in the 911 Fitness Challenge and placed 7th individually
The first time I tried to run
I joined a kickboxing class…and LOVED it.
I conquered a fear and started riding my bike
I did a workout pledge!
I ran a mile straight without having to stop to walk!
I ran my first 5k without having to stop to walk
I wore a bathing suit in public without a cover up
I fit into a size FOURTEEN jeans
I celebrated my one year blogiversary
I hit Onederland
I joined Caleb’s Crusade and started training for my first half-marathon!
Had a mini-epiphany about running and realized that I AM A RUNNER.
Finished 9 Races

While I may not have achieved all of my “New Years Resolutions” from last year, I really can’t help but feel proud of what I DID achieve.

So, now what? All I know is I need something to help me get back on track again. Not being able to run sent me into a serious bout of depression and due to that my eating spiraled out of control (understatement) I’ve been struggling….BAD. How bad? Well, as of today I weigh 219 pounds, which is 23.7 pounds higher than I was pre-injury. I feel so stupid for doing this to myself. How could I work SO hard to take it off….to get below 200…to wear a size FOURTEEN jeans….just to put 23.7 lbs back on??? Stupid. Stupid. Stupid! So, then those feelings of regret make me just want to eat more and before I know it I’m stuck in a vicious cycle of overeating…a cycle that stops TODAY.

I decided to once again join the 911 Fitness Challenge that I joined last year and it started today. It’s a weight loss challenge through the local Sheriff’s office. I’m on a team again with my friend Lynne and our aunt and I couldn’t be more excited! Hopefully this will motivate me to stay on track, much like it did last year.

So this is the part of the post where I should start listing my “resolutions” and goals for 2011. I had such a hard time figuring out what goals I wanted to achieve this year since I still can’t run and am not sure how long it’s going to be before I can. So I can’t set a “mileage” goal like I did last year. I can’t even set a goal for number of 5ks to participate in. (If you only knew how badly I miss racing…) A part of me is lost…unsure of what direction I’m going or where this year will lead…but as scary as that is…I AM READY. Ready to try new things. To step outside of my comfort zone and take risks…so without further adieu, here are my goals for 2011:

Learn to swim (I am REALLY looking forward to this)
Sign up to do the swimming portion of a triathlon
Sign up to do the biking portion of a triathlon
Post weekly weigh-ins again
Take the 100 Pushup challenge
Take the 200 situps challenge
Take the 200 squats challenge
Develop new recipes for Josweets*
Purchase The New Rules of Lifting for Women and complete it
Complete the Big Ass Photo Project*

* – More details to come later :-D

There are other things I WANT to add to this list…such as, run my first half marathon….and run my first full marathon…and a triathlon! But I can’t commit to those things right now with my foot. So, I’m going to venture out and try new things…such as biking, lifting, and swimming…and if I DO end up running again, then that will just be icing on the cake.

I suppose I’ve written enough for my first blog in almost 3 months! Happy New Year, and I look forward to catching up with all of you!

~~Josie

{ 11 comments }

Hot 100 Update

by Josie on October 22, 2010 · 12 comments

in Milestones and Goals

It’s time for my Hot 100 update. The Hot 100 began on September 23 which is exactly 100 days away from the end of the year. It’s a way to set goals and remain focused on them to end the year with a bang.

Here were my goals for this week:

1. Exercise at least 3 times per week. This can be strength training, crunches, push-ups, ball squats, etc., modified of course so that I don’t put pressure on my foot. Almost. I did it twice this week.

2. Log my food and exercise into My Fitness Pal everyday I did SO well on this last week, but have slacked off this week.

3. Blog at least twice per week THIS I did. :-D

5. Visit, read, and comment on at least 25 blogs per week Done! (If I haven’t gotten to yours, I will)

Last week I added another goal to look at this picture each day to remind myself of the kind of change that is possible when you stay focused and I did. I don’t think I’ll be doing this next week though because it didn’t really have the effect I wanted it to. I thought it would help motivate me, but really all it did was remind me of my old self.

Speaking of my old self, I have so many thoughts to share with you all about my “exposed” experience, but that will have to wait till tomorrow because I don’t have a lot of time. For now, please know how incredibly grateful I feel for every single one of you…and THANK YOU.

On this day last year: I’m Learnin’

317.7 miles walked/jogged/ran since January 1st. (2010 Goal: 500)
65.0 miles biked since January 1st. (2010 Goal: 300)
(6) 5Ks finished since January 1st.

{ 12 comments }

Josie: Exposed

by Josie on October 20, 2010 · 41 comments

in Emotions,Family,Learning to Accept,Pictures

I absolutely love the premise of the Exposed movement: Get in your skivvies, snap a photo, write a few words, and then hit “Publish”. I started putting my “Exposed” post together almost 2 weeks ago and am just now able to hit “Publish.” Yes, it took me that long to finish this post, but since today is “National Love Your Body” day, it seems only fitting to go ahead and make today the day I finally post it.

Maybe it was because I couldn’t get Tara’s post out of my mind for days after reading it, but she made me realize that I couldn’t just expose my physical body. I had some emotional weight that needed to be exposed (and shed) once and for all as well.
A picture would have only been part of my story…here is the rest:
___________________________________________________________

I was 13 when I wrote that in my diary.

I’m sure my stepdad was the culprit. He was notorious for making snide remarks and putting me down.

I remember when I told him that I wanted to be a pilot when I grew up. His response wasn’t “you can do anything you put your mind to.” It wasn’t “I believe in you.” Instead it was laughter, followed by “You won’t get very far when you stop at every McDonald’s you see, that is, IF you can even get the plane off the ground.”

If I could only count the number of times I’ve said/written THAT over the years. I was 13 when this was penned in my diary. Too bad I waited 22 years before finally following through and making it more than just a “p.s.” collecting dust in an old diary.

Of course, I did make a lot of attempts along the way:

My idea of a diet at the age of 14:

That was always the goal, wasn’t it? To be skinny in time for school to start. So, a day in my diet included 2 pepsis, 3 biscuits, tea, corned beef hash, rice goulash, and a piece of cake. THAT certainly wasn’t going to get me “skinny” in time for school to start.

Age 14 1/2:

Don’t you love how I underlined the word “hardly”? Sounds real strict, huh?

Age 15:

Oh there is so much I could say about this particular diary, but I’ll just say that looking back, I don’t blame my mom for not believing me. I’m pretty sure I DID eat those chicken crackers.

Age 15 1/2:

“Method of progressing more every day?” Ahh…I was onto something there. I obviously didn’t stick to it, but at least I was on the right track. Still needed work with my nutrition though. (eating “whatever” for dinner was probably not the best idea!)

Age 16:

Even *I* didn’t believe myself.

Age 16 1/2:

Is it any wonder that I grew into a woman with food and fitness issues? Really. It’s as if I spent my entire middle and high school years going through the same cycle of “I’m fat”, “I need to go on a diet”, “I’m on a diet”, I’m off my diet,” “I’m fat.” Rinse and repeat. Not healthy.

Another common theme throughout my diaries? Self-image.

I cringe when I read these and pray to GOD that my daughters do not have that kind of body image issues. In my head I was the fattest, ugliest girl in school. It’s what I saw when I looked in the mirror. However, when I look back at old photos I see just how distorted my self image was.

Big hair aside, ( :-P ) did I look like the fat, ugly monster I portrayed myself to be? Why in the world did I see myself in such a negative light?

It was difficult for me to go back and read some things that I wrote in my journals years ago, and even harder for me to share them with you. I needed to though because they tell such an important piece of my story. I didn’t just wake up one morning when I was 35 and realize I was fat. As you can tell, it’s something that I’ve struggled with for most of my life.
This process – of me reading through old diaries and sharing them with you – has been very cathartic for me.

My journals are the most intimate part of me that I could possibly share.

In reading through my old journals I learned a lot about myself, my friends, and my family that I had either forgotten or had just never realized before. I can now read them from the perspective of a 36 year old woman, instead from that of a pubescent teenager.

I’ve shared a lot with you over the last year of this journey, but now you know where I came from and just how deeply embedded these issues are for me. I needed to do this so that I can finally move on and say goodbye to that insecure 14 year old forever.

THINGS I’VE LEARNED THIS YEAR:

I am more than just a number on a scale.

I am more than just a before/after photo.

I am a determined woman who, after years of “dieting”,
is finally learning how to eat properly.

I am a strong woman who is becoming
the athlete I was always meant to be.

I am a passionate woman who finally sees the same
person in the mirror that everyone else sees.

Most of all, I am a BEAUTIFUL woman who can finally say
“I am comfortable in my own skin.”

Would you believe me if I said that posting that picture was actually the easiest part of this entire post? Because it was. By far.

Who would’ve thought?

{ 41 comments }

Sanibel F.I.S.H. 10K Recap

by Josie on October 17, 2010 · 13 comments

in Events,Pictures

You’re probably thinking how in the world I can recap a race given my stress fracture and all. Since I was already registered for the FISH 10K before my injury, I decided that I would go anyway and volunteer. This was my first experience volunteering at a race and let me say that I have a whole new respect for all the volunteers who come out and work these events!

The day started out with Caleb’s Crusade, as my Saturdays always do now :-D . Even though I couldn’t run, I didn’t want to miss the walking clinic they had set up for everyone. The walking coach, Jim, taught us a few warm up stretches to do and also taught us the proper walking form. He’s a supporter of the run/walk method aka the Galloway Method and was describing the benefits of incorporating walking into your long runs. This is definitely something I am going to consider. Since I started running, my goal in everything has been to “run without having to stop to walk” and I have gotten to where I feel like I “failed” if I walk any. I need to change that mindset. Walking intervals during long runs can help prevent injury (hello!) and improve race times. So, I definitely feel like I got something out of this “clinic” and look forward to incorporating more walking into my runs in the future. Here is a group shot of the Caleb’s Crusaders at the clinic yesterday morning:

Like my new boot? :-P I’m so grateful to have this group of people in my life. Dana’s the one who knew someone who had a boot they weren’t using and said I could use it. Turns out that person is the president of the local running club I’m a member of and the owner of the running store here. I feel very blessed because without their generosity I would not have a boot to wear to protect my foot!

So, onto the race recap! I left the clinic and headed down to the Sanibel 10K. I got there and picked up my race bib, shirt, and timing chip for souvenir purposes only. (I like momentos, remember?) and went to the volunteer’s table to find out where I needed to go. I was going to be stationed at the turnaround between miles 4 and 5. This turnaround was at the end of a long, deserted, dirt road in the middle of nowhere.

One of the coordinators drove me to the spot (thankfully) and dropped me off so I was all alone. I saw a meter in the ditch, so I set my camera up on that to take a picture of myself. haha! I really do not like this picture because it shows my belly rolls, but after being inspired by all of the Exposure this week, I decided to post it anyway.

(Speaking of Exposed, I decided to join the movement and have been working on my post for a week and a half now. I knew it’d be hard, but I never expected it to be THIS hard.
I will finish it. And I will post it. Just not quite yet.)

After about 10 minutes a couple showed up to help work the station with me and I was so glad I wasn’t going to be alone. They were great folks too, really friendly!

It was cool to watch the runners as they started coming by. I found myself just observing everything about them. Their form, their gear, their breathing – everything. From my own race experience, hearing the cheers and applause from the volunteers on the sidelines really helped me push through the finish line, so it was cool to be on the other side of that equation for once. I took lots of pictures as the runners passed by, but one struck out to me:

Apparently this couple had just ran the Boston Half-Marathon last weekend! Yay for lobster!

Anyway, it was a great experience. Everyone was so grateful to those of us offering to help. I guess I always knew that it took a lot of work to put races on, but never fully realized the extent of everything that happens behind the scenes. If you’ve never volunteered for a race before, I highly recommend it. I was afraid that I would go and get all jealous and sad seeing all the runners knowing I couldn’t run in it, but it had the opposite effect! I left inspired and empowered. So much that I came home and was finally able to update my “Future Races” page by taking the races off I can’t run due to my foot.

Well, they’re still on my schedule, but I’m going to volunteer at them instead. :-D

{ 13 comments }

Hot 100 Update

by Josie on October 15, 2010 · 17 comments

in Exercise,Milestones and Goals

It’s time for my Hot 100 update. The Hot 100 began on September 23 which is exactly 100 days away from the end of the year. It’s a way to set goals and remain focused on them to end the year with a bang.

Here were my goals for this week:

1. Run 15 miles per week. This will keep me on target to reach my goal of 500 miles for the year. Since I can’t run for 4-6 weeks, I had to change this goal. My new goal is to exercise at least 3 times per week. This can be strength training, crunches, push-ups, ball squats, etc., modified of course so that I don’t put pressure on my foot. I only did it one time this week though.

2. Log my food and exercise into My Fitness Pal everyday Logged every single day!

3. Bike once per week. Nope. And can’t for a couple of weeks, so I’m going to have to put this one on hold.

4. Blog at least twice per week THIS I did. :-D

5. Visit, read, and comment on at least 25 blogs per week Done! (If I haven’t gotten to yours, I will)

Since I can’t bike or run just yet, I am trying SO hard to stay focused and positive. I do NOT want to spiral back into the funk I was in over the summer after I hurt my hamstring and couldn’t run for a few weeks. So, I’m making a conscious effort to make healthy food choices and to stay focused overall. I’m going to add another goal this week and that is to look at this picture each day to remind myself of the kind of change that is possible when you stay focused:

Me back on Day 1...

(Who is that girl?)

On this day last year: Sick

317.7 miles walked/jogged/ran since January 1st. (2010 Goal: 500)
65.0 miles biked since January 1st. (2010 Goal: 300)
(6) 5Ks finished since January 1st.

{ 17 comments }

Good News; Bad News

by Josie on October 13, 2010 · 14 comments

in Events,Exercise,Milestones and Goals

Bad News: It’s official; I have a stress fracture in my foot.
Good News: It’s not a bad one and it’s already started to show signs of healing.

Bad News: I can’t run for 4-6 weeks,
Good News: I can still do upper body exercises and after 10-14 days I can bike.

Bad News: This means I can’t run the F.I.S.H. 10K this Saturday that I’m already registered for.
Good News: I’m going to be doing a “walking clinic” with my Caleb’s Crusade team instead & breakfast after. (fun!)

Bad News: This also means I can’t run in the Ragnar Relay next month (that I’m already registered for).
Good News: I’m hoping I can still go with the team and be support on the support crew riding along in the van (giving out water, cheering on, taking pictures etc). I may not be able to run it this year, but I will still experience it which should help me for next year.

Bad News: I may not be able to reach my mileage goal for the year (500 miles)….
Good News: I am still going to try!!!

Good News: I have vowed to NOT lose focus because of this injury like I did over the summer when I pulled a hamstring. So far, so good. My eating is on track, I’ve been logging everything into My Fitness Pal, and the scale is LOVING it (which makes me love the scale). ♥

Good News: I can now wear size 14 jeans. They’re really (REALLY) tight, but they fit. I don’t think I’ve been a size 14 since high school. (omg, omg, omg!)

Good News: I will continue my race training in a few weeks and will still run the hell out of the Disney Half Marathon in January.

GOOD NEWS: This is a minor setback. I will become a stronger, more well rounded athlete because of it!

Good News: The Chilean miners!!! ( by the way, did you hear about the one that ran everyday while trapped down there? WOW!)

Flashback: This is a post about walking

317.7 miles walked/jogged/ran since January 1st. (2010 Goal: 500)
65.0 miles biked since January 1st. (2010 Goal: 300)
(6) 5Ks finished since January 1st.

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{ 14 comments }

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