the countdown begins (UPDATE)

less than a week till i give myself over to the 26.2.

I have decided to use this weeks posts to reflect on the past few years and celebrate how far i have come and use it to push me to finish on Saturday. I must admit all of this is all a bit surreal. I think back over the paste few months, I see the list of long runs on the side bar listed, and for the most part it feels like an outer body experience. I know I have done the training and I know I am about to give 26.2 a try... but my brain seems to be having a hard time getting its self around the fact that I really am doing this. Me. wow. Just doesnt seem real.

To the right is a photo from Christmas 2006.


Here is a post from Jan 20th 2006:

"So.. here I am trying to cool down from my run. I did 2 miles this morning in 26:24 ,.. almost the same time I did on Monday.. I REALLY wanted to quit with half a mile to go but I didnt.. I kept telling myself.. my body was fine.. it was my brain that wanted me to quit.. I am amazed how much metal power it takes to run/walk long distances. I guess I need to start doing some visualization to help me stay more focused.

I can tell you that I have not lost weight but I am changing my shape and feel a lot stronger than I did two weeks ago. I am getting close to being able to get a full workout in and hope to give that a try next week.

I have decided to run/walk a 5k the first part of Feb. with Cat. It is out in the hills so I worry about my feet handling a hilly run but it will be a great first 5k to do with Cat.

Yesterday I had two moments that were a challenge nutrition wise. I scooped out 12 scoops of ice cream (two for each of the kids) and I REALLY wanted some.. but .... I ate raisins instead. Then last night.. my sweet husband made an amazing choc ice cream float.. yum.. but.. yet again.. I grabbed a handful of raisins.. I literally said ... do I want the ice cream more than I want to be in shape? (I pick in shape)..
so hurray for willpower and trying to change my habits. Of course Saturday is free day.. .. I am really looking forward to that.

I had a bad day on Wednesday. Felt awful.. I just cant eat a donut and drink a dr pepper anymore like I did when I was in my 20s! ( I was running late getting Jo to the doc and I didnt make time to grab my healthy breakfast).. I felt bad alllllll day.. I know it had to do with my blood sugar.. Yesterday I ate like I should and I felt GREAT!. .. Donuts/DrPepper spell Disaster for my body. I learned my lesson.

We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons. ~Alfred E. Newman

After dinner sit a while, and after supper walk a mile. ~English Saying

Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going. ~Jim Ryun"

_____________________________

First of all, 2 miles in HOW LONG? .. oh my goodness! I had no idea! ... it took me 13 min 12 secs per mile, and I was excited about it! OH.. and I needed to quit but didnt.. my goodness... what had i become?

I read the part about our eats.. and I realize how different life really is for us as a family. Milk shakes? we never have milk shakes anymore! and for that matter.. I dont eat raisins anymore either! LOL ..
One thing that is so interesting about this post.. is that this is a post from when I failed to finish my 12 weeks. I fell completely off, totally stopped exercising and threw in the towel. I gave up and I let myself do it. I let myself quit.

When I run on Saturday I will remember the old me and the wanting to quit at only attempting 2 miles. I will remember the mental energy i had to use to get me through 2 thirteen minute miles and I will celebrate all that I have accomplished over the last 3 years. I will run through my pain and enjoy the freedom my new body gives me, the ability to run 20 plus miles!

wow.

Now.. if you will excuse me.. I must go get ready to run my 6 mile long run for the weekend :) more after i am finished. (Its gonna feel GREAT!)

Here's a photo from just a minute ago :)

UPDATE:

what a lesson i learned tonight... One thing that is so interesting to me about running is that you never know just how things are going to turn out. I felt great when I left to go for my 6 mile run. I was geared up and looking forward to a nice relaxing run. Mile 1 and 2 went great and as I finished my first 2 miles in 17:38 (8.69 per mile) I had a huge smile on my face! And as I ran, a new ultimate goal entered my head.. ... Could I, one day, run 2 miles in 13:12? .. which would be running 2 miles in the same amount of time it took me to do one mile in 2006. This goal is on my list now! :)

Now.. mile 3 was ok.. I stopped and stretched and when I started to run again I started feeling aches and pains in my stomach :( ... I ran and walked through the pain(s) and at the end of mile 4 decided i should head home. (we also had storms develop in the area so i thought i was just a good idea )... so i came home and got on the treadmill..... but ... ugh.. the pains came back.... so .. i took the needed break.. My stomach hurt so bad i wondered if I had gotten some kind of virus.. but after I got back on the treadmill I just had one mile left and i was determined to get those 6 miles done tonight! .... so .. although i felt bad... I walked the last mile.

I am fine now.. and I am sure my problem was that I ran too close to eating such a large lunch :( but i thought surely 3 hours would have been enough time.. but i guess not.
..So.. Tonight was a lesson in "what do you do when your stomach starts hurting while you are on a long run" .......and I am hoping it is something I wont have to work through during my 26.2 on saturday.