Fit with Ruthie

July 4th tradition you know. first it was just me then me and Josha then more and more.. Saturday I have 12 doing thier own freedom half's I am doing mine tomorrow .. will be out early early... praying it will not be storming.... hoping to do under 2 hours. excited and ready for it to be over at the same time, the can i and what ifs always make you wonder how it will end up. so i am off to get my music and clothes set :) check out my post from previous years 2009 2008 here and 2008 here and here .. (ha had lots to say on 2008) ok.. see you tomorrow after 13.1 :) pray its not storming.. if raining.. i am still going! OH and look what I got in the mail today!!!!! just a bit freaky to see my before and afters on a card to hand out to people! all those times I struggled.. HATING to put my before photos up....

Please take a moment and read Juliettas Story. Julietta is one of the women in my training group.... she will complete her half marathon this saturday... to say she has come a long way would be an understatement.

I always wondered how much work it would take to get where I wanted to be. The mentality of "life will be good when......" you know how it goes. All these years always said "I dont have issues with working out.. I have issues with eating correctly" ... I would say things to myself "its ok to have a piece of cake or candy because I worked out today" But now, now that I realize what junkie bad sugary food really and truly does to me.... I see this differently. People dont like to talk about the mental aspects of food and how it effects us, and Lord forbid if we even approach the spiritual side of what and how we eat... but I am beginning to really realize exactly what certain foods do to me. Yesterday.... all it took was 2 starburst fruit chews. I was cleaning the garage, i was getting hungry and knew i should have stopped to eat a piece of fruit and some nuts... but i was grimy and gross and didnt want to stop to eat... so i grabbed 2 fruit chews that were ...

I love my life. I Really do. But there was a time when that wasn't the case. Things have changed drastically over the past 4 years. Things I only secretly dreamed of coming true are actually HAPPENING!... Many things are different. Simple things and complex things. Want to see a bit of a list? here you go: 1. Use to go to be past midnight wake up after the kids and lay in bed until 10 NOW- in bed by nine up by the latest 530am. 2. Use to drink a bottle of Dr Pepper first thing in the morning to wake up-- NOW- i wake up with no soda! literally wake up with energy! 3. I use to buy 2 bags of sugar a week. Many times I would go to the cabinet to get some and it would be empty already! (now, talk about frustration! NEEDING that sugar high and having to GO TO THE STORE AND GET IT!!!.. not good) NOW-I the bags of sugar I buy last forever! A 4lb bag lasts about 2 weeks or more! 4. I use to hear candy and cookie calling my name in the cabinet NOW- I have thrown out cookies and candy becaus...

OK, so you know about my journey out of sugar addiction. You know how being off white sugar, cookies, cakes, sodas, etc etc has changed my life. So many reasons to not eat the stuff. I learned a long time ago that HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup) increased your appetite and causes you to eat MORE than you would if you didnt drink HFCS. This weekend my hubby and I went to the movies and saw Knight and Day (great movie by the way) .. well, one of the things i LOVE to do when i go to the movies is to eat popcorn and get a coke. Yes, a coke... eventhough I am avoiding sugar... the movies is one place I allow myself to indulge. What was very interesting, now that I am more aware of my body and how it regulates my appitite... was to experince the effects of HFCS in the coke on my body. We got a large pop corn and coke, of course we shared it. Once the movie started (30 mins of previews and commericials and eating popcorn).... I noticed i was STILL EATING POPCORN! I ate and ate and ate. I neve...

Got my 5 miles in yesterday. AND an arm workout. our Shrubs needed a hair cut :) so after I mowed the yard I did a bit of on them .... taking the leaves off up to where you could see the branches underneath. forearms and biceps are sore :) I LOVE the fact that I can do things like this. To have enough energy to do 5miles, mow and do 2 hours worth of shrub work. I would have NEVER attempted all that before I was in shape. I rested last night (slept 9 hours last night and no workout today, I am looking forward to at least 4 miles in the morning :) I have decided to run my half on Thursday, if i can co-ordinate it with track practice ...

Had a meetup with some of the half marathon group. Had 2 show up at the meet up. Which was great. I had a great time visiting and walking and running with them gals! I am loving the fact that many of the women who have stuck with it have been able to just go on their own. You know how when you first start out you need the encouragement and support. Esp our first 5 miler.. everyone was so worried about how are it would be. LOVE that today to them 5 miles is no big deal! Pretty awesome! I did 5 miles, it felt good too cause I was a tad sore in my thighs ... now I am loosey goosey and ready to go mow the yard and clean out some of my kitchen cabinets! LOL In more exciting news.. look who i got to hug in person yesterday??? she is my friend who lives in China and runs on the treadmill at the gym! Most days the air is too bad for her to run outside :) We also ran a virtual 5k together a few years ago ( here is HER post about it :) it was sooooooo good to see her! Here are my reasons it...

Ever wonder why it has to be so hard? Why can't we just pop a pill or go to the dr and get a fix when it comes to our health? Do you ever wonder why weight loss is so difficult? If you live in the US, you are aware we have a problem here. A recent post on my fb page about a trip to walmart and how sad it was because EVERYONE was so unhealthy got me to thinking. Of course, I think there are many many factors... which i will share later... But first I would LOVE to hear what you think. Why is it so difficult?

WHO KNEW SOMETHING THAT FEELS SO GOOD COULD LOOK SO BAD. thanks sweet sister of mine for this lovely photo of me at mile 9. This is what went on in my brain this morning: "wow, its early" "wow, its dark" "wonder if i will see a fox" "wonder if anyone else will be out this morning" "wonder if the boogie man is out there this morning".. "well, if he is and if he attacks me.... i can take em." LOL "shoot my sock is slipping, oh well will fix if after my first 2 miles" "wow, so weird my shorts don't rub" "man its hot and sticky outside this morning, cant imagine running at any other time" "wonder if i can make it faster this time" "hey.. there my sister! yipeeeee!... sorry but you left your light on in your car :(" "wish i could visit with her more.... can't .. gotta get done.. " "hu... 6 miles down.. i feel great, only walked once for about 20 yards so far...

It was JUNE 18th 2008. I was celebrating! Two years later I am celebrating AGAIN! I was happy with how far I had come in those two years. I had made so much progress and I thought I had figured it all out! I THOUGHT. Little did I know HOW PROFOUND the first two words of my post would be. What it would become 4 years later! A THEME a MANTRA.... a key to becoming who I am today. Four years! 1460 days. 1370 posts 4 birthdays of my own 28 birthdays of family members 4 thanksgivings 4 christmas's who knows how many potlucks 1460 days when I could have quit but didnt. A percentage of those days sick, laid up or flat our frustrated. Only the last 180 days I have lived with limited sugars. Only the last 180 days have I felt so amazingly fit and healthy. The journey has been so frustrating at times, but the journey has been worth it. All that I have learned. More than anything is to remember this is a PROCESS. Its a marathon, not a sprint. Its a three part journey- Mental, Spiritual and Ph...

yesterday morning I got up and ran a fast 2.5 miler. Didnt have enough time for more. I would really like to run farther but that would mean leaving at 450am... and i didnt get in bed early enough for that. I must sqeeze in a 10miler this week... but where? I guess in the wee hours of the morning.. but might have to settle for part on the road part on the mill. Yesterday I updated my photo progress page.. please see the tab above for my photos including one i took yesterday. today I plan on running with the kids a bit at track practice and then coming home and lifting weights and doing pushups and abwork. OH... and I decided to get some business cards made for my coaching. I have wanted some cards for a while to just hand out when I see ladies out walking the trail. I will write a scripture or note of encouragement on the back and invite them to the current half marathon training. I know when they see me now they think i am just some size small fitness freak. When I was bigger and ou...

Had a great 8 miler yesterday. I had 2 favorite parts of the run. First was visiting with my marathon gals... the second was the fast paced 2 miler I ran where I ended up drenched in sweat an feeling GREAT. I JUST woke up for a 2.5 hour nap! Rest is soooo good :) I have been trying to get in bed by 830pm but didnt make it until later during last week. The cool thing is... even though i get to be late I still wake up at 430 without my alarm :) Thursday night I went to an info night at Julietta's house. She is the gal who is training for the Freedom half and raising awareness for Human Trafficking. Rescue Her is the organization she is working with. I learned a lot about what is really going on around the world and in the US. Modern day slavery is real. Please take a moment to check out Juliettas blog . Her goal is to raise awareness and enough money to rescue at least 2 women. You can purchase t-shirts, (like this one) or coffee or jewelry or donate.. .... it costs only 128.00 to ...

got 8 miles in this morning I walked and talked I ran and listened to my music and walked and talked some more ... it was GREAT! We are all getting excited about the July 3rd Freedom Half and the ladies are all doing so great! busy day so gotta run! more later!

I am no one special. I am normal. I am broken and frustrated. I am not worth as much as the next person. THOSE people don't really know me. They know who I am showing them. THOSE people think I am fine. I. AM. NOT. FINE. I sit, wondering why life is so hard. Feeling sad and alone with a 100 people around me. I have a list in my head of all the things wrong with me. Trying means work, HARD work. Quitting is so much easier. Quitting is what I want to do. I search for answers. I wonder why its so hard. I question what made me this way and I pray change is possible. Glimmers of hope pass through my life. Moments of inspiration, the IF factor creeps in. IF I started ONE more time.... would it be the last? I laugh and I cry. I make it through my day with a series of highs and lows, but I make it through the day. Doubt is my best friend. Negativity is my side kick. Perfection, ah.. perfection is my master. Perfection is my nagivator, guiding and leaving me high and dry. I smile, I laugh...

If I cannot start my morning with a nice long run.. then this is the next best thing. track practice.......sunrises are just wonderful at the track :) still busy... but good. tomorrow is last day of track camp then back to normal summer schedule. :) need to get 8 miler in this weekend.

up and out before 5 this morning. loved it. just did fast paced 2.5 miler... saw the fox run across the street again .... she runs so pretty! but she almost got hit by a car! YIKES. I know what she was thinking "hey.. what are people doing at at this time of day?" ... stuff to get ready for our day of track camp.... so gotta go... more time this afternoon... hopefully! in the mean time... check out this song and her album from itunes..... I am buying it AS WE SPeaK :)

I have drooooooled over Brooks Glycerin for a long long time. I have been saving my $ for a while and decided today was the day so now I have two pair of shoes with low miles I can alternate.... Loving them so far... will test em out tonight with the Camp kids :) nothing better than a new pair of running shoes..... like birthday or Christmas.... Like Ice Cream use to be for me .... woowhooo!

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." Our Deepest Fear by Marianne Williamson from A Return To Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles tell me what this says to you.....

This week is our youth programs Summer Track Camp. 6am til 11:30am is a busy time for us. I am hoping to get up and get out before 5 this week and get my miles in. I didnt today because I had no idea what level of running I would be doing for camp. With one day under my belt and a good idea of how things will flow.... I am positive about getting out there tomorrow and getting atleast 4 miles in :) I didnt officially "run" this morning... but I did run around like crazy with camp stuff. I thought this morning (as I jogged from the class room we were using to the church office) ... "Funny how running for me now is like transportation. Just another way to get somewhere quickly." That got me thinking... you know how we say "I am running to the grocery store" ... well I think I need to put actually running to the store on my list. I could run there do my shopping and then get hubby to come pick the groceries up.... kids can put them away while I run home.... ....

YEP.. 6 miles soo happy not a lot of time to post.. so this is fast highlights. left before 5am had 2 miles before 5am felt fantastic Su (my jack russell) was not allowed.. (she annoyed me yesterday and wanted to walk instead of run... like trying to run with a 2 year old! urhg)Love love loved my alone time! back and finished before 6am (see) I had 5 of my girls who i am training for the half on July 3rd complete either 10 or 11 or 11.5 miles this morning too! so excited for them! track meet tomorrow with the youth program..... going to be HOT and fun... more on Sunday when I get done...... OH and I saw one of these on my run: Yes I live in a city .... he was heading back to the creek I suppose :) fun and exciting to see some wildlife .... another reason to get up early! (glad it wasnt a skunk!) ha happy running!

Six months ago I gave quitting sugar one more try. Little did I know it was the last step in a long long journey that places me now in the most amazing place in the world. A life free from cravings, up and downs mentally and physically. I sit here feeling better than I have ever in my life. My childhood was full of playing softball, climbing trees and eating sugar. Many afternoons after school, and many many times during the summer I would ride my bike with friends to the nearest 7-11. Returning home with a medium or large slurpee, 1 candy bar(sometimes 2), a row of sweet tarts or sprees, and gum. After school a snack for me was a few glasses of coke and a whole row (package) of white crackers. Or coke and cherrios. (even if we were going to 7-11) I was active enough that I wasnt real chubby or overweight. I burned much of what I ate. I struggled in school and had a hard time staying awake in class. I couldnt find my focus. I hated school, I felt trapped and unmotivated. I hated it. Su...

today is our 20th wedding anniversary! cant believe its already been 20 years. I tell my husband he has been married to many different women. 1. the one he married on our wedding day 2. the pregnant crazy one 3. the overweight unhappy after babies gal 4. stressed out working over full time, sleep deprived one 5. the skinny but unhealthy one (stressed out and worried i would gain it all back one) 6. the unhealthy (again) overweight (again) depressed, and in physical pain every day gal. I like girl #7. Lucky #7 :) .... the current wife. Strong, confident, happy, healthy and content. Seven's a good number. If your wondering about the dress and shoes I bought.... we decided to wait until later to go somewhere fancy. today we just went to the mall and out to eat. (more on the out to eat part later) This s what i wore :)... new shirt petite small. (i am still shrinking) and my jeans i still have to keep up with a belt or the are "pants on the ground" LOL We ate chinese food at ...

Yeah.. its official. woke up AGAIN 430am no alarm :) Su and I out the door 510 2.5 miler back to get the kids for track practice another .5 mile at practice....and then 4 100 meter dashes with the kids calling it a total of 4 miles for today eventhough it was a bit spread out :) Now for PUSHUPS and some weights (will post when I am done) My Freedom Half Run will be on July 4th. .....My plan is to do June 9th- (my ann. tomorrow) 6 miles June 13th - 8 miles June 22nd - 10 miles June 27th- 5 miles July 4th - 13.1 Plan- write it down- tell others- ... allow no excuses--its the way it works for me :) . July 4th half is a tradition for me (see ... see? ) ... this year is NO different... no matter how busy I am.......

Seriously. ME! OH NO I DIDNT! ..... OH YES I DID! I was up at 440am this morning. Out the door at 510 and finished with a 2.5 miler and back home well before 6am to get the kids ready for track. Its not as pretty as it sounds. I woke up at 415 without an alarm... when my alarm did go off at 430 I was like .. .... wellllllll maybe I should just lay in bed and just go to 6am practice. But NO The sky was beautiful! Moon and stars were out... the birds were singing... Su (my jack russell) was happpppppy to go RUUUUN... and I was pleasently surprised to see 12 other people out! :) safety in numbers you know :) In west texas when it gets to be over 100 in the afternoons.... the smart thing to do is to get your runs in before the sun has time to warm things up. Still.. it was 75 degrees and NO wind!... perfect expect for the humidity! 81% I was drenched not only by the humidity but also by the sprinklers i had to run through!!!! Now I know I need to leave the house a bit before 5 to get som...

One of my fantastic half marathon gals (in the group i am training for the half on July 3) Decided to do her Half for Rescue Her. (Fighting to stop Human Trafficking and raise awareness about the subject) Please check her blog out and encourage her. This is her first half marathon and is a true inspiration as she had hip surgery this past fall!!! (this time last year she could not walk a step without pain...!) ... She is amazing. HERE is her blog :)

YES! Sometimes I feel like a material girl :) .... but frugal :)...... I am loving my new heals. I have ALWAYS loved heals. Esp when I fell in LOVE with my husband who is 6ft6 without shoes on! I am only 5ft4in ... so in my book 5 or 6 inch heals are a much needed accessory :) These shoes above I got DEAL on! over 100 bucks.... for 35! These shoes would have KILLED my feet before my fitness. My feet were one of the reasons I was determined to lose weight. My feet hurt all day and all night. NOT ANY MORE! What a GREAT reward for starting over! Another reward is being able to share fitness and fashion with my sweet daughter! We had so much fun shopping last weekend! If you will remember over a year ago I bought my first dress in 6 years CLICK :) . I wasnt a dress gal because I just didnt feel pretty in them... all those fat rolls fit better in skirts and loose fitting shirts... or pants. .... Yesterday I bought dress #3 for me in many many years. (Dress #2 in my anniversery dress which ...

its 141am I am up drinking stomach ease tea (a great product by the way) the reason? I ate beef about 12 hours ago the last time I had beef it bothered me. I felt sick to my stomach, I have been strictly turkey and chicken for prob over a year now....just eating beef ever so slightly.... but not without paying a price. this past weekened we bought some beef to cook for hamburgers as we didnt think our friends would want turkey burgers. We both too much beef and had to bring some home. So... yesterday I cook myself and my hubby a hamburger. I wish i would have taken the kids lead on saying no to beef as they all three refused it for non-beefy options. My patty was small and I didnt eat it all. About 10 min after eating i developed indigestion I have had it since...... thinking it would just get better on its own........nope. so... now its 146am I am up drinking my stomach ease tea and wishing i had never eating beef. To say my system has changed is an understatement. soooooo many thing...

We had a great time in East Texas and Houston. I ran two days we were in Houston in the subdivision our relatives live in. The kids went too! they had a pond to run around and it was nice.... but ooooooweeeeeee it was HUMID! I use to live on the coast of Texas and grew up in that kind of weather and my goodness its like running in pea soup! :) Our camping trip in East Texas was two nights. I just had to take photos to share because it was beautiful there! This is the path that goes around the lake. It said it was 5 miles.. but I did about 2.5. It was early in the morning and I WAS going to go around the whole way... but when I got to a different section there were spider webs I ran through.... I knew most of the trail would be that way and I didnt want to be the first one to de-web it... so i just decided 2.5 was enough. The rest of the fam had headed down to the lake to fish.. and I ran past :) Heres a view .. it was so pretty I ran up on a big rabbit.... you can barely see him in thi...