Wellness Wednesday is just me running for no specific time or distance. It is running to simply run and enjoy myself.
I ran more than a 10k today! 6.41 miles.
That distance is longer than any other distance that I have ever ran at one time. I’ve included a map of the route and a picture of me after the run.
I felt pretty good for most of the run. There were a couple times where I could feel my stomach tightening up, but other than that – it was good! Oh yeah, I forgot to tape my nipples (you women don’t have to do that b/c of the extra support you wear, but some guys have too), and I paid for it about ¾ of the way through the run. Ouch! Painful. (TMI?)
Despite that annoying pain…
I now know that I can run the entire 10k.
Oh yeah – did I mention that I ran my longest run to date today in the rain?!
It poured, it sprinkled, it spit, and poured a little more – and I smiled. I smiled because never would I have even imagined that I would be running that far at one time and do it willingly in the rain.
I am so happy that I made this change in my life.
It’s changed everything.
I am living now.
How has the decision to become fit & healthy changed your life?
Closing down a school year is a lot of work! It takes a quite of bit of time and a lot of energy. I have a few things that I want to post about today. I’ll break it day by day. Saturday:I ran in my 2nd 5k!
I ran in the Hot Dog 5k Run. This course had about four or five different hills – which is something that I am not use too. I rocked those hills! I finished my second 5k race in 26’53”. That is 29 seconds slower than the first 5k run, but this one was hilly and weather conditions weren’t as great! I’m super stoked about that time with the different elements taking effect. Very happy! Here’s a picture of my run, me in my race shirt, and race number!
I finished 12th overall! It was smaller than I thought it'd be and there were many fit people! I am happy with my race completion!
Sunday: I ran an easy follow up 2.4 miles and played basketball for the first time since breaking my ankle! My shot was waayyy off! It’ll get better though; yes it will. Monday: I did nothing. It was glorious. I’ve really noticed that I tend to not take breaks and sometimes I just have to force myself into breaks. It’s necessary that we realize that rest needs to happen. We only grow when rest is allowed to do it’s part.
Today: I took a group of middle schoolers to Worlds of Fun amusement park. I love amusement parks, but I have a few different tips for you to hopefully follow.
Tip # 1 - Don’t ride the super spinny ride first! Tip # 2 - Don’t skip lunch to ride the coaster called Boomerang! It was fun, but lunch is too. Tip # 3 - Wear sunscreen.
Another thing that happened today was that we got Carol a cat. Carol volunteers at the local animal shelter and we found a cat that she liked a lot, I do too, named Kizzy. If you want to see our new cat, you can check her out at Carol’s blog here.
P90x starts back up tonight now that the next race is a little ways off. Week 3, day 1 tonight. Yeah!
Monday also served as the Next to Last Weigh In for the weight loss challenge I am hosting. So far, in five weeks I have lost 12 lbs. I believe that to be pretty solid numbers. This past week was not exactly stellar on the weight loss, but I wasn't expecting that to be. I tapered for my races and took it a little lighter than normal. It was an intentional let-up. This week, I am hoping to kill it as I start the p90x again and get some longer runs in. I'm excited about it!
Here's a picture of the weigh-in. I lost .4 lbs. I love that loss. I lost while preparing for another race just one week after the other.
On Saturday, as I normally do, I got my weekly Starbucks coffee. Carol resisted. That is one thing that she really has trouble resisting. She was successful. It makes me wonder what everyone else has trouble resisting?
I really like Subway cookies. I have trouble resisting them!
What is the one thing that you have trouble resisting?
I decided that today was a great day to go for the longest run to date. After Saturday's 5k race - I knew that I could go further than I ever have. The decision was made. I would run. One minute into the run I think I swallowed a bug. Other than the bug - my run was smooth. I tried to change my stride a little bit in order to make what could be a long, painful run into a long, pain-free run. I shortened my stride and lowered my impact point (make sense?). It allowed for less of a harsh landing. Whether it did anything or not - I completed the run and didn't stop running. It felt so good. My breathing has been very smooth while running as well. I tried to guess at the distance that I was going because I didn't map out my route (as I have suggested before to do). Here's a map of today's route for you to see. I completed the run in 1 hour 48 seconds.
I Need Your Help.
Fit with a purpose is a place where you know what you are going to get. It's been set up so that you can come and know what to expect and hopefully leave with something positive.
Today, I need your help. I want to know what you want on this site? Is this site missing anything?
Let me know what you think. I would definitely like and consider your suggestions. Thanks!
Today has been a mentally challenging day. It's been raining all day and Carol and I made a hard decision yesterday in regards to our moving (which takes place in just a little less than a month). I currently teach and work part time at a church. We have been offered a full time position with the church and I accepted. We have been searching for a house and thought that we found one twice - but each time something has prevented it. The first house fell through because of the inspection - the second because of pride. We are moving to plug into the community and we found a house that was really cool and we liked it, but it was far out of town and not the best fit for us now. I know I may be crazy to pass on that house, but getting that house was defeating the purpose of reaching the community. My ego would have definitely been puffed up with this house - but that house would consume our purpose. I am crazy. :)
The decision to pass on the house mixed with the gloomy, rainy day has produced a gloom attitude. It's been a long day. Something else will come up though!
Moving on to some better news.
I will find out tomorrow where I placed overall from the 5k race where I set my PR and placed 1st in my division. I am pretty excited to see how I did with everyone's time. It's all still new to me. I have some more pictures that will be uploaded that were taken of me with a couple of students of mine that also ran the 5k. They both beat me! An 8th grader ran the 5k in 21'30" (exact second?) and a 7th grader in 24'53". Both of them placed first in their division as well!
Hopefully, I will have that information for you tomorrow!
Now for the weigh-in this week. It was a success. I have consistently lost the weight with a healthy downward trend. The best part about this week, besides the 5k race, was that my father in law saw a picture of me and he didn't recognize me. He asked Carol who the two guys in the picture were (one was a guy from church and then me) and she said, "That's Seth dad!"
He said, "Thaaat's Seth?!"
We don't get to see them that often as we live in different states. I liked that compliment. Made me smile!
Back to the weigh in. I weighed in at 195.6 lbs. That's a loss of 2.4 lbs. I'll take it. I wasn't sure how this week would turn out because I tapered my running and workouts for the race. Apparently, the change in my workouts confused my body and it has responded with weight loss.
Enjoy the picture!
What is your favorite part of your body?
Tell me. Take a picture of it and post it on your blog.
The race came and went. I was nervous about it because I had never ran an official 5k race. I didn't know what the whole environment would be like.
I thought to myself, am I crazy for letting someone put me on a bus and drive me out 3 miles so that I could just run back in?
Yes - I am crazy.
This is probably the only time that I would not be upset that someone drove me out to a spot and told me to run home -- and I did it without complaint. Ha! We runners are crazy. Some more than others.
Of course, after completing my first 5k today - it makes me reflect on what this past year has brought.
How about some 'Before' Facts?
I had never participated in any type of organized race. I was 60 pounds heavier one year ago than now. I ate whatever I wanted. I gave advice to people on how to lose weight, but failed to follow that advice myself. I got tired after one pickup basketball game to 15. I couldn't run 5 minutes without stopping for good. I gave up often, but disguised it as generosity to let someone else play.
I sweated in the winter.
Some 'Now' Facts.
I have placed in my first 5k. I am intentional with my eating. I am 60 pounds lighter. I live my advice. I outplay the teenagers in a pickup basketball game. I can run 43 minutes without stopping. I don't give up - I push forward.
I still sweat in the winter. :) (I am actually doing something now)
AND NOW FOR THE RACE RESULTS.
I finished my 5k with a time of 26'24".
In my age division - that was good enough for FIRST PLACE!! I won a gold medal in my first 5k ever! I'm pretty stoked. I know that with more competition that the 26'24" would not get me a gold -- but I am stoked about the time!
I pushed, I pushed, I pushed!
I succeeded.
Enjoy the pictures!
Thanks Jess and Ashley for sending me the awesome signs...I'll post what I can tomorrow! To all the others that wished me luck - THANK YOU TOO!
It seems that most times we, who are or have been previously fit, knew or know the proper way of eating and the different avenues of exercise. We do, did, or use to love to talk about the way, but failed with the follow through. I do feel though that we get betterwith follow through when we stick with our plan and reach for our goals. What does this have to do with my wife being smart? Let me tell you.
Inspiring wife.
My wife has tried before with sticking with a weight loss/fitness plan, but like many of us have done – we exited that strategy when we didn’t see instant results. My wife is becoming successful and is sticking to it with me this time. It’s great to have that by the way. Someone asked her what she was doing with food. She gave a reply to that person and I wanted to post it up on here too.
“Thanks Megan! I have been eating about 6 small meals a day. breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner and maybe a snack if I'm hungry later. My snacks are either an apple or a banana. My regular meals are smaller portions than I used to have. I don't get seconds. And I allow myself one sugar snack a day so I don't feel deprived and binge. So mostly it’s portion control & keeping my metabolism up. Other than that I make sure I workout to either my Jillian DVD or I do yoga with Seth on his P90X. And If I don't feel like it was enough I walk a mile on the treadmill. I feel more comfortable with the 1 to 2 pound loss a week. I would get discouraged if it was up one week and down the next you know? Haha. This may have been more than you asked for but there it is! Nothing fancy :)”
I really liked this reply because it is simple, doable, and it works. My wife is inspiring and helping other people on their route to weight loss success too! I love it. I do.
Make-Over Pics.
I really enjoy “Make-Over” week on the Biggest Loser. After seeing tonight's episode, I felt inspired to give myself a makeover as well. I had fun with it. By the way, I couldn’t believe that Sam reached his goal weight on campus with a couple weeks still yet to go on the campus. Crazy. Enjoy the pics. Yes, that is the same shirt that I wore in a pic the other day. I like it, I feel good in it, it works for me.
I normally end with a question for you – but not today. I want you to do your own make-over.
go crazy!
You may ask why? The answer is because you deserve to see how far you have come! You are worth every bit of the hard work that you are putting into bettering yourself…and I want you to show everyone your hard work. Let’s see it.
Be sure to come back and let us know where to go to see your makeover pics!!!
My wife and I took the day off and went to our old college to visit some friends and to take care of some things. It was an expected trip -- but earlier than we had thought. It was nice to have the day off and go see some friends. We walked around campus and I saw a few people that I knew and each time received something different related to my appearance. . It was really cool - but can also get really weird. From my close friends saying "skinny man" - it was pretty expected that they would notice, but when it's from an old acquaintance that says...you look "noticeably different"; I wasn't sure quite what to say to that. I said thanks!
It's been a very long day with over 5 hours of driving, a meal with Carol's brother at a mexican restaurant, and another late night workout (to be done following post).
I thought I'd leave you with what 56 pounds off of me looks like from a head shot.
What is the Greatest Compliment that you have Received?!
I had a good smile this morning, but chose to suppress my manly roar of satisfaction in fear of waking the neighbors. I have officially entered into Onederland! I had been flirting with this level this past week and they finally let me in. I’m speaking as if someone literally opened the gates to this awesome amusement park and let me roam free. I did dip below 200 lbs earlier in the week, but didn’t want to say anything just in case - if on challenge weigh-in day, I was at or above that number. As of today, I have lost 55 pounds (!!) from my first decision to do something about my weight. You can see the day and picture that started it all here.
It really is something special for me. I’m enjoying today – at least until my p90x Yoga workout later. I do not know what will happen with that. We will see though. My wife and I also will be going to the park for a 1 mile walk and for me, an additional 1 mile run. I think this will set a good pace for me for the rest of the week.
I really thought that I would have a really cool post to write when I entered into Onederland – but I don’t. It’s simply awesome without having to add the witty fluff.
It put me put me in my place. It took me out of my naïve-ness. It showed me that I was not physically who I wanted to be. It proved me a liar when I said I was fit. It was honest. It showed me that I did not control myself. It called out to me to change myself.
I ripped it up. You can see the tear where I shredded it to pieces out of frustration and disgust.
I was probably winded after I tore it up.
It broke me. It called me a failure. I was embarrassed and ashamed to see it. It hit me.
This is my life.I control what I put into my body and the activity that I do.I will not fall victim to the temporary and shallow delight that comes with overeating.I will not seek out useless food to fulfill the desire to hide my discontent with my physical appearance.
I wasn’t ugly, just fat.
I know that now.
I was not defeated.
I will not be defeated.
I am strong.
I am aware.
I am focused.
I am a success.
Can you accept yourself?
In the comment section - tell us one thing that you are that you are proud to be.
Take that one thing and run with it. Build yourself!
