Sunday, August 28, 2011

30 miles this week

This week I pushed myself.  I ran 30 miles in total this week.  I decided to add the last 3 to make a total of 30 yesterday.  I figured it would be a quick 3 miles; that because it was such a shorter distance that what I have been running that it would be easy.  I thought I could go quicker and that maybe it would be effortless.  WRONG.  My body told me just how tired it was.  I should have just left the running watch at home instead of trying to push myself.  In the past I have done 5K in 30 minutes.  My body was just not having it.  It was tired and I was forced to slow down.  I ran 5 days out of 7 last week.  I know you are supposed to give your body 48 hours between runs, especially longer or tougher ones.  But for some reason the "I need to push myself" came out.  I am happy to be able to say I ran 30 miles last week.  For the first time.  But my body is tired and I am going to give it a few days off.  Two full days of rest. 

Yesterday I weighed myself and saw 176 on the scale.  So frustrating to still be up 16 lbs from my lowest weight in the journey.  Especially with all this running I have been doing. But because (to me) running is still fairly new and something challenging, I am able to let the scale number go and still feel like I am accomplishing things for myself.  I am still proud.

When I was at the 10K last weekend I saw women of all sizes there.  They were sporting all sorts of outfits.  And while some women were thin and wearing short shorts, I was happy to see that some also had excess fat or skin behind their thighs.  It made me be able to relate.  Here are these women running 10K or half marathons (we ran together) and they are not perfect looking.  Some were big, some were small but they were capable of pushing their bodies.  And despite their size they were healthy.  It was eye opening for me.  Its NOT all about the number on the scale. 

My pulse used to be well over 100, even at rest.  Its now in the 70's.  That speaks volumes to me.  My blood pressure at the drug store the other day was 123/85, even though my kids were screaming and I was stressing at the moment it was taken.  So yaay.  Yaay for me for continuing on this journey and not giving up like I used to when I see a number up on the scale.  Running has changed my life.  There is something amazing about not being able to run 30 seconds at a time to going to running 30 miles a week that makes me realize how far I have come.  Yes, there are struggles along the way.  But I will handle them. 

The half marathon I am training for is 7 weeks from today. So far, yet so close...  But what it comes down to is that I AM TRAINING FOR A HALF MARATHON...big boobs and large Fupa and all...   It still seems surreal to me.

10 comments:

Joy said...

Yes YEAH for you!! You are doing awesome!!!! I know the scale says a lot, but it does not say everything about what's going on. You are making big changes in your body and it showing you ~ Things are happening!!! Keep up the fantastic work and stay focused!!

Shelley said...

YAY, indeed, Jennifer - you are doing amazing things and that number on a scale doesn't come close to showing everything that you are accomplishing. Thirty miles in one week? Dang. I'm so impressed! Now enjoy your rest days. :)

Momma B said...

You are doing amazing!! I am sure you are gaining a bunch of muscle and toning up your body! Congrats on 30 miles!

Anonymous said...

Yay! You are doing so awesome. I know how you feel about not being at your lowest. It's hard to get back down there but you have come so far. I started at 231 and got down to 142. Then I went back up to 152 in just 3 weeks. Now I'm working my way down again and at 149. It's so hard to go down and so easy to go up.

I admire your strength on your running. That is a hard thing to do. Good luck with the half marathon. You'll do great!

Jessica said...

You are doing so great!!! So proud and inspired by you!

Debsdailylife said...

You are such an inspiration to me!!! I love to read your updates!! Youre so real!!! Thankyou for sharing!!
And you go girl!!!!

Kelly said...

Go Jennifer, go! I ran my first 5K at 245 lbs., and I didn't let it derail me, even I thought it would kill me. It's always such a rush to cross that finish line, isn't it?!
P.S. Were you affected at all by the hurricane?

Kristen said...

I have not ran since the 10K i am such a slacker compaired to you!! 30 miles is amazing! I can not believe you are doing a 1/2 marathon that rocks! Way to challenge yourself. I noticed last week too all the different shapes at the 10K. And everyone finished! Email me which half marathon you are doing.

Karen said...

30 miles in one week is AWESOME! Keep up the good work. Something has got to be going in the direction you want. Forget the scale. I've learned the scale is MEAN!!! Keep up the good work.

Kircho said...

Wow. Congrats. This is just awesome! Keep jogging :)