Registered for my first full marathon

I'm registered for my first full marathon!  May 15, 2011

I'm so excited.  The most exciting is that my mom and my little sister will be running it will me.

My goals are:

1. To finish
2. To finish holding my mom's hand and she holding my sister's hand.
3. To run it in 5 hours or less

Weight Loss Update

With the season finale of the Biggest Loser tomorrow,  I thought that I'd give an update of where I was and where I am at now.

It's been seven months since I've started this adventure.    My kids ask me why I still run, since I look "normal" now.  I tell them that I run to feel good, to help me become a better runner, and to help me become a better mom.  Also, I don't want to go back.  I like the energy that I now have and how my clothes feel.

Yes, I'm a numbers nerd (the engineer in me)

Stats:

             11/07/2009     5/24/2010

             -----------      -----------

weight    195 lbs            156 lbs

chest       43.5 in              37 in

waist      40.75 in            33.5 in

hips         46.5 in             39.5 in

pant size     18                8 or 10

Wow, I'm sure glad that I did keep track.  One of the hardest challenges for myself now is to get my mindset out of my "old size".  When I arrived to pick up my packet for my first race, I looked at the t-shirt that I ordered => XL.  Fortunately, I was able to exchange it for a medium.  A medium!!!!!

What's next?  Well, I would say that I am in maintenance mode and fine tuning.  I need to do more core workouts to keep my back healthy and to help improve my running.  I have been trying to incorporate P90X into my routine.

Rewarding myself with something other than food

At the beginning of my weight loss journey, I needed to come up with little rewards for myself (not food).

This list was difficult to think of.  If you have any suggestions, please comment!

• Four weeks of consistent exercise  =>  heart rate monitor
• Be able to advance to level 2 of 30 day Shred  =>  new songs from I-tunes
• Lose 10 pounds before Christmas  =>  books about running
• Increase my run/walk intervals  =>  bubble bath
• Go down a size from my "normal" jeans  =>  learn how to knit
• Attain my first goal weight of 165 lbs  =>  Runner's World magazine
  

I now wear a size 12 (compared to a size 18 eleven weeks ago) and I just finished my first knitting project.

Knitting has always left this experienced crocheter frustrated.  I was determined to learn how to knit.  My ultimate knitting goal is to make myself some wool socks.

Where to start?  I usually start in books.  That's how I have learned to wire a garage, build a fence, and sew.  Well, books did not help me learn to knit!  I was able to understand what the pattern symbols meant, but the actual casting on and knitting wasn't turning out.  Where next?  Videos.  Ahh, the beauty of the internet and a Knitting Help website.

After watching a video of how to cast on and knit, I was able to make the dishcloth pictured here.  My first completed knitting project.  Tension needs some work, but I am knitting!  Gauge is not correct, but I am knitting!  I currently can only do two knitting stitches, but I am knitting!  Next knitting goal is to learn the purl stitch on another dish cloth.

No School Today - Kids are sick

One of my goals this year was to create a blog.  Well, since kids are sick today, there's no school.  So, I have some extra time to do something for me.


My 2010 Goals:

• Create a blog 
  
• Wake up earlier
• Develop a deeper prayer life
• Run 3 5K races this year
• Incorporate more vegetarian dishes
• Make a list of all crochet, knitting, cross-stitch, and sewing projects for the year; then prioritize
  
• Read one religious and/or educational book each month
• Confession once a month