The first day of truth - facing the scale

The purpose of the blog this time around is to be totally honest and straightforward about my journey. 

To know how much progress you've made, you have to know where you started. 

The first step along this path is my weight.  I landed back in the USA Thursday after being gone for 26 days. 

My weight today (Sunday) is 218 per my home scale (sorry the picture is sideways). I actually basically maintained while I was gone although I can tell my body is "softer" from lack of exercise. My "healthy" goal weight range for my height of 5'4/5'5" is 117-155. My personal goal right now is 180 and then I will re-evaluate. 38 pounds sounds achievable. Right now if I pick something that seems impossible I will get discouraged before I even get started. 

My Measurements will be updated next week. I tried to do them myself tonight but would rather have official (I.e. Accurate) results. I can say that my waist size surprised me, and not in a good way! That's the one area I'm sure I measured correctly. 

On another note, I went for my first run in over a month. 3 miles. Ran 1 mile at a time, with a short walk break in between miles. Not bad for taking an entire month off! Of course, that's only 3 miles. I have a half marathon this coming weekend that I am no longer prepared for. One person online gave me very good advise.  She said not to beat myself up or spend the whole race thinking about the what ifs. (What if I would have trained while I was in India....). She said to just enjoy the experience for what it is and not let negative self talk take over. Very good advice!

One last thing-I have 2 meals prepped in the mini crockpots. A porkchop with gravy and chili. So I have taken away the fast food excuses for the first 2 days of the work week!

Recent photos 

2015 - The Year of Kimmi

I didn't want to title this as "I'm back" because, well, I did that in 2012 and it was my only post for the year!

My life has been taken over by work since 2011. I've totally lost my sense of work life balance. My health has suffered. My running has definitely suffered. So I've decided to make 2015 "The Year of Kimmi".

I can no longer allow work to come first, and Kimmi to always come last. I can no longer allow family member's needs to always come first and Kimmi's needs to come last. I can no longer give 150% emotionally and physically to everything and everyone else except Kimmi.

2015 will be the year of keeping my promises to myself. Making my goals and sticking to them. Being accountable to myself, for myself. I'm not just talking about running goals. There are so many things I've put on the back burner for work. I need to take care of my physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs.

If I don't take care of Kimmi, who will?

No one.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

I'm back!!!

It's been a while! A ton has been going on. I took most of last running season off, although I did do a half marathon relay, and 3 half marathons within 3 weeks, 2 of them on back to back days! I survived. I was slow, lots of walking, but I did it on very little training. So that made me wonder-if I can do back to back halfs with no training, what could I do if I trained for the entire season, May - March? So my goal is to find out this year. Work had been crazy - it has completely taken over my life and I'm really unhappy. Lots of overtime, stress, stress eating leading to weight gain (or sometime no break and no food all day). i get sick frequently-working the way I do isn't healthy. My goal is to devote more time to taking care of myself than I do to my job. if something were to happen to me, the reality is, the job would survive. They would pick up and move on and forget about me in a few weeks. I've really been thinking about the whole work life balance thing lately. This has become even more important as I found out over the last couople of days that I have an irregular heart beat. It was only discovered because I went in because I was really sick and in the course of the normal "listen to your heart with a stethoscope" the dr heard something usual - some extra beats in there. An EKG confirmed it. In researching I discovered that stress can cause it. So can caffeine but I gave up sodas on Decc 28th and usually drink decaf tea (and I do n't drink tea that often). I had felt a few twinges in my chest lately but I kind of dismissed it. Anyway, my job is not worth my health. i'm only 36!! So this running season I'm going to focus on me. Of course, I'm not off to a good start being sick, with an infection and fever. Probably won't be running this week with my running group. Just have to make sure that missing 1 week doesn't turn into 1 month and then into 1 year.....

A PR? Who? Me?

I ROCKED Dallas! The Dallas Rock and Roll Half Marathon was my absolutely most enjoyable half marathon that I've done to date, and this was half marathon #6. It wasn't just enjoyable because I had PR (personal record), although that was icing on the cake. I can't say I had the best impression of the Rock and Roll series, based on the San Antonio one I did. I wasn't that impressed with the course or post race party, etc. Dallas totally changed my opinion of the Rock and Roll series. Why?

• Well organized from start to finish - from packet pickup at expo to the pre and post race


• Great pre-race music! Even upon arrival. Got me exited. When I walked up they were playing "I got a feeling...tonight's going to be a good night" by the Black Eye peas. Was a sign of the race to come!


• Midsize race - Only a half marathon and had corrals so no craziness at the start line


• Dallas cheerleaders - I know they were freezing but it was kind of cool to see them!


• Beautiful scenery - not all hood or industrial. Beautiful HUGE homes and landscaping. For the first time, I really was looking around as I was running. This race has the best scenery of a race I've done so far.


• Great traffic control (although I heard a resident left their home and drove on the race course)


• Great volunteers - with plenty of fluids, even at mile 12 for back of the pack people


• Lots of great bands (not allowed in Highland Heights area but we had great scenery there!)


• Not too many mile markers - sounds strange to have this as something I liked but during the race, I only noticed a few mileage signs (with clocks showing the time). Maybe there were a lot more, but I only remember the sign for mile 4, mile 8, mile 11, and mile 12. And of course, mile 13. It helped, especially early on when I struggled more, not seeing or noticing a lot of the mile markers. Especially since I struggled more the 1st half - seeing I was only at mile 5 and had 8 miles left wouldn't have been helpful.....


• Great ending with the Ferris Wheel. Great Texas landmark.


• Awesome post race concert - Bret Michaels. You didn't have to go looking for the concert. You just heard it and could see it. If I had to go somewhere, or come back later, I would have missed it/wouldn't have bothered. By the way, I didn't even think Bret Michaels was someone I wanted to hear/see. I just heard him and saw him as I was crossing the post race area and decided to listen to a few songs because it was pretty good! I think because it was a half marathon only, with a 4 hour time limit, the concert could be held right away

Now on to me! I got a PR! My former PR was 3:10:42. That was from my very first half marathon - Aramco in 2009 (the one I ended up in the medical tent afterwards, lol!). Just as recent as December, I did a half in 3:37 (after taking many months off) and in January I did a half in 3:15. New PR. 3:08:14. On a course with hills!

So what made this race really the most enjoyable besides the scenery? #1 - An AWESOME running partner - Karen! I've done my last 2 half marathon's with her. I think she is my good luck charm! #2 No CRAMPING! I have cramped in every single half marathon I have ever done prior to this. I have struggled beginning around mile 9-11 in every half, and had cramping really hitting at mile 11. That did not happen this time! #3 - I wasn't thinking "What was I thinking when I signed up for this?" the last few miles!!! #4 - I actually felt better the 2nd half of the race and ran negative splits. I never felt like I wouldn't finish the race once I got to the 2nd half. Usually, the last 4-5 miles is where I start thinking I can't finish. But I was feeling good. Odd! I think the strengh training may have played a part in this. Mile splits for the race are below:

1. 14:13 - seeing some usual things. Like a couple of people running with their gear bags. A bottle of water rolling down a hill (running a half marathon carrying a bottle of ozarka?)


2. 14:39 - I'm thinking perhaps this was the first hill? The hill that I didn't know about, by the way...I ran up it, how ever slowly while everyone was walking. Was pretty proud of that!


3. 14:34 - Just running and chatting


4. 14:18 - Just running and chatting.


5. 14:32 - I remember thinking "Beautiful neighborhoods" somewhere in this area


6. 14:42 - I started struggling a bit. The 3-1's were getting harder. This is the farthest I've been lately in training runs since Aramco (part of why I didn't expect anything near a PR). I was thinking I wasn't going to make it 13 miles......


7. 14:50 - Still thinking I'm really not going to be able to finish this race. Dang, I should have made myself get in a few more long runs since Aramco! A little bit of nausea. Maybe I took my 2nd set of endurolytes here.


8. 14:37 - I think around here I have switched to 2-1's instead of 3-1's. It made a HUGE difference.


9. 13:50 - I'm feeling good. Every time the run interval beeps, I cheerfully say "let's go!" to Karen. I'm shocking my self.


10. 13:26 - Must have really been feeling good. This was with walking breaks!


11. 13:41 - Karen tells me we are on pace for a PR for me. I'm too scared to believe it.


12. 13:44 Wow, at mile 12. Karen says we are almost there - see the Ferris Wheel? I say the Ferris Wheel looks pretty far away to me!!!!


13. 14:09 - We were really picking up the run pace - running in the 12's. So I went a little slower on the walk recovery. Started freaking out because I could see I was back in the 14's for the mile average and I was worried I was going to blow it at the end and not have a PR. Since I didn't even set out to PR in this race - only finish - I just can't believe it can happen.....I always blow it the last few miles of the race.

.1 - I don't know. I stopped my Garmin when I crossed the finish line, but I accidently started it back up later and it added on to what I already had.

Actually, I'm just now looking at the elevation chart for the first time - got a copy for this blog, and it explains some things. Like why mile 6 and 7 were extremely hard and why I slowed down so much! And it explains why it started getting easier at mile 8 when I crested the hill. I'm glad I didn't see this elevation chart prior to doing the race!

NEXT GOAL: SUB 3 on November 13th, 2011

San Antonio Rock and Roll!

I'm back! It's all about me!

Wow...it's been a while. Underwent some life changing events over the past year. Mainly I became a "mom" again to my 5 year old niece for 1 year. As you can imagine, that had a significant impact on my 2010 training. For a while, I stopped running. I gained about 40 lbs between February and October. I was used to being a single mom of 1 - my son who just turned 18. But now I was a single "mom" of 2 kids with widely differing ages and needs. My dad was traveling a lot, often 3 weeks out of the month or more. I was completely stressed and overwhelmed. So 2010's plans kind of went completely out the window....

Things turned around in October. My weight was getting out of control. I realized I had to take control of things. My dad's travel schedule slowed down, and he was able to help out more. He started volunteering to watch my niece every Sunday so I could do a long run. I joined Weight Watchers at work as the kids needs could never interfere with my lunch time meeting. I joined a gym in the building across the street from my job so I could get in 30 minute workouts during lunch and the kids needs couldn't interfere. I've lost nearly 25 lbs since making those changes.

Also in October, 4 of my running friends and I signed up for the inaugural LaPorte by the Bay half marathon, to be held in December. That gave me a goal I had to start training! My original goal was just to walk the race. I figured that with my walking speed, I could finish in the 4 hour deadline. Then I went on a group run with my friends and realized I could still run! I did 5-1's to stay up with them during some training runs. My confidence started being restored as my body "remembered" how to run. Of course, I lost a LOT of speed over the past year...and I wasn't speedy to begin with! But at least I was back running. I completed the Laporte half marathon on Dec 5th, and then did Aramco on Jan 30th. And at the Aramco half marathon I even signed up for another half marathon for March 27th - Dallas Rock and Roll! This race was on my 2010 schedule (and paid for!) before my niece came to stay with me.

2011 is going to be all about Kimmi. My niece is returning home within the next week. I will miss her greatly after a year (it's like losing your own child!), but I'm glad to be able to get back a little time for myself. My son is a senior - heading off to colllege soon. So he's pretty self sufficient. Now I can do what I want, when I want(well, almost). For the first time since I was 16.

Go to Memorial and run after work, rather than heading home to pick kids up, cook dinner, help with homework, etc - I can do that! Join Houston Fit's spring fit training group, and do the speed training on Tuesdays, and the hill training on Saturdays - I can now do that!

2011 is going to be all about me - putting my needs and wants at the top of the list....for the first time in a very long time.

So what starts with an "A" and is harder than running?

I finally entered the world of crosstraining.....with aerobic classes. It's been years since I attended classes at the gym. I forgot how much fun they are - at least with the right instructor and the right music. Oh, and the right workout buddy!

So how can a class at the gym be harder than running? That's what I wondered as my friend Julie and I attended a 1 1/2 hour Cardio Combo class at the gym. We can run/run-walk for 3 hours straight! Well, it was indeeded much harder. Sweat dripping, cardiovascular system protesting, body tired, just trying to make it thru. But we lasted the entire 1 1/2 hours and then we were hooked!

Last Wednesday we tried a 1 hour Kwando class. We had done one together earlier this year at another gym, but the atmosphere at the new gym we are going to is much better. It's so much fun. The people really get into it - doing the workout while dancing to the music. You watch them and wonder - where do they get all that energy from! And it's the "older" one's who have the most energy!

Saturday, we decided what the heck - let's try the 2 hour "Masters" class. There was a $5 fee that we had to pay for this class - you paid it directly to the instructor who is the same one who teaches the Kwando class. Pay for torture? Are we crazy? Well, in a word, yes! We lasted the entire 2 hours and loved it! Although it's Tuesday and my arms are still sore!

Our half marathon training group starts back up this coming Saturday. I hope the crosstraining will benefit our running. Unfortunately, this means we have to give up the 1 1/2 hour and 2 hour classes at the gym. But we will be there every Wednesday for sure!

Life changing events!

My poor blog. How I've missed you. It's been quite a while. It's amazing how life can change in just a few short months!

Back at the beginning of February, my 4 year old niece came to live with me. As you can imagine, that was a major lifestyle change. I went from a single mother of 1 to a single mom of 2. I can no longer just get up and run on the weekends. I have to make sure I have a babysitter!

During the week, once we get home, I cook dinner, help with Pre-K homework, straighten up a little, and by then it's already 7:30. Bath time is at 8pm, and bedtime no later than 8:30. So that affects what I can do in the evenings on school nights. Since my son is 17, it's been a while since I had to take those kinds of things into consideration.

I've gotten in a few weekend runs here and there. Done a race. But consistently I haven't done much the last 2 months. I've also had some injury issues - the same ones I've had since 2008. I finally have made an appointment with a sports dr to try and get those resolved. I'll have to pay out of pocket, due to the wonderful $2500 insurance deductible

After a couple of months, we finally have a good routine down, and I'm ready to return FULL TIME to the world of the running. My pants and the scale have indicated that it is time to return also. I've also gotten a replacement Bally's card, and plan to utilize the gym on some days during the week when I can't get away to run. They have free daycare. You do have to call a day or two in advance to make a reservation though.

Half marathon training starts back up in exactly 24 days. I can't wait!