I'm still at it!

It's been a while! I've done a lot since I last blogged. My key accomplishments were a new half marathon PR (finally sub 3!) in October 2015 and completing my first marathon in Paris in April 2016 as a 40th birthday goal. I will be reflecting back on those accomplishments in future posts.

I am now training for the New York Marathon. I applied for the NY marathon lottery on a whim on the last day of the lottery - Before I even ran my first marathon! I never really expected to be selected - I've heard stories of people entering the lottery for years and never being selected. But I was. So I must now train. I am determined to show improvement in my second marathon.

To show improvement I must be more consistent and follow my plan. I have no trouble getting in my long runs (well most of the time). It's the weekday runs that are a challenge for me, with my insomnia and workaholic habits combined. I can do this though!




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2015 goals

1.       Log food and exercise daily 

2.       Run and workout run 4-5 times per week including strength training and yoga 

3.       Run 650 miles (average 12.5 for the week)

4.       Improve 5K time – sub 40, then sub 37

5.       Improve half marathon time – sub 3

6.        Travel for 1 destination race outside of Texas

7.      Cook 4-5 times per week

8.      Eat at kitchen table 5 times per week

9.      Lose 38 pounds

10.    Think positively

11.    Train for a full marathons

12.    Try 2 new vegetables for the year

13.    Take vitamins for deficiencies

14.    Limit overtime to 2-3 days a week Max

Going in the right direction

I did a little under 12 miles today, after doing 13 miles last weekend. My body tolerated it and I actually felt great today! 25 miles with just 2 runs! The weather was nice and cool - 52 degrees when we finished. I didn't have any back or hip pain at all. My foot started aching the last few miles but I believe it's still adjusting to long distances on the orthotics. I switched back to my Nathan Fuel belt today so I wouldn't have the weight of the 20 oz single bottle resting on my back. I don't think that caused my back pain during my race last week but it definitely didn't help it. I will probably reserve that belt for shorter distances.

In other good news, this week I lost the 5 pounds that I put on over the last 2 months!

13.3 pounds to onederland! I will make it there! When I get close to 210 I normally struggle. That seems to be my body's "set" point but I will just battle thru.



In the interest of full disclosure-I am eating a breakfast taco right now....but it's 11:24 am and that's all I've had and I ran 12 miles. Ok...I know that's not going to work....😃




But I did make better choices last week when things were crazy at work. Several days I couldn't go to lunch but sent a coworker to SNAP to get me a healthy meal.

One step at a time...



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The truth continued - measurements

The day before my half marathon I made myself go to weight watchers. I haven't been in a couple of months. I also went by the gym to get my measurements taken and my body fat percentage. As I've said before I need to know where I started from.

My measurements as of Dec 13th are below. Surprisingly there isn't that much of a difference from 6 months ago. Maybe due to the half marathon training (even though I only ran 2-3 times a week). I did have a noticeable increase in my hips though! Apparently that's where I gain first.

I am still 50% fat. 50.4% to be exact. I don't even remember being under 50% fat in the last 20 years. I don't ever recall being under 45% body fat.

Obese is 32%+. 25-31% is acceptable. 21-24% is fitness. 14-20% is athlete.

Is it sad that having a body fat % of obese would be a significant improvement for me?

I have a lot of work to do.






My weight (slightly different than the gym). I asked for a new weight booklet to start fresh. Over the last 9 months I've lost a total of only 11.6 pounds. 😳 I've gained 5.2 pounds since I was last there in early October. For me, that's the same as maintaining.





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BCS half marathon - a future measuring stick

You gotta know where you are starting from to set goals and truly recognize what you've accomplished later down the line. So....

I had a half marathon today. The BCS half marathon in College Station. It was tough. But so am I. Back pain by Mile 4. Left Glute pain kicked in as well. Foot pain the last 3 miles. I started out with 5/1's but had to drop 2/1's and then to walking due to pain. But I kept moving.

On a positive note, the weather was absolutely perfect, the course was great, and I felt better the last 5 miles (I got a Tylenol at mile 7!). I always knew I could finish despite my longest training run being 8 miles and my last long run of 7 miles being over a month earlier on November 4. I was in India from Nov 8-Dec 4th. Prior to leaving town my training was consistent and I was looking forward to this race. My time wasn't what I wanted it to be but I adjusted my goal to finishing and enjoying myself, rather than worrying about the time. Not that I ever gave up. And I did start back up run intervals later in the race and finished with run intervals!

This was a Wonderful race. I will definitely be returning to this one next year. Maybe in search of a PR.

My future time to beat is my time of 3:36 from this race (official time may be slightly different). I would like to show considerable improvement at my half in 3 months in Dallas. Note that this is not my PR. It's probably one of my slowest (the slowest is another one in which I had back pain ironically).

My current PR is 3:08:24. By March 2015 I hope to be under 3:00. By next December I should be able to hit 2:45. Of course that is dependent on me training and I would say getting healthier and losing weight as well.

Anyway below are some pics from the race. By the way, I'm so sore you wouldn't believe!


This course was not flat....


But it had a great finisher shirt and medal


Me post race


A selfie with Mr and Mrs Claus during the race


Nice sign to see along the way. "Finishing is your only option!"


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Location:

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.

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