Sunday, February 28, 2010

Running!!..................Wait....WHAT??

Yep, it's true! If you had told met to run a week ago, my automatic response would have been......"Why?? Will someone be chasing me?" Seriously, running?? No way, not me. I have never been the "exercise" type. Sports? YES!!......Situps/pushups/basically anything else? NOT REALLY!!

And then the strangest thing happened to me the other week. I quit Weight Watchers. While I had managed to lose almost 20 lbs doing the program, I began to get bored, and frustrated when the scale stopped, and then started going back up. I felt like I was so low on points (21) that I was relying on the same foods over and over again, just to stay within my daily points. And then it occured to me that I was heading down the road of exactly what I didn't want to have happen and that was to get bored with my food and be unable to find that variety that we all know we need.

But I wasn't sure that I could "trust" myself to make good choices on my own, without being somewhat accountable for what I was eating and doing. So, I asked around on ..........where else??.......Twitter, and Ryan (@nomorebacon) was using the website www.dailyburn.com , so I thought I'd take a look.

What I didn't want was something like WW's, where I spent so much time planning and counting and cringing and crying and well, okay not crying, but you get the point. So I thought what I would do was sign up on the Daily Burn, and not "track", but "record". Is there a difference? Well, in my head, tracking is planning, sweating, and "crying" about what I can and cannot eat. Recording is eating what I want and then recording it and putting my choices to the test.

And what do you know, I didn't do too bad! I managed to come in well under my caloric intake goals everyday, without what I consider the stressfulness of "dieting". I ate food I enjoyed, and made good choices and I'm very proud of this! (I'm the true definition of a junk food junkie - but I'm recovering)

Okay, so enough about food.....here's the good stuff:

Along with calorie/nutrition tracking, the Daily Burn also offers a workout tracking option. I was able to select the type of workout that I wanted to do and the days I wanted to do them. Honestly, I really didn't give this option that much thought..........as I said earlier, SPORTS, not EXERCISE.....in fact, in my mind, these two things have nothing in common....although I realize that isn't a fact, sports seem so much more fun!

And then, on the day of my first Daily Burn workout, they sent me a reminder to my email. The very first exercise?.....Run 1K. HUH?? Who are the freaks that thought this up? So I DM'd my girl Lori (@slorunnermom), curious if it was even possible for a non-runner to "run" 1k straight out of the gate.

Lori, oh how I love her, suggested that I give it a try and if needed walk/jog the 1k. And then she said something that will forever stay with me everytime I run. She said she was "SO PROUD" of me. Well, less than an hour before that DM, I had basically written off any possibility that I could run the 1k and honestly didn't even want to try.

And then these people flashed through my brain - Lori (@slorunnermom) LOVES to run, and is so kind, inspirational, loving, encouraging, and on and on. Jen (@jeninRL) this girl is a firecracker! LOL! Always the one to take up a challenge, also a non-runner who signed up for a freaking 5k!! My Mo (@FitinMyHeart) this girl never ceases to amaze me and I was so excited and proud the day she ran her first 5k! These are just a few of the amazing people that inspire me and encourage me and amaze me every single day.

So, I did it. I sucked it up and jumped on the treadmill to "run". Even with Lori's encouragement, I honestly just wasn't sure I could even do it. I pictured myself "running" for like a minute and then keeling over in agony. But Lori's DM kept running through my head. She was proud of me....and I hadn't even done anything yet. Shouldn't I have the same faith in myself as someone that I have never "met" has in me? HELL YA!!

So I ran, and ran, and ran, and I didn't run a 1k, I ran a mile! That very first time, a freaking mile!!! I was on a high that I can't even explain....I was so excited....I thought I might burst. And I couldn't wait until my next run. That next run I ran 1.5 miles and I felt AWESOME!!

Am I an official runner? Ummmm....I guess I'm not sure, but for the time being, I'm taking a cue from all my twitter loves and I can't wait to get to my next one and see just how far I can take myself!!

8 comments:

  1. Isn't it amazing how we cannot see what others see in us? I feel that way all the time. I am so proud of you for so many reasons but the biggest is that you have chosen to try something without fear. I can't wait to hear how your next run goes.

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  2. Hey Jenni! YOU ARE A RUNNER!!! Someone told me that after my first run...and it goes for you too! I don't know if I'll ever LOVE running the way some people do, but I like being able to run...I can't wait to run with you!!

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  3. I am sooooooo "Glowing" right now!!!!!! Glowing with a Pride for you that I cant quite put into words.... You are SO FREAKIN AMAZING, Jenni-Poo! BEAUTIFUL EVERYDAY IN EVERY WAY!!! Keep on Running, Girl!!!
    FOREVER INSPIRED BY YOU..
    Dr. Mo ( @FitInMyHeart )

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  4. What can I say that you don't already know? I'm SO proud of you. I love you SO much! I'm glad we are together on this journey of life. I couldn't ask for a better sister and I couldn't be prouder to call you mine! Run like the wind Jenifred!!

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  5. JENNI oh Jenni!

    You are such a sweetheart and I am freaking PROUD of you!! You ran a whole freaking mile (at one time) and then you went a mile and a half....jaw hitting floor over here!!

    You are seriously kick ass!!

    thanks for the LOVE!!

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  6. I can seriously feel your freakin' excitement!!!!!!! YAY! Holy cow that is so awesome! You are capable of doing anything that you try to do. I hope you know that.
    Someone on twitter put a little statement that was... the most powerful words to say to someone else- I BELIEVE IN YOU!
    They are powerful huh? Guess what? That's how I feel about you and I know everyone else that knows you feels the exact same way. Just remember to keep believing in yourself!!

    WOOT WOOT!! You are running :)

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  7. Serious??? WOW! Way to go!! I have never run a whole mile without stopping in my life, no matter how hard I try!

    AWESOME!

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  8. Congrats on the running, the hardest part is not doing it but getting there to do it. Do you have an treadmill at home or do you go to the gym?

    1 mile is great for a first time run and 1.5 miles is even better for the second day. As you said, it was not a 5k but guess what? That little inspiration will give you a 5k run

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