Dreams.

I took a few days off of running because I had so much school work to do. That was a HUGE mistake. I can't believe that only two days made such a big difference in the difficulty of my run. I've learned that I really need to stay with it, unless I want to continuously repeat the same routine over and over again.

I was looking through some inspirational quotes today. One that struck me was, "To live is the rarest thing of all. Most people just exist." It made me think of all of the things that I've wanted to do and how I decided that I don't want to just exist, I really want to live. I want to run, and hopefully do a marathon. I want to see the Great Wall of China. I want to parasail and go in a hot air balloon. I want to learn to speak Italian, and I want to live in Italy, even if for just a short period of time.

Yesterday I went to see the new Karate Kid with mom and dad. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. I loved how it portrayed the idea that all things are possible and if you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything you want. Watching the movie made me feel incredibly out of shape, but gave me more motivation to keep working at my goals.

Tomorrow I continue my run, hopefully 13 minutes walking, 7 minutes running. Ah, but we will see! Today is my 24th day being smoke free!

Live. Love. Run.

So, I didn't skip a day of running, but I skipped a day of writing. Too much school work and things to keep track of.

However, I am beyond excited that I made the 15 minute walk, 5 minute run goal! I am going to keep at that schedule for another week, and then increase the time to a 13 minute walk, 7 minute run... hopefully.

All in all, I feel absolutely amazing. My body feels great and my mind feels even better. Yes, there are the occasional leg cramps or ankle aches... but that's to be expected, especially after being out of shape for so long and undergoing a knee and ankle surgery. Soon enough, I'll be feeling so good physically and mentally, that I won't know who I am anymore! :)

I've definitely got to make a playlist for my iPod so that when I run/walk, I have something I can count on. I love Mozart and Sinatra and all the others... but in the middle of a run, there's nothing like some classic rock.

My First "Official" Run

Well, here it is... Day 1. I worked up a schedule that consists of 10 minutes of walking, one minute of jogging, and an additional minute of walking, alternating. So, all in all... Walk 15, run 5. Of course, being my first day running since I was 10 years old, I made 3 minutes running and 17 walking.



I didn't realize how out of shape I am. When I went to college (SVU) I would work out for about 3 hours a day. Since then, I would do a few work-outs here and there, but nothing serious. I guess I have more work to do than I thought. I decided to incorporate a little yoga on my days off of running, to try and give myself a little more flexibility and therefore making my runs easier.

I bought myself a brand new pair of running shoes, and I am so excited about them! I went to the New Balance store and got fitted for a pair of running shoes that would work for my feet. (I have always had bad feet since I am missing a tendon in my foot.) They are incredible, to say the least! I also purchased a pedometer that records strides, distance, and calories burned.

And, before I close and leave for work... I want to mention that there is a deeper meaning behind this run. I don't just want to get in shape... and I'm not doing it to lose weight, though that would be an additional bonus. I am doing it to feel better about myself, but the main reason is for Saralyn. She inspired me in more ways than you can imagine... and I want to run for leukemia-- for her, and all of those who have suffered from this disease. So, in the end, when things get tough, I'll just as myself, "What would Saralyn do?" And if you knew her, she'd keep on pushing through.

A Commitment to Myself

Recently I decided to quit smoking, a huge goal that I have taken on several times over the six years that I smoked, on average, a pack a day. I never really thought that I would be able to quit, since it was so difficult the many times I tried before. It's been 3 weeks now, with only a minor set-back in between. Yes, it could be easy to pick the habit back up, but now that I've quit I've begun to realize the benefits of kicking it in the "butt." I'm more excited now than ever, to start this smoke free life and have started making a list of all of the things that I want to do with my spare time, money, and energy.

The main reason why I started this blog was because I've set a specific goal for myself-- a goal that I want to keep track of by blogging, by sharing my thoughts, feelings, hardships, accomplishments, and actions in a way that others can support my efforts or can just follow my progress throughout.

So, what is this goal, you may ask? Running. Lots and lots of running. Now, I realize I haven't been in the best physical shape my entire life, but I have the determination to do what it takes. It may be harder for me to get into shape than a slightly smaller, more athletic person... but it doesn't matter to me. If you dream big enough and work hard enough, all things are possible.

My plans go as follows: find a training schedule that works for me, stick to it, blog about it, and participate in a marathon as soon as my body allows. I realize this could take several months to a year, but it will happen. I feel certain of it.