First 5K DONE! On to week four!

So we are another week into this competition.  I've lost almost 16 pounds so far which is awesome, and today I accomplished something new.  I finished my first 5K.  Granted I wasn't able to run it, I saw the doctor Friday and she doesn't want me running just yet as it would put far too much stress on my shin bone where the screws are located, but I finished it.  I actually finished a 5K and under the time that I wanted to accomplish.  That is HUGE for me.  I have never, ever done anything like that before.  I hated running in gym class when I was a kid.  But you know, the feeling that came with actually finishing that race today was one that I haven't felt in a long time.  It was a good feeling.  The feeling that you actually conquered a goal that you set out for yourself.  It makes me want to keep going.  It makes me want to race again.  Now I can't wait for the Dog Jog and the Monument Avenue 10K.  I honestly may have to do more races between now and the end of the program, even if I can't run. 

So I'm still enjoying the program.  The fact that I'm down that many pounds of course helps with the motivation.  Only a few short months to go and I am confident at this point that if I stay at this pace that I will reach my goal weight.  Wow.  I still can't believe that I can say that right now.  Some days it seems so unattainable.  Then other days I wake up and I am ready to rock and roll.  I have to admit that this past week was a little more difficult when it came to getting up.  My schedule got thrown off by Muse, but that was worth it.  I had a few moments this week when I considered making an excuse for not going to work out or not going to team training.  The thing that is different this time though is that the level of accountability is so high.  I never want to disappoint my teammates or my trainer.  So I keep going.  I get up.  I get to the gym.  I do the team training, I do the cardio, and I'm seeing results.  Real, true results...and it is so motivational.

The only thing that is suffering at this point is the "social" aspect of my life.  I would have loved to have stayed in northern Virginia overnight Monday to spend time with some friends up there, and another friend of mine was in town this past week and he wanted to see me and I just couldn't go out with him because of the extra time I have to spend in the gym.  He understood, of course, but doing 2 to 4 hours a day of gym time isn't the most conducive to what was my party lifestyle.  The fact that the partying has diminished however is a good thing.  I like not being tired all the time, and I sure as hell don't miss the after effects of party nights.  That doesn't mean that I'll never do it again.  There are too many holidays that I adore to miss out on all of the parties.  It just means that I have a higher respect for what I'm doing to myself, and I don't want to wear myself down anymore.  This year for me is about building myself up.  This competition is a big step in that direction.

I got to talking to a teammate today during the walk, telling her a bit of my life story.  You guys know, the part where I got stuck in Colorado and had to deal first hand with a violent case of PTSD.  It just amazes me how much, sometimes, we allow things in life to get us down, and to negatively impact not only our mood, but our bodies.  I weighed right at 180 pounds when I got married.  I don't think I weighed much more than that before I moved to Colorado.  I have learned in the past few weeks through self-examination that I will never, ever allow the needs of a significant other to determine the manner in which I conduct my life again.  I did that for too many years, and it led me to a very unhealthy and destructive place.  It isn't worth it.  Of course you can love someone, and want to compromise with them on many life decisions.  But it is never worth your physical or emotional health.  Never.  Now I'm not saying that I'll never end up in a relationship again, I wouldn't mind that.  However, I will always, ALWAYS come first.

Enough emotional babbling.  I was very proud of my team today.  Our one guy, Mr. Josh, came in SECOND place in the entire 5K and he was the first guy to finish.  WAY TO GO JOSH!!  We all finished the race, finished strong, and it was inspiring to see how much it effected my teammates to accomplish this goal.  People are amazing, in a good way, and all nine of them inspire me in their own ways and I know that I couldn't get through this competition without them.  I love the purple team!!  <3

I will post the few pictures of the 5K that I have at some point in the near future.  Oh and FYI the cutie cameraman had to run to catch up with me and interviewed me during the race.  Heh heh.  I'll stop before I get started on that one.  LOL!  I'm telling you all, the world is in trouble when I get to my goal.  I'll be a terrible, but fun influence.  To my girls, we are seriously having an all out shopping extravaganza in July/August.  I say we go to the outlets in Delaware...no sales tax, and J and Sarah you guys could meet us down there, then we could all just go to the Jersey Shore for the weekend and fist pump our ways to bliss! HA!