Tag Archives: running

Here’s what he said…

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My husband, Al, who is the editor of the Echo Press newspaper, wrote about his experience running the half-marathon in Las Vegas. The story, along with a picture of him running the race, ran in the Opinion section of the newspaper last Friday.

His story is very vivid and almost makes it feel as if you could have been running right beside him. I would love for all of you to read it, so here is a link to the story from the newspaper’s website: Highs and lows of a half-marathon.

Check it out and let me know your thoughts!

Thanks!

The results are in…

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I completed my first half-marathon. I actually did it.

And here’s my medal to prove it:

My medal!

So, I suppose you’re wondering how it went. Well, let me tell you…

First of all, I finished and I am extremely proud of myself for doing so…despite what it may sound like when you read this. I am happy I did it. I don’t have any regrets. And, despite the fact that I said I was only going to do one in my life, my husband and I have already decided to do another one. We are planning on signing up for another Rock ‘n’ Roll series one, but this time, it’s going to be in San Jose, California. We are going to Napa, California next October to celebrate our 5-year anniversary and San Jose just happens to be a host city for a Rock ‘n’ Roll half-marathon. And, San Jose is somewhat close to Napa. Logistically, it just seemed to work out!

Anyway, back to the Las Vega Rock ‘n’ Roll half-marathon.

At the expo the day before the race, which is where we picked up our race packets and swag bag, we both ended up changing our estimated times, which also meant changing corrals. At this race, runners lined up in corrals according to their estimated finish time. At first, we estimated that Al would finish in two and half hours and I would finish in three hours. But, based on previous races, we decided to up our times to Al finishing in two hours and myself finishing in two and a half hours.

This meant that Al changed from corral number 24 to corral 14 and I changed from corral 36 to corral 27. There was a two-minute delay between the start of each corral, which helped immensely with not having a crowded course. This was greatly appreciated. Neither of us felt like squished sardines when we started out.

The race started at 4:30 p.m. Al crossed the starting line shortly before 5 p.m. – official time was 4:51 p.m. I crossed the starting line a little after 5 p.m. – official time was 5:16 p.m. We know our times because I was getting text message updates on Al (which I didn’t look at until after the race was done), and my son, Brandon, was getting updates on me. A couple of other people were following me also, which was really cool because I got messages from them immediately after the race was done.

Here are some messages from my son – before the race and after the race:

Text messages from my son

Loved the thumbs up from him when I finished. It made my heart melt and eyes fill with tears.

The start of the race was okay. The wind started to pick up and it almost looked as if a storm was heading our way. I checked my phone for weather details while waiting in the start line and learned that there were wind advisories – wind was blowing anywhere from 20 to 25 miles per hour with gusts up to 35 mph.

Yep. It was just a tish windy. And I think it played a factor in my running. When the wind wasn’t at my back, it was tough to push through.

I started the race out at a nice even tempo. At the advice of several friends and other runners, I took in the sites and the sounds. I knew I wasn’t going for a win, so I decided to take it easy. Too easy maybe.

I kept a pretty even pace – about an 11 minute mile – until mile seven. It’s here I hit the wall. Not sure what happened. But the wall was big and I hit it hard. For miles seven, eight, nine and 10, my pace was closer to a 12.5 minute mile. At mile 11 and 12, it was jumped to a 16 minute mile – yes, I was pretty close to walking, but yet I kept plugging along, one foot in front of another – VERY slowly. I stopped at every single water/Gatorade stop between miles 10 and the finish line. There was a GU energy stop, but I didn’t grab any. I should have.

The last mile to mile and a half, I basically walked, albeit a brisk, fast-paced walk, which seemed, at the time, way faster than my slow jog. At this point, I just wanted the race to be done. I wanted – NEEDED – to be done. I was crabby because I walked. I was crabby because my stomach was churning over and over and over and all I wanted to do was hurl. I was crabby because every ounce of my body ached. I was crabby because I was thirsty – despite all the water/Gatorade I had. I was crabby because I felt alone – yes, despite the mass amounts of runners and spectators around me. This was the first time ever I felt so alone in a race. Not sure why.

I just wanted to be done and I just wanted my husband. I wanted to curl up in his arms and have him tell me it was all going to be okay. I felt defeated. I felt disappointed. I felt…everything.

Here’s a picture that pretty much sums everything up:

Near the finish line.

Quite a contrast from a picture that was from the start of the race:

At the beginning of the race.

Well, after I crossed the finish line, which I did run across, I guess I was fairly happy because the photographer got this photo:

And I finished!

Truthfully, I don’t even remember this photo begin taken. At this point, I just wanted to find my husband and make our way back to our hotel. Well, I eventually found him, cold, shaking and also very ready to be back at our hotel. Apparently, he ended up in the medical tent with the shakes and shivers and was extremely nauseous. Eventually, he ended up throwing up. Sure wish I had.

Al ended up finishing the race in two hours and five minutes. I finished it in just under three hours – my first predicated finish time (guess I should have just kept it, huh!). My official time was two hours, 59 minutes and 56 seconds!

Despite the fact that I felt disappointed and let down, I will reiterate that I AM VERY PROUD of myself for finishing. I am thankful for the opportunity to be able to run this race. And if truth be told, I am looking forward to the next one!

I’m. Not. Tracking.

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I am on vacation in Las Vegas, Nevada and I am not tracking.

There, I said it.

I made a plan before I left where I gave myself a 5-pound leeway. I am okay if I end up gaining five (5) pounds. Really, truly, I am.

On Friday, which is when we left, I weighed myself at home and I was at 144.4, which was actually pretty good considering I have been maintaining at about 148. I was actually pretty happy with what the scale said. So, I decided that I was okay if….and I mean IF….I end up gaining five pounds while we are vacationing in Vegas.

And, I have absolutely no intentions of tracking. None. At all. Nada.

For those of you who are Weight Watchers members, you will know what a big deal this is. For those of you who aren’t, in WW, we track everything. And, I mean EVERYTHING. Or at least I usually track everything.

By that, I mean that everything I eat – every last morsel – gets recorded and assigned what we call a PointsPlus Value. But, while on this vacation, I have absolutely no intentions of tracking. Anything. At. All.

HOWEVER….and this is a pretty big however. I plan on keeping my portions in check. I plan to not go overboard (except for maybe a few more beverages than I usually have!). I plan on getting in lots of activity (of course, I will be wearing my ActiveLink! And I can’t wait to see what kind of activity points I will be getting!), and I plan on taking photos of everything I eat, which will help in keeping my portions and my choices in check.

I know this is not usually the ideal situation, but, when it comes to vacations, my philosophy is that I want to have fun, but at the same time, I don’t want to go overboard. I don’t want to be consumed by Weight Watchers. I want to have fun, indulge and yet, still have a plan. By setting myself up for a five-pound gain, I am not setting myself up to fail; I am setting myself up to succeed. I know I won’t actually gain those five pounds – or at least I really don’t think I will – but, by allowing myself to do will not make me feel upset or guilty or bad if I actually do.

I hope this makes sense. It makes perfect sense in my mind.

So, my dear readers, wish me luck on this vacation as I am about to embark on my biggest quest so far…running a half-marathon down Las Vegas Boulevard!

Stay tuned for an update after Sunday evening’s race!

 

It’s happening, one week from today…

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I am hoping that at this time next Sunday, I am at some restaurant eating a deliciously high-caloric meal, drinking a large glass of wine and celebrating one of the biggest successes of the past year.

Next Sunday, my husband and I are going to be partaking in our biggest race of the year, of our lifetimes – the Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vega Marathon and Half-Marathon. Yes, we will be running down Las Vegas Boulevard!

But, we are not doing the marathon, we are only doing the half-marathon! But it’s big enough in my book. And I am just going to say that even though I am excited as hell, I am also scared to death. Although, truthfully, I am not sure why. I guess I have been preparing and training. Well, kind of. Maybe. Okay, I didn’t follow a training plan. At. All. And the farthest I’ve run is only 10 miles. So, am I really ready? Did I really train enough?

I have no idea.

I guess time will tell.

So why a half-marathon in Las Vegas? Because I said if I was going to do a half-marathon, I wanted to do it up big because I have no intentions of ever doing another one. And I guess 35,000+ runners is pretty big!

I like running. Well, okay, I guess I kinda of love it (when I actually get out there and I am doing it!). But, I don’t particularily care for the long distance races. To be honest, I’m really kind of digging the 10K (6.2 miles) distance. It truly is my favorite. I honestly don’t ever see myself doing a full marathon. I really, truly don’t. Why? Not sure. Maybe it’s the training. Maybe it’s because I don’t want to push myself THAT hard.

I think it’s cool that people run full marathons. Those people are inspirations to me. Those types of runners are true athletes, true stars in my book. But I just have no desire to do one – a full marathon, that is.

I am psyched for our half-marathon. I truly am. But will I ever do another one? I guess we’ll just have to see how this one goes!

If you want to check out the Las Vegas run, here’s the website!

November 19, 2008…when it all began!

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So, I guess it’s been awhile, huh? Wow! I guess I let life get in the way. Or, maybe it’s because I’ve been lazy. Or, maybe it’s because I didn’t feel like I had anything else to say. Or, maybe I did’t think anyone was really interested anymore. Whatever the reason, I decided to come back. At least for now. :-)

Although I really don’t want to make any promises, I am going to try – really, really hard – to post at least once a week. Okay? Sound like a plan? Tell you what, I’ll make you a deal…I’ll post once a week if you, my dear readers, promise to check in on me and read what I write and maybe, just maybe, comment once in awhile. Provide me with some feedback. Is it a deal? Yes? Good.

Then, let’s begin.

November 19, 2008. Four years ago today.

Who knew back then how much my life would change? Who knew that walking through the door of my very first Weight Watchers meeting would make that big of a difference? I mean, really, it was supposed to be “just another diet.” Because, let’s face it, I had tried just about every other diet under the sun, why would this one be any different?

Let’s just say, it was different. WAY different.

For starters, it isn’t a diet. I repeat…IT IS NOT A DIET! It is one hundred percent – 100% – a lifestyle change. And if anybody thinks any differently, they don’t want/need it bad enough. That, my dear friends, is the difference.

A DIET. This is where you just want to lose weight as quickly and as effortlessly as possible. No change, really. No learning. No adapting. Not long term. No work. No effort. No desire. Nothing, really. Just get the weight off…fast and with very little effort. Truly, I don’t think I have met one person who has “dieted” and kept the weight off that they lost. Really. Truly. We’ve all been there. We’ve all done that.

A LIFESTYLE CHANGE. This one, on the other hand, takes work – HARD WORK, determination, desire, dedication, a willingness to change, much effort, support, trust and oh-so-much more. Truly, it is one of the hardest things to do short term, let along long term.

I can’t even begin to explain how grateful I am that I decided – FINALLY – to do the lifestyle change and not “just another diet.” It has been one of the most rewarding journeys I have ever taken. Truly. Honestly.

CHANGES over the last four years:

  • No more high blood pressure.
  • No more high blood pressure medication.
  • No more high cholesterol.
  • No more yelling stern talks from my doctor.
  • No more diabetes lingering.
  • No more obesity – yes, I was in the obese category.
  • A healthier body mass index (BMI).
  • Less fat and more muscle.
  • More energy.
  • An expanded, healthier diet – as in the foods I eat on regular basis. (Don’t get me wrong, I still eat my favs – cake, ice cream, cheese, crackers, cookies, chips, etc. Just not on a regular basis.)
  • A more active lifestyle – I am now a runner. (In 2012, my husband and I will have competed in 27 races, ranging from a 1-mile sprint to 5K races, to 10K races, to a 10-mile race, to our first half-marathon!)
  • A new career – I quit my job of 12 years as a newspaper reporter to becoming a leader with Weight Watchers. I now try and do what my leader did for me – give me a life, a much better life.
  • A different and better attitude.
  • More confidence.
  • A better relationship with my husband. (Not that it really could have gotten better as we have a pretty awesome relationship the way it is.)
  • A better outlook on life.
  • An active YMCA membership.

I know I could go on and on with all the changes that have taken place, but I won’t bore you any longer. All I know is that I am glad I walked through that door the very first time and I’m glad I kept walking through it, week after week, year after year. As cliché as it sounds, Weight Watchers truly changed my life. And I know, it’s only going to get better.

 

 

What did I do?

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As the weather warms up, I finally realized it’s time to buckle down and get back on track. Before we know it, summer will be here and that means just one thing – swimsuits!

I am not sure what kind of slump/funk I was in, but I think I have finally snapped out of it. I do blame the weather for putting me there in the first place, which I guess is kind of weird considering we – those of us living in central Minnesota – have had a very pleasant winter. But it seems like the older I get, the more I despise winter. It truly gets me in a bad funk. I need the fresh air – WARM, fresh air. I need the sunshine – the warm, bright sunshine. I just feel better, eat better (as in healthier!), sleep better, exercise better – well, pretty much do everything better in every other season, but winter.

Well, spring is here apparently and I am loving the weather we’ve been having. It has been gorgeous! Summer IS right around the corner, I can smell it and taste it and feel it.

This past weekend, the hubby and I were in Minneapolis. We had a 7K race on Saturday morning and decided to spend the entire weekend in the cities. We had a blast. We ate, we raced, we visited with my brothers and families, we ate, we walked around downtown Minneapolis, we ate and we shopped. We didn’t do a lot of shopping, but enough to please both of us.

There is one purchase I made that SHOCKED me. I. Bought. A. Swimsuit.

Yep, I did it. I went ahead and purchased a new swimsuit. Why? Not entirely sure, but I did. And not just any ‘ol swimsuit. I. Bought. A. (insert throat clear here) BIKINI!

Yep, me. I did it!

First off, keep in mind, that I don’t even wear shorts in the summer. Ever. Yes, even though I have lost 50 pounds, I still don’t wear shorts. I will wear capris. But never shorts. Even when running, I don’t wear shorts. EVER. Second thing to keep in mind, I don’t think I wore a swimsuit once last year. And my husband’s family has a summer cabin on Lake Ida, a beautiful lake near where we live.

So, what possessed me to purchase a new swimsuit, let alone a bikini? I can’t even tell you. I have no idea. I haven’t worn a bikini since I was probably 19 years old. But, I guess I just thought it was time. I still may not like my body, well, it’s more that I despise all the disgusting stretch marks I have. But I also don’t hate it anymore. Yes, just like everyone else, I have flaws, but I’m okay with it. My flaws are me. They make me who I am. They give me character. Plus, really, who am I trying to impress? My husband loves me. ME – not anyone else! And, he loves every last one of my stinking stretch marks.

So, will I wear my new two-piece bathing suit? Maybe. Probably. Hopefully.

Will it be at a public beach? Doubtful. Unless, by chance, I am on vacation somewhere where no one knows me!

If you are wondering what this new swimsuit looks like, I am sorry to disappoint you, but I will not be posting pictures of me in it. I am an open and honest person as many of you know. I will tell you what I weigh (143.8 as of this morning!). I will share my struggles and my triumphs. I will tell what I eat if you ask. I will let you know when I have eaten half a container of ice cream. But there are just some things that can be left alone.

But in case you are really, really wondering what kind of bikini it is, here are pictures I copied from JCP, which is the store I bought it from.

My new bikini top

My new bikini bottom (keep in mind that it actually goes over MY belly button!)

Being thankful

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It’s Thanksgiving Day morning and my husband is busy getting the turkey in the oven before we head out the door to run our first-ever Thanksgiving 5K Turkey Trot. I think it should be fun!

As promised, I am going to fill you in on what I am thankful for this Thanksgiving – November 24, 2011.

Here goes:

1. Most people don’t think I am a very religious person because I don’t go to church, but I am thankful for/to God. I am thankful for everything he has provided me with – the sun, the moon, the stars, the clouds, the flowers, the birds, the wonderful world we live in. So, I may be a little irritated at him for taking some very important people away from me (apparently he needed them more than me), I still thank him each and every day I am alive on this beautiful Earth.

2. My son. Yes, moms and teenage sons have their “moments,” but we also have “our moments,” and those are the ones I will treasure most. Brandon truly is one-of-a-kind and I love him for all that he is. He’s outgoing, bright, funny, helpful, responsible, a hard worker, strong, caring and yes, I do believe he is loving, although he may disagree with some of what I said!

3. My husband. What more can I say except I love him with every ounce of my being. He is not only the best husband in the world, he is my best friend. He makes me laugh, he makes me smile, he makes me melt and feel all giddy inside. He cooks. He cleans. He grocery shops. He loves football and reading and hanging out. But best of all, he loves me and I know it and feel it…each and every day.

4. My family. Plain and simple, they are the best. My parents. My siblings. My nieces and nephews. My cousins. My aunts and uncles. Everyone single person in my family – whether related by blood or not, I love them all.

5. My job. Not much else to say about it. I am doing something I am passionate about and that I truly love. Sometimes, I wish I could do more. I wish I could make the healthy living journey easier for my Weight Watcher members; sometimes, I wish I could do the work for them. But I love at least trying to make their lives a little better. And, I love the people I work with…my team members that make my job oh-so-much better. I couldn’t do it without them.

6. My members. They are my inspiration. They are what I get up in the morning for. They are the ones that keep me going on my own healthy living journey. They not only inspire me, but they give me hope. I am thankful for each and every one of them. And I am thankful that I can call many of them my friends.

7. My health. Period. Nothing more to say about it.

8. Even though I may not like it sometimes and there are times I want to give up because I don’t feel like I am any good at, I AM THANKFUL that I am now a runner. Yes, I am a runner. There, I said it. I am very thankful that I have two legs that keep me moving – no matter how fast or how slow.

9. My friends. Even though there are some I don’t get to see very often, I know they are there for me and I hope they know I am there for them. I love my friends – the ones I have know for years and the ones I am just getting to know. They are all important to me and have a very special place in my heart.

10. Facebook. Yep, I said it. I am thankful for Facebook. It is such an awesome way to stay connected and in touch with each other when our lives are ever-so-busy.

So, there you have it. That is my Top Ten list of what I am thankful for this Thanksgiving Day. Oh, I did forget one…YOU, my readers. Thanks for taking this journey with me. Without you, I would be nothing more than words on a computer screen!!!!

Hope you all had a wonderful and happy Thanksgiving. And remember, you can always find Confessions of a [former] Fat Girl on Facebook. Click here!

A little apprehensive

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This coming weekend, my hubby and I have a 10K race. I am feeling a little – okay, maybe a lot – anxious about it and for a few different reasons. Reasons, to some, that may sound weird or maybe even, do I dare say, childish?

First off, it is a race we have done before – it is for the Lakes Area Humane Society in Alexandria. However, the last couple of years, we have only done the 5K. For some reason, which now escapes me, we decided to sign up for the 10K. Why, oh why, did we do this?

Yes, I know, I have already completed a 10K so it’s not the distance that is necessarily scaring me. It’s the thought that there won’t be very many people participating in the 10K, which may mean I could come in last. Yep, that’s where the childish-ness may come in. I know that I am not the fastest runner and I am okay with that. I am just darn happy I can finish. However, finishing last in the town where I live when so many people might be watching, that’s another whole thing. I wouldn’t care if I came in last in our upcoming race in Fargo on October 8. It’s in Fargo. Nobody knows me. AND…..there are thousands of participants.

This is in Alexandria. People know me. There may be a hundred people running. UGH! That’s what’s freaking me out. I am almost regretting signing up for the 10K. I wish I would have just signed up for the 5K.

I know what you are probably thinking. “WHO CARES?” I know, right? But I can’t help it. It’s who I am. I don’t want to disappoint anyone. I have been trying to talk myself out of feeling this way for the last two weeks, but as the race gets closer and closer, it’s just not helping.

I know, I am going to be just fine. And who really gives two hoots if I come in last. I am going to be okay. I CAN DO THIS. I know I can.  Right? My goal is to run the whole thing. And as far as my time, I just want to finish in less than one hour and 12 minutes. That is my goal. I CAN DO THIS!

I’ll let you all know what happens after the race on Saturday! Until then, send me some good vibes that the race will go just fine. I would surely appreciate it!

Remember, you can always feel free to email me at celbeam@gmail.com and don’t forget, you can always check on my Facebook page. You can do so by clicking here.

I think my mojo is back (maybe!)

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I think I am back on track. The last couple of weeks have gone much better. I am eating better, I am exercising and I think my head is on straight again. Well, as straight as it can be.

Not sure what happened to me, but I must have been in some kind of funk. Whatever it was, I think it is gone. For now.

I have been back running again. More than I have in the past few weeks and it feels soooooo good. I have also been moving and grooving to Jillian Michaels DVDs. And, for the most part, I have been loving it.

I do have one thing I have to share. I love being a leader for Weight Watchers. My members are so awesome. All of them. I wish, however, that I could spend one-on-one time with some of them. I wish I could give them more attention some time and more information and tips and whatever else it is they need. I know so many people struggle with weight issues and it is so hard. I try to encourage them the best I can.

Sometimes, however, they actually encourage me and I don’t even think they know it. Sometimes, a member can say something to me and to them, it is probably nothing, but to me, it means so much. I appreciate their little words of encouragement; their little nods of understanding; their laughter when I TRY to be funny; their clapping after a meeting (although most of the time this doesn’t happen, but I have to admit it’s kind of cool when it does); their thank you’s; their smiles; their words of wisdom; their words of encouragement to other members; and their tips and tricks they often share.

I lead 13 meetings per week and each one is unique. I travel to different towns and encounter so many truly wonderful people. I am grateful for the job I have and the opportunity to try and help people. It is truly an inspiring job. Yes, as I said before, I do actually miss attending meetings, but I finally realized that I can still be a part of them. I know, it sounds weird, right? But I still get to listen to the members share and that is one of the BEST parts of my job.

At any rate, I am feeling much better and I think things are back on track. Actually, I know they are. For now, anyway, and that’s all I need. Thanks to my family for their support and to each and every single one of my members. You all mean so much to me.

Take care everyone and don’t forget to check out my Confessions of  a [former] Fat Girl Facebook page. You can get to it by clicking here. Also, don’t forget you can always leave a comment or feel free to send me an email – celbeam@gmail.com.

Food on the Fourth

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My last blog post was about my eating habits at the “Lake Place” and how sometimes I can’t control myself. Here’s why:

Food on the Fourth! (And this wasn't all of it!)

As you can see, there is plenty to choose from. By looking at the picture, can you guess what I brought? Yes, of course, the big bowl of fruit and the colorful veggie tray. I made the veggie dip with fat-free sour cream and people actually ate it. I don’t think I heard one complaint.

So, are you wondering how I did? Well, let’s just say it’s a good thing I played several games of volleyball and hopefully worked off at least one of the pieces of cake I ate and at least one of the deliciously good bars I ate! Yes, I ate more than one of each. Oh, and I guess it was a good thing I ran a 5K race Saturday morning, which was the day of our Fourth party.

Yes, I got up early and ran the Shalom Lutheran Church 5K race at 8 a.m. The church is about four blocks from our house, so it was a no-brainer that I would do it. I mean, c’mon, it was THAT close to my house. I wasn’t going to NOT do it. And I am glad I did…it was my best time yet this year. My official time was 31:27. Oh, and if you’re wondering, no, my husband did not run it with me. He slept in. (Him and his college buddy, Dean, may have stayed up a little bit late on Friday night!)

During the party, I also ate lots of fruit and lots of veggies, which by the way, I realized people must not like veggies very much…or at least the veggies I had on my tray. I had red, yellow and green bell peppers, carrots, celery, cucumbers and grape tomatoes. I think all the carrots were gone, but that was about it. I was happy, actually, because I had leftover veggies for the next three days!

But I also realized that people love fruit. I had about a small Cool Whip container left of fruit, which of course, I ate the next morning for breakfast!

All-in-all, I was “okay” with my eating at the Fourth party, but only because of the fact that I got my exercise in. It made me feel much better knowing that I ran and I played tons of volleyball. Because if I didn’t, those four or so pieces of cake I ate would have made me feel a whole heck of a lot guiltier! Plus, my weight probably would have been up more than the .4 (point four) pounds that it was on Wednesday when I weighed in!!!!!!