Great quote..

   I saw this quote while driving yesterday, and had to get a shot of it before I forgot it. I was on my way home-ish from the gym, and it just struck me as sooo inspiring. And while it's a shitty picture, it's still a great quote, imo.

I had an epiphany of sorts while on the treadmill before our vacation, and it's made running a lot 'easier'. I was holding on to the treadmill for dear freaking life, and it just about killed me to get through 1 minute of running. So once I realized that's what i was doing, I relaxed my whole body, and it was just *easier* to run. The last few times I've been out, I try and keep conscious of the fact I need to be relaxed to run, and I think it's really helping.  I'm working on week 2 of c25k now, and i really felt good while running today. I even upped my speed a tad. Not saying I wasn't totally bagged by the end of the half hour walk-run cycle, but still. But hey, I ran, and hubs was on the couch. Feels good to be the one lapping someone for a change!

i did it...

I've started C25K.. I'm using the treadmill schedule on the site, and so far it's going ok. i run slower than I walk, which seems backwards to me, but hey, it is what it is. I think i'll take it slowly and do week 1 again next week, and see how that goes. I have a few friends online who have expressed interest in starting with me, but not sure if they're going to actually do it or not. I HAVE to do something so I'm not always "Joel's fat mom" and this is the start.

For more info on C25K, check the guys who developed the program:
C25k at Cool Running

And another plus-size blogger - http://plussizerunner.wordpress.com/

Call me...

What I saw in the mirror..

Jabba. No, really. I caught a look at myself in a full-length mirror on the weekend, and it was like Jabba was staring back at me. I knew I'd let myself go (further), but YIKES. I'm back up to the (approximate) weight I was when I gave birth to LJ, and it's soooo not pretty. Funny thing, shortly before catching the mirror shot, I told friends on the weekend that I'm gonna run the MacPass Mile next year. One mile, across the bridge between Dartmouth & Hali. It's only a mile. I can do it. Bigger people than me have started running, I will too. I'll be slow at first, but slow & steady wins the race. I'd rather be slow-like-turtle than dead-like-doornail... And hey, now that I've said it AND written it, means I've got to do it, right? So Aug 4/13... this gal will be running a mile. Hopefully without a cupcake on a string in front of my nose to boot (no promises though).

Today I start as a volunteer with GoodLife Fitness in their JUMP program (child-minding). 3h/week, every Tuesday evening, and I'll be working with my good friend L. After 4 weeks of volunteer sessions, I am entitled to a FREE gym membership for me & J. As long as I volunteer, I can work out there for free. Seems like a no-brainer. I need to get back to doing something active. I miss the walks LJ & I would take last year when I was on leave. I was so happy when I was able to do 5km pushing the stroller (about 50 lbs between baby & stroller), even with part of it uphill - but I doubt I could do it now, less than a year later.

So, I have to get back at it. Less crap & sloth-like behaviour. Those four weeks of volunteering before the gym will help me feel comfortable with all the "pretty peeps" and hopefully once the membership is activated I can jump in to working out a few nights a week..I can't do every day, life with a lil one just doesn't allow for it. But I can give a couple days a week, and see where that gets me. Can't get me in any worse of a situation...