Wow!  I can't believe my second half is almost here! How exciting!  It's THIS SATURDAY, June 12th.  My son will be running with me so it will be DOUBLE FUN!  Woohoo!  My daughter will be doing the 5K so she will be at the finish line waiting on us.  I am a little nervous but not as much as my first one.  I've got the mental part down pat!  I know I can do it because I have done it before.  I just have to remember to take it slow in the beginning.  It is so tempting to want to run with everyone else even though they are skinnier, younger, and faster!!!  Ha!  But I know my limits and all I want to do is finish standing up!  I do hope to PR but if I don't, it won't hurt my feelings.  Just to be able to do it at all is a great acomplishment for me.!!  It will be a special moment when my son and I cross the finish line and when my daughter meets us there.  

I am so proud of my children.  I put them through so much when I was drinking and drugging.  I am so blessed for them to have growh into caring, responsible adults.  I praise God for ALL my blessings and there are many! 

I have started my checklist of things to take with me.  I always have this fear of forgetting something....like running shoes maybe...he he... Lord help me if that every happened.  I did my spin class this morning and got a twinge of "something" in my calf, the same one that I tore the calf muscle in last year.  Oh no!   So I am going to take it slow this week.  I was going to do my usual workout routine for the week but have decided against it.  I may do some walking with friends. Or if I run I will only do a mile or so.  Just something to keep my legs loose but not enought to cause an injury. 

This race course has some rolling hills so it is going to be tough but I can do it!  And the medal is beautiful, as is the T-shirt.  I can't wait to get mine.  Also they are giving away $1,000 to five lucky people.  The race starts at 6 am.  The drawing will be at 10 and you have to be present to win so I told my son we would have to be finished by 10 so I could collect my money.....ha ha ....!! 

I know we will have great fun and I am so excited.  I just hope I don't get lazy like I did after my last half. But then again, I probably won't because Galloway training for the St. Jude Half is starting up soon and I am doing that one again too.   No rest for the weary! 

On an awesome, awesome note......I have recruited another lady to run.  And she might be my speed.  Yippee!  I am so excited.  I need another penguin to waddle run along beside me.  :)  Plus I LOVE encouraging people.  When she asked me about the program I think I talked for an hour straight about it.  But I know that if I can do it-anyone can.  They just need a little encouragement like I did.  After being a cough potato ALL my life, it is hard to explain the feeling I have when I run.  Every time I run I am doing something I NEVER THOUGHT I COULD DO!  That feeling of acomplishment is glorious......mind boggling....almost too good to be true-so I pinch myself sometimes. he he....  God is so good.  When I called to him he answered me and he rescued me from my life of bondage to drugs and alcohol.  Little did I know that 18 years later I would be competing in my second half marathon.  On the season of The Biggest Loser when they did the very first marathon I cried and cried when they crossed the finish line because I was in training for my first half at that time.  I recorded the episode and played it over and over.  It gave me great encouragement and the courage that I, too, could finish and finish strong.  And that is just what I did. 

I am still amazed sometimes at how my life has turned out. And it's not over yet!  Praise God! 

OA, Jeff Galloway IN PERSON and other ramblings

My OA meeting last night was great! We had two new members! How cool. We are started a "book study" and are going to study the 12 Steps and 12 Traditions of OA. Need I say that in the first three paragraphs I saw myself over and over. I am so glad I decided to do something positive about my food issues. Like I said at the meeting last night - it is not just about losing weight! It is about getting healthy and that is what I want to do. If I lose weight in the process - that is great too! Thank you God for 12 Step programs - they have literally saved my life!!

I went to the Y to run on Monday and it was packed! That is the first time I have seen it that full this year! I guess all those new year resolutions are in full swing! lol. I did the elliptical for 2.6 miles and still no treadmill available. I wasn't exactly dressed to run outside so I went upstairs to the cardio/core class. Wow and wow and ouch! The jump rope part almost killed me...he he... (not to mention my 52 almost 53 year old bladder wasn't happy either). I had not done that class before but I loved it. I will definitely do it again. But....now my right calf is hurting. I wonder if I strained it.....oh great...just what I needed. But I am taking it slow today. I didn't do anything yesterday as far as exercise. I did have a total of 19 miles last week so that was great, but no weight loss for that week but I am hoping a weight loss will show up this week for sure.

The Galloway running group that I am a part of is starting back this Saturday. And guess what??? The man, Jeff Galloway himself, will be there in person!!! I am too excited!! He will run with us that morning and he will be doing a three hour running school that afternoon. I can't wait!!  I will let you know how it goes.

MAKE it a great day everyone!

Cataract surgery over and 5K race coming up

Haven't run since last Sat.  Cataract surgery went great. Don't even need my glasses now.  I have a 5K tomorrow morning; Uplifting Ministries 5K in Jackson, MS.  This will be my first race since the half in December.  I am looking forward to it.  I wish I could get my husband interested but haven't been able to so far.  Two friends and I are going and one of them is running too.  I am sure she will blow past me like a north wind but that's okay too.  I am seriously trying to lose some more weight so I can get better with my speed.  The Galloway Training School that I  participated in last year when I first started running is coming up soon.  I have several friends that are going to the informational meeting to see if they would like to participate.  I want to be an encouragement to others who have throught of running and/or walking but did not feel like they could do it.  The Galloway program makes it so easy! I probably would have given up if I had not been able to take the walk breaks. Eventually I want to run without them but right now I am very grateful for them! 

I will post my race report asap.  Don't get too excited because it will not be anything too spectacular but at least I am up and moving.  Progress NOT perfection is my motto. 

Have a great weekend friends!