The summer of 2011 I found me just turning 30, overweight, and dealing with life as a young widow. I’d lost my husband to cancer a year and a half before, and now after months of healing, I knew I wanted more out of life. I was tired of living each day feeling like I was surviving, but not thriving.
I started working out at Phases several times a week, making appointments to complete my strength training program and checking out the classes they offer. I adopted the “Eat Clean” lifestyle. I eat almost entirely following a Jillian Michaels’ motto – “If it didn’t grow from the ground or have a mother – don’t eat it.” I cut back on my portions and started eating clean, fresh foods. I use the MyFitnessPal app on my phone to track my calories and keep me on target.
Though I had been working out consistently for nine months, I found myself stuck at a plateau in June 2011. I couldn’t get past 40 pounds lost. Around this time, my gym started a team to train for the Men’s Health Urbanathlon in New York City. This was just the shakeup I needed in my routine. I began attending weekly training sessions and working on my running stamina. I was part of a 3-woman relay team.
When I started training for the Urbanathlon in June 2012, I couldn’t run a solid mile. But through hard work, persistence, and a lot of prayer, I completed my leg of the Urbanathlon with no trouble! This race revealed my “inner athlete,” and I realized that I could do anything I set my mind to.
With that attitude, the day after the Urbanathlon, I signed up for the 2013 Rock ‘N Roll USA Half Marathon in Washington, DC. I focused hard on the training, fueling myself with clean foods, and continuing to strength train. I crossed the finish line of my first half marathon in 2:36, without walking at all!
This race spurred me on to set my sights on bigger things! That same fall (2013), my 3-woman relay team returned to the Urbanathlon. This year, we did the entire race together - all 10 miles and 12 obstacles! I was so floored by this experience that I just kept going. In 2014, I ran 5 half marathons and crossed the finish line of THE BALTIMORE MARATHON!
Since crossing that finish line in 2014, I've had some major life changes. I got married, gained a stepdaughter, and have been recovering from a back injury. Thanks for following along on this journey of life!
This was just the shakeup I needed in my routine. I began attending weekly training sessions and working on my running stamina. I was part of a 3-woman relay team. Flat Tummy Coupon
ReplyDeletemensajes de buenos dias Very informative information on your site here. I like this post because we can get some useful information from your blog. I expect more post from you
ReplyDeleteBest Restaurants Open On Christmas Day in New York
ReplyDeleteit's basic that your specific web structuring organization should be identified with your organization venture model
Shindig Web
Top 10 Best Organic Milk Brands in the US
In response to what cubinatio said…is that why very religious people were once big sinners? It always seemed to me that these people feel so bad about their past that they try to cover it up with religion. For more information, please visit here
ReplyDeleteI admire what you have done here. I like the part where you say you are doing this to give back but I would assume by all the comments that this is working for you as well. herbal products
ReplyDelete