Powerhouse Book List

I am a list maker, a control fReAk, and a little bit obsessive compulsive.  With that being said before I embark on any journey I usually start with a  researching phase, books, blogs, magazines,and  talking to experienced people.  During this phase regards running  I saw a book at the library a.k.a  work 🙂 that literally stopped me in my tracks.  It was this book:

I thought ” what an utterly ridiculous cover” but I liked the little hint of pot belly and the winged shoes. Actually I thought ” I want some sneakers with wings to!”  Anywho, I devoured it, almost all of John’s stories about his childhood and the lost of desire when it came to sports, just reminded me of my childhood play.  John’s book helped me take my desire to run and let me know it was okay to start exactly as I currently was and without apologizing, because if I just continue eventually I won’t have to wish, I will be where I want to be. 

Here are a few of his other titles:

The Courage to Start

Running for Mortals

No Need for Speed *(More on this gem in a later post!)

Marathoning  for Mortals

Here are a  couple of other titles by other authors that I thought were pretty awesome as well: 

I Run, Therefore I am—nuts! by Bob Schwartz  —This book was Funny, Funny, Funny stuff that with training tips that won’t soon be forgotten.

Running Start to Finish by John Stanton–A very practical title, I especially love the section on injures and warming up/cooling down with pictures.

50/50 Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days by Dean Karnazes  (I haven’t read this yet, but I am VERY curious!)

My Current Training Progress:

I am indeed a  penguin, but darn proud!!  I’m at 2 miles  in 45 minutes. 4 times per week.

I’ve also decided to really kick it into higher gear with my eating habits. It’s true : Junk in/Junk Out.

I’m still fighting high blood pressure, so that’s actually my number one goal at this point.

 Let me know what YOU have been up to, I’d LOVE to hear all about it!

Until next time folks..

-J.

The Fear of Running While Fat

Today made a post to my MYFITNESSPAL blog and I can not believe the response I received.  It overwhelmingly made my day. I’m reposting it here.

I’ve been struggling emotionally lately trying to express what trying to lose over 100lbs feels like and I think that sharing my journey with words may be exactly what I need, and hopefully inspire others.

So welcome! Read on for my first steps.

So I’ve read all I can about running.  I woke up this morning and it was drizzling, for a split second I thought about going back to bed but I had spent half of my night reading blogs about being a plus side runner and looking for information on how to overcome my fear. I got dressed.  Black tee, Black leggings–because god forbid I run in a pair of shorts, and then a hoodie.

I stretched, put on my Pandora workout station and started in for my first six minutes of walking and when the time came I…….kept walking. I wanted to lift my legs and become a “penguin” ( a penguin is the name for slow runners). This went on for 25 minutes, I was really enjoying the walk itself, the music was perfect, but cars kept driving by or people were on the street and I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.

But then I saw a mom and daughter walking to the bus stop. The girl looked like she was maybe a high school teen, and she was pretty large, dare I even say my size?? And I could tell that the short walk she was taking was really difficult for her. For some reason that was all I needed.

That was the moment, I knew right then and there it didn’t matter what anybody thought the reason I was doing this is because I don’t want to struggle to breath when I walk to the bus stop, because darn’t  I have the strength to run, so I should run! Because I need to do SOMETHING to control my emotions and find a release.  I NEED TO RUN!So I cut through an alley, walked it halfway and then ran the rest.

I couldn’t believe it!  I had just ran, and then I ran a little more, and then my fear of all fears happened. A car literally stopped in the middle of the street and watched me. I stopped in my tracks, but engaged full power walk status. I was a little mortified but I’m happy it happened because I lived through it AND  I didn’t die. I did a rest walk and tried again, and I’ll  keep doing it tommorow!!

I cannot explain the range of emotions that I had this morning, and though I probably only ran for a total of maybe 2 minutes. I ran, and I ran outside and in front of people darnit and I feel great!