Doodle Acres » Exercise

The Story of a DIVA, Otherwise Known as my First Half-Marathon

Heather — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 02:08:19 +0000

Well today I ran my first half marathon. Believe it or not, it was the Run Like A Diva Half-Marathon. For those of you who know me in real life, you know that I am not really the Diva type. However, I will admit to enjoying watching the ladies running in their tutus and fancy clothes. It helped to pass the time after my iPod died. But back to the beginning…

5:30 am: I got up, got dressed and attempted to slowly raise the dead, otherwise known as my family. Ate some oatmeal and toast with PB. Then I fed the grumbling dead with the bagels I had picked up the day before. Aren’t I a good mother and wife?

6:15 am: Hit the road. All went smoothly until we got within 1/4 mile of Eisenhower Park. Can you say “traffic jam”? Parking was a challenge, but my hubby was up to said challenge.

7:15 am: We walked and walked and walked to the starting line in the cold morning air with some of my under-dressed children complaining about their level of coldness. Said children had been warned to dress warmly. Can you say “I told you so”? Just kidding.

8:00 am: Race begins as over 3600 people (mostly women) start out on their adventure.

Mile 3: iPod dies… This was when the race became spiritual for me. I told the Blessed Mother that I was now completely relying on her to see me through. Toby Keith, Josh Turner, RelientK, and the rest of my iTune buddies had let me down. It was all up to her now.

Mile 5: Legs start to get sore.

Mile 7: Legs start to get a bit numb, which is perhaps better than sore, right?

Mile 7.5: Start praying the rosary using my earphones to block out all the race chatter and noise. It was good that it was Sunday. The glorious mysteries are good for running outdoors. After all, the Resurrection, the Ascension, the descent of the Holy Spirit, the Assumption, and the Coronation of Mary all invoke visions of the outdoors and particularly of the sky. So running outdoors under the big beautiful (if a bit cloudy) sky was perfect.

Mile 10: Tell myself that I only have 3.1 miles left, which is the equivalent of a 5K. Then I remind myself that this battle is all in my mind (Thanks Teresa Hansen). My body knows what to do. My body can run a 5K in its sleep. So the mind decides to stay strong and persevere.

Mile 12: Reach the “Boa and Tiara Station” which I had planned on skipping, but as they were handing them out on the run, I decided to take them for my daughter Lily. First I tried on the tiara. Well we Millers/Giambalvos have big heads due to our large brains (so a doctor told me), and this ‘made for a 6 year old’ tiara was not going to fit snugly on my crown while running. So I carried it. At first I wrapped the pink feather boa around my throat as I saw the other participants doing. Well that didn’t last very long. Can you say “uncomfortable”? So I tied it around my waist. In the pictures my husband took, it looks like a pink tail!!!

Mile 12.75: Decided not to sprint (which is my custom) for the finish line due to the lack of feeling in my legs.

Finish Line: Thank the Blessed Mother for her strength… had a drink of champagne provided by the race… received my finisher’s medal and red rose (as well as assorted snacks)… skipped the long line to have my picture taken in full Diva garb… staggered over to my family and believe me “staggered” isn’t much of an exaggeration… made the long trek back to the car… and thanked God for a wonderful family to support me and for a comfy seat to ride home on.

All in all it was a satisfying experience. Will I do it again? Right now, less than 12 hours after finishing the race, I can’t answer that. Perhaps it will depend how my legs feel tomorrow. But it is certainly an accomplishment that I will treasure forever. At 43 years old, I never thought that this was something that was within my reach. Two and a half years ago when I weighed about 100 lbs. more than I do now, I never even dreamed of this. But God is indeed good. Nothing is impossible with His help!!!

A Great Quote About Running

Heather — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 22:13:16 +0000

As a type-A personality, I totally agree with this quote!!!

“Running is ideal for type-A personalities who prefer routine, structure and a little self-competition,” says Jessica Smith. With a no-nonsense attitude and motivation to burn, you enjoy a no-strings workout that lets you enjoy the scenery (and solitude), anywhere at anytime. Plus, you can harness your own momentum to clinch that runner’s high. Make sure to invest in a supportive pair of sneakers.

From: What Does Your Workout Say About You? By Melissa F. Pheterson

HT: Building Cathedrals

“Because I Can…”

Heather — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 17:16:16 +0000

While buying a new pair of sneakers at a local running store the other day, I saw a shirt that simply said, “Because I can..” I had to buy it because it perfectly describes why I run – because I can… It is something that I could never do even in my overweight youth and it is certainly something I couldn’t do 90 lbs. ago. So I thank God that I can run, because I can!!!

Hope(17), Lenny(13), and I ran another 5K today. Poor Lenny who was in the front group was misdirected by a policeman and ended up running much more than 3.1 miles. You should have seen the look on Lenny’s face when he crossed the finish line …with his slow mother. It was priceless. Hope came in in front of us both and teasingly refuses to acknowledge that Lenny ran farther than she did!!!

Our First 5K Race

Heather — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 20:12:17 +0000

In spite of pouring rain AND thunder and lightning, Lenny (13) and I competed in our first 5K race today. Mercifully, the rain stopped just as the race began. How’s that for answered prayers!!! Lenny placed 3rd in his age group with a time of 25:49 and I was thrilled with my time of 37:51. The rain actually took the pressure off, because my focus went from worrying about my time to just enjoying my run. I was even able to chat with a couple of the runners along the way. I started out slowly and continued to speed up as the race progressed (as my favorite running coach, Jeff Sabol, recommended!!!).

We both had fun and we’re looking forward to our next race later in the month!!!

Len (my favorite photographer) and the other children stayed home due to the weather, so you are stuck with a couple of terrible pictures taken on my camera phone.

Yeah for Me!!! And the Children!!!

Heather — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 23:51:47 +0000

Well I did it. Hope, Lenny and I ran in my first running race yesterday. We ran a mile and Lily did the 1/4 mile fun run.

Peter and Lily before Lily’s race:

Lily, looking a bit nervous before her race

Lily’s big finish!!!

Hope was such a good sport to run this race with no prior preparation

I was pleased with my time of 10:51

Lenny ran in the men’s race and ran his personal best for the mile:

Here’s the happy bunch after the race:

Update from Doodle Acres – July 15, 2009

Heather — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 19:50:20 +0000

I know, I know, it has been a long time since I have blogged. I didn’t start out taking a blogging break but somehow, I got out of the habit of posting. So anyway, for those couple of you who might still check this site, I thought I’d write a post about what we’ve been up to…

Well about me… I am happy to have this school year behind us and am enjoying some much needed time off from the usual rat race. This spring I let things get way too busy. Everything that we did was wonderful but I had trouble keeping up with the mayhem in a peaceful manner. Note to self: Don’t let that happen again!!!

About 16 months ago, I started a journey of trying to get my weight and my health into a better place. I began (and continue) that journey at a local Diet Center. I have lost 85 pounds thus far. That number seems surreal to me even as I type it but I am thrilled to be the thinnest I’ve been in nearly 20 years and 25 lbs. thinner than when I got pregnant with Hope almost 18 years ago.

I have learned many things at Diet Center. They have taught me that I cannot change my past mistakes. I can just start out right now, right this minute doing the next right thing. I don’t need to punish myself for a food faux pas. I just need to do that next right thing.

I go in to Diet Center about 3 times a week for 15 minutes or so for individual diet counselling. And the support of my counselors (Ellen and Meg) has meant the world to me. They have shared my triumphs and my falls. They have encouraged me to persevere when I wanted to quit. They have been there for me through everything. And I can’t thank them enough.

They even encouraged me to get off my lazy rear and get moving. Of course they put it in nicer words!!! With their encouragement, I have gone from a couch potato to somewhat of an athlete, who actually looks forward to exercising —well most of the time.

Last summer, I read a book called The Secrets of a Former Fat Girl by Lisa Delaney. The author talked about her own journey from fat girl to fit. She believes that in order to change the same old messages in her head, she had to change how she perceived herself. In a nutshell, she began running and started to think of herself as an “athlete” rather than as a “fat girl”.

When I read this book, I found her logic and her story inspiring. However, at my weight (even having lost 25 lbs at that point with Diet Center) I knew that my body wasn’t ready to run. So I started with “baby steps” (as Flylady would say) and began walking. I walked and walked and walked for months until finally I started to slowly begin to run.

I found a training plan online for transforming oneself from a couch potato to a 5K runner. It was late February when I began my running and slowly but surely I have been able to increase my running time up to 35 minutes straight plus warm-up and cool-down walks. I even joined the track club with my two middle children, Lenny and Lily. Who would have thunk it???

I am a slow runner but I am running nonetheless. And as Lisa Delaney predicted, it has helped me to start to change the way I view myself. It is only a beginning but I have high hopes of running my first 5K race this fall. I may very well be the last person to cross the finish line but who cares as long as I finish!!!

AND BEST OF ALL, I AM NO LONGER ON BLOOD PRESSURE MEDICATION!!! I had to write that in bold letters!!! I feel as if God has blessed me so greatly with all of the positive support he has brought into my path. God is indeed good!!!

Well I know that this update was all about me but it’s getting long and I’ll close for now. I’ll fill you in on the children and Len next time!!! Thanks for reading…

Oh one more thing, I am (reluctantly, sheepishly) posting these before and after pictures in hopes that it will encourage you in your journey towards health and fitness. I hope it helps to see how far I’ve come.

Some Semblance of a Schedule

Heather — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 00:22:11 +0000

OK, I admit it. The last couple of months have been a wonderfully crazy blur, full of many blessed events (hence the reason that I have been blogging so infrequently and also the reason that I encouraged you to add me to your Blogreader —Bloglines is my personal favorite). While wonderful, these last few months have left me feeling a bit out of sorts with our lack of a real daily schedule and our overstuffed house, which never seems to stay picked up for more than 5 minutes!!! In fact I feel as if my head has been spinning and in danger of falling off altogether!!!

Needless to say, I really needed this vacation!!! Vermont is always a place where I find inspiration and peace. Being here in God’s beautiful nature show always makes me long for simplicity and order in my life and the life of my family. Being among the trees and on the lake seem to give me clarity of vision that I can lose at home, if I’m not careful.

Having just recently finished Shopping for Time, I have been enjoying “sitting at Jesus’ feet” these last three or four mornings before my family has arisen from their blessed slumber. This has meant getting up at 6 a.m. while on vacation (I know, I know, I can hear you groaning!!!). I consider this preparation for when I get home and push up my wake up time to 5 a.m. (Now I hear you really moaning!!!). This time away and my early mornings spent at Jesus’ feet have made my path clear to me.

Like it or not, 5 a.m. is a necessary evil. It is the only way that I can have my quiet time, get my housework back on track, and still find time for exercise which is a must for getting off / reducing my blood pressure medication. These are all things that I used to do thanks to Flylady but have lost sight of in the recent past. I am grateful for the Control Journal that I put together a while back which makes it easier to get back on the straight and narrow.

I have spent a couple of hours over the last few days working on a schedule to fulfill all my goals. I know it will need some tweaking and I will need some patience as I put the plan into action. Something that I have been learning over these last several months is that when I stumble, I need to just brush myself off and begin again. Sometimes this means asking the Lord’s forgiveness and forgiving myself. But when all is said and done, I need to get up and try again (preferably without beating myself up too severely). So in this spirit I continue this blessed journey. Now without further adieu, here it is:

Morning Routine

5 am Get up

Make bed

Go to bathroom

Vitamins/Medication

SITTING AT JESUS’ FEET

5:45 Brush teeth

Apply moisturizer

Dress

Hair

Make-up

6:00 Empty dishwasher, if necessary

Breakfast, newspaper

Diet Center food planning

Daily planning, check calendar, update “to do” list, plan day/errands/goals

Menu planning, grocery shopping planning

Puzzles, clip for later

7:00 Defrost meat for dinner, dinner prep

Breakfast prep for children (CHILDREN”S BREAKFAST at 7:30)

Put out hotspots

Wash breakfast dishes

Shine sink

27 Fling Boogie, time permitting

7:30 Walk, while children have Breakfast

8:00 Heather & children: Daily jobs

Monday: Change sheets, vacuum and dust bedrooms

Tuesday: Dust downstairs, vacuum upstairs hallway, vacuum thoroughly downstairs

Wednesday: Blue bathroom

Thursday: Upstairs bathroom

Friday: Kitchen

Daily: 27 Fling Boogie and Zone work, time permitting

8:30 Children’s Individual Chores while I check email, read, blog, correspondence

9:30 Rosary & Beginner’s Bible

10:00 Basic School plan with children

12 pm Lunch prep

12:30 Lunch

I ask for your prayers as I put this into action next week.