And Away We Go - June 11, 2010

In January 2009 I started the Optifast program. My Dr had said that most people would lose about 50 pds in the 16 week initial program. I thought to myself, 16 weeks, 4 months, not that long in the general scheme of life I can stick with anything that long and if I could lose 50 pds that would put me back at the weight I have been most of my adult life and I would be happy. 11 months later, in December 2009, I reached my goal and had lost 122 pds. But I was scared, could I keep it off??? I have lost weight before, never this much but I have always gained it back and Ireally don't want to do that this time. At about this time a friend of mine, Dr. C, emailed me that there was going to be a half marathon race in Lexington in March and maybe we should think about doing it. Before I knew it we had committed to each other to do it together and put our money down. I decided to do it for two reasons, 1) to be able to say I had done it, my only goal was to finish and earn the finishers medal and 2) Ithought that training thru the winter would help me keep the weight off.

Well it worked, in March, we completed the race(although we didn't get to run together, long story for another post) but we finished and I was keeping the weight off and had even lost about another 20 pds just watching what I eat and running. SUCCESS!!

THEN my trainer started suggesting I do a full marathon. Her logic, I was already training and if I didn't do it now I would be like the people who finish school and say they will go back and get their MBA and then never do, so after alot of thought and soul searching I put my money down and signed up for a marathon. While we were training for the half we joined up with John's Striders in Lexington and without their help and support I don't know if I would have gotten out on those cold Saturdays and do the long runs so I emailed Ernie and said I need a training plan for a marathon and this is the first week of his plan. Tomorrow morning is my first long run, 12 miles. At this time I don't have anyone who wants to do 12 with me so I am going to run here in Gtown by myself in the morning and I am more than just a little nervous.

I have wished several times that I had kept a diary of my weight loss journey and my half marathon training so this time I am going to do it. This will be about my journey towards completing 26.2 miles with some remembrances back to my Optifast and half marathon journeys.

C