My Fitness Journey
Potomac River Run Marathon, May 2013
People that know me have heard this story many times, but my fitness journey really began the night my youngest son was born. He was born on August 23, 2010, and in many ways, I was also born anew that day. He came so fast there was no time for meds, and I found myself accomplishing something I never imagined I would have the strength to do.
That event started me on a journey of self-discovery that is still happening today and that I hope will last for the rest of my life.
Just like a baby, I took baby steps, growing into my life of fitness and a healthier lifestyle.
I started out with a couch-to-5k plan and some day spending as little as 10 minutes doing any physical activity. My original plan, and one I still hold to this day, is to try to work out every day of the work week, Mon-Fri, in order to maximize the time I have when the kids are in day care. We also try to do lots of fun physical activities with the kids on the weekend.
I graduated from the C25k in enough time to run the Virginia Tech Run in Remembrance (there was actually a thunderstorm that year and I went and ran around a local pond for 3.2 miles) in 2011. I started running some local races (3k, 5k). Over time, my husband started running with me. We ran our first half-marathon in May 2012 and our second half in November of 2012.
During the summer of 2012, my husband spent three months in Chattanooga, TN (for business). I enjoyed the extra quality time with the kids, but I found myself sort of at loose ends when it came to my fitness. I decided I want to "get ripped" over the summer, and I set up a meeting with a personal trainer to learn how to do it.
I started meeting with a personal trainer twice a week, including another strength session on my own, as well as running two days a week. My personal trainer taught me so much and truly started me down a road to getting ripped. I started seeing solid muscle definition and lost about 4-5 lbs. over the summer. More importantly, though, I gained self-confidence, a stronger love for my body, and a real passion for weight lifting and strength and resistance training.
Since that time, I have gone from feeling completely clueless in the gym to sort of becoming a gym rat. There's still plenty I don't know, but these days I feel at home in the weight room. I've deadlifted my body weight, worked my way up to doing 20 consecutive push ups, and am seriously close to accomplishing my goal of doing 1+ unassisted chin ups. Currently, I can do a chin up, as long as I give a little jump off the floor up to the bar. From there, I can lower myself almost to a dead hang and pull myself back up about 2 more times. It's pretty awesome!!
In May 2013, my husband and I ran our first ever marathon. It took some dedicated training, and the race itself was full of emotional ups and downs, but we completed it in 4:46 (with two potty breaks). I experienced major pain in my left knee around mile 10 but still managed to run the whole thing, with the exception of the two potty/stretch breaks.
That event started me on a journey of self-discovery that is still happening today and that I hope will last for the rest of my life.
Just like a baby, I took baby steps, growing into my life of fitness and a healthier lifestyle.
I started out with a couch-to-5k plan and some day spending as little as 10 minutes doing any physical activity. My original plan, and one I still hold to this day, is to try to work out every day of the work week, Mon-Fri, in order to maximize the time I have when the kids are in day care. We also try to do lots of fun physical activities with the kids on the weekend.
I graduated from the C25k in enough time to run the Virginia Tech Run in Remembrance (there was actually a thunderstorm that year and I went and ran around a local pond for 3.2 miles) in 2011. I started running some local races (3k, 5k). Over time, my husband started running with me. We ran our first half-marathon in May 2012 and our second half in November of 2012.
During the summer of 2012, my husband spent three months in Chattanooga, TN (for business). I enjoyed the extra quality time with the kids, but I found myself sort of at loose ends when it came to my fitness. I decided I want to "get ripped" over the summer, and I set up a meeting with a personal trainer to learn how to do it.
I started meeting with a personal trainer twice a week, including another strength session on my own, as well as running two days a week. My personal trainer taught me so much and truly started me down a road to getting ripped. I started seeing solid muscle definition and lost about 4-5 lbs. over the summer. More importantly, though, I gained self-confidence, a stronger love for my body, and a real passion for weight lifting and strength and resistance training.
Since that time, I have gone from feeling completely clueless in the gym to sort of becoming a gym rat. There's still plenty I don't know, but these days I feel at home in the weight room. I've deadlifted my body weight, worked my way up to doing 20 consecutive push ups, and am seriously close to accomplishing my goal of doing 1+ unassisted chin ups. Currently, I can do a chin up, as long as I give a little jump off the floor up to the bar. From there, I can lower myself almost to a dead hang and pull myself back up about 2 more times. It's pretty awesome!!
In May 2013, my husband and I ran our first ever marathon. It took some dedicated training, and the race itself was full of emotional ups and downs, but we completed it in 4:46 (with two potty breaks). I experienced major pain in my left knee around mile 10 but still managed to run the whole thing, with the exception of the two potty/stretch breaks.
