Two weeks ago, my friend Liz and I ran the 5K at the Chicago Half Marathon. It was our first race- for both of us- so we weren't running it for time or anything, just to get a feel for what a race is like :) It was so much fun! I wish I had more money; the change in scenery, number of people, benefit to self & others, and swag definitely make runs fly by!
More than anything, I'm proud of how far I've come. I started out about 150 pounds and unable to run more than a quarter of a mile without feeling like my lungs were collapsing. Now I'm around 139 pounds and still trying to shrink. We did 3.1 miles with zero problem (actually, we felt awesome afterwards!) and each week I've been increasing my run by a quarter of a mile.
Now I've joined LA Fitness and take morning classes 4-5 days a week. I'm still running, aiming for twice a week- although, sadly, now it's on a treadmill- but this week will be 3.75 miles. I'm really excited- I love my workouts and finally fit into clothes I haven't worn in 3 years.
I still have a long way to go, though. For Liz and me, our next goal is the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon in Chicago next August- and I hope to run the 2012 Chicago Marathon. I hope to lose at least 15 more pounds in the coming months and shrink a few more inches, but for now I'm quite pleased with my progress and my ability to finally stick with it!
