I Am An All-Star 5 K Runner!

Go Carli it’s your Birthday!  Okay, so it’s not my B-day, but it felt like it.  This morning when I got up at 6AM, I was so nervous that I was almost sick to my stomach.  I had to pray and calm myself down.  When I got in the car Maurette Brown Clark’s song “It Ain’t Over” was on the radio, and gave me a big burst of inspiration.  I reminded myself that I’ve done this before, and I can do it again.  I stood with the crowd of 8,000 as we listened to Susan G. Komen’s sister give us words of encouragement.  The Governor and Shawn Johnson, gold-medal winner on the balance beam at the 2008 Olympics and winner of ABC’s Dancing With the Stars, were also there to run in the race.  Cardinal’s Hall of Famer Lou Brock sounded the horn, and we were off.  I didn’t let all the skinny people whizzing past me worry me.  I was there to beat my time, not theirs.  I kept a steady pace, and fed myself positive thoughts.  “You have a website about running, you want to encourage others, you don’t want to be last, you’re almost done.”  I took a swig of Gatorade at the refresh stand and kept it moving.  The 1st mile is always the hardest.  I was completely shocked when I saw the 2 mile marker, as my iPod was a little behind on the distance.  When I had about a half of a mile to go, the pavement texture changed, and I felt a blister on the bottom of my foot, and my feet starting tingling.  “What the heck is going on I asked?”  I’ve never had a blister, or tingling numb feet.  I didn’t have time to figure it out, and I was super excited when I checked my time.  I knew if I kept my pace, I could beat my original race time of 54 Minutes.  When I was about 2 blocks from the finish line, there was my brother in law, the only person downtown in a Sunday Suit, video recording my final push.  I turned the corner and saw the finish line, and the clock said 50 Minutes!  I did it; the feeling was so overwhelming yet exhilarating.  Everyone should experience the natural high of crossing the finish line.   I met my goals, I wasn’t last, and I beat my time!  Miss Missouri, gave me my medal that I proudly wore around my neck.  This time when they asked ”How do you Feel?”  My answer was “Great!!!” 

Downtown Was a Soggy Mess

I had to go downtown today to pick up my All-Star 5K race packet from the booth they set up across from Busch Stadium.  It was pouring down rain, the whole way from my house.  By the time I got there, it let up some, and I picked up my t-shirt and race number and D-tag to track my time.  My plan was to jog the actual race path, to get a feel for it.  But I’m sure you know by now, I don’t get down with the rain like that.  I could not risk getting drenched.  Traffic was a mess because all the fan fest stuff was going on, and they’re still cleaning up the city.  They built a new park, filled in the pot holes and even cleaned up the bus stops.  They even cleaned out the pee smell from the stadium garage elevators.  I guess they want to make a good impression of St. Louis for President Obama who’ll be throwing the 1^st pitch at the all-star game!….St. Louis is doing big things!…I drove the race path, to familiarize myself with the hills and the terrain.  It didn’t seem too bad, just really long, and it’s supposed to rain again!  I kept saying in my head that tomorrow’s blog heading would read “The Race that Never Was”   But, I know that I want my blog to be successful and help other people accomplish their goals, so I went to the track at the gym.  I jogged about 2 miles, because I didn’t want to over do it.  Well…tomorrow is the big day, so I’m logging off, and calling it a night.   

Why Did the Duck Cross the Road?

Today, I was determined to run the entire 3.1 miles to prepare for my 5K race on Sunday, although part of me felt like I couldn’t do it.  Which was is totally crazy, seeing as how I did it in April.  I was still hurting from yesterday’s Jump Rope fest during boot camp class and totally unmotivated to go running.  I went to Forest Park anyway, and hit my regular path that I know for sure is 3 miles since my Nike iPod tracker still needs to be calibrated.  Today’s run was hard…my left leg cramped up…that annoying pain in my right side reared it’s ugly head, but I pressed through it.  Like the boot camp instructor said, once you work though the tough parts, you’ll see your break through….and low and behold I did.  I was in a good groove, that is until the Mama duck and her ducklings took their time crossing from the pond over the bike/jogging trail.   They were so cute, but they slowed me down as you see on the chart.  Eventually, I picked back up my speed and finished in 53 minutes!  Maybe I’ll be able to meet my goals after all! 

Gearing up for Race Day

It was raining on Saturday, my normal workout day, and of course the gym was closed because it was the 4th of July. What’s a girl to do? Go to her friend’s birthday party, eat off the buffet and watch fireworks under the Arch of course.  But, on Sunday, it was back to the real world. I bought some new purple headphones to match my purple iPod as a treat to myself. The sound quality is so much nicer than the $4 pair I got from Family Dollar. It was a great day to run, only about 75 degrees out. But half way through my run, I had to pee! I freaked out, what if I have to stop and pee on race day, that will so screw up my time. I finished a little less than 3 miles, in under an hour. Nothing spectacular, but hey it’s a holiday weekend, and I’m out running, that counts for something. I can not finish this post without mentioning that my mother was in the St. Louis American newspaper. Not only was she in there, but her huge picture was advertising the next healthy happy hour. I was the guest speaker at healthy happy hour, I was the “weight loss expert” who passed around fat before pictures. But, her picture was featured in the paper and not mine! Hump…I guess that’s the way it goes!

A New Routine

Not only was it a new routine, just because I’m working out on a Tuesday, but I was tired of jogging the same path.  I went all the way over to the other side of the park.  There was hardly anyone over there, and I was the only car on the lot.  Me and Nyah started off with a brisk walk and then I started my run.  I totally freaked out when about 10 minutes into my run, I started to run out of gas.  I quickly realized that sit-ups, push-ups and leg lifts don’t equal running for 3 miles.  My race is in a couple weeks, I felt so defeated, I joined boot camp to help me, not slow me down.  I love the definition I’m starting to see in my arms, but Michelle Obama arms won’t help me run.  If you look at my Nike Chart, you see where I slowed down.  A few minutes later, that DMX song “Up in Here” started playing through my iPod, I don’t know what it is about that song that makes me feel hype and invincible, but I started jogging again…then came Destiny’s Child’s “Survivor.”  That is my song!  I was running pumping my fists in the air singing “I’m a survivor, I’m not gonna give up, I’m not gonna stop, I’m gonna work harder!…I’m a survivor, I’m gonna Make it!”    And that’s just what I did and I finished 2.6 Miles. 

I’m a Soldier

I woke up this morning coughing up gross stuff, and still feeling a little under the weather. But, I got up and went to boot camp class anyway.  Boy, oh boy did he work us.  I had sweat dripping down my legs.  We really focused on intense ab exercises today.  The instructor knew we would feel the fruits of our labor when he told us, “don’t sneeze, and when you laugh think of me.”  Fitness coaches and their humor…

May the King of Pop R.I.P.

Michael Jackson - King of Pop

MY SPEECH IS BELOW THIS POST…I’m still in shock that Michael Jackson is gone!  I was a huge fan in the 80’s, I’m talking, posters on the wall that I use to talk to, and hide my change behind.  I had a belt with his face on it, that I treated like gold!  Well… I digress.  Today, I was asked to speak at “Healthy Happy Hour” about losing weight and living an active lifestyle. We dined on turkey lasagna made with whole wheat noodles, veggies and dip, and fruit kabobs for dessert. We did line dances and yoga stretches.  Then, they introduced me to the crowd of about 20 or so as an expert!  I’m by no means an expert, but it was nice to hear the applause as I told them my story.   Well here’s my speech, but I must tell you that my big little sister said I was “Ghetto” for adding a special shout out to Michael Jackson at the end of my speech LOL!….

 MY SPEECH…

• Hi, My name is “Carli”, I’ve pretty much struggled with my weight since adolescence.  In June of last year, I joined the Weight Management program at Washington University.  Since that time, I’ve lost 50 lbs and made many drastic lifestyle changes.  Before I joined the WM program, a typically days meals would probably consist of a breakfast sandwich, hash browns and orange juice, lunch of chicken fingers and fries and soda, donut sticks for an afternoon snack, and a double cheeseburger meal with a soda, and usually dessert with dinner. Before loosing the weight, I would get out of breath doing everyday activities.  I got out of breath putting on shoes, walking up a flight stairs, and even getting out the car.  It was a miserable way to live life, that’s when I knew something had to be done, so I joined the WM Program.  The 1^st 20 weeks of the program are very strict.  I thought that I would most certainly die when the dietitian said Mountain Dew would not be a part of my new food regimen.  A typical day’s food turned into a  High Protein Shake for breakfast, a salad for lunch, a Protein Bar for snack and a healthy choice frozen meal for dinner.  I stuck this meal plan about 90% of the time.  In the beginning, I slowly became more physically active by joining the Wash U “On the Move” program, an exercise program designed specifically for overweight individuals.  After Stage 1 of the program ended, and new foods were added to my meal plan, and I stopped loosing weight.  I realized I had to get even more active and dedicated to my weight loss.  I started a blog online called www.runningintoshape.com.  I used my blog as a journal to track my ups and downs as I trained for several months and ran my 1^st 5K in April of this year.  I never thought in a million years I would be able to jog for 3 miles.   I felt like I could do anything! Often times at work, my co-worker and I will walk a mile around downtown on our lunch break, and I consistently work out at least 3 times a week in the gym or jog in the park.  In May, Kay Quinn from Channel 5 interviewed me as someone who participated in a Wash U program, and lost weight and changed my lifestyle.  After half of St. Louis saw me on TV, and told me how my story inspired them, it was only then that I actually was able to see my accomplishments.    I walked the Komen 5K Race for the cure with co-workers a couple weeks ago, it was a great feeling when I reflected on the fact that this time last year I wasn’t even able to walk from the parking garage to the Weight Mangement clinic without huffing and puffing and complaining about the distance.  Currently, I’m still blogging and training for my 3^rd 5K.  I will be running in the All Star race next month, My is goal to beat my time from my 1^st race.  I’m still adjusting to people calling me skinny, and telling me, I inspire them to work out. People constantly ask me, “how’d you do it?”, my response is “the only way you can, eat less and move more!”  My advice to you would be to find a long term Weight Management  program that works for you, find new fun ways to get active, surround yourself with positive people who support your goals, and accept that sometimes you just might eat  a donut!.  I still have many pounds to go to get to my healthy happy weight, but with the continued support of my family and friends, I know that I can do it!  As difficult as it may seem, Just remember the basics, “Eat less and Move more!”

“How Are You Feeling Today Champ?”

“Oh only ’bout 70%” as Sam Jackson said in the movie Resurrecting the Champ.  I slept under the fan for a few days and came down with a cough, a sore throat and severe nasal congestion.   I missed boot camp class, and was going to work a half day until I got called in to return an important document.  I took allergy medicine, cold medicine, and a couple vitamins, and prayed I wouldn’t have the same fate as Anna Nicole, although, I’m pretty sure she wasn’t taking Claritinand vitamins….anyway, after work, I was still feeling only about 75%, but I knew I had to get in a work out.  It was hot as the devil’s kitchen outside, so the gym was my only option.  It was hard, but I jogged on and off, and finished about 2.2 Miles.  It was nice to see that today, I crossed the 75 MILE MARK!