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RUTHIE254's Recent Blog Entries
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Thursday, September 22, 2011
This past Saturday I ran my third 5K for the year. I'm 57 years old. Yes, this is glacial speed (finished in 32:28) BUT HEY -- I'm moving. And it was for a good cause -- area cancer center. I'm doing another one this Saturday. Then I'm going to find one more in October. Then I figure that I'm done doing 5Ks for the year.
But here's something that hit me this past Saturday. This was a pretty big race -- the biggest one I've participated in -- and at the start of the race, it was a little "crowded" and there was a little jostling and jockeying going on. I found myself thinking that I should pick out someone to pace myself with. Not all bad . . . . but I quickly thought, "Wait a minute girl, you need to RUN YOUR OWN RACE."
And I did.
And as I ran, I thought that this has been kind of a mantra for my life. I can't do what other people want me to do, I can't make everybody happy.
Everyone’s story can be distinguished from that of others.
The choices, priorities, opportunities, obstacles and limitations that I’ve faced are different from those who’ve been around me.
While I might look to others for ideas, encouragement, inspiration or motivation, I need to look inside myself to set goals and take my own steps to meet them.
While affirmations are nice, I can’t spend my life seeking approval and reassurance from others.
We all encounter pebbles, rocks and even boulders in the road – I have to figure out how to move them, step over them or go around them.
And if I trip, and even fall, I have to get myself back up (perhaps with a little help from my friends) and keep on going.
My path is unique from all others. My standards for achievement and satisfaction are different from others.
I’m the only person who can decide whether my life is taking the route that I desire. I can’t be looking sideways or looking behind me.
I need to look ahead, and run my own race. I encourage you to do the same!
Monday, August 08, 2011
Okay, I obviously need to do a little better job of blogging about this and that.
The last time I blogged about finishing my first 5K -- on Saturday, July 9th.
Well, I finished another 5K this past Saturday, August 6th.
I'm thrilled to report that I shaved almost 3 minutes off my time!
What this means is that I moved from glacial speed to just really-slow speed.
But, the course on this 5K was much more difficult than the July 5K -- lots of hills, going uphill, then downhill.
But, I pushed myself harder, made myself pick up the pace now and then.
It was a beautiful park.
The trail goes around a small lake, through woods, up hills, down hills . . . and rather "curvy" too.
One thing I didn't like was there were no "progress" markers (you know, like saying "1 mile" or "2 miles" etc.
I kept wondering, "How much further do I have? How far have I gone?"
They had two water stations, and I grabbed a water at both and tried to get a few sips down as I continued to run.
But at the end -- there was no water! Only energy drinks, which I don't drink 'cause they're generally full of sugar. But we had brought water along, so I went to the vehicle and got that.
My husband walked it again. He's had back surgery and has rods & screws in his back, so it's better that he walks.
Anyway -- we're signing up for another 5K in September, and I'll see if I can do a little better again.
Then, that might be it for the year -- I'm not sure if there will be any more 5Ks in our region come October.
I'm feeling so good about what I'm accomplishing. This is a great motivating activity for me, and it just makes me feel good about myself.
I'm a happy camper.
Haven't felt this good in many years!
I love it.
Monday, July 11, 2011
. . . . How did I do?
Well, I'll tell you.
My stated goal was to "finish without injury."
It's been one of my 2011 goals to finish a 5K without walking at all.
In other words, not necessarily "running" -- but, at least "jogging."
Wikipedia says that jogging is "a form of trotting or running at a slow or leisurely pace. The main intention is to increase fitness with less stress on the body than from faster running." Another source says that jogging is running at less than 6mph.
And another source says that jogging is running at a "steady, gentle pace."
Okay, I definitely fit into that.
At the start, there were a bunch of people that sprinted out. Before long, some of them were walking.
I just kept jogging, slow and steady like that tortoise . . . and I passed a number of them.
I did not care at all what my time was, I just wanted to keep jogging for that 3.1 miles, and not have to stop and walk.
At a mile, I thought -- "Okay, this is going all right . . . come on, just keep plugging away."
At the 1.5 mile mark there was a water station.
I took some water, kept moving, and thought "Okay, I'm half done."
At two miles, I said -- "Hey, you can do this!"
Near the three-mile mark, when they were stopping traffic to let me cross -- I said, "Oh, let them run me over -- it might feel better!" 
And when I hit that last tenth-of-a-mile, and saw the little crowd at the finish line, I tried to pick it up a little.
I DID IT, I DID IT!!! - - - Woo-Hoo!!! 
Notice that I'm not posting my embarassingly SLOW time -- 'cause I didn't care what it was!!
But, now I can't wait for my next 5K -- where I'll have a goal to improve my time. Hmmm--by how much??
AND THE BONUS???
In the "Old-Lady-Geezer Division -- I finished in 1st Place and got a medal!!! Double Woo-Hoo!!!
I wore it around and Saturday and then said to my dear husband -- "So, what am I going to do with this medal? I can never wear it again!"
What do I care? I feel SO SO Good!!
Thank-you to all the motivation and encouragement that I've received from the SparkPeople community!!
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Once again, NPR gave me some thoughts that I'll share here.
There was a story yesterday regarding new nutrition labeling schemes.
www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/06/22/
137344357/food-industry-and-health-exp
erts-face-off-over-food-package-labeling
I have to say that I've been around long enough that I still like the basic "Nutrition Information" boxes that we find on food packages. I remember when there was nothing at all on food packages, and we were left to measure, guess and conjecture about calories, carbohydrates and other nutrition information.
Yes, it takes a little time to read the labels, perhaps figure out what the manufacturer is labeling as a "serving" and determine how realistic that is.
But, it's so much better than nothing, which is what we used to have.
The new tool that's being called NUTRITION KEYS will display (per serving) the Calories, Saturated Fat, Salt and Sugar on the front of the package. www.gmaonline.org/news-events/newsro
om/food-and-beverage-industry-launches
-nutrition-keys-front-of-pack-nutrition-/ Not all bad, but there are definitely critics of the system with good suggestions for improvements.
I do avoid processed food when possible. My very first stop in the grocery store is the produce department. I look for my favorites plus whatever is on sale and/or in season -- and plan most of my eating around those fresh foods. Of course, I weigh & measure on my little scale at home.
And, it's been a poor gardening season around here -- but, I will have some fresh produce from the garden before too long.
I also do my own front-of-the-box nutrition labeling on certain food packages.
For example -- when I come home from the store with a box of reduced-fat wheat crackers, I look at the nutrition information (per serving) and THEN I calculate (for example) the Calories-Per-Cracker. So, if a "serving" is 16 crackers at 130 calories per serving, I calculate that it's 8.125 calories per cracker. Then I take a fat permanent marker and write "8.5 CALORIES PER CRACKER" on the front of the box (I "round up" to the next highest .5 calorie). So maybe I want 5 crackers? -- I count them out and track 43 calories.
My own Nutrition Labeling system.
Hey, every calorie counts! And, it just makes me more conscious of what I'm putting in my mouth. And NOT on my hips!
Thursday, June 09, 2011
. . . . When somebody says to me, "You look great!"
I was in my favorite produce department of my favorite grocery store the other day. An older woman from the community came over to me and said -- "I just want to tell you, you look so nice, so slim. I really enjoy it when I see someone get slim like you have. You just look so good." Wow, that gave me a glow. And, I realized -- it's been about a year that I've been maintaining my loss. I thanked her so much -- and told her that I FEEL great! Of course -- it's always true when we say something kind to another person . . . pay them a compliment, a kindness . . . about anything! I'm going to do that for someone else today -- let's ALL do that. It'll make the world a happier place.
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