So this is my new Fitness blog.

I have a favorite 10K race in my hometown that I love to run--It's called the Daily American Fitness Challenge, named after the local newspaper. I am signing up to run it for the first time in about 10 years. I just always liked the course, and at the finish line there will be lots of old friends and good people I knew that I have not seen in a long time.

This race and I go way back--it starts with funny story. My parents let me sign up for it when I was 8. The race began on the high school track and then continued for 6 more miles. Not understanding the distance, I ran all the way to the front of the crowd, thinking that the race would be over after the lap on the track and I would win. I had no strength or breath to keep running at the end of that lap and started to cry. So my parents found someone for me to stay with while they finished running.


Let's just say I wised up and did it right when I started running again years later. The last time I ran this race was in 2002, after working a night shift. Oh to be in my 20s again with all that energy! I was in awesome shape that summer. I was able to find my race results from July 2002, One hour, three minutes, 22 seconds. Wasn't my best, wasn't my worst, and if I can get close to this time on race day I will be happy!

I am a little nervous for how I will look running this race, especially in front of my old high school classmates who haven't seen me since my struggle with my weight began. So I will definitely be making some time to get a new pair of shorts and flattering running top for the occasion. My shoes should be OK but shortly after I will need to replace them.

I know I am capable of jogging the entire 6.2 miles even if it's not very fast, but I need to make the most of the 4 weeks I have left to train. So here is my fitness plan for the week:



Monday: Did a couple post-partum strengthening exercises but didn't log any fitness minutes. I kept busy around the house though, I went into town to catch a late night movie with a friend so I was more about doing things with and for my kids.

Tuesday: Short walk hopefully before dark...fast pace! Work on arms and do more post-partum exercises.
Epic fail. Got distracted working on my digital photo collection.

Wednesday: Planning to run 1 mile with a bonus lap or 2. This was the run I scheduled for myself on Mother's Day.

And since the previous day didn't go as planned I pushed HARDER. I almost quit at 1 mile and a half, but told myself NO because I knew I could do more. So I did 2 miles, at a 12 minute pace--and I honestly don't know when I did that last. Probably sometime in 2010.


Thursday: Coach Nicole video and walking for fitness minutes before mulch beds. More strength exercises.

My computer totally screwed up when I went to do the Coach Nicole video, so I went through the Fitness programs on Cable TV to find something. Ended up accidentally trying Pilates! Loved it, loved it, loved it and will definitely use this again (said a little shame on me for having not more often since I have had access to this for the past several years!). So that counted as my strength, and then I took the kids out for a walk while my husband made dinner for us. He's a great guy.


Friday: Run again--do 2 miles.

Saturday: Something, anything for fitness minutes and strength exercises.
No fitness minutes (but at least I did yard work). Kind of mad that I blew my streak for the whole week.

Sunday: Walking and a workout video.