Today, actually, I hit two goals: I hit a 10% loss of my original weight and I ran a mile. When I was 13, I decided that someday I was going to run a marathon. My best friend ran her first marathon at the age of 10, so I figured if I worked hard enough, I could do one, too. In the 33 years since then, I haven't even come close.

So, when I started this weight loss journey a couple of months ago, I thought I would set my sights on a lower goal - a 5 k in 30 minutes. All four of my kids run cross country - I am used to people being able to run a 5 k in 17-21 minutes - so 30 minutes seemed like an appropriate middle aged fat lady goal.

It was funny to hear the two different reactions from two different PE teachers at the school where I teach. One, who happens to be the XC coach said, "Oh, gosh, you can do that by walking and running - you could probably do that already!" and the other, who coaches football said, "That's a pretty ambitious goal there. The military standards for women younger than you are about 10 minute miles."

I was sad to find that the second teacher was more correct for me. I can walk a 13 minute mile on a hill with about a 5% average incline, but running a continuous mile at that pace was beyond me. I can come up with plenty of excuses (some of them are actually genuinely a matter of concern) like the several injuries to my knees getting hit by my 250 lb ram when he thinks I am messing with his ewes, a longstanding knee problem stemming from Osgood-Schlatters disease. a pubic symphesis injury from my nearly 11 lb 4th child, etc. etc.

Today, though, my husband went "with" me. The with is in quotes because it always works out like this: we walk half a mile, he gets impatient and starts running. I can't run as fast or as far as he can, so I walk. I walk fast and he runs moderately, so I catch him 2 -2.5 miles up the hill on his way down from the 3.5 uphill trek. We begin to walk back because running downhill is hard on our knees. He gets impatient and runs anyway - and I think, "Gosh, why didn't I just keep going up for my usual 7 mile walk, since I am alone anyway???" Today, though, there was a garage sale. We stopped and saw a few things we wanted. We were two miles from home and there was a crowd of people. We ran home to get money and the car! Nothing like motivation to get you going!

I guess my lesson for the day is sometimes I need motivation beyond the usual pushing myself to work harder, to run a little longer, to cover the distance faster. Hurrying to get back so I could get that silver plated pie server, already cut quilt squares, and ancient, but working dehumidifier showed me I can run more than I thought.