Day 344: Today's 10k Victory

Pre-Race - "What have I gotten myself into"

I prayed last night that the Lord would wake me up this morning on time to participate in this race and he honored that request.  I got up with a goal in mind, to complete this 10k race in one hour and thirty minutes, which would have put me at a 15 minute mile – totally doable.  After getting dressed and packing my bags, I did something that was completely odd….I cleaned out the refrigerator.  Who in the world does that before a race?  I was out the house by 4:45am and in Crofton to pick up a friend by 5:10.  We arrived (pretty early) to the race site at 5:30 and I was feeling good! 

Looking around at all the runners created a sense of inferiority to a degree because I don’t look like them (size wise) and I didn’t think that I would be able to keep up with them, but this very nice young lady – Ashley – comes over and strikes up a conversation with us.  It was exactly what I needed to calm down and focus on the mission at hand.

Count down – 5…4…3…2…1, the race started.  Since I was in the 16+minute pace group, it took a while to get to the starting line, but when I did, jogging I went.  Between jogging and walking, I completed the course, but a couple of things happened in the process.

A little after mile three, I yelled to myself , “What in the world are you doing this for Rochelle, this is for the birds, just quit!”  After staying silent for a few moments and really questioning my motives, I said to myself in a very soft but firm voice, “You are doing this because you want to live!  You are doing this because you want to change and this is what it is going to take.  You are doing this because you want your family to be different.  You are doing this because you want your husband and children to know healthy habits all their days.  YOU ARE DOING THIS BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT IT IS GOING TO TAKE!”  And after that moment, I didn’t turn around to see who was behind me, I didn’t try to catch up/over take another runner….I ran MY course!

At mile four, we came to the bridge.  Now this bridge was not like anything I’ve ever seen.  It’s before the Bay Bridge in MD, but because I’ve never walked on a bridge like this, I didn’t know what it was going to take to run up it.  But one of the volunteers said something.  She said, “Don’t let the bridge control you, you control it” and with that I headed up.  I was really tired by this point and I was really questioning how I was going to finish; but, there were a boat load of supporters and smiling faces that made it bearable.  Actually I felt revived and at the turn around point ran up the bridge and back down to the five mile marker.

Post Race - "That's right, I FINISHED"

The supporters on the side of the road really intensified as we got closer to the end, but my energy level was on the decline.  I was ready for this to be done!  As I came up the final hill and see the finish line in sight, I hear my friend yelling “Pick up the pace Rochelle…You can do this Rochelle…Finish strong Rochelle”  I see her and hear her and feel strength that I didn’t think I had and my walk turned to a slight jog.  As I jog and realize that I’m the only one coming to the finish at this moment, the claps and smiles and thumbs up get loader and they’re all for me.  The DJ announces my name and the supporters go into a uproar and my jog turns into a full run (or a run that I could muster up)… I can do this, I can finish strong, I’m making it” is what I was saying.  And guess what, I finished. 

Yesterday was the Race for the Cure 5k in Washington, DC and today was the Zooma 10k in Annapolis, MD.  My final time was 1hr, 48min with a 17.29 pace (not sure of my splits just yet, but that’s ok) and I am super proud of myself.  Oh, take a look at this link, there are race photo's of me and an actual video of me crossing the finish line  http://www.zoomarun.com/annapolis/annapolis-results/  (you may have to type in my name)

Day 343: Race for the Cure

Today I did something that was amazing, I did the Race for the Cure 5k in Washington, DC.  I know plenty of people who have done it in the past, and I've wanted to do it, but just never made the commitment to go the distance.  

For the past few days I've gone back and forth on if I was going to jog or walk...I didn't make up my mind until I got on the train with two friends and I decided to walk with them.  Taking the train this morning to get there was one of the best decisions that I could make.  There were so many people....survivors, current breast cancer suffers, families, friends, co-workers, strangers.....people united in the fight.  This was more than just a race to do or something to check off my journey list.  Initially I did it because a friend asked, but Breast Cancer or cancer in general has run ramped in my family.  Before my mom was diagnosed with Leukemia, the doctors thought that she had breast cancer.  I was being nosey by reading through the paper work on the table and looking at her lab results, but what it did was help me connect a little bit more as a teenager with some of the things that she was going through.

Any form of cancer is scary for the person receiving the diagnoses, but it is scary for anyone who cares about the person receiving the news.  For a long time I struggled when I heard that someone had cancer.  It was almost like a death sentence because of my experience.  But today I saw thousands upon thousands of women and men in pink skirts to signify that they are a survivors.  If I could have hugged them all, I would have because they encouraged me so!

During the moments when it was quiet, I missed my mom and although her cancer journey ended, because of my participation and fundraising, someone else's mom won't.  My eyes got teary a couple of times because I realized that there is hope in whatever situation you find yourself in.  We can't give up.  Now I'm off to bed because I have a 10k in the morning!  You praying with me?

Day 322: It FIT!

Earlier this morning I boarded a plane headed to Mexico to spend the next few days in the sun and laying out just to sleep and something awesome happened. Wanna know what it was?

THE SEATBELT FIT- and there was extra belt to spare.

It has been a long time since the seatbelt fit without needing an extender. Man, the shame that comes along with telling the flight attendant that your seatbelt doesn't fit is something that most people have no clue exists, but I know all too well. While I was walking to my seat I was nervous because I just didn't know what was going to happen. The seats seemed extra small as I searched for seat "20C", but when I found it and sat down, I realized it wasn't as small as I thought. The weight loss has slowed up a lot, but I'm still loosing weight. And even if I don't loose one additional pound, I've lost extra negative thoughts about myself which makes me WAY slimmer.

The journey continues.......

Day 314: Slacker?

So I've been doing some thinking - well it really started yesterday while watching "The Biggest Looser" (totally love that show) - and I've come to the conclusion that I do way better when someone is either working out with me or pushing me to workout.  While I was watching TBL, I wanted to get a few push-ups done while the commercial was on (working on my core and upper body strength) and I did 2...... 2! 

It was like I couldn't push myself to get more done, but if someone else was there I would have probably followed thru on at least 3 (well maybe).  Why is it that some people have the internal drive/motivation to accomplish a task without needing the aid or assistance of others?  Does it make you needy if you need others to accomplish a task/goal?  I'm just letting you in on what's going on in my thoughts right now.

I think the reason I do better when someone is around is because I don't want to look like a goober or slacker in front of other people.  So I put game face on and get the job done.  But when no one is around it's like I don't push as hard and feel like it's ok to take a break.  Does that make me a people pleaser, or a... hum, I don't know the word for it.  Ok, I gotta think about this somemore, what do you think?

 

Day 310 (Part II): I DID IT

What did I do??  I rode my bike to work!!  I rode it all the way there.  All throughout I was saying inside my head, "Seriously Rochelle, this is too hard.  Just turn around, get your car and drive to work already!" But I didn't do that, I keep pressing forward.

When I got to mile two, I had to fight through and keep peddling through the monstrous hill that crosses over 214, but I kept going.  When I got to mile three, I had to figure out how to cross over 202 with all of the traffic with no real directional sign giving me the right of way and the construction blocking the way.  At mile five I had to tell myself that I'm almost there because the hill that I was trying to get up was beginning to wear me out.  At mile six I felt like I couldn't keep going and I was ready to go home (which was silly because it would have taken more time to go back home verses keep going).

At mile six and a half, something happened.  As I crossed over 495 on a bridge, I was slapped in the face by three separate branches.  It was the craziest thing.  I realized at that moment why cyclist wear sunglasses.  It's not just to keep the sun out, but it's also to protect their eyes.  I will be sure to wear them going forward.  Here are a few photo's of my journey

Photo's of my 'Biking to Work Experience'

Day 310: Scared!

My bag is packed and I just finished a good oatmeal breakfast. I guess it's nothing left to do but do it, right? I'm not going to chicken out or anything because I've talked about it so much (note to self: shut up sometimes!), but I'm definitely feeling butterflies.

It's now or never, here we go. More later!

Day 309: May Begins with a plan

They say that April Showers brings in May Flowers.  For me, May isn't bringing in flowers, it's bringing in intensity, focus, courage and overall determination.  I am less than a month away from a 5k walk (Weight Watchers Walk-It! which is a nationwide walk taking place in every major city) and a little over a month away from the Zooma Annapolis 10k.

Do I feel prepared....um, no.  Will I be prepared.....um, yes!

This is what I have been working towards.  Have I slacked off, yes.  Have I lost focus, yes.  Have I lost courage, yes.  But I've never lost the desire to complete the task before me.  With that, I have been riding my bike just about daily because tomorrow is the first day of doing something that will take great courage from me.  I am riding my bike to work.  From my house to the office is roughly 6.7 miles.  But before going to the office I will be stopping by the track to have a "Track Date".  I've been talking about it since getting the  bike.  It's a way of training for all of these races, but it's also a way of saving GAS!  Man, gas is getting way to expensive so hopefully getting the confidence to ride to places less than 10 miles away from my house will save me some money.

What will May training include?
 - Workouts with a trainer twice a week
 - Bike 6+ miles three times a week
 - "Track Date" workouts 6 times a week
 - Incorporating a vegetarian food lifestyle  (just for the month to see if it is something that I can do)
 - Gallon of water a day

That's the plan, now it's time to make it happen.

Oh yeah, my hair is cut!  Is it how I expected, "NO!"  I just got more cut because it was too straight on the top.  I was very surprised to find that my hair is way more curly than I thought.  This is a huge transition for me because I've never had to style short hair.  I'll upload some pictures soon, I just gotta feel a little more better about it (that statement was totally not good english).