From the Corners of My Memory.

This little saying has been rolling around in my head the last few weeks

"It take a little courage and a little self-control, some grim determination if you want to reach your goal."

I couldn't remember the rest of the saying but I knew where it was from.

In high school I wasn't the best, fastest, tallest player on the basketball team. I was the 6th player on a 6-player team. It was a team that won sectionals, a championship game I didn't play in but did my best to be a part of. Knowing my place on the team wasn't to be a star on the court, I did my best to encourage the team on the way to games and that little phrase rolling around in my head was from one of the sayings I would post in the bus.

One of the things I know about myself I learned through that basketball team. I have the power to choose my place on a team. You can be discouraged by being 6th, or you can make an impact in that role. I also learned that I have the ability to encourage others. I know that through this journey I have been motivated by the thought of encouraging and inspiring others.

After weeks of the phrase rolling around I finally looked up the rest of it. I think it is a saying that will come back for the next few months to take me from celebrating 100 pounds to 140.

"It takes a little courage, and a little self-control. And some grim determination, If you want to reach the goal. It takes a deal of striving, and a firm and stern-set chin. No matter what the battle, If you really want to win. There's no easy path to glory, There's no rosy road to fame. Life, however we may view it, Is no simple parlor game; But it's prizes call for fighting, For endurance and for grit; For a rugged disposition and a don't know when to quit."--Anonymous

The 100th Pound

If you haven't seen the new thermometer, you should take a look.

Amazing milestone achieved as I've lost my 100th pound! Only 40 pounds remain between me and my goal. But for a moment I will breath this success in, let you celebrate with me and go buy myself a computer!

That's right. I've decided to reward myself by taking some savings I have accumulated, even as I've paid down my debt, and buy myself a laptop. The last time I had a laptop was in 2006 which was stolen from my apartment.

A computer's a big reward but this was a huge milestone. As the blog became more important to me, and with the dream of a book and cookbook, not having a computer was becoming more frustrating. So here I am...catching you up on my life over the last few weeks as I leave 2009 sixty pounds lighter than I entered it and 100 pounds lighter than I entered 2008.

Now that's something to celebrate!

The Birthday after the Run.

Even though it felt like my birthday could have been over after the half-marathon there were still more festivities to be had.

After lots of photo taking...

Even though I still couldn't get my arm back in my shirt because it was wet...

and even including some in my birthday hat and handcrafted headband.

We cleaned up for brunch at our favorite place "The Dish". Alyssa posed us with our medals and coffee.

After lots of icing...I mean "peas and corning", my knees & watching mindless TV it was time to get into our party outfits for dinner.

In addition to the party dresses, we were excited about the wine. Heidi and I had not had wine while training.

Dinner in, made by chef Bill.

Even the guys dress up!

Cupcakes for dessert. Red Velvet!

I was very excited about my Red Velvet!

And after Dinner we posed for pictures. Of course. We looked hot. Why would we miss a photo op?

A good golden the birthday? I went to bed that night knowing it was the best. Amazing acheivements celebrated with amazing friends...and a pretty amazing cupcake too.

Pre-Run Pics

Seattle wasn't all about running. It was also birthday, Thanksgiving, concert, girl time. Here are a few photos of the pre-run fun.

From our first training run together...a rainy 10 miles. Alyssa met us at mile 5. She said it was good she didn't bring a camera because we looked like drowned rats. We decided she needing lessons on being a cheerleader. :)

I fell.

Heidi wore a camel pack which was good when my water bottle got covered in mud. She was nice enough to share. See her run? It doesn't even jiggle (the water in the pack, that is)

My feet. Dirty.

I liked cooking for my friends this time. I don't know what I was making but I think they liked it and I looked like I had fun making it.

We went to my first concert ever, Swell Season. I never had heard of the band either but I knew one of their songs and loved it. Here is a cute pic of us...after taking 10 photos, all with the forbidden flash. oops.

The Birthday Run.

It takes a lot to get from before to after. gu, water, gatorade and mental stamina. all that and a perfectly timed playlist, along with a great race buddy.

How was the race? People ask and I say 'great' because I finished and I felt great to finish.

Ask me, how was the race, and here are some of the things I remember.

Hoping the port-a-potty line would move faster so we could start the race on time.

Having to "jump" over a gate to start the race. Apparently we should have started farther back.

The wall of people running up the hill in downtown Seattle. I wished for a camera when I saw that wall of bodies on the street.

Running the first 5k in under 10 minute miles. Over 6 minutes faster than I ran my first race in April.

Feeling the blister on my baby toe at mile 3 (and every step thereafter).

Yelling "It's my birthday" to random cheering people.

Hearing Heidi yell "It's her birthday" to random cheering people.

Bossing Heidi through a various obvious turn and her making fun of me.

Saying how perfect our playlist was over and over and over.

Pulling off one arm of my top layer.

Passing walkers up a hill.

Getting passed by the walkers as they started to run down the hill

Cussing at the lady who ran around me only to stop and walk RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME! at like mile 12! grrr.

"You Own Today!" being the best cheer someone yelled while we ran past

The water stops where you just felt so important as people cheered and catered to you

Trying to keep an eye on Heidi as she ran easily up the hills.

Telling myself I was going as fast as I physically could and that was all I needed to worry about.

Holding back tears as I hurt.

Chanting positive thoughts to myself as all the angry ones were yelling.

Pulling off the second arm of my top layer.

Thinking my shoes were DONE. Replacements needed.

Being disappointed that I couldn't laugh with Heidi at the funny song because I just hurt mentally and physically too much at mile 11/12 or somewhere in there.

Finishing the last hill, knowing it was just a sprint from there.

Hearing Bill at the beginning of the chute cheering us on.

Watching Heidi finish just before me, cheering her on in my head as I ran.

Frantically looking for Heidi after I crossed the finish line.

Falling into Heidi's arms for a giant hug, choking back tears in amazement that we did this.

and we did it faster than I had hoped. Ending time for me?

2:34:06

I had hoped for less than 2:45 which was a 12:45 minute mile. My actual time had me at a 11:45 minute mile...faster than I had ever run in my individual training runs.

A great run. A great partner. A great birthday. A great year ahead.

Begin with a Bang

The bang of a starting gun that is.


Ok, so really the morning began with my body waking me up, without the alarm sounding, thanks to the anticipation of the big race. 4:30am. Happy Birthday to me.

Last night ended with me being teary-eyed. This is a big deal. I'm turning 29 on the 29th, in Seattle by running 13.1 miles...after starting 28 without being able to run one mile.

This is the year I finish losing weight. Finish paying off debt. Finish a full marathon.

PAUSE. Breath. First I have to run today.

We start with breakfast. I practiced this breakfast last week. I make this breakfast perfectly every time.
Except for this morning. New oats...they overflowed. oops.

After an early morning phone call from my family wishing me happy birthday and good race, along with a few ecards, I was left teary again. At this rate I'll never make it through the race but I think maybe I'm just getting it out of my system.

At about 6am Alyssa and I picked up Heidi to get dropped off at the starting line. We'd see Alyssa again after we'd finished 13.1 miles.

heidi gets in the car. I'm too excited to hold the camera steady.

The honing device on my ankle. AKA: Timing Chip.

In my headband made for me by my niece Adria.

Preperation is Key.

"You will be fine! You have trained for this and you will finish!"

Alyssa yells at Heidi and I from the kitchen. That dose of reality is helpful when you begin to talk about what happens if you can't finish.

This week has been tough...more accurately, walking has been tough. My leg has been bothering me, more than I've let on to anyone. I keep thinking that if I tell myself I am fine, the pain will stop but the advil I keep taking makes me realize that isn't the truth.

One race. 13.1 miles. That is all my leg needs to make it through...the part that worries me the most is if my mind can make it through 13.1 miles of pain in my leg.

Training for this run is not just a physical preparation, it is mental as well. You can see the mental changes in the way I eat, lace my shoes in anticipation of an afternoon run, my excitement in new workout gear. I can feel the mental changes as I use one of my new techniques to think not about my legs or blisters or knee but to think about my strength and endurance.

I know I'm prepared but there is one more thing I can do. It is the night before the race and Heidi and I have just finished our half-marathon run play list. Heidi was on itunes while I viewed the race map. At the end of our effort was a perfect playlist timed to be fast on the hills, silly when we'll be tired and keeping pace for some good timed miles.

My Biggest Loser Inspiration.

It is two weeks before the half-marathon...

Rebecca just got kicked off the Biggest Loser.

I like Rebecca. She seemed a little sassy, a little stylish, a little something I could relate to. She started on the Biggest Loser the same weight I was when I began this journey.

In the "where are they now" segment they played after she got kicked off she was running a half-marathon. She started and finished her half-marathon weighing the same weight I am for my half-marathon.

Her goal weight is my goal weight. (and having seen the finale she made it and looked hot.)

Rebecca is my Biggest Loser inspiration. Her journey is different from my journey but our milestones are similar and she reminds me to hold strong to the fact that it will happen.

139.8 will soon happen. In the meantime I can look at Rebecca at my goal weight and be pretty excited to get there.

Finisher.

Two weeks before the run and it feels like all tears all the time. Whether it was the stress of a busy work week, the preperation to leave for Seattle, the realization that my mother can't watch me cross the finish line (she so graciously suggested) something cause tears to be ready to fall at a moments notice.

I know there is one thing that is making me overwhelmed with emotion. I am going to finish this.

For so long I haven't considered myself a finisher. I start things, have great intentions and never follow it all the way through to the end with the same passion that I started it with. The example that follows me through this journey to lose weight is from when I lost weight in college - I was 15 pounds from my goal and I didn't finish it out.

"I am going to finish this."

This journey is more than losing weight, it is losing the baggage of past failures, of all the disappointments from the girl I thought I was. I lose a pound, I run another mile and I see the woman I am becoming.

I am beginning to believe she is a finisher.