New Era!!!!

I've been absent from the blog, as well as consistent effort, since before my last blog entry...Since Thanksgiving, it's been hit and miss (with more misses...) with the combined exercise and healthy nutrition success. Thankfully, I reconnected with past Dream Team-mates (thanks Joanne for getting us started again...). Our friend Debbie suggested goals for the week, so I documented mine regarding my current exercise focus...interval running on the treadmill.

So, as I was walking into the gym yesterday, I thought about my goal for the week...5.8 MPH, as my highest speed, for 1 full minute. Honestly, my tummy tightened and turned over when thinking about it and I knew it would "eat" at me if I didn't meet it...I thought of what was missing. A plan! I decided to break it up to work up to it. First a minute at my comfortable 4.4, then a minute at 5.0 and then the all-out attempt at 5.8! Visions of me flying off the back of the treadmill began to swim dizzily through my head. Oh brother, what was I getting myself into? But I had told my friends I was going to try...

I got my gear on and headed to the treadmill...My MP3 player was playing some stimulating tunes and I warmed up, envisioning my eventual attempt and the conquering of my goal...After the warm up, I got to the 5.0 and completed it comfortably, but a tweek of fear was still there when thinking of 5.8. So, I decided to do 5.6 first....I started, and was pushing it hard, but found distractions that focused me on my hard breathing and unsteady gait. I stopped at 40 seconds!!! Arghhhhhhh!!!! Oh crumb, how was I expecting to do the 5.8 when I couldn't get the 5.6 done???? OK, breathe...new plan....walk for 3 full minutes...a bit slower to gather steam...slowing...steady....breathing....here it comes.....HIT IT! 5.8 on the display and I'm going, no matter what I hear, or think, or see!!! Coming up on 40 seconds I could feel the discomfort setting in, but I flipped my thoughts to just 10 seconds at a time...ok, only 10 more to do...Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.....DONE! I made it!!! Honestly, I think I heard the Rocky theme playing in the background!!!!! What a satisfying effort...

Leaving the gym, I called my daughter to share that I had met her speed of the previous week! She says, "That's too funny, Mom. I am leaving my gym and I just hit 6.0 MPH!"

Oh brother...guess I know what is my goal for NEXT week!!!! ha-ha....It was really a huge thing for me to do this...I had started smoking as a young teen, so running has been out of my life for over 35 years! I really feel good this morning and hopeful for the future!

Thanks for sharing my happiness!
Margaret