Sunday, February 21, 2010

The human body is amazing

Ok, I know yesterday I posted about my bronchitis so of course this morning I went to running club.  If there is nothing else that you should know about me you should know that I am a bit stubborn.  So, I got up and went to the Sunday run which was scheduled to be a 16km run.  I missed last Sunday's 14km so was to jump from the most I have ever run which was 12km and now do 16km with a lung infection and on antibiotics - crazy eh?!! Yeap.

Well, my friends were there and I told them that I have not been feeling well which they had pieced together because when I did show up for Tuesday/Wednesday runs they knew something big was up.

We all started very slowly and I knew the route was to go through downtown to the Terry Fox Parkway to Guy Lombardo and to the turn around at the Springbank parking lot - 8km out and 8km back.  Do you think that I stopped, walked or stopped?  NOPE, finished the whole run, did our 10:1s and finished in 2:12 - unbelievable as I have never run that far before and I feel great - no, not true as my lungs are really sore and I am relaxing this afternoon but really, I feel great.  Too be honest I am in shock - I ran 16km this morning and did it!! It is truly unbelievable how the human body works.

Thanks again to everyone who posts and comments, I love knowing you are out there and that someone is listening and hopefully enjoying my adventures.  Next Sunday we do the 16km route again so I know we will be faster - it is making me think that we will be able to do the 1/2 marathon in less than 3 hours - my personal goal is 2:50 I think now after seeing today's results that 2:50 is really a possibility.

Cheers for now.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Sick as a dog

Ok, I admit it...I waited a little too long before I went to the doctor.  Over a week ago I got a fever, nothing new for me as I have a busy life and sometimes I get flashes of hotness.  This didn't go away though and the whole holiday weekend was a wash as I was so tired.  By Sunday the body aches started and I knew I was in BIG trouble.  By Tuesday I was sweating all day, not sleeping and got this weird chest pain...by the time I hit the doctor on Thursday I had bronchitis - great - this is totally going to killing my training.  I have missed 3 running sessions as I was just hurt'n.  I now have the antibiotics and am on the mend - I have rested and taken it real slow...no I did not take a day off work, are you kidding me - I didn't take a day off when I suffered for 72 days with not knowing I had Crohns disease what's a little bronchitis??!!

Interesting fact though, while I was at the doctor he was feeling my lymph nodes and detected a walnut size lump on my thyroid.  He asked if I have struggled with my weight - yes, have I been tired and low on energy - yes, have I had trouble swallowing - YES, well this could be the answer.  I got blood work done yesterday and an ultrasound done today and will know more on Tuesday.  Dr. Barr thinks it is a nodule on my thyroid and it could be serious or not.  Will let you know - but to be honest, it makes a lot of sense about why I have been feeling the way I am.  This should be interesting.

Another interesting note...I plus size model and guess who I do a fashion show for every year...the Thyroid Foundation..hmmm makes you think eh.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Welcome to all my Biggest Loser Fitness Ridge Friends

Hello everyone, I am writing today as I am soooo honoured to now be listed as a Fitness Ridge Alumni on their website http://www.biggestloserresort.com/.  I hope that this blogs helps inspire, support, provide some answers and most of all proves that anyone can lose weight, keep it off and stay healthy.

I am currently training here in London, Ontario for a 1/2 marathon taking place on Sunday, April 11th.  It is in support of Run for the Retina.  Our Running Room team have all signed up and are all so excited to push ourselves to do this run in 2:50 - really I am aiming for under 3 hours but have decided to set a tough goal as it is time I STEP IT UP!!!!

I will get a picture today of our amazing leaders Mark and Steve who have led us through this tough winter running but amazing adventure of a Running Room 1/2 marathon clinic.  They have been more than fabulous - they even run with us turtles (name of the group of runners who are at the end of the group aka "slow" but we don't want to be known as slow just turtles.

Last week, Steve and Mark asked if I would speak at our Tuesday night run session - they asked me to prepare a little 10 minute speech about my weight loss and running journey - I told the group all about being fit as a teen, getting Crohns in my 20s and how steroids made my weight balloon to 300 pound by January 2009.  I shared trying everything under the sun to lose weight but it really wasn't until I got to Fitness Ridge did I learn the life long trick of "calories in versus calories out".  I have never spoken to a group before about my struggles with weight loss and it was very cathartic because I had to make some public admittance to struggling - something I hate people knowing.  I am always masking that "things are great" and that "I am fine" when really I am not.  Something that is currently happening in my work life that I am so upset about - it is not fine but I have to mask that it is because I am the leader and leaders can't show too much weakness.

I ended my talk to our group by sharing that I am not a runner but a finisher and I intend to live up to that in my running and career - I will see this year to an end and I will see the marathon to the end - I AM A FINISHER!!!!

Monday, February 1, 2010

Chicago Marathon Here I Come

Today is February 1, 2010 - the day that the registration opens for the 2010 Chicago Marathon. 
I know it will be hard to believe but I have JUST REGISTERED!!!!  Lindsay, Alicia and I are going to run Chicago.  I truly can not believe where I was 1 year ago and where I am today, seriously, I can not believe that in 250 days I will run a marathon. 
Why Chicago you ask?  Well my admin friend Sheila had a picture of herself behind her desk of herself finishing the marathon. She ran it several years ago and it got me thinking that I could do something like that.  Also, Lennie's cousin Kevin ran it and they live in Chicago.  Also, I LOVE CHICAGO.  Every time we go there I just love the atmosphere, the people and the beautiful scenery.
So, 2010 should rock.  So far I have 2 half marathons; April 11th Run for the Retina in London.  May 2nd The Flying Pig in Cincinnati Ohio and the Chicago Marathon.
I can totally do this!