Oh....My....LANTA!!

Here is a small tidbit of advice (no charge): it is easier to STAY in shape, than it is to GET BACK in shape. I was recently motivated by my Weight Watchers leader. She challenged our group that in the 6 weeks left until Thanksgiving we should set a goal and strive to achieve that goal. Now, I wanna lose weight...that goes without saying. WHY else would I be attending Weight Watchers? Why would I insist on dragging two NOISY children to a quiet adult meeting each week (side note: don't give a three year old a box of tic-tacs to "keep her quiet")? Why would I plan my weekly schedule around 9:30am on Tuesday morning (that's when the meeting is)? So losing weight would have been an "easy" goal to set...I could say "I want to lose weight" but then HOW am I going to go about doing that?? I resolved to set a different goal. I have decided that in the 6 weeks before Thanksgiving I will train for a 5K run. That SOUNDS easy when I type it out...it sounded easy as I wrote it down on my "motivating strategy" sheet...the weekly running schedule printed off nicely on my printer. It wasn't until I actually hauled my bootie on the treadmill that I began to have second thoughts. The first day was to run 10 minutes...NOT a problem...10 minutes was honestly a piece of cake...the second day was 15 minutes....a BIT harder, the last 5 minutes I would not call "fun". BUT TODAY...the third day...was to run 2 miles. It looked SO easy on paper. You see, if you had asked me to run 2 miles about, oh, a year and a half ago I would have glady and easily and QUICKLY done it. Enjoying the day, the feel of the earth beneath my feet, the beat of the music, the rhythmic in-and-out of my breathing...2 miles was a WARM UP...that was a looooong time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. Today was a miserable sad story. It took me 26 minutes...that's a 13 MINUTE mile, people. That is not good. It was all I could do to place one foot in front of the other. And the single solitary thought that went through my mind had nothing to do with "enjoying" the run...no, all I could think was "it is easier to stay in shape than it is to get back in shape"...never again...never again will I let myself lapse into such a lazy, weak, and tired body. It is good to be back...it is good feel the rush of blood to my legs...even if there is no blood going to my brain.

P.S. The above pic was taken the morning before Earl and I ran the Oklahoma Memorial half marathon...