50!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today was the day!!! I reached my first goal--50 miles run. It was a tough last 1.7 miles too!

A look back:

I began this journey on January 25th when I met my friend Leah at the track for a 6 mile walk! What a way to begin!

That same week, only two days later, I ran 2 miles and then the next day I ran 1.5 and then I fell apart.

I ran three days the next week but through much agony.

The next three weeks would be spent walking my way back to recovery.

I began running again on February 25th.

The first week in March I ran three days that week.

The second week--four days.

By the fourth week in March, I ran 6 days that week, only taking off Sunday.

Where am I now?!?

I have increased my miles and so I am not running so many days in the week now. I only ran three times this week, so far.

3.5 on one day

2.7 on the second day

1.7 today

I am finding out what "recovery day" means.

What is the goal now?

My goal now is to run another 100 miles by Memorial Day.

That sounds like a lot, but when you look at it on the calendar, that is only 10 miles a week-not bad.

My biggest discouragement in all of this.

The same jeans that didn't fit before, still don't fit.

The scale is telling me the same bad news.

I find this disheartening because I have changed so many of my eating habits and I have increased my water intake (you have to).

I actually had to call my BFF, Amanda, for a pep talk in this area because I just wanted to cry about it Wednesday night.

My biggest accomplishment in all of this.

I would have to say, the disciplined consistency of it all. This kind of discipline is very difficult. Many people have told me, "but you were an athlete in high school and college." This is a whole different playing field. Playing sports in high school is nothing like the self discipline it takes to haul my own self out on that track and run at 34 when I have no coach yelling at me and no team to let down if I am not on my game. Although, I have been blessed to have a running accountability partner, most of the time it is just me and the Lord and many miles to run. I cannot tell you how many times, while I am running, that, under my breath, I say, "no guts--no glory" and "if this were easy, it wouldn't be worth it." It's that last one that pushes me to run even when I don't see the weight loss and when I want to give up in the middle of a run.

One more accomplishment-- How good I feel! My body may not be kicking off the weight but I feel better. My body was really achy and weak and now I feel much healthier. For that it is worth it.

DO I recommend running?

Yep! For everyone-athlete or not.