I know I've been on a blogging rampage as of late, but it seems like since John got home, things of interesting nature just keep happening and are worth talking/venting about.

My most recent victory is a continuation of my work out regime.

The past couple weeks have been really busy for Jeanette, my work out/lifting partner, and I.
Her husband is headed out this month on a deployment, and although it's not his first deployment, it's hers, so they've been taking time together to get prepared. Even more so cause she's preggers (along with everyone else in the world it seems!) with their first baby which limits what kind of lifting she can do with me anymore anyways.
I've been distracted as well getting used to my new routine with John home and also with the Jax escapades, so we have been on a slight hiatus from our usual workout routine until things kinda calm down again.
If there ever is such a time.....

So in order to not let myself slide and get comfortable, I decided I was going to pick up my walking routine again which is this 1.7 mile trek through a couple neighborhoods by my house. The weather, minus a tornado here or there, has been awesome and I needed to take advantage of it.
So I started off, plugged in to the iPod, and started walking down my street ready to get my walk on...as I rounded the corner off my street and onto a long stretch or road I had an epiphany.
"Why don't you try running and see how far you can get...?"

For a couple seconds I had mental battle with myself, thinking, "Heck yeah, I'll just run as far as I can and no biggie if I don't get far, something is better than nothing."
But then, "What if I don't make it far? That would really suck, I've been busting my butt this last year and if I fail, that would really be a buzz kill right now."
Then there was, "Man, remember those shin splints you got last time you tried to run? Those were killer, there's no way I can 'run through it' again."

So here I am, having quite a conundrum, and decide to just throw caution to the wind and give it a shot.
So here I go.
I start to run and, hmmm...this feels pretty good.
I flip through a couple songs until I find one that has a good beat for me to run in pace too.
Man, where did all these hills come from!? I don't remember this when walking....
I get to our turn around spot and realize, I ran the whole way.....
Whoa.

Well shoot, if I can run here, I can run back, right?
So off I go.
I stop once at this hill of doom, that of course I didn't really pay attention to going down, but now I'm looking up, um....not so much.
It's not steep, it's just lloonngg, and for this being my first time in a long time...baby steps...
I get past the hill and break out into a run again and turn the corner onto my street, running up to the driveway where John is there tinkering with his motorcycle, about to go for a ride...
I stop on the driveway with my hands above my head, my lungs on fire, and probably as red as my hair.
He looks at me, kinda puzzled, and goes, "Did you just run?"
LOL.
I got the hugest smile on my face ever, and was like, "Yeah. Yeah I did, and it was awesome. I finally freakin' did it."

"A" to "B" is one way, then back to "A" for my 1.7 mi.

I felt like I just won the gold medal at the Olympics.
Also felt like I had just ran a marathon...not that I would know, but that's what I imagine it feels like!
I was so pumped I wanted to go again, but I didn't.
Baby steps.

I ran one more time that week before having a long Easter weekend off with the hubs.
Last week I ran it three times and walked it once with Steph and little Lucas.

I have been so excited, it's such an accomplishment.
I did my Saturday morning weigh in on the 30th of April, and am down to about 124 give or take.

That's almost exactly a 40 lbs. weight loss since November of 2009....I'm pretty stoked about that.

John warned me that if I was going to continue to do this for my cardio, that it could potentially become harder which will make me have to be more persistent and push myself harder. Especially on that hill of doom I still have yet to conquer.

So far he's right.
I ran it last night and thought it would never end. I didn't quit, but my songs weren't working for me and I had a hard time pushing myself. My legs were tired, my brain wasn't there, it seemed more humid than normal......it was rough, but I didn't quit....probably just took longer. :)
Really the only positive thing I kept telling myself, is that, well, since it's hot, not matter whether I'm running or walking, I'm burning something, so just keep trucking...

I haven't timed myself yet. Not sure I am going to just yet either.
I'm focusing on the running itself, not the time right now.
Again, baby steps.

I have technically reached my weight loss goal, and as long as I don't really gain any significant weight, I'm probably not going to check the scale as much anymore. As long as I keep my healthy diet and my workout routine, I think I'll finally be ok.

My new goal is to be healthy. A lot of people have their own definitions of that, and I think I'm still learning what mine is, but all I know is that this journey has been tough as nails, but so worth it, so I can't wait to see what other challenges will arise...
This journey, in my eyes, isn't over, it'll continue, and I'll continue to try to find something to push myself harder, regardless of what the scale says and what challenges come my way. I'm never going to go back to "that place" ever again.