Are we Finished?

Here is a picture of all of us (as many of us as we could find) at the finish line.  Great job everyone!  I know I feel happy about finishing the 5K.  When I woke up this morning to go the gym--my husband said " I thought you were finished with that."  I laughed and said--just the 100 day heart challenge--I don't think I'm finished until I die.  Which I hope is in like 50 years.  I hope we can all stay committed to these healthy habits we've learned.  I know I want to.  It's been great--I hope we can all stay in touch--I know that would keep me committed.  Tina will let you know about lunch.  We are thinking June 2--we'll let you know what time and where.  See you all at the banquet.  Here are a few more pictures.

Some of us before the race

Here is a picture of a few of us walking with Peggy at the end of the race--great job Peggy!

 This is a picture of my family who walked/ran with me:  Devan(23), Ray-my husband, Me, Nathan(26) and Cameran(16).  Thanks guys for all you support!

 
This is one after the race.  I really didn't think I got a medal.  When they announced my age group--50 to 59--they only announced 1st and 2nd place.  I thought--there were at least 3 people--I'm that age!  So after all the announcements--I went and talked to Tracey--she said the 1st and 2nd names were all that were given to her.  So she looked at the results and I was third.  Yay!  It was fun.  My boys asked me if there were only 3 people my age running.  There were 21 I'll have you know!  I was at least faster than 18 old ladies.  Anyway, my sons, Nate and Devan each took 4th in their age group.  They were sad that they were so close to winning a medal--they are ready to run again and go faster!

We are not finished!

..is this really me?

I ran a 5k on the treadmill yesterday without stopping.  Is this really me?  It amazed me and when I told my boys--they were amazed too.  Don't tell Chad, but I had tears in my eyes when I was done.  I know I've said this before--I am not a runner.  The first time I went running with my Sister--which was over 30 years ago--I promptly came home and threw up and vowed never to run again.  But I'm running and I can honestly say the feeling was wonderful when I was done.  I just felt like yes!--I've done something I never thought I could do.  I was even inspired to go buy running shoes with Tina at the Runners Corner--another thing I never thought I would do.  But they feel really good and I'm going to try them out tomorrow--I hope.  I'm leaving in a few minutes to drive to Boise, Idaho to go to my nephew's wedding.  I'm still hoping to get some kind of run in before the wedding.  It will be a new adventure--running in Boise!  I'll let you know how that went.
I'm also leaving on Monday to go see my Grandkids again in Kansas City.  I love my grandkids and I'm not worried about not eating right or working out--I know I'll do it.  I feel too good to blow it all in these last few days of the challenge. 
I'm really sad the challenge is almost over.  I have so enjoyed getting to know new friends.  I will miss you all.
I have a favorite quote from LDS General Conference in April.  It had nothing to do with being healthy--but it applies to anything we really want to do.  It is from Dallen H. Oaks:

"Desires dictate our priorites, priorities shape our choices, and choices determine our actions.  The desires we act on determine our changing, our achieving, and our becoming."

We can become anything we really desire...even a runner! 

"Are we there yet?"

One month from today we are suppose to be running the "Run for the Red 5K".  I'm not sure if I can do it.  I have been running on the treadmill for a while--but just at short intervals.  Yesterday, when I went for my walk I decided to see if I could run some of it--it was hard.  I'm not sure how far I ran but it seemed long--but not a 5K that's for sure.  In my mind I was thinking "Are we there yet?"  I don't think I'm there yet--as far as running goes, but maybe in a month. 
I worked out by myself today with Chad--it is so much more fun with Tina.  But thanks for waking up just for me Chad.  Monday I get to work out with Melanie and Kim with Chad--that will be fun.. . .Well as much fun as working out can be.  I don't think I'm there yet in thinking that working out is fun--but it does feel good when it's done!
Hope you are having a wonderful time in Hawaii Tina.  Be sure to bring us some chocolate covered macadamia nuts--they're nuts--they're healthy right?

Here's the family!

I wanted to introduce my family.  This picture was taken almost a year ago, but it was the last time we were all together.  My oldest son Ryan (sitting next to his cute wife-Rebkah and baby Olivia- at the end of the slide) are in Kansas City going to the University of  Kansas Medical School.  They have two other kids, Kaitlynn and Jack--sitting with me at the top of the slide.  My second son Nate (top of the slide) is married to Kayla.  They are expecting their first baby in July--a girl!  Our third son is Devan (standing on the ladder) is a Junior at BYU majoring in music composition--he hopes to be John Williams when he grows up.  Our fourth son, Jordan (standing with his arms outstretched) is serving a mission in Anaheim,California.  Our fifth and youngest son, Cameran, sitting on the slide between his two sister-in-laws, is almost 16 and is a sophomore at Springville High.  My cute husband. Ray, standing in front of us all,  we have been married 30 years in August.  My family members are my greatest cheerleaders.  I hope to get as many of them as possible to run/walk in the 5K with me.  My husband will definetly be walking-maybe with Tina's husband.  I'm sure they can laugh together about their funny wives.  Anyway, life is good.  I know all of us want to be healthy for our families.  Mine is the best!  (and I know all of you think yours are too)

I wanted to add this second picture too--this happened at the end of the photo shoot--my funny family!

Feel the difference

I think I haven't written on my blog for a couple of weeks.  For some reason I felt like I had nothing new to say--just plodding along.  But Mindy has shared a book with us for the last couple of weeks in our nutrition class called Intuitve Eating.  I bought this book and am really enjoying reading it.  I like Principle 9:  Exercise:  Feel the Difference.    Exercise and eating right is not just about how much weight I can loose and how many calories I can burn--it's about feeling a difference.  I can feel my body enjoying eating better and exercising--my body  works better for me when I take care of it.  This isn't a new concept--but doing something different makes a difference--I feel the difference.
  Tina and I met a woman in the women's locker room/bathroom this week after we had all worked out and were getting ready for the day.  She asked about our 100 day heart challenge and how it was going.  (She's an employee at the hospital)  I mentioned how I could really feel a difference--especailly with eating right and how it made a difference in how I exercised.  She compaired it to a car--our cars don't run well if we don't take care of them--change the oil and put gas in them--our bodies don't do so well either if we don't "fuel" them right.  It was such a great comparison.  Anway, I feel a difference even when it's hard.   Saturday I had a really busy day, started at 4:00 am.  I was running from one thing to the next.  At about 8:30 pm I was finally done with everything I had to do--but still hadn't gotten any kind of exercise in and was really tired and thought I don't think I'm going to get it done.  But then I remembered it does make a difference.  So I drove to the gym and got on the treadmill and turned on the TV.  I had forgotten that it was the Young Women's broadcast that night, so I turned that on and just kept going until it was over.  I "fed" my body and my spirit.  It was great.  I felt the differnce.
Thanks everyone!  You have also made a difference in my life.  I love our group--doing this together also makes a difference--thanks for your support and stories and laughter along the way.  It helps alot!
  I'm off to St. George for a couple of days with my husband--he's teaching a class there.  I'll miss you Tina.  Have "fun" working out with Chad all alone--I'll be thinking of you as I hike some trails in St. George. 

Home again, Home again jiggity jig!

I'm back home from my visit with kids and grandkids.  It was great!  It was a nice break from the routine and it was just fun to spend time with my kids.  I did pretty well on my "challenge journey"  I woke up bright and early on Friday morning and made cookies to take to my grandkids then I did a quick 40 minute walk before I had to be to the airport to catch my plane to Kansas.  I took some healthy snacks on the plane and saved the cookies they gave me on my flight for my grandkids.  We did eat at McDonalds twice while I was there--but I ordered a grilled chicken sandwich and said "no mayo please."  We had papa murphy's pizza one night--my son ordered me the Veggie Delite.  We did have a great dinner at an Italian Restaurant one night--that was a little tricky to order healthy--but I felt good about the Balsamic glazed chicken I ordered with a side of asparagus.  It was delicious!  The best thing I did on my trip was work out with my son and daughter in law at their gym--in Parkville, Missouri.  It is an awesome YMCA--so nice and so family friendly.  My daughter in law took me one day and we took the kids to the day care that the gym offers for free.  The gym is very open--built on two levels so you can always look down while you are working out and check on the kids.  They take great care of them--they know you are watching.  Anyway, it was great and I had fun working out.  I even jogged a few laps with my son--which I never do--I am not a runner. 
Anyway, vacation over.  Today Tina and I  worked out bright and early with Chad.  He worked us hard--but honestly it felt good.  Tomorrow marks  4 weeks since we started the challenge--I am feeling so much stronger. Although I am not good at "Bear walking or crab walking"  Chad makes us do funny things--I think he likes laughing at us.
   Thanks everyone--you all inspire me!

Off to Kansas!

I'm off to Kansas City today to see my Grandkids--yes!  I'm not sure how many workouts I'll get in and I'm not sure how healthy I will eat.  When "nanny" comes--we tend to eat alot of McDonalds.  Oh well.  I'm going to celebrate my Grandson and Granddaughters birthdays--Jack will be 3 on Saturday and Olivia will be 1 on Sunday.  Birthday cake--lions and tigers and bears--oh my!  I'll be back for my workout and class on Thursday morning.