Challenging Normal

Over half way there. This was one of the toughest weeks. Today I walked/jogged 4.8 miles in 60 minutes. I had a 5 minute warm up, 3 minute run, a 90 second walk, a 5 minute run, a 3 minute walked and then repeated. I spent the rest of the 60 minutes alternating between walking and running. It was one of the toughest workouts yet. I burned over 950 calories. This week I have increased my running by 30%. I walked 12 miles total. I had my best 5K distance and my best mile. Next week the running increases even more.

Kicked off the fourth week of couch to 5K training this morning. Did not want get out of bed. I ran/walked 3.7 miles in 45 minutes. Today I ran for 22 minutes out of the 45 minutes. Thats the most I have ever run. I ran the distance of 5K (3.1 miles) in 39 minutes flat. I warmed up for 5 minutes, ran for 3 minutes, walked for 90 seconds, ran for 5 minutes, and then repeated that cycle. After that I continued another 15 minutes doing 1 minute walking/running intervals. After I finish my run on Wednesday I will be half way through with this training plan. Stepped on the scale today for the first time in a couple of weeks and I am 3 pounds down.

Man this morning started off rough. This was the first morning in a couple of weeks that I got up at 4:30 a.m. to go to the gym. As I began to run, I really started feeling better. Today's trip on the treadmill was 3.51 miles in 45 minutes. After my 5 minute warm up I ran for 90 seconds, walked 90 seconds, ran 3 minutes, walked 3 minutes, and then repeated. After that I ran for 1 minute and walked for 1 minute until my 45 minutes were up. I ran for a total of 18 minutes today. If I could piece all of that together at one time it would be almost 2 miles. I am enjoying running more and more. While I am on the treadmill, I am not really focusing on anything but finishing. There is no stress, no worry, nothing else matters for that 45 minutes.

Our church is in a 21 day fast and several people are reading through youversion.com 21 day fast Bible reading plan. Today's reading was Luke 4. I was stirred by two verses that to me reveal a lot of about fasting.

Genesis 37:9, “Here comes that dreamer!” they said to each other."

Because of my week I am starting my week 3 training a day early. This morning's walk/jog was challenging but not torture. I went 3.5 miles in 45 minutes. This week the training has me doing a 5 minutes warm up walk, then a minute and a half run, followed by a minute and a half walk, then a 3 minute run, then a 3 minute walked, repeat, and then a 5 minute walk. I continued on for another for 45 minutes total. I ran for a minute and then walked for 2 minutes. I seems real monotonous at times but I have to stick with the plan. Rest days are important and my body might appreciate two in a row but that will not happen for a couple of weeks. I am really enjoying this training and not focusing so much on my weight loss but on fitness.

#4 - Don't just preach at them, show them: Students are not looking for great speakers or great leaders, they are looking for people who are who they say they are. They want people who are real and backs up what they say with how they live. They take what Paul said seriously in 1 Corinthians 11:1.

Finished up my second week of training for a 5K yesterday. I had my best day yet. I walked/jogged 3.6 miles in 45 minutes. That gave me 10.5 miles for the week, a mile increase from last week. I also had my best mile and fastest 5K time. My schedule will be a little off this coming up week and will actually start my week 3 training tomorrow morning. I will up my running by 30%. My goal is 11 miles next week. My plan is to register for the race next week. It is March 19th. I am going to start jogging in my neighborhood in the middle February to get used to running on the road.

If you are a Christ Follower can you remember when you first had a realization of what Jesus did for you? When you saw the cross and the empty tomb, when you felt you sins where forgotten and washed away? Do you remember what it was like to feel God in everything that you did, everything looked different and the way you viewed things was different? Here are some questions I can not get out of mind about this:

Today was the toughest day yet. I have pushed myself this week pretty hard and I could feel it today. At one point I thought my hamstrings were going to come loose and slap me. I jogged/walked 3.45 miles in 45 minutes. I am going to spend some time on the elliptical tomorrow and workout my shoulders, back, and arms.

Today was the biggest challenge I have ever had to get to the gym. Last night it snowed about an inch or more here and then iced over. The roads were rough, and the trip took a while but we made it. There is a thin line between commitment and insanity. Today I believe that I came really close to that line. I did not want to miss a day of training, I can really feel like I am getting in a rhythm. Still a little sore from cross training Saturday but really think the cross training is helping me with me endurance. Today I jogged/walked 3.5 miles in 45 minutes. Started with a 5 minute warm up and then jogged 1 1/2 minutes and walked 2 minutes for 25 minutes. I kept going an extra 15 minutes. This week is going to be a little challenge but I have a feeling it is going to get real next week.

Made it through my first week of 5K training. Today was the best day yet. I jogged/walked 3.4 miles in 45 minutes. I did the couch to 5K training and then walked for 15 more minutes. I know that it gets tougher from here, but I think I can handle it. It is all about mindset. From what I am learning running is more mental than anything. I have to remember that my legs will not fall off and if I quit breathing I will pass out and then start breathing again. I will be okay, I can make! I did step on the scales for the first time in 3 weeks. I have put on 6 pounds. I have started back this week getting my eating in check and my routine reestablished at the gym. My goal is to loose 20 more pounds before camp!

As I am training for this 5K my running days are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Tuesday and Thursday I am cross training on the elliptical and lifting weights. Not sure about how I will handle the weekends. Going to keep them flexible and allow one day to let my body rest. Today was day 2. I guess it will not get any easier from here huh? This is something I really want to do, and I am excited about but I have to take a moment and be honest. I am scared. What if I can not run it? What if I fail? What if? Those questions were dancing in the back on my head as I got on the treadmill at 4:45 a.m. but I ran anyways. I believe it is okay to ask yourself questions like that, but it is not okay to give into them. To let them rule your life. Let them control you. This is going to be tough, but I know it will be worth it. The juice will be worth the squeeze.

The other day I was reminded of a truth, spiritual maturity is not measured by how much of the Bible you have read. It is not gauged by how many times you go to church in a week or how well you speak christianese. Spiritual maturity is not about what you know or how much you know. Spiritual maturity comes from what you do with what you know.

Today I began training for my first 5K. Yes, I want to run 3.1 miles at the end of March. No, aliens have not sucked out my brains. I just think it will be cool. I think for someone who has be overweight most of their life, it will be an accomplishment. Last year at this time I weighed over 350 pounds. 105 pounds later I think I am ready for this. Ready to be in better shape. Ready to live life to the fullest. No excuses. Leave everything on the table. Go big or go home baby. This journey is no longer about weight loss, it is about sheer determination. It is about willpower and mind over matter.

A lot of people have set a lot of resolutions and will not stick with them. More than likely they have already broke them. Other people are negative where New Years resolutions are concerned. Every year I try to set a few resolutions or goals on things I want to work on and make better in my life. I read a quote yesterday that has really challenged me. "It is never to late to be who you might have become." Today is a good day for change and a good day to begin to let God mold you and shape you into who He created and called you to be. I am resolved in 2011 to really look into a mirror and work on some things in my life.