A Runner is Born... For Real this time.

Whassuppp my few readers!

You see that check mark? 

See it?

SEE IT?!

I told you I would start today!  And I did.

And, yes, I circled run.  Because I ran the whole thing.  And I am proud of myself!  I can't say I've run a whole three miles before, I've always had to take walking breaks!  It wasn't my longest run or my fastest run... but I beat my average.  And that's got to be worth something right?  Right.

It's so true what they say, the scariest step is the first one out the door.   Taking on something like this is super intimidating to me because, like I said, I'm not good at it.  And I did it in front of people.  Eeek!

But what you really have to do is just look at it as something you have to do that day.  Something to check off your list.

Once you get going, it's difficult to find your stride.  I got to a comfortable pace, but felt like I was going soooo slowww.  

Then I realized, it doesn't matter.

And I just kept telling myself that I'll get better.  

I'll get stronger.  I'll get faster.  I'll go longer.

It's all a matter of committing myself to this journey.

I'm my own project, and my best project.

Any running tips are appreciated :)  Leave them in the comments section!

My First 5k... Unofficially.

Awhile ago (read: August 2011) I carried 154 pounds on my 5'1" frame.

It doesn't take a health professional to know... that's too much.

I was insecure, and lost confidence in myself.  

But one day, I decided to do something about it.  I joined MyFitnessPal and my life was never the same.  It was so easy to keep track of everything I ate and the activity I did.  And no, they didn't pay me to say that.  It's like the Facebook for healthy living.  Join and be my friend here!

I'll go more into detail on my story later.  The bottom line is, I've sort of fallen off the bandwagon lately, juggling my MS classes and internship.  I've noticed I've been throwing away a lot of healthy foods because I turned to more convenience foods... and exercise... forget about it.

Until this morning.  I planned on going for a run, I knew I needed to.  But it was hard to get out of bed.  So I did what any American girl does and got on Pinterest to hit up the Fitness and Health feed for some pinspiration.  Then I put on leggingsand a tank, laced up my Nikes, fired up Nike+ and hit the trail... er... sidewalk.

I didn't expect to run the whole way.  I'd been out of practice for quite some time and before that I had been exercising indoors, so my muscles wouldn't be used to the outside terrain.  If you can call a sidewalk terrain.  It is in Cleveland.I walked when I had to, but was able to run the first mile and a half and run/walk the rest.

According to Nike+, I'd gone just over three miles.  That was pretty good for me!  But I still felt like I wished I would have run more of it.  I always do.  I'm hard on myself that way.

But then I saw this:

Well duh.  It was my fastest because it was the only one.

I never thought about it in terms of a 5k when I heard the mile updates in my ear.

Okay so it may not have been my longest run ever.  But exercise is exercise.  Right?

So now I'm going to start my day knowing that I am now a 5k champ.  Maybe I'll get one of those stickers for my car. HA.  Do they make ones that say 3.2?  I'll check.  Stay tuned.

What are your running secrets?