He is 35 years old.
Father of two.
Routinely runs for pleasure and health.
Registered for the Athens Half Marathon two 5K’s and a 10K ago.
It took him 1:47 to run 13.1 miles.
Finished 294th out of 1,844 runners.
He was the 4th from our town to finish.
33rd out of 118 in his age group.
217 out of 793 men.
Of course, always, #1 in our hearts.
Yay for Daddy! And a beer at the finish line?! Best race ever...
Waving at the kids.
In the dark at 4 a.m.
That’s what time Andrew usually wakes up and leaves for his run – complete with a light he wears on his head (upgraded from the small flashlight he was carrying). He does it because it’s the best time for him. Cooler. Not as busy on the road. Great start to his day. But 4 a.m.
These before-the-crack-of-dawn runs are really paying off for him though. He feels healthier, lost weight, gained muscle and entered and succeeded in his first 5 and 10K’s. Now, his goal is to run in a 5K race each month. He says it’s motivation to help him keep running, since he pays money for the races. He signed up for a half-marathon in October and that’s what he’s working toward now (along with another 5k in a few weeks). I know he can’t wait to run on the beach during our upcoming vacation. He’s getting really tired (and somewhat creeped out) about running by the eerily lit cemetery on his typical morning route. That could help him run faster though…
So proud of you, Andrew. The kids and I love to cheer for you and now Nate wants to run in the one-mile kid races associated with your 5K’s. Such a positive example. I’m hoping it has that same effect on me – soon.
"I look like me again! Only three days and my face came back!" Nate, this morning.
Nate didn’t let his boo-boo face get in the way of this second ball game of the season. Just to capture a few memories:
Next game is Thursday!
In-field pop up on First Base Line
Ready
Fan of Her Little Brother
Daddy and Son
What do you call a person who participates in a three mile run/walk without weeks, days or even minutes of exercise prep and gets less than three hours of sleep the night before the race?
I must be crazy. I made it though (along with thousands of others who filled downtown Atlanta streets) and I don’t really hate my time. (45:30 or about fifteen minutes per mile.) Other than that here are some additional observations/experiences from my second attempt at a 5K.
I was afraid that if I stopped for even just a few seconds, I wouldn’t be able to start again. I also thought about how tripping would slow me down as well but I justified that by telling myself my chances of tripping were slim. I would face-plant due to exhaustion before shoelaces.
There were boxes and boxes o f bananas. I also saw a few whole nanas on the ground. The event was flooded with the yellow-green fruit.I’ve decided my next race will include some prep work. I want to make an improvement on my time and, more importantly, reduce my body aches.
Have a suggestion about when I can squeeze in some exercise? I have a reason why I cannot. It. Is. Ridiculous.
I’m through with it. I need to exercise. I am a mush. I feel terrible and grumpy and will not let myself dodge working out anymore. I love to do it. That’s not the issue. I lack motivation and self-discipline. I give a bag of chips I’m eating to Andrew so that he can get them away from me because I don’t have the will power to close the heaven-filled bag.
Tonight, I actually said, “I’m going to go running,” and I did it. Well, I walked some too but it’s a start! No more excuses. Nia and Nate need a healthy mommy. That is motivation enough.
Disclaimer – This post is all about ME. ME. ME. I’m just giving you a warning in case you don’t want to read my blah-blahing about my body image. The next cutesy/crazy kids post should be coming soon!
For the first time in 5 years, the scale read a number less than 130! I weighed in at 129.8 on Saturday! Sure, I don’t weigh that right now but still! It’s taken me so long to even catch a glimpse at weighing anywhere near that number but for some reason (mental) I have mixed emotions about it all. While I’m shocked and excited, I am also, oddly, disgustingly worried.
I just don’t want to reach the point where I’m not satisfied with my weight. It makes me sick to think that I will still look at myself and point out all the things I think are wrong with me. I mean, I was 145 in April of this year and I remember thinking, “If I could just lose 10 pounds. I would be so happy. That’s all I need to feel good about myself – 10 pounds.” Now, roughly 15 POUNDS later and I find myself thinking, “If I could just lose 5 more pounds.”
!!!!!!!
It’s disturbing to me and it makes me feel like I’ll never really be content. I should be feeling awesome and just worrying about maintaining where I am – not losing more! Even if I did drop another 5, I know I won’t look the way I did when I was 125 before babies but I guess I’m kind of curious about what my 125 post-babies body will look like. But then what if I don’t like it? When will it stop?!?!
Since we moved I have been really good about not eating as much fast food. When I was working at the station I ate it every day – Popeye’s Spicy Chicken Strips with the buttery, yummy biscuit/Whoppers with french fries and zesty onion dipping sauce (curse you Ginger!)/10 piece Chicken McNuggets with hot mustard sauce/Arby’s roast beef sandwich and curly fries with horsey sauce to drown every ounce of my food. Want to barf yet? I sure do…
It’s probably because I just got finished devouring my second fast food meal this week. (I did go for the grilled chicken though so that’s better right?) It seems now that I’ve been hitting the Y and really working it (I took 3 aerobics classes today!) I feel the need to stuff my stomach with the worst possible crap. It’s not just fast food either – last week I made pork-n-beans and put it on hot dog buns! What the heck is that? I don’t even remember the last time I ate pork-n-beans and I was all like “yum – I think I’ll make these even worse for me by slapping them on 3 buns!”
I’m totally zeroing out any calorie burning I did do at the gym and it’s driving me crazy! I know I’m the one who controls the food I put in my mouth – I just need to get a better handle on eating right so I can actually loose some of these post baby pounds. I’m hoping this post will purge me of my desire to take another trip to the drive-thru. Or at least help me to order a salad!
I have finally gotten up the nerve and determination to try working out at our local YMCA and while that’s a great thing for my body, I can’t say the same for my mind.
I can’t stop feeling inferior to (and sickened by) the girls with the fab bods and perfect skin, wearing their cute little workout numbers, not a hair on their head is out of place, they know how to work all the machines and know every move in the aerobics classes. Even worst of all though is they even have the nicest, whitest socks! Why do socks matter? Well, today’s workout involved taking off our shoes – I was surrounded by little ankle socks and socks with polka dots and some with those adorable little pompoms on them…
To give you an idea of how I stacked up against the other hip exercise ladies – my workout ensemble went a little something like this – sneakers I’ve had since college, socks that were once white but are now a shade of dirty white and are thinning at the heels, a pair of old navy sweatpants that I had to cut the bottoms of so they weren’t so tight around my ankles, a bright pink maternity tank top that is super comfy and a gray sports bra that I’ve had since I played volleyball in high school. Sexy huh?
I just never thought I would go to workout and leave feeling like I need to buy a whole new wardrobe just to get sweaty in – oh yeah and don’t forget the socks! (Don’t worry Andrew I’m not going to go on a shopping spree – but I could use a few more workout pants – a few girls had on these really cute ones that cut off at the calf…)
Are You Zhazha? 
Say what?