Truly Inspirational Story - Running

A friend of mine posted a video link called "My 120 pound Journey" on her facebook status the other day with the following message: Ah- this is so great.... to all my fellow runners out there.
Take a look and be ready to be inspired.

**Watch the video now or consider this a spoiler alert!

Pretty amazing, isn't it?! It turns out that Ben, the runner featured in the video, is young, just out of college, and was able to prove what our parents told us "You can do anything if you set your mind to it." He lost 120 pounds, gained confidence, happiness, health, and a relationship. Not to mention his supportive family was at his side through races, marathon, ironman, training, etc.

I started running on a regular basis in the summer of 2002. I was in Hawaii, and had the luxury of running near the ocean, looking out at Diamond Head, Waikiki, and surfers. Weather was mild, and 3 miles, almost daily, passed quickly as I chatted with a friend and we laughed the whole time.

When I went back to business school in Ann Arbor, MI that fall, I had good intentions of sticking with my running, but life happened. Projects, papers, job search, classes, partying - I mean networking -all became priorities. When the snow thawed and school came to a close, I was back outside, running, rollerblading, and increasing my pace (muscle toning and lung capacity). I was very active the summer of 2003, and when I finally moved to Chicago, a friend of mine from business school became my running partner. She was a great partner, very motivational, and would plant these seeds in my head:
"Maybe you'll run a marathon one day." - to which I replied "You're crazy!"
"Let's run 10 more minutes."
"Maybe we should sign up for a 10k."

She did get me to do a 5k, then an 8k, then a 10k, and one day, before I knew it, I signed up for a half marathon. 13.1 miles. I figured if I trained properly and felt good after running it, then I would see if I wanted to sign up for the full marathon.

On June 6, 2004, I ran the St. Charles, IL half marathon. I finished in 2:10:32 (hours:min:sec for you non-racers). There were hills, trails, beautiful quiet neighborhoods, and I felt great! I loved it - talk about a runner's high!

I did have trouble walking up stairs for about 2 days, but then I felt great, so I signed up for the Chicago marathon in October. I trained again, with CARA (Chicago Area Runners Association) and trained for months. I got to the half way point (13 mile run), and found out I needed some emergency surgery (non-running related). The good news was my body was in great shape for major surgery, and I was able to recover fairly quickly. The bad news was I would have to wait to run the marathon.

If I remember correctly, I continued to run the shorter, neighborhood races like the Ravenswood Run, Turkey Trot, Rudolph Ramble and Nike's Run Hit Wonder. It's a fun way to see Chicago, meet people, support local causes, and of course, keep a goal top of mind.

In 2005, I did the marathon training with CARA again. It was a fantastic program, and I still have friends from my running path days. People usually like to run with me, as I'm a chatter. I see a run as an opportunity to get to know someone, catch up with a friend, share my dating life, anything to help the time pass! We had a saying "What happens on the path, stays on the path." Most runners that I've encountered appreciate the entertainment I provide, and love to listen. I should explain that I never considered myself a hard core runner.

When I think of a hard core runner, I think of ripped abs, small body frame, long, lean legs, the kind of runner that zips by you and makes it look effortless. My pace was 9:30 or 10:00 for training runs (slower for long races), and my body looks nothing like a runner.

My friends called me a runner before I did. One day, probably when we were close to 18 miles in our training runs, I finally admitted I was a runner when I heard myself say "It's just 9 miles today." I didn't say it with any sarcasm, just factual and excited that I didn't have to be out running for 2 hours or longer!

The training was perfect timing for me, as my then boyfriend, now husband, had just moved to Miami, FL for a job. He was training by himself down there (it was his first marathon too), and I had the support of a training group in Chicago. I think marathon training helped me curb the stress of a long-distance relationship, and focus on completing the marathon instead of thinking about my move down there (I moved a week after the marathon).

Training went well, I did most of my long runs, and sometimes I did them with my husband in Miami. I remember we did our 10 miler on a treadmill because it was just too hot and humid to do it outside. I noticed the weight dripping off of me when I hit 16 and 18 miles. My pants were hanging longer as I lost weight in my waist and tush. I was eating healthy, training at least 3 times a week, stretching, and just enjoying the whole experience.

Race day came, October 2005, and I was nervous. I kept telling myself it's just a training run, but we had never done more than 20 miles. The marathon is 26.2 miles - but I knew mind over matter, and that I could do it. The weather was perfect, and the first 13 miles were a breeze. I felt something in my hip, but was able to run another 5 miles without any real issue. I think the road pavement affected my hip; normally we trained on a running path (sometimes dirt path) which is softer than road pavement.

After 18 miles, I was feeling the pain, but I continued. A friend joined me the last 5 miles or so. I had run the last 5 miles with her the previous year. She called me her running angel, and she wanted to return the favor. I was so thankful that she was there. I was spent, totally zoned out, looking for cheers from the crowd to help motivate me. I was pretty much walking at this point, although it felt like my feet were running. I was trying to listen to what my friend was saying as a distraction. It was the hardest 5 miles I've ever run in my life.

But I did it. I finished the Chicago marathon in 4:47:15. I was thrilled! Still have the medal to prove it.

After completing the marathon, I moved to Miami and continued to run about once or twice a month for about 6 months. I was burnt out and eventually stopped running. My body started to show that I stopped running. I never gained a lot of weight, but I've fluctuated 10-20 pounds over the years.

A co-worker of mine got me to sign up for the Chicago Rock and Roll Half Marathon last year. I got serious about training one month before, and was lucky that I didn't injure myself. I actually had a great run, 2:22:33 - which would have been a few seconds shorter if I didn't stop to plant a big ole smooch on my husband who came out to cheer me on near the finish line! It was a beautiful day, perfect blue skies, and I had a great music mix on my ipod that had me pumped! I felt that I was again, a runner.

Once again, work hours got in the way of running, and I was lucky if I got a run or two in each month.

So here I am, more than a year later. I've been trying to start running again since the Spring, and without much success. I'm frustrated because I've had the time over the summer to get back into running - but my heart wasn't in it. I would notice my clothes were tighter, but I didn't want to admit that I was gaining weight. I've been watching Thintervention with Jackie Warner on Bravo, and eating ice cream. Terrible, I know!

And then I saw the video "My 120 pound journey" and I got inspired. I only have 15 pounds to lose. That's nothing compared to what Ben has done. It was time to just do it - stop making excuses, and just get out there and do the tough work, no matter how long it takes. Yesterday I did 4 miles in 1 hour 20 minutes. Today I did 4 miles in an hour. I realized talk radio is not good for me to run to - I need a good fast beat. Tomorrow I have plans to walk with a friend, so I may not go for a run in the morning. I'm going to take each day one at a time.

I am sick of working hard, seeing results, and then getting lazy. It's not worth it. So this is the final time that I'm going to work really hard, and then I'll figure out a maintenance mode because I know I'll need to keep exercising, and I'm committed to it. This is my health, my energy, my well-being, and my body. I need to take care of it now, so that I have a long, healthy life ahead of me for many years to come. I am the only one that can make that change, and I know my family and friends will support me in my own journey.

Maybe one day I'll have ripped abs and breeze past you on the running path - making it look so easy!

Tell me what works for you. How do you stay motivated to work out? What inspires you to keep your body healthy? What has worked for you in the past? Are there any aspiring marathoners out there?

Costly Conversations and Hot Muggy Nights

In case you were on the edge of your seats about our cell phone provider, I must confess that we did end up staying with AT&T after I spoke with a customer service rep that "gets it." She understood that I should not have had to endure 2-3 hours of my time dealing with AT&T and understands the value of keeping a customer happy. We ended up getting $100 for our troubles if we signed a new contract. So we are waiting for the iPhone to arrive at the AT&T store (7-10 days), and my husband will once again feel connected to the world in a week or so.

As a marketer, I thought about the cost of my interactions from AT&T's perspective. If AT&T had a different policy, where we weren't charged for the service once we shut it off, they would have only lost $39.99 ($30 for data, $9.99 for 2nd line). I have no idea what the cost of talking with reps for 2-3 hours is for AT&T, and we wound up getting $100 for our inconvience, $9.99 refund for his line, no charge for his data plan until we activate the service again (within 30 days). We've all heard it's more expensive to get a new customer than to keep an old one. AT&T could have avoided a lot of cost if they empowered their reps more, and understood their customer. We would happily provide a police report number to show we were not trying to work the system. Oh well, maybe someone at AT&T will read this and revise their policies if someone gets mugged; especially considering they have a Customer Satisfaction award they boast on their web site.

I continue to stop random people on the street that are so engrossed in their smart phones that they are just screaming "come and mug me" - and everyone seems to be appreciative of the advice. Just today, I stopped a woman walking down Southport Corridor, she was checking messages on her smart phone and had her purse over one shoulder, her wallet tucked under her other arm, and phone in hand. She pointed out to me how careless she was after I warned her, and hopefully she'll spread the word to be safe and be aware - we do live in a city after all.

As I'm writing today's post, my AC is getting fixed; a few nights ago it felt unusually warm (I'm normally frozen in our home). It turns out the pilot light went out, and the circuit board needed to be replaced. The pilot light affected the hot water heater, so poor little C had to take a cold bath one night, and he screamed his head off. My husband couldn't understand why...oy! Eventually, the screaming stopped, and we convinced our sweet little boy that it was okay to sleep naked since the AC was broken.

I should mention that our 2.5 year old likes to compare and check for similarities. So after we told him he would be sleeping naked, he promptly asked, "Mommy, you sleep naked too?" in his sweet little innocent voice. We instantly realized the precarious situation we were imposing on ourselves, and corrected our statement by saying, "well, you will sleep in your diaper, and mommy will sleep in her underwear. It's too hot for pajamas." We can only hope that he chose to talk about other things at daycare.

Ah, to be a parent of a toddler, it always keeps you on your toes. I will say there is much to be learned at this stage, and the biggest lesson I've taken away is how critical it is to communicate clearly about expectations, setting the context, and how to properly interact with each other. I'm no saint, by any means, and I do occassionally lose my patience (like when I have to go to the bathroom and he's stalling in the parking lot watching a bug in wonder) - but I continue to try and give my best effort and remind myself that he's the 2.5 year old, and I'm the adult. It's comical, really.

Speaking of the little bugger, it's time for me to pick him up from daycare, head over to Trader Joe's so he can push the grocery cart around (he's really good at it), and we can try a new recipe, a peanut inspired broccoli and beef dish - yum!

I thought I'd end with my daily gratitudes:
1. My husband - We had a fabulous date last night at Jazzin' at the Shedd (without the kid). We got to feel a live star fish, see a baby beluga (did you know they start out grey and as they age they turn white - truly beautiful animals), listen to Jazz, ran into a friend who now works there, and just enjoyed walking around and holding hands.
2. My parents - for always wanting little C to sleep over, and allowing us to enjoy some adult time (see #1).
3. Job search - all I'll say is that there is positive activity for both of us.
4. Health - my family is lucky that we are not dealing with anything serious - I've heard a few too many stories about people we know, or friends of friends - and we are sending prayers and well wishes for everyone to get healthy soon.
5. Time - the summer is flying by, but I also feel like I've enjoyed it. Next week the weather is supposed to be gorgeous, so I'm planning on a few rollerblading and running sessions on the lake. Want to join me?

I hope you all have a safe and fun time these last few weeks of summer. I'll be writing again soon - especially after the exciting weekend plans we have!

Envisioning Positive Goals

I am fortunate to be a part of a women's business book club, that just so happens to include some incredible women. We meet monthly, and I look forward to attending each month because I learn so much from the group, as well as the guest speakers. Today's guest speaker, Ellen Rogin, was absolutely amazing.

Ellen is a phenomenal woman who works in the banking industry, wrote a book called The Women's Guide to Prosperity, has a family, gives back to the community, is a public speaker/motivator, and is one of those women that you just want to pick her brain. Ellen spoke to us about looking, seeing, and focusing on the positive things in our lives, and understanding the importance of measuring success through personal happiness.

I hope that I am capturing a fair amount of her wisdom and eloquence - if you want to read more, check out her site: http://www.ellenrogin.com/ and http://www.begreatwithmoney.com/. She did not ask me to write anything, I was so moved by her session this morning that I thought I'd share it with you.

Some the key takeaways:

• Focus on what you want to achieve/accomplish
• Ask yourself what's the new opportunity?
• Get rid of negative thinking - when you catch yourself saying/thinking something negative say "Cancel. Clear." So you cancel the thought, clear your mind, and get back on the positive mindset. (my husband is particularly excited about this one as I have had a few snappy moments with him - which is unfair to him).
• Clear the clutter - physical clutter and mental clutter. Did something happen in the past that is still bringing you down - we all have something (or many things) - it's time to let it go.
• Be flexible. Are you in a rut? Try new things - eat different foods at breakfast, take a different route to work/park/school, etc.
• Measure your success in Gross Personal Happiness. Once you have your basic needs covered (food, shelter, clothing), additional money does not bring additional happiness like you may think it does.
• Visualize what you want. Athletes do it. THINK about what you want, then SEE it in your mind. Imagine how you'll FEEL when it comes true, and TALK about your dream as if it's already true.

Ellen took us through a visualization exercise of what we wanted our life to look like in 6 months. I envisioned walking down a sunny street with my husband, and my son, and we were all smiling, laughing, holding hands. It was a beautiful day where the sunshine was hitting our faces, and a nice cooling breeze. I was relaxed, happy, healthy (and physically fit) and there was a sense of freedom, and lightness around me. We were all truly in the moment, enjoying every second of it.

I was able to feel that way because in 6 months, my clutter will be gone, and I won't have a to do list hanging over my head - allowing me to enjoy special time with my family. It's as if this clutter is a huge weight on my shoulders, and it's prohibiting me from moving or seeing the next opportunity. Okay, I agree, that last statement is a bit melodramatic, but it is something that is weighing on me, and this is the time to take care of it once and for all.

The last thing Ellen mentioned was a daily dose of gratitude. Every day, share with someone 5 things you are grateful for - and this is something your kids can do as well. I'll end this post with my 5 for today (in no particular order):

1. Women who Flourish Business book club - this group continues to impress me with amazing women, incredible energy, insightful discussions, and has already proven to be a huge part of my personal growth.
2. My husband - who I may tease and nit-pick, but when push comes to shove, he is there for me, supportive, and loving. As a team we really do make the best of some really tough situations.
3. My son - who the other day while singing The Wheels on the Bus go Round and Round corrected me when I sang "The parents on the bus go shhh, shhh, shhh" he said "No Mommy. The parents on the bus go I love you." He continues to amaze me with his cuteness.
4. My friends - who have been there for me through many highs and lows. They call me out on stuff, they listen to me, help me figure things out, and make me laugh when I sometimes forget why it's so important.
5. My health - I am lucky to be healthy, and my body is doing well for a 30 something. In fact, I've enjoyed many power walks with friends, long rollerblades by the lake, and maybe, just maybe, I'll start running again. I'll continue to eat healthier foods (less processed, more whole grains, fruits and vegetables) and no matter what, I will never deny myself chocolate!
6. (Bonus gratitude point) The men and women who protect this country and help others who aren't strong enough to protect themselves. My intention is not to justify the war, but rather to show support for our troops that give so much of themselves. I hope they can all come home safely soon.

I now understand why so many people blog, it's very therapeutic! Let me hear from you - what are you grateful for? What does your vision of happiness look like?

I hope you all have a fabulous holiday weekend.