Today is Rare Disease Day 2-28

Today is Rare Disease Day, promoting awareness of conditions that are rare and often underfunded. Many of you know that I belong to a group called I Run for Michael, which matches runners with buddies with special abilities. I run for Makwa.  He suffers with learning /behavior difficulty due to brain damage from his bio mother drinking while he was in utero he has been diagnosed with FASD . He also has another serious condition that can be FATAL called hypo hidrodic ectodermal dysplasia . He can not regulate body temperature and requires a cooling vest in hot weather.  This little guy is 4 years old and he gives me so much encouragement.  He helps give me another reason to push harder.  No petty excuses when I run for him.

Interested? Check out the video below and check out the website: http://www.whoirun4.com/.  Whether you are a parent of, or a person, who needs to be matched or you are a runner/swimmer/zumba/whatever who wants some one to run 4 (no you do not have to run you can do any activity) please sign up.





As for me Day 4 of start the day with 25 is complete.   My arms and back are really starting to feel it.  I have also started another thing, I'm going to back to the beginning.  A little more than 3 years ago I started with a little program called 5K101 (runningmate.com).  It is a free podcast running program to take you from where you are now to running for a full 30 min and completing a 5k.  Well I have since done that, a few times over, a 10k, and two halfs.  However my speed is not increasing. So I am going back to the beginning of this program, following it from week one, but this time focusing during the running drills to run faster and during the walking drills to walk faster.  If I can speed up both of the intervals I will bring down my overall time.  That is the goal for this year.  My next half is Nov 30th and I want to PR.  I also have a few 5ks coming up in March and April.  I can't wait to see what even just a few weeks of this new training focus will do for my times.

Happy Friday! May your day be filled with blessings, and may you be a blessing to others.

Happy Half way there Day

Back to reality yesterday, from a 5 day FANTASTIC vacation with my family.  I have decided to start my mornings a little bit differently.   In my head I call it 25 to start.  So after my alarm goes off I do 25 crunches, 25 incline pushups, 25 squats, and 25 tricep dips.  This way everyday starts with exercise.  It gets the blood pumping and I've begun my day in the right, healthy state of mind.

Today was day two.  It was a little harder this morning as my muscles were sore from the day before, but I completed my 25 to start.

I have found, over my years of trying to manage my PCOS, that is the littlest things that make a big difference.  Three years ago I decided I was going to start running.  I used the Free 5K101.com program and followed its instructions of 3 days a week going out there and putting one foot in front of the other.  On Dec 1st I completed my 1st half marathon.  Had a set back in this past Sunday's 1/2 marathon, but made it 8.5 miles and am learning my lessons from it.  I am already signed up for my third 1/2 marathon coming this November!  3 years ago a 1/2 marathon was just a bucket wish list item I never, ever thought I would complete.

That helps with the confidence level and renews my hope that I will find the right combination to get the weight off.  It may be many years down the road still, but I know if I keep making the small changes they will add up to the BIG ultimate change of weight loss.


Have a blessed Wednesday