"Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim." -- Nora Ephron


We will miss the Saturday session. Bummer! Clark has a meeting in Birmingham and I must tag along and shop at the Galleria. Clark made sure the hotel has a fitness center so we don't get behind!

Went to Fitness Lady yesterday and got a new program for working out with the machines. I timidly told Nan, the instructor that I was training for the Marathon Makeover and she was very helpful and showed me some stretching exercises for hamstrings, etc. I walked and ran on the treadmill for 45 min. The first mile is always so hard but after that I seem to get a second wind and my aches and pains diminish.

Can't wait to start seeing results! I have only lost one pound but I know as muscle mass increases it weighs more than fat. I can tell I am not quite as giggly except maybe my arms (hence the weight machines).

Is anybody else sick of Britney Spears and Anna Nicole?

"Storybook happiness involves every form of pleasant thumb-twiddling; true happiness involves the full use of one's powers and talents." -- John W. Gardner

Everyday I keep saying to myself "what was I thinking?" and then I think how far I have come in just three and 1/2 weeks. I never liked to run, hate exercise and here I am actually looking forward to every day!

When I turned 50 in 2005 I took up oil painting. I had never painted before, never even thought it was a possibility and really never entertained the idea. My best girl friend (I say that because Clark is my best boy friend) Joy that died with stomach cancer at 47 was an artist. I always admired her talent but that was as far as it went. A month before she died she told me she wanted me to learn to paint. Almost a year later the opportunity to take lessons fell into my lap ( a God thing?) and I could not turn it down (because of her dying request) even though I was very afraid.

Every class I went to I was afraid. Afraid I was way out of my league, afraid I could never learn, afraid everyone would think I was out of my mind, afraid people would laugh at my art, afraid my teacher would wonder what I was doing there. But I persevered. I went with all my insecurities and the devil sitting on my shoulder telling me I was crazy for even trying. Now, each time I go I learn something new and actually enjoy painting! I now have three paintings hanging in Bob Tompkin's Gallery!

I believe we all have the ability to do things we never thought we could but we are so afraid of failure we never try.

Today please say a prayer for Joy's husband. He is having surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his esophagus. He has already had chemo and radiation and will now be facing a feeding tube.

Let's do it afraid!!!

Yesterday was a good day. Clark and I set our new watches for intervals of 2minutes and synchronized our time. We ran two minutes and walked two minutes for a total of two miles and then walked the last mile with one 2 minute interval of running stuck in the middle. He is really being a sweet, supportive husband (did I just say that?) He is pushing me but somehow is knowing just how far to push before the breaking point!! If it were up to me, I probably would never advance in my workouts.
We rewarded ourselves with sushi at Nagoya. If you have never tried sushi you are really missing out. So good, low calorie (unless you eat until oblivion) and good for you. Try to use the thick pink sauce sparingly - probably more calories than allowable on a diet.
We always have the same breakfast every morning. When you are "old" and female you have to eats lots of fiber! Fiber One cereal (14 grams fiber in 1/2 cup), 1/2 banana, 4 dried apricots, small amt. almonds or walnuts, and a sprinkle of cinnamon and splenda. Light Vanilla Soy milk poured over. I have also started putting a couple of teaspoons of oatmeal on top (thanks to Robin!). If I have fresh or frozen blueberries or strawberries I add them. I have found that if I have a good healthy breakfast it helps me eat healthy all through the day.
Keep on keeping on.......................................................one day at a time!!!

Mary,

Thanks for the rice and beans recipe you posted. Sounds great. I am going to try it. Keep them coming.

Don't forget the Beano!!

Jana

Today Clark and I rode our bikes for about an hour all around Madison. it was cold even with my cuddle duds, bike pants with the soft boody cushion, long pants, long sleeve shirt, jacket, gloves and bike helmet. Clark had on only bike shorts, a shirt, and light jacket (plus helmet)!! It felt good to be outside even though traditionally I would rather hibernate inside in cold weather and esp. take a long Sunday afternoon nap!
Church was very inspiring this morning. We are studying about faith. Clark and I committed today to a mission trip to Cody, Wyoming this summer. Our only worry is how to get our training in while we are gone!
Can't believe I have exercised so much. We have a couple of friends that are battling cancer (our age) and right now I am feeling so thankful to God for my health and the opportunity to even attempt this. I lost my best girl friend two years ago to stomach cancer. She was 47 and had she lived she would be pounding the pavement with me and laughing all the way!!

I am really doing this!

"You must do the thing you think you cannot do." Eleanor Roosevelt

I am a procrastinator. I have waited three weeks to do my first blog - hoping it would go away. I waited 51 years to get serious about exercising - hoping that I would stay slim, trim and young anyway! I finally have figured out that you have to take charge of your own life. No one is going to do it for you and no matter how much I whine or groan or make excuses - I am responsible for how I feel, how I look and how happy I want to be.

I coerced my husband Clark into doing this marathon because I don't like to duck hunt and he hates to shop! Finally, something we can do together! He is having to push me at times and I am trying to be nice!

So far, I have managed to to do my "required" walking/running and XT every day. I am actually enjoying it!!!! Hopefully, we can tell the kids soon that we are doing this without them all fainting or sending us off to Whitfield. Maybe next year they will all run with us!

Thanks Mark for all your good advice. You guys have to be mighty patient to deal with us new marathoners!