Why I Took That First Step

Unfortunately, Tuesday nights are one of my nights to chauffer the kids to all of their activities. I head to the high school to drop my son off for jazz band rehearsal at 7pm, go back home to bring my daughter to dance for 7:45pm, sit around at the studio for an hour and then when she's done, head back to the h.s. to pick up Charlie (Jr.) at 9pm from jazz band. This past Tuesday my husband stayed home from work so I could go into the city with my girlfriend to see Nate and he could do all of that running around. So, I don't get to see Biggest Loser the night it's on. Luckily, no one ever ruins it for me the next day talking about it on Facebook or whatever. I don't have a DVR, so thank goodness for 'Free on Demand' from my cable company!

This week was my favorite episode of the Biggest Loser season--- THE MARATHON!! It is alwasy SO inspiring to see people who, just a short time earlier, were 50, 75 or even 100 pounds heavier, now racing in a 26.2 mile course. Some of them didn't have the strength or endurance to even WALK a mile when they started their journey, and now they are running! Back in May of 2009, while watching Tara Costa in season 7 run the marathon, my husband asked me a question, and I'll never be able to express how grateful I am to him for asking it. He said "Do you ever think you'd want to do that?" My response was "Yeah. I mean, what an accomplishment that is." It's kinda like a bucket list item, COMPLETING A MARATHON. Then Charlie said that if I ever decided to do a marathon, he would do it with me. That short, innocent conversation was a catalyst that sparked my desire to lose the weight I have been battling ONCE AND FOR ALL. 



At my nephew Adam's wedding, 7/17/09- my before shot



I started my weight-loss journey, finally, on August 17, 2009. I didn't start running until March of 2010, after I had lost some weight and I wasn't THAT afraid of having a heart attack. Charlie would  be my biggest cheerleader. I couldn't even run 1/2 a lap when I started training. To increase the distance I could run, I would keep adding 1/2 a lap. I remember reporting to Charlie what I had accomplished in a workout. I can remember how incredibly far 3/4 of a mile felt, and when I finally ran an entire mile, with Charlie by my side, how emotional achieving that goal made me. When we got back in the car from coming off the track, I looked over at Charlie and asked him if he was proud of me (for having run a mile). He looked right at me, with tears in his eyes, and said "I was proud of you when you started." This is the man I married. Having his support on this rocky road has meant everything to me.

our 1st 5k together- 9/11/10

So when it was time to finally sit down and watch this week's BL episode, I wanted Charlie next to me to watch it too. This season's marathon was the best marathon episode EVER!! I don't know if it's because I now run and I understand the mental strength as well as the physical endurance it takes to run or because I can actually visualize myself running one now, but this marathon had both me AND my husband crying. I will probably go back and watch that episode several times because it is THAT inspiring. I was so sad for Joe when Dr. Huizenga pulled him off the course. He wanted to finish SO badly. I was so happy for Ramon for winning (and that John DIDN'T!) and getting a spot in the final 3. But I don't think anything can compare to the emotion evoked when Coach Mike and then Debbie and Johnny crossed that finish line in the dark. I was so proud of them. They weren't looking to win or set any records, they just wanted to finish. Three people in their 60's finishing a 26.2 mile HORRENDOUS course. For starters, does any marathon put the runners through a sand storm? AND, I didn't see any of them with an iPod for music AND there wasn't ANY scenery to look at to pass the time! I don't know, I guess I would need some distractions to keep me out of my head so much.

I'm not there yet. I could definitely finish a marathon, but I want to run a marathon. I'm more than a third of the way to that goal. I plan on running a half-marathon next year. I'm not sure if I can tackle a marathon as well, but I definitely want to run one in 2013. Charlie hasn't been training with me. He didn't run the 10k I did this year. I'm not sure if he really wants to run a marathon or not now, but that's not going to stop me from setting my goals and achieving them, and I know he'll still be cheering me on.