That Running Thing

I've had a few people ask if I'm still doing "that running thing" so I thought it might be time for an update. YES I am still doing that running thing, and so far I'm still alive. . .even a little thinner! For those interested in the technical details of how the heck I'm going to run a 25K here ya go. I'm sure it's not the best training plan ever, but here's what I've come up with . . .

Since I was basically starting at square one, I decided to start with one of the couch to 5K programs I've heard so much about. I know I've already ran a few 5K's but it's been a while and this seemed like the best option to get me back up to where I was and allow me some time to start improving on my mile time before adding distance. I'm on week 4 and so far it's going really well. To be honest, I didn't think it would be that hard since I wasn't literally coming from the couch  (I've been running for quite a few months, just not consistently and not far), but clearly I was giving myself too much credit because it has NOT been easy! I am improving on my time though which was a big goal with these first few miles. I'm also incorporating some basic strength training on off days. Once I'm done with the 5K program then I'm going to do the Bridge to 10K program which should get me back to a 10K by the end of November. There's a mentor running program thing in our area that starts in January for people wanting to run their first 25K so I'm hoping by then I should be at a decent point to start with them. Still trying to forget about the fact that they meet at 8am on Saturdays and run OUTSIDE in the middle of winter (Are these people crazy????)

With regards to the fundraising and all that, we haven't had our big kickoff yet so I don't have too much to share on that front. The outpouring of support from my fellow Engage Committee members and friends and family has been amazing though. People keep telling me how inspirational this whole thing is. . . .I don't necessarily find myself that inspirational but I do appreciate the compliment.

Now on the personal side of things. . I think I am going to be surprised at the effects this has on me. I've always been good at following through on anything I say I am going to do, but I've also always been good at sabotaging myself and not really allowing myself to live up to my full potential. I'm also really good at get comfortable and getting lazy. This is forcing me so far out of my comfort zone (physically and emotionally) that it's teaching me to push myself in other areas too. . and surprisingly, it's kind of fun! Instead of worrying about it or thinking I'm going to fail, I'm sort of just taking it day by day and looking forward to an amazing reward at the end. I'd say that's a darn good life lesson! I'll let you know if I'm still feeling so optimistic when I'm running in the snow. . .

Changing the World 1 Kilometer at a Time!

So clearly I haven't been keeping up on the blog posts like I originally intended and my excuse is that I've been busy.. . .real busy. Just a few months ago I decided I wanted to do something big and mentioned that I wanted to run the 25K Riverbank Run in 2013. I wanted to do something big that would change my life, but I also have really been wanting to do something big that would change the lives of others, I just wasn't quite sure what. I had a feeling this would be the year of big things but didn't have any specifics in mind (and no my idea of big thing does NOT include having a child). Well, I've managed to get myself into something that has the potential to be HUGE and I'm really excited to share it with you. There aren't a lot of details that I can share yet, and the real "kick-off" is about another month or two away but to sum it up, I am running the 25K to raise funds for a scholarship for Veteran's or their dependents. It's kind of hard to explain at this point so I am just going to share some recent emails to give you a general idea. . .

From my WGVU Engage Committee Leader:

"Good afternoon everyone!

I hope everyone is preparing for a great Labor Day Weekend, but before you do, please take a moment to hear about something exciting!

During our last WGVU Engage Committee meeting the Veterans Sub-Committee talked about how one of their goals is to fully fund the LZ Michigan Scholarship by June 30, 2012.  This is a scholarship that WGVU set up after LZ Michigan for Veterans and/or Veterans dependents to attend GVSU.  At the end of the meeting a young lady who has been involved with WGVU Engage since the beginning approached me about an idea she had.  Before I share the idea, a little about Alison.

Alison has been part of WGVU Engage since the first meeting.  Her Dad is a Vietnam Veteran which is how she became involved with WGVU through LZ Michigan.  She is very passionate and believes in making a difference in our community.  She has helped at LZ Michigan, GVSU/LZ 5K Fun Run, and will be helping at the upcoming Public Broadcasting Society Fall Preview event in September.

Her idea was to raise funds for the LZ Michigan Scholarship Endowment by running the Fifth Third River Bank Run in May 2013, the 25K!  We are still working out the fundraising side of things for sponsors, donors, etc.  We will let you know more as it develops.  Alison has done a 10K before and several 5K races.  As we talked yesterday we discussed how not only can this impact the Veterans Sub-Committee but also the Education, Health and Inclusion (Women & Girls Lead) Committees in a positive way.

Here is where we need some assistance at this time.  We are looking to surround Alison with a great support team and potential training/running partners from now until and maybe including the 25K in May.  She has told me, no matter what, she will finish the race.  I am be no means the healthiest, fittest person around or have a lot of knowledge in running a marathon, nutrition, etc.  So I am reaching out to those that are the experts.  We would like to ask all of you if you would like to be part of the LZ Michigan Alison Glowinski 25K Team.  That may be in help training, nutrition expertise, places to get info, running with her at the River Bank Run, etc.

I look forward to working out a lot of details over the next few months and doing anything we can to support Alison in her mission to be an inspiration for others, learn about health and complete her first 25K all while raising funds to help Veterans and their dependents achieve a post-secondary education.

Our Veterans Co-Chair said it best today, and I wanted to share why I am very excited, and that is the fact that WGVU Engage is moving forward and that our Engage Committee members are passionate about making a difference in our community and willing to share their great ideas with and allow WGVU to be part of them!

Please let me know any thoughts you may have or if you are interested in being part of the LZ Michigan Alison Glowinski 25K Team.

Enjoy your Labor Day Weekend!  Thank you Alison!"

My email response:

"Hello everyone,

Thank you Tim for the grand introduction (and naming of a team after me!). I have already received emails from a few people offering to help and I really can't express my gratitude enough. You'll learn more about me and my story as we go along, but as Tim said this is something I am very passionate about.  .the Endowment Fund, not the running part :)

As we were talking in our last meeting it really broke my heart to think that we did this amazing LZ Michigan event that changed so many lives and now the part of it that could really live on forever was less then a year away from being shut down, simply because of the money. I'm not in a financial position to change that, but not having the money has never put a stop to me before. 

I had already theoretically planned on running the 25K and something just clicked that maybe I could put the two together. I know to some people running a race like that is not a big deal, but for me, it's a huge deal. Tim mentioned I've ran various 5K's and a 10K but I use the term ran very loosely and have taken far too much time off. I've never been physically fit, always been overweight, and a few years ago went through some pretty serious health issues. Doing those first few races was a big deal for me and life changing and something I want to be able to share with other people. This event is really two sided for me with the Endowment Fund and the Health side.

While I am slightly overwhelmed (or more than slightly) at the thought of people seeing what I am doing, and hearing my story, I am really excited about this and the fact that we could get this scholarship funded. Veteran's and their families face so many day to day challenges, a big one being the ability to be financially secure, which I've been through with my own family. If all I have to do is figure out how to run a 25K to be able to give someone the chance at an education and take the burden of paying for school off them and their family, then I'm figuring out how to run a 25K and I'm not stopping until I'm done. This has the potential to be huge and while that's kind of scary for me personally, that's why I'm on the Engage Committee. I love the free lunches and all, but I'm here because I want to make a difference. 

I really just wanted to say thank you in advance for your help with this and thank you to Tim for turning my idea of maybe raising a $1000 into something so much more. And if you have ideas on how to turn me into a runner. . .send them my way!!"

Consider that a preview of things to come! I was going to wait to share everything until we had the details worked out but our committee is about community engagement and the more I can share, the more people I can potentially attract to get involved. If you have any advice, if you want to be part of the team, or if you just want some more information let me know. I'm am going to make a conscious effort to blog about this journey and I promise you it will be entertaining. . .me running a 25K is hilarious enough to think about let alone to actually write about. 

And since I am painfully honest, here's how I am feeling right about now  . . ."Fuck me, what did I just get myself into!?!?!"

On a totally separate note, I can not figure out how to make the fonts and backgrounds consistent in my blog so sorry if it looks all crazy!

Finally. . . A Blog Post!

I think my most recent posts have been a lot less harsh but none the less I thought this picture was beyond appropriate and it made me laugh. I guess I use the word recent pretty lightly since its been forever since I've even posted anything. It's my total life makeover that is taking over my life!! Things have actually been going really well, just really busy. Started my new career and am finally falling into the groove of it - think this one may stick for more than a year or two, just the past 2 weeks I've been getting myself back into running (yes, I still think I'm running a 25K next year), and everything else I mentioned in the last post is falling into place. I do feel myself becoming a much more balanced person overall. 

We spent last weekend camping with friends  which was beyond amazing and a much needed break. I am definitely the type of person that just needs to get away once in a while. Being outside, not checking my cell phone, laughing, joking, relaxing. . . .It just felt good to be around people I always have a blast with and am completely comfortable with (even though I just met 2 of them!) and to not have to put on make up or care about really anything at all. I even went skinny dipping in Lake Michigan which never in my wildest dreams would I think I would do with other people around. Granted, it was really dark, but I'm generally not the type of person who is OK with even wearing a bathing suit so that was kind of a huge deal when I actually thought about it after the fact. I am overall a very confident person but my body is one thing I've never been overly confident about. In fact it's something I've obsessed about for the greater portion of my life. I honestly cannot think of a time in life when I have not been trying to lose weight. I've done the diets, the weight watchers, the this, that and the other. Some have worked, some have seriously failed. I've lost significant amounts of weight just to gain them back, it's a never ending battle and I have never once been OK with the way I look. Frankly, it's exhausting to think how much time and mental energy I've spent on obsessing about my weight. I'm finally starting to learn that I'm perfectly fine the way I am.  And now that I am fine with the way I am, I am slowly starting to lose the weight, and lose it for good. . . .sure wish some one would have told me that was the secret 20 years ago. Seems so simple! I'm sure it has to do with my running and complete alteration of my diet, but it's beyond freeing to not obsess on it. I'm running because I have a goal to run the race, and I changed my diet to feel better and not be sick. . . my decisions were not based on wanting to lose weight, and they were life style changes, not temporary fixes. And finally, I am eating what I like and working out when I want and not obsessing about calorie counting, or work out regimens, or weighing in at a meeting. It's starting to become part of every day life like brushing my teeth. I could seriously write a billion pages on this and my next few posts will probably be related. I feel like if I could have had this epiphany years ago, I could have saved myself a ton of emotional stress, and maybe by sharing I can help some one else in the same situation. 

And now, just because of the picture, I feel like I need to close with something kind of feisty. I found a quote I loved recently: "If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain." If people spent as much time focusing on how to change their situations instead of constantly bitching, the world would be a much better place. . .and I would be far less irritable :) QUIT YER BITCHIN!