Goodbye 47, Hello 48, for 7 months is here!

I did the 5k in 44 minutes!  That's a minute under my goal of 45.  I was very happy with myself.  I was even happier when I got a 2nd place medal for ladies in my age group.  This is fantastic!  I was completely surprised, I didn't do this for a medal, but hey it's really nice to get one.

That got me thinking.  When you set a goal for yourself and you accomplish it, there should be a way that you get a medal or some sort of recognition.  I know what you are saying, achieving your goal should be all the satisfaction you need.  And I agree, but when I got a medal, that was pretty awesome.  Maybe I should start a company that takes your goals and when you achieve them, I send you a medal that you get to wear around your neck.  Something that will make people ask, "Hey what did you get the medal for?"  Then you get to brag a little about how you crushed a goal you had and you are taking your "victory lap".

I know I'm not doing this for recognition, but it's nice to get a pat on the back or getting something tangible that you can hold to show that you did accomplish what you set out to do.

Being proud of yourself shouldn't be a bad thing.  I was proud I crossed that finish line.  I have worked hard for the past 7 months and having just the littlest victory is a grand thing.

So as of tomorrow, 04/19/17, it will mark 7 months.  So here are my stats:

Months No Soda/Alcohol:  9 months

Months No Pasta/Bread/Potatoes/Sweets:  7 months

Dress sizes lost:  6 sizes from start

Total Pounds Lost:  80

To put in perspective, apparently 80 pounds is the equivalant of:

A labrador retreiver

A dishwasher

A bag of concrete

854 Twinkies

24,191 Reeces Peanut Butter Cups

So there you have it.  7 months and I have 5 months left until I hopefully hit my goal.  Wouldn't it be great when I hit my goal that I got a peanut butter cup medal.  By then I might actually eat it!

When you accomplish something that you always hoped you would one day do, you feel a huge weight come off your shoulders.  I DID IT!  No one did it for me, it was me against me.

There were times during the run that I wanted to just slow down and give up.  I had a great partner in my son, who would consistently push me.  He wasn't going to let me quit.  Even though slowing down to a leisurely pace would have been easy, I didn't want to take the "easy" way.  I didn't know my time while I was going.  All I knew is that from the songs on my ipod, I knew what songs put me into the 45 minute category and it was up to me to get my happy butt across that line before I heard the first note of the song I knew was at the 45 minute mark.

When the song I knew was just after the 40 minute mark started playing, I was searching the horizon for that finish line and by goodness if I didn't see it.  It seemed really tiny, which might have just been my bad eyesight in my old age, but I knew I had to pick up the pace and get to it and fast.  So bigger strides I took, and though I could feel it in my legs and my lungs that I might be pushing my limits, I knew I was going to get across that line.  Without looking up and concentrating way to hard on my shoes, which I noticed in this last stretch that I have a hole in my right shoe right above my big toe.  I was going to cross that line running, not walking!  AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I DID!

As my friends cheered, in my mind it sounded like I was at the Super Bowl.  Yes my imagination is vast and wild.  Though there was no confetti and no one famous sang the National anthem.  To me it was the Super Bowl of the last day of my 47th year on this planet.(My birthday was the next day)  So I raised my hands and smiled a smile that made my whole body tingle.  

So even though it may be easy to give up or put something off until tomorrow.  Don't take the easy way out.  Believe me, I was the queen of tomorrow.  Tomorrow I'll start my diet, tomorrow I'll start working out every day. Tomorrow I'll clean out the spare room (ok that one I'm still working on, but that more a family problem, than a me thing)  Tomorrow I'll be happy.  Well, guess what, today I eat better.  Today I workout, today I AM HAPPY!  (The spare room is another story for another day)

I gave up on tomorrows and decided to start with todays.  But I really need to look into getting a medal company going because every one deserves to feel special.  Maybe one where you can get a free ice cream cone or a free round of applause when you complete your goals.  Ok, I know, I'm just in the "developing" stage of my idea, but you have to admit, if you got a medal in the mail made of chocolate with a coupon for a free ice cream, you are going to tell me you wouldn't be a little bit happier!!!!

Have a peachy week!  48 is going to be my best year yet!

Here's a pic of me with my medal and with my amazing 5k partner, Spencer!