Spa 5k, Pinnacle Mountain & The Big Dam Bridge !!

I survived!!  LOL  After looking at my BodyMedia stats tonight and seeing that my total steps for today totalled just under NINETEEN THOUSAND, I saw that I truly did push myself as hard as I thought I did.  So, let me back up and fill you in...

If you read my last post, you know that I'm preparing to walk a marathon in April 2011.  Geez, just saying that scares me!  Well, this weekend, I drove up to Hot Springs, AR for the Spa 5K marathon with my friend Sean Symons aka "Shawn Fitness" .  He and his lovely lady Robbie allowed my daughter and I to stay at their home and we all went out to walk the 5K in a very brisk 48 degrees at 8am this morning. 

After that, he took us over to the Promonade there in downtown Hot Springs.  I took some AMAZING pictures!!  We got to drink from fountains with warm water coming directly from the springs.  TOO COOL!!!  :-) 

After that, we went to Pinnacle Mountain State Park and walked a short 1/2 mile on a trail called Kingfisher Trail.  THEN we went over to the Big Dam Bridge...and YES it was!! 

All in all, I logged in over 9 miles today!!  I know for some of you that may not be a lot, but for me it IS!!!  Not only is it a LOT of walking, my joints were screaming at me before the day was ever finished.  I was in an extreme amount of pain walking the bridge, but I didn't want to quit!  I started hearing my favorite fitness instructor Chalene Johnson in my head..."You're not tired!!  Mooooove!!"  So, I began to chant that over and over in my head as I walked up the incline for the first half of the bridge...and guess what?  I made it!!  LOL Part of me is still wondering what in the world am I thinking by committing to walk a marathon in 5 1/2 months, but if I DON'T set a goal then I'm GUARANTEED to fail! 

My First 5K!!

Hello!!  Welcome to my fitness blog.  I have another blog called A Journey in Life on a different page if you're interested. :-)  Today my daughter and I went walking on some trails here in the city where I live.  I was surprised and delighted that they were so secluded!  I'm a nature freak and all this concrete in the Dallas area drives me crazy!!  So, it was really nice to be able to see a few other people that crossed our path but mainly we got to focus on trees and hear the birds chirping.  I will definitely go back there!

I have a goal that in April 2011 I am going to walk a marathon with my friends.  That may not seem like a lot to some people, but for me it's HUGE!  Let me explain.  First of all, I am not in the best shape of my life, but I am getting there.  With programs like P90X and Turbo Fire I am changing the shape of my body and feeling amazing!  Secondly, I was diagnosed with Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) several years ago.  What that means is that my joints are 'iffy' at best.  They are deteriorating prematurely and the doctors told me to basically sit in a chair and watch life go one without me.  Well, THAT was NOT an option...not for me anyway.  I'd be lying if I said that depression didn't take a hold of me for a while when the pain became unbearable...but today I am a totally different person!  I've been working out regularly despite any pain I might have and I've also replaced my daily breakfast with an ultra premium health shake called Shakeology.  It has helped me to curb my junk food cravings and has also helped with my joint pain to a degree.  Don't get me wrong, there are days when I feel like I'm 80 years old, but I just...keep...moving.  Even if it's a slow stroll around the block.  I'm losing weight, feeling GREAT and now I want to help others to do the same.

So, anyway...that's a long story to tell you that I managed to walk a 5K today. No, there were no banners or people there cheering me on.  It was just me and my daughter on the trails that wind through the city where I live...but...I...did it!!  I actually walked 3.5 miles and I am so proud of myself!  I am not going to think about the fact that it's nowhere close to a marathon distance, I am just going to keep moving and striving to get to that 26 mile mark!