FORWARD - My Goal for 2015

Looking Back on My Journey: 

2014 - The 1st half of the year was good. I was chosen for the Better U Challenge, gained some new friends, lost weight, learned about fitness and nutrition - life was good in general. Then the program ended, a few weeks later my Mom died, and I had a complete hysterectomy. The 2nd half of the year was hard. There were bright spots, but there were some really dark places. I met some of my goals, while others I failed at. I ended the year gaining back some weight and losing my motivation for working out, but I did keep to my goal to walk in several charity walks.  

A Lesson Learned from My Daughter: 

On November 1, 2014, I walked in the Culture Dash 5K. I came in dead-last. I felt defeated. One of the pictures taken at the event was the one below. I posted it on Facebook, because I feel it's important to share the good, the bad, and the ugly of my journey. My daughter, Michelle, made a comment on this picture that really got me to thinking: "Mommy you are always looking down in every picture I see of you walking! Maybe, you should try looking up!"  I realized just how right she was - I had started walking because I enjoyed the peacefulness, the views, the sounds, even taking pictures along my path. Somehow, I had lost that enjoyment. 

My next walk was the 2 mile Turkey Trot on November 23, 2014.  I set some goals for the day: not to finish last, a 20 minute mile, and to go across the finish line with my head up and a smile on my face. I didn't come in last, my mile time was 20:10, and below is the picture when I crossed the finish line. Michelle's words made me keep my head up during the race. 

2015 - The Year of Moving Forward: 

for-ward

• near or belonging to the front part of something
• moving or directed ahead or toward the front
• moving toward the future or toward a more advanced state or condition

This is my One Word for the year - FORWARD - to move forward, keeping my eyes forward. Even when I stumble, I will look forward and not back anymore. Somewhere along all the walks I did last year, I began to dream of running. Right before the Turkey Trot, I started using a Coach 2 5K app and had started on week 1. I found out I actually liked running  . . . okay in my case it's more like a slow turtle crawl, but I like it! For Christmas I told my family I wanted fitness/running stuff - and they came through! My daughter made me 2 headbands to wear, my oldest son & his girlfriend got me some running sock, that even tell me which foot they go on and they don't slip. My husband got me awesome kitten gloves (because kittens make everything better!), a Buff, and a Fitbit Zip. I completed a virtual 5K on New Year's Day . . .at my usual turtle pace, mostly walking, but I did job about a third of it. By the way it was 25 degrees out! 

Then I really started thinking crazy . . .I went to the info session for the Start 2 Finish Training Program at GoRun Wichita and signed up for a training program that my youngest son paid for as my Christmas gift. My training program starts February 9th, and I will be running in the Sweet Escape 10K on May 17th! 

I am excited and terrified at the same time!! I have NEVER been an athlete and would do everything I could to avoid physical activity most of my life. So now at age 50, I'm not sure what in the world has come over me. I've prayed a lot about it (i.e. argued with God) and I feel this is the next step I'm to take on my journey. 

So here I go - FORWARD . . .