"Do not quit. Do not give up."

Finished week 4 with 60 total miles logged since beginning training!  I have completed about 79% of all of the scheduled workouts because I took all that time off when I went to Vegas and leading up to it.  Last night I did my long run (5 miles) in a pretty decent time of 48:55.  I considered this to be impressive because I took the first mile very slow and completed it in 13 minutes, so for the remaining 4 miles I ran under a 9 minute mile! woohoo!  During week 4, I logged a total of 24 miles, 14 of those miles being running workouts (the rest was cycling/walking).  So not bad going into week 5!  


Tonight, I did BodyCombat at o2 Fitness.  Wow, what a workout!  It was basically a mix of taekwondo, karate, boxing, tai chi, and muay thai.  I was sweating up a storm and really pushing myself.  This class is definitely one of those "it's as hard as you want it to be" classes.  You can do wimpy jabs and just go through the motions or you can put your heart into it and really throw yourself into all of the movements.  I chose option number two and made every motion count.  The teacher was really into it and was really good at pushing us to go harder.  She reminded me of Jillian Michaels but maybe that's just wishful thinking since I am now addicted to the Biggest Loser.  

Ada the Terminator
Before: 258 lbs
After: 159 lbs

Yes, this is my new obsession.  The finale of the Biggest Loser Season 10 got me through last night's 5 miler because it was SO inspiring (I watch it on my phone using HuluPlus).  Those people make a commitment to change their lives for the better and get healthy, and that's kind of what I'm doing, albeit on a much much smaller scale....no pun intended ;-) I was particularly inspired by one of the top 3 finalists from season 10: Ada (the terminator).  This girl started out very overweight and insecure and ended up dropping about 100 pounds and discovering how to accept who she is.  She was the girl in the house who motivated all of the other women and always kicked butt in the gym (hence the name "Ada the Terminator").  While her weight loss is incredible, it was her drive and determination that inspired me the most.  She rose up from a life where she felt worthless and became someone she could be proud of and finally realized that she IS good enough.  Her mental and emotional strength was as admirable as her physical strength.  She is an incredibly inspiring woman and I'm sure she has encouraged many across the country to step up and make the commitment to a healthier lifestyle.


During Week 7 of Season 10, the contestants trained with the Marines on base.  One Marine repeated a "mantra" that I think is particularly relevant to my training, as well as anyone else who is seeking to achieve a goal:  "Do not quit. Do not give up."  So simple, and yet very powerful.  That phrase is easy to remember and will always come to my mind when I think I want to stop during a run or not finish the last reps of my strength training.  Completing any race is not just a physical test, but a mental one as well, and I will need to work on training my mind as well as my body to complete this half (yes, I just came to this realization).  Having these short phrases of encouragement will remind me to keep focused and have my eyes on the prize (or the finish line).  

In the second to last episode, the top four finalists ran a marathon.  YES, that's right, a marathon.  Ada finished the marathon in 4 hours and 38 minutes, setting a new Biggest Loser record for fastest female time.  That is definitely faster than I would probably be able to do one right now (if I could even do one).  It just goes to show that hard work, focus, and having good concrete goals can help you achieve more than you ever thought possible.  

My current goals are:

Run 5 miles in under 45 minutes

Beat Ada's mile time (from the show) of 7:35

and the obvious one: complete the VA Beach Half Marathon in 55 days!

Thank all of you who follow this blog...it helps keep me motivated!  You all are my inspiration!


Here is what's on tap for Week 5:

Mon: Stretch & Strengthen

Tues: 4 m run

Wed: 2 m run or cross

Thurs: 4 m run + strength

Fri: Rest

Sat: 40 min cross

Sun:  6 m run