My Story

Hi!  Thank you for visiting my blog.   My name is Mendy and this is my running story!

A long time ago I was a fairly active person.  I was never involved in sports, but I enjoyed going for walks, skiing, hiking - basically play!

1986

When I was 18, my best friend's fiance set me up on a blind date with his best friend, Brian.  The attraction was instant and intense, and 364 days later we were married.


Before long, our family had grown to include 2 little boys and 2 little girls.   I was pretty much up to my eyeballs in feeding, diapering, and homeschooling children - leaving precious little time or resources for a gym membership or other outside interests.

1994

Through all that I remained pretty much the same size, but then I hit 30 and my weight started climbing.  I told myself it was normal - expected even.   Of course, I tried dieting... but the weight I took off always managed to find its way back.

1999

 

2001

But what did it matter? - I was happy, and relatively healthy.

Then, in 2004, Brian and I decided to add a couple more children to the family.

First came Levi in 2005

And then Gracie in 2007

They were horrible pregnancies.  I puked the entire 9 months.   I had  Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction while pregnant with Levi and could barely walk.  I had to ride the scooter at Wal-mart, for heaven's sake!

With Gracie, the combination of being overweight and pregnant led to persistent heartburn - which led to my aspirating stomach acid - which led to asthma.  (Thank goodness I didn't give a mouse a cookie!) 
Basically not a happy time in my life.  
I ended up weighing 10 lbs less after Gracie was born than before.  I also turned 40 four days before her birth.  So I thought - "Now is the time!  I've already got a head start.  Plus, I'm breastfeeding.  If I ever want to get this weight off and get healthy - it's now or never!"
So I joined Weight Watchers, and very slowly - 1 lb a week - the weight came off.  I lost 35 lbs (45 lbs altogether) and looked a lot better.

(October 2007 - I remember being so excited because I could actually fit in a kiddie ride!)

However, I felt soft and out of shape.   Plus, I knew that when the honeymoon baby hormone stage passed I would once again be battling depression.  I needed exercise!

I began with the elliptical and some bodyweight exercises.
Then I discovered Zumba!  Boy did I love that!  It was the first time I had ever been excited to exercise!  After a while I read a book called :"The New Rules of Weight Lifting for Women" and began some serious strength training.
One thing I did NOT do is run.
NO Siree!
Why would anyone run when Zumba was so much fun??

Now, my husband had been running for a couple of years.  I knew he would like to run with me, and I considered it a few times, but I didn't want to admit to him that I could only run about 1/4 mile before I felt like passing out.

Then in June 2012 tragedy stuck.  My Zumba teacher injured herself and would be out for 6 weeks.  What was I to do?  Elliptical?  No way!  Spin? Boring!  Running?
Running...
hmm... maybe...
So, I hesitantly started running at the local park with my husband.  Just a little at first.  2 minutes running and then 2 minutes walking.  My husband was very patient with me.  Very encouraging.  
Then - on July 20, 2012 I ran my first ever 5K.  It was the Vestcor Bridges 5K - and I didn't have enough sense to know there might be hills!
The whole run was pure torture.  I promised myself over and over that if I just finished this race I would NEVER, EVER race again.

(That's me... grimacing and swearing I will never do this again!)

That was the day I discovered that runners are habitual liars!

These days, I spend much of my free time reading about, planning, researching and dreaming about running. 

So - Welcome!  And thank you for helping to fuel my obsession by reading my blog!

I'd love it if you'd take a moment and introduce yourself in the comments below!