On May 17, 2010, I decided to run my first 5k. I found the Couch to 5k plan online, and in a moment that can only be described as temporary insanity, I decided I was going to complete it.

On May 18, 2010, I went to the gym and for the first time ever, I went to the treadmills. That first day, my “run” was kind of a joke. I couldn’t even manage to run 30 seconds. But I stuck with it. Day after day, I went to the gym. Usually I ran on the treadmills, but pretty soon I began incorporating cross training into my routine- swimming, weight training, stationery bicycles.

Slowly but surely, it became easier. I ran a little farther every day, until I could run three or four miles at a stretch. I continued pushing myself, discovering that with each push I could be a little stronger. Eventually I discovered a desire to complete a half-marathon… a goal that not long before I would have thought was was absolutely nuts.

But I did it… a few times. Since then, I’ve run three 5ks, two four-milers, one 10k, and three half-marathons. With every mile, I discovered a little more strength inside myself. Today I am a completely different person than I used to be.

Two years. Two years have changed my life.

When it comes to staying fit, there are so many different parts of your body you can specifically train depending on your fitness needs. You can target your arms, legs, and core or even burn away fat in specific areas to give you a slimmer, trimmer look. When people think of fitness, the most common picture that comes to mind is people on a treadmill at the gym, but that isn’t hardly all personal fitness has to offer! Training your upper body is just as important as running or jogging and can help to tone your abs and strengthen the muscles in your back at the same time.

You can train your upper body at home easily even if you suffer from constraints on the space available to you for a workout. Pushups, dips, and crunches work together to form a bulk of your exercises that target your core and the muscles in your arms like the biceps and triceps. If you’ve got a free wall or room for a mat, you’ve got room to work out. If you want to tone your muscles more, then try strength training with equipment like boxing bags or gloves. You can find all kinds of equipment online at websites like www.boxingbagstore.com everything from bags to pads to gloves and more.

Of course just having the right equipment will make you healthier and more fit, the most important part of staying fit is consistency. No matter what kind of workout you’re doing, maintaining a consistent schedule for your workouts is the most important factor in achieving results. You use your upper body every day for everything from simple tasks like picking up that jug of milk out of the fridge to more strenuous activities like sports or heavy lifting. Be sure to balance your workouts in order to maximize results and achieve a high overall level of fitness.

I went to yoga this morning. It was a great class. I’m not 100% sure why, but my legs were extra worn-out afterwards!! We did a lot of planks today, which was probably the culprit. Not a bad thing though- I need to do exercises like that to build my core and upper body strength.

We also did several lunges. I’ve been noticing lately when we do lunges- especially if I hold the position for several seconds- my ankles really tire out!! The muscles around my ankles just are not very strong!

Maybe tomorrow I will do an upper body workout at the gym. Hmm!!

I have some big news. I’ve held off on announcing this until all the details were finalized. At the end of this month, I will be traveling to Italy with my family!! We will basically be traveling along the western coast- Rome, Milan, Florence, Naples, and Pompeii.

In anticipation of your questions:
-We will be gone for about two weeks, total, and will be traveling between the aforementioned cities.
-I don’t know yet if I will get a chance to run while I am in Italy. I will probably pack at least one or two workout outfits, and I’d love to run through Rome or Naples, but running won’t be my priority while I’m there. Also, safety will be a concern- if I do run, in all likelihood I would be running alone, and as a female, I won’t go out there if I don’t feel safe.
-I am not going to Italy for the vineyards. In planning this trip, I discovered that virtually all of the cruises and tours spend a great deal of time at vineyards. I have nothing against wine or people who drink wine, but I do not drink alcohol. This is partly a personal choice, but also a medical choice- I have to take a prescription that affects my body’s ability to break down alcohol.
-I love history and I AM going to Italy to enjoy all the incredible history there!! I anticipate having lots of photos and lots of stories to tell!!
-I also hear their food is pretty good!!

Hopefully, I will also have an iPad by the end of this month that I can take with me! My parents decided to give me an iPad for my birthday one week ago, and decided that they wanted to take me to a bricks-and-mortar store today to buy it. However, every single store within two hours of our house is SOLD OUT!!! So we ordered it online, and it’s scheduled to be delivered between May 24-29. That cuts it close, and I may even call on Monday to see if I can hurry things along. I would absolutely LOVE to take an iPad with me, because it would be lots easier to maintain my blogs with it! (Not to mention it’s just cool!)

This entry was actually typed on my mother’s iPad. Typing on it is not as easy as a standard keyboard, but it’s not nearly as bad as I feared. It’s also far more robust than I expected. It will definitely be a valuable addition to my computer!

Tonight, at my dad’s suggestion, he and I paid a visit to our nearby park with the faux track. I’ve definitely lost a little fitness in my relaxed schedule, but not much. It felt good to be stretching my legs again- very, very good. Now if I can just stick with it!!!

Jogger Describes Vicious Dog Attack – Local News – Kansas City, MO – msnbc.com.

The doctor’s appointment went fine (of course). No surprises there. I went to Microcenter since I was on that side of town (it’s always fun to wander that store and dream!), then grabbed lunch. By this time, I knew I wasn’t going to have time for a nap, and I was beginning to struggle.

So, I decided to stop by my mom’s school and spend the afternoon chasing her kids. (It’s amusing, but I’ve discovered than an excellent way to stay awake is to move! Walking, running, kid-chasing- it all works!)

Finally I came home and spent what little time I had working, or at least trying to work. I only got maybe 3 hours of sleep last night, and I don’t function well on not enough sleep! Not to mention, I have lots more work to do than hours to do it in, regardless of how well I function!

Anyway. I made it through the day, and ironically this will probably work well to reset my internal clock and cure the insomnia I’ve been dealing with lately. Go figure!

I love that dog- even though I usually go slower when she’s with me, she reminds me why running is fun!

We ran about 3 miles together. The weather was beautiful, and it was a great day to be outside. I’m determined to get back into my running “rhythm”- less than a week out of it, and my insomnia is coming back!

Sadie even got to chase a bunny at one point!

Yup- the rabbit even held still long enough for me to get a photo! Not a GREAT photo, but you can see him!

Tomorrow will probably be a big day. I have yoga in the morning, then a doctor’s appointment on the other side of town. It will be challenging, since the early-morning yoga class interrupts a good night’s sleep and I WILL be tired, but it should still be fun.

But tomorrow is a new day, and hopefully tomorrow will be better…

By the way, you can download the song here.