It's Sunday, we'll consider this "Week One - COMPLETE!"

New kicks in the new year. Yes, technically I got these in 2012, but who cares. I didn't get to bust them out til 2013 since I've been hurt and they're new and I love them, so whatever. 2013 is the year of the bright orange shoes.

I got super lucky getting these babies, too. One of my dad's friends from high school has become one of MY friends and she won a random NikeID gift card. Since she didn't need it, she passed it to me and I made these sweet thangs. They're super light weight and I can't wait to put some serious miles on these things. Thanks so much, Ms. GiGi!

This week went okay - not anything fantastic, but nothing too terrible either. I've been on 3 different exercisey excursions and I've gone a total of about 6 miles. Nothing too serious, but good for building up my endurance and working back slowly from my stupid injury.

Speaking of my stupid injury, after talking with my Team in Training coordinator, Sandra, I set up an appointment with another Sports Medicine Orthopedic doctor to get a second opinion on this whole hip situation. If she tells me not to run, I'm going to be one unhappy lady. It's starting to feel sooooo good (even if running in the cold is my nemesis).

I've had a general feeling of "people are cheering me on" since Wednesday. A teller from work offered to meet me at the gym in the mornings, I had a GREAT meeting with Sandra about reaching my TNT fundraising goals, and a random guy gave me a thumbs up and said "keep going! You're doing great!" to me yesterday on the path behind the house. I bet that guy does that to everyone, but dangit, he's awesome for doing it. I kept up with him for a while, but then of course, I needed to breathe. Either way, random stranger on the Bicentennial Greenway - YOU ARE AWESOME. THANK YOU!

Speaking of cheerleaders - I'M SO PROUD OF MY DAD! That's us next to the Christmas tree where we had Christmas brunch this year. He's set a goal to walk on the treadmill in his own personal little workout cabin (He sells log homes, y'all. Want one? He can hook you up.) EVERY SINGLE DAY. He's been posting on Facebook when he does it. I'm so proud. He's pretty much my favorite person on the planet (don't tell my husband) and if getting his butt on the treadmill keeps him around longer, I'm all for it. I can't wait til I get his ass in a 5k or something. Love you, Daddy!

Sometimes we just need a cheerleader and if cheering on others makes it so we get on the karma train for people cheering for us, then dammit, let's do it. Be someone's cheerleader today. Seriously! What's not to like about making someone feel good? Making someone's day suck less and maybe, just maybe, giving them a confidence boost? I'll be the first to tell you that I have zero self esteem and confidence isn't exactly my middle name - but when someone gives me a little boost, it's like giving me a shot of awesome. So yes. DO IT. If you're at the gym and see someone getting tired - give them a smile (don't be creepy though, creepers). If you're out for a jog and you see someone who's obviously working on a new year/new them thing - give them a thumbs up or something when you go by. You seriously never know how it can affect someone. But again, don't be creepy. Creepy people are weird. Don't do that. Just be awesome.

'Til next time!

Well, crap.

Well, crap.

Remember that last post I wrote? The one riiiiight down there? This one. Where I said "Goals. Plans...I haz them."? Didn't work out so well for this chick.

Sadly, since moving to North Carolina, I've put on about 20 lbs. I just stepped on the scale - granted, it was after dinner and after a huge diet coke - but it was not a pretty number. 232. MOOOOO. 

<----- This is pretty much how I feel right now. Like a fat ole moo cow with too much going on in the midsection. 

It's not anything I'm not used to, I've always had this gut, but I had done SO well last year. I had gotten down to 190. I did a half marathon in January '12, I did a Warrior Dash, and, I ran my hometown's signature race, The Gate River Run 15K. 

What the hell happened!? How did I go from my energetic and race-runnin' self to my now, lazy and beastly self? It's so frustrating to know where you've been and where you are now and that you did the whole backing the pounds back on thing all by yourself. 

I guess I can't completely blame my lack of enthusiasm and laziness though. I got injured. Who knows how I did it, but all I know is that the Saturday before Labor Day, I ran further than I should have - roughly 9 miles. I came home, took a shower, and thought, "hmm, my hip kinda hurts...that's odd" but walked it off like a champ. That whole weekend my hip was hurting, but, again, I just kinda figured it'd go away. PLUS, my insurance from my new job wouldn't kick in for 30 days. It couldn't be that serious right? 

Uh. Wrong. The first day insurance would cover a doctor's visit, I was at the Orthopedic surgeon saying "My hip hurts...help!" Of course, it was more like my upper pelvis and my IT Band, but I just knew that THIS (see right) hurt. Told the doctor, he x-rayed my hip and said "looks like a muscle strain, go to physical therapy. 

Cool. I'm down for people helping me stretch. They stretched and stretched and stretched me for about 6 weeks. While my IT band was feeling better, my upper pelvis bone thing...my hip bone, I called it, but he called it the Illiac Crest, still hurt. 

By this time, I'd had to postpone the half-marathon I was scheduled to do in Raleigh in November with Team in Training. I've signed up for the Nike Women's Half Marathon in Washington DC in April with TNT - let's hope I make it!

Anyhoo - the doctor still doesn't really know what's wrong with my hip and has suggested an MRI, I haven't gotten one yet, but I hope that when I do, it gives me some answers. It still hurts, but I've decided to push through the pain - probably like a dumbass, but I've gotten so fat that I can't stand being sedentary anymore. I've got a half marathon to train for and pants I want to be able to wear again!

Well, dammit, today is January 1st, 2013. Time to start the F*CK over. I went and walked 2 miles at a "very brisk pace" - it ended up being about a 15 minute mile. I tried to run a bit, but the trail was wet and I started to slip, so I decided that would be a bad idea. So yeah, Jan 1 is here.  Monthly pics are coming back. One 5k a month is going to be scheduled, I'm going to train my ass off for my Half Marathon in April, and I'm not going to look like these pictures anymore. 

For shits and giggles, I also got my husband to take 1/1/13 pictures. I'm jealous of his. Here it goes - Mr and Mrs. Hold the Fries. Don't click if you ever want to be able to eat again.