Hey everyone!
Happy Tuesday! Thank you all for your very kind comments yesterday regarding my needing to scale back on the marathon training while I determine what my knees need to be happy. While I did start this journey knowing that I’d stop if it ceased being fun or if my knees acted up, it’s still a hard thing to give in to because I don’t like to say I’ll do something and then not follow through as planned.
However, I did that once with a triathlon. In that case, I just didn’t enjoy the swimming training at all and I wanted more than anything to throw in the towel & admit that I’d made a mistake in signing up to do it. But I’d said I would do it so by golly come hell or high water I was gonna DO it. And I did. Unfortunately I didn’t have that ‘rewarding’ feeling after I was done, as if I’d really accomplished something. Because I didn’t enjoy the race – I was just focused on crossing that finish line so that I could be done without having given up.
I don’t recommend that following that route. 
And I learned a big lesson from it. So when I do finally cross that marathon finish line, I want to feel FANTASTIC for having done so. (And preferably be RUNNING across the finish line as opposed to CRAWLING, which is where I’m headed if I don’t listen to my knees.)
I heard from one of my fellow marathon training buddies this weekend that he unfortunately may NOT be running the marathon on May 16 either, as he might have a stress fracture in his heel. I hope he has a speedy recovery and is back to running in no time. Stress fractures are no fun to deal with because the only way to fix them is pretty much do nothing while they heal.
***
Yesterday morning to start off the week using something other than my legs, I did another round of “Meat Mallet Muscles” for my upper body workout:
Chest, Back, Shoulder Workout
- Upper Body warmup with arm circles, light stretching, moving light weights around
- DB Bench Press 2 warm-up sets + 4 working sets of 12
- DB Incline Chest Flyes 1 warm-up set + 4 working sets of 12
- Wide-Grip Lat Pulldowns 1 warm-up set + 4 working sets of 12
- One-Arm DB Rows 4 working sets of 12
- Seated Overhead DB Press 1 warm-up set + 4 working sets of 12
- Side Lateral Raises 4 working sets of 12
Now THIS is the soreness I crave. 
Then, thanks to the extra daylight after work and the 50 degree weather, we were able to get the dogs out for a 40-minute WOG last night. Spring is just around the corner and I couldn’t be happier. Today they are saying 60 degrees, so I may have to find some time to fit in a long outdoor outing of some sort.
***
I mentioned last week that I came across a few old pics of me back before I the start of my weight loss journey. These aren’t the highest quality scans, but I think you’ll be able to get the idea. 
In my heavier days - check out those cheeks!
Double chin!
It is still so weird for me to look back at these pictures. My face looks completely different. I am so thankful that I found my way to fitness and healthier living before it snowballed into something more.
I had a friend tell me that I have an “athletic face” now. I take that as a complement!
Or maybe all faces look “athletic” whilst wearing a baseball cap.
Have a TERRIFIC Tuesday!
– Shari B. =)
