We Are in For a Long Ride

Tomorrow will mark 5 months out from the Arches Ultra 50k that we are training for and each training day brings new fears, progress, and excitement. This work week was a long one, oddly though not a hard one. With the New Mexico heat ridiculously high, combined with a little humidity we let ourselves slack way more then we should have. I did some little sprints here and there but to be honest it just wasn’t impressive. Yesterday my coworker, friend, and fellow 50k trainee decided we would try our legs and lungs at a little elevation. 

We met up at 4:00pm at the La Luz Trailhead in a blaring 86 degrees and started our climb. We made sure to bring plenty of water and nutrition just incase of emergency and set a timer for one hour! Now here is where I tell you how amazing we did 🤣 well I mean it could have been worse. As the elevation increased so did my heart rate. Topping out at 182 bpm!

All in all it was a great afternoon! We learned a lot about what conditioning items we really need to focus on the this run elevation is not my friend. The important part is we never gave up and we learned. 

We have 5 months…but it’s sure going to be a long road. A road well worth it.

What Have I Gotten Myself Into

 I let the first two posts in this blog because, well it is pretty comical. Let’s fast forward 6 1/2 years and we can see where my life and mindset have completely changed. Enough so that I don’t know my measurements, I can tel you I weigh 150 pounds. You that’s right if you’ve gone back and read the first two post you’ll know that is 25 pounds MORE  then when I was a miserable married mother of 3. Well I’m still married to the same amazing man :) either the same 3 demons foster blessed me with many years ago. The biggest change? I found happiness in myself! Now do I LOVE my muffin top 😂 well no, who the hell loves their muffin top. But I’m stronger mentally and physically then I’ve ever been. 

So you may be wondering, then why the heck did you come back to this blog after more then 6 years? Well a month ago today I committed to something that is likely the craziest thing I have ever done. Decided I was going to run a 50k Ultra. 

 

Yup see this group of ladies right here? None of us had ever met in person before this night! Yet on that napkin is a little contract to run the #archesultra in Moab. 

So as crazy as it seems that night I got home late and went to bed hoping I’d survive work the next morning. After telling my husband what I had committed to doing, I got the shock of my life when he said he wanted to join us! Now keep in mind that I’ve never run in my life….up I am and out of shape, middle aged asthmatic who now is going to do a 50k in 6 months time. 

The first “run” we went on I literally came home crying from. Obviously with a speed like that it was not an actual run. Infact after this I really couldn’t walk much without crying in general. I was certain I had destroyed my knee and hip before I even really got started. One month in the improvements I wouldn’t call MASSIVE by any means! However I have seen marked improvements in my breathing and heart rate, but more importantly the pain!

It is insane to me that both of these are simply walking, nothing more. After this 5 miles yesterday we did 10 today! I’m sore, and yes tired, the the thought of crying never crossed my mind instead it is reaching for that next goal! This week we will be adding in short jogs to make improvements there, and some more core and upper body work which I’ve been told is very important. 

So now you can see why this is titled as it is! I hope you’ll follow me and hopefully encourage us as we take on this journey. 

Day 1- Measurements, Fitness Tests, and Embarrassment

     I told myself when I started this journey that I wouldn't be embarrassed, someone out there is just like me.....struggling. As I sit here though looking at the numbers in front of me I can't help but feel a little embarrassed, am I 32 or 92? A size 4 or a size 14? Then I remember that size and age have nothing to do with it, and what matters and I am beginning!

My Beginning Measurements

Neck: 12.25 inches

Chest at Widest: 34 inches

Chest Under Boobs: 30 inches

Waist at Bend: 28.25 inches

Waist at Belly Button: 29.75 inches

Waist at Widest: 32.75 inches

Hips at Widest: 36 inches

Thigh(Right): 20 inches

Weight: 126.6 pounds

     So I mentioned I decided to do a little fitness test as well. Now today I had to do everything inside but the exercises I decided to test on I figured would give a pretty good idea of just what I could and could not do. I did each exercise till I couldn't preform it in good form and unassisted.

My Beginning Fitness Test

Planks: 20 seconds

Sit-Ups: 0

Push-Ups: 0

Jumping Jacks: 35

Squats: 8

     So by the time you have reached here you can see why I am feeling a little bit embarrased. Now the measurements don't bother me so much as what I see in the mirror and non of those things bother me the way my fitness test does. Now honestly I can't say I have EVER done a push-up and my highest sit-up count is 8, so needless to say my fitness has never taken priority.  Luckily that is all going to change TODAY! I am going to focus on my diet and fitness from this point on. I don't want to let my children grow up the way I did.

Today's Plan

Upon waking: 2 glasses of water with lemon

Breakfast: 1 cup rice based cereal(chex), 1/2 cup rice milk, 1/2 green apple

Lunch: 1 Cup Broccoli, 1 Carrot, 1/2 ounce cheese, Small Handful Sunflower Seeds

Snack: 6 Tablespoons Hummus, 1 Carrot

Dinner: 4 ounces Chicken Breast, 1 Cup Broccoli, 1 Cup Green Tea

Dessert: 1 Cookie

Total Calories:1,374 Calories

      Now I am not a nutritionist in ANY way, I am just going to try to eat veggies or fruit at every meal and eat health proteins. Now the cookie could probably be left out and at some point I probably will but let's survive day 1 first lol.  My drinks will consist of nothing but water, at least 8 glasses. Today I am going to use my Jawbone UP band and just try to beat my average steps, which is 4,847 steps. If you want to join me please keep me posted on how your day was! Right now I am really sleep but eager to start.

About Me

     Welcome, my name is Mellissa I am 32 years old, married, and a mother to 3 amazing children. It really isn't a secret that in my life I haven't ever been faced with having to worry about my fitness and my health. I guess you can say that I just really wasn't raised with the concern at all. We ate what we wanted, when we wanted to eat it! Now in society I am considered a "thin" person. I am 5'7" tall and weigh in at 127 pounds, and yes I wear a size. So by standards I am skinny, but the one thing I think society really has a hard time focusing on is something men sometimes joke about, size. I think over the course of the last 2 months I have realized more and more that size really doesn't matter. It doesn't matter that I am a size 4 if I can't run 100 feet without being winded. It doesn't matter if I am a size 4 if I can't do a single push-up. It turns out that size really doesn't matter if you aren't fit. I can promise that somewhere out there, there is a size 14 who can out run me, out jump me, and out climb me. Well starting today that is all going to change, today I start my journey to not worry about what size I am, but what my body can do. I hope that you will join me on my journey to health and fitness, and I hope maybe I can inspire you to start your own journey as well.