These days hitting the ‘Jackpot’ in my life is achieving another personal best (PB) time when I go running!
6 months ago, I started a journey. This journey has almost reached its destination and what a journey it has been. When I started my plan to lose weight and get fit, I never in a million years would have thought that I would be capable to run not only the distance that I run, but the time that I run it in! When I was younger and at my peak of fitness with all my netball training that I did, one thing I couldn’t stand and I was never good at was long distance running. I was never a runner I was a sprinter and a netballer didn’t have to be able to run 4-5km to be good at what they did. Now I can’t get enough!!!
I started very slowly and I mean slowly. I would walk for 20 minutes and run for 10 minutes. I still remember the pain in my legs the next morning after I ran for the first time in….wait for it….6 years!!! That’s right as fit as I’d been in the past, I had not exercised regularly since before I fell pregnant with my first baby back in 2005! My excuse was “I’m only going to have another baby so why bother!” Well after having Mia and being diagnosed with my heart condition, there is no option to have another baby, but we are so happy and feel so blessed to have our 3 angels anyway! There was no excuse anymore it was time to get FIT!!!
It wasn’t long until my 20 minute walk 10 minute run turned into a 20 minute run. At first I didn’t care how far I’d run, my ‘jackpot’ was to keep running and NOT stop for 20 minutes! I would run the same route each time and where I would want to die after 5 minutes, that dying feeling wouldn’t come upon me until 7 minutes, then 10 minutes, then 15 minutes and before I knew I would have to run a longer route to reach my 20 minutes! This started to become easier and easier so I increased my 20 minute run to 25 minutes! Bare in mind in all of this I had to not over do it with my heart and I am breastfeeding and didn’t want to lose my milk supply!
For 3 months I did this and by christmas when my sister and her family came home, things changed again for me! My brother in law runs all the time so he would meet me in the mornings and we would go for a run together! When I first started running, my main focus was my breathing! I would concentrate so hard on keeping my breathing so slow and steady for the sake of my heart that I never listened to music and I didn’t like running with anyone because I didn’t want to chance wanting to chat…lol! Anyway it was my brother in law who measured the distance I’d been running and it was about 3.4km! I was stoked!!!!! My competitive instinct kicked in then I wanted to run further and further but didn’t want to over do it….especially when I had my mumma in my ear worried to death that I was going to cark it on the side of the road! To keep my mother calm I got a heart monitor for christmas that I wear when I run….thank you to Shell, Brad and the kids:)
My goal now was to run 4km in half an hour! On January 1st I ran my first 4km and ‘Jackpot’ I ran it in 28.58 mins!!! I was so proud of myself!!!! It was my short term goal to achieve that and I did it straightaway! From that day on I have challenged myself to keep hitting the ‘Jackpot’ on the clock! In the 3 months that I’ve been running 4km 3-4 times a week, I have taken over 7 minutes off my original PB. I have been taking 30secs-1 minute off my time each 1-2 weeks and what a great feeling of achievement it is! This morning I hit the ‘jackpot’ again!! My new PB is 21.26 mins….I was stoked when I saw that time this morning! My stats for this morning’s run was 1km – 5.06mins, 2km – 10.53mins, 3km – 16.45mins, 4km – 21.26mins! My best stats overall so far! And I even listen to music now as I can manage to breathe steadily for my heart and enjoy some upbeat tunes while running up a storm!
My long term running goal is to run 5km in half an hour…..’Jackpot’ I achieved that two weeks ago YAY…..but haven’t attempted it again – baby steps! My cardiologist is absolutely stoked with how fit and healthy I am now and with the weight I have lost! He advised me to keep going as everything that I am currently doing is a huge help in maintaining the levels my heart is at….this makes me even happier!
I am so glad 6 months ago I decided to take up the challenge of running, it sure has changed my life for the better! Stay tuned in the coming days for my blog on my whole journey to achieving my goal weight!
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: anyone can achieve anything….only the individual can be in control of the outcome!
My Party of 5 
I just wan to have some motivation nat I have given up smoking, junk food only drink socially what makesu get up and did the running nat
That’s awesome Jenelle!!! That is alot to give up so you are doing so well!!! For years while Ive been having the kids, I always thought about my life before kids and how fit and healthy I was! I think the turning point for me was when I had to weigh myself at he drs last year and I was 70kgs! The only time I was ever that weight was when I was pregnant and Mia was 6 months old at this stage!!! I was so disappointed in myself for letting things spiral out of control! This was the turning point for me! I needed to lose 10 kgs to get back to where I normally am! I didn’t start straightaway! I took a trip to the pediatrician for Mia which was diagnosed with reflux and I had to change me diet because of breastfeeding….that was the turning point for me! I lost a few kilos in a month and then I just kept going and going and going and when I put on a size 8 pair of skinny jeans a few weeks ago, that is now my constant motivation!!! It feels so good to be able to go to my cupboard or to the shops and wear what I like and feel comfortable in it! I have changed so much! I feel so good about myself that I could take on the world….corny I know but that is how good I feel! Im still only human so I have normal highs and lows of the month but nothing like I use to have!
Hey Nat,
I am 70kgs at the moment and have been for a 3.2km run/walk 3 times in the past two weeks. I am hoping to get that to 3 times per week but working a time around Steve watching the kids and it not being pitch black is really hard! So far I am managing to leave the house and return within 25 mins but my shins are absolutely killing me for the next 3 days! I’m running 100m walking 100m just to build some type of fitness level up! My motivation is the photos you have posted of your super fit body and flat belly although I am pretty sure that no amount of running is going to get my belly looking like that! lol I hate going shopping at the moment because even though the size 12’s fit they just don’t look ‘right’. Hopefully by Christmas (my 7 months) I will be posting to you that I have lost my 10 kgs 🙂
Thank you for your kind words Amanda…I’m just glad what I’ve done is now helping others achieve their goals and that is why I started blogging:) You are doing so well with your exercising and running – well done!!! Now your shins – what shoes do you wear? I use to get shin splints when I played netball, but so far I’ve been lucky not to have any major problems! It will get better and your shins will get use to it, it just takes time! I’m sure by Christmas you will be messaging me with your great news….believe in yourself and don’t give up! If you stray that’s ok just get back on track and keep going! Let me know if I can do anything more to help!! Keep up the great work:)
Pingback: All in a Year! | My Party of 5
you are really a good webmaster. The site loading velocity is incredible.
It kind of feels that you’re doing any distinctive trick. Furthermore, The contents are masterwork. you’ve done a fantastic process in this topic!
Hi to every one, for the reason that I am truly eager of reading this web site’s post to be updated regularly. It consists of pleasant material.