Getting perspective

Yesterday morning I got up and hopped on the scales, normal for a Wednesday morning. Like usual for the past 6 weeks the scales have not changed. Rather than get really upset that I'd worked hard and hadn't lost anything I decided to go and take my measurements. In week 8 I was in Melbourne so I hadn't done my measurements or weigh in. Here's what I found out...












In the 6 weeks I had lost no weight, I had lost 18cm off my body! I knew I'd lost size because I was wearing smaller clothes, but to see the numbers there was really encouraging. I got myself organised and went off to cycle around the Swan River with some amazing Perth Crew girls (and Brent!).

The past two weeks I have made the time to train with my girlfriends from the Perth Crew, even if it is a walk around the river (often a great time of therapy!) just to connect with like-minded people who know me and know my journey. They know where I struggle and they know where I want to go and what I want to achieve...even better, they encourage me to go for it!

I had two really great and different things happen last weekend. The first was my one-on-one session with Emma aka Emazon, which really gave me some perspective on some of my relationships and how I trip myself up and don't resolve issues when it gets tough...and the other was getting a lactate threshold test at the Running Centre. The latter was a present from some of the Perth Crew girls for my birthday and it was a fantastic experience and has really informed my training and racing now. It was great to see what my limits are for training and how to improve based on how my body responds to what I am asking it to do. It was also good to know that I had identified one of the levels (just below my threshold) as my race pace - I knew by my heart rate that I could keep that pace for quite a long time.

So, where to from here? Round 1 is nearly over and I'm still umming and ahhing about signing up for Round 2. I do know that I am learning more and more about training and nutrition and about doing what is best for my body. For me, that means shaking up my nutrition and taking things back to how I was eating for my training schedule in January when I was training for my triathlon. I lost more weight in one month than I have done in a complete round of 12WBT and I was eating a lot more...partly because of the amount I was training. I love to train, and I go hard in my sessions. I have learnt that I will burn out and get sick if I don't support my body with the nutrition it needs.

Coming up I have Step up for MS this Sunday, Relay for Life the following weekend, the Mothers Day Classic and then Round 1 Finale in Melbourne. Not long after that I head to Central Coast for Emazon Stand Your Ground 3 - Road trip weekend! It's going to be a busy term at school, but I am blessed to have the opportunities I do outside of work to keep me sane! Also coming up this year I have the HBF Run for a Reason (14km) and the Perth Half Marathon...and I'm planning on doing Run Disney in Florida January 2013 so I've got some training to do!

Over the next couple of months I am going to be tracking my nutrition, measurements and body composition quite closely and making the adjustments I need. I will also be cooking up a storm and posting new recipes, hopefully each week! I know I still have a long way to go on my journey but I am so excited about what I have achieved and the fun I've had doing it!

In case you are new to my story...check out some of my photos below so you can see where I've come...

L-R: Before (March 2011); Bridesmaid for Bernie (Oct 2011); NYE 2011; Triathlon (Feb 2012); School (March 2012); Birthday dinner (March 2012); First 10km race (April 2012)

Major life changing happenings...

So I started a new blog and have hardly posted....want to hear my excuses? I have soooo many of them! However, when I was a teenager I went to a youth conference where the speaker said that an excuse was 'an invalid reason for a neglect of duty' and this has always stuck with me (I think I've mentioned it in a blog post before). Here's what I've been up to lately:

March 19 - 70km Freeway Bike Hike from Mandurah to Perth

Result - injured calf!

This put me out of action for 2 weeks and it was so frustrating. I did upper body workouts during this time and as soon as I was allowed to do any form of exercise I was back in there! Then about 10 days ago my physio gave me the all clear to run...actually he TOLD me to run! So back to it I was and I was amazed at how easy it was to pick back up.

April 8 - Melbourne Arts Tour (trip to Melbourne with 32 students!!)
Result - got sick...

So I got off the plane last night, and it would have been so easy to give up. I had a goal to run 10km this round of 12WBT and I really wanted to achieve that goal...I had to give up the Bridges run due to my injury and so this morning was the Challenge Fun Run and I wasn't going to let a cold stop me! So I arranged for Natalie to pick me up and off we went!

I'm a runner!
Natalie and I started to run together in November, when Bernie went on her honeymoon and I needed a workout buddy. Our first 'run' was so funny because both of us wanted to stop running and kept going because the other was still running! We had a regular run that was 8km (4km along the coast and back between two beaches) and slowly built up to running the whole thing. One of our first runs we had two skinny fit girls pass us, chatting while they ran and we were amazed because there was no way we could talk while running!

Last week before I went to Melbourne, Nat and I both had the revelation that we were now those girls who could chat while running! This morning was the same, we chatted and supported each other along the way when we wanted to give up - neither of us prepared to quit. The results? Nat finished in under 1:17 and I finished in under 1:20. In December when we first ran our whole 8km route it took us 1:18! So I think it is fair to say that we have improved!

Mindset
I've really struggled with my mindset this round...it has been a roller coaster ride of emotions. Friendships falling apart and old friends reappearing in my life, watching friends have major achievements or major setbacks in their lives, coping with a ridiculous schedule...the list goes on and on. I have had a few things happen over the past week to show me how far I've come this year. My beautiful friend Karin reminded me of a photo that was taken of us 10 weeks ago and I couldn't believe the difference in me! I may not have lost heaps of weight on the scales but I have changed shape, especially in my face!

When I was at the airport meeting the students and their parents for the Melbourne Tour I had several parents come up and make comments to me about how good I was looking, but then one of my Year 12 students and I spoke for quite a while about my journey and she said that her music class were so proud of me and I nearly cried! I have taught these kids since Year 8, my first year at the school and now they are in Year 12...it meant so much coming from her.

Yesterday in Melbourne I went into Lorna Jane for some new workout gear...and ended up with heaps including free stuff! I came away with Lorna Jane's book 'Move, Nourish, Believe' and it just spoke to me. I am looking forward to reading more of this book this week while I'm on holidays and I have time to process it. I've also booked in some 'Perth Crew' time to catch up with some amazing friends.

What comes next?
Well, I've got a few things coming up (not in order)...the Mothers Day Classic (8km run), Step up for MS (1096 stairs!), Run for a Reason, Relay for Life, Finale weekend in Melbourne! It is going to be busy but I'm looking forward to it. I'm making a few changes to my routine, both in exercise and nutrition to get the best results out of my body - so I will be posting more over the next few weeks as I put things into place. Get ready for new recipes - I may even put together a bit of an eBook for people to use :)

Love you all, thanks for reading...

Sarah

I will NOT give up!

Well this week I will be dealing with training around an injury in my calf. How did I get this injury? I'm not entirely sure...but how about we recap what I did yesterday before I discovered the mystery bruise!

My day yesterday began at 3am when my alarm went off...that's right...3am! Up and into my Perth Crew blinglet and cycling shorts and in the car at 3:30am to head to the Esplanade Train Station in Perth. 4:30am I was on the first train to Mandurah with my bike and as many cyclists and bikes they could cram into the train! By 5:45am I was at the starting point for the RAC Bike Hike for Asthma. My mission was to complete a 70km cycle from Mandurah to Perth on the Freeway.

At 6:44am I cycled out through the starting arch and began the epic journey to Perth. The first 10km, while windy, was manageable as it is a distance I used to cycling to work. What was a little annoying on my cycle was that when I changed the tube on my tyre (with a lot of help from dad!) I put it on the wrong way for my bike computer! So...I had no idea what my speed was or how far I had cycled during the morning. So, my plan for the ride changed slightly to base my breaks around time instead of distance.

My first break for water and dates (couldn't bring myself to eat lollies for the sugar so went with dates, which I love!) was around 8am and my second was at 9am. I was so impressed at how quickly the sugar from the dates perked me up! I have to admit, I did really enjoy getting off that bike seat at those times as well!

At approximately 9:40am I rode through the finish arch at Langley Park in Perth and I was so excited to be done! It was also great to see Natalie with her kids at the end. The support that I knew was waiting for me at the end really did help me get through the race and I love that the Perth Crew provide that support and encouragement to each other. I have made some amazing friends throughout the past 6 months as a part of the Perth Crew.

So, getting back to my mystery bruise...

Late afternoon I discovered that I had a massive bruise on the inside of my calf, right near my knee and it was swollen. Well, of course the first thing I do is take a photo and post it for people to comment on (sending it via facebook or text to different friends for comments) and then start to ice and put voltaren cream on. This morning it was aching when I got up and after icing it this morning at work, I decided to get it checked out so made an appointment with the physio.

My physio appointment incorporated torture (getting his thumb stuck into the trigger points in my calf), acupuncture (which I barely felt which I wasn't expecting) and then the tens machine...which felt kinda cool. When I left (after being there an hour!) I wasn't walking as well and had been told no exercise until after I see him again on Thursday. But...since I am only restricted in my leg...I am putting together a workout for tomorrow with upper body and core work...so keep your eyes out later in the week for how my training panned out!

Until next time :)

New beginnings

Welcome to Sarah's scribblings!

Yesterday I had such an amazing day hanging out with friends at Rottnest. We cycled and swam and hung out at the pub - so all in all a GREAT day :)

Spending time with these girls is the best kind of therapy - knowing I can say anything and I'm still accepted and if I'm struggling they will be there for me.

Lately I've been reflecting on my journey and where I have come so far. Sometimes it's hard to see the changes and I need to remind the fat
girl in my head that she's been replaced! Today I wanted to share some of the gems I have discovered or rediscovered lately.

1. If you want to get there you will make a way. If not you will make an excuse.

2. You can't make people join you on the journey - sometimes that means you'll leave people behind.

3. This program has given me so much more than weight loss!

I've spent a big part of this week upset and defeated. I don't want to let what other people do or say control how I feel about myself. I am going to run my own race and I know I have some amazing people beside me cheering me on. I know that I will have times where I'm sad about friendships broken or doubt my ability to do this. Those moments will not define me. How I respond to those situations will define me.

So I invite you to join with me and see where this crazy journey takes us!

Until next time

Sarah