Okay...so...working out isn't anything new to me. I LOVE IT!!! It's just something that I've very much opted to drop the ball on for the past 6 months or so.

In October 2007 I ran the Seattle Half-Marathon and in April 2008 I ran a Full marathon (Yakima River Canyon Marathon - from Ellensburg to Selah, WA). It took me almost 5 hours to complete, but I've never felt better in my life!

Then my fitness dropped off the face of the earth. I was burned out from the long hours of training, and started the "break" innocently enough - just to take a time out - let my body rest and recover - then maybe start back up again to beat my marathon time the following year. Well...crud. After a couple of cold starts and half-hearted efforts to pick myself up off the couch, I found myself giving up - and giving IN to junk food and laziness. BLAH!!!!!

SO! Now....6 months post-marathon, and 30 pounds heavier, I'm beginning the process of trying to get back into the swing of things. I'm working with a still un-diagnosed "knee thing" that I'M pretty sure is weight-related, as I never had a knee-ache while training for the half or full marathon. Chris at the Y has got me psyched up with a re-vamped weekly schedule (I'm the sort of person who needs someone to show or tell me what to do and when....). Swimming, spin class, maybe a circuit strength/aerobics session or two...and weights.

My BIGGEST challenge is going to be food. While my activity may increase, I've still got to get a handle on eating - pizza, beer, cheese and other naughties are weighin' me down!!!

My goal - to be running again - pain free!!! 30-pounds lighter!!!! And having fun while getting there...

Welcome Kendra!!!

You have come to the right place! Feel free to contribute as much as you want in all of our site! I too know what it is like to face the pepperoni dead in the eye and cave! I swear if food didn't taste so good, I'd be an athlete!!!

Breaking Bad eating habits is an area that I started to address some of my own concerns about the way I eat. To let people help me figure out how to get a handle on it. Throw out any problems you might want some opinions on... you know it's funny but a lot of people deal with the same problems and what is easy for you in so complicated for someone else and vice versa. Hopefully together we can find the answers!

I was about 85 lbs. heavier 2 years ago and had knee problems due to my weight... I started off in the pool and on the bike and now I am running back at full strength!

Good luck!
Ken

Hi Kendra,

Welcome to Healthy Pals! I know when I take just 2 or 3 weeks off how hard it is to get back running at the level I used to be at, so I can understand how it can be hard to start again after taking 6 months off! I know it is hard at the beginning, but after you get past that phase where you feel like pushing yourself is going to kill you, it gets better!

For about 3 years I went without taking more than 2 or 3 days off from working out because I know how much it sucks to get back into shape. I've recently had some back issues that forced me to not be able to run for a month or two and I lost it all. I was so bummed! After I started working out the way I used to, it just killed me! I felt like I was going to die every time I started to run. I'm still not quite where I used to be at, but it's getting better. So one of my goals within the next couple months, is to be able to get back to where I was at!

Good luck to you!

Welcome, Kendra! Good to have you here!