I thought I would introduce you all to my "new" friend Mary. I have talked about her in several of my posts now and I am sure her name will continue to keep popping up in my blogging world.
Mary and I met at work. We joke around that I am her boss only because i was the one that interviewed her and hired her last December. We became pretty close in a short amount of time and it has lead us to have a good friendship. I have really enjoyed getting to know Mary and her family.
Mary is married to Will Speigle and they have a daughter Elizabeth(Ellie for short) who just turned 6 months old last weekend. They live in Ogden where they have a home. They also have a HUGE dog (a great Dane) and his name is Moab.
We enjoy spending time together and always have a good time no matter what it is we are doing.(Hiking, talking on the phone, crafting, making ice cream or dinner, or running in 5k's, and attempting a kick boxing class) I am lucky to have met Mary and to have such a caring friend in my life. She inspires me to be better at whatever I do.
"A good friend is a connection to life - a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world." - Lois Wyse
I hope that you have all enjoyed getting to know my friend Mary.
"If you run, you are a runner. It doesn't matter how fast or how far. It doesn't matter if today is your first day or if you've been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run." --John Bingham
Last weekend I ran in the Give Breath to Life 5k sponsored by Weber State University Advanced Respiratory Therapy Students. All the proceeds for this event will benefit those in need of Respiratory Care through the American Respiratory Care Foundation. As a Respiratory therapist this was an event that I could actually say I was running for something I deeply care about.
This wasn't my first 5k but it was a first timed race. I ran with my friend Mary who is an alumni of RT program at Weber State. (I think i am going to need to write a seperate post just about Mary so you all know who she is.) It was held on the morning of October 8th, a very cool day, the air was chilled enough that it made me feel like I had to keep moving even when there were times I wanted to stop and catch my breath; There were many times through out the morning when it was so much easier to walk and that is what I did. Though my time was not super fast( 42 minutes and 32 seconds) I can proudly say that I finished and I even ran to the finish line. "In running, it doesn't matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, 'I have finished.' There is a lot of satisfaction in that." -Fred Lebow, New York City Marathon co-founder. It wasn't my goal to be super quick or to be the first accross the finish line but my one and only goal was to finish and that is exactly what I did. Now as I challenge myself more thoughout the next year I hope that my time will improve drastically. I would like to improve my time by two minutes with each event that I partisapate in. (Very do-able) As I think back to the beginning of the year and why I decided to start running and make particpating in a 5k a goal to reach before the years end, I am reminded by the simple fact that I never really thought that I would be runner much less running in 5k's (It just sounded good). My goal for this year was to run one 5k and by the end of the year I will have participated in 4 events. I honestly can say I am proud of where I am at today and I am proud of where I am headed. This is my journey!
"You also need to look back, not just at the people who are running behind you but especially at those who don't run and never will... those who run but don't race...those who started training for a race but didn't carry through...those who got to the starting line but didn't end at the finish line...those who once raced better than you but no longer run at all. You're still here. Take pride in wherever you finish. Look at all the people you've outlasted."
- Joe Henderson This was the perfect qoute to remind me that it really doesn't matter how I got to where I was going or how long it took what matters is that I am "doing" and that means something when there are some many people who have given up or haven't even tried.
Wow! How the summer has passed so quickly! I am happy that it has started to cool down a bit as fall approaches. Fall is my most favorite time of the year for many, many reasons, but mostly for U of U football and the changing colors of the leaves and un-planned drives through the canyons. However, I have had a pretty good summer this year. I have had the opportunity to visit with old friends and to make new friends, I now have an amazing new smile--thanks to Dr. Babcock and his staff at Total Care Dental, I am closer to reaching my "first" weight loss goal of 80 pounds by the end of the year, and I ran in my first 5k and survived, but still plan on running November 12th, the Gobble Gallop 5k. It has been an awesome summer! Since I haven't updated my blog in sometime now I thought that i would start with whats been going on in my life up to this point.
July ended up being a very busy month but also a an amazing month. Myself and one of my best friends Lisa got to take a short day trip up to Kemmerer and see a couple of old friends. We had a great day on our road trip. During our visit to Kemmerer, we had a lovely lunch at Lisa's moms' house and got to visit with her and Shannon, Lisa's youngest sister. We also got to visit with June Morris, our old 4H leaders for sewing. It was nice getting to visit with her and to meet her oldest Great Grandson who loved having Lisa's little girls Natasha and Patricia there to play with. I was beginning to wonder how we would ever leave without breaking small children's hearts. Finally, we got to see two of our old school mates and friends Tara Sawaya and Errin Underwood Bosarge whom neither one of us had seen since high school. Though I would have liked to have had more time to visit with them, all of our visits that day in Kemmerer were very short.
Left to Right: Lisa Laird Ahlers, Errin Underwood Bosarge, Me
"Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy."
I got a "new" smile this summer. In late May I had surgery to have four implants placed in my upper jaw in addition to the two implants that I already had. Then in July I got my new Teeth. I couldn't be happier with the results and I have only received compliments since. I am going to write a separate post with pictures on this whole experience later but the one thing I do have to say is Thank You Dr. Babcock and staff!
I took a trip up to Alpine, Wyoming (July 21thru July 23) and met my good friend Mary, her hubby and baby up there. It was a trip that I had second thoughts about taking but it ended up being an amazing weekend. I guess that this is an annual camping trip that is affectionately referred to as the "Celebration of Life." It was a lot of fun (minus peeing in the bushes or crapping in a box, which I didn't do and Just "held It!" mainly because the box was just sitting out right where anyone could see you doing your business. Mind you I can hide and pee in the bushes but crapping in a box for the whole camp to potentially see---Yeah, i don't think so.) The best part of the trip for me was being able to go white water rafting down the Snake River. I had the best guide, another one of Mary and Will's friends, Kevin who had his own boat and he took myself and another couple down river. While floating down the river and only in the areas where he knew the current was calm he let me take charge of the ores. WOW, I have to say what a workout! What motivation though to keep going to the gym and working out my upper body, rowing the boat just made me realize how weak I was or perhaps how strong Kev is. I think rafting could become an addiction rather quickly. I loved being out on the boat with my feet dangling in the water. It was so relaxing! Not only did I get to go down River, but also met some awesome people and made a friend out of Kevin! :) I can't wait for next year! (Thanks Mary and Will for inviting me, and Kevin for entertaining me!) I wish i had photos but never got around to taking pictures except for on the drive home. The drive is beautiful.
In August, my friend Amanda, a old friend from Wyoming, was down here for a few days with her family. I was only to visit with her for a very brief amount of time one night after I got off work but we had a great time and I was so glad that I got to see her even if the time was short. I look forward to the next time we get to meet up. Hopefully sooner rather than later! Amanada and I hadn't seen each other in close to 11 years. I had moved away from Wyoming my sophomore year of HS and she moved not to long after. It was very nice to visit and catch up. I got to meet her beautiful children as well.
"I can make new friends, but I cant make old friends" Author Unknown
On August 20, 2011 my friend Karli Padfield and I participated in the Kiss me Dirty Race at Golden Spike Arena! That was probably the most fun I have had running in my entire life! I am definitely going to be doing this race again. This was a "fun run," and was put on to benefit gynecological cancer research at Huntsman Cancer Institute. I hope that next year I can get more of my friends and family to participate with me.
This was my first 5k event and something that I am proud to say that I did. (Thanks Karli, for being the friend, that was with me--that was not in front of me nor behind me but right there next to me, you will never know what it meant to me to have a "FRIEND" running with me.) I wanted to run a 5k before the end of this year and I can officially say that I participated in this event.
Mary and I (along with Ellie in her stroller) will be doing a 5k on October 8th in an even called Give a Breath of Life. It is sponsored by The Weber State University Respiratory Therapy Program and All proceeds will benefit those in need of Respiratory Care through the American Respiratory Care Foundation. As most of you know I am a respiratory therapist and so this will be an event that is dear to my heart. Mary also is a RT.
Then I am running another 5k in Kaysville the day after my birthday on November 12th. This is the Gobble Gallop 5k run and walk and 10k. There is another KMD event called Lick the Pole that I am going to plan on doing in January. I think I am going to become addicted to the feeling of finishing and collecting participant T-shirts! I am so glad that running/jogging has become a part of my life. There are other things that I want to do or learn how to do and as my journey to a healthier lifestyle continues--I am motivated to explore all the crazy things I never thought I could or would do. The next thing on my Bucket list is to learn to Ski or snowboard--or possibly both!
Mary, baby Ellie and I hiked to Mt. Timpanogas cave and had a marvelous time. It was an enjoyable hike with a good friend and a cute little baby. We had a great time talking, laughing and taking pictures along our way. This was my third or fourth time hiking to the cave but Mary had never been and I was so happy to share that experience with her. Ellie was such a good baby during the entire hike and she fell fast asleep once inside the cold, dark cave. After the hike we headed back home and had a good dinner. I made lasagna for Mary, Will, Kevin and I. Everyone seemed to enjoy the lasagna or at least no one complained! (Thanks to My Aunt Sylvia for being on call offering her tips and tricks to making the perfect lasagna.)
Mary, Ellie and I plan on going on a few more hikes this fall. We really enjoy the time spent together. She has become one friend that I can truly say will be a part of my family no matter how small, large, or furry-friended it is or becomes! Thanks Mary for being such a good friend and letting me get to know you and your family! I feel privledged that I get to be in Ellies life as well.
September is now nearly half over but that just means its time for Spontaneous drives to see the changing colors of the leaves, nice cool hikes, and UTES FOOTBALL! I'll try not to let a whole season go by before I Update again.
“The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start." --John Bingham
What a wake up call it was to see the number on the scale climb that day in January. I knew that day I had to do something. I felt beaten up and discouraged but I knew something in my life had to change. I had set a few goals at that point: First was to complete the Couch to 5k Program(which I had started several times before), Second to actually run my first 5k by the end of the year,lose 85 pounds by the end of the year, last was to start making choices for me and my happiness. Part of me actually thought I would accomplish these things and another part of me knew that this wasn't just something I wanted to do this was something I had to do--my life was dependent upon my decision to make my life healthier!
That quote above describes perfectly my first run and how I felt and even how I continue to feel each time I step out onto the pavement to run. That first run especially was hard though. I remember starting with the first five minute warm-up walk and thinking this should be pretty cake. Oh boy was I ever wrong! That first sixty seconds of jogging I thought I was going to die--How was I ever going to make it through 9 intervals of this? Was I crazy for thinking that I could do this? Well even if I were crazy I was going to have to work thru it because my life depended on it at least that's how I felt. At the beginning of each jogging interval I picked a landmark (a mailbox, stop sign, or light pole) and just ran until I reached it and hoped that by the time I got to it my little timer would ding and it would be time to walk again and if it weren't then I would look for the next land mark. Each run got easier and easier. I am often more slow than I am fast but I enjoy my time out on the streets and each time I hit the pavement I find that I am becoming more and more comfortable with it. Although in a "real" runners world I would be referred to as a "jogger," I feel I am a runner because I know what effort feels like, and I embrace it. I know when I'm pushing the limits of my comfort and why I'm doing it. I know that heavy breathing and an accelerated heart rate - things I once avoided - are necessary if I want to be a better runner. Anyway back to the original quote in this post. Truly the miracle isn't that I finished that first run, I knew that I could finish, I believe that I can finish anything if I put my mind to it, the true miracle was getting the courage to start. Changing my routine and what I was comfortable with was the hard part--and I wasn't comfortable with my body image nor how I appeared in running gear. I had to completely change my way of thinking. I had to stop worrying about all the other people driving past me as I ran down main street FAT, SWEATY, RED FACED, and OUT OF BREATH--NOTHING AT ALL LIKE YOUR "TYPICAL" RUNNER.
I can't say that starting the C25K program was the only thing that has helped me come this far in almost maintaining my first weight loss goal but it definitely has helped. I have also been following a very strict diet. Most of you that talk to me on a regular basis know that I decided that after I had lost that first initial 25 pounds on my own I had decided to give myself a boost and try the HCG diet following Dr. Simmons protocol. I have been attending the Medical Weight Loss clinic in Ogden where I meet with a Dietitian, and Nurse Practitioner once a month and have weekly weigh ins with the staff there. I have been off the HCG diet now for about a month but have continued to lose 2-3 pounds per week since then following a high protein and slow carb(Low Glycemic index) Diet. Also while I was doing the HCG I couldn't do the C25K program because of the very reduced caloric intake, so I had to once again start over but this time it was much, much easier. The motivation was already there!
The title of today's post is Something to be proud of and today I truly have something to be proud of and I am really excited to share with all of you. I am now officially 20 pounds away from my original and first weight loss goal, I am running my first race on August 20th, 2011 though its not a timed race it's a running event and even slightly longer than a 5k and I will be playing in the Mud. (More on that in a later post), and last I have joined a gym called LifeLong Fitness where I have a personal Trainer that I meet with twice a week but I am expected to be there at least 5 times a week. ( Again more on that later.)
I hope you all have goals and aspirations in your own life that you want to work towards. Know that sometimes the things that we want the most are the things we have to work the hardest for. Thank you all for you continued love and support!
YOU HAVE TO DECIDE THE CHANGE IS WORTH MAKING BEFORE YOU CAN MAKE THE COMMITMENT TO CHANGE.
It was January 19, 2011 and my life seemed to be falling apart all around me. I knew that this was going to be the year that was going to be full of changes. There I sat in the waiting room of my doctors office waiting to be called back--my head was pounding, I was spinning in circles, and I felt like I was literally going to barf on my husband's shoe. "Ashley," the medical assistant called my name and I stood up, "let's get a weight on you." Oh great I thought to myself. All I wanted was to just get a shot in the you know what so I could go home and pass out and hope that I would wake up with less of a headache in the morning. I stepped onto the scale, the number that popped up on the scale was unbelievable. I felt sicker at that moment then I did when I first walked into the office. It was no wonder I had a headache--my body was literally trying to tell me that I was sick and that and something needed to change.
In the few weeks following I started on a new medication that the Doctor prescribed to me that was suppose to prevent the migraine from occurring. This medication is called Topomax. I didn't realize it but it also acts as somewhat of a appetite suppressant. (I'm not complaining) It had other side effects too like it made the carbonation in soda taste funny again nothing to really complain about. That medication in combination with my decision to start the Couch to 5k Program for the bagillynth time was starting to actually pay off. I was sticking to the C25k program this time! People were noticing that I was loosing weight but not me. It wasn't until I went back to my doctor in March and had some blood work drawn that I actually noticed. This time I stepped on the scale and I had to ask the MA if that was really correct--had I really lost 25 pounds since January. Sure enough I was down 24.6 lbs since January 19th appointment. I really couldn't believe it. Talk about motivation!
As I said earlier 2011 was going to be the year for me for lots of changes and I had decided that the change was worth making and therefore I was committed to making them. Now not all the changes that I was going to be making was going to be easy in fact the physical changes were probably going to be some of the easiest. I also had a lot of emotional and physchological changes that needed to be made as well and they haven't been quiet as easy.
So as I sit here and I write this I am forced to reflect on the past few years of my life. I can think of all the times that were good and the times that maybe could have been better. I don't think I would say that there were times that were ever "HORRIBLE" just tough but I got through them and I got through them with somebody that I hope that I will be able to call friend for a very long time. Joey and I were put in one another's lifes for a reason and I truly believe that. I am not sure what it was that I added to his life but I hope it was something significant enough that it made the past 7 years worth his time. He taught me that I was worth being loved again and he gave me the strength to move on with my life at a point when perhaps I was at my lowest. I was hurt and beaten up to the core from my last relationship.(I am not sure Joey realized how hurt I was, not even I realized how hurt I was until even very recently when I started going to my therapist this year.) I don't ever regret my life with Joseph--together we learned a lot about love, friendship and life in general. I think we grew up a lot but in doing so we grew apart. It is my hope that Joseph can say the same things about our relationship as we move forward and on with our lives as two separate people now. I know in the beginning of our separation it was hard and to a point it probably always will be, but I think now we are both finding that this really is the best for the both of us. On a side note I would also like to say I had wonderful in-laws and I couldn't thank them enough for everything they did for us while Joey and I were married. It was such a pleasure being a part of his family and I will always hold a special place in my heart for them.
Change is a verb and the definition of the word change in the Oxford American Dictionary reads as follows To Make or Become Different. Change is sometimes and more often then not difficult but once we make the commitment to change and we stick to that commitment we can become someone whom we want to be and someone who we can be excited about becoming. My life is starting out new again and I am excited to begin this journey.
I hope that you will come back and continue to read my blog about my journey. I will be writing about my continued weight loss, building and finding new relationships with all kinds of people, I will also be writing about my journey in re-discovering myself and who I am and what I want out of my life. This year has been my year of change and self discovery and I have learned so much thus far.
"A good friend is a connection to life - a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world." - Lois Wyse
