Three Days to the marathon!

I can't believe that only 8 months ago running for 5 minutes made me feel as if my heart would explode and in three days I'll be running 26.2 miles! I've lost at least 5 inches off my waist and 3 inches since my progress photo in Januray.

I have learned a lot about myself and it has helped me realize that I can acheive so many things that I never thought possible. If you had told me when I graduated high school that I would be living in England, going to university, and running a marathon, I would have told you that you clearly hadn't noticed my Holloway hips nor my giant booty. Somehow, despite my over-sized deriere (which hasn't lost a single inch!) I am running 6 days a week and lifting 4 days and feeling amazing.

I would encourage anyone who wants to be a bit more fit, active, or just needs a general change in life to start it now. You can start out small, for me I'd run as far as I could then walk 2-3 minutes and repeat for 30-60 minutes. It seems futile at first, but after a few weeks you'll be running the whole time and feeling great. I have only lost about 10 pounds over the past 8 months because I have gained a lot muscle, but the inches are falling off, my arms and legs look great- though I still have plenty of work to do. I feel generally happier as well. As much as I am complaining about running 6 days a week I know that when I've finished the marathon I will be overjoyed that I did it. The person who couldn't run at all, the person who was at the back of the wing in rugby and yet still had to run first(for those who are rugby fans you will understand how slow that is).

This has been a long hard road, but so completely worth it. I have been reading the 'Tao of Pooh' again recently, however silly and frivolous it sounds, it has completely changed how I look at the world and my life. I am more at peace with who I am. I am coming to accept the nature of who I am and what is best for me. I am learning to stop forcing things, but to feel out what is best for me and my life. To stop following what others think is best for me and to instead live life for me, but with a mindfulness of others with a giving, wise spirit which seaks not to take from others, but to give happily so long as it also doesn't take from me or my truth. The book also tells all of this in a simple, fun way which is what Taoism is all about. I would encourage anyone to go out and read it. You can buy it for cheap on amazon or ebay and it will change your life. It isn't a long book, but its effect is profound.

Oh, and a happy birthday to me!!