I didn’t post much last year and there are a few reasons
why. It wasn’t a great year for me. It started out fine and as far as running
was concerned, it was ok, but everything else was crazy. In contrast, 2013 was a rough year for my
running but a good year for getting on track and losing weight. Last year I was
plagued by my old friends anxiety and depression and I went the wrong way when
it came to my health and fitness. I started 2014 off by creeping back above
200lbs. I hated seeing it but thought it was just temporary and I would be able
to get it under control. The problem was, I felt like I had no control of
anything and that in turn caused a few problems.
Mac had been stationed at the same place for 6 years. That
is an eternity in the Army. We knew our time in Texas was coming to a close
because Mac was at a point in his career where he had no choice but to go to
the captains career course(CCC) that he needed for advancement. We knew that
meant a move and a short stay in Oklahoma. We were only going to be there for
6-7 months with no idea where we would be heading after. This is a normal part
of attending this school but most people have at least a small idea. We were
totally in the dark because just a few months before our move, Mac was told
that he needed to use his grad school slot immediately after CCC. This meant he
had to start applying for grad schools as soon as possible and find schools
that had programs starting in the spring since CCC ended too late for him to
attend in the fall. After he was accepted to a school, he would then have to
apply for the spot through the army and have them approve of the school. Then
we would finally be able to make plans for a move. All of this would be done in
true Army fashion which means last minute.
In April, I was staring into the face of a temporary move
with no hope of knowing where we were headed until a month before we left. That
triggered my anxiety. I tried to focus on just moving and then finding a groove
for working out but it never happened. My anxiety causes me to experience times
of depression. We got into our new place and I had no motivation to unpack
because we would be moving again so soon but living amongst boxes added to my
stress and anxiety. It became a very ugly cycle and I watched the numbers on
the scale continue to rise.
In September, Mac finally had a few acceptances to a few
different schools and had to make the decision of where to go. Then we
submitted everything to the Army and finally got the go ahead near the end of
October. Our move was set for the first week in December. Another move meant
more anxiety. I tried to keep up with my running but I had a hard time
finding motivation. I did run the Terminator Half Marathon in October in
Oklahoma City. Then a few weeks later, we ran Avengers Half Marathon. I ended
the year once again at the Biggest Loser Half in Panama City Beach. Despite not
training very well, I was still able to finish the BLH pretty strong. I was
glad they changed the course so that we actually ran along the beach and didn’t
have to cross any giant bridges. It gave me a little boost of confidence after a year of uncertainty and disappointment in myself.
Right now I am on a plane heading to Disneyland where I will
be running the Star Wars Rebel Challenge. It will be my last big race for a
little while. As much as I REALLY want to run Princess next month, I won’t be
doing it this year. I want to take some time after Star Wars to refocus and try
to recover from last year. I need to get my eating back under control because I
have let it just go out the window. I
also want to focus again on my overall fitness not just running. I have several
workout programs I can do as well as getting back into some weight lifting. I
also want to sort of start from scratch with my running. I am living in a city
now that actually has Galloway training groups. There is one starting next
month that is a beginners 5K program. I want to do it so I can work on my
basics again. I want to feel strong when I finish a race, not completely spent.
I want to build up my ability to run a distance or time straight through so I
can in turn make my intervals stronger. I want to lose the 30 lbs I regained and
then some.
Mac and I are planning on doing Wine and Dine this year and
I want to finish and still be able to enjoy the after party. I am sure I will
run other races before then but that is the one I am building up to with my
refocused efforts. We will only be in our current city for about a year and a
half and I want to use that time the best I can. Being back in the south will give me the opportunity to do races in a few new states and finally run in the part of the word I consider home. Living in Florida also means I am close to lots of great races I have heard about but never been able to travel for due to time and cost. I want to use my time here wisely. I want to either reach the
major goals have set or be close enough that the next move will not be a
hindrance to my journey. I still have a
long way to go because I slid so far back last year but I am starting this year
with a new plan and refocused efforts. Hopefully I will also be able to share
more with you all during this time as well.
Here’s to saying good riddance to a bad year.
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