Introducing My Fitness Adventures

Last year I began the first part of my fitness adventure by training for a half marathon. I believed that such competition would motivate me to exercise and lose weight. I got up to walking and running 12 miles, so I'd say I accomplished that goal. However, not reaching my fundraising minimum and not being able to compete in the actual marathon really dampened my fitness period. Any attempted of exercise after January was half-hearted and I slowly began to gain more and more weight. With additional stress from my job and former roommate, I began spiraled in and out of lethargy, moodiness, and sleeplessness.

Then I saw the light. Receiving my acceptance to Brown University for graduate school gave me a refreshed outlook and new beginning. I wanted a clean slate in Rhode Island. I wanted to use all my lessons and growth from college and teaching in NYC to be my own person. If I really wanted to lose weight and be fit, I had to change my lifestyle- more activity, fruits & vegetables, and less fatty foods and alcohol. I also had to nurture my spiritual growth and find a church home.

I've been in Providence, RI for two months now and the changes in my lifestyle are beginning to show. Join me in my fitness & weight loss experience!

Re-vamped and ready to go!

Hello all!

Yes, it's been a long while since I've shared my personal journey with you. Over the past few months, there has been lots of reflection, change, and transition. I've relocated to a different state and am now in graduate school. I decided to follow my dreams, no matter who or what I had to leave behind in NYC. Sad, but true. However, as I write this, I am sitting next to one of my good friends from NYC in my new apartment taking facebook quizzes. Having a sista'-friend has been so important to my very own personal growth!

As I begin this new journey, I hope to revisit some of the lessons from NYC as they reappear in my new place of residence, in addition to exploring new areas. You will join me for my journey through graduate school, an internship, dating, and gaining my own personal ground.

Thank you for joining me!

A Blast From the Past...

Wow! Last published in Sept. 2008!

I fell way off my blog band wagon and so much has happened since my last post. Blossoms have bloomed, while old flowers shriveled and fell loose from the stem. Stay with me as I attempt to juggle sharing my growth in NYC with my own personal journal writing. Over the next few weeks, I will share some new revelations that occurred and have led to several new beginnings and personal outlooks on life. Career, relationships, love life, family, friends, spirituality, personal fitness, and...inspiration. Join me as we catch up and move on!

Where have you been??

Off The Hook!

Earlier this summer I went to a taping of the new Food Network show, Guy Off the Hook. In this show Guy Fieri cooks in front of a live audience.

The two shows that were taped, Far East, Far Out & Seoul Food, are being showed during the month of October on the 5th and 19th respectively. For the latter show, my friend and I sat stage left and got to taste the delicious s'more egg rolls (mmmmm!). Check your Food Network listings!

Take Off!

The Discovery Channel is showing When We Left Earth: NASA Missions on TV. I caught it this afternoon and I found myself mesmerized.

When I visited the Johnson Space Center Museum in Houston, Texas, I took in each and every possible exhibit and demonstration. I loved looking at the NASA mission time line and seeing memorabilia from the Apollo missions, crew pictures including Ronald E. McNair (2nd African American in space, 1984) and Sharon Christa McAuliffe (the first teacher to fly to space) from the tragic Challenger Shuttle Mission in 1986 , and information on Columbia Shuttle Mission re-entry tragedy in 2003.

NASA tragedies aside, I love learning about space travel and astrology (sometimes). I love seeing the moon and stars! I am amazed by the intellect and physical strength that astronauts/mission specialists possess in order to train and then travel into space. Most have experience in the U.S. Navy or Air Force, which speaks towards their training.

Most importantly, the legacy that astronauts leave behind is insurmountable, especially if they live to talk about it. How do you describe telling your child "I was one of the people who put the Hubble Telescope into orbit"? How does your child feel knowing that, they may never surpass such an accomplishment. If you don't make it due to some unfortunate mission tragedy, your former schools can be renamed to pay tribute, significant buildings in your field may be named after your, and you can even have an asteroid named after you.

I don't think teaching would get me all of that. Well, not unless I'm a teacher that travels to space. Until that happens, I'm adding something to my to-do before I'm 30 list: See a space shuttle launch.

*Jas*

Disney Run: 2

I'm injured already!

My second week of training so far has been spent limping around with Neuroma.

It feels like I'm walking on a bunched up sock, but barefoot. The bottom of my foot seems swollen, but it appears to be the same size as the other. When I told my Team in Training mentor about the pain she inquired about my running shoes. Right now, I'm running in an old pair of Adidas outside and a newer pair of Nike running shoes with great stability and cushion at the gym.

She told me two important things:
1. I need more cushion at the ball of my foot. My foot was clearly telling me this.
2. I need a bigger running shoe. One that has approximately half an inch space between in front of my longest toe.

With that... I need to get new running shoes!

I haven't run all week and I'm hoping to run at Saturday's practice. Until I get those shoes, it's ice on the foot.

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*Jas*

Disney Run: 1

This week of training was fun, fulfilling, and very challenging.

I've never voluntarily run...EVER! Playing basketball, running up and down a court is nothing like running around a park or track. Good thing I like to people watch!

On Wednesdays and Saturdays I have team runs in Prospect Park. I've only been in this park three times, so these runs familiarize me with the park.

Our first run was a "fun run" where we ran 15 minutes out and 15 minutes in. I walked most of the path. I was in back! The very last person. When the group turned around one of the coaches helped me find my running pace and I went from walking most of the path or running most of the path.

I missed the Saturday run in Central Park, but I met back up with the group for a Wednesday run focusing on our arm swing. Awesome! We were to run 0.25 miles off (running regularly) and 0.25 miles on (focusing on form). I ran the first 0.25 miles at my own special pace :-) But I was still in back :-( It's okay! I'm improving at my own pace because I ran most of my treadmill workout the following day.

I finally made it to a Saturday run and I was very nervous. I thought that they were going to run us to death. To my surprise our run was to get us even more familiar with the park by running the entire loop, 3.3 miles! I started out with my special running pace and after 0.25 miles I was feeling fine so I kept running...and running...and running. Sixteen minutes later I exclaimed to my running partner "I just ran my first mile without stopping! I haven't done that since elementary school." Quite an accomplishment for me, the non-runner.

Stay tuned for the next week...

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