Support greatly appreciated...

So, this picture has already made an uproar...

1 year and 57 pounds lighter (2011 on left, 2012 on right)

In a good way. The number of supporters I have has blown me away.  I knew I had acquaintances, but I never knew I had that many FRIENDS! That is certainly what you are to me, friends. I appreciate the support that you guys have shown me, especially now, has re-motivated me to lose the remaining weight that I have to lose. It is hard right now with being down about not running like I used too, but, I am now even more determined to get back into it. Slow and steady wins the race, and I don't need to expect my body to just jump back into where I was with 6 weeks off of no running. That, has been the biggest lesson that I have learned right now. Today, is my last physical therapy session, and I am hoping to have the therapist adjust this session to be ways I can do the exercises at my gym that doesn't have the same machines that they have at the rehab.  I also NEED to get myself back into the swing of the gym.  As much as I love working days, it is requiring me to readjust things, and I just haven't conquered that yet. But, that is my goal for this week...(little steps I promise). A good thing that has come out of all of this, is that my good friend Stef has now raced in her 3rd 5K, just about every other weekend since MayFair 5K, which was her first. Anyway, so far she has gotten stronger and better with every race and is now completely addicted. BUT, on Saturday, I also raced with her, in a race at Skytop Lodge up in the Poconos, and my racing felt good. It felt strong, it felt better than I have felt in a while, so what did I do...I pushed myself. I raced to my second fastest 5K race EVER!! Even with hills, which I walked up (I don't believe I am ready for hills yet) I found my zone and eventually just felt that I could push harder. My time wasn't as good as I hoped (still trying to break 30 mins) but I know I will get there. Then, on Sunday I was supposed to run 7 miles. I NEVER run back to back days, why on earth would I think that I could do it while I was still recovering from an injury?!?! Well, I couldn't do it. I did 5 (which to my healing body was 8 in 2 days) and I felt the effects until this morning. I am going to go to therapy and tell him all of this. That my next run will be Thurs and will only be 2 miles, followed by 4 on Sat. I will rest between my days off, and go to the gym m-w-f and continue to do the squats and crap (yes, I called it crap) that I have to do to make my legs stronger so I can become a stronger runner. I WILL figure out an abs workout so that I can get rid of this stupid pooch and feel like I look like the picture on the right, not how I feel right now (that I still look like the picture on the left). I know that feeling will pass, my clothes size alone should tell me that, but when you hit a stale mate, and you feel that no matter what you are doing nothing is working, you need something to kick start it...your support and "love" over my picture has given me just that. I will continue my weight loss picture, and by December, I am hoping to post another picture.

I hope you all have a happy Tuesday. Get out and run!