I'm ready

Today was the last time I will run before going to St. Louis for Thanksgiving. I completed the 5K again. I didn't hate it as bad as last time. One difference was this was outside and the other one was inside on the treadmill. I am finishing in right about 40 minutes. My goal for the Turkey Trot run is to finish in under 40 minutes. 39:50 would be fine with me.

I had a skinny day today. Kind of like a good hair day or bad hair day, I tend to have good body days or bad body days. I felt thinner today than yesterday. (Even though my weight had fluctuated up a bit.) I've been having lots of fat days lately, it's good to have a thin day. I'm sitting here thinking this is probably normal for normal-weight people. I've just been so big that all my days were obviously fat days. At the size I was, you don't have days where you feel small. I didn't feel smaller until I had lost a significant amount of pounds, like 40-50, I think. I'll have to go back and re-read my blog, but it was a lot.

I had some car trouble at Wal-mart today. I had to run and pick up just one thing and so I left the kids home. My oldest is almost 11, so they are fine for a few minutes. When I came out of the store my car wouldn't start. I live about 1 mile from Wal-mart and for once I wasn't worried about how I was going to get home. I knew I could easily walk home, or even run home for that matter. I was just worried about my car and how we're going to get it home (and then to St. Louis!) It was a great realization of just how far I've come. The car is fine, Brad wiggled some connections and we're in business again. Also, thanks to my sweet friend for helping me jump start and get myself home!

That reminds me of another experience I haven't written about yet. A week or so ago, we were working in the back yard, raking leaves and cleaning out the garden and this same sweet friend was there as well. She got in her car to leave (we have a driveway running along the side of our yard) and I wasn't sure if she had seen my toddler who was heading to the area right behind her car. He was standing face to face with her taillights as she started the car. I yelled to her and I think she raised her hand in acknowledgment, but when your toddler is practically kissing someone's taillights, you don't assume anything, you just move. I ran across the yard and scooped him up. Our friend pulled out and we waved. Brad said to me, "Wow, you moved fast." I hadn't even given it a second thought. This is the true reason I had this surgery, for things that really matter--to be able to rush to help your child.

My second child was a very challenging toddler and as a result I didn't go out with her if I could help it. If she bolted in the store, I knew I wouldn't be able to catch her. I knew that I couldn't stop her from running in front of that car, or just getting so far away from me that she'd be lost. That's not to say that being fit will insure that you will be able to prevent these things, but it does make your chances better.