Happy and healthy

Did you know the healthier you are, the happier you are? I swear it is true.

Every time I do a killer workout with my trainer or finish a long, hard run like a half marathon, I always feel fantastic. But it's not even that. It's that I feel terrific from the inside out. I feel younger and have more energy. Sometimes I think I am going to bounce off the walls.

It is amazing to see the progress I've made in my health and running this year. I am so close to achieving my goals that I am bursting with pure excitement. Yesterday was my best half marathon to date, only missing my goal time by two minutes, which is a twenty-five minute improvement over my very first half marathon just a year ago in February. Woohoo!

If you catch me smiling, chances are it's because I am jumping up and down on the inside because of how far I've come. Honestly, I'm already thinking about my new goals.

While the effort and hard work is on me, the support that I've received from family, friends and my fantastic trainer, Jon Tobey of The Fitness Factory must be mentioned. Without Jon helping me build the strength and build my cardio with his boot camps, metabolic meltdowns, and the one-on-one training that focuses on my core activity needs, I would not be as fit as I am today.

Thank you, Jon!

Thank you to all my friends who have cheered me on through your words of encouragement and kudos, through your nagging me to join in yet another run. It’s nice to know that while these races and these goals are mine, because of you all, I feel like I can achieve them.

I can’t thank you enough for your kind words and support!

So, if you’re looking for a little encouragement to get yourself out there and achieve your goals, take it from me, a woman who a year ago was diagnosed with kidney issues…NOT NO MORE, who couldn’t lose a pound to save her life…I’ve lost 15 and counting, who didn’t think she would ever run a half marathon again after the first one (last February) took six weeks to recuperate…I’ve done a dozen more since then and am doing about one a month now, sometimes more. You can do it!

You can achieve your health and fitness goal and along with it will come an extreme happiness that you did not know existed. All it takes is guts, determination, and dedication.