Highlighted on 300 pounds and running podcast!

In November, I recorded my first ever podcast interview for the 300 pounds and running podcast! The podcast is free to listen through the Apple Store as well the website www.300poundsandrunning.com.

I'm happy to say that the podcast is now live so check it out if you'd like to hear about my journey to becoming a runner as well ways I keep motivated.

Starting 2018 on a high note

Each year, I recommit to my healthy and fitness by completing a running event within the first week on the year. This year I decided to run a 5K (3.1 mile) New Years' Day race in Orlando, Florida. A major difference with this race versus other races I've done is that I've been running consistently for the last couple of months using the Nike Run Club app as a way to train for future running events. I happy to not only complete my first race in 39:51, but I was shocked to receive a third place medal for my age group!Here are some photos from race day.

Moss Park - race location

Warming up in hubby's coat before race

Me with third page age medal

Showing of finisher and age medal on podium

      

Finisher medal and age medal

Orange County 10K & Black Girls Run (BGR) Meet Up Recap

   
Last month, I attended my first Black Girls Run (BGR) national race meet up by meeting & participating in the Lexus Orange County 10K race in Irvine, California on September 9, 2017. It was awesome meeting BGR members from as far as Florida and Texas as well as meeting a member of the brother organization Black Men Run (BMR). I'm excited to see that BGR has spread to so many states and hope that I can eventually start a chapter for the Central California area since currently the nearest BGR chapters to me are in San Franciso or Los Angeles which are both over 2 hours away from me.

Me with new BGR friends before the race

Repping the south with new friends from Florida

Waiting with Black Girls Run (BGR) meet-up before the race starts

Me running the Orange County 10K

         

Me and a new friend who also lived in Huntsville, AL

Me with double bling after Orange County 10K

13 in 2013 update

It's been so long since I've blogged, I'm feeling a little rusty (ha ha); but like most things once you learn to do something, you'll always remember how to do things. In my attempt to do 13 running events in 2013, I'm happy to report that I've accomplished six more events since I last wrote in May (which brings my total to 11) and here's pics of the medals below:

Medal #6-Peace Love Run

                          

Medal #7-Cinco de Mayo Virtual 5K

Medal #8-Wahoo's OC 5K

  

Medal #9-Spring Bling Virtual 5K

 

Medal #10-Costume Party Run

        Medal#11-Hangover Run Virtual 10k

I have two more virtual races for the end of the year so I'm really excited about completing this goal and my main goal for next year is doing enough races to be able to join the half-marathon fanatics as well as running some races in the Roll and Rock running series.

More medals for and job news

In my quest for completing 13 running events in 2013, I have so far finished four events with nine more to go! In April, I plan on doing two events, the Hollywood Half Marathon and the 1st ever Peace Love Run in San Diego. May will be two virtual runs, one for Cinco De Mayo and one for Spring Bling. I am so grateful that I have the chance to be active and what can I say, I love getting medals too :-) Below are photos from my last four running events.

BGR Friends and me at (medal 2)

Medal 3 for Coronado VDay 10K

Photo Den took of me during Coronado VDay 10K

Den after Knott's Berry Farm Roller Coaster 5K (his first medal!)

Me wirh Knott's Berry Farm 5K medal (medal 4)

In other news, I was recently hired by the Kern County Library District as their digital librarian! I am super excited to be able to start my career as a librarian but I am sad to be leaving El Camino after two years. Here's photos from my going away party and photos with some of my employees.

Staff going away party for me

I'm really excited about all of the changes that are taking place in my life and will do what I can to make everyone proud of me while staying true to myself.

Half Marathon #4 is done and vegan Thanksgiving feast!

This past weekend I went to Walt Disney World for the first time and also completed my fourth half marathon. Disney World was really fun, surprisingly accommodating to me with my vegan diet and also a bit overwhelming at times. Here are some photos from our trip as well as the two medals I received for completing the race and completing a race in Disneyland and Disney World.

Here's us at Hollywood Studios

Here's us at the Wine & Dine 1/2 Marathon Expo

Here's me before the Wine & Dine 1/2 Marathon

Here's the two medals I received after the race - 1 for completing the half marathon and a second medal for completing two races at both Walt Disney World & Disneyland in the same year

  Here's a yummy falafel veggie burger I ate at Downtown Disney World

 
 Here are some delish vegan carrot cake cupcakes from Babycakes NYC in Downtown Disney World

 

Below is the vegan Thanksgiving feast me and Den had made by Chef Joy at Viva La Vegan grocery in Rancho Cucamonga. We ended up flying to see my family in Alabama for Thanksgiving and it was fun seeing them after a year and after having lost so much weight.

If you'd like to see more photos, you can visit my flickr page by going to flickr and typing the name bamalibrarylady and go to the Destination Disney World set.

Getting my run on and other changes

It's been forever since I've written on this blog but I have tons of news to write about. Since May, I've done two races, 6.2 miles at the Totally Awesome 80's Run at the Rose Bowl and 3.1 miles at the Girls on the Go run in San Dimas. Here are photos of the medal from both races.

Totally Awesome 80's Run medal

Me wearing Girls on the Go medal

In other news, after going vegan, exercising daily and running in races, I am happy to report that I am now officially 100 pounds lighter!!! The picture below shows me at my highest weight of 298 pounds and me at my current weight of 198 pounds.

Me at my heaviest and me 100 lbs. lighter

I think that the only thing that makes this better is the wider selection of clothing I can wear now. The picture below shows me wearing a small shirt for the first time;how awesome is that! In addition to this, I am excited because I'll be running at the Wine & Dine half marathon at Disney World in Florida next month I'm also going to be starting Insanity in the next complete of weeks. Wish me luck!

Me rocking a small shirt

Second half marathon done!

I completed my second half marathon on the day before my 33rd birthday. It was the Hollywood Half Marathon and I was happy that I finished and I did so in 3:18 which was slightly faster than my finish time for the Tinkerbell Half Marathon that I did in January.
The day before the race, me and Dennis went to the Health & Fitness Expo at the Hilton in Universal Studios. Here's a picture of me and Marilyn Monroe and me posing with my racing bib.

The next morning I was nervous and excited about running this race. How would I do? Would I finish it in a decent time? Could I manage to complete the race without falling? Here's a photo of me at the starting line for the Hollywood Half Marathon.

I was super stoked to meet one of my favorite podcasters, Wendy from the Yell at Your Fat podcast as well as a member from the Black Girls Run L.A. Chapter. Of course I had to take photos:-)

The rest of the race was pretty uneventful although there was a point where my left foot was hurting so badly I had to stop my running/walking plan at mile 8 but even with that happening, I was still able to finish under 3 and a half hours so yay me! Here's photos of the medal and me wearing the Hollywood Half Marathon shirt.

 
 

I plan to run a couple of more half marathons before the end of the year and the next one will by the Wine and Dine at Disney World in Florida followed by one in October and a Holiday Half in December. Wish me luck!

Completing my first half marathon

I completed my first half marathon (Tinkerbell Half Marathon) on Sunday! Although my finishing time was 3:19 (with a time limit of 3:50), I'm proud of myself for completing a exercise goal I set for myself. I woke up at 3:00 am Sunday morning got dressed and then went online for a minute to calm my nerves about the race. Around 3:30 am, I woke Den up so he could dressed and we could walk down to the hotel and catch the shuttle to Disneyland. Disneyland is a magical place during the day but early in the morning with no one there, its kind of surreal. Once we got there, it was amazing to see so many people there dressed as Tinkerbell, Peter Pan and other Disney characters as well as people dressed like regular people going out for a run. I took the opportunity to take a photo next to the mile 4 marker since we still had time before the race began. 

 Soon we arrived at the entrance and I took a photo with some pirates before heading to the main event stage and then carroll D where I'd be starting the race from. 

 I run the race using a combination of running for 4 minutes then walking for 1 minute.....in the beginning. Eventually, I began to walk more and run less because my foot started to hurt. Around mile 8, I fell while stepping up on a curb and scratched up my right elbow and knee. After some nice fellow runners helped me up, I brushed myself off and kept on going until the end. While a little part of me felt I should get my injuries checked out at the medical tent area, I decided I'd worry about that at the finish line. 

I know my form wasn't pretty and I didn't look like a runner but darn it I was going to get my Tinkerbell medal! After the race, I was so happy it was over and was super stoked to get my medal and finally wear my reward for completing the race-a "I completed the Tinkerbell Half Marathon" shirt. Although the race was hard and trying at times, I enjoyed the camaraderie I felt with the other runners and I loved the sense of pride I felt by having earned a medal rather than just being given something for participating. 

I am planning to resume my half marathon training schedule once I'm healed up since I signed up for the Hollywood Half Marathon in April. I'm also really considering doing another Disney run in October (Wine & Dine 1/2 Marathon) so I could get two medals;a medal for the Wine and Dine and a medal for running a Disney race on the East and West Coast.