Family 5K

Unbelievable that our family did our first 5K Thanksgiving Turkey Trot.  I didn't think it could happen because all the males in the family do not like to run.  But since I run so much, I guess it raised some interest.  Every time I come home from running, the boys would take turn asking me how many miles.  When I answered, they would always say, "Wow!"  Now that Daddy also completed his 10K, I think the boys are more open to running.  J actually was the first to volunteer to run this race with me.  C came along just because of the pressure that everyone is doing it.  I wanted to train them but with all their activities it was hard to.  But I did take them out to run a few times before the race.  C was nervous the whole time thinking that he will die.  I was very thankful that my sister came along with us.  She has always been supportive of my running and now want to be there for the boys' first run.  With my sister there, there is one adult per child.  So I ran with C, my sister ran with J, and H took care of K because she needed to be carried.  I forgot to set my speedometer at the beginning, so I didn't know how far we ran.  Through the course, C kept telling me that he is dying and that he needed to stop.  I kept telling him that he can do it and that he didn't even run the distant that he did the other day yet.  I continued to run on and C didn't want to fall behind because he didn't want to loose me.  So he tried to keep up.  Before we knew it, we were close to the finish line.  J and my sister were in front and finished sooner than us.  I am so proud of the boys.  I sure hope that this is the beginning of a life time of healthy physical activities for them.

 

Husband's First 10K

This is a back post.  I can't believe I didn't write about this.  It was such an epic event. 

H ran his first official 10K race.  Of course he was reluctant to sign up, but when his college roommate said that he will run too, then H is more willing to go.  They chatted up a storm since they hadn't seen each other for a long time.  Before they knew it, they were only a block away from the finished line.  That's why I love running with people, time just go by quickly when there is good company.  I am so proud of Heebee (a friend's nickname for him).  I hope he will want to run a half marathon.  :) 

The day is also memorable because I 8side my sister doing my second half marathon.  She has been a runner for a long time.  I think she has done 4 marathons.  She has always been fit so its hard to keep up with her.  I am still not as fast, but at least I can now run the distant.  To add to the awesomeness, some of my running buddies came too.  I am so blessed to have met so many people at the boys school that also run.  I have to say, the run as hard.  It was super hot and the race started after 8am.  Had it be earlier I think it would have been cooler.  I am proud to finish, even though I was slower than the first time.  Some day, I hope to do at least one marathon. 

First Half Marathon

Life has been so hectic that I forgot to document this event.  I am so proud that I was able to accomplish such a long run.  I've heard that did it, but never thought that I could.  I went from not being able to run a block to running 13.1 miles.  Every mile was a blessing from the Lord, but it is not without hard work and dedication.  Craving out time to run 4 - 5 times a week for training is not easy, especially trying to juggle the kids and their activities.  Sometimes I have to get up at 4:30 am to run, much like athletes who are dedicated to their sport.   The discipline is so good for me, it motivates me to be more discipline in other areas of my life.  But more importantly, the endorphins keep me positive.  I am not as pessimistic and I do not hold on to my frustration as long.  I think I might be addicted to the positive feeling that I get from running and exercising. It's been a year since I've consistently exercise for at least 4 times a week, it's become such an integral part of me now.
After this race, I am more motivated to run.  I am tempted to run a marathon, but just fearful of the time commitment.  Now that I know how far I am push my body, I can try to run a bit faster.

A lot of people asked me how I got started and how I am able to make such a drastic change.  Since not many people see my small changes, people thinks that I had a drastic change overnight.  Changes that I made were not so drastic, it's the little changes that add together to become a life changing thing.  At the beginning in October 2012, I just decided to eat better and cut out carb and sugar for a week.  After a week, I decided to do two weeks.  When I got good weight lost result, 8 pounds in two weeks, I was motivated to keep on making good food choices.  Then, in December, after all the holiday eating, I felt like I needed to exercise.  So I started with Zumba because I love dancing.  After a few months, I no longer get a good sweat out of Zumba.  So I tried Body Compat and Body Pump at 24 hrs Fitness.  I LOVED IT!  It lets me get all my frustration and aggression out.  After my work out, I felt like a new person. That's when I started to love the positive feeling that endorphins caused.  Which then, leads me to work out 5 days a week.  After I reached my first weight loss goal of 30 pounds, I was more motivated to exercise because I still wanted to lose more weight, but my body was slowing down.  I knew I needed to add variety to my exercise routine.  One day, I decided to try the treadmill, a machine that I don't particularly like.  But I tell myself that I will use it for 20 mins.  After 20 mins, I felt great, so I continued for another 10 mins.  That day I ran 2.5 miles.  Then, I set a goal to run 5K.  I took myself to Lake Merritt and ran the entire lake.  The first time was tough because afterward I was a bit dizzy.  But that showed me that I can do more.  As I ran more, the more ambitious I got and set higher and higher goals. That's how I started on my healthier lifestyle.  It's the little choices that I made that lead me to this.  BUT more importantly, it's the divine intervention of Jesus that I am able to be so disciplined because I am not a discipline person.  It's the events and situations that came together as a part of His plan that I am able to make small changes.  In October 2012, my work caused me deep emotional distress that made me depressed and started to affect the family. God knew that I needed the release and the positive mind set.  I was depressed because I felt defeated like a failure.  God reminded me that I wasn't who the manager claimed that I was and through exercising, I found my strength, both physically and spiritually.  Exercising changed my life and saved my sanity.  Also, God knew that I needed a friend to keep me going, so he brought me a running partner who has the same drive and ability.  All this was in His plan. 

My 14 Miles Run

I can't believe that I actually did 14 miles.  That took 2.5 hrs of straight running.  That's the distance of a half marathon.  Some people who trains for the half marathon don't actually run 13 miles until the day of the race.  But I just wanted to make sure that I can run the whole length.

The path had little shades and it was hot.  I had a pretty tough time running it actually.  I have been training for it, but for some reason, after 9 miles, I lost motivation.  I just didn't want to do it.  So from 9 -14 miles, I just made myself.  I kept telling myself to finish the race and not give up.  I prayed for God's strength.  When I ran 11 miles last week I felt great and didn't have much trouble.  Perhaps I didn't load up on carb and water adequately this time.  Boy, I sure hope that on the actual race that I can make it till the end without having to walk it.

I am thankful that I had a friend to run with. Without her, I would have given up.  I guess we both didn't want to let each other down and give up prematurely.  I am also thankful that my knees were able to withstand all that running.  

My First 10K Race

I can't believe I actually ran a race today.  Just back in July, I didn't like running.  I started to exercise in January of 2013 and began to really love it.  I love reaching new heights physically and feeling good about myself.  Endorphins really kept me positive and up beat, so I wanted to be more and more active.  So I decided to run.  After I ran around Lake Merritt in Oakland and actually liked it.  I was hooked on running.  Don't get me wrong, I still have days where I don't want to run and much prefer to stay in bed.  But I push myself and ended up loving it.  So thankful that I found a group of moms at the boys' school to run with every Sunday.  They keep me going.  I am a slow and steady runner, I want to be able to finish every race.  In a normal week, I tried to run 4 -5 miles 2 - 3 times and I don't have any problem doing it.  But today, perhaps all the food from Thanksgiving.  I had a hard time starting the race.  And the last miles was tough with inclines.  I had to keep my eyes on the finish line to keep myself motivated.  I feel like it was a big accomplishment.  Part of me want to train for the half marathon in 2014, but part of me is fearful of it.  If my body is able to keep up, I am willing to try.

  

My First Run

I can't believe that I did my first run around Lake Merritt.  It's about 3.4 miles in circumference, so it's about 5K.  When my sister started training for her marathon, she kept asking me to run with her, but I wouldn't because I don't like running.  I can't even last a few blocks without stopping.  Yes, I was that bad and my sister and friends who tried to run with me knew it.  So when I started to exercise, I wanted to stay away from running.  I can do anything but run.  So I did Zumba, U-Jam, BodyCombat (like boxing), and weight lifting.  After a few months of weight lifting, I can feel that I am stronger and that I am in better shape.  So I tried to run on the treadmill, I didn't like it so I ran for 5 mins and then walk for 5 mins and so on for a short time.  One day, I decided to just run and see how long I can last.  When I wanted to stop, I kept telling myself a few minutes more.  It turned out that day I ran for 25 mins on the treadmill and covered 2 miles.  So the next goal should be a 5K.  Since the boys are at summer camp and K is at preschool, today was the perfect opportunity to try to reach my goal.

I have to say, it was quite hard.  I did it at about 9am, but the weather was hot already.  At less than half a mile, I really wanted to just walk.  That would still be a good exercise to just walk around the lake.  But NO, my goal was to run.  So I pressed on.  Then, I got really thirsty.  I didn't bring water because I wanted my hands free.  I was huffing and puffing, but I turned my iphone on louder to allow worship songs to motivate me.  So I pressed on.  Then, I saw that if I run the last part on the street, I would get to my car sooner.  But no, I need to run the inner circumference of the lake to be able to say that I ran the whole lake.  So again I pressed on.  At the end when I knew that I was close to my car, I gave it all that I got to run faster and to finish strong.  When I got there, I felt like I have conquered the world.  My perseverance paid off and I reached my goal.  I did feel alittle light headed and my legs were wobbly, but after drinking water and sitting down, I was fine. 

On the run, I needed strength, so I prayed and thought about God and His plans for my life.  I have personally experienced what Paul, in the Bible, talked about running the race and finishing strong.  I have heard many people, especially runners, say that running is alot like living the Christian life.  And so far, I understood what Paul and everyone said.  But today, I actually experienced it and it became personal.  As I ran, I periodically looked at the spot where I started because that's where I will end.  Thinking about my goal helps me move forward and I know I am closer and closer.  So this is what Paul talks about in Philippians 3:14 "I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."  I just had to keep my eyes on the prize and go for the goal.  Then I thought, what's my goal in my Christian life?  Every Christian wants to earn rewards in heaven and hear the Shepherd say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."  I want that more than  anything.  It's a good goal, but that goal seems so far away.  It's like me setting my goal to run a marathon before this run.  It seems so far and hard to reach.  The goal of running the lake is more reachable, so I realized that while I desire to hear my Shepherd's I praise, I need to set short reachable goals for my spiritual life.  That way, I know I am moving forward and that I have accomplished something for the Kingdom.  

Another lesson I learned is that every Christian should judge themselves by their own walk and deeds and not compare ourselves to others.  I have to admit that I often compare myself to others, especially to those who have a strong walk with the Lord.  I would feel discouraged that I am not as patience, kind, compassionate, and gentle as the other person.  And that leads to feeling in adequate when I serve.  But today, I realized that each Christian have a their own race to run and each race is different.  There should be no comparison, it's like comparing apples to oranges.  As I ran, there are a lot of people who are also running.  Most ran faster than me.  Some might have more training or are in better shape than me.  So I didn't want to run fast like they are.  I am just glad that they are running like me.  I just want to run at a pace that I can finish and all I wanted was to finish the lake.  In the same way, everyone has their own Christian race.  Some might have more training coming from Christian home or some have stronger network, but each of us should focus on our own race.  Hebrews 12:1 says, "And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us..."  We should run the race that marked out for us and not the one marked for someone else.  When we run someone else's race, we will surely fail and not reach our goal. 

Reached My Goal Weight

Me before weight loss.  I can't find a full body picture because I hated taking pix.

Me minus 30 pounds.

After 5 months of low carb eating, I have finally reached my goal of losing 30 pounds, that's about 22% of my weight.  I went from a size 8 to a size zero.  I feel great and have tons of energy.  I work out, cook, bake and take care of the kids and I am not tired at the end of the day.  In fact, I can keep going like the energizer bunny.  Just sometimes, I am emotionally drained since I'm with Mui all the time. 

I am amazed at how I was able to be disciplined and had self control.  In fact, that's not like me at all. I have tried other diets before, like South Beach and Cabbage Soup, and it didn't work for me.  I failed on those diets because I didn't have the discipline to go through with it.  Usually after about a couple of weeks, I give up.  And my failure is partly due to my love for bread of all kinds, cupcakes, and chips.  I usually endulge myself with a bag of chip after I put the kids to sleep because that's how I recooperate from all the events of the day.  So I don't know exactly how I just kicked those habits one day.  To me it's a miracle.  It's the work of my Lord Jesus Christ.  He deserves to be praised for this miracle. 

As I look back at these past months, I see that the Lord orchestrated things to happen so that I'll relinguish control and allow Him to help me physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  As much as I didn't want to give up my paycheck, I know God was leading me to quit my job because it was causing emotional harm to me and my family.  I didn't know how to handle all the emotions and negativities, so I did the only thing that I knew how and that was to just spend alittle time with my Creator.  In my most painful and stressful times, the Lord reminded me that I need to focus on myself and be renewed.  So I have to learn to take care of me.  That sounds like such a simple thing, how can anyone not know how to take care of oneself?  I spend a lot of time taking care of my kids, my work, and even ministry that I have neglected myself.  I failed that those other diets because I didn't want to spend time to make special food for me.  When my kids were little, I make them homemade baby food and pack it with me wherever we go.  When they were toddler, I make soft toddler food.  To this day, I make sure that feed them a balanced meal and I bring them fruits, snacks and water wherever we go.  It's important to me that I take good care of my kids, but some how I don't do the same for me.  Perhaps, I didn't think that I was worth the trouble.  God showed me that neglecting myself affects every part of my being.  To be restored emotionally, I first need to be physically healthy.  The self help books that I read and research that I did all pointed out that physical health and exercise will help improve mental health.  Exercise not only keeps the body healthy, but makes the body releases endorphins which is a brain chemical that gives energy and lift up a person's mood. 

So it's not that I have a lot of discipline or self-control that I have successfully reached my goal, but it's all because of the power and strength that the Lord has given me.  Indeed, He is my strength when I am weak.  He knew that this is what I need in this period of my life.  With this new body, I have a renewed zest for life,  a greater contentment toward God and His blessings on me, a stronger self-confident that I can tackle other goals (especially spiritual goals), a bigger committment to be a better mom and build strong relationship with my kids, a deeper conviction that I can be a more supportive wife, and a revived desire to learn new things.  Both my sister and H, both commented that they noticed that I am happier lately.  Who knew that I can gain all this from weight lost.