vg_ford | A decision.

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val_marathon

This coming Saturday is my 32nd birthday.

This past Sunday, at fighter practice, my mother asked me what I wanted for my birthday, and I realized something.

What I want, no one but me can give me.

I want to look in the mirror and not see a double chin. I want to be able to shop for clothes in stores that don't cater to "generously-endowed" women. I want to be able to walk up a flight of stairs without sounding like a beached whale. I want to be able to fence all day and not have to stop because I'm out of shape. I want to run again.

So, as my birthday present to myself, I signed up to walk the Greater Hartford Marathon in October.

I can't continue on the way I have. I'm 5'5 1/2" tall and 281 lbs. TWO HUNDRED AND EIGHTY ONE POUNDS. I have Crohn's disease and fibromyalgia, and most days I creak like an 81-year-old woman. Unfortunately, I still eat like a college student, and I sit at a desk for 8+ hours a day.

That is, until yesterday.

Yesterday, I started a new way of eating. I swore off most soda - no more than 16 oz. a day (and for someone who routinely sucked down 2-4 20 oz. Coke with Limes a day, this is HARD!!!!). I'm drinking water with lemon instead, and working on dealing with the caffeine headache. I'm also eating breakfast - and not snacking on chips or chocolate.

And I'm exercising. I've made a deal with myself. There's now a cup on my desk labelled "Val's Pennsic Fund." Every time I go to the gym to swim or work out, I get to put a dollar in the fund. Every time I do at least 5 sit-ups (because I think I can do 5 right now), I get to put in fifty cents. This will be spending money for Pennsic - talk about incentive!!! (oh, Midnight Madness....)

And Jess and I are making our marathon count. We're walking for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Research Fund - my aunt Susie died of breast cancer, and I've got women I adore on both sides of my family fighting it right now. It's a cause very dear to my heart.

So if you'd like to sponser us, or make a donation, please do. You can email me at captain_hobbes@yahoo.com.

I'm also starting a new LJ, just to keep track of my progress. Please friend

val_marathon if you'd like to, and if you don't see any postings on it, get on my butt!!!:)

Thanks, everyone. I appreciate your support.

Val

A decision.

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