Rundown of a Redhead

Thanks for checking out my blog!  My name is Priscilla and I started keeping this blog when I decided to train for my first marathon in 2010.

Growing up, I never felt fit and  at least compared with most of the other girls my age.  I was average size in high school - 5'3" and around 120 pounds.  I was on the swim team for 3 years and led an active lifestyle, but I wouldn't say I was super athletic.  After getting married in 1999, and having my first three kids within 3 1/2 years, I was at my heaviest.

Going into my fourth pregnancy in 2005 I weighed around 160, and about a month after the baby's birth, weighing around 175, I realized it was time for me to shed some extra baggage. 

My path to a healthier, happier life started in February of 2006 with walking 6 days a week at the local park.  I only did 2 or 3 laps starting out (1.5 - 2 miles), but eventually over the course of a year or so, worked my way up to walking 3 - 5 miles 6 days a week.  I also did other things, like riding a stationary bike and using workout DVD's.

Once I was in the habit of exercising every day, I started focusing on my diet.  I used the menu plan from Dr. Phil's book "The Ultimate Weight Loss Solution Food Guide".  It has a great 14 day jump start program to boost metabolism and help you lose several pounds right away, which was an awesome motivator.  It probably took me about 6 months of keeping a food journal and using the food guide and menus to be comfortable with going it alone and being confident that my portions were adequate, and food choices appropriate.  In 9 months I had reached my goal weight of 125 pounds, but I continued with my exercise regimen and clean-eating and healthy lifestyle, and by 1 year after starting out I was down to 115 pounds.

Now fast forward to February 2010, when I was feeling like I had hit a plateau in my workout routine and started thinking of ways to switch things up.  A friend of mine told me she was going to train for her first marathon, and asked if I'd be interested in doing it with her.  I was one of those people who would always say: "I am NOT a runner," but I decided to give it a go.  As soon as I told her I would do it, I was committed.  My type-A personality kicked into overdrive and I immediately got a training schedule and got to work.  I started keeping track of my daily workouts and runs on this blog.  As I said, I had not been running consistently...at all.  Other than the fact that I was more or less physically fit, I was starting from scratch.  With lots of hard work, determination, tears, sore muscles and several black toenails, I went from a non-runner to a marathon finisher in just 9 months!

Since running my first marathon, RimRock in November of 2010, I've gone on to run 10 more full (official race) marathons, 4 (unofficial) 26.2 mile or longer runs, and three half marathons.  I have enjoyed great improvements coming through each one. I have also become a certified indoor cycling instructor and personal trainer.

Please feel free to leave comments, questions or any other random tidbits you'd like to share. As a wife and mother of four children living in rural Idaho, I find inspiration and motivation through reading about other people's experiences with running, training, racing and enjoying a life of fitness, health and adventure! :)