It’s Official!

© Maridav - Fotolia.com

I finally did it!

I have officially committed myself to change and have joined the NYRR (New York Road Runner) Club and am scheduled to run my first race a 5K (3.1 miles) on August 25, 2012 at the Percy Sutton Harlem in Manhattan.

I am super excited, ecstatic and anxious at my decision to get back into running. I have to admit that this will be a challenge, as I haven’t hit the pavement since high school, which by my calculations is about fourteen years.

In high school, I was a short distance and relay runner, I even tried my hand at race walking and qualified for the NY State Championships – I came in last but was happy that I at tried something that was way out of my comfort zone.

Growing up I never had any problem with my weight, I was always that super skinny kid with knobby knees and was teased because of it and as a result, had self-image issues (especially since I didn’t fit into the curvy Latina mold).  Wise beyond my years (I must say I am an old soul) I realized that my body type wasn’t ever going to fit the stereotype.  Realizing this and despite having a laundry list of things that I wanted to change about myself, I needed to accept who I was, what I had and what I didn’t have.

My desire to run this 5k came from my desire to be both fit and healthy.  I am thirty four years old, and my entire family history has been plagued with heart disease and diabetes and want to stop that cycle or at least halt it for as long as possible.  My eating habits have drastically changed since watching the documentary Fat Sick and Nearly Dead, and have introduced juicing and eating more veggies into my family’s daily eating regimen.

I am determined to get back to what healthy is for me, wish me luck as I take on this challenge!