A New Page in My Book/The Power of Visualization

*sigh* what a roller coaster I have been on these last few weeks. It's all good in the end, but so much has happened and I have been lax at updating my blog. I really need to write and I wish I hadn't waited so long because it is always hard for me to remember all I need to say.

Change. CHANGE. I have posted in the past, and I know this to be true, but I believe that things happen for a reason. One door closes, another opens. blah blah blah. But WOW, to really experience this, and see it happen right in front of my eyes is so empowering.

Yesterday was the end of an era......drama queen, I know. But my journey started at Gold's 2-1/2 years ago, as a 230 pound, 40 year old woman wanting to change after seeing her father die from complications of diabetes. I began in a class called Body Pump, with this high energy, fit instructor named Alex. I don't need to go into all the in between, but last night, we had our last class together there. I am now a 42 year old, 166 pound woman who is more fit than I have ever been in my life.  I have written all about the Crunch take over. I have done all I could to prevent my Les Mills classes from going away, from having meetings with the management, to getting 70+ signatures of unhappy members, to emails with the Regional manager, to bitching and complaining. None of it helped in the long run, but I know that there was nothing I could do to stop a change that terrified me from happening. And now that it's done, yes, I am very sad. I even cried during the end of class. But knowing that I did all I could made it not as devastating as it was 3 weeks ago.  Life goes on and while I know that these classes and instructors have changed my life and my body and my outlook on physical fitness, I know that I will take everything Kimi, Willi, Alex and Jozi taught me and take it with me. And I have gained some good friends, in those phenomenal instructors and in my fellow group exercise buddies. I planned a little going away dinner for Alex last night and Lynette, James, Pam, Bill, Franklin and Michael came and we ate and drank at Milagros. It was fun and not sad, we had a great time and in the end, friendship is all that matters. We will keep in touch and continue to encourage each other. I finally got to meet Pam and in her, have found another person who is supportive and encouraging. Totally cool.

I think what is making this "ending" more bearable is the fact that I have something new to focus on. A fellow teacher, Stephanie, who used to teach with me at Hoover, and was Alexander's 7th grade teacher, had asked me awhile ago about running a marathon. HAHAHAHA, ME??? are you joking, Steph? Well, I wished her a happy birthday last week on Facebook and she asked me again if I wanted to run a 1/2 marathon, the Rock and Roll marathon in San Jose in October. Timing being everything, well, I said yes and I have been freaking out about it ever since! Here is that door that opened when my Les Mills door was slammed shut in my face. The running club I would have to commit to meets on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, my regular workout days at the gym. With those classes essentially ending (they have replaced Combat with Cardio Tai Box, which I have done 3 times and while I get a good cardio workout, it's NO COMBAT), this is the perfect time to jump into something else. I will still need to do some yoga and strength training and I dread just going to the gym to do weights. No one to push me like in class. I'll have to try my best solo.

I went today and was custom sized and fitted with inserts and shoes. What a cool process, they took infrared pics of my feet and arches, had me run barefoot on the treadmill and examined my gate, I bought new shoes, the inserts, a new sports bra that actually fits now that my boobs have shrunk so much, socks and two tops that wick moisture, and some body glide for chafing. Who knew all the places I will have to smear with that stuff? It's a whole new learning experience. Steph walked me through the store, told me so much info that when we got to the nutrition part at the end and all the choices of what to get to consume while running, I hit my limit and told her I was done! My first ever training run is tomorrow at 6:30. I REALLY hope it goes well and I don't completely embarrass myself. I have endurance to get through an entire kickboxing class almost non-stop but running endurance? Totally different. My only goal is to finish this marathon, even if I have to crawl across the finish line on my hands and knees!

 Now to the do-doo-do part.......the power of visualization..............

 I started a vision board back in 2009. Initially, it was for weight loss and to have something to look at daily to strive for. I put quite a few pictures on it, like Michelle Obama and her awesome fit arms, and some butts and abs that looked good, and some key words like strong, fit, lose 10 lbs, etc. I didn't finish it and it went in the closet. Well, a few months ago I took it out and realized how many of those images I put on there had already come true. I had lost MORE than 10 pounds, I had strong, fit arms, the butt and abs, well not quite yet but they are getting smaller. So I decided to complete the board. I added more pictures, a horoscope that rang true, more quotes. And a couple of other things that I didn't think about until I saw it today........a picture of a beautiful, fit runner stretching, and the words "Amazing Race". OMG!!! Just goes to show, I don't know. I really believe that your mind is so powerful and that positive thinking and visualization are amazing tools that really work. This is not the first time something like this has come to pass, but it is a first with my vision board. Now I am stoked to add some more things that I want to see happen. The thing is, I never wanted to run, or even thought I could, so why did I put those two things on there? hmmmm. Another funny thing is I have had recurring dreams for years, one about my teeth, one about being back in high school, but another one that I forgot about - RUNNING!!!! The feeling of running, outside, effortlessly, and enjoying it. WTH? things are just going fast and furious in my head.

So, I just need to go with the flow - again - and see where this part of my journey takes me. I will definitely be blogging and posting more often since this is a whole new experience for me.......sad to close the book on my beloved classes at the gym (but I will follow them and take their classes whenever/where ever I can) but I am excited to see what happens when I turn the page in this new book I reading...........