It's A Beautiful Day

I hit a milestone today and I didn't really even set out to do it.

I have been trying to get my body back into shape.  2 years of cancer treatments had really done a toll on it.  My body has aged 15 years at least.  I have developed asthma as a result of the radiation and chemo.  My right wrist is still giving me problems due to the tendonitis issues.  I am still exhausted by the end of every day (but really, who isn't?)

In spite of all this though, I have been determined to get into shape.  My 2nd family (from my 

First Descents trip) and I will be packing our bags in a little over a month to participate in a Tough Mudder race.  Look at the website and you will see that it is appropriately named.

I am pretty sure that I am going to die.

Or, at least I was until this morning.

For about two and a half weeks, I have really committed to exercising daily.

Strength training, cardio, yoga, walk/jogging, running a household, etc.

Thanks to my Daily Burn membership, I can get a great workout in the comfort of my own home.  I love it.  

I have seen a lot of physical changes- muscles getting more defined, clothes fitting better and all that.  I am still exhausted at the end of every day, but it is a good exhausted.  

I just feel better all around.

I have more energy to get me through the day.

I find myself leaning towards walking or riding my bike rather than taking the car.

I felt like I was on a pretty good track to be in decent shape to participate in this race.  Then I had a short conversation via Facebook with my friend and fellow FD family member, Heather.

She reminded me that it was a 10 mile race with obstacles.

That's when I gulped.

10 miles.......

Could I even make it 1 mile, free from obstacles, without feeling like sprawling out on the sidewalk, gasping for air?

A few days ago, I walk/jogged a little under a mile to a friend's house.  I had forgotten my inhaler, and by the time I got to her house, I was huffing and puffing.  I felt a little discouraged because April 26th will be here before I know it and even with all this hard work I have been doing, I wasn't sure that it would be enough.

So today I took the plunge.

I completed about 3 miles of walk/jogging.  There was not (and probably never will be) actually running.  Just a lot of speed walking with the occasional jogging pace thrown in.

(**Update...I drove the route this afternoon and it was actually 5 miles.  My jaw dropped when I saw that on the odometer.  5 miles!?!  I am definitely not going to be able to get out of bed tomorrow.  But it will be so worth it.)

On my way home I realized something very significant to me.

The last time I completed that distance was at a Race for the Cure in May of 2011- 3 months before I was diagnosed with breast cancer.  That was a little under 3 years ago.  I had no idea at the time that in a few short months I would be fighting for my life because of the very disease that brought about that race.

When I realized that, my stride quickened and quite by coincidence, the next 4 songs on my random shuffle exercise playlist made me smile from ear to ear.

It's a Beautiful Day by Michael Buble.  I know the song is about him breaking up with a girl, but I just love the tune and this line of the chorus,

"It's a Beautiful Day and I can't stop myself from smiling."

Dynamite by Taio Cruz

"I want to celebrate and live my life."

Part of Me by Katy Perry

"This is a Part of Me that you're never, ever gonna take away from me."

Try by P!nk

"Where there is desire there is going to be a flame.

Where there is a flame someone's bound to get burned.

But just because it burns doesn't mean you're gonna die.

You gotta get up and try, try, try."


Ok so pretty much all of the songs are about breaking up with someone, but I kind of did that.
I broke up with cancer.

It tore me down, chewed me up, and spit me out- but I did the same to it.

So bring on the Tough Mudder, bring on the living life to it's fullest.
I am ready for it.