Survey says....

Knowing you have asthma? Rocks. Having asthma, maybe not so much, but if you have to have it, 'tis better to know, I've decided.

Tonight was the second scheduled run since picking up my inhaler and 8,000 meds. I didn't know running could be so relatively easy. Don't get me wrong, it's still a tough workout and all, but I don't feel like I'm going to die anymore. I've been waffling around with the idea of running a 1/2 marathon in December as a "Happy 30th Birthday" gift to myself, but I just wasn't sure if I would make it. Yes, it's seven months away, but you have no idea how slow my progress was, and how labored my breathing was, and based on that I honestly didn't know that seven months would be enough time. But now I feel like there's a real chance I could do it.

Did I just say that? Yes, yes I did.

I'm going to put off registering for a month just to make sure my progress starts to pick up like I expect it will, and also to talk to my doctor and make sure this is an OK idea (my follow-up appointment is in a month) but I cannot tell you how happy I am. I feel like a new person. Like I told my boyfriend (fiance'? Years of him being my boyfriend, it's hard to suddenly change the term.), it was so frustrating for me to try so hard and not see as much progress as I thought I reasonably should, so if I could start to see progress? Oh me, oh my. I will be unstoppable. :)

I've noticed something recently -- whenever I have an issue, I assume it's somehow my fault rather than trying to discover what the underlying cause is. Last year when I was always exhausted and taking several naps throughout the day, I just assumed it was because I was lazy and that was how it was going to be. Then I discovered my thyroid was way outta' whack, got on meds to get it back on track, and suddenly I had more energy than I knew what to do with. Now, I assumed I had breathing problems just because I was fat and out of shape, and it's harder to breathe when you're out of shape. But, in reality, the breathing problems were because of my whacked out lungs. (Random aside: The main reason I bought a treadmill a while ago is actually because it was really embarrassing to be on the treadmill at the gym, run a minute (or whatever) at a pretty slow pace, and be wheezing like I'd just finished a marathon in record time. Today, I ran at a faster pace than I normally do - a pace I'd actually consider a run, not a jog - and I was able to maintain that pace my entire session, and I still wasn't wheezing.)

Have you ever had something relatively small happen that just changes your perspective on everything? I feel like this is going to turn into one of those moments, because I haven't felt this confident in myself in a while. Since I (barely) finished that first mile so long ago, actually, and before that who knows. Seeing progress makes the world go 'round when it comes to working out, so lack of progress can be a dangerous thing, at least for me. Why continue to do something if you aren't going to get better at it, right? That lack of progress is why I was so hit-or-miss for the last several weeks. But now? I finish a workout and I'm ready to keep going, instead of needing to lie down for a while (which is what I used to have to do after my jogs). Now I realize I can actually move forward, which I was having doubts about. Seriously, I feel like a brand new person.

Brand new person, who's planning on running a 1/2 marathon to ring in her 30th birthday. That's kind of a scary thought, but I'm extremely excited. I hope the next month goes well so I can get the OK!



So, I want to hear your good news. Leave a comment, or post in your blog, and tell me what awesome thing you've discovered lately.

In the mean time, I'm going to go get another workout in. =D