The Warrior...What?!?!?

This past weekend was a personal victory, and I must share with you why. Ted and I completed an event called the Warrior Dash...together!
It is a 3.5 mile run with at least 7 obstacles along the way. Before MIM, I would never have even considered participating in an event like this with my husband.
3.5 miles seemed like such a FAR way to run, my husband didn't run at all and worked out irregularly and I couldn't have imagined having the strength to climb up cargo nets, jump over walls or complete the other challenges.
I kid you not, the first one was a row of 4 beat up old cars we had to climb, jump, crawl or somehow get over!
MIM and my fitness career has truly changed all of that for me. I transitioned from a walker to a runner, corrected an injury with help from MIM sponsors & members, added more strength and core training and am motivated each day by the women around me doing the same things.
About the same time as I ran my 2nd 5K with MIM in '08 ( yup, running the whole thing!) and improving my time, my husband starting going to the gym more often....and started running. He'd not done this partly due to some foot issues, work and life style. His career in pharmaceutical had also "enlightened" him on the advantages of avoiding the high blood pressure issues running in his family. One morning, he even told a mutual friend that he was going to the gym because he had to keep up with me.
Since then, we have a friendly rivalry going, keep tabs on each others workouts, have run together with the kids on bikes, lift together at the gym and really make an effort to make our family trips and weekends include active activities. I also have to try and keep up with him!
So doing this crazy warrior dash with Ted was more than just a weekend event, I really felt it was another chapter in our lives together, and for me as a mom, wife and woman.
I share this with you because I want you to know that others have the same struggles with fitness as you do, that you are an Excellent role model to your whole family and that the support you give and receive with MIM can make the difference.

Please share your own story on this blog, the MIM facebook page, meetup page or any outlet you are comfortable with. It will give you strength and inspire others.

Let's keep movin together mamas!
Wendy

P.S. There was ALOT of mud involved too...

Exercise is medicine

"Exercise is medicine" according to the Kaiser commercial on the radio this morning. I don't always take stock in commercials, but this one has a point. Exercise reduces occurrences of the most common diseases. It reduces stress, increases our endorphins and our feel good hormones.

I had to take a break from running for a few weeks, and although I teach fitness, running is the only exercise I do just for me (evenly on both sides and without stopping to cue, correct form, time someones run, hold a baby or help make sure another mom is getting her best workout ever.) Don't take me wrong, I LOVE LOVE LOVE what I do...but running is just for me. (except when I'm leading the moms in motion teams on the weekends. ha!) I digress.

The point is during that break waiting so "patiently" for my foot injury to heel, I really missed it. The actual running is interesting, the first mile hurts, then I'm good for a bit, then I try to convince myself to keep running, then I sprint to the finish so I can be done....but after I'm done. I FEEL GREAT!!!! Really, I feel like I am strong, I'm in shape, I can conquer the world. I really think there is something to that Happy seritonin hormone thing. Something happens in our bodies when we exercise that fine tunes it, gets our blood pumping and mind cleared.

And the truth is I get that same great, positive feeling when I teach a fitness class, running group or restore the core class. It's a high, a top of the world feeling that makes me feel so lucky to be healthy and strong. And I sooo want to share that with YOU!

What's your story?

Wendy Hoag
916-690-7624
www.strollerfit.com/elkgrove
www.momsinmotion.com