Happy National Running Day!

Today is national running day!  It reminds me of my first 5K in August of 2010.  It was Hot Summer Nights in downtown Columbia, and let me tell you....it was HOT!!!!  But it was so much fun.  I have done that race every year since then with the goal of beating my last year's time, and so far I have met that goal.  It's hard to believe I have been running for almost four years now.  It's gone by so fast.  Throughout that time, my interests have changed as far as exercise.  I'm more into weight lifting and strength training, but I still do love to get our there and pound the pavement.

I have done a lot of thought recently about training for another half marathon.  I really would love to tackle a full marathon one day but will definitely need someone to train with me....any takers?  Well, today since it's National Running Day, I have decided to go ahead and get my training plan together for my next half marathon.  I think I will do the Savannah Rock and Roll again in November because hey - that's my favorite so far and it's a great weekend trip.  So...for now I will sign off and get started on putting together my plan.  But first, I'm headed out the door to get in a few miles because that would just be awful not to do it on National Running Day!

#sharesomethinginspiring Week Two

This has been another fabulous week with the Twitter challenge called #sharesomethinginspiring.  It's been a lot of fun to follow my fellow #sweatpink sisters and see all their inspiring posts.  You can still get involved...just follow the challenges each day and don't forget to use #sharesomethinginspiring and #sweatpink and of course tag @LornaJaneActive and @FitApproach.

So here's my recap of the week....

Share something inspiring about a blogger you inspires you.  Well, for me it's without a doubt Ashley Johns from Fierce Forward for Life.  I have been honored to be a part of her Fierce Forward Nation group and have been recently participating in the Sisterhood of the Fierce Traveling Journals.  She has shown me what it's like to be Fierce, not give up and follow my dreams even if they seem impossible.  I even have one of her fabulous Strength bracelets to remind me that I am strong and there is nothing out of my reach.

Share something about a personal accomplishment.  My biggest accomplishment as many know is to be healthy.  In the past three years, I have lost almost a hundred pounds.  I have never felt better, not just physically but mentally too.  It's amazing how much confidence you gain just by being fit and healthy.  And now, I'm on my way to be a certified personal trainer through NASM and have already started helping people reach their goals in my new personal training job.

Share anything that inspires you.  I found this quote here and it really hit home.  So this was my inspiration for the day.

Share something inspiring to anyone who needs it.    I have a fellow Train Dirty Fitness sister Jenna who has become a sweet friend of mine.  She always seems to encourage me when I need it and I just wanted to post something special for her.  Sometimes as moms in our day to day lives, we forget that we are special and beautiful.  I just wanted to remind her that she is too.


Share something about your family.  I am adopted and found my birth family about 17 years ago.  Just recently my niece was married in Costa Rica and I made the trip with

my brother and sister.  I love that even though we spent half our lives apart, we have a wonderful relationship now.  I am so blessed to have found them.

Share something inspiring that makes you laugh.  One of my favorite funny fitness posts I see are the ones of the little babies and little toddlers doing fitness things.  This one in particular just made me laugh.  It reminds me that part of the reason I want to be fit and healthy is for my daughter, so I can be a role model for her.

Share something about taking a leap of faith.  Through the past few years, I have had to make a lot of hard decisions.  It's difficult not to just press forward and not look back.  I have learned that I only need to focus on the present - not the past and not the future.  Just one day at a time.  But I also need to take that leap of faith.

#sharesomethinginspiring

 So this week, I have done something new.  I have joined the #ShareSomethingInspiring Twitter Challenge with other Sweat Pink Ambassadors that FitApproach and Lorna Jane have put together. Two ladies will win a $500 Lorna Jane gift card.  Pretty cool, huh?  There are challenges each day and it's pretty fun so far.  You can still join and get a chance to win and have a little fun along the way.  Check out the challenge each day and just hashtag #sharesomethinginspiring and #sweatpink and be sure to tag @LornaJaneActive and @FitApproach.

This has been especially fun for me because there are so many people who have inspired me along my "get healthy" journey.  Here's a little recap of my week.

One of the people who motivates me the most is Crystal with Train Dirty Fitness.  Not only is she fit and fun, but she has the biggest heart ever and goes out of her way to make everyone feel beautiful.  I have followed her for years and just in the past few months gotten to know her on a more personal level and I'm honored to be an ambassador for Train Dirty Fitness.  As I have learned her story and seen her accomplishments, it has motivated and inspired me to reach for that goal of becoming a personal trainer and encouraging other women to be the best they can be and show them that nothing is impossible.


Someone who is near and dear to my heart and one of my biggest inspirations is Mandy, one of my very best friends in the whole world.  She is that person who not just talks the talk but walks the walk.  She doesn't just say what's right, she does it.  I can look to her not just for motivation but as a true example of what you should strive to be.  Mandy loves me unconditionally and has believed in me when I didn't believe in myself and ultimately shown me what it is to be a true friend.  She has helped me realize my dream of helping others and encouraged me to share my story to hopefully be able to inspire others as well.

 And finally the person in my life who makes me smile more than anything else is my darling daughter Emily.  She has a heart of gold and would do anything just to help someone else or show them that she loves them.  I watch her every day and see that she is learning what it means to be humble and do for others as you would have them do for you.  She has the biggest smile and a laugh that is contagious.  Most of all, I just absolutely LOVE being with her just because we have a blast.  My favorite day is Mommy - Emily day.  Not a day goes by that she doesn't make me smile.

This past week has made me stop and think of those things that are most important to me and those people who have touched my life in so many ways.  This #sharesomethinginspiring challenge goes on for a month.  I can't wait to see what the next few weeks bring.  Until then....Donna

It's official....I'm getting certified as a Personal Trainer

A few years ago when I first started losing weight and began to see the small changes in my body and how I felt, I asked a friend of mine who was a personal trainer to help me out.  I began meeting with her twice a week doing HIIT workouts to burn fat and calories.  I continued my running on the other days and occasionally went to the gym to work on the machines.  It was then that I first thought how incredibly cool it would be to be a personal trainer.  Of course at the time, I was still overweight and not in the best of shape and thought this was only a dream.  There was no way that I could ever do that.

Move forward to last year....I had dropped about 80 pounds and several sizes in clothes and began once again working with a personal trainer at my gym.  This time I concentrated on weight lifting and strength training.  I was amazed at the results.  I quickly began to drop inches and see definition in my body.  Again, I thought about becoming a personal trainer.  It was still a bit of a dream that was just out of my reach.

Fast forward to the past three months....I have gotten involved with Train Dirty Fitness created by one of the most amazing women I know...Crystal Honeycutt.  She has inspired me and encouraged me in continuing with my dream of becoming a personal trainer.  Last week, I joined her Bombshell program which is a 36 week program that basically walks you through starting your own brand and becoming a personal trainer.  I have an incredible mentor who has already gone above and beyond to help me every way possible, and I'm already having a blast going through the program.  Today, I registered with NASM to start on my certification.  I am super excited...seriously bouncing off the walls.  In six months and possibly even three, this girl will be a certified personal trainer.  Woohoo!

I'm Fit Possible Ambassador

Since being on this journey of fitness over the past few years, I have developed a passion for sharing my story and inspiring and motivating others.  I would love it if just one person said, "because of you, I didn't give up".  I have grown a great deal in my personal life and my confidence and feelings about myself have changed dramatically.  I have learned to love myself for who I am and I am hoping that by just being me, I can encourage others to be happy with who they are and realize that no we are not all the same and that's okay, for we are all beautiful.

I am so excited to share that I have recently been selected to be an I'm Fit Possible Ambassador.  By being a part of such an amazing community, I can continue to share my story/life an inspire others.  The greatest part is that this group is a little sassy ~ which I absolutely LOVE because hey - anyone who knows me, knows I have a lot of sass.

I love that this community believes that :

Together is BETTER

Being SOCIAL is way cool.

Real stories by real people MATTER

Opinions COUNT

YOU define what's healthy for you.

#PinkWednesday

Since becoming an Ambassador for Train Dirty Fitness, I have been taking part in something called Pink Wednesday.  Crystal from Train Dirty Fitness started Pink Wednesday as something fun that everyone could participate in regardless of age, race, weight, financial status or looks.  It was a way for everyone to feel included and part of the "in crowd".  It is something that I've very much enjoyed and I'm seeing more and more people participate.

Recently, we found out that there was a little girl out there (actually the daughter of my TDF team leader) who had been watching her mom participate in this Pink Wednesday thing and decided to start one of her own at her school.  Each week, she and her friends have been wearing pink each Wednesday for all the girls who don't have a place to belong or fit it.  These kids are taking a stand to show that everyone is #goodenough and Wednesdays they wear pink to prove that everyone belongs.

Below is Reagan's story.  I wanted to honor her on my blog because this little girl proves that ONE person can make a difference...and for her school in Kentucky...SHE was that one person.  

"Back in November, when Mama started doing #pinkwednesday, I did it with her some weeks.  One Friday night, we watched Mean Girls.  I didn't like the way The Plastics treated everyone.  I told Mama that nice girls wear pink too.  The next week, I went to school and told my friends about #pinkwednesday and that we should do it too.

I think #pinkwednesday is a day when girls unite, build friendships, and wear PINK!"  ~Reagan

Sweat Pink Ambassador

Well, it's been a while since I've posted.  With one computer down and working on the other all the time, well time just slips away.  But I do have some exciting news.  I have been accepted to be a Sweat Pink Ambassador.  I'm so very excited.  Being involved with another group of wonderful women who strive to encourage and inspire others is beyond wonderful.  

What is Sweat Pink all about you ask?  Well here is the mission taken straight from Fitapproach.com

OUR MISSION

We believe that kicking ass is best done in pretty shoes. We’ve learned that real women sweat, and sweat hard. We know that assertiveness, strength, and ambition are the ultimate feminine qualities. We concede that sometimes it takes hours to get ready, but we’re also no strangers to just rolling out of bed and going. We’re convinced that we run faster in pink shoelaces. We believe in pushing ourselves, and we believe in giving ourselves a break, too. We’re all about the rush of endorphins and the thrill of the challenge. We’re all for looking great and feeling even better. We’re committed to finding our best fit, and making it stick.

Sweat Pink with us.