Onward!

if i had a horn, i would toot it to the sound of my racing pulse! i went to the gym people!!! God took me to the gym is what i should say, cuz i am positive that there are probably reasons that woulda kept me home.

i tracked my mileage, seeing how long it took me to get there and how many miles. this was to assist in my decision of wether or not to keep the membership or join the YMCA. well, only 6 miles, so i think i'll keep it for now. it is open 24/7. what if i woke up one morning at 3 and thought.."i think i want to work out", well, my gym would be available for me to do so. :)

so i only did 20 minutes on the treadmill. this kinda disappoints me because i was planning on 20 mins on the treadmill and then 10 or more on the bike, but the bikes were all taken when the walking was up. you would think i would just stay on the treadmill, but alas, i did not. instead i left for the night. i am proud of myself just for making it there. i am proud that i didn't let anything discourage my efforts. and i pray that tomorrow will be another successful day!

looking forward to new year's. troy and i are staying in this year. just going to have some valuable 'us' time we've been missing lately. will be great to just 'be' with him. you know, of all the things i love about him, the one thing i LOVE the most is that we can just be. i don't have to perform, or do anything spectacular; we dont' have to be doing anything or going anwhere super spiffy; we can just be, and in that being.. we are kinda more complete. at least i am. :)

ok, that was my sappy thought for the day. thanks for reading.. be blessed and please, do me a favor.. allow the world to see you smile today; you never know who you might help!

Well well well... no YMCA tonight. I got there, only to find not much parking, and the only parking available was quite a bit away. I got to thinking though. I already have my gym membership; which is for a gym that is open all the time; and I pay only a couple of bucks more than the Y woulda been. I'm gonna just stay there and drive the extra miles. What the hay!?

I did not workout this evening though. Tomorrow... plan is set into motion. Well, the plan to get there is; not so much the training regimine. I know myself though. If I start too gung-ho, I'll get all worn down by week 2 and throw the ol' hands up, so I have to go at this at a good pace. Any suggestions out there??

Until tmorrow...

Day one of this crazy journey...

Hi out there!
Yes, I am going to attempt to blog. I have chosen, as of this weekend, to pursue a goal for this coming year. It comes out of a time of great uncertainty and bewilderment about the future, but gives me such promise for what could be!

Confused yet? Let me help ya. My father died of pancreatic cancer almost 7 years ago now. While his death did not spur me onto changing anything in particular about my life, seeing someone very close to me have to deal with their parent having this disease, now makes me think a bit harder on my own life. Wierd how that works sometimes.

While I was talking with this person *whose name and identity shall remain annonymous*, they spoke of some Ragbrai trips that they took with thier son, and how it was amazing. When they said this, I immediately thought, "hey, I could go on Ragbrai in thier place". Better yet, I could go as a tribute to my father and now this man I love too.

In case you don't know what Ragbrai is, it is a bicycle ride across Iowa. It is over the span of a week that you complete this long journey. For me though, this journey will have to start now, as my body is in NOOOOOO shape to be sitting on a bike for hours upon hours.

So in case you haven't had your Wheaties today and can't pick up on the purpose for this blog, it is to announce *ahem*, Angela Eckert is going to ride hundreds of miles across Iowa in 2011 for Ragbrai. I have a lot of weight to lose, and some stamina (lots of it) to build, but I believe I can do it.

My purpose for starting a blog though is this; accountability. The more people know, the more there is to let down. I realize you don't really necessarily care if I do it or not, but in my head at least, if I know others are rooting me on, it spurs me on to not disappoint. Encouragement is one of the keys to success I believe.

I hope to be entertainineg enough in these blogs, but they will be chronicles of my journey in weight-loss, self-discovery, being active, and just overall life-changing events.

So, I'm on my way now to the YMCA for a membership.. let the blogging (and journey) begin!!!!