Here comes a new rebel!

[blkhole24601]

Hi, my name is Vicki, and I've been recruited to this site by Maaya.  I used to run a lot -- even got up to the marathon distance even though 26.2 is not something I plan to do ever again, ack -- but then I fell off the wagon and have been trying for a couple of years to try to get back into it. Between insane work schedules at my desk job (as an engineer), and rehearsals (I'm a part-time actress), and battling depression (probably the number one cause of my falling off the fitness wagon), it's safe to say that I've been largely unsuccessful, but no more! Hopefully with support from an awesome online community such as this one that understands my nerdiness to boot, I'll have a better time keeping to my goals than I have when I was flying solo.

 

Running is my exercise of choice, and one of my main goals is to get back to running 2-4 half marathons a year. In the short-term, I'm aiming for a half marathon this October (though if I'm struggling to get to that distance, the race offers a mini marathon option of just under 4 miles that I can switch into, but I'm of course aiming not to do that), and in 2015 hopefully I can work my way to signing up for and running two half marathons. I've been using the Zombies, Run app for something to keep me entertained on my runs, even though I'm so much not a zombie fan, and soon I plan on turning on the chase feature so that I'm less inclined to walk whenever I'm getting tired, which is currently my biggest problem aside from working up the motivation to go out and run.

 

For cross-training purposes, I'm wanting to add weight training and dancing, the latter mostly because my interest in acting is in musical theatre and I'm about as graceful as an ox -- which is fine when I'm in a musical that doesn't require a lot of dancing, but there aren't many of those, unfortunately for me! Weight training has the added difficulty for me in that I have no upper body strength and no self-esteem to feel comfortable lifting at the gym, but I know it's something I should be doing regardless of, or rather because of, my other fitness goals, so I'll do my best to get into it.

 

Finally, I've decided to do away with weight loss goals altogether and instead focus on feeling good about my body and continuously challenging it to do more and greater things. It's not the greatest goal since it's not something that can be measured, so I'll offer something a little bit more tangible: I want to lose fat and gain muscle. Once I measure how much fat I have exactly, I can put down a better number for it and have something to work towards.

 

But yes, hi! I'm happy and excited to be here and share my fitness quests and support all of you on yours!

[starsapart]

ohai.

 

Anyway, we have discussed the dance thing a bit - maybe I will be able to assist!  And we can commiserate about the pain that is strength training because let's be honest, ow.  Upper body strength, what is it, where do I get some?

 

Also, an aspiring Scout for my dream level 1 party, eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeexcellent~

[blkhole24601]

oh hey thar

 

Yes! I can use all the help I can get! My show's choreographer was offering me free classes at her studio but she's about a 45-60 minute drive away. ^^; And oh man, yes, weights, ow and ugh where do I begin, how do I begin, why do I have to...

 

And ahahahaha, what can I say, you got me right! XD

[starsapart]

And oh man, yes, weights, ow and ugh where do I begin, how do I begin, why do I have to...

 

 

This is why I am going to pay a professional to teach me this next week ^^;  Because I am a big chicken.