My BRF

This little guy is my BRF and the reason I am striving to become a better person. I want the parent I am to rub off on the man he becomes! He is my little joy! 
! 

BRF: Best Running Friend

Hi there! My name is Cassey and I am so excited for this blog. I am also a co-writer with my sister over at Natural-NesterS. We write about so many different, amazing things... you should totally check us out and see what is happening over there with us. We also do some pretty great Giveaways-- just closed our Giveaway on Coconut Oil. I am starting this blog to keep up with my running and to encourage those that feel a little discouraged. I will have occasional Guest Posts from people that have encouraged me along the way. First I would like to share a little bit of my story:

I grew up as an active girl. I always played softball and we were always playing outside. Out of the three of us- my brother, me, and my sister... I would say I was the LEAST active and also the LEAST coordinated. I like to blame that part on my lack of activity. HAHA! I played softball until the end of my freshman year... then I quit. HUGE mistake. I wasn't as good of a player as I imagined and I was not part of "the group" because I was not in athletics... so I honestly never played. Quitting that sport... the one I had played for many, many years... was only the beginning of a huge freeze on having an active lifestyle.

I gained weight of course because I was not active and well..quite frankly, I loved food. When I went to college, in 2001, I put on even MORE weight. I would always try and go work out-- but that never lasted longer than three days at a time, sadly. I survived off of Ramen Noodles and KFC Mashed Potatoes and Gravy. Many a night I would quickly stuff myself with a couple of bags of Ramen Noodles while the roommate was away... and let's not forget the sour cream that I mixed in to make it creamier. I wish I knew then what I know now.But it seemed like a lost cause anyways, so I may as well just enjoy the food.

I wasn't happy. I tried to pretend, but I wasn't. I was always the FAT girl and it.. sucked. I got married after two years of college to the boy I had been with since I was 16, the only boy I dated. I married him at the ripe weight of AT LEAST 230. Back then I didn't weigh myself. The wedding pictures are a complete BUST! I prefer to keep them hidden deep in a cabinet. We moved to Mississippi for our first duty station and I was able to finish school. I worked and went to school and continued to gain or remain the same. My weight always bothered my husband, and like college, I would try for a few days and stop. I would sneak food that to this day embarrasses me when I think of it. I was on a constant "weight" roller coaster.

I graduated with my Bachelors in 2007. I was to become a teacher. Something came over me at this time and I knew I did not want to be the fat teacher. I wanted to wear cute clothes.. I wanted to be happy.. I WANTED to feel beautiful. I interviewed for my first job and got it that March. When I went back for our first day in August, the principal didn't even recognize me because I had lost so much weight. My starting weight at that point was 225. During the next six months I lost enough weight to make me the happy teacher who dressed in cute clothes. I finally weighed less than 200. Matter of fact, my lowest weight was 148. But I was always battling it.

During this time I began running. A friend asked me to run a Half-Marathon with her. That thought had NEVER crossed my mind. She asked me in October of 2007. I wasn't a fast runner.. only a couple of miles on the treadmill here and there. My first response was "uh, no!" But the more I thought about it- the more exciting it became. Even as I ran my weight fluctuated between 155-165. But we did run. We ran almost daily prepping for that half. In March of 2008 we headed to Little Rock, Arkansas for our very first (and last) 1/2 Marathon. It was AMAZING!!! One of the best experiences of my life. My girlfriend said she could mark it off of her bucket list now.. I said it was off mine too.. because it was never on it! (For the record, I have the itch again and will be doing a 1/2 in October and in Feb). During the beginning of 2008, I ran two 10Ks, two 5Ks, and one 1/2 Marathon. These runs all changed me.

July of 2008 we moved to Japan. The day I left for Japan I weighed 165. For the next six months I was still dedicated to the gym. Many times I would go twice a day... my weight still stayed in the 160s.. In January of 2009, my husband deployed (again) and I became a little relaxed on my gym time. I enjoyed hanging with my girlfriends, the Japanese food, and working.. teaching 6th graders. I still felt like a cute enough teacher. I was unhappy with myself and yet comfortable at the same time. When my husband returned in June 2009, I was weighing between 168-172. Notice the slight gain since being in Mississippi. I was the most happy at 155... so seeing the 170s again broke my heart. Mom and Sister spent a month with us in Japan. After they left we headed to Tokyo to climb Mt. Fuji. WHAT AN AMAZING experience. I am so thankful we did that. I found out upon our arrival home that I was PREGNANT. I had gotten sick on the bus ride home.... but would have never guessed it. After 7 years of marriage we would have a baby!

And then it began. At first I did good... And then.. well you know how that goes. I gained a significant amount of weight with my boy and you certainly did NOT find me in the gym. I was enjoying life. Breastfeeding makes it fall off, right? UH..NOT for me! The day I found out I was pregnant I weighed in at 173. Eight days after having my boy, I weighed in at 178. Not TOO bad, I suppose. This is where the issue begins.... nothing inside of me stopped eating like I did when I was pregnant and you still did not find me in the gym. Working full time I felt guilty going to the gym without him and taking him along was a nightmare... These are simple excuses- but the guilt was real. So I live the next year and a half in Japan.. going through some of the hardest times of my life: losing my brother in December of 2009, losing one of my best friends, and moving away from this family I created in Japan. And.. well I ate. I ate well. And then.. Well, I would eat some more. I was sneaky.. and I was good.

Good enough to put me at our next duty station in California in July 2011 weighing at over 200lbs. I was out of control- AGAIN! When would it end? When would I find that passion for fitness again? For healthy eating? I tried.. but it never lasted. In December of 2011, I joined a gym. It was a good thing for me.. because it gave me some ME time. But I still didn't lose weight. In March of 2012, I got serious again. My boy had just turned 2 and I knew it was time. It was time to bring me back!

So... in March I weighed in at 210. Today I weighed in at 174. (Still up from the 168 I saw a couple of months ago). In March I started running again... In May I let my gym membership go because I love running outside with my boy. I want to put weight training into my workouts, but I just haven't yet. But I run... Oh I run. I love to run. My boy loves to run. And... I am SO addicted. But this time, not to food. I am addicted to races. I set a goal for myself in May to do 4 races (5Ks) before the end of the year... Today, July 26, I have already completed those four.

My son and I did our first 5K on Memorial Day, May 28th... and since then I have done a July 4th 5K, a Color Run 5K, and a 5K Mud Run. I LOVE IT. He LOVES IT. I am becoming a better ME and in return raising a better HIM! I love it.

My best friend from Japan moved back to the states. About a month ago she mentioned that I should come to Florida and do the Disney Princess 1/2 Marathon in February with her. NEGATIVE! I have checked that off of the list it was never on.. and am not interested. Riiiight! As I have kept running... it has been so much a part of my thoughts. Two weeks ago we booked our tickets, got our hotel, and purchased the 1/2 Marathon ticket. I am stoked. I am loving this new life... and am so truly happy.

I want so bad to inspire others... and to get others to run with me. I know what it feels like to only be able to barely run one minute or not feel like your hips or feet can go. I promise, I have been there. I hope to make a difference in peoples lives... and I hope this blog can help me reach out and help others... and learn from you.

Planned Races: AUGUST

• Color Run (again, discounted price)
• Moonlight 10K (Pray for Me), and my boys first race
• Mud Run (with a girlfriend, yay)

SEPTEMBER

• Labor Day 10K and my boys 2nd race
• Foam Fest 5K
• 10K
• 5K

OCTOBER

• 1/2 Marathon (with a friend, yay)

Thanks for reading.. Please leave a comment! I love to read them and will respond back at ya!

P.S. Who is your BRF???