Well, its official.  This year I will be participating in my first ever half marathon!  Four months from TODAY I will be gearing up for my first race, and I couldn’t be more excited (and scared!!!!)!  I’ll be running in the 2013 Seattle Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon, which is Saturday, June 22nd!  Just 4 short months from today.  AH!

I’ve always been a fan of sports and being athletic, I started soccer at a really young age on a team called the Ferrets. Yes, that sort of Ferret. I loved soccer and running, they even called me “wheels” because my little legs were faster than you think they’d be.

As I was heading toward high school, during match at Marymoor Park, I collapsed on the field.  I had completely ran out of breath.  I remember being scared and not being able to breathe...  After a trip to the doctor and tons of breathing and stress tests, they diagnosed me with “Sports Induced Asthma” triggered by cardio activity.  As an athletic kid, it was frustrating to suddenly have something that made sports so much more difficult.  It was like starting back at square one after years of training.  I started using an albuterol inhaler before games.  It made me really shaky, but made it a little easier to breathe.  Still, it made running and soccer so much more difficult.  

The final blow to my soccer “career” came as I was transitioning to high school.  In the last ever game that I played, I had a a breakaway right down the center. I headed straight for the keeper and decided to chip the ball over her.  As I went to chip the ball, I overshot my kick, my toes buried into the mud, the keeper slid into my knees, I flipped over the top of her, twisting my foot, and slammed face-first into the muddy ground, sliding towards the goal. 

I snapped every single one of my toes on my kicking foot clean in half.  There isn’t much you can do for broken toes, so I was put in a walking boot and given crutches for 6 months.

Running was not only hard then, it basically became impossible.  

Fast forward through high school and the beginning of college (when I was basically inactive).  I was bored due to inactivity, and knew it was time to get back into working out.  Enter: CrossFit.  During high school I was forced to take PE classes, so I opted for weight training.  I found that I was actually quite strong, but after high school was over, I gave it up.  My parents had tried CrossFit, and they invited me to a class.  It was the hardest workout I’ve ever done... and I’ve been hooked ever since.

I started working out at StoneWay CrossFit (click to check out their site!) back in 2009, Scott (owner, coach) and the rest of the staff have always been incredibly supportive, motivational, and understanding about my situation.  I’ve gotten stronger, faster, and really found a passion for staying fit.  (On the right, me, post work WOD - Workout Of the Day - feeling like I might die and/or cry)

But this year, I’m taking fitness to a whole new level.  A few weeks ago I started doing Hot Yoga (even got BENDER to do it recently!!), which, honestly, is almost as hard as CrossFit.  The great thing is that without running, its a full-on cardio workout.  So, doing yoga in a 105-109 degree room for 65 minutes a few times a week has really helped with my asthma and endurance.  I ditched the inhaler a few years ago (shaking was making weight lifting at CrossFit too hard, and I felt like it was a crutch I leaned on too much), so I’ve been struggling through feeling like I am breathing through a coffee straw ever since.  HotYoga is certainly helping.

I’m taking it even further, though.  I am now 1 week into the Whole Life Challenge (click to check out their site!).  Its a world-wide challenge I am doing through StoneWay CrossFit that started on February 16th. Everyone that joined committed to the 55-day challenge that requires at least 10 minutes of intentional activity every day, 10 minutes of mobility (stretching) each day, taking a supplement every day, completing the lifestyle challenge each week (1st two weeks are drinking water), and adhering to their nutritional guidelines 24/7.  That means no grains/glutens, no diary, no sugar, no alcohol, and nothing that is artificial (not even red dye #5).  That means I’ve been working out, stretching, drinking a TON of water, taking a supplement every single day, and following a super strict diet.  The first week has been really, really tough.  I am definitely feeling exhausted, but I know its just my body adjusting to a very new diet.  Can’t wait to see what happens after 55 days, and what habits I’ll keep! Plus, I know it'll help me train for the half marathon. (Below, the StoneWay CrossFit tribe after the first workout for the Whole Life Challenge!) 

2013 for me is the year of fitness.  When the opportunity for me to run the Seattle Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon came up, I jumped at the chance.  Working toward something makes all the work totally worth it it, and gives me extra motivation.  Plus, its the chance for me to really attack my biggest fitness weakness - running.  Accomplishing something like my first half marathon is all about having all of the right tools.  With CrossFit, Hot Yoga, running on my ‘off days‘ and kicking off my healthier lifestyle with the 55-day Whole Life Challenge, I KNOW I can do the Rock ‘n‘ Roll Half Marathon in June.  I CAN’T WAIT!  I’ve been to the finish line party a few times before and its a blast!  If you’re at all interested in running, want to become a runner, or want to start getting fit, get yourself motivated and sign up NOW!  They’ve got live music throughout the race, there are tons of people there to keep you pumped up... it’ll be a great time :)  I've talked to a bunch of people that do quite a few half and full marathons, and ALL of them have said the most fun race, by far, is the Rock 'n' Roll race.  Clearly, its a winner.

So, join me!  Sign up!  Get your fitness off to the right start in 2013. There is still time to get registered for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon, so hop to it!  I'll be blogging about my progress and training for the next 4 months, and I'll hook you up with good recipes and tips and tricks along the way.  LET'S GO!

Who's with me?!  Tweet me @BonjourDanielle and CLICK HERE to register for the Rock 'n' Roll Half (or full!) Marathon!

XOXODanielle

(Thanks to Coach Scott/@ScottmRodriguez on instagram for the photos!)