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About Me

I Started This Blog 3 months after hitting my Goal Weight (April 2011)- I found I was always asking questions and offering help to others trying to learn to run and to lose weight. This quickly became a go to place for friends and family to get my advice/tips/support and encouragement. More Importantly it's a dumping ground for my thoughts and feelings about life and my training.

My Life is More than Healthy Food & Lacing up! I have three beautiful Children I homeschool.
Austyn & Allyssa are Twins and they were preemies at 28 weeks after IVF. They are now 5 years old and both in Kindergarden! What a treat to teach them (even though it's my first year!)
Whitney is 8 years old, after ten years of infertility I miraculously got pregnant on my own! I was so blessed. Whitney is an amazing happy, healthy energetic loving little girl!  Whitney spent K-2 in Secular Schools and my heart was really wanting to teach my children on my own. So I asked God for clarity on my decision and the answer was an astounding YES! In September 2013 I began my Journey from No Homeschooling to teaching 3 children! Wow! Crazy, Amazing and Challenging Times but I wouldn't trade it in for the world!

My Husband is Don. He and I have grown up together for the last 19 years. I was just 16 when I fell in love and married at 19 years old. We have been through pits of darkness and valleys in our marriage but we have fought the good fight and the blessings are being poured on us! He is loyal, loving and changed so much in the last few years it's amazing to see him transform so much with me!

My Journey with Christ is the BIGGEST event of my life so far. Who I am .....What life is really about...what he has done for me....what I can do for him....I want to share all this Journey with You! It's my Life! 



► Why I was an Overweight Child & Obese Adult
http://www.caloriecountingrunnergirl.com/2012/04/fat-me.html

►How & Why I started to Running
http://www.caloriecountingrunnergirl.com/2012/04/how-ccrg-became-runner.html

► My 2 Year Weight Loss Journey in Detail
http://www.caloriecountingrunnergirl.com/2012/04/my-personal-weight-loss-journey.html

► Finally Excepting & Loving My Body for the VERY FIRST TIME!
http://www.caloriecountingrunnergirl.com/2012/01/met-with-surgeon-big-discoveries.html

► One Year Maintaining 4/2012
http://www.caloriecountingrunnergirl.com/2012/05/one-year-maintaining-video.html

►Graduated from College with my Associate Degrees, moving onto my Bachelors 5/2012
http://www.caloriecountingrunnergirl.com/2012/05/finally-college-graduate.html

►Became a Certified Running Coach 6/2012
http://www.caloriecountingrunnergirl.com/2012/06/certified-running-coach-with-loads-of.html

►Became a Born Again Christian 7/31/2012
http://www.caloriecountingrunnergirl.com/2012/08/time-to-reflect-my-calling.html

►18 Months Maintaining 10/2012
http://www.caloriecountingrunnergirl.com/2012/09/maintaining-my-major-weight-loss.html

►My Baptism 12/2/2012
http://www.caloriecountingrunnergirl.com/2012/12/my-baptism.html



I am More than Just a Weight Loss Story and a Runner!
My Name is Connie, I am 35 years old. I found myself soul searching for spiritual fulfillment after losing weight, becoming fit and getting swallowed up by the world around me. I took Faith In Jesus Christ as my Lord & Savior and then BAM...Life made complete sense and I was forever changed! You should go read my testimony! It's even longer than I realized (Amazing God's Grace and Sanctification!)    I am a Mother to 3 beautiful children. My Life is and for them. I am Married to an Amazing Godly Man for 16 years with almost 19 Years together and he has my heart.  We took this Journey into a new Lifestyle Together. We have done everything together (including Finding the Lord!) He has lost and maintained his 100lb weight loss and I have lost over 150+lbs.  We are not just about Running, Fitness and OverAll Healthbut about Love, Life and most important God!




What I Love
 My Kids & Husband 
Gardening - flowers
Photography
Being outdoors- being apart of nature
fresh air
wind chimes
sunshine
fluffy green grass
history- I seriously love it
water- I love being in it, next to it- kayaking- rafting- boating
Music - I love it- I can't sing that well and I don't play an instrument but I do love *most all*  Music!





What Most People Don't know about me
I don't really watch tv
I don't have 'favorite' anythings like most people - so don't ask me what my favorite color might be ;-p
I bite  tear my fingernails *bad habit fixed 6/2012* LOL
I like to read books but I tend to skip chapters-
I really like house painting
 Enjoy House Improvement projects
I like to pick up finds along the road that people throw out and fix up for me or others!
I like to write Poetry
I'm not a typical girl- I hate spending money
I have a hard time paying someone for something I can do myself
I'm a feminist in that I love empowering woman
I HATE talking on the phone :-0
I enjoy crafts- I actually enjoy wood projects- I had dreams to have a workshop and build furniture as  a small hobby one day :)
I am super hyper and hate sitting around- I like to stay busy! 



My Best Qualities
I am a Great listener
I love helping others
 I always have the best intentions
I always try to never hurt anyone
If you love and respect me I will do the same for you
If you Hate and Dis-respect me I will still Love You!
I really have compassion
I am very optimistic
I concentrate all my life goals and daily activities around positive and healthy acts
I like to think I'm incredibly grateful
I'm highly reflective
I love that I'm different than most people- I very open and but oddly conservative at the same time







My Worst Attributes
Sometimes I procrastinate too much!
I hate sitting around too much
 I have many expectations from others
 I hurt very easily
I am incredibly sensitive and often way to literal
I feed off of negativity rather easily
I can pick up bad habits really quickly












Some Random Before / Afters - There are more Pictures in my Blog Posts about How I started Running and in My Weight Loss Journey Blog Post







2010
♦First ever Race- September 10, 2010
ARC- 1/2 Marathon: 2:29:54

♦First 5k- October 1st, 2010
Festival of Races: 30:35

♦Second 5k- October 30, 2010
Brueggears Bagel Trail Run 5k: 30:25

♦Third 5k- November 6, 2010
Wounded Warrior 5k- 27:50

♦Fourth 5k- December 11, 2010
It's a Wonderful Run- 28:30

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2011

St. Mary's 5k- April 2011: 26:30

Mountain Goat 10 Miler-May 1st, 2011: 1:38

♦Buffalo Marathon, May 29th, 2011: 4:50


Turning Stone 1/2 Marathon, August 21st, 2011: 2:01

OctoberFest 5k- 9/17/11: 24:34 -First Place Win for Age Group!

Syracuse Festival of Races 5k- 10/2/11: 24:27

Apple Fest 5k 10/10/11- 24:10 - 2nd place age group win! First medal!

♦Empire State Marathon- 10/16/2011- 4:23
PICS OF MARATHON

Wounded Warrior 5k- 24:35 - little hilly- on Knee tendonitis injury

It's a Wonderful Run 5k - 23:50

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2012

Lake Effect Half Marathon 2/25/2012: Blizzard Winter Half- 1:55http://www.caloriecountingrunnergirl.com/2012/02/lake-effect-half-marathon-race-re-cap.html

Mountain Goat Ten Miler 5/6/2012 : 1:25 -Bronze Medal Qualifier Time Medalhttp://www.caloriecountingrunnergirl.com/2012/05/bronze-at-mountain-goat-2012-results.html

Memorial Day 5k 5/31/12 - 23:36 -First Place age Group

Twilight 5k 7/19/12 - 24:25 -First Place Age Group

TurningStone 10k - 52:07- 3rd Place Over all Female Finish

♦WineGlass Marathon 9/30/12 on Whitneys Birthday 4:13
♦ Empire State Marathon 10/21/12 4:30
http://www.caloriecountingrunnergirl.com/2012/10/empire-state-marathon-2012-results.html

♦ Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot Family Fun 5k - no time
http://www.caloriecountingrunnergirl.com/2012/11/thanksgiving-day-turkey-trot-5k.html



2013

No Official Races This Year! That is Ok, God has me training for a Race that has Eternal Rewards! 
I participated in lots of Fun Running (Mud Run, Color Run) I did try to train for a Marathon but a series of health problems (two injury, strep throat, leaking ovarian cyst) stopped my training. I ran almost 700 miles in 2013 and I still love Running! Here is a Note I wrote about my Running Year! 


The last three months I began to give all of myself to my three children, they trump my running shoes, they are more priority for me. I went down to running just 3 days a week. Again, I realized that I love Running but I LOVE THEM MORE I've swam this year, biked this year and actually walked this more than the year before! We did lots of family hiking and I'd take that over a run anyday! It's amazing how God shows me these things and has transformed my heart. My Focus for years was on ME! Now it's on Them more than Ever! When I get to the end of my life will it be about how many medals are hanging on my wall? Nope! It will be the memories of being out there (anywhere, race or not) doing something that is part of me and not ALL of me! I love a healthy and fit life! I have lost ALL interest in Coaching! If you see me not posting about food and fitness anymore don't come at me with judgement and curious wonder if I reverted back to my old life of Obesity! Oh No, I'm never going back! I leave 2013 knowing that God can put me through all kinds of situations but I can still honor myself by taking care of me and I don't need an obsessed priority over it I miss coaching my clients but maybe one day I come back to it? God is the revealer of that! I hope that 2014 I have another FUN year of running! It's become a time to worship and be with the Lord and it's still a time where I can let go, decompress, have fun, create memories and be in the nature like I love so much! I also look forward to encouraging all my crazy running friends to keep rocking those races if your heart is set on that! I love to hear your stories! I love to watch you out there having fun too! I love the excitement of racing and I know that I'll get so much joy and excitement reading all about yours! Today is my last 5 miles to finish out 2013 and I promise you I'll be smiling and very eternally grateful to be able to run at all God Bless and Stay Safe out there in 2014! Life is Short, Live it BIG! Don't Ever Stop Lacing UP!

2014
The Lord spoke ever so Softly too me and told me Not to Race This coming Year! Keep Running...MOST DEFINITELY! I don't need race medals and race memories to enjoy lacing up! This I know! I trust in the Lord, He wants my full attention on HIM ♥


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Personal Bests Training Runs:
13.1- 1:50:30 on 2/2012
20 miler- 2:59 in 4/2012