MnMSpecial - Becoming a Healthy, Domestic-Skilled, Mid-West Mommy of 4 kids One Recipe, Story, Review & Giveaway at a Time!

Laura Lohr is a wife, mom to a precocious six year old, a runner, a writer, and a dreamer. She met and fell in love with her best friend when she was 21 years old. She began blogging in 2004, when she embarked on the journey to her first marathon. She is currently training for the San Diego Rock n’ Roll Marathon and making healthy changes in her lifestyle. You can find Laura blogging about fitness, health, family, running, and lifestyle at Laura Lohr | My Beautiful Life or @MommyCanRun on Twitter, (where she spends much of her time than she likes to admit).

Have you ever been in a rut? I am not talking about the normal, everyday rut where you cannot find anything to wear and you feel like you are doing the same things everyday. I am talking about the manner of rut that swallows you whole, dominating your every matter of being, and coaxes you to the bottom of an abyss, and threatening your very existence. Have you ever isolated yourself because you were ashamed of who you had become and feared for the peering eyes that may judge you?

I have been there. In fact, it has not been long since I was suffocating in my own self-imposed prison of self-pity and despair.

I consider myself a runner. I have since college. I did not like to run in high school, which did not prevent me from participating in a poor excuse for a track season. I ran hurdles and not well at all. I was clumsy and hated it. I am unsure, to this day, why I ever tried to do it. It was in college that I found my therapy. I ran a 7:00-8:00 mile pace and could maintain that pace for five miles. It was my therapy. It was my weight control. I needed it.

Years later, I began training for my first marathon and I was hooked on running. I loved training for races. I loved trying to beat my own time. I loved everything about running. Then, I got pregnant with my daughter. It was the best gift I have ever received my whole life—the gift of motherhood. It was not too long after I was nearly at my pre-pregnancy weight when I started letting myself go. I stopped watching what I was eating. I stopped training for races because I kept getting injured. I got depressed and the pounds piled on.

Last year, I tried to regain control of my life, my health, and my weight. I began training for a triathlon. For whatever reason, my health began to decline. I came down with Shingles. If you do not know what Shingles are, Google it. It boggles the mind. The pain, the recovery. It was awful. A few months later, I began the slow process of getting my health in check. Before I got too far, I sprained my ankle and I had a scary cancer scare. Once again, I was sidelined.

The past year, I have realized the importance and fragility of our health. We have to tend to our bodies wholly. The body needs to be nurtured physically, emotionally, spiritually, and in every facet of our lives. I began a journey the beginning of this year to take control of my health, my body, my mind, and my soul at all costs. Without my health, I am useless to my incredible husband and beautiful, amazing daughter.

I recently joined another season of marathon training and with God willing, I will run another marathon in June. It has been tough. I do not have the fitness I had years ago or even the fitness level I had a year ago. I continue to be on the quest for good health. I am out of shape. It is difficult to run. I have 75 pounds to lose to be at my ideal weight. Running with this extra weight sometimes feels impossible. With the right training, support, and guidance, I KNOW I can do this!

I have been a part of an awesome online community called Mamavation. It is a community of women that have the same goals in mind—live a healthy lifestyle, while supporting each other on their journey. I am a finalist as Mamavation mom. Mamavation Moms go through a seven week online boot camp and learn to live a healthy lifestyle. The title of Mamavation Mom would provide me with the professional coaches, tools, and support I need to get me back on track. This opportunity would change my life. This, I am certain.

Now, I need your help! Please go HERE and vote for me, @mommycanrun.