The Run Down on Me

I wanted to train for The Race for the Cure 5k. I had been asked by a friend (AN) to join her. I didn't make it. After many failed attempts at running, I'd talked myself into believing I just wasn't meant to run at all. I had been told many times, you run like a dork. Yes, more than once. Why do it to myself? I was 34, a mother of two and I should be doing the elliptical or yoga or something...non-impact I'd been told.

After shin splints, feeling overweight and well, just worn out and out of shape...I gave up. I wanted to run to lose weight, tone up after 2 kids, to feel in shape again, give myself the gift of fitness, all those amazing reasons but none of those seemed to push me on, not even doing Race for the Cure in honor of my Mom who had battled breast cancer. Recently, good friends (RW, TM, KH and AN) had attained this...but yet, I didn't see myself there.

And then October 12th 2009 happened. After a Women's Retreat with my church and more encouragement from a few friends who had gotten into running, I went back to it. But this time, I did it for myself. Said Race for the Cure had come and gone...but I wanted to see what a 'mile' felt like on the treadmill one night. And that's when I fell in love.

This blog is about that love and my discovery of running. It's about what feeds me about running and what drives me. It's about what goes on in my head, heart and soul when I run. This blog will be anything but consistent. Sometimes, it will be a simple log or journal of sorts of my runs but other times, it will be my inner processing of the freedom I feel when I run.

From October to the first week of December I ran my heart out. In that time span I went from couch to 5K...all by myself. I didn't follow any regime other than what I set for myself. Usually works best for me to do what I need to do in my mind to set myself in motion for a goal.

Unfortunately, I over trained, injured myself and finally had to admit it. I stopped because of the injury and started to really look into the basics of running. I'll share what I found and am still finding as I go along. But I'm slowly making the ascent again. I'm back to 1.5 miles after taking some time off and limping through some runs. The week of Christmas was my first time to really 'take care of myself' and my injury issue. I had to slow down, learn from my mistake, STRETCH....and with the help of more friends supporting me and teaching me, I'm back up again.

Currently, I've mapped out my plan for a 10k leg in the upcoming Memorial Marathon April 25, 2010. Even if I don't pull a team together for that 5 person relay, I'll be running some how, some way. Possibly just the 5k, but I cannot wait.

I've had people ask me: Have you lost weight? Why running? Aren't you afraid this will tear up your body? The whole gamut. But the answer is simply I love to run. I can't explain it any more than that unless you want to really take a seat and listen.

I know that all the benefits will add themselves as time passes: fitness, feeling better, stronger, losing weight or toning up, none of it really matters though.

It's not about that. It's about me and how I feel when I run.

I've committed to myself I will do this though in a PURE fashion, not on Motrin when I'm hurting, not because I have to stay in shape or fit in X size jeans...I will do this the most healthy way possible. I will listen to my body, give my body what it needs and enjoy the ride when I can go.

I will run within myself, for myself and for God. I feel God so much when I run. I'll get into that at another time. :)

But for me, it's not even about speed, I like the challenge of distance. I've started to remember why I enjoy that(another subject for another post).

So for now...Welcome to my journey!

I welcome with open arms, advice, discussion....and most certainly encouragement on running and this journey!