Thursday, January 6, 2011

Anniversary of sorts

Valentines 2007
Isn't he so handsome? I just love this guy. And don't worry it was just Martinelli's in the glasses. :)

Almost 4 years ago I had a little fire ignited in me that made me want to run and "compete."
I had NEVER, I repeat NEVER had any desire to learn to run, or just to run in general. In fact I hated it. Or so I thought. Plus I had the excuse that ever since blowing my knee out completely in 2003, it had just never been the same.
But 4 years ago J and I went to watch a friend of ours compete in a sprint duathalon. He did well, and I remember watching him and thinking "I want to be in a race someday." I thought about it many times after that. But I got pregnant a few months later, and just kept putting off my new found desire to run. I ran a few times after my daughter was born, but nothing worth mentioning. But in January 2010, I decided this was my year. I had just given birth to my son in October, and I knew that this was my year. I wrote down a goal of running in a 10k, but in the back of my head wanted to run a half marathon. I told J my goal, but nobody else. Then my sister in-law saw my little goal paper and I knew my secret was out. Now there was a little pressure to actually complete this goal. With many new years resolutions I will just drop them fairly quickly and not think about it again, but I was deteremined to make this year different.
I started in January, but it was cold, and we were about to move. So the months went by, and in June we went to watch my brother in-law run the Newport, Oregon marathon. It was so exhilerating to watch all the runners come across that finish line. I felt proud of them, even though they were strangers!
I let out my secret that I wanted to run and that I wanted to run a half marathon someday. I figured that if I told them my plan, then I would REALLY have to complete it. I didn't want to embarass myself, and I wanted my husband to be proud of me too. I bought new running shoes on this trip and I was excited about the future! Some unforseen events happend over the summer that kept me from running and at the end of August I decided it was now or never. So I started. My sister in-laws and I decided we were going to run a Turkey Trot, so I knew I had a goal date, and this really helped! It was HARD, but I soon learned to LOVE running. It became therapeutic to me. Finally I didn't have to drag myself out of the house to run, I actually looked forward to it, and my body quickly became addicted and would "crave" a run.
Running felt good and on October 30th, it felt so good that I just kept running and running. I arrived home having run 10.5 miles. I was SOOO excited. I felt so good, and I felt like I had just conquered a whole other world or something. For the first time I felt like I might actually be able to run a half marathon.
Well, I learned the hard way you can't train so quickly, as my bad knee barked at me for a couple weeks. But I was able to run a 10k for the Turkey Trot and was able to set my first PR. It was so fun to have J and the kids there cheering me on and pushing me to do my best. And I felt great because my husband was so proud of me. He was surprised I was able to run the race so quickly. And I learned that I really enjoyed passing people, especially men :)
I am finally in the place physically I have wanted to be for so long, and it feels so good. I have my eyes on 2 different races and I have not yet decided which one I will participate in, but I will make my announcement here as soon as I make a decision! Hopefully in the next 2 or 3 weeks as deadlines are coming up!
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What made you want to start running?
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Was it a single event? Was it something you always wanted to do? Is it something you have just always done?

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