Wednesday, January 30, 2013

The gift of running

What a difference a year makes! I seem to say that all the time now.
But it's true, In just 1 year I feel like a completely different person with a different life.
Lots has changed but for this post I wanna talk about....you guessed it RUNNING!
Last January if you would have asked me if I'd want to run a half marathon or even a 5k I would have laughed in your face and told you I'd rather do ANYTHING else!
I played soccer for all of my childhood and teenage years. LOVED IT! But there was always something to run after, the ball, the goal! Running to just run? I didn't understand the point. I needed something to chase.
But last March our Physical Therapy dept offered up a sign up sheet to do a company sponsored 5K. It was free and a race so I thought it could be fun to do with a bunch of people from work. So why not! 3.1 miles is nothing right?
 
 I picked up my first ever bib the night before the race. I got butterflies in my stomach and was nervous as all heck.

The race was so exciting and I ran the whole thing and finished in 34 minutes. I pretty much didn't move from the couch the rest of the day due to lack of any training but after that I had gotten the bug. The running bug!
And so my obsession for running began. I shortly after signed up to run the Tinkbell half Marathon and began my training schedule of 3 times a week with pace and distance increases.
 
When I go several days without running I feel anxious, I feel stressed, I feel grumpy. There is something about getting out and running everything out. Sweating and pushing through the hills and the burn. I really do love it!
 
I have come to realize that I have an obsessive personality. Some of you I'm sure knew that the moment you met me.
But that trait I believe can both hinder me and strengthen me. If I let myself get so focused on the number the scale says. It's literally ALL I can think about. Everything I do becomes about changing that number. What I eat, what I don't eat, what I do, how long I did, I can't focus on anything but my weight. Becomes a problem.
 
But running has given me a gift.
It has allowed me to still focus on a number but not on the scale. It's now about the number of miles I can run and the number of minutes/hours it takes me. Food has changed from being about pounds to being about fuel to allow my body to do what I want it to do. I hardly feel the urge to weigh myself because I don't care what the scale says, I only care about taking care of my body so I can accomplish my goals.
When I started running I was 100% sure I was going to loose a ton of weight! Well I actually weigh more today then I did last year and guess what I am so absolutely OK with it. I see the way my body has changed and muscles have become lean and toned and I love it.
My endurance has become something I am proud of! To just be able to get up and run 4 miles on any given day and feel fantastic afterwards without gasping for air is fabulous.
I am proud to say I have RAN a half marathon. 13.1 miles! That is so far. I am still blown away that my body was able to do that.
I am excited to continue on this journey and see what other amazing things my body can do.
 
My goal for 2013 is to run a total of 6 half marathons!
And to finish at least one in 2:30
 
This will be my year! I'm gonna make it count!
 
 
 

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