My life is all about priorities as any life should be. Everyday you start with a list of things - high priority to low priority. Balancing a career and a marriage leaves little room for anything else to be added to that list of priorities. However, there are some things that you just have to make time for, and for me, running is one of those things. It also helps when you have a support structure. Besides, your training and nutrition, a solid support structure, I feel, is the MOST important thing for runners. It keeps you motivated on those days you lack internal motivation - and yes, you will have these days.
On January 17, 2012 I told my husband that I was headed out for a run. Much like any other time I went for a "run" my husband probably thought, "well, there is her one run for the month." I ran/walked 1 mile that day and thought to myself...ugh, not doing that again. But, I was out there the next day, and so became my journey as a runner. Now, I don't know when exactly you get to classify yourself as a runner: is it when you run your first mile, first 5 miles, first 100 miles, first 1000 miles? Who really knows the answer to that. I think you become a runner when you make the decision that you aren't giving up and you make it your lifestyle.
I'm a goal-oriented person in everything I do and running is no different. So, I signed up for my first 5k at the Cowtown Marathon, and ran that in February. After my recovery days I started training for a 10k, which I ran this last weekend in Fredericksburg, TX (Wildflower Run). I have now started training for a half-marathon. Below are pictures from my first 5k and 10k, respectively.
At this point, my times aren't great, but I'm not trying to win these races. For me, it is about finishing and self-satisfaction and doing the best I can do. You have to run your own race, don't get caught up in someone else's pace, stick to your pace and do what you know to do.
Every blog, I'm going to try to give some words of wisdom from my own learnings, maybe a quote that I wish I had come up with, but didn't, some positive side effects to running, and total mileage.
Words of Wisdom: Run till it becomes a habit, once it become a habit you will be less likely to quit. Don't give up on it till you make it a habit..then just TRY to give up. Chances are you won't be able to because your body will crave running. Experts say 21 days.
Quote of the Day from RW: "I run to overcome my fears and to remind myself and others that our limits may not be where we think they are."--Chrisse Wellington
Positive Side Effects: weight loss (slowww at first) and meeting runners anywhere you go. Runners are a subculture just like cyclists. If you are runner you will always have something to talk about.
Total Mileage: 155.20 miles
So proud of you Brit!! I love the new blog, very interesting. What do you use to keep up with your mileage each run? Are they called pedometers? And where'd you get it from?
ReplyDeleteRight now I'm using Nike + GPS. It is an app on my iPhone. It logs distance, time, pace, course, and calories. Pretty cool. However, I'm fixing to have to transition to maybe an iPod shuffle for music and invest in a Garmin watch for distance. The other day I ran with my phone in 102 degrees (or was it 104..either way HOT), and with .10 miles left to go my phone shut off for temperature. And that was on a short 3 mile day! There is no way my phone or the battery will last on hot days or longer runs. The Garmin watches are sort of pricey, but I have heard are so worth it. You can either get them online or from a running specialty store like Lukes Locker.
DeleteI am going to run my first half-marathon in either late July or August and naturally being in Texas that is super hot time. So yesterday, I actually looked at half-marathons in Colorado for that time of year..vacation and run. Maybe??
Thanks for the lovin!