In 2004, I started running. Before that, the last time I had run was when I was 12 years old and I had to run 1 mile every Friday in gym class. I never thought that I would ever run after 8th grade gym class, since I loathed it!
However in the spring of 2004, everything started lining up for me to somehow accept my sister-in-law’s (Melanie) invitation to go running with her a few times during the week.
I would have to contribute it to these three things:
1. That month I had been in 2 collisions with cars while biking…yes..scary. So I was on a break from my bike and needed some other kind of outlet.
2. I was going through rough ‘out of control’ season in my life, and I felt that maybe I could actually conquer running and make it a positive outlet.
3. My sister-in-law (who has run for years and at the time had already had 5 marathons under her belt) made it seem possible. She told me that it took a couple of months for her to run 1 mile consistently without stopping when she first started running. Although I knew I hated running, somehow that sparked some kind of confidence, and I knew that maybe it was possible for me to enjoy running.
That is my running story in a nutshell. Ever since I started running in the spring of 2004, I have not been able to stop.
In 2006, as I reflected on the reality that the big 30 was nearing, I decided that I wanted to do something completely IMPOSSIBLE (in my mind's eye)…I wanted to run a marathon---26.2 miles. As the goal started getting closer, I got nervous. Then again, things lined up to somehow give me the drive to make this goal a reality.
1. The Richmond Marathon was having it’s 30th year anniversary…of course…how could I not run a 30th year anniversary marathon during the year of my 30th birthday!!! –haha.
2. A great friend who I met from a running group I belong to told me of a marathon training group and she supported and kept me company through all my training runs!
3. After asking the hubby to come to the marathon informative meeting with me for support, he decided that night to actually train for the marathon as well! The marathon was exhilarating!
All 26.2 miles were amazing! (I actually finished the last half quicker then the first half. I started out slower as I was nervous that I would burn out.) The hubby and I finished despite the hard training runs, heat, humidity and injuries, we DID IT! My finished chip time was 4:31:38, which is a 10:33.5 mile minute pace.
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