My running "story"

I was never a runner.. not by a long shot. I admired people who ran, but I did not think I could be one of them. I was a dancer.. and I did yoga.. and I did not like to sweat (it messed up my makeup). After I had my daughter. I gained a gazillion pounds, OK not really but 40 and a gazillion are really close. I was a young mom, with an extra amount of weight and the I didn't have the patience to yoga it off. I also realized after pushing this tiny human out of me, and the 9 months of carrying and creating a baby, my body was capable of so much that I had never tapped into. There was little human, who I had teach and love, and at the time, I didn't love myself. I wanted her to know what hard work looked like, but pretty much 90% of parenting is example you lead, and sitting on the couch self hating, watching disney movies, was not the example I wanted to set. I wanted her to be healthy, and not struggle with the body issues I have had pretty much my whole life, and I was done being plagued with faulty body image. So I decided to give running a try.

runners high.. or just weird??

Did I mention I don't just run, I hover

After the marathon.. surprised I had the energy to smile

 My first run was a weird mix of awful and amazing. My lungs ached.. my heart pumped, sweat poured.. I felt like I might have a heart attack.. but oddly, I felt like this was something I've been missing. A month later, Jan 2008, I ran my first 5k, with the time of 31:48. Not the fastest, but I was proud to have completed something. The next month another 5k, then a 10k. In late 2008 my first half. More 10ks and 5ks followed. Running became my therapy. It became my release. It became my happy. When my husband and I were in the midst of the hardest season in our life, dealing with unemployment and a loss of a baby, running gave me a reason to move from the couch and deal with the issues we were facing.. In 2010 (on the due date of the baby we loss) I joined the ranks of marathoner.
 I'm not the fastest by a long shot, but I love competing with myself. I love standing at the start or race praying, jittery with excitement and nerves..I love the finish line. I love running!