The One About Running

Y'all knew this one was coming, right?  I run 4-5 days a week, which is significantly more dedicated than I am to most other things in my life (excepting family and friends and such, obviously :)).  At the beginning of the year I set out to run 1,000 miles by December 31, 2013.  Today, November 23rd, 2013, I SURPASSED MY GOAL!!! Yay!!!  I also secretly decided to run a marathon (didn't want to officially share that one until I was pretty sure it would happen...I told Michael in January but I think that's it until about 3 months from the race).  I ran and *completed* the Akron Marathon in September.  There is little else that I can compare to the feeling of reaching a goal for which I have worked so hard.  Running a marathon was so different than I expected, but also, in hindsight, what I should have.  I now realize that for a first marathon you should have no expectations.  I have goals for what I want to accomplish next time (oh, yes, next time ;)) but for this one I'm glad to have finished, to have run 99% of the time (only walked at the water stations), and to have not thrown up or passed out.  Next time, though, I'll have a time-goal, and also a goal of fueling ahead of time and during the race so that I don't feel nauseous for 3 days post-marathon...live and learn, right? :)

I often hear from friends, acquaintances, random people on the internet, that they are not "good" at running.  Well it's your lucky day, folks!  I am probably one of the least athletic people I know.  In middle school I played softball and actually got progressively *worse* as the years went on, until the final season I played in which I struck out every.single.time.at.bat.  I am not lying.  Phys Ed was the only class in all of my high school career where I did not get an A.  Did you know you can get a C in aerobics because "I know you were trying as hard as you could, but other people were trying just as hard and doing better."  Thanks, high school gym teacher, my confidence was super high so that one didn't affect me at all ;)  So, until I was in college, I didn't run.  When I started running?  I realized that I could run!  I didn't look super amazing (still don't) and my arms probably do weird things, but all it takes it putting one foot in front of the other on the pavement and moving as fast or slow as you want.  There are things you can do to increase endurance and speed and all that good stuff, but the basics of running are simple enough for even me to figure out!  Not wanting to run?  I get that...but if it's something you really want to do, don't tell yourself you can't! :)

This is the part where I say how amazing Michael is for all the support and encouragement he offered me, and thank him for the many Saturday mornings he woke up to Milo freaking out that I was no longer laying next to him.  I'm pretty sure he thought my Saturday morning runs would end after that marathon...ha!  Thanks, babe :)

TRAINING

After my 18 mile training run.  I was laying down on the side of the bike path, ignoring the bugs and who-knows-what-else because I kindof couldn't stand up anymore!

Testing out the Blue-Line for my 20 mile training run

pre-race dinner...carb-loading FTW!

EXPO

 

Night before the race...my stomach was in KNOTS!

RACE DAY

#shamelessselfie (that's what I'm supposed to say, right???)

Adrianne and Eric very graciously let me ride with them to the race, which was awesome because I'm not sure I'd have made it myself! #nerves

Just about to start!

7 miles in and still feeling pretty good :)

Text sent to me at 22 miles, after I texted that I was fading.  I have such an awesome brother-in-law!

Just passed 26 miles and saw my family and friends rooting for me!  Would have totally been crying except I was so dehydrated at that point that there were no tears possible :)

AND FINALLY...

This morning's run!!!  I hit 1,000 miles around mile 4.5 :D