I didn't decide this a minute ago, this morning or even last week. This is a goal that I've been pondering and wondering if I can make it mine for about 6 or 7 months. I guess it's time to make it a reality. I'm tired of thinking about it...I'm tired of saying, "some day...." It's time.
Now, I'm not good at holding myself accountable. So this blog (and anyone who may deign to read it) will be my accountability. Here I'll share all of my training ups and downs...I can assure you, there will be many!
Here's a little background: A few years ago I made a goal to get in better shape and figured what better way to do this than to start running! I started by running a mile...and realized just how out of shape I was! I could hardly do it! It brought me back to gym class in middle school when I would be the very last one to finish, usually wheezing and red in the face.
Slowly but surely, I worked my way up and did my first 5K in September of '06. In case you don't convert Kilometers to Miles in your head, that's 3.1 miles. :) I came in near the back of the pack but the goal was to finish, and that I did.
Over the next year, I continued to run 5K's and even threw in a 10K on January 1st, 2007. What a day that was! It was about 35 deg. Freezing rain, 20mph wind, on the ocean. It was called a Hangover Classic, which should have given me a hint about the beverage they were handing out at the halfway point...I, mistakenly, was hoping for water. It was beer. Now, when you are running for 6mi, trust me, the last thing you want sloshing around in your stomach is alcohol! Well, obviously, I survived that run as well. I continued getting PR's (personal record) and enjoyed the atmosphere that comes with doing races, lots of people and energy!
My greatest running achievement so far was on May 27, 2007. I ran a Half Marathon in Boston. It was an amazing race, the course took us thru many different parts of Boston, Cambridge, Back Bay, all along the Charles. It was also great weather, about 65 degrees and partly sunny. I finished in 2hrs, 10min which was my goal! At the finish line were some great friends, some who ran it as well and one who just came out to see me finish! I felt such a great sense of
accomplishment! It was beyond a doubt the hardest thing I've ever done. Below you can see pics of me just after I'd finished....and then after I'd recovered a bit. ;)
So why do I want to go thru all this again? Because it is an amazing thing that God created me to love to run and have the ability to do so. I want my running to be honoring to Him. I'm going to do this because I know that He has given me the strength and endurance that this will take.
I want to invite you along to take this journey with me. To encourage, support and pray with me as I attempt to tackle the ultimate challenge in running: 26.2 miles.
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