Double Digits and my first 10K

Whew, lots of running milestones lately.  Last Saturday (so, one week ago), I ran my first 10-miler! Double digits, baby! I was so pumped up about it all week the week before. I was running with two of my BRF's (best running friends) and a new running friend (so, 4 of us), and I just knew it would be awesome. All was going really well until I hit mile 8. It's as if a switch got flipped. My body just KNEW I had never gone that far before, and it was as if my legs turned to bricks. It was crazy. I seriously thought about sitting on the side of the road and letting someone come get me, but I just couldn't. Michelle was my hero, pushing and encouraging me the whole time. We joked that we couldn't just stop. We had to finish so we could get home, which is where the food was. When we rounded that last corner and saw Hwy 20, knowing our cars were parked just down the road, it gave us just enough of a boost to finish. It was an amazing feeling. I was so proud of myself for doing it and not dying, :)

This morning, I ran my first 10K race, I was thinking, this will be no big deal. I've run 10 miles and lived, so I can definitely handle 6.2! This race, however, was in a very hilly neighborhood. Seriously...I need to start training on more hilly routes. There were a few times (since I was alone...all my BRF's were running a 15k in Peachtree City) I honestly thought about quitting. I am so glad I didn't, though, because I did it. I finished, and I placed 2nd in my age group. Got a medal and everything. (My kids quickly confiscated it...my daughter is wearing it right now.) 

I can't help but be proud of myself and think how far I've come. Just the other day I was looking at my running app and noticed those first runs...1 mile, 1.5 miles...I remember when those were my "long runs." Now, here I am, eyeing a half marathon in January and seriously knowing I can do it. Wow.

Milestones

So I conquered a new goal on Sunday! I ran my longest distance to date..7.6 miles. I am still in a bit of shock. To think about how far I've come, from the girl who struggled to jog to the nearest stop sign to the girl who dares to call herself a "runner"...it's a bit overwhelming. I'm really not trying to brag, and I sincerely apologize if it comes across that way. I just can't stay quiet. My body is doing things I'd convinced myself were impossible. It's kind of amazing. 

Now as far as goals go...I started this journey saying I'd be happy if I could just run an entire 5K without stopping. Four months later, here I sit, registered and excited about my first 10K and dreaming about half marathons. Who am I? Who is this person? If you'd told me a year ago (or even six months ago) that I'd be the girl getting up at 4 am to run 3-4 miles before school, I'd be telling you to go find some good meds 'cause you were a special kind of crazy! Yet, here I am...alarm set for 4 am and I'm actually excited about getting up and getting out there. Funny where life takes you, huh?

Stress and injury

Ok, so anyone who knows me knows that I do *not* handle stress well. (In fact, anyone who knows me is probably laughing hysterically because this is probably the understatement of the year.) This is where running comes in. I can't really explain how running helps with my stress levels but I will try. Exercise was great, and I definitely felt better and managed my stress well enough when doing a Jillian video or something, but running takes me to a whole different level. It seems cliche' but it really is kind of a spiritual experience. I use the early morning hours to think, reflect, pray, and just listen to myself breathe. Yes, I am with other ladies and occasionally we chat (when we can find the breath) but there's something about the silence and quiet that centers me and makes me a much nicer person to be around. 

For the past several weeks I've been fighting through some foot/heel/ankle issues and forcing myself to take rest days. When I was first running, I could only manage a mile or so, and I could run every day with few issues. As my mileage has built up (currently 3-4 miles is my base run) I've had more frequent pain. This week I am going to force myself to rest every other day and see if that helps. If you see me stressed out, please be patient. I will run the next day and hopefully be back to normal very soon. :) 

Me? A Runner?

Dude. I never, EVER thought I could ever be what one would call "a runner." I've always (ALWAYS) struggled with my weight, and with my 4'10" frame, I've never had the stereotypical "runner's body." About a year and a half ago, however, I finally reached a point in my life where I was just...TIRED. I was tired of being overweight and stressed out. I was tired of watching my kids run around and not being able to keep up and play with them. I reached a point where I was just DONE and wanted to change. 

This is the point where I was introduced to ViSalus. I took the 90 Day Challenge and lost nearly 30 lbs. I stayed on the challenge for over a year and have a net loss of 40 lbs and over 20 inches. I gained a ton of energy and was working out every day. It was great...but I still wanted more. I wanted to be a runner! I wanted to run a 5K without dying. I didn't think it would ever happen. I walked my first 5K in May of this year (2013). It took me 50 minutes but with the company and support of my friend Rachael, I did it. That's when my desire to finally strep out of my comfort zone and start running finally kicked in. I went home and mapped out 1 mile in my neighborhood. 

It took a few days, but I finally got brave enough to try walking and running that mile. I didn't use any program (no smart phone app, no Couch25K)...just started walking. Then I added a few seconds here and there of running. I remember the day I finally ran the whole mile. Amazing feeling!

Over the summer I continued to run and train, and on July 27th, I ran every step of my first 5K. I was so proud of myself. :)

I continue to run any time I can. Running has become my therapy. It's a lot cheaper than antidepressants! It's my happy place. I can't say enough about how much better I feel after running a few miles. I am so glad I broke down all the mental barriers that were keeping me from beginning this journey toward becoming a RUNNER. 

That's me, in blue, crossing the finish line at my first 5K! :)