Proud Moment

::Seconds after finishing my 10 mile run!!::

 

It’s really hard for me to talk about myself. And my accomplishments. Like, really hard. “I” might think they are accomplishments, but then when I tell someone else or say it out loud, I wonder if it really is that great. And then I talk myself into thinking that I didn’t accomplish anything. Lame, I know!

Right now, I’m going to talk about myself. And my accomplishment. And, I am going to pat myself on my back. And be very, very proud!

Backstory:

I participated in Track and Field in high school. I wouldn’t say I ran track. I never ran anything. Nor did I do it very well. I couldn’t do the long distances, and I technically wasn’t fast enough for the sprints. But I did the sprints anyway---since I couldn’t run far. {Did I just confuse you?} I hated running. I hated waking up for early morning track practice, only to run on frozen streets through town. {We didn’t have a track! lol!}

Fast forward to this past December. Someone, I won’t mention any names, Sherrie, decided it would be a great idea to make 2012 a year for running. And convinced a whole group of women to follow along! And, me being the competitive person that I am, thought, hey-if they can do it….I can do it!

I never run! EVER! I go to the gym…and I do the elliptical. Always! {Sometimes I do the bike…but I sweat A LOT….and when I stand up my bottom is SOAKED! Awkward!} So here I am, a week before a 5k race on New Years Eve, and I haven’t ran in a very long time. {Wait, I don’t know if I’ve ever ran more than 5 minutes without stopping.} So what do I do? I bust out 3 long miles at the gym. Not bad! I guess I can handle the 5k after all! {Maybe?}

I ran the 5k on New Years Eve and hurt my foot. Terribly!! It took a couple weeks to recover. And then I really  started a running schedule. I’ve been doing pretty good—for the most part. Some days I REALLY don’t feel like running. So I don’t. And some days, Ben works, so I’m not able to run at all. But instead of feeling “behind” all the time, I just continue to move forward and prep myself for another run. 2 miles. 3 miles. 5 miles. 6 miles. Yuck!

All this running…and for what? Welllll……I’ve signed up to run a 1/2 Marathon. What the? The girl who hates running? This year is all about overcoming my fears….so why not?

Today I had my biggest run scheduled. I don’t know if I was entirely prepared for it. I’ve ran 7 miles before….how bad could 10 miles be? Seriously.

Ben mapped out a run for me. It it rocked! I ran a few miles of it in a gorgeous neighbor hood. {As I was running, I thought: Huh! So this is how the other half lives!}

Long story short. I DID IT! I ran all but about 2 minutes of it. At about 9.3 miles:1 hour and 45 minutes of continual jogging, I didn’t think I could make it much farther. I got scared and almost started crying, I wanted/didn’t want to give up and thought that I could walk for just a bit. It was worse! My muscles started to seize up and my knees felt “loose” and I realized that it was better to jog. So I did. And I made it home. Once I reached my street and only had about 2 tenths of a mile to go, I felt so overwhelmed with a sense of accomplishment. I DID IT! I just ran 10 miles! I came into the driveway, and Ben and the boys were out cheering me on. {How they knew I was almost home, it’s beyond me} I started sobbing. Literally sobbing. I don’t know if it was because I was exhausted. I don’t know if it was because I just ran 10 miles---and finished---and didn’t stop! And I rocked it! I am so proud of myself!

I never would have thought in a million years that I would be running. {Okay, jogging.} Whatever you want to call it, just remember that I did it, and I didn’t give up! And I’m going to run a 1/2 marathon and not die. {That’s my goal at least!}

::Reallly….not flattering at all! But this is what 10 miles looks like on someone who’s never ran that far before! Oh, and 10 fingers—one for every mile ran!!::