Running

Sorry it's been so long since my last post, the end of summer got away from me way too fast. There are so many things I could write about to conclude my summer vacation, and maybe I'll do that in the future, but what I want to write about today is running. Why? Because I have seen so many changes in so many people's lives, thanks to running. It has sculpted and defined me (as well as many others I've met) in so many ways.

Let me start a few years back. I HATED RUNNING! I HATED it in elementary school because I was slow, I HATED it in junior high because I was lazy, I HATED it in high school because it was used to condition/punish us in sports (I realize now it wasn't meant to be punishment but that's not how I viewed it at the time). However, in all of these occurrences the only thing I knew and understood were fast twitch muscles. Sure, I'd heard of slow twitch muscles, which was clearly the only kind I had because I was slow, right? Well, yeah, kind of. Though that may not exactly be the reason but there is some truth to it. A few years ago when I was so unhappy with my appearance thanks to the extra 50lbs I was carrying around, I decided it was time to try running. Guess what? I HATED IT. I tried the Couch to 5k, and quit. I tried it again and again throughout the year, didn't stay with it once. Then I found Insanity. I LOVED IT. It truly is insane but I got great results. It boosted my cardiovascular health and I felt like I did back in high school sports.

After my cardio was better I tried Couch to 5k again and this time it worked, sort of. You see my problem was that I always got stuck around week 5 or 6 but since my cardio was in better shape I skipped the beginning and started at week 6. It was the best decision I ever made. Not only did I cruise through my first 5k a couple weeks later but I've been hooked ever since. Just me and my slow twitch muscles. Now sure, I've fallen off the wagon plenty of times and I hate the "dreadmill" so I don't do much running in the winter (that's when I find myself cussing out Shaun T. during a grueling Insanity workout). I've even taken lots of breaks this summer, for no good reason. My goal is to complete a half marathon, now how does one do this when they're inconsistent with their training? Easy, you set a low expectation. It may sound like a cop-out and that's okay. Not everyone can go out and run 13.1 miles any given day. My goal for my first one is to...finish! Yep, that's it. Sure, I have a "time" in mind that I'd like to finish it in but that's just a number in the back of my head. If I don't make it I'm not going to give up, maybe next time I'll do better. So in 6 weeks I'll be doing something I never would have given the slightest thought about a year ago.

As I write this, I'm mentally prepping myself for the Warrior Dash which we'll be doing in about 3 hours. We get asked lots of questions about why we do them, how do we train, do we ever get our clothes clean, etc? Why? Because they're fun! Come on, there are so many of you that loved playing in the mud as a kid and would get in trouble for it. I yell at my kids all the times for making a mess but this is the one time you can get dirty without reservations. Sure they're a test of endurance and they have some pretty fun obstacles but overall, it's just "clean" fun. ;)

Down and Dirty

In the last few years I've met many people whose lives have been changed by running and I applaud them for their hard work and dedication. Many of them have a similar story to my own. I have friends, family, acquaintances and strangers who I talk with about running on nearly a weekly basis. I never would have dreamed of having these conversations but it's become such an important part of my life. Now some of you may not believe it but I am not a die-hard runner, I'm very far from it. Everyday I could wake up and say, "Nah, I'm not gonna to run today," and be just fine with it.  Unfortunately that just makes the next run a little more difficult, which isn't a bad thing. It's a reminder to me that I need to be more consistent.

Consistency is my biggest problem which is going to make achieving my goal of running my half-marathon an extra difficult one. I'm happy running a couple days a week but I'm not happy about getting up at the crack of dawn to do it. Unfortunately, with the unseasonably hot weather we're having, it's my only option. Now I just have to get someone to help me be accountable with my training (I don't think Matt's going to be happy when I start waking him up to help me). I've been training off and on for a long time but it's time to really focus now. Thankfully my family will be great help through this process. The difficult part will be dividing my time and between family, work, school and all the kids' activities. I guess it's a good thing I know how to juggle. ;) So I guess to conclude my thoughts, wish me luck as I embark on this adventure.