As we all gear up for yet another snowy weekend in this neck of the woods, I am thinking about my Sunday plans. I (hopefully) will run a 1/2 marathon in Hyannis. I'm sitting here thinking about how to dress, what I need to pack, etc. and I am thinking about "why I run". A lot of people ask me that. I think a lot of runners are asked that question. Before I go any further, I honestly don't consider myself a "runner". I'm not saying that so that people will tell me that I am. I just don't see myself that way. I consider myself "someone who runs". To me, there's a big difference. I don't have any idea what I'm doing. I just put on my sneakers and go.
I never ran a day in my life until 2001. I had a lot going on in my mind back then and I needed something to do with myself to keep my mind busy. So, I started to run. Literally, yards at a time. I was very patient (something I'm not typically) and little by little I added to my mileage with each passing week.
The first race I ran was a 5K (a tad over 3 miles) in Franklin. I think that I was literally the last person over the finish line. I had no idea about pacing myself. I started in the way front and started at a stupid fast pace. I was exhausted before I ran a quarter of a mile. I didn't even know how to pin my number on my shirt and it kept flapping in the breeze the whole time. Clueless. But I did it. My dad cheered me on as if I was running the Boston Marathon. Have I mentioned that my dad is The Best?
And I kept on running. I never thought that I'd be good at it. But, the more I did it, the more I enjoyed it and I got better and better. Over time, I ran a few 10Ks and such and with some words of wisdom and confidence from one of my best buds since junior high school, I kept upping the ante. I love her more than life itself and wish that I could run with her every day. Love you, Smel.
Shockingly, I decided a few years ago, that I wanted to run a full marathon before I was 40. I have no idea where the idea came from. I honestly think that I just woke up one day and decided that I wanted to do it, Everyone (or most everyone) thought that I was nuts. Why in the WORLD would I want to do that? I've run two marathons now and it's safe to say that I'm done with that distance. Been there, done that. Thrilled to have that checked off of my list of things to do.
I still run a bunch each week but I'll leave the 26.2's for others now. I continue to run 13.1 races when I can and I don't want to lose the ability to run that distance whenever I want to. You work SO hard to train for a marathon. I'd hate the idea of going back to square one.
So, why do I run?
Because I can.
Because I love the feeling of running for hours (whether I'm training for something or not) when I can either think about a ton of stuff and solve all the problems of the world - or I can think of nothing. Embarrassingly - nothing.
Because H and M know that I take the time for myself. I love them. But I love myself too. I think it's important for them to see that.
Because H and M now like to run short distances with me. Sometimes, we do it as a Four Family. I love that.
Because if I didn't run, I'd be twenty pounds heavier than I am now. (I'm just being honest.) I love to eat and running burns a lot of calories.
Because it has helped me to appreciate all four crazy seasons of this wacky part of the country.
Because it gives me hours throughout the week when I can be by myself. As much as I love the peeps in my life, I really enjoy this alone time.
Because I am way proud of myself for doing something that I NEVER thought I'd be able to do. I've run two marathons. That's pretty stinkin' cool.
That's me a few yards away from finishing my first marathon in October, 2010. I think I must have been saying to my family, "I can't BELIEVE I just DID THAT!" They were yelling at me to stop talking and cross the damn finish line!! And I DID. In a little over four hours. WHAT?!!? Yep. Nuts.
#1 Day of my life - The day H and M were born.
#2 Day of my life - Our wedding
#3 and #4 Days of my life -the days I ran 26.2 miles and can honestly say that I enjoyed (nearly) every step
No question. Best days ever.
Now, back to what originally got me thinking about this. I'm either going to run the 13.1 miles on Sunday crazy fast so that I can be done with the madness of running in this ridiculous winter weather or (more likely) super slow because I am so annoyed that I am running in this ridiculous winter weather.
Either way, I will run. And I will be proud...and I will eat a lot when I am done.
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