Being a Runner

I am a runner. Yes, I hear you laughing... There is something in me that just wants to run, though. (Yeah, I know, maybe it's "away" from the chaos that ensues my house at times...) But, I am stepping out and putting this "out there" in writing, so I can't back down. I've used several excuses. There was the leg surgery. And before that it was the pain and discomfort that came from the oddity of that extra muscle. I would start again and there would be the lump and all the mammograms and MRIs to follow that 3 month ordeal. (And I wasn't even the one who ended up with cancer!) Well, I started up pretty good again this past spring and so came the ovarian cysts. It's always something... And I'm sure there will always be something. That subconscious laziness of not wanting to put my body through the agony of getting started again. That first mile is always the hardest! But, I'm tired of being tired and I'm tired of being so big and I'm tired of excuses.

I shall ice my leg/foot when it hurts. I remember Dad doing that for months on his knees when he took up running again after a 12 year hiatus. Of course, I thought he was crazy. Training for a marathon...why would anyone want to put their bodies through that?? (I thought as I stood on the sidelines of the finish line in Austin 6 months pregnant with Little Girl.) But, something about those crazy healthy bodies (not perfect, mind you!) struck a chord in me (along with the reminder of the 9 pounds I'd gained over the past month of pregnancy!). I was 31 years old and I actually considered doing a bit of running. Maybe only a mile or two - who would want to do more than that? Besides, I always got a cramp in my side every time I had to run anywhere in high school. And my face always turned beet red within a few moments of exertion! So unattractive! But when Little Girl was barely 6 weeks old, there I was heading out the door to run to my nearest street corner. Whew! I had made it to the corner. Secure in that distance, I soon set out for the next corner. And within a few weeks I found myself all the way around my block. And soon I was training for a 5K! I remember the fear I had the night before the first race I ran in Houston. It wasn't a 5K but 4 miles! What if I didn't finish?? What if I was the very last person who did finish!?! But I did finish! And I went on to run 3 half marathons over the next 2 years. And then I had to do something about the pain in my foot... And it's been downhill ever since.

I want to run another half marathon!! By golly, I might even want to run a full marathon!! Whatever, I just want to run. It's a strange feeling.

And so I step out with this commitment (for whomever might even be reading) so that I may be held accountable. If you must, you can say "doesn't look like you've been running much lately". However, a simple "how's the running going?" might be better received... :-) I don't aspire to be rail-thin or have that "perfect" body. Shoot, I gained 5 pounds when I trained for my first half-marathon! (How depressing is that?? All muscle, I'm sure...) I do, however, aspire to be healthy. I'm too young to feel old yet!





Here I am finishing a half marathon (13.1 miles!!) a few years back - Bit & Bear ran across the finish line with me. (Notice the beet red face!!) Not too much giddy-up in my step there, but I really am "running" to cross the finish line...



This I shall do again - red faced and all!