But You will forgive me as I have been transforming!
I've been taking up running, something new for me that requires more time than sitting. About a Year and half ago, I got on the scale and when it said that number .. yes you know the one that makes you think, certainly this bloody thing is broke? Right then and there I said ENOUGH!
I didn't have a clue what I was doing, but I asked my son to ride his bike along with me while I jogged.. ha That boy in all his funny witty ways, decided to bring his newly acquired train whistle. I jogged probably down the drive way to the first mail box where I decidedly thought I was going to die, he blew his whistle at me "said come on old lady your not getting any where with that" Thus began my first jogging experience, I would jog, then walk he would blow the whistle at me. I determined that day the whistle was going to disappear, and he wouldn't be watching any more biggest loser! It took me a good month before I was able to run/jog my first 10 minute mile.. and then I officially thought I was dead or dying.
February of 2010 I ran my first 5k with the help of RUNNING MATE. 31:34. I cried after the first mile. In March I ran my goal a 10k the Cooper River bridge run by this time I was down 14 pounds feeling better having more energy. But running and I were having this whole love hate relationship. But I kept thinking I wanted to wear a bikini for summer so I kept it up 6 miles three times a week, sometimes four. I still didn't have a clue, I would ask everyone I thought was a runner about eating, about clothes. I would ask them about water, about chafing about socks.. shoes.. ( word of caution here.. there are allot of run snobs as I like to call them, people that run 6 minute miles and look at your fat behind, and roll their eyes, as if to say.. your not really a runner..)
There was still allot of issues I hadn't worked out. I still couldn't figure out why people liked this running thing I would look at my race photos, and my friends and think.. REALLY? We look like were miserable, half dead almost! I remember thinking no ones smiling! I was ready to give up and go back to swimming, much easier. The things holding me back from just swimming were...You don't lose as much weight swimming and I didn't readily have a place to swim with out paying a ton of money on a membership, and then I would have to figure out with their schedule when I could go.. With running I could go when I could and when the kids didn't need me. The best part is people would see you running and say" how far did you run today? " I ran 5 miles today or I ran 6 miles today and people would look at me with those raised eyebrows. Almost as if to say.." really with that large behind?" When you swim 2 miles a day, people haven't a clue how long it takes you or what goes into it. Or you get a lot of" don't you get bored?" and the answer to that Is" no creative people are never bored, we tend to laugh a lot at other people.."
I was almost 40 I signed up for a half marathon, and started training, and reading everything I could on running on Women's running in particular. I slacked off running in the summer as it gets up to 100 here hot humid. I still ran in the pool and ran outside two times per week. As the fall came and the kids went back to school I was out running more, and by this time I needed new shoes, the first pair of running shoes had holes wore in the bottom. I had a few issues with my iron at certain times I would feel like I had lead legs like I was dragging them along the road. But I kept running mainly because there was allot of things that I could think about while running and partly because I would look down at my legs and think, wow runners legs look so much better than swimmers legs.
A coach at the school asked me to help coach Girls on Track. Me, someone who really didn't have a clue what I was doing. I felt special to help mentor those girls to teach others to run. My son came along with me on most days. He learned to run. ( I should have thought of the whistle .. but by then that thing was long gone!)
Somehow with new shoes came plantar faciitis. UGH ! I denied thats what I had because mine only hurt at certain times that didn't go with the traditional diagnose, I kept running. After all I was training for my first half marathon, which I was running with two of my best friends. I ran up to 10 miles one day.. and hated it. I cursed that running, everything hurt I wanted to give up. I wasn't losing weight because I was so hungry and I was eating and not drinking enough water! So finally the time came for me to run this 13.1 miles which I thought was going to kill me, but having paid the money already and having a plane ticket in my hand.. I left to join my friends.
The morning of the half marathon I had to get up at 5 am? who does this? Crazy people and some how I was becoming one of them. My heal hurt when I got up it hurt to walk on but I just figured oh well. I ran that morning with two of my best friends, I had a smile on my face in St. Pete it was a beautiful morning but, round mile 8 I was hurting my left leg was cramping up near my pelvis, my right foot aching. I told my friends to go ahead and I stopped to stretch my foot and tried to workout the pain in my left side. I walked a little thinking it would work its way out. No luck I jogged, I walked I stretched, around mile 10 I said thats enough Im going to suck it up and go. We ran through a stadium, and at the time I had no idea which one I was just running. Suddenly in a Women's Half Marathon a rather Large man ran past me he had a shirt on that said I can do ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST who strengthens me. And right there I said alright,I certainly can! I ran the next 3.1 miles I sprinted to the finish with people screaming! My time wasn't great 2:37 but I finished the race! my friends were waiting for me, one of them had gotten hurt too and had walked some of the race! But for me it was finishing the 13.1 with a smile and getting to see my two dear friends I had not seen in over three years.
I came home to my husband and children that day. They had made huge signs for me in the yard. I thought to myself I am NEVER running that distance again! But I didn't say that to them, they were so proud of me and the Medal was pretty big, and I did have a blast. After that I had one more race that year. I was running with the Girls on Track reindeer romp 5k and my son was running with me.
Alright for the rest of the journey.. you will have to wait. .. but here's a teaser.. I've got my first trophy, ran 2 more half marathons and gotten my daughter to run, which is my proudest race ever todate. So cheers and IF I CAN SO CAN YOU! Now get out there and lace up those running shoes and GO! if you need to borrow someone with a whistle and a bike... call me up!
