I actually made it to the end of the road and back!

1/31/16

I never in my life considered running a half marathon. In fact, the year before, I’d called my sister crazy multiple times when she told me she was going to run her first one. I remembered Facetiming with her right after she finished and commenting on how she closely she resembled Skeletor. I watched my coworkers celebrate when they finished the Music City Half Marathon, and although proud of them, nothing about it appealed to me all.  As the year passed, my coworkers started preparing for the next run in Nashville and they seemed so excited, recounting memories of the previous year.  I can’t quite explain it, but something changed for me.  It has always been hard for me to work out by myself, and the idea of having a group started to appeal to me.  My decision was made when my boss asked me to do it with everyone. She was so positive and sure I could accomplish it, I started to believe it myself.  Sometimes you need someone to believe in you a little bit more than you do.  I’ve always focused on making moments for my friends and my family, and I decided it was maybe time for me to make one for myself as well.

I decided that if I was going to commit to this, I at least had to know if I could make it to the end of the road and back. I thought about it all week, planning out what I would wear and what I would take with me. I told my husband and kids I was going to do it so that someone else would help hold me accountable. Left to my own devices, I could find a million and one reasons to NOT put those running shoes on.  It was probably the most over-analyzed mile ever to be run.

Sunday came, and I put on my work-out gear (previously held for my hot yoga classes I would fall in love with every 6 months or so….for about 2 weeks….until I decided sleep was more important than early morning classes).  I tried on three different jackets to see which held my iphone the best. I dug around in drawers to find my headphones all while my 5 year old told me how proud he was of me for getting healthy.  This is also the sweet boy who told me “even when you are fat, I think you are skinny.”  He’s my biggest cheerleader, and I decided I wasn’t going to let him down.

I walked to the end of my driveway (no use adding extra distance if I didn’t need to, right??) and began jogging down the road. I started off following my “run 1 min / walk 3 min” plan and made it about 3 rotations before I decided walking to the end of the road was an accomplishment as well.  On the way back, I found it impossible to breath through my nose and was gasping for air as I walked back up the hill towards my house, but I kept going.  When I finally turned back into my driveway, I really did feel a sense of pride. I’d made it…..something a week ago I didn’t think I could do, and I’d proven myself wrong.  I tucked this little win away, to help me push another day.

1.2 miles, 23:05 min