How it all began

June 30, 2011

So, I was talking with my one of my good friends, Beth, and she told me that she had just signed up for a half marathon in November of this year, and how excited she was about it.  Without a second to spare she then said, "YOU SHOULD DO IT WITH ME!"

Hmmmm.... So Beth has done two half marathons already, with a few smaller races along the way.  Each time she has asked me if I wanted to join, and I'd always say, "Nope!  I'm good!"  But for some reason this time, I was like well, let's think through this.  Maybe?

Let's flashback:  I was on my college swim team (Division III), and I was in the best shape I've ever been in.  I loved swimming so much (especially because you didn't know you were sweating!), and it was always fun to glide and float through the water.  Swimming is a winter sport, and so in the spring when the weather got nice, I would go for short runs to stay in shape.  After swimming every day from October to February, I was burnt out of swimming, so running was a good option to keep in shape.  One of my friends, Dee, and I would go workout together a few times a week.  It helped the motivation!  So that's when I first got into some running.

And then I graduated and continued to workout that summer while job searching.  That August, I got hired to be a middle school math teacher (I'm crazy, I know!).  Well, once school got going, I was exhausted at the end of each day (it takes a good month to get used to teaching again!).  So needless to say, the working out didn't continue.  I considered my dealing with 13 year olds all day enough of a workout!

So here we are almost 2 years later.  I haven't had a regular workout schedule in quite a while.

Here are the top 10 reasons I talked myself into taking on this adventure (in no particular order):

1) I need to get back in shape.
2) I will get to train with Beth, who is one of my favorite people :), so that entails lots of good laughs and accountability!  And she lives right down the road!
3) This half marathon in particular has a lot of live bands, which will make it all the more fun, and it's in a beautiful city!
4) Two of my other friends, Katie A. and Patty, are going to be running the same half marathon with me.  Also, another friend, Katie C., is running a marathon as well (and they are all here in town, so yay for more running buddies!).
5) I'll get to make some super fun playlists for my iPod, which means their might be singing along the runs.  Because I mean really, who doesn't like to jam out?!
6)  It will be a good stress reliever, and I'll get to spend a lot of time outside.
7) It will strengthen my relationship with God, because only through Him am I going to be able to do this.  I'm sure there will be lots of prayers along the way!
8) I am going to run it in honor of someone (I'll share that story later).
9) I'll get to buy sweet new running shoes.
10) It's something I've never done before, and I think it'd be quite an accomplishment!

I talked to Dee that afternoon (she was on the soccer team in college, and has now gotten into some running), and asked her what she thought about me doing this.  She said that I could totally do it, and that it'd be worth it!  Her next comment? "You need to sign up today before you talk yourself out of it!!!"

So that's exactly what I did.  I think I might be crazy.

There's no turning back now!