Tuesday, August 19, 2014

My Hardest Run

I'm writing about this run, the hardest run of my life, because I don't ever want to forget what I went through to get my mind and body ready to run 26.2. It is true what they say, "Your mind will quit 100 times before your body ever does".  

On this day I set out to run 7 miles in training for the half marathon I had coming up. I had run seven miles once before but it had been a couple of years and I forgot that I could do it. I was very anxious about the half marathon I had coming up. I really, really wanted to do it but let's be honest- I am not a runner. What I mean is I don't have a long, lean "runners body". I am not a fast runner, and I really don't like racing. I just run so that I can eat dessert. Really.

 But I did want to run a half marathon and I didn't think I could do it. I just knew that I was gonna train for 10 weeks and never make it to the finish line. I knew that my body (because I don't have a "runners body") was going to give out on me. I knew that if I made it to the starting line all the "real runners" we're gonna be mocking me because I was "fat" and slow. But I really wanted to run a half marathon. 

So I cried. And ran. And cried some more. But I didn't stop running. Maybe I would never make to to the starting line because my joints couldn't take anymore pounding. Maybe someone was gonna snicker at me because I was chubby and trying to run a half marathon. And maybe I wouldn't get to finish. I decided this, though: If I didn't finish that half marathon it wasn't gonna be because I gave up. I was going to leave everything out on the road at every run! 

Maybe this was the hardest run of my life, but maybe this is the run that made me unstoppable.

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Summer Cheer

Since everyone on my social networking newsfeed is talking about FALL (come on ya'll! WINTER comes right after Fall. Eeesh!) I thought I would make a list of a few of the things about summer that make me happy. Because I love summer the most. I dearly love summer.

-Green 
It is everywhere and I love it! Leaves and grass and John Deere lawnmowers.
-Sweating on my runs
It is frustrating to go run 3 miles and come back barely damp. I don't think it works this way, but it feels like the more you sweat the harder you must have worked...
-Sandals 
-Maxi dresses
I really should stop buying these. But I love them and I hope they never go out of style.
-One word- Sodapalooza!
This summer Racetrac had the freefill cup and since I only live a few miles from one I drank quite a bit of soda, for FREE! ;)

So there it is- I am not ready for fall yet, but it is coming and I will be a good sport. Now I am gonna go enjoy the rest of this glorious summer!