Today is the running of the half-marathon that I have run the past two years. With my hip and baby, training hasn't been possible. I can barely walk/jog 3 miles. It is hard for me to not be running this year. Running gives me peace, gets me out and off the couch and keeps away a lot of the loneliness and depression of the deployments.
When I ran this the first time two years ago, it felt like the biggest thing I have ever done. Below is my original blog entry about my triumphant finishing of a half-marathon.
When I ran this the first time two years ago, it felt like the biggest thing I have ever done. Below is my original blog entry about my triumphant finishing of a half-marathon.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
I started running in October. I could only run three minutes at a time with minute walk breaks, but I could tough out 30 minutes or so. One of my runnng buddies suggested that she wanted to build up to a 10k by April. I laughed and told her she was on her own - run six miles - HA. But Race for the Cure was holding a 5K in November. My mom is a survivor so I decided to try to run it for her. I finished and thought that was a pretty amazing feat for a 37 year old with a bad ankle who had never run before. I came home from that race with such a sense of accomplishment that I ran 4 more miles that day. Then I got to thinking, "If I can do that, I can run a 10k, eventually . . ." I don't remember building up to 6 - the next thing I was doing 7 miles for my weekend runs. Then my sister mentioned perhaps training to walk a half-marathon. I really thought she was crazy. People who do "those kind" of events are serious fitness fanatics, in fantastic shape. But an idea planted itself.
My husband is serving overseas in Iraq and I want to lose weight while he is gone. I imagined myself meeting him getting off the plane looking trim and when people asked me how I lost so much weight telling them running half-marathons! It seemed so crazy for this old, overweight non-athlete, but wouldn't it be AMAZING to see jaws drop and feel that sense of accomplishment?
I decided to try to train for one, even if I never signed up for an official race. This was the second week of November. By Dec. 19, I was able to run 10 miles under 2 hours. Just a minute under BUT STILL. I did that twice - then got sidelined with a flare up of an old injury. I started back training the middle of January. I ran 4-6 miles a couple of times a week and a longer run on the weekends. I ran 8 once, 10 twice and 12.34 once then began to taper down. I ran a 6K race last Saturday and walked 4 miles Tuesday and ran 7 Wednesday - then waited.
Today I stood in the dark, cold morning waiting for the start of MY half-marathon, nervous and shaking. I had been telling people all week that I was going to do this - what if I didn't make it? What if I cramped up? What if . . . what if? I got to the starting line and started running. My goal was to finish under 3 hours. I ran. I jogged. I walked, but I CONQUERED! I finished 26 minutes faster. 11 faster than I had even dared to hope. I RAN A HALF-MARATHON and slowed down for the finish so they would get a good picture.
Mission POSSIBLE - WHAT'S NEXT? Bring it on!!
My husband is serving overseas in Iraq and I want to lose weight while he is gone. I imagined myself meeting him getting off the plane looking trim and when people asked me how I lost so much weight telling them running half-marathons! It seemed so crazy for this old, overweight non-athlete, but wouldn't it be AMAZING to see jaws drop and feel that sense of accomplishment?
I decided to try to train for one, even if I never signed up for an official race. This was the second week of November. By Dec. 19, I was able to run 10 miles under 2 hours. Just a minute under BUT STILL. I did that twice - then got sidelined with a flare up of an old injury. I started back training the middle of January. I ran 4-6 miles a couple of times a week and a longer run on the weekends. I ran 8 once, 10 twice and 12.34 once then began to taper down. I ran a 6K race last Saturday and walked 4 miles Tuesday and ran 7 Wednesday - then waited.
Today I stood in the dark, cold morning waiting for the start of MY half-marathon, nervous and shaking. I had been telling people all week that I was going to do this - what if I didn't make it? What if I cramped up? What if . . . what if? I got to the starting line and started running. My goal was to finish under 3 hours. I ran. I jogged. I walked, but I CONQUERED! I finished 26 minutes faster. 11 faster than I had even dared to hope. I RAN A HALF-MARATHON and slowed down for the finish so they would get a good picture.
Mission POSSIBLE - WHAT'S NEXT? Bring it on!!
Someday I hope to be able to run it again. Nothing is impossible if I can do this!!!
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