I am running Boston y’all, in case you didn’t see that yesterday. I’m certainly going to be high on this for quite a while. What some of you may or may not know about me is that I was not always a runner.
In fact, I only started running my senior year of high school when I stopped playing field hockey but wanted to do some sport. I joined the cross country team and luckily ended up really loving it. I would like to say I just kept right on running, but not so much. I felt like I did but now looking back I realize I was a spotty exerciser at best.
Then, my freshman year of college (2007) a friend from high school was hit and killed by a car. It was one of those experiences that changes your life, makes you realize you aren’t invincible and that anything can happen to any of us at any time. A year or so later I decided that I wanted to run a marathon for him. Having such a strong motivation really got me through my first race. And I serious just “made it through.” I finished the Richmond Marathon in SEVERE pain in 4:04 (2009).
First race, early on (why I am still smiling)
I would like to say again that I kept going but after the week of euphoria of finishing when we were all planning our next race, I pretty much took a month off from running and then ran maybe 3 times a week on a good week.
Fast forward another year (2011), this was me…
I was training for a half marathon, definitely in the overweight category and just finding out I was anemic. I would have to say a week after this picture I decided it was time to make a change.
I ran that half and for the first time stuck with my running even when I wasn’t trying to run a race. I still wasn’t any where near as consistent as I am now but I could count on about 20ish runs/workouts a month.
That December (2011) I ran another half in Charleston and then the spring of the following year (2012) a friend decided to run her first marathon and asked me if I would do it with her.
This was the beginning of the me I am now. Since that race I have run 3 more marathons and 2 more halves and am gearing up to run Boston.
I have taken spills
I still have quite a scar from this one…
had many early mornings and more importantly have lived a normal, fun life along the way. I will never be the person that doesn’t enjoy a bit of this…
Or this…
Pumpkin Bars…YUMM!
Or this…
to be a better runner.
Just having fun!
The moral of this very long winded story is that I am ordinary. I didn’t grow up running. It took six years from starting to run to actually become committed and consistent. I was not naturally gifted. I was not born thin or with the legs of a gazelle. I am a NORMAL person, I qualified for Boston and so can you. You can start running tomorrow with the goal of running a 5k, half marathon, full marathon or even Boston and you can get there.You don’t have to have a ridiculously strict diet, or not go out or do anything fun to make some seriously awesome dreams come true. Just stick with it through thick and thin and you’ll get exactly where you are going!
Congrats on getting in!
Thank you so much…I am still on a high about it!
This really is motivating. I just started getting back into running after a sprained knee over the summer and a broken foot 8 weeks ago. Right now all I “run” is 3+ miles on an elliptical 2 or 3 times a week. I would love to run a full marathon someday.
I’ve always been overweight and so far from athletic. Even while deployed to Iraq I couldn’t run. I could lift heavy things and carry them long distances without a problem, and I was a size 4, but I could NOT run. I’m changing that now. No more excuses!
I am so glad you stumbled on this post. Don’t forget to allow yourself time to heal from your injuries. It is important to kick yourself in the pants of course, but make sure you are ready for the kicking!!
Thank you for your service in Iraq as well. My father is a retired Marine and my step dad is a retired Army Ranger and I know for a fact you aren’t thanked enough!!
Congrats on getting in :).
This was a really motivating post to read just 40 hours before my marathon! Like you I didn’t grow up running and I started in college, nor do I have the legs of a gazelle (I have short legs that are not super thin) or the “body of a runner”. I got much healthier and lost weight but mostly bc of what I was putting in my body, trying to be healthy.
And you are so right- ordinary people can and do qualify for Boston and run marathons and do great things! You just have to be willing to train hard and take that risk :).
So glad to be able to help you, even a little and I can’t wait to read about your race!! You have trained hard and are going to do fantastic!!
Congrats on Boston! That is so exciting and I am so happy for you!
While I’m not exactly running BQ’s I totally agree with this post – I was a firm “I can’t run” person until about 3 years ago, and now I’ve crossed many a finish line!
You never know when you will get that boost of confidence and start thinking Boston isn’t as far off as you think. If someone told me last year I would be qualifying for Boston this year I would have told them they were crazy. Keep trucking lady and we will be toeing that line together someday!
This post makes me swoon! I am sooo jazzed for you, maybe one day I’ll make it to Boston. I guess I need to run a marathon first. 😉
Thank you so much. Maybe when you decide to run one I will start making my way for some west coast marathons… 🙂
I’m also one who does not look like a typical marathon runner but made it to Boston. So happy for you, girl, maybe we can meet in B-town in April!!!!
I would love that!! Did you get a hotel yet? I couldn’t believe how fast they were going!
Ps. Hard work beats talent and all that 🙂
I didn’t see your reply until just now…. We are staying at the Courtyard Boston Downtown on Tremont. Did you find a place? I’m a planner so we actually booked a hotel before registration even opened because we found that many of them were sold out or had a “deposit” required, which is a fancy way of saying “PREPAY”.
We are at the Double Tree Club Bayside on Mount Vernon Street. I feel like it is going to be a huge pain to be right downtown but everything was gone by the time I got home from clinic that night. I thought about getting a hotel early but I thought that would be really tempting fate about getting in haha!