My Running Journey




"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."-Lao-tzu

Step 1...

Dark Days....
Back in late 2007 I began the process of divorce. I know, it's a sad place to start, but I will get to the good part in a minute. Growing up I was never very athletic, I did swim team in elementary school like everyone else, but I was a bit more gifted with a pencil and paintbrush than with my arm and a ball, so I always shied away from sports and spent my time doodling. Hey it paid off, I am now an art teacher with a small side business selling my pottery (which you can see here).

It was in the fall of 2007 that my then sister-in-law ran her first marathon. I didn't even know that this whole world of races existed, so when she asked us to come support her and see her finish, I went out to support her but had no clue what I was in for...the people screaming at their family and friends, all those crazy runners...and the medals...you get a prize for coming in 1358th place?? I became highly interested that day in the running world and thought, hmmm....what would be a good place to start this? I had another friend who had started running earlier that year and I remembered she had done a training team for a rather large 10K in our river city. I remember telling my then husband that I wanted to run the 10K in a few months and he laughed at me, telling me I would never be able to run anything (I heard "you won't be able to do that" a lot)...about a month later we split up. I was at the beginning of a brutal divorce and I desperately needed something to keep me sane, to keep me believing in myself, and to keep me mentally strong.

Then registration opened for the Monument Avenue 10K training team.

I thought, "Oh, you say I'll never run a race?....

"Watch me."

Here I am in the summer of 2006...

At the time I started running, I looked like this. Amazing what depression and abuse can cause a person to do and I found my comfort in food. I also developed transient hypothyroidism. It causes me to gain weight and makes it extremely hard to lose weight without medicine, and since it is transient (comes and goes) the doctor can't catch it and I can't always get the medicine I need. So I run, without really losing any weight, but I can somewhat keep it in check.
I'm back to normal these days. It really is amazing what running can do for you.

Step 2...

Proving everyone wrong, including myself...
I talked to a friend about my running fears (you know, that nagging little voice in the back of your head that tells you everything that could go wrong and Oh no! What if I don't finish???) and she encourged me to push it aside and join the training team with her. I finally sucked it up and paid my entry fees and on a very cold and dark January morning in early 2008 I pulled into the parking lot of our local Y and went out and ran my first mile. (In all terrain shoes by the way...I very quickly found a little bit of money and bought a cheap pair of running shoes to get me by...I was broke those days, divorce ain't cheap.) I had no idea how that morning would change my life.

It wasn't easy getting out of bed every Saturday early for those however many weeks, but I did it and I am so glad I did. After that first day I was so happy and proud of myself. I looked forward to going to my training runs, chatting with my friend...our trainer even gave us some "love beads", cheap plastic bead necklaces from the dollar store, for all our hard work. I took mine and hung them around the rearview mirror of my car where they still hang to this day, a constant reminder of my achievement. Eventually it was race day. My friend and I went out together and ran the whole race, side by side. We sprinted across the finish line and hugged each other. I think I may have even cried. I was so proud of myself. I set a goal for myself and I fought through it and achieved it. All the blisters and black toenails were so worth it. I can tell you, I've never been as proud of myself as I was that day.

 My first race, the Monument Avenue 10K in Richmond, Va. 6.2 miles and so much fun!

It wasn't long after that that I was running every chance I got. I ran the Komen 5K two months later and I was shocked to get a medal, and proud too! Something was really starting to burn inside me and I realized that it was a passion for this crazy sport. 

In the summer of 2008 I signed up for my first half marathon. WHY I thought this was a good idea, I have no idea. I trained on my own (mistake #1) and was not following a training plan (mistake #2) and it was hard to get my runs in like I should because not only was I teaching full time, I was working a second job to pay for that stinking divorce and try to save up some money to move back out of my parents' house (mistake #3-doing all that and trying to train). Never have I been so physically and mentally drained in all my life, and it came back to get me when I slipped walking up my parents' hardwood stairs and messed up my hip pretty bad. Unfortunately this was 3 days before the half and I didn't know how bad the injury actually was since the pain subsided and didn't bother me while walking. So 3 days later I went out and ran my first half marathon on a bum hip. I remember limping and not knowing that I was limping and people asking me if I was OK a lot...I thought, Wow do I look THAT bad?? I guess I did, since a few weeks later I still couldn't walk right and definitely couldn't run. After an MRI, PT, MT, medicine and a lot of time and patience, I got my stride back. They never really could tell me what was wrong with my hip, so I just worked to strengthen it and made it better on my own. Every once in awhile it comes back to haunt me, but for the most part I am better physically and running better than ever before.



Step 3...

Happily Ever After...
And I can't forget to mention the best part...at that first half marathon, where I came across the finish line limping but crying tears of joy, there was someone waiting for me. The man that had helped me through the darkest days of my life was standing there, waiting for me, cheering for me, grabbing me up in a big hug, telling me how proud he was of me. Three years later I married that man and today I call him my husband. 
C and I after my first half marathon.

When it comes down to it, the best part about running isn't the medals or the gear or the weight loss (although that's pretty great) it's having my husband there supporting me, believing in me, telling me that I CAN do the things I set out to do instead of telling me that I can't. He is my rock. I started running because someone told me I wouldn't be able to, but I continue to run because he tells me that I can.

Married on the beach in Key West :-)

Its been a long and interesting journey, which I have mostly kept to myself up until now. More often these days I find myself dishing out unsolicited advice to friends who tell me they are starting to run. I can't help it, I just love running so much and want to share it with anyone I can. I am also getting tired of answering the question of how I started running since it is more of a story than a simple answer. So my friends, I bring you this blog! It is my way of sharing my running experiences and knowledge with you. I hope you enjoy it.

Step 4.... 
Our son was born in May 2013. We are SO in love! The last 2 years with him have been amazing. He has his own little personality and I cannot wait to see where his journey takes him!

Step 5....
An then there were 2!! I am a mom of boys. The days are long and crazy, but I love these 2 so much.