The Why and How I started running…
I have always enjoyed running. Throughout my twenties I’d run two to five miles at a time, infrequently, never on any sort of schedule and never with any goal in mind. I didn’t start running consistently until I was 29 years old and already had kids. I SO wish, that I would have discovered how much I loved running before I entered my 30’s so that I could have reaped the benefits of it sooner.
In October 2011 my twin girls were just one year old when my husband decided to go to Quantico, VA for four months to attend the FBI Academy as part of a work training. Since having the twins, I had been wanting to get my figure and fitness back but motivation and time had been in short supply. I never did gain a lot of weight with the twins, just the typical 50 lbs or so which had already melted off with nursing, but with all of the sitting around caring for those babies, I had lost all of my strength and stamina.
I wanted to feel strong, young, and energetic again! I thought about my options, especially with my husband scheduled to leave for four months, and knew that my time would be even more limited with me as the babies only caretaker. I'd always felt an admiration, fascination, and even envy of the runners crossing the finish line of the St. George Marathon. I had always wanted to to run a race myself. To wear a bib. To hear people cheer. But before kids, I was working full time and sort of lazy when outside of work. My time became more precious, however, and my drive to have something that was for ME developed after having twins though.
Now seemed the time. So, before my husband left, I convinced him to buy me treadmill. I ordered some Jillian Micheals DVD's. And then I told him that I was making no promise of him returning home to find me sane.
I wanted to feel strong, young, and energetic again! I thought about my options, especially with my husband scheduled to leave for four months, and knew that my time would be even more limited with me as the babies only caretaker. I'd always felt an admiration, fascination, and even envy of the runners crossing the finish line of the St. George Marathon. I had always wanted to to run a race myself. To wear a bib. To hear people cheer. But before kids, I was working full time and sort of lazy when outside of work. My time became more precious, however, and my drive to have something that was for ME developed after having twins though.
Now seemed the time. So, before my husband left, I convinced him to buy me treadmill. I ordered some Jillian Micheals DVD's. And then I told him that I was making no promise of him returning home to find me sane.
While he was gone, I really was 100% stuck at home. No job, very little socializing, just the occasional grocery shopping trip. I did have dates every night with Jillian though after the girls had gone to bed. I'd jump around like a dork and sweat my guts out in front of the TV. I printed out Hal Higdon’s Half Marathon training plan and ran on my treadmill during their daytime naps.
I was slow and weak in the beginning. My ultimate goal was to run a race. Half-marathon or marathon. Wear a bib. Hear people cheer. Vain, yes. But true. I never doubted that I could do it. In that painful beginning, the voice that repeated itself in my head a million times told me, "If THEY can do it, you can do it." So I kept doing the same thing and pushing hard every time I ran.
One thing that helped keep me motivated with running were goals. Every time I ran, I had a goal. Ten seconds faster than last time. Or, sprint three times during the run. Or, run the last lap at 100 percent effort. It was kind of a fun game making a new and different goal. People often comment how boring they find running. It's true, with no goal, running does get stale and pointless. But goals turn it into a game.
Slowly, slowly, over months of everyday effort, I began to notice an improvement. I started getting a little faster and running a little longer. After months of practicing in 3 mile increments a few times a week, I found that 3 miles was getting easier, and that I was recovering from the muscle aches and tiredness faster. So I started making small bumps. Four miles. And then a few weeks later, five miles. I also noticed that I was able to get more done around the house and was playing with the kids more energetically. I could go for longer without having to rest.
I was slow and weak in the beginning. My ultimate goal was to run a race. Half-marathon or marathon. Wear a bib. Hear people cheer. Vain, yes. But true. I never doubted that I could do it. In that painful beginning, the voice that repeated itself in my head a million times told me, "If THEY can do it, you can do it." So I kept doing the same thing and pushing hard every time I ran.
One thing that helped keep me motivated with running were goals. Every time I ran, I had a goal. Ten seconds faster than last time. Or, sprint three times during the run. Or, run the last lap at 100 percent effort. It was kind of a fun game making a new and different goal. People often comment how boring they find running. It's true, with no goal, running does get stale and pointless. But goals turn it into a game.
Slowly, slowly, over months of everyday effort, I began to notice an improvement. I started getting a little faster and running a little longer. After months of practicing in 3 mile increments a few times a week, I found that 3 miles was getting easier, and that I was recovering from the muscle aches and tiredness faster. So I started making small bumps. Four miles. And then a few weeks later, five miles. I also noticed that I was able to get more done around the house and was playing with the kids more energetically. I could go for longer without having to rest.
The hardest thing in the beginning was slowly building that base. Not just by running, but by doing my strength workouts to build my core, hips, hamstrings, abs, and calves. I had to practice a lot of patience to keep up running even though I felt slow and weak. I hated taking breaks to heal when I was extra sore. I had to constantly remind myself that everyone starts at the beginning and that I just had to endure the beginning to get to the middle.
By the time my husband returned in December 2011, I was so much slower than what I wanted to race at but I was committed. I signed up for the Dogtown Half Marathon in February anyway and kept training. On race day, I surprised myself with a final time of 2 hours and 2 minutes (9:09 per mile pace). I was so proud of myself!
And now? I have run a 55K, numerous half marathons, a few 5k and 10k's, a couple of relays, and three marathons. I know others who have run many more marathons than me and much faster than me. My family thinks I’m a little too crazy about running. They might be right. But I am truly addicted and in love with running. I absolutely LOVE the feeling of those endorphins racing through my body both while I’m running and after my run. I love that it relieves my stress. I love that it boosts my metabolism and regulates my digestion, that it builds my bone density and sharpens my thinking. I love that I don’t have to get in the car and drive anywhere first. I don’t have to fix my hair or put on makeup or meet anyone at a certain time. I don't have to be surrounded by people watching me workout. I just put on my shoes and.… go.
Being healthy, being strong, and being fast are my goals, and in that order. One of my favorite sayings about running is something along the lines of, "Instead of making it a goal to run that 5K in 2 months, make it a goal to still be running when you are 75 years old." Being healthy is a lifestyle. It's a long term investment. I want to be 45 and go backpacking with my kids. I want to be 50 and try surfing with my kids. I want to be 65 and play soccer with my grandkids. I do. I dream of the day when my girls can put their running shoes on and go for a run with me. Can not wait.
I have had a few setbacks and injuries. The first 8 miles I ever ran, I hurt the metatarsal near my pinky toe by simply stepping onto the grass from the sidewalk. It took two weeks to heal and I cried because I couldn’t run. I was scared my foot would be ruined for life. I had another foot injury after my first marathon because I started running too soon afterward and didn't give my body enough time to repair itself. I missed my first Snow Canyon Half Marathon with that one. Since those minor injuries I have learned to take breaks to heal when my body feels especially tired or sore. I recover much faster when I get my 8 hours of sleep per night. Since having baby #3 my hips get very sore and tight when I don't take extra care to stretch, roll them, and devote time to strengthening them. Lovely side effects of childbirth but she is oh so worth it :)
Bodies aren't invincible and every BODY is different. There will always be setbacks and down time that is needed. The important thing is to listen to your body and to not expect it to do what someone elses can do. Everyone inherits different genes, bone structure, running form, and healing patterns. Something that I always say is that, "No matter how fast you are, someone else will always be faster." Compete with yourself only, take time to rest and recoup, and be patiently committed. I truly believe that running is a life long possibility.
Bodies aren't invincible and every BODY is different. There will always be setbacks and down time that is needed. The important thing is to listen to your body and to not expect it to do what someone elses can do. Everyone inherits different genes, bone structure, running form, and healing patterns. Something that I always say is that, "No matter how fast you are, someone else will always be faster." Compete with yourself only, take time to rest and recoup, and be patiently committed. I truly believe that running is a life long possibility.
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