Running

I remember the first time I attempted to run for exercise. I was in high school and I thought some form of recreation was needed in my life. I asked my good friend Shannon, who was on the cross-country team of a neighboring high school, to let me run with her. She took me out and we started to run. We weren't running on sidewalks or roads just through a park, on grass. I was huffing and puffing after 5-10 minutes and she wasn't even breathing hard! She pushed me (for which I am grateful) to push myself and keep running even when my lungs resisted and my legs were burning. This experience, strangely enough, led to my trying out our high school's track team. I loved being pushed to my limits physically by coaches and team-mates. At my first competitive track meet, however, I realized competing wasn't for me. I was so nervous and subsequently performed badly that I shamefully decided: NEVER again. I continued to train with the team but kept myself out of competing.

That was 11 years ago! I've been running on and off ever since. Off in the winters. On in warm weather. Off during pregnancy and illness. I run because I like it. I feel like when I run its only me--my feet, my legs, my heart pumping, my lungs, my way at my level. I love running outside and avoid treadmills.  I love exploring the world on my 2 feet--I can see things on foot and go places on foot that I never would in a car. I have found some beautiful places in my neighborhood that I never would have known of otherwise. I love pushing my self and being surprised when I go further than I had previously imagined was possible. I love the way I feel after I run: stronger, more clarity of mind, fresh in perspective.  Running is physical and mental. Some times I love to sprint and run as fast as I can...in a way it mentally feels like I'm leaving cares and troubles far behind me. Running is fun. To keep it fun I like to take my feet on new roads to see new places. I like jumping up on rocks and running on curbs. I like giving high-fives to tree branches. I even skip and do the grapevine, mixing that in with running.

I've been running without goals most of these years. Running just to run, just cause I love the feel of it. I've run several 5K's in the past.  This summer my sister Beth asked me to run a half marathon with her on Oct. 29.  I considered it but didn't really think it was possible for me, for my body. Through all my running I have had 1 knee surgery for a torn meniscus and I injured the muscles in my feet and couldn't run for awhile. So, fear of injury has held me back in some degree. I just didn't know if my body could take it. I finally decided: to try.
I used Hal Higdon's training schedule.  I've learned that getting past my longest run is hard. Really hard. The day I ran 5 miles was a huge milestone for me. I could run 3 miles and have been doing that forever but to go further, was unknown and scary and hard. The day I did it I came to that point where you want to stop, every part of my body was resisting me and screaming at me to walk. I didn't listen. I pushed myself mentally and physically all the way home. After that one day, running 5 miles wasn't hard again. It was like my body had been taught the distance and what it took and it could do it again.

I'm probably boring you so I'll skip ahead to present day: November 1, 2011. Three days ago I ran the Halloween Half Marathon (13.1 miles) down Provo Canyon. I was not prepared for what it would take.  I had run 9.5 miles prior to the half marathon. I wasn't prepared for the distance and I really wasn't ready for the downhill aspect. These were things that I didn't know for myself and I really didn't have a way of knowing if I could do it until I tried. The half marathon's course is almost completely downhill.  I had only heard positive things about this. I have since decided that for my body, downhill is not a good thing. My knees were hurting bad by mile 4 and I still had so far to go! At mile 10 I felt something snap inside my knee, something that almost made me collapse! I pulled off the trail and stretched and rested and contemplated what I should do.  I decided to finish the race--walking or limping though I was still hoping to finish it running. Oh, how my body was holding me back! My mind and my heart and my lungs were so ready to finish the race but my right knee was shooting sharp pains at me and my right toes were numb. I prayed. I played my favorite songs on my i-pod and was able to run/limp 1 more mile before I accepted the fact that I would have to walk to the finish. I finished the race, it had taken me 3 hours.  I'm glad I finished and glad I had that experience so I know what it is like. I'm also disappointed.  My disappointment isn't the bitter kind though...I am more determined that I will try again and I will triumph.

August came to find me and walked with me about the last 5 minutes. I couldn't have trained without his support. Love you August.

I am so proud of my sister Beth. She was having some physical hardships too. We stuck within eye-sight of each other through most of the race and stopped for water and to stretch along the way. I am so glad she got me to try doing this with her. I am proud that she was able to finish it and finish it running!

Beth finishing!

A few weeks before the half marathon I was able to run a 10K (6.2 mi) with my neighbor and friend Melinda. This, unlike the half, was something I knew I could handle. This was a lot of fun because it was an all women event and since I wasn't worried about the distance I enjoyed it more! Running with Melinda was a lot of fun too. I recommend running a race with someone else. You can have someone to pace yourself with and motivate you to keep going when you get tired. This 10K was located at Thanksgiving Point and we got to run through the beautiful gardens there, it was gorgeous!

Although its been 3 days since the half marathon, my legs are so sore and I am hobbling around the house. I am happy to say that my knee that was really hurting during the race isn't bothering me now. My plans for the winter are to maintain some of what I've gained this summer. I hope to keep running on nicer days and maintain the ability to run 5 miles. We'll see what spring brings!