Holy smokes, I think I'm a runner.

If you'd told me a year ago that I would learn to love running I would have laughed in your face and called you a dirty dirty liar. I've always been pretty active but in the past I've thought of runners as a different breed of people with which I had absolutely nothing in common. Then came the warrior dash.

To be perfectly honest when I was first introduced to the Warrior Dash by my dear friend Amy it looked kinda fun but I had accepted that I'd likely be power walking the whole time. After we'd signed up I went into full Warrior Training Mode which included hiking, 30 day shred and the occasional jogging against my will with Amy. As the race was getting closer I began to feel a little ambitious and started hiking way more than any person with 3 kids really should and sometimes with one of those 3 kids on my back. With many hiking and Jillian Michaels hours under my belt I was ready to take on the Dash... until Amy's husband reminded her (and me) that I couldn't run and this obstacle course was essentially a race. Crap. In order to help her husband rest easy I decided to go out for one last run before the dash with her and see how it went. I ran almost 3 miles and I couldn't believe it. I ran 3 miles VERY slowly but I ran them! From that point I thought that while I didn't like running, at least I knew that I could.

I had an amazing time on our Warrior trip all thanks to a Clipboard o' fun provided by our cruise director. After, though, I didn't have goals. Nothing to look forward to, nothing to work toward. I chose something that challenged me, running. I started small, 2-3 miles and did that for about a month a few times a week.... then every day. Next thing I know I am running faster than I was before but no further. I set a goal for myself; 5 miles. That was all I wanted. Nearly a month ago another friend of mine got an idea for us moms to get active together once a week. The first week would be walking the track at the middle school. I showed us about a half hour or so early and decided to do a little running before they arrived to do some power walking. I didn't pay to close attention to the distance but my phone was keeping track. When they'd arrived I'd reached a little over 4 miles and decided to go for it... and I did! Since then I rarely run less than 5 miles and do so almost every day. I spend the majority of my run time smiling because I genuinely love it. I was unlucky enough to get shin splints recently and I was in agony when I couldn't run. I'd see a runner and wish I could take their place, just a few miles! At this point it is safe to say I'm a runner and I never in a million years would have expected it.


Thanks Amy :)