Running through Life

Back in 2006 I started to run.

It began with me walking slowly for exercise, because at 250 pounds and 5'5 you really need to be nicer to your body than pounding the pavement. So I walked. I lost a few pounds and was down 20 pounds. Then in 2007 I got divorced and that involved me running to China and living there for a hiccup. I came back fairly quickly and realized that wasn't the best run for me. However, that was the run I learned the most from.

When I arrived back from China, I hit the pavement again. I began with over a 19 minute mile slowly trucking along. I think I should let you know that I was an athlete as a kid, but never a runner. I had such bad asthma that it always stopped me in my tracks. When I started again in 2008 I made a new goal, to beat my asthma and run my way into a healthier me.

I didn't realize it would be so difficult. It was a daily struggle. I kept running. I ran away from relationships. I ran away from graduate school. I ran. I ran away from everything. As I began to get better at hitting the pavement I decided that I needed more attainable goals in order to keep the movement going and I needed to begin to run towards something instead running away.

I decided to begin running in races.

I honestly don't remember what my first race was. I know that I don't have all the records of races. I started with a 5k which is 3.1 miles. I dragged my old roommate with me. She became my first running buddy. We even drove to Lodi for one race, the Trix Run, yes like the cereal, which was an adventure all on it's own. Then I did the Mushroom Mardi Gras 5k alone. And with that began my trek.

That trek involved me running almost daily. I ran around Salinas city streets and found the most peaceful trails in Fort Ord and while doing so found comfort in being alone. I found time to not worry about things, to focus on me and be one with God. Running became my comfort, my self care, the only time I had time to be alone. I learned to run 8 miles to increase my solo time and loved every step.

Since May 2008 I have completed 10 races (that I can remember, I'm sure there were more) five 5ks, two 10ks, one 10.6 mile, one half marathon and one 5k obstacle course that ended with us jumping over fire. I started hitting the pavement at over 19 minutes a mile and have completed some of these races at 13.5 minutes per mile. That is what I deem as pure success. As a result of the constant running I lost a lot of the excess weight that I found over the years (got down to 170) and I learned to work through a lot of the emotional weight I was dealing with as well.

In April of 2011 I stopped running from relationships and life. I was just about to graduate from graduate school with a 3.98 and met the man I am now proud to call my husband and the man of my dreams. As I stopped running from life, I stopped hitting the pavement consequently, blowing up like a giant octopus again.

It's interesting to me what happened with that, depression, moodiness, losing my tan, and the decrease in energy all while finding the love of my life and building my future. Somewhat of an oxymoron or perhaps just a giant contradiction.

The week before my wedding (July 2012) I started running again. Well I started running again in January, but it was more than just sporadic it was erratic. Two days in a week then not run for 2 months. My friend and I committed to running one race per month from July 2012 to July 2013 (a 5k, 10k or half marathon). My first 10k race I signed my husband up and it was the week before our wedding and I loved it!  We called it "Our wedding half with my better half". I wore a veil and he wore a bow tie. It was nice to hear people congratulate you while sweating and miserable. In August, the month of our honeymoon I did not have a race, but I did run while I was on our cruise ship, which showed I was committed and heading in the right direction.

September brought my second 10k and the first time I wanted to throw in the towel. I was miserable, in pain, more pain then I had ever experienced. My knees were killing me from standing on cement for 9 hours the day before and my ankle was just giving out. This was the first time I wanted to revert to running from things instead of towards things. With the help of my newest running buddy I trekked on and finished faster than my first 10k, and much slower than the three 70 year old people who passed us and laughed!

Three weeks after this race and two weeks before my next race I realized I still had not steadily hit the pavement again like I had planned. Frustrated and newly motivated I decided to start going to the gym. I loathe running on the treadmill but I wanted to accurately measure how far I am running so I put my best foot forward and learned to run in place. This past week I have run 3 times, an ultimate success!

I have a new found motivation to regain my love for running. Not only do I once again have an exorbitant amount of weight to lose that has some how found me, I never want to feel that desire to quit. So here I go, step for step, mile for mile continuing with my goal of running at least one race per month and running three times per week.

Hopefully, I will find balance in my life and find time for my 8 miles of peace and solace once per week allowing myself to become healthy and fit again not only physically but emotionally and mentally as well.

All running blogs will be labeled as "running". Follow me as I continue Running through Life.