As some of you know, I started running in high school (freshman year to be specific). Before high school I had done/tried just about every sport out there and loved every minute of them. Volleyball was one of my favorites in middle school but I wasn't a club player and I wasn't showing any signs of a growth spurt anytime soon. There also weren't any tall people in my family so aiming for 5'4 was aiming high for me! (I made it to 5'3 and that was it.) Going into high school I thought I wanted to play volleyball, after all who cares if I'm short and never played club? I'd show them. I'd do it! That was what I thought until my parents and I attended an open house where all of the teams and coaches had booths showcasing how great their sport was.
My Mom was the person who found the Cross Country booth first and convinced me to come check it out after she'd talked to the coach for a good 15-30 minutes. I rolled my eyes (teenager alert!) but followed her and shook the coaches hand. We chatted and I thought it sounded kind of interesting. After all, I liked running laps and had run the fastest miles in the presidential challenge in elementary school. "Maybe I can do it with volleyball..." My short teenage self thought.
Fast forward to the summer before I started freshman year and I was signed up for the Cross Country summer program but still considering trying out for volleyball. Until the coach, who I knew from a camp I attended, flat out told me I'd have to chose between the two. The seasons, schedules and training's conflicted too much. I hemmed and hawed for a few days but eventually decided to join the Cross Country team. Over the next four years there were ups and downs, great friends, amazing races and terrible races. Looking back I realize I had no perspective. The 1/2 marathon, marathon and other races weren't even on my radar. My life was high school cross country and only high school cross country. I didn't idolize any women runners and I don't know of any friends who did. I didn't follow the time trials, USTAF track and field competitions or Olympic qualifying rounds.
{This was not on my radar then. . . Who wants to do it??}
It's unfortunate, because I think that if I had known what was out there for runners I might have stuck with the competitive side of the sport longer. All I saw in the future was college running and that seemed like alot of stress during a time that was supposed to be fun. I wasn't an amazing student and I wasn't an amazing runner, I saw myself as a slightly above average person who had to work to get that A or that 5 something to 6 something minute mile.
So, I quit running competitively after high school. I ran recreationally on and off all through college. I took a jogging class as an elective and adored the structure and being on the college track. It felt good and natural to run. Yet, I never entered a 5k, 10k or any other distance race. Why? I felt I wasn't good enough, wasn't fast enough, I just wasn't the runner I used to be and I didn't know how to reconcile that person with the runner I was today. So, I kept running for myself. Never too consistently and never over 3 miles. Somedays I yearned to run 4x400's (I loved running the 400m which was strange because that is a distance that is hated by most track runners.) but I didn't want to run on a track by myself. So I stuck with the comfortable and continued to run on a treadmill or job around campus/the neighborhood.
Thankfully, when I moved to New York I met someone who got me running again. She's now a friend who I'm so grateful for everyday. After only knowing me a few weeks she convinced me to run a 5k with her AND fundraise. For whatever reason, I did it and loved it. After I finished that race I knew I needed/wanted/had to run more races. Then, the same friend convinced me to sign up to run for a charity team in the NYC 1/2 Marathon. Guess what I did? I signed up for the race and the hardcore fundraising. I joined Team Sharsheret and started googling 1/2 marathon training plans. I got a training journal. I got a Garmin (thanks Dr. J!).
{Jumping in the NYC Marathon to run/support my friends husband!}
{My New Garmin aka Chanukah Present from Dr. J}
On January 2nd I started training for the half marathon and fundraising. Since then, I've already run further than I had run in years and it feels SO good. If you have a minute, please check out my Team Sharsheret page and support me on this journey! March 18th, 2012 will be the day I run 13.1 miles for the first time!
So, why do I run?
Running keeps me sane.
Running gives each day a purpose.
Running allows me to give back to my community and the world around me.
Running allows me to advocate for the causes I believe in.
Running makes me feel strong, both mentally and physically.
Running gives me confidence.
Running gives me friends who are always up for a run or Red Mango.
Running is the foundation to every healthy choice I make each day.
Running teaches me perseverance and patience.
Running empowers me.
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