Then my bestie moved back to town. She had recently taken up running and she was really loving it. She invited me to join her, I sense that she knew the point I was at. She has never once talked about my weight, or told me that I need to lose weight. All she did was simply invite me to the track to try out running with her. Secretly I think she knew that I needed a push. I needed some direction, flat out I needed HELP! That day was tough, I could only run a few feet and was out of breath, I was embarrassed by how I looked so I was wearing way too many clothes to cover myself up. I didn't have shoes that were good for running in at all and I rubbed the backs of both heels until they bled. I remember this group of kids that were standing by the edge of the track laughing and I'm sure they were laughing at me. I remember thinking, "I hope you appreciate your skinny bodies, I used to look like that."
I left there that day feeling totally defeated and miserable. But for some reason I went back the next day, alone even. Ashley was miles ahead of me in training, literally, I think she was running at least two miles by that point. Those kids were there laughing at me again, I may have cried, I can't remember. The third day I couldn't run, my shoes were so bad that it just wasn't going to happen. So that weekend Ashley and I went shopping and I bought some running shoes. This whole production was almost exactly one year ago. I can't remember how long after that it was that I set my goal. At first it was to run a 5k. Seemed like the thing to do, I need motivation, I need a goal or I will quit. If I'm not working for something, it doesn't happen. Sure losing weight and getting healthy is the main goal, but I needed something to hold me accountable. So Ashley and I decided to do the Color My New Year run in Oshkosh on New Year's Day. I'm not sure how it happened, but somehow we decided to do the Sleigh Bell Run in Kiel in December. At some point in here I knew that I needed more pushing, that one 5k in January wouldn't be enough to make me commit. I needed more. It took me a long time to get fat, it will take a long time to lose that fat. Somewhere along the line I made the goal to run in one officially timed run every month for a year. Ashley said she would join me in the challenge.
December's Sleigh Bell Run was my first run, which was a month before I had planned on running my first event, but it was fun! Along the way there have been runs that have been really fun and that I have enjoyed, and there have been runs that have been horrible and I've wanted to quit. But I haven't quit, I have finished every single one of them the good the bad and the ugly!!!!
September marks my 10th month, and although it was a bit different, I still did it. You see, September's event was supposed to be the tough mudder, but as it ended up, Ashley got pregnant (Yay, I'm so excited for them to have another baby, it's about time!) and couldn't do the tough mudder. I have done runs without her before, but I wasn't willing to do that one alone, no way! So I ended up hearing about a virtual 5k that was being held for this little baby girl that needed a heart transplant. The Run for Kaysen Virtual 5k ended up being my September run, and although it was a virtual one which means I had to do it on my own, no set time or place, I still did it.
Since it was a virtual 5k and Ashley didn't do this one with me, you know being busy getting married and all that jazz (again, so stoked for them, really about time for that one, but they had their reasons for waiting) I had to have Parker take my "finish line" photo, but there really wasn't a finish line, so you get a nice view of part of my bedroom.
As I was running this and realizing that it was my 10th month of my goal it was very strange to me. I'm only 2 months away from finishing my goal and Ashley and I have our October run all scheduled for this weekend. We are doing a local run in the next town over that supports bullying prevention. I'm not sure I ever really thought that I could, or would do this. I do know one thing, if Ashley hadn't invited me to the track a year ago to just try it out, I wouldn't be where I am today. To be honest, I still need to get my eating under control, and I haven't lost all that much weight because of it. You can't out train a bad diet. But, I have changed so much. Mentally, and physically. I am stronger in both ways. I know that I can do it, and will do it. I also have a physical strength that I never had. It's no longer oh come lift this for me it's too heavy. No, it's don't worry about it I can get it no problem.
So ten months ago I started chipping away at this year long goal and I am now only two short months away from achieving it....it seems surreal. I know it doesn't seem like that big of a deal, but for me it is. I was sure that I would give it a month or two and be done with it. Now, I am looking forward to more. I totally want to do the Dirty Girls Mud Run again next year! I have fallen off the wagon for awhile with eating and running and cross training, but I am getting back to it and it feels great!
Until next time, probably this weekend when I can post the finish line pics from my 11th month of my running goal, Love ya!
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