I am a Runner

I am a runner. I was not born a runner. And in fact I couldn't ever finish the mile during fitness testing in elementary school. There are worse things in life, but for me, that was one of the absolute worst. Watching all my friends and classmates finish and me not be able to make it. Sometime in the 4th-6th grade I was also involved in a 5k where I could not do it. I cried when my teachers passed me. Somewhere in my 10 year old mind I vowed to never let that happen again.

Running helped shape my life. My relationship with running had a rocky start. I attempted track and field in the 11th grade and failed miserably. My senior year I decided on cross country. This seemed like a better fit. I "ran" a 10k in high school, my first road race, and thought I would never finish. 6.2 miles was the absolute longest I had ever tried to run.

But I pushed on. In college I decided it was time to goal set. I needed to push myself, challenge myself, and prove to myself and others that I could run. So I signed up for a half marathon. I distinctly remember the day I ran 7 miles in college. I was rounding the hill on the outskirts of campus and I smiled so big with satisfaction even though no one was around.

Running in college was my saving grace. I ran to keep myself focused on my school work. I ran to see the whole town and immerse myself in it. I ran for stress relief and so many other reasons.

The summer after my freshman year I ran my first marathon. It was the worst and best 4 hours and 42 minutes of my life up to that point.  I honestly thought I would never finish and it was so painful. I was in Duluth MN at Grandma's marathon and you enter town at around the 20 mile marker but still have 6.2 miles to go. When I FINALLY saw the finish line I burst into tears. Not the sad, defeated kind of the 10 year old but the proud, accomplished tears of the 19 year old. 

I went on to finish my exercise science degree and continued running and now help people with their fitness and running goals. Running shaped my life. 

On Monday when I heard about the bombs at the Boston Marathon my heart sunk. But in a different way than other tragedies. My heart sunk because of the violence and the terror. But it sunk deeper because I am a runner. Because I have crossed so many finish lines in my life. Because my friends and family have been in the crowd and cheered me on. There is nothing better in a race than seeing the smiling, exuberant faces of your family and friends as you run and especially as you cross the finish line whether it's your first or 100th race. 

I sat glued to my tv watching the one video replay over and over. I thought about the victims losing their legs. And I vowed that when I do not want to run, when I do  not want to even get off my butt and walk, when I make an excuse not to work out, when I complain about being sore, I will remember. I will remember the victims who lost their legs and will not walk on their own legs again. 

So I ask you to be thankful for your legs, to use your legs every day, and to do something that makes you feel as proud and accomplished as running did and does for me every time I complete a race. There is no feeling like it in the world. Go out and find that feeling.

And if you live in the Twin Cities there is an awesome event being put on by one of my favorite race management groups.
https://www.facebook.com/events/645661722127658/
Please join me.