I run to be...

FREE!

It's true - it kicks my booty every time, the run does, but it never ceases to amaze me how freeing it feels to be able to do something I never thought was possible.  Lauren posted her weekly Workout Wednesday, Get Your Sweat On!  post asking the question how do I run?  It followed her post yesterday explaining how she started running.  Here's my story:

My friend Meliska trained for her very first marathon.  I remember being in awe of her mileage.  How could she do that?  When she actually completed the race (on 6/22/2008 in Alaska, no less), I was so proud of her - I mean there were literally tears of joy in my eyes for her accomplishment when I was sent the picture message of her proudly wearing her medal.   Could I ever do that?  No way, Jose.  BUT...it was in the back of my mind.

When I started my new healthy lifestyle back on July 6, 2009, I got the diet part down easily.  I mean there was a list of food I could eat from and a list of food I couldn't eat from...with a little bit of creativity and sometimes some gray area, I made it work and was very successful.  I exercised, too, but I wasn't really challenged.  I started off trying to do Zumba.  Zumba and I didn't get along very well.  I then headed over to the pool for some water aerobics.  I started off doing it twice a week and then moved onto three times a week.  Occasionally I would throw the elliptical machine into the mix for good measure.  Once 2010 was coming into view, I knew I wanted to change the game.   Silly me was thinking spin class initially, but apparently there was a bigger plan for me brewing.

Younger sister Linda started training for the Aramco Houston Half Marathon in July '09.  In December, I started wondering if maybe I should consider training for that very same race for '11.  I had this grand plan of running as many 1 miles as possible in January and as many 2 miles as possible in February and as many 3 miles as possible in March and...well, you get the picture.  Come December I would be running 12 miles and that would put me in perfect position to run a half marathon in January 2011.  It was just a thought...

Linda ran the Aramco Houston Half on Sunday, January 17th.  I was so extremely proud of her.  I kinda got the running bug.  Meliska kinda preyed off of this.  That's when she hit me with the Rocket's Run.  I told her there was no way.  It was a 5K on January 31st - that meant 3.1 miles.  How could I do 3.1 miles when 3 miles were reserved for March???  BUT...Meliska can be persuasive, so...I signed up and ran it with both Meliska and Lauren and...it was amazing.  I cried at my triumph!  I had no rhyme or reason to my run/walk - I would just run as much as I could, take a walk break, and then start running again.

Melissa spoke to me about using an interval method - this is what she employed and she had a PR for her Rocket's Run.  I decided to do 3/1s. 

I had The Rodeo Run in February, the HEB Bayou City Classic 10K in March and then I started thinking that maybe, just maybe I could sign up for the full marathon in January.  It was around this time that I signed up to run my first half marathon.

I did the Tomball Bunny Run in April.  This time I had a Garmin Forerunner and I had a 4/1 interval method which made for a PR - yay!  My next race was the Chicago Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon on 8/1.

Upon returning from the race, the very next weekend, I began training with Marathon Team Nam - a running group associated with a non-profit organization.  We train every Saturday.  My coach has encouraged me to drop my interval method to build my distance endurance.  This past weekend, I am proud to announce that I ran 9 miles without any walking breaks.

I have two more half marathons scheduled this year - The Houston Half on 10/24 and RunGirl 13.1 on 12/12.  My next race after that will be the Houston Chevron Full Marathon.

Now, ironically, Melissa had to take a step back from running when she found out she was preggers with Baby-D, so we were only able to do 2 races together.  We have big plans, however, for reuniting in many races to come once the baby is born and she is able to get back into the swing of things.

I've posted before about what a difference a year makes with regard to my weight.  What a difference a year makes with regard to my fitness!  I may not be anywhere near my goal weight YET.  I may not be anywhere near the speed I would like to be (total turtle right here, y'all), BUT I'm doing something I never thought possible.  It's the hardest thing I've ever done - physically, emotionally, and mentally, but I'm doing it step by step, mile by mile. 

When the run is complete, it feels like I balled up whatever was haunting me...whether it was fear, anger, sadness, loneliness...whatever...and squashed it.  For just a little while, nothing else seems to matter.  I am free of the stresses.  That's why I run.

What's the hardest thing you've ever done?
If you run, how did you start?  Why do you continue?

Check out this iPod Shuffle and iTunes giftcard Giveaway on Shut Up & Run's Blog:  http://twentysixpointtwoormore.blogspot.com/2010/10/commit-to-fit-and-ipod-giveaway.html