A Year Of Running

So I'm not a professional athlete. I had wanted to run for years, but had others tell me I wasn't exactly "runner material". With my asthma, bad knee and other health issues I even had a doctor laugh when I brought it up. I felt frustrated and defeated, then January of last year rolled around and the Air Force marathon popped up in my feed. I thought "Why couldn't I just try?' So I looked into what with would take to prepare for the 10k and signed up that week. Unfortunately I broke a rib and a toe prior to the race, but I was still determined to finish. I was in a lot of pain by the time I crossed the finish line, but I did finish.

A week after the marathon, I went to New York for a week and a half. During that time I was determined to continue my training while trying to be mindful of my current injuries. Lucky for me, the weather was perfect my whole trip (Except my last day) and I was able to start my day with a run in central park. If you haven't had the chance to do this, I highly recommend it at some point. (I will elaborate on this in a later post about my trip)

By far, my favorite race I did in 2018 has to be the Hot Chocolate 15k in Columbus,OH. Not only is it my farthest official race to date, the overall theme was so much fun, the medal is so adorable and its sponsored by my favorite hydration product (Nuun). The expo for the Columbus race is a little smaller than others I have been to, but there is still so much to enjoy! The crowd participation and ‘cheerleaders’ were wonderful too, from handing out little sweet snacks and water/nuun to the amazing signs they made!

I completed 6 races in 2018, determined to prove not only to myself, but to others that I could be a runner at any age, size or health condition. This year I've decided to do 12 races this year while also upping my training program. The goal is to average one race a month, ranging in different distances to keep my training interesting and give myself checkpoints to measure my progress. One of the 12 races I will be running will also be my first half marathon, which will be in the Rock n’ Roll series!

So the moral of this story is, no matter what people say, do not let them tell you or try to determine what your future is for you. It's your life. You are at the wheel, not anyone else. If there is something you have been wanting to do, take those first steps today towards that goal. Shut out the toxic negativity of others and believe that not only is you goal possible, but you are worthy of it.