Yes, I did it! I signed up to run the Ogden Half Marathon. I am feeling a little crazy, but I know that I can do hard things, at least I better because I am always telling my girls they can do hard things. For those of you who know me well, know that I am not a natural runner, meaning not until I had my third baby had I ever ran a mile. I remember back in school when I had to walk/run a mile to pass P.E. and I walked most of it. I was always told swimmers and not runners and vice versa. I think back when in high school swim practice when the track coach had the track team come and do a swim work out in the pool. I remember laughing to my self as I watched most of them with little or no swimming talent. Swimming has always been something that comes natural to me and I have a hard time understanding how someone could not easily stay above water let alone swim one lap in the pool with their head in the water and only breathing to the side. I am sure just as I watched and giggled at these runners so did they as I couldn't even run a mile. I have many friends who are awesome runners and I marvel at their abilities. If I was told a couple years ago that I would have signed myself up for this, I would have laughed. It all started for me when I was 3 months pregnant with baby #3 that I had a desire to run. Not sure why, but I had the itching. I told my husband and we both decided that it wouldn't be good to do while I pregnant since I had never done it before. For an early Christmas present that year my husband bought me an elliptical. I was faithful to that thing and used it often. Like most pregnancy cravings, I thought this desire would leave, but it didn't. I had a hard time waiting until the doctors approval after I had baby #3, to run. Running never came easy to me and I remember it took me a little time to build up to consistently run one mile. I still remember the phone call I made to one of my running friends the day I finally ran a mile. I was pretty proud of myself! Last year I signed up for my first 5K race here in Clinton and I was so afraid I would have to walk during it. I proved myself to be a fighter and finished without walking. A month later I ran another one and really found myself improving as I took almost 2 minutes off my first race time. While I am running I can honestly say I find myself saying "I hate this" and "I never want to do this again", but just like being pregnant I find myself doing it again. Its the rewards I have after that make me want to do it again. I still have so much to learn about running, but I guess these next couple of months I will start to learn more! Thinking that I will be running 13.2 miles still feels insane, but I've been told not think of it that way and just enjoy the everyday runs and take it one step at a time.
