Happy Runiversary to me!

Today is my RUNIVERSARY!

I ran my first race at the 2010 Mt. Bethel Elementary School Fun Run on November 6, 2010. It was my first 5K. First time running outdoors. I didn’t wear a stopwatch, never mind a Garmin. I don’t think I ran with music. Or any special gear. I just got up and ran.  I finished in 28:10 (thank you Facebook ‘on this day’).  I had been running a lit bit on the treadmill for a couple of months before the 5K but nothing more than 3 miles.  After the 5K,  I thought ‘hmm, I kind of like this’. So I started to train for the Peachtree Road Race (10K in July) but ended up running a 10K in February.  And then my first half-marathon in June. And then my first full marathon in June one year later. And the rest is history, right?

I started logging my miles run on January 1, 2011. I thought it would be a fun way to keep track of the miles and help with my training as well. I use DailyMile which I started out logging on my computer and then eventually on their app. I just put in my running miles, not walking or hiking or elliptical or anything else.

6890

That is my total mileage since 1/1/2011. That averages to 1150 miles per year or almost 100 miles a month.  Am I the fastest runner? No. Is this mileage high for a distance runner? No.  But I have been consistent with this ‘habit’ for 6 years.  Before I started running, I hardly exercised regularly.  Am I the most fit person because I run? No. But I know that I would not be nearly as fit and healthy if I didn’t run and workout.

Running has brought me so much more than just health benefits.

Friendship. For a long time, I always ran by myself. And that was fine. But in the last few years, I have been running with friends and realized that it makes it way more fun…and the miles fly by. I love my running friends and look forward to our miles of ‘therapy’.

Purpose.  When I was accepted to the Dana Farber Marathon Challenge team in November 2012, my life changed.  I started fundraising for the 2013 Boston Marathon. I met incredible teammates and received so much support from family and friends. That support has continued on to this being my 5th year on the DFMC team.  Cancer sucks.  If I can run a few miles and raise funds to DO SOMETHING to help families touched by this disease, then I will continue to run.

Pride.  Whether I am running 5 miles around my neighborhood or 26.2 miles around Chicago, I am proud.  I hear people say ‘I could never be a runner’. Um….look at me. Do I look like a marathoner?  We come in all shapes and sizes!  My family still teases me about not ‘running back quickly’ when I played defense in soccer as a kid.  I never ran a mile until I was 36 years old.  I never thought I could be a runner either…until I started running.  I have learned that if I believe it, I can do it.  It’s not always easy but I am always proud of what I accomplish.

Yesterday, I ran the 2016 Mt. Bethel Elementary Fun Run 5K.  I finished in 25:34.  And because I’m old and it’s a small race, it was good enough for 2nd in my age group.  I will take it! Every run is not the best run.  But every run is a gift. I will keep running. I will keep adding to that mileage total as long as these legs will carry me.

But not today. Today is the first Sunday in months that I will NOT run.  AT ALL.  Today I will rest and recover from my marathon a week ago (more about that another time). And I’ll know that NOT running today is the best way to celebrate!

 

http://www.rundfmc.org/2017/carrig