Wowie. I've had a week to recover now and I'd like to reflect on what I've learned. If you are easily bored with more "I, Me, myself" talk, please stop reading now.
I've learned that I can finish things I've started, no matter how hard they are. I actually learned that after Tommy was born, but that was another story (even though a marathon story and a birth story ARE very similar in many ways! ;) Right, MPN?). I've learned that many people do not even KNOW anyone who's ever run a marathon and so when they find out YOU have, they immediately think you are some sort of expert and start quizzing you. It almost always goes something like this:
Newbie: Hey, I heard you run. I heard you even ran a MARATHON!
Me: Yeeeeaaaah, but not very WELL. And I don't even run very fast, it's more of a "jog", really.
Newb: Oh yeah, my doctor told me that it would be bad for my knees/bad for my joints/my kidneys would be stressed/my hips are out of alignment/at my age, it's bad to START running.
Me: Well, I am overweight, mother of 6 and I started very very slow. I ran a 5k and thought I'd accomplished my life's goal but then decided to run a half marathon, just to say I did it. Then my dopey sisters convinced me to try a marathon and I DID the training. It was very hard, but anything is possible once you put it on a schedule and make time for it, right?
Newb: Hmmm, I was thinking of running, maybe I could give it a shot. What kind of shoes do you buy?
Heh heh. That's how it starts, then they are HOOKED! I've loved how running is making me feel more fit, in control of my health, and makes my resting heart rate nice and SLOOOOWWWWWW. I've NOT loved: running in the cold/wind/rain/extreme heat, pain from overdoing it, the sad look on the kid's face when I tell them it will be a "longie", always worrying that I'm going to trip and fall on my face, how my legs feel in the first, three or four miles. But OH how great I feel when I see home coming close and I am DONE!!!
That makes it all worth it. The journey is okay, and it's good to get away, but home is where I want to always cross the "finish line".
So, you peeps say "you inspire me". I hope that's true! Some special people were MY inspiration so I need to give the props NOW! Noelle is a running rockstar. She is someone who's been a part of our lives since she first befriended Trine at work many years ago. She ran some incredible times in her first marathons before some back surgery sidelined her but she's still VERY active.
Karen will always be my go-to-running-guru. I may not EVER run near the miles she has gone or wants to go, but I love all of her advice and still remember her first "training schedule" she made for me before my very first attempt at a 5k. She encourages me and makes me feel super awesome all the time.
My sisters keep on running through many time issues and family matters. Without them, I wouldn't have any goals and I'd be even shlubbier than I already am.
Most importantly: My hubs, who hates it when I leave the house (because he looooooves me so much he wants to maaaaarry meeeeee), but always has it nice and clean when I come back. I couldn't ask for a more awesomely wonderful hubs than that?
Get up off the dang couch. Run. Walk. Torture yourself and hop on that elliptical or stairmaster for five minutes today. PUT DOWN THAT BAG OF CHIPS ALREADY! The road is calling! You don't even have to put makeup on!
Just don't forget your sunscreen.
