More than running through the finish line

Talk about a busy busy life lately! Work has just consumed me lately and then training for my race THIS WEEKEND (yay it's finally here), and then just other things in life - I just have been non-stop. I was hoping that the beginning of the year would be a catch up; and get back on track time, unfortunately I was wrong as it really has taken on it's own life and just exploded, but in a good way.

The biggest thing in my life right now is my race this weekend. I was talking with my boyfriend last night and I realized that this race is soo much more than just running through the finish line. Don't get me wrong finishing this is going to be amazing, but it's for so many reasons. The fall of 2010 I realized I has come to a point that I couldn't be happy with  myself any longer. I had already started to lose some weight for my best friend's wedding (unfortunately it wasn't enough, but I was thankful for it looking back because it got the ball rolling) but was still a big girl for me. (here's me then - "Changing Looks") My other best friend at work got me to commit to participating in my 1st ever 5K in March 2011 at the Gate River Run (that is actually a 15K which is what I am doing this weekend, but there is a 5K too). I knew I had to start working so we tried to start something but with the holidays it just fell off. Finally in January we started the Couch-to-5K program. If you aren't a runner this is a GREAT program to get you off the couch and running, seriously it baby steps you up. I remember thinking when we were training and it was nearing the end and we had to run for 20 minutes straight or 3 miles and I would dread it and think how can I do this?! March came and the race came and I finished - struggled but I finished in 33:18. I told myself when I finished watching the 15K people run through the finish line and being personally inspired that I would run that in 2012, I made a promise to myself!

Well it is a year later and I am about to fulfill that promise to myself! I have struggled at completing really hard things in my life, finding the easy way at times or just avoiding it at all costs. Not only am I about to complete this promise to myself I did everything correct and proved to myself that I can do something that I didn't think was possible! I have always thought that I could never run for an hour or longer, that just seemed impossible that my body could endure that. (Yes I know I would swim for 2.5 hours but that is different, I was good at swimming, I am not good at running.) I proved that wrong a couple of times already, especially with my longest run yesterday at 8 miles which took me 1:17.24! I knew this would be a challenge, to not only complete the 15K but train for it. At the end of 2011 I realized my training partner & best friend at work would not be doing it with me. If I wanted to do this it would be on my own completely (I would have her support, but the actual training would be by myself.) In the past this would have been motivation enough to not complete it, just drop it. I found a great program online - Hal Higdon's Novice 15K Training Program, printed it out and tacked it to my cubical with "Gate River Run" in big letters at top. I couldn't back down now this time. Come Jan 1st I put my plan into action and started my 10 week program. I remember looking at it at the beginning and seeing the 5, 6, 7, and 8 mile runs and not sure if I would be able to do it. Yesterday I completed the 8 miles and not only completed it, ROCKED IT! (My sister ran it with me and honestly it was one of best times I have had with her, something that I will always remember! - In fact we did this loop that she told me she has always been wanting to do, a goal of hers and we DID IT!)

This Saturday I am going to run through the finish and complete so much - I will finished the longest run of my entire life, I will prove to myself that I CAN challenge myself and do something that I didn't think was possible, I will complete the 1st real physical challenge I have had in probably 5 years (the last one was NCAAs basically exactly 5 years ago) and finally I will finish a promise to myself, a goal that I have had for a year! I really am excited about this run this weekend for these reasons. The best part is that when I finish my boyfriend will be at the finish line waiting for me and I can just run into his arms and get a hug! What better motivation than that?!

This week is about staying calm, relaxing, eating right, and getting sleep all the way through running through and finishing my 1st ever 15K and longest run of my life!