How'd this Craze Start?

So as this blog may represent, I like to run. Have I always? That's a big NO. Sure I ran track in grade school and was involved in sports in high school but somewhere between moving to college and currently I decided to start running races. Why? Because it's addicting!

So I'll start from the beginning. I moved to college in 2007 and I've always been active, so when my suitmate Jenny asked if I would go on a run with her I agreed. About a quarter mile into the run, in the most exhausted state ever I asked, "How far are we going?" She then decided to let me know about her cross country team in high school. Cross Country?? I can't even run across campus!! All in all, I pushed hard and that is the first memory I have of actually running for fun.

Freshman year, I was active with a competitive cheerleading squad in college therefore it was necessary to stay in shape. I hated going to the gym for anything but practice but all my friends went, so I hopped on the bandwagon.

Soon it was summer time and I started running in the neighborhood that I lived in. It was about a .6 mile circle, so I ran around that several times a night. During the winter months, I would go to the gym (usually Kaci dragged me there) and I had a goal of running 2 miles on the treadmill each time. I then ran my first 5k late April 2009 and ended up doing extremely well. Above is a photo of me with my 2nd place trophy!

In summer 2009, I ran a total of five 5k's including the MLB All Star 5k in St. Louis. Each race I ran, my time decreased. I finished my very last 5k with a time of 26:15, my PR. Three days later I had foot surgery and therefore had to re-learn how to walk and running was not even an option to me for at least four months.

On Thanksgiving Day, I asked my Aunt Melissa for an entry to the Illinois Marathon 2010. She agreed and I was registered- which forced me to train for a half! In January 2010 I finally started training. I followed the Nike + training schedule but ended up getting shin splints horribly, so I had to tone it down a notch. I quit running for four weeks and picked it up again two months before the half marathon. All in all I finished the half marathon with a time of 2:09. I was very pleased with my time since it was my first one, even though my goal was under 2:00.

All in all it was a great experience, and I am now signed up for the Virginia RnR half marathon on Labor Day weekend!! Something even better about the Illinois Marathon? My aunt decided to run it too!! She has never really ran in her life, and something motivated her to do this! I am so proud of her and she has honestly inspired me to believe the overused saying, "anything is possible."

So what else motivates me? Runner's World daily quotes.

So you saw a picture of my first race ever...now there is a picture of my aunt and I after completing the Illinois Marathon a year later.