Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Am I a "Runner"...I'm still deciding.

My conversations about "running" typically went like this:

"What, you run, on purpose? That's not even right. I only run if there is an emergency and even then i am debating the whole time if it's really even neccessary!"

Seriously-I HATED RUNNING. I hated how your heart would beat so fast, how you would get stomach cramps constantly, how your legs would feel like jello and twitch for 3 hours after you ran reminding you of how much you are not a runner, how you cant chit chat with your friend because you were DYING for air to breathe!

I think honestly I was secretly jealous of those that run. I mean really-they are slim and trim.

They can pop out of bed, bust out 3 miles and be done working out. They were always outside in the warm sunshine-blaring killer music from their iPods. Often times if it is warm enough you can have the pleasure of watching a very handsome man with NO shirt run in front of you (if you're lucky)

or run past you. Glorious.

Jon had always dreamed of running with his wife. He always thought that was "so hot" to be able to run with your wife. When he was in HS he was on the track team. He use to RUN to seminary from his house every morning...ALL UP HILL--CHAPMAN! He has some seriously NIIIIICE legs.

Wow-did I disappoint or WHAT?! I had began running with my friend Kristen (we actually chit chatted more then we ran-I mean really after the ENTIRE day of kiddos, dinner, laundry etc-women need to VENT!) & I was able to run a mile or two.

One day I asked Jon, "Babe, would you like to run with me tomorrow?" Imagine the thrill that went through his body. SO EXCITING! "HECK YA!" was his response.

It was a perfect SUNNY cool but not cold, warmth coming from the sunshine day. We dropped all the kiddos off at school and shuttled Becca to her preschool class. We were SET to go "running."

We begin our journey. I told him "when I run with Kristen she's ALWAYS on my right hand side-so you will have to be too." We start to pick up pace. Suddenly Jon begins to have some sort of conversation with me. I quickly remind him "Dude-NO TALKING while running!!!!" He replies, "Oh sorry-I didn't know there were "running rules?!" Too funny.

We ran one mile together. Jon was so ecstatic about it all. His dreams were, FINALLY after 10 years of marriage, coming true.

The very next day, almost 24 hours later from that very run-Jon broke his neck.

Fast forward four LONG years later. I am now a "Runner"-I think. About 8 weeks ago I decided I was going to start running. My heart would beat fast, my stomach would cramp, my legs would feel like jello and twitch forever-I never had enough air to breathe. Yet-I kept going. Little by little. First it was on the treadmill-adding more and more as the days and weeks went by.

I remember going 3 miles, then 4 then 5. Later I remember going 5 then 6 then 7 then thinking heck lets just see if I can get to 10! I did. DUDE. I just ran 10 miles. AMAZING.

I started running on Victoria Avenue-I always feel like I am in Hawaii when I run on this street.



So beautiful and peaceful. To bring in the 2010 year I woke up and ran 10 miles New Years Day. Probably one of my very favorite days of my life. It was just me, this gorgeous open road and my thoughts.

I then decided to take the "challenge" and run a HALF MARATHON.

It was in Irvine on a CRISP COOL morning. There were 3840 of us there that day. Imagine that many people all huddled together ready to take off on a 13.1 mile run AT THE SAME TIME. Can you say MOOOOOOOOOOOOW!? It felt like a herd of cows. They released the alarm to start, we begin the "shuffle run" and make our way to a small biking trail where AGAIN ALL 3840 of us are now having to MERGE into this VERY NARROW PATH. The "shuffle run" continues.

Finally it gets back to the wide open streets and the "real running" begins. I am totally enjoying it! I get to mile 5 and I now see who the winners will be of this race as they are going the other direction on their way back to the finish line. They ran 13.1 miles with a 5 minute mile pace. They are SMALL framed men, every muscle pronounced and skinny as all get out-GROSS.

By mile 8 I am now thinking-dang I'd be set if this was only TWO MORE MILES--but I have to go FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVEEEEEEE more?!?!? ugh. This is where I begin to think-this was great to do ONCE but NEVER EVER EVER AGAIN will I do a marathon.

Finally I get to mile 12--I am running and a younger boy says "good job you are at the half way point-only half mile to go and you're done!" AWESOME. We all start to kick it in gear to FINISH THIS THING ALREADY!! We are running, and running and running--Dude WHERE IS THAT FREAKING FINISH LINE!??!?! We come to an older lady who says "great job! you are at the half way point!" ERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR freeze, hold up-"what did you just say?!" apparently that younger boy was wrong & needed to be smacked-hard.

I turn the corner and I hear another lady yell "you have 40 seconds left then you are done!" I see the finish line, the balloons, the big banner, the people. I am at the same time trying to look for Jon as he was there waiting for me in all excitement. I start sprinting my guts out and passed over the finish line.
FREAKING FINALLY.



I get my medal & guzzle my water. I find Jon

and tell him with the last bit of air I have left to breathe-"SO GLAD that is done and I will NEVER do that again!!"

Honestly I am thrilled that I did atleast ONE marathon. It got me to the point where I can easily run 3-5 miles every day if I wanted to. I have chosen to run 3 days a week and use weights the other 2 days of the week. This mixes things up enough for me.

I am NOW looking at the Ragnar Relay April 24th-25th and trying to put together a 12 person team. This is an event that your team runs from Santa Barbara to Dana Point with no breaks. Each of the 12 members take on 3 separate legs of the race. So leg one will run 3 miles, hop into the truck and runner 2 hops out to run 5 miles, hops in the truck for runner 3 to hop out etc etc. I want to call our team "Run 2 Grub" because honestly that is why I run & workout-SO I CAN EAT GOOD GRUB!!!!!! I love the idea of running down the California coast-that excites me.

I am so bummed that I did not take up running sooner so that Jon & I can do things like this together. He is able to go in his wheelchair and push alongside of me with his power wheels. Of course it's totally not the same-but better then nothing right!

So in the end...I guess I can now say "I am a Runner!"