I began the Couch to 5k training program on June 21, 2011, the longest day of the year. Out of necessity, my workouts had to take place at 5:00am, so I began on the day that the sky would be brightest at that early hour. The first workout was incredibly hard for me. Those 60-second intervals felt endless, but I pushed through and felt elated at the end of the workout. Now nearly 12 months later, I ran my first 10-miler last weekend. What a difference a year makes!
I'm proud of my running accomplishments over the past year, and I'm even happier about the balance running has provided for my life. When my husband was unjustly fired from the aforementioned terrible job, running gave me an outlet to release stress and find a bit of peace. The predictability of running kept me grounded during the subsequent months of unemployment and the resulting financial uncertainty.
For me, running is a metaphor for life. There are runs when I'm sure that I cannot possibly go one more step, but I dig deep and run just to the next tree...and then the one after that and one more, and before I know it, I've covered my distance. The same goes for life. When I face days of seemingly endless frustrations, I know that I just need to dig in, put my head down, and soldier on.
I hope to use this blog to reflect on my running life, my life as a wife and mother, and anything else that may seem important to this mother runner. I hope you'll join me!
