My first memory of running for purpose was in elementary school. Each year would culminate with field day and the 50 yard dash. We would line up by grade (girls first, then boys) and take off across the front lawn of the school. And, guess what? I was the first girl to cross the finish line – every single year. Regretfully I have no photo to share, but just imagine an awesome ’80s permed hairdo on a 4th grader sporting some bright white Reeboks, and you get the general idea. My talent for fast running came in handy on the softball field, too – as I could beat the throw to first more times than not.
When high school rolled around, it would have made sense that I join the track team. The only problem with that plan was my nice little 2A school in the cornfield didn’t have a track team. So, I chose the next best thing and signed up for cross country. I quickly discovered that distance running was not my forte – it just didn’t come naturally to me. I had fun, and enjoyed being part of the team, but I never found my groove with cross country. I played on the tennis team in the spring and enjoyed that much more. I chose not to run my senior year and never once regretted it. Occasionally, I would run during college and throughout my 20’s, but always opted for other forms of exercise to stay in shape.
Sometime during my 30th year of life, J and I started running together. For the first time, I really enjoyed it. Running far still didn’t come naturally to me, but I loved the challenge of accomplishing another mile. I discovered the beauty of a pair of properly fitted running shoes, cute running shorts, and I’ve never looked back. I am by no means a hardcore runner. I mainly run around the neighborhood or on the treadmill, and have only participated in a couple of races. Several years ago, I ran the Cooper River Bridge Run 10K with one of my best friends and had blast. In 2014, I tackled the Augusta Half Marathon, unprepared for the hills, but I did finish! I hope to get a few more races on my calendar in the near future, and keep on running for many decades to come.
So, that's my running backstory. I have several running related blog posts on the agenda. I'll share training plans, favorite running foods, the best gear, and more!
