I am excited to share a guest post with you from Tricia at Endurance Isn’t Only Physcial! So, without further ado…
I had always been envious of runners. To me they represented everything I wanted to be. They were fit, happy and healthy. And while I considered running to be pure TORTURE, they considered it bliss. How could they enjoy something that I despised so much? I figured they had some “running gene” that hadn’t been passed on to me. As much as I loved the “idea” of being a runner, there was no way I’d ever be one.
I was overweight and unhappy. Running was the furthest thing from my mind. Walking was a big enough challenge for me. Two years ago I decided I was tired of being unhappy and unhealthy. I knew I deserved better. And while I doubted I would ever be a runner, I at least wanted to figure out what all the hype was about. So, I started walking and eating right. The pounds started melting off and the miles started adding up. Soon I was walking between 6-10 miles a day. Somewhere, in the back of my mind I started thinking about running.
But, I wasn’t even close to being thin, and I was pretty sure I still hated running. The more I thought about it though, the more I realized I’d never know unless I tried. So, I gave myself a goal. I wanted to run a 5k. I figured that had real world application. I could conceivably see myself needing to run 3.1 miles at some point, if I was being chased by a wild bear or something. I figured one of two things would happen. #1. (most likely) I would hate running because ummm…..its RUNNING, and then I’d give myself permission to stop. Or #2. I wouldn’t be quite as bad as I expected, and I’d still dabble in running just to be able to say “I run”.
I registered for a 5k to keep myself motivated. I started incorporating small bursts of running in with my walking. Slowly, the running parts overtook the walking and before I knew it I was running 5k. On race day my goal was simply to finish without having to take a walk break. Imagine my surprise when I squeaked in under 30 minutes.
It was after my first 5k that I realized something exciting had happened. I didn’t just “tolerate” running, and I certainly didn’t want to quit. In fact, I enjoyed it so much I started looking forward to adding longer distance. One year later I ran a full marathon.
Through running I have experienced the heartache of injuries and the joy of crossing finish lines. Running has helped me become healthy and stay sane. Most of all, running has taught me I can do anything I set my mind to. When people ask me why I run I simply tell them “Because I CAN”,and that’s a beautiful thing.