Runnin' for a Reason

I. hate. running.  I mean no offense to those of you who have experienced the whole "runner's high" thing but I have not - ever.  That is why I played sports in school.  There was a purpose to my running....to the other side of the court, to dive for a ball, etc.  Never did I run just for fun. 

My how your life and your opinions can change.  Last fall at this time two of my friends talked me into taking an 8 week boot camp with them.  Best thing I ever did for myself.  At the beginning of each class we would jog for about 5 minutes.  At the beginning this killed me.  My lungs hurt, my fat shook, my shoes sucked.  It made me hate running even more.  Then something strange happened.  After about 2 weeks, the running was the easy part.  I knew when we were done running we'd be doing lunges or squats or some hideous form of torture so the running became bearable.

Fast forward to this fall.  I have come to view running as a challenge.  Challenge was what I loved about sports anyway, only now I am competing only with myself.  How far can I run without stopping?  How much faster did I do that run this time?  It keeps me going. 

Now don't get any crazy ideas - I am still not a runner.  I don't quite enjoy as much as tolerate it, but I am hoping the longer I go that will change.  Those same friends that talked me into boot camp talked me into running the Race for the Cure 5K last Saturday.  Now I am a very detailed, list making kind of person and I knew technically I was not ready to run a 5K because I wasn't even sure I could run the whole thing without walking and to me if you have to walk you might as well not do it.  ( I know that's ridiculous, I'm working on it! )  But I agreed and once I paid my money and got my shirt there was no going back.

I cannot tell you how thrilled I am that I did it.  Did I make it the whole 3.1 miles without walking?  No  But I didn't walk as much as I thought I would and I made it four minutes faster than my goal time.  But that wasn't the amazing part.  The amazing part was watching hundreds, maybe thousands, of people...old, young, men, women, large, small, all running for one amazing cause.  The fight against breast cancer. 

I know what it is like to lose someone you love to cancer.  My amazingly wonderful grandpa died of lung cancer the month I found out I was pregnant with my daughter.  I know that he would be proud of me for running for something that could change the outcome of this horrible disease.  I thought I would share a few pictures from this wonderful day!

 This is from the Survivor's Ceremony

 Almost to the starting line

Looking out over the crowd

 This is where the runner's met up with the walkers to head toward the finish line.  A friend of mine took these pictures.  I couldn't because I was huffing and puffing coming down the hill!  :0)  So if you have ever thought about taking up jogging/running/walking....you should do it.  You never know how you can change you life, or someone elses!