The 12 Days of Running

The 12 Days of Running (spoof on The 12 Days of Christmas):

On the 1^st day of running, running blessed me with... calf cramps.

On the 2^nd day of running, running blessed me with... blisters.

On the 3^rd day of running, running blessed me with... IT band pain.

On the 4^th day of running, running blessed me with... bad weather.

On the 5^th day of running, running blessed me with... one bum knee.

On the 6^th day of running, running blessed me with... lame cat calls.

On the 7^th day of running, running blessed me with... black toenails.

On the 8^th day of running, running blessed me with... plantar fasciitis.

On the 9^th day of running, running blessed me with... 4 A.M. wake-up calls.

On the 10^th day of running, running blessed me with... side stitches.

On the 11^th day of running, running blessed me with... worn out shoes.

On the 12^th day of running, running blessed me with... prescription for rest.

Yes, I know those aren’t really blessings; it was just my attempt at humor!  I honestly had a hard time making that list because running has blessed me with so very much.  As we enter the holiday season, I am reminded of the blessings in my life and running is definitely one of those blessings, for many reasons.  

1)      Family Bonding – Family trips to Disney World have been replaced with trips to race destinations (usually near the beach).  My whole family runs so we get to encourage and support each other and also discuss our “race strategies”.

2)      Confidence – I’ve always dealt with body image issues and running has helped me to feel strong and embrace my athletic legs!

3)      Health – I’m healthier physically and mentally thanks to running.  I eat better to help my running, plus running is a stress reliever for me.

4)      Lifelong Friends – I’ve made countless friends over the years because of running. 

5)      Lessons in setting goals, determination, not quitting – These are lessons that I’ve been able to apply to all facets of my life and have helped improve me as a person.

6)      Love – I met the love of my life at a 50K; we were introduced by a mutual friend, who I also happened to have met through running!

Sooner or later, you’ll have a bad run, get an injury, get lost on the trails, or not be able to find a bathroom on your route, but in the grand scheme of things, those setbacks are completely worth the blessings that come with running!

I am a runner.

“I am not somebody who just likes to run. I am a runner. This is the difference between a pastime and a passion. I like to play golf, but I am not a golfer. I like to cook, but I am not a chef. I don’t just like to run. I am a runner. It is a passion. It is part of who I am and is woven into the fabric of my personality, character, and psyche.”
                                                                  
                               – Adam Goucher from “Running the Edge”


I haven't always considered myself a runner; in fact, I used to run the minimum amount I had to for soccer and would call it a day.  You never know where your life may lead you though, and many years after my last college soccer game, I now consider myself a runner.  How did I go from the point of running just enough to get by to loving running?  Well, it started for me back in 2002 when I was diagnosed with exertional compartment syndrome.  I had to have a double fasciotomy - surgery on both legs.  I decided that a post-surgery race was in order so I signed up for the Lou Holtz 5K and started running with one of those crazy cross country friends.  I think it took me almost 30 minutes to finish and I was told I probably I wouldn't improve much from that.  Those are fighting words to a girl like me.  I started running more, signed up for a 10-miler, ran the 10-miler, and was hooked.  I was actually enjoying running, but I wouldn't say that I was a runner at that point. 



Over the next few years, I ran, but didn't really run.  I ran because it was good for me and kept me in shape.  I started training for the Kiawah marathon, wound up injured after the race, and took some time off.  Then, my life put me back on the path to becoming a runner.  I met a boy who I fell head over heels for.  I began running even less due to being tired from traveling to see him and the stress the relationship was causing.  Our relationship ended in heartbreak.  I had learned from a past experience that instead of looking back it would be wiser to walk away and keep moving ahead.  I decided to not just walk away, but to run away.  I started running and racing again, which led me to joining the Lexington Running Club.  Never in a million years did I expect to meet a group of lifelong friends.  I also didn't expect to fall so much in love with running that I would consider myself a runner. I had found a love for running, or maybe I should say running had found me.


I now find myself at the beginning of another path in my life; I'll be moving to a new state within the next year.  Am I worried about finding a job?  No.  Am I worried about going from being single to being someone's wife?  No.  What I am worried about is not being able to find what I have here.  My running group isn't just a running group.  They are an integral part of my life and are a lifeline of sorts.  I'm worried about not being able to find good running routes.  I'm worried about not having others to run with.  My main worries have to do with running.  Some might think this is crazy, but as Adam Goucher said, "I am a runner. It is a passion. It is part of who I am and is woven into the fabric of my personality, character, and psyche.”                        

Savannah Rock-n-Roll Marathon 11.5.11 Recap

I went into this race with no goals, low anxiety, and just looking to have a solid run.  I signed up for this race not because it was part of the Rock-n-Roll series, but because it was in Savannah and I had always wanted to go there.  After running this race, I would never sign up for a race just because it’s in the RnR series.  The expo was too crowded, there was nothing special about the expo, the goody bags were just your standard bags that every race is giving out, the shuttle/parking logistics were horrible, and a big part of the course was on the boring interstate.  I was underwhelmed.  On the other hand, the shirt was pretty cool, and more importantly, the medal had glitter on it.  Yep, you read right – glitter.  One of my fave things!

I had planned on running with Jason, but due to sickness, he couldn’t run.  Luckily, my friend and fellow relay racer, Larry, was taking the same shuttle I was, so we decided to meet up and then find our friend and also relay racer, Liz, at the start line.  The entrances to the corrals were jam packed with runners, so we ended up finagling our way through the fence to get in, and as luck would have it, we ended up right by Liz!  The plan was to start off slow for the first 10K, pick it up and keep a steady pace through 20, and then push hard for the last 10K.  I guess we were all feeling good because we hit the 10K split faster than what I/we had wanted.  We tried a couple of times to slow down, but it would only last a mile or two before we fell back into our low 8:00’s pace.  Around mile 7, I heard a familiar voice - my mom!  My parents had found a spot to cheer us on and take pics.  The miles flew by thanks to Liz and Larry; before I knew it, we had hit 20 miles.  At 20, I told Liz she would need to get faster each mile if she wanted to qualify for Boston, so she took off, leaving Larry and I in the dust!  Larry started getting leg cramps around 23 and slowed up some.  I thought about staying with him, but it was easier to keep on moving, so I headed on and tried to speed up some, but the 6-mile wind tunnel aka miles 19 to 25 won that battle.  My effort level felt like 7:30 miles, but my actual pace was close to what it had been all day.  I finished in 3:36:58, which wasn’t a PR, but I was happy with it.  I went in with no goal and hadn’t trained as hard as I’m capable of, so I was happy with that time and the fact that I felt fairly decent at the end.

I’ve always been fine running by myself, but I thought I’d be running with Jason, so when those plans fell through, I automatically felt lonely!  What a blessing Larry and Liz were – for many reasons.  Having friendly/familiar faces at the start of a race, especially a marathon, is something that I’ve come to find as relaxing.  The chatter/running talk/catching up we did made this race go by so, so fast.  Their encouragement was priceless.  I am so proud of these two; Larry had a PR and Liz had a PR and qualified for Boston.  She didn’t just qualify for Boston, but she somehow managed to nail the exact time she needed – 3:35:00.  That’s skill for you!

It turns out a man collapsed at mile 22 and passed away.  This is the second race I’ve ran in where a runner has passed away.  No matter if I was happy or not with how I did, in the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t really matter.  We get so caught up in our goals and if we had a good/bad race, etc., that we often forget the simple things – like how incredibly blessed we are to be able to run and race.  I am so thankful for my wonderful family who travels (and runs) with me, a loving boyfriend who puts up with my running induced craziness, the best running friends a girl could ask for, and just the ability to be able to enjoy life.  God has filled my life with so many blessings and I’m eternally grateful!

Splits:

Mile 1 – 8:37
M2 – 8:07
M3 – 8:09 – 5K split = 25:56
M4 – 8:08
M5 – 7:54
M6 – 8:07 – 10K split = 51:11
M7 – 8:10
M8 – 8:24
M9 – 8:12
M10 – 8:09 – 10 mile split = 1:22:19
M11 – 8:15
M12 – 8:03
M13 – 7:59 – 13.1 split = 1:47:36
M14 – 8:19
M15 – 8:14
M16 – 8:12
M17 – 8:09
M18 – 8:06
M19 – 8:17
M20 – 8:17 – 20 mile split = 2:44:23
M21 – 8:01
M22 – 8:11
M23 – 8:19
M24 – 9:12
M25 – 8:31
M26 – 8:31
Total Time: 3:36:58, 8:17 pace