National Running Day

It's National Running Day!!! Make sure to get out there and run today! I would, except I'm stuck here on the couch and hobbling around on crutches for the 10th day. Its getting real old, real quick!

Since it's National Running Day, I thought I'd share with y'all how I got into running.....and let me warn you, this is going to get REAL personal!

It all started in 7th grade when I was a manager for the track team. I was in charge of keeping stats and the team organized...(I guess my organizational skills/OCD stems back further than I realized until I started writing this today.)  Often I would run for fun with the team during practice on long runs and sprints. I didn't go out for track because I didn't know I could run, I thought I was too slow and didn't want to always be last! But to my amazement, I found myself keeping up with several people and beating many others!! I told myself the following year I would run. And I did. In 8th grade I ran the 2mile, 1mile, 1/2mile and was part of the Medley Relay.  My 1mile run PR was 6:30! I was damn proud of that!! Today, I cant beat a 9:30min mile! What I would give to be able to run a 6:30min mile again!!  Actually, what I should be saying today is "What I would give to be able to walk without these damn crutches....!"  After middle school I didn't do much long distance running.  In High School (HS) I played volleyball, tennis and softball and was the boys basketball manager my freshman year. With these sports we did more sprinting than anything...which I suck at! My long ole legs just don't move fast enough for sprints. (I'm 5'9'') During long runs I feel best after the 1st 1/2 mile....
Anyways, after HS I went on to college on a softball scholarship, hurt my knee and didn't get to play, yada yada.....weird thing is this is what happened to both of my brothers as well! Yes, all 3 of us went to college to play ball and ended up hurt and didn't get to play...what are the odds of that!? That was 2000-2001.
Jump forward to April 2010. I started going to the gym M-F for about and hour and a half each day. I would jump on the treadmill for at least half an hour and then do some weight training. Running was relaxing. It was my way of releasing built up tension and anger and staying sane. This continued for about 6-7months. Then I moved again and eventually got back into the gym at the apt complex. The following summer (2012) Josh convinced me to start running outside instead of on the treadmill. It was hard! It was so much different than running on the treadmill. I had forgotten what it was like, with hills and stoplights and cars! I had come across a "Pin" on Pinterest that took me to a blog about a lady who had used Couch25K to start running. At the same time I had a friend on facebook that I would see posting her runs and she was using the same app. So I downloaded it to my phone and took off for a run following the program. I wanted to be able to run 3 miles without walking and my lungs being on fire! I found the program was a little slow for me. I could run a lot longer than it told me to. So I just kinda made my own program and listened to my body. I would stop and walk for 30-60seconds and then start running again. It worked, before I knew it I would run a full 3 miles w/out stopping!!
Then one day I decided I wanted to run a half marathon some day! So I started upping my miles. I was running every day M-F. Then I switched it up to M, W, Th and long run on Saturdays so my body could give my body some rest.  I noticed during this time when I would run more than 3 miles I would be running to the bathroom when I got home from my run with the runs! (I told you it was going to get REAL!) After researching, I found out that this was COMPLETLEY normal! In fact, many people aren't able to get home before they go and end up sh!tting their pants! At least I could wait till I got home. I was happy with that!  And after more research, I found it was recommended no milk/dairy before long runs. So I gave up milk & cheese after lunch the day before long runs. And guess what!? It worked! No more upset tummy when I got home from my runs! So far to this day my longest run has been 6 miles...and after the 1st time I passed out when I got home. Literally passed out! I had never experienced anything like that before! Scared the sh!t out of me! The 2nd time I almost passed out a block from my apt!  I guess I need to eat more than just a slice of toast with peanut butter and carry a water bottle with me.
Today as I sit here reminiscing on when and where I started with my running, it really saddens me that I can't be out there celebrating National Running Day with my fellow runners.