Like many kids, I started running young. Around the neighborhood with my friends. Nothing serious or organized, just spirited games of tag and the like. I enjoyed being on the track team in middle school then pushed running to the back burner while I focused on ice skating and dance. After college, life and career got in the way. Although I hit up the gym in fits and starts, nothing stuck and for me my 20’s were an era of overall out-of-shapeness. I didn’t lace up to run again until I was in my 30’s.
I never met my paternal grandmother and only one of my dad’s 3 sisters because they died of heart disease long before I could remember them. My dad was an obese, quite sedentary Type II diabetic. I knew that I’d end up just like him, or even worse, meet an early death like his mom and sisters. So I started running away from the health issues that ran in my family. Literally.
I started on the treadmill at the gym. It was hard. The display creeped so slowly I kept a towel over it. But 10 minutes turned to 20. I got up to a few miles. I’d mess with the speed and incline to combat boredom.
I ran my first 5k with my sister in 1999. It wasn’t until after my kids were born that I attempted distances beyond 10k. I ran my first 10 miler when Thing 2 was 8 months old. In 2007 I got up the nerve to try my first half marathon and sign up for a full as well. Since then running has become a way of life. A way to decompress, socialize and challenge myself all in one. It has strengthened me mentally, physically and spiritually and taken me places I’d never dreamed possible (hello Boston).
Running has taught me to dream big and challenge what I believe is impossible. When I set the goal to run all 6 World Marathon Majors, I had no idea how or IF I could achieve it. In April 2019 that mission was accomplished. I plan to enjoy running well into old age. I can’t imagine life without it.
Note: I am not a doctor and I do not play one on TV (yet) either. No content on this website is to be construed as a recommendation by me. Please consult your doctor or other health professional to determine what’s best for you.
