Introduction

Allow me to introduce myself. I am a 35 year old mother with four children: 9 years, 7 years, 4 years, and 10 months. Before children, I used to be an avid runner. I was first inspired by the track stars during the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta (remember Michael Johnson?). I was 14 years old. Running was my preferred form of exercise throughout high school and college. I never did it competitively though or in an organized event of any kind. I ran throughout college for health averaging 5 miles at most. I loved the freedom and how it cleared my head. After my first daughter was born when I was 25, I continued to run sporadically, buying a treadmill so I could run while she napped. Then my son was born two years later, and I didn't run as often. We downsized apartments to save money, so I had to sell my treadmill. I eventually bought a double jogging stroller and took up running again. Three years later my second daughter came, and I would run some with the younger two in the stroller when my oldest was at school. The following year I began homeschooling. My "free" time was slipping away. I wasn't so good at getting up early and the motivation to do it was lacking. Sleep sounded so much better. I still exercised, but it was mostly via aerobics DVDs. I didn't particularly like aerobics, but it was easier to exercise at home later in the day than to get up early before my husband left for work. I couldn't figure out how to run with three kids in tow. A few years later we decided to round out our family with baby 4. My oldest was 8 1/2 when she was born. After she came, all motivation to exercise took a back seat. I wanted to do it, but it was definitely not a priority. I started eating healthier (Trim Healthy Mama), and decided that if I could only do one thing, eating better would be it. Exercise had been an idol for me, so learning to let it go in order to serve my family better was a good thing. I missed running though. It wasn't because I wanted to be a certain size or weight (which had been much of my motivation before). I missed being out, clearing my head, and just letting my legs go. I missed how good I felt after a run.

Fast forward to two days ago. It had been raining a lot for Southern California the weeks before. Saturday morning was windy and cold. By afternoon, the sky was bluer than I had seen it in a looong time and the wind had died down. I was going to do another exercise DVD when my husband came home from the errand he was running. The baby was asleep. The 4 year old was asleep. The older two were watching a movie. The timing was right. I turned off the DVD and stepped outside. I turned on the Foo Fighters station on iHeart radio and began the run. The songs were just right for motivation (Today by the Smashing Pumpkins? That's one of the best songs to run to). Even though I hadn't run since I couldn't remember when, it felt so good. When I got back, I had the bug: the running bug that is. I thought, why don't I run a 5K? It would be great motivation to keep running. I started looking around online for races when I remembered that Disneyland has marathons. There was actually one happening this past weekend. The next one coming up was the Tinker Bell Half Marathon on Mother's Day weekend. I was going to sign up for either the 5K or the 10K when I realized that they were already sold out. The next race at Disneyland wasn't until Labor Day weekend, and I didn't want to wait that long. I looked around for other races in the area, but none of them sounded like good enough motivation for me. I started thinking, what if? What if I could run the half marathon? I have four months. 13.1 miles isn't as bad as 26.2. Other people have trained for them. The Biggest Losers run marathons before losing all the weight. Why can't I? I've already lost over 40 pounds since having my youngest last March. I'm a lot closer to my goal than they are. I Googled "training for a half marathon" and found this link. I could run on the weekdays before my husband leaves for work since the runs are only 2-3 miles! The long runs are on Saturdays, and I can always carve out time for that. The wheels in my head were spinning and my heart started racing. I can do this! I asked my husband what he thought if I were to run the race on Mother's Day. I think he thought I was a little crazy, but he was supportive. I jumped in and signed up. And then came the nervousness, fear, knots in the stomach. Did I just sign up for more than I can handle? No. I can do this. I will do this.

So, I am running. I am running to prove to myself that I can do this. I am running because God has given me strength to run. He's given me a desire to run. He's given me legs to run. He's blessed me with good health. He's blessed me with a supportive family and kids that want to come watch me run. He's blessed me with supportive friends, some who have run marathons and half marathons before. I used to think someday running a marathon would be cool. Well, someday just became May 14th, 2017! Follow me as I train...

1 Corinthians 10:31 "Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

These verses apply to the race that is the Christian life, but they always come to mind as I run: Hebrews 12:1-2 "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."