Time to be honest...

 I'm going to tell you my story. Not my life story, but the story of why I'm trying to become a runner. Anybody who knows me very well knows that I'm not/never have been a runner in my entire life. There isn't anything about it that I enjoy, except for finishing my runs and feeling those endorphins come rushing in.


Now I'm going to tell you why I decided to run a half marathon (and 10k's). Everybody who runs always seems so happy. Being a runner is something that anybody can do, and it doesn't cost any money (aside from purchasing running shoes). The world is your gym. I've never really felt like I've accomplished anything outside of school, and that is why I decided to train for, and run, a half marathon. It really is something that takes a lot of hard work and dedication. Not to mention the fact that runners are in great shape!

Training for this half marathon has been one of the hardest things I've ever done. I'm about 98% sure that I started running too much, too soon, and with shoes that were too old. I would be in excruciating pain after my runs. I've had to learn to be patient. If my legs were hurting, I had to learn to take it slower and easier. It gets better though: as soon as my legs started hurting a little bit less (it was finally bearable/minimal pain) I was really excited, and then I started getting blisters from the shoes I would wear to my internship. I went out for one of my morning runs, and I had to stop less than 1/2 a mile into it. It felt like the skin on my heels was ripping apart. So, I hobbled home and got frustrated for not being able to run. It gets even better though. Then Tyler and I went to Bear Lake on a Saturday and I got FRIED! I was as red as a tomato, and completely miserable. I decided to take my Monday run off, but on Tuesday I decided that I needed to go since I had had so many setbacks because of my blisters and leg pain. My sunburn decided to blister!! Aah! Seriously? I think I took about 3 days off after that. Not only was I miserable from the burn, but I was frustrated because I thought I could do a half marathon, I was registered, I was trying to train, and I was too scared to run. I didn't want the pain and I didn't want my sunburn to blister. I made my own training schedule, but at this point, I was too far behind on it to know where I actually was. Perfect.

I just have to keep telling myself  that it's okay if I need to walk! Nobody becomes a long distance runner overnight. The best part? It really is okay to walk. Sure, I would like to be able to do these races without walking, but, I'm making progress and I'm doing a lot of distance! It's more than I was doing 2 months ago! My goal for the 10k I'm doing on Monday is to run at least the whole first 4 miles. Ultimately I'd like to try and push myself enough to run the whole thing. We'll see how it goes though. I'm sure I'll keep you posted!


Things really have been getting better lately, except for the heat outside (and in my apartment). I'm not a morning person, and it is really hard to get up. It is hard to find the motivation to run, but I do it. Everyday I think I'm crazy for signing myself up for this, but I know that after I run 13.1 miles on August 27th, I will feel incredible. That's why I'm doing it.