How I became a runner

Today was the first t-shirt run of the year. This winter and spring (if you can call it that) has had so much icky and cold weather that I have still been wearing my winter running gear. But today, the weather was absolutely lovely: blue skies and brilliant sunshine.

Sunny runs always require a bit of ABBA, Glee, Disney music as well as the routine Adam Lambert and Lady Gaga. Over the years, I've found that I run to different music according to the season. (I also listen to different music according to the season...) During the winter I run to Evanescence, Paramore, Muse, Lady Gaga, Adam Lambert, Pink and Tegan & Sara. Summer runs are more lighthearted with ABBA, Flyleaf, La Roux, Shakira (Gaga and Lambert too).

The run was a lovely seven miles, dodging the hoards of bikers, blinking from the strobe-lighting sun and enjoying the spring weather.

During my cool down/stretch time I was remembering how I came to enjoy running... how I even started running.

As a child and tween, I despised most forms of exercise. Wasn't coordinated, always out of breath, red faced. Middle school gym was my least favorite part of the day. I would feign illness or begin to hyperventilate just to escape the wretched hour. The worst day of the week was the day we ran the mile.

I continued this way throughout middle school until eighth grade. Until my grade depended on my mile time.

On a spring Mile Day, my gruff P.E. teacher, Mr. V, told us that an A mile was about 10 minutes and we had to finish under 15 minutes. I usually walked a generous portion of my mile so my time was always around 14 minutes. Terrified of receiving any grade lower than an A, I cried a little (typical) and then ran. And I ran the whole mile without stopping.

Suddenly I was aware that I could run. I could run a mile without walking. As a self-conscious, exercise-hating, awkward eighth grader, this was empowering. Possibly one of the greatest moments in my life.

That summer I ran a few times, but not regularly. In freshman year, I was required to take Fit for Life (P.E. class that took you through every possible sport (torture) with fitness days on Tuesdays and Thursdays). We often had to run "The 1.6" -- a 1.6 loop around the front of the high school. Because my Pop died towards the beginning of the semester and my Gram died 8 weeks later, I used the 1.6 as a way to cope with the emotional pain of losing them. My time continued to get better and better... ending the year with a 15 minute 1.6 (Yes, I'm not super fast, but my original time was 22 minutes).

During sophomore year, I watched a documentary on PBS about first time runners running the Boston Marathon. And then my mom and I decided to run a half marathon.

I've been running regularly ever since. I've had many a good run, many a bad run.. one leg injury. Run two half marathons and planning on a full marathon soon.

Call me crazy, but running is a source of joy for me. Sometimes it's the best part of my day. I am thankful that God has blessed me with two functional and strong legs to carry this runner all around.