About Me

For my whole life I have have been an active person. Never has my time slowed down, even for the weekend. From a young age it was either soccer season, softball season, cheerleading, or horseback riding. I don't remember not having some activity to head to after school. In college I continued this by playing intramural sports and although my life fitness slowed down in comparison, I still was playing soccer, softball or going to the gym (some). 

I was at UNCW playing intramural soccer when I tore my ACL. I've played soccer since I was 3, traveling and competing on school teams and wouldn't you know when I'm 21 I'd tear my knee up. I wouldn't wish the pain of an ACL tear on my worst enemy. Over Christmas vacation that year (2008) I had reconstructive surgery to fix my knee and was good as new. 

The decision to have surgery was an easy one for me. Quality of life at 21 would have been nuts without fixing it. Without surgery, there would be no running around acting silly with my kids, skiing in the mountains (must say didn't really mind that one), playing soccer, riding a horse (this was big) or being active without the risk of my knee slipping and feeling that awful pain again and again. No thank you. What I didn't expect after surgery, being afraid to do things. Recovery came slow for me and ended up becoming an excuse instead of a reason to get back in shape. 

The result? I got lazy; I got really really lazy, and as a result, It sucked. It was very embarrassing and it really messed with my self esteem. This didn't happen overnight. From 2009 to April 2013 I would go to the gym for a few months and quit. I pretended to be into running capping out at a mile 3-4 days a week and I just couldn't understand WHY I couldn't lose the extra weight or get any better. I remember constantly telling my husband "Nothing's changing this is stupid." 

Finally in April 2013 I decided to change. My husband was fresh off of a firefighting academy and as a result, he was in the best shape of his life. Pan to me...at 26 I was officially in the worst shape of my life. Uber depressing. Thankfully while coaching, I made a connection with a woman who has 2 children, works full time, and manages her house AND can outrun you. She completed the Diva 1/2 marathon in April and I saw the pictures and said "I HAVE to do that." And I ran. 

Did I like running. No. Let's be clear. I HATED running. Everyday. Every step. Every breath. I just prayed for the moment it would be over. My husband ran with me my first run over a mile in months. A run that I would have had to "train" for and you know what? I made it. I didn't die. I actually ran the entire thing. HATED it. But I survived. The next day I did it again. 

Currently the most I'm running is 3.5 miles. I'm so proud that when I tell my husband I'm going for a quick run it's 2 miles. It may not seem like a lot but for someone who HATED running, I love it. I feel accomplished. Nike+ gets a lot of credit for logging miles weekly. I'm so competitive that I can't stand when someone is beating me, so I run a little further. 

Something that I feel has helped me stay interested in running (besides the Nike+) are running races. It gives me something to look forward too, the t-shirt and bragging rights. I love a good t-shirt. I have found that the racing keeps me logging miles because I don't want to do worse than my last race. When you see my times you'll know I'm no speed runner. I envy people that can do a 5k in under an 8 min pace. I can't. I don't know that I ever will but that 's ok. My fast pace on race day ranges between 9 and 9:30 right now. And I'm ok with that.

I'm no Olympic runner. Sometimes I feel like I could run and run and run. And some days a mile is a daunting task. It's a challenge and I'm glad I've finally stepped up and been bitten  by the race bug.