Momma Is Racing

I never liked running when I was a kid. It hurt my lungs. It hurt my legs. I always felt slow. I purposely did javelin in high school track because that was one of the only events that didn't require running.
A few years ago when I'd hear of people training for marathons I could only see images of hard core marathoners with sunken in cheeks and skeleton like frames. I just didn't get it. I thought anyone who wanted to run for fun was crazy.

Then a few things happened that started to change my mind.

I joined Stroller Strides the winter after Xander was born. I started to make exercise a part of my life and I met a group of amazing mommas. I started to see another side to running. The some of moms in my group were training for races. They didn't have 0% body fat and look like skeletons. They looked strong and healthy and excited to be running. It started to change my thinking about running and who a runner was.

The major turning point for me was Meghann. She is one of my best friends in the entire world and suddenly she was running! She wasn't a runner but she was running. In fact, she trained for and ran two HALF MARATHONS. I was amazed, proud, inspired.....jealous.

Jealous? I couldn't believe I was jealous. She was getting in amazing shape and she was really enjoying running and running races. I loved to hear her talk about her training and what race she planned to run in next. Meg always sounded so great when I'd talk to her post race. She was inspiring me, the only problem was I was pregnant with Eli. I wanted to see if I could do it, too. I liked the idea of a challenge.

Then, to top it all off, my sister, Shayla, started running. She has asthma and was battling through some horrendous headaches from some jaw issues but she still managed to train for and finish a half marathon! With an awesome time, I might add.

Now I am proud to call myself a runner and just last weekend completed my first ever race. I ran the 8k (4.97 miles) in the annual Shamrock Run here in Portland. It felt great and the adrenalin of running a race is awesome! My time was better than I expected and I ended up finishing 1266 out of 4000 or so women who ran my same race. One of the best parts was knowing those that inspired me were either running right along with me or cheering me on from the sidelines. Or, in Meghann and Shayla's cases, waiting for a post race call to Montana and Colorado :)
I can officially say that I am hooked! I feel great. I've lost the baby weight. And most of all, I'm healthier.


Here are a few pictures of the Shamrock Run. Jason, Xander, Eli and my mom and dad came downtown to cheer me on!  Sadly, I didn't get a picture with mom&dad but I was so happy that they extended their stay a little bit to see me run my first ever race.

It was so cold and rainy that day that I had to wear a bunch of layers, hence the bulging rain coat.

The action shot! Jas tried to take of picture of me on the homestretch to the finish line but this is all he managed to get :)

Eli and Xander under the rain cover 

Here I am with one of my fellow Stroller Stride mommas and 8K finishers, Liz! We were pretty dang proud of ourselves :)