This past Monday, I got up and went for a run. As I lay in bed thinking about staying there, going to the gym or lacing up the trusty New Balances that I have come to adore in spite of their pink  accents – I wondered why I ever started running at the gym again. Oh right, it has been more than a good decade since I ran with any purpose other than girlish figure maintenance.

Being at the gym is a downer now that I have run a killer half marathon. Literally, I couldn’t get past two miles on the dreadmill without feeling bored, tired and lame. I can’t understand how I got to eight miles on that thing before the Safari Park Hill of DOOM! With that all swirling around my brain, I hopped out of bed and tied those laces and hit the road. Well, I put on running clothes too. There was that part.

Running used to be my time out of the house. When I was twenty, I ran to have something to do to prevent smoker’s lung from setting in hardcore. I ran several competitive runs only to light up and grab a beer. Oh to be twenty again and be perfectly numb to the reality’s of your world and all the horror packed into it. When I was twenty-seven, I ran to get out of the house, and lose baby weight gained after a depressing pregnancy that left me forty pounds overweight. Oh to be twenty-seven again and realize that the previous seven years were full of horrifying choices. I ran because I was running away from something inside me that I couldn’t hide from and well that really is how we got here, right? The countless first dates. The terrifying stories of drunk men eating faces off of lovely girls.

Today, I am running because there is no excuse not to and there is nothing to run from at all.

When I was running on Monday, I thought about everything. My Monkey and his amazing heart the size of two moons. The Boyfriend and how supportive he has been of my starting my own business and keeping me feeling loved every day. My Family and how no matter what my Mom & Dad are usually always there with unconditional love. I thought about my new friends and all the awesome that has come from not hiding from new. This blog bounced around my noggin. Running became moments of clarity and questions to be asked of myself. Challenges to be drawn in the sand.

I’ve decided to start a separate section on this blog, all dedicated to my running adventures, so keep an eye out for that one. The whole train wreck of my plans to run a half marathon will be chronicled, as well as my possibly joining a local running group and maybe meeting new people. What?!?! Yeah, I know. Holla!

I hear from a lot of folks that they couldn’t do (insert tough thing here) and well that was me for a long time. Excuses abounded as to why I couldn’t get past those four or five miles. First it was my knee then it was my back and now, well nothing. I’ve done the 13.1 miles (again) and lived to tell about it. Seriously folks, there is nothing you can’t do. When all else fails….modify, modify, modify.

I found a pretty fabulous site WalkJogRun.net that helped me come up with my training plan for the 13.1 miles. Looking to do a 5K? They got that too. Check it out, I promise you there’s not contract to sign, no down payment…nada, except the challenge. Kick your ass. If you can reach it with your own foot, cause I can’t – so there’s that.

Be well, friends.