Running for a Reason

3 days ago I finished my first Half Marathon!!!

The thought to run a half marathon first entered my head around 3 months prior to the race. I felt like I hadn't really pushed myself lately and wanted to do something challenging. At that point I had never run more than 3 miles. 13.1 seemed nearly impossible, but nearly impossible is exactly what I was looking for. I did quite a bit of research on different races and selected the Gopher to Badger Half Marathon. I officially entered the race before I even bought running shoes.

Although I initially thought it would likely be a one time thing, as I began training I soon realized how much I was looking forward to my runs, and how they were becoming an important part of my life. It was about 1 month before the race when I had the realization "I AM A RUNNER".

As soon as I finished the Gopher to Badger Half on Saturday, August 14th, 2010 I knew I had started a habit that would last for life. While laying on the grass, totally exhausted, just passed the finish line I told Amede, my soon to be fiance, I couldn't wait to do another one. Not for one second did I doubt I would continue in this new found hobby/lifestyle. The exhaustion and pain could not compete with the exhilaration, and sense of accomplishment.

About 1 week before the race, I was talking with Amede about running, and she suggested I look into TEAM IN TRAINING. For those of you who don't know, Team in Training is an organization through which athletes can run and raise funds for leukemia and lymphoma research. As I did research on Team in Training it didn't take me long to determine that I was going to run for a world without cancer, for just one leukemia patient to be cured, for some child going through treatment to know he was special for just one day.

Thursday I am going to a meeting with Team in Training. I don't know what to expect but I have very little doubt that I will be signing up. I am very excited, which is why I am starting this blog. I hope this blog inspires in two ways. First, to inspire someone to start running, to enter their first 5k, to challenge yourself to set a new PR, or whatever it is to push yourself just a little bit. Second, to inspire to do something to make this world a better place, whether it is to help by donating to find a cure, volunteering, or offering to grocery shop for an elderly neighbor.