Many of you know about my love for the sport of running. I was a competitive runner in high school and ran some road races in college and after that. I put it down for several years, then picked it back up after Precious Peanut #1 was born, when a couple of girlfriends talked of the idea of running a half marathon to work off the baby weight. In high school, the one and two mile events were considered long distance, and the longest I had ever run was a 10K. I ran the Kiawah half marathon with my girlfriends, and it was so much fun. I continued to run some through my next pregnancy, but after clumsily breaking my pinkie toe, I took a break from it. The baby weight from Precious Peanut #2 seemed so much more, well, GROSS, than the first, and I wanted to do something about immediately. I heard about running groups at Run For Your Life, for all ages and speeds, so I joined. Through this group I met some really great people who shared my passion for running, or physical fitness, or determination... for so many things. THIS is when I caught the bug, and my running mates are some of my closest friends.
While running is a means of physical fitness, it is so much more. It is something you can do almost anywhere. Just strap on your shoes and go. When I decided to take a step back from my previous business, running became my channel for personal accomplishment. Nursing a baby for a year, whilst a toddler running circles around me was definitely a challenge, and as much as I loved my new role of mommy to two children, I needed more for ME. What started out as a means of accomplishment truly became a best friend for me. At the end of the day, whether it was good or bad for me, running was always there. It is my time to decompress, think about the day behind or think about the day ahead of me. When I run alone, it is a time that allows for creative thinking. I think about my styling my next photo shoot, what I will write for my next article with Charlotte Parent, or what I will write here. If I've had a bad day, within minutes of hitting the pavement, the stress is gone. And when I run with friends, it is therapeutic. Runners come from all different backgrounds, but everyone shares the same passion for this one thing. Everyone is supportive of each other, regardless of your pace.
To learn more about the Run For Your Life training programs, click here. Now that you've seen how much fun running can be, (or in this case, dancing) I'll be back next time with David for some helpful demonstrations and talk about the important of stretching.
Happy Running!