After I had my 3rd son, I really wanted to lose my baby weight. It was soooooo hard this time around. I was 26 years old and breastfeed. I don't know about other women, but for me, I eat way more when I breast feed then when I am pregnant, and I also nurse for 1 full year so I am not one of those Mom's that losses all the baby weight a few months after baby is born. In fact, I always hold onto a good 10+ pounds until AFTER I am done nursing. My son was about 6 months old and I was so down. My clothes didn't fit, I never wanted to get ready, I just felt yucky!!! I was always so tired and had no energy to workout. I got to a point were enough was enough. This is how I fell into running. I had heard about races all the time and I was NO runner. I mean I would try on the treadmill here and there, but I NEVER enjoyed it and never really cared to run on a treadmill again. When we lived in Italy, we bought a treadmill and I would walk on it all the time which I did enjoy but never really got into "running" just wasn't my thing. I have always worked out, just not a runner. So going back to running. I was so feed up that I decided I was going to run a 5k. I know, I know, how in the world am I going to run a 5k when I can't even run a full mile and I didn't really like to run??? But I didn't care. I knew I was going to do this!!!!! I signed up for the SLC 5k right away and had about 8 weeks to train. I didn't have a set training schedule, I just did my own thing. My first goal was to see if I could run 1 mile without stopping. Didn't matter what time, but didn't want to stop or walk. I can't remember how many days it took but I finally did it. I ran 1 mile none stop in 12 minutes. It was soooooo hard and I felt like I was going to throw up, but I did it. I instantly got this rush and knew that I could do it. My next goal was to see if I could run 2 miles with out stopping. And guess what, I did it!!!!!! As the weeks went by, I was working so hard to see if I could run 3 miles with out stopping, and I DID IT!!!!! I couldn't believe it!!!! Now my next goal was to try and see if I could run 3 miles in 30 minutes. This was a HUGE challenge for me. It took a few tries, but I DID IT!!!!! I could run 3 miles in 30 minutes but it was HARD!!!
Finally it was race day. I was sooooo nervous not only to run a 5k, but everyone was watching. I didn't want to come in last place. I had worked so hard and wanted to make myself and my family proud. I took off and not going to lie, I was sooooooo tired. I had done most of my training on a treadmill so running outside was so much harder. I thought I was going to DIE!!!! I thought there was no way I was going to finish in 30 minutes like I did at home. I finished my 5k in 30 minutes!!!!!! I couldn't believe it. I was beyond tired and exhausted but felt GREAT!!!! I wanted to keep going. That week, I signed up for another 5k that was in a few weeks. I ended up finishing that race in 29 min. 1 minute faster then my first race. So I signed up for another 5k (can't remember my time) and I was hooked. I knew that I wanted to run further, so I signed up for a 1/2 Marathon. This was HUGE for me. A 1/2 Marathon is 13.1 miles!!!! How am I going to run 10 more miles??? I could barley run my 3.1. The first thing I did was went to google and found a training schedule for a beginners 1/2 Marathon. I woke up almost every morning around 5:00 am and got my run on. I remember the first time I had to run 6 miles. I thought there was NO WAY but guess what, I did it. The very first time I had to run 10 miles, I was freaking out. I didn't know if I was going to come home alive or not. But I ran my little heart out and did it!!! I ran 10 miles NONE STOP. Never stopped or walk once. I remember when I came home I went to my bedroom and started crying to my husband. I was crying because I was soooooo exhausted and so proud at the same time. Here I was just a few months ago and could barley run 1 mile and today I just ran 10 miles. It was a very emotional day for me. Shortly after my 1/2 Marathon, I was pregnant with my 4th baby. I stopped running completely but I did workout and walk all the way up to delivery day. I had missed running so much and knew I would have to start from square one again.
In 2012 I ended up running 3 5k's, 1 10K and 3 1/2 Marathons. I was so hooked. The one thing I didn't do during all my training was weight training. I was only doing cardio. Yes I could run for a long time and my speed was OK, but if I would have weight trained, I would have been able to run faster. So this year 2013 I promised myself that I was going to weight train as well as my cardio, and it has paid off big time. So far this year I have ran 3 5k's and my fastest 5k was 23 min. I am also running my first FULL Marathon 26.2 miles in 3 weeks, I will be running a few more 5k's and 3 maybe more 1/2 marathons.
Running is my passion. Yes it freakin sucks at times especially on the treadmill but the feeling you get when you are done is so amazing. It really is so amazing what our bodies can do. There was NO WAY I was ever going to run more then a 5k, now I am running 1/2 Marathons all the time and soon will be running my first full. I have NEVER worked so hard in my life then preparing for this Marathon. Seriously, it is harder then child birth and I have had 100% natural child births with all 4 of my kids. Running is no joke!!!! You are always sore, tired, stink, sooooo sweaty, but it is the most rewarding thing ever!!!! I love to do things that others wont do. I love to push myself to the limits to say I DID!!! I love to be good examples to my children. I love getting my medal after my races. I love seeing peoples reactions when I tell them how many miles I just ran, especially if I ran on the treadmill. Oh man, the furthest I have ran on a treadmill is 14 miles and it BLOWS!!! But hey, I did it:) I love races because it helps keep my motivated and I LOVE the competitiveness of it.
One of my goals is to get 1st place in women for any race. 5k, 1/2 Marathon what ever. Who knows if it will ever happen, because there are some FAST runners out there, but I would REALLY love to do it at least once. Not my age group because I have done that before:) I mean 1st place in women total. Wouldn't that be so cool?? Hahah
I also wanted to say that not only have races helped me stay motivated but one of my best friends also started running and has ran all races with me since 2012. She has done AMAZING!!!!! It really does help to have a running buddy. It helps motivate and pushes us.
Yes, I have had injury's along the way. I use to get TERRIBLE shin splints, almost every single one of my toe nails have fallen off. I got runners knee after my Big Cottonwood 1/2 Marathon. OUCH it was the most painful thing ever!!!!! In previous post, I have written about my foot surgery's and the 2 screws in my big toe but I don't let that stuff stop me. Remember to always talk with a Doctor if you have ANY injuries.
So there you go, this is a some what of a short story on how I got into running. It doesn't happen over night. It takes A LOT of training, dedication, determination, but you can do it if you are whiling to work for it!!!! This Mama will keep running. There will come a day were I will not be able to run and today is that that day!!!!
I am very proud to say that I am a runner, I am an athlete, I am strong, I am VERY determined and dedicated, I am proof that a Mother of 4 can do this, that I am 31 years old and I am doing this!!! Always, always, always go after your dreams. xoxo
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