The Journey Thus Far

My mother and I decided this year that we wanted to do something healthy, active, and fun. Naturally, we chose to run! Beginning in early March we set our sites on running as many 5k's as we could this year. However, after we began running it became clear that this goal was just the tip of the iceberg. Within two weeks we had already jumped to running 3.2 miles. So we decided to set ourselves a new goal to work towards. This is how our Mini-marathon goal was set. Together we would run our way to 13 miles by May of 2011!

As our today: April 14,2010 we have made it up to 4.42 miles at the steady pace of an 11 minute mile.

We didn't start with any sort of experience, we just decided to go and try. From sitting on a couch watching TV one day to running three mornings a week. Every day we run we get up at 5A.M. and stretch. By the time we get out the door it's 5:20A.M. our neighborhood is very hilly and very bumpy. Yet there's nothing I like more than finishing a run with my mom by my side pushing me to go further than I thought possible.

I never want to wake up and run any morning. After all, who wants to wake up at 5 and go run three miles? Yet I do, and when I'm done I always love it. There are times it's harder than others, most mornings I complain until the first mile is done. My mom puts up with me through it all. It's a great experience to get up and do this though. I've learned just how hard I can push my body, I've learned it can go a lot further than I ever expected.

Today we ran 4.42 miles, our longest run yet. We woke up an hour later than normal and run on the trail by our house as the sun was rising. At our usual 3.5 mile marker we both felt amazing and did not want to stop our run. We pushed through everything and ran our way back through our neighborhood. It was exhilarating! To push our bodies so far, to break through and go farther than you ever thought possible. As usual my shins were pounding and my calves were burning, my mom stayed by me the entire time never letting me stop to walk. She claims that I push her as much as she pushes me, but most days I wonder how true that is. I could never run as much as we do without her. I'm so glad that we are doing this together.

For this week our runs are done, but come next Monday we'll be out running the streets again to see just how much our bodies can handle.