However, being in CreComm is not like a marathon in the fact that activity levels turn you more into a couch potato, not less. Since being in the program (and juggling work) I have had little time to do things like exercise (my own fault I know- but saddening non the less). That is why when there was an opportunity to get back into the a running routine I JUMPED at the chance. I, along with four others are entered into the Manitoba Marathon Relay. I'm excited because it gets me back in the running routine, and because I find I am a challenge driven kind of girl.
Believe it or not, the last time I ran with any amount of purpose was back in 2009 when I decided I was going to run the MB Marathon... all 26.2 miles of it! It was the first race I had ever entered and I was excited beyond belief to take on the mother of all challenges. I had been watching The Biggest Looser one day and figured if they can run a marathon- then I can run one. So I signed up. And clearly there was no backing out for me.
Weekends took on a whole new meaning- running 20 plus miles closer to the end of training. I remember people asking what I was up to on the weekend and I would tell them I was running to the perimeter and back. They looked at me with a shocked expression, probably because I live downtown and for some people driving that distance seems to be a task. I remember on my off days having "short runs" of 6-10 miles= ha! By the time the marathon came I was logging countless miles and drinking gallons of water.
Running the thing was a whole other matter- probably one of the craziest experience I have ever had in my life! When the gun went off - with Chariots of Fire playing- I ran for the first 10 miles without blinking. I was in a sea of people and just moving! I hit the "great divide" (the point where full marathoners and half marathoners split) I was still running off the initial adrenaline. But as I saw the "serious" being weeded out from the "sissies" it hit me that I had just been running the same pace that people running half the distance were running.... eeek. By mile 13 I my legs were in pain and all I could think was "If I had signed up for the half I would be done by now!" At mile 16, they said it was getting to hot and they were shutting down the course for anyone who hadn't made it past mile 14 (this was a nice kick in the pants to keep me movin!). At mile 20 with no bathroom in sight - I ended up running into a complete strangers house to use theirs= I'm forever indebted to them!!!! At mile 24 I don't even know if I was running anymore or just walking at a quickish pace. And when they called my name when I entered the stadium I nearly lost it when I realized I still had to run the track to get to my destination (the free popsicles, chocolate milk, and bagels! lol).
The next day I went to work (NEVER do I recommend going to work the next day) - and found my name in the list of finishers for the marathon. Goal completed!
But still sooo many more goals to accomplish- and if I can finish the marathon, I can certainly finish CreComm... and I an finish the 5.6 miles I'll be running this fathers day. *(secretly I'm hoping it will get me into the groove so I can run the marathon again... because like all good things= It's addictive! And one day checking off the Boston Marathon, or New York Marathon, or one in Hawaii would be a very COOL THING!)
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