Blogging Runner

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 07:02 PM PDT

Before the race and totally calm!!

I did it! I ran a 20K!

I ran until my legs hurt, like they felt as if they could fall apart, but I just kept running!

Despite the fact that I had an amazing cheering section at the race (thanks Patty, Walter and Jason), and at home (mom, dad, Nicole, Amy, Ed, Mike, Lauren, Bailey and Koira), I had no confidence in myself!

At mile one, I thought of stopping, I thought about quitting, I thought of giving up. By mile three, I finally gained some confidence, but not enough to get me through another 9.4 miles!

By mile 5, I ran for myself, I ran for my entire year of training, I ran because I knew I could.

At mile 6, I could have stopped, I could have faked an illness, or said I wasn’t capable, but I didn’t.

I JUST KEPT GOING.

I love running races with them!

I ran to prove I was capable. I ran to prove the last year was worth it. I ran because I didn’t know how to stop.

Mile 10 marked my longest run in over four years, and while it hurt every muscle in my body, I just kept running.

Mile ten introduced a challenge, a hill, an intense hill, that should not be allowed when runners are already 80% into their race. And while I walked up that dangerous hill, the second it leveled out, I just kept going. The last two miles, I ran on a runner’s high. I kept going despite the pain in my hip, in my thighs and in my heart.

With one mile left until the finish, I picked up the pace and ran as fast as I could. I finished with a chip time of 1:57:27. And I’m so incredibly proud that I finished in under two hours, which was my goal, although I refused to let anyone know that.

After my 1:57:27 finish!!

I am SO PROUD. I accomplished something I NEVER thought was possible, something I never thought I could do, and something I did in a record time (for me).

So finally, I would like to thank my loving parents, who have always been there for me when I wasn’t even able to run two miles.

I would like to thank my niece for being so perfect that she inspires me to do better.

I would like to thank my little brother for ALWAYS supporting me and my aunt for massaging my back when I was too uncomfortable to move.

I would like to thank my Grandpa George and my Poppop for lifting my legs when I didn’t think I could for my last mile. And finally, I would like to kiss my both of my grandmothers, for always believing in me, especially when I couldn’t even believe in myself.

To anyone I didn’t mention (including all of my other aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and family), I LOVE you all. And I thank you for helping me achieve my dreams.

I have a lot more goals left to accomplish, but this is one that I can check off of my bucket list.

Today: 13 miles.
Weekly: 13 miles.
Yearly: 511.08 miles.