What the Heck Was I Thinking?!

Selfie time!  Yay for awesome friends!
(This is clearly the Before picture.  I did not look like this 13 miles later). 

Well that was dumb. 

This is was my first thought when I clicked REGISTER for my first ever Half Marathon.  But then I did something even dumber: I decided to share the wonderful news on Facebook.  And everyone knows, once it’s on Facebook, it’s official.  

So I started training.

I followed my workout schedule.  (But maybe I don’t need to follow it exactly because this is my first one!)

I traveled a lot but worked out diligently in the hotel gyms (But maybe I’m kinda cold and I can just run in place in my room!) 

I stopped drinking (But maybe I had a glass of wine here and there!  And maybe by a glass I mean a bottle!)

I ate healthy and when I craved sweets, ate carrot sticks (But maybe by carrot sticks I mean chocolate chip cookie dough!) 

So my training didn’t work out as perfectly as I had hoped.  And as the race loomed closer, I started getting a teensy bit nervous (by nervous I mean totally freaked out).  I kid-you-not thought it was possible that I might die. 

And then something miraculous happened. 

During one of the last week’s of my training, I had to run 10 miles.  Normally I would run with my gym’s running club.  However, our coach was out of town so I would have to do this on my own.

And I know me.  If left to my own devices, I’d end up walking, or worse, cheating. 

So I asked for help from my friend Becca, a 10-miles-is-my-warm-up kind of runner.  Becca not only ran with me, she smiled, laughed and encouraged me the entire time (all while texting.  Did I mention she has superpowers?)  

You’re doing so great! Look how relaxed you are! You’ve totally got this!

Until I saw 10 MILES logged on my little runner watch, I honestly wasn’t sure I could do it.  Something clicked at the end of that run.  All of a sudden, I realized that no, I would not die, and yes, I’ve got this.  I’ve totally freaking got this. 

I learned two valuable lessons:

1. Surround yourself with awesome people—those that believe in you, especially when you don’t.
2. Believe Believe Believe!  Here’s a shocker: telling myself I was going to die wasn’t helping.  Choosing positive, encouraging thoughts made me realize I could do it.  

Now that I’ve completed one, my runner friends are encouraging me to do more.  (Sidenote: I used to think all runners were crazy but now I kinda get it.  Kinda).  I don’t know if I'll run another one, but I do know this:  

I can do it.

I won't be alone. 

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:  If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Ecclesiastes 4:9-10