In January of this year, I set a goal for myself to run my very first half marathon.
What I thought would happen...
-I would give up by Feb
-I would hate it
-I would hurt myself
-grumble grumble
-I would finish last
-My butt would look good
What really happened...
-runners butt is quality
-I have gained more confidence in myself as a person than I ever imagined
-I finished in 2:45
-i fell madly in love with running
I had heard in a psych class that your relationship with yourself is often similar to one you may have with a friend, and that if you tell yourself you will complete a task, and you don't, you actually lose confidence in yourself. You are actually, in some weird way, in your own relationship.
Let me tell you, I have never believed THAT more, or loved myself more than when I actually finished that race. Watching your body adapt to new things and go the miles you train it for is so awesome and unbelievable. And the best part is that it's TOTALLY okay to love yourself for being awesome.
Another thing I never bargained on was the amazing support that is the running community. Whether its a run in my neighborhood or my first race, I never thought it was possible to feel supported and encouraged by strangers. When I am in the local running store, people are so excited for me to be a part of this. When I am babysitting a new family and running comes up in our conversations, they high five my success. Humans are awesome.
I'm currently training for my next half in the fall.
