I Run Like A Girl

For a running blog…we haven’t talked about running in a loooong time.

That’s probably because not much running happened last year. I looked at my running log from 2018, and I ran less than half my mileage in 2017…on top of that, it was the first year in four years I didn’t run a marathon. You can definitely say that running wasn’t a priority for me.

Even though it was kinda nice to take a breather from intense training for an extended period, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss having running the center of my life. Running has always meant more to me than just working out; it’s part of my identity and helped me be the person I am today…

Running helped me build confidence and self-esteem during my early 20’s. It taught me how to love myself and my body. It taught me the value of hard work and to trust and believe in myself. It taught me that even if I didn’t reach my goal, that I am enough. It brought me to new cities and some incredible places. It helped me get through and process bad breakups. It cleared my head and made me feel better after stressful days at work. It inspired me to make this blog and meet some wonderful friends in the blogosphere.

So with that, I felt like a big part of my life was missing these past few months. But looking back, I now see that I needed to take this break in order to make room in my life for other goals. I knew I had to let running take a backseat while I was figuring things out, traveling the world, and making big life changes. I’m really grateful for this past year as it was really special to explore my identity and grow outside of running for the first time…

But now that my life is in a really solid, stable spot, I can finally breath again and get back in a normal routine, and that will certainly include running! Since starting my new job in December, I’ve been back on the early morning workout grind, and I can’t describe how good it feels. Ramping up on these workouts have been physically challenging, but mentally I’ve been so charged and motivated to jump into this new training cycle! I’ve had my heart set on running a marathon in Spring…and after a lot of thought and research, I’ve decided on….

THE EUGENE MARATHON ON APRIL 28!!!!!

I am so, so SOOOO excited for this one!!!! I was instantly intrigued by this race since Eugene is somewhat the “birthplace” of running. So many elite runners have trained in Eugene. The race starts and ends in Hayward Field, where lots of championships and world-class track and field events are held…just imagining finishing this race on Hayward Field with crowds cheering in the stands…it will probably be the closest I’ll ever feel to being an elite runner…and so, Eugene was a no-brainer.

I get giddy with excitement just thinking about this race less than 4 months away! This will be my 6th marathon. Each race has changed my life in some way and I know this will be no different.

And beyond the race, I’m just so relieved to have running back in my life again. One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever heard from my running role models is that running will always be there for you when you’re ready…that was somewhat of my mantra last year. I knew that I’d come back to running when the time was right again.

Sometimes our lives take a different course than we plan, and it’s important to listen to our bodies and mind, and not push what can’t be forced. You probably couldn’t have paid me to run a marathon last year since my heart was just not into it. But now I 100% am ready. Ready to fight for this marathon and welcome any highs, lows, obstacles, and lessons that come along the way. 🙂