If you can think in your head the tune to the Happy Birthday song, just replace the word Birthday with Runniversary.
Today is my 4 yr Runniversary. It is the anniversary of the day I started running. Big. Deal. Day. I always look forward to this day because I like to celebrate milestone occasions. This definitely falls under that category!
It all goes back to my sister asking me to do the C25K (Couch to 5K) program with her at Mississippi State University. Little did I know that the promise I made to her 4 years ago would be such a game changer in my life!
I remember printing the program off the internet and posting it on the kitchen fridge. I remember MFH (My Favorite Husband) and I setting out with a stop watch to time the walk/run intervals. I remember getting fitted for my first pair of running shoes. I remember being absolutely terrified of the 20 min run without any walking breaks on that C25K program~thinking to myself that there was NO WAY I could run 20 minutes without stopping to walk! I remember the 5K race that was the completion of that program.
The race was at Mississippi State University (MSU). My sister, MFH and I ran on the very cold (by Mississippi standards) day. The MSU campus is hilly and I was not strong on hills (I still suck on hills). I was having a tough time and MFH did his best to help me through that grueling 5K. He starting singing the Rocky theme song. Then he switched to the Hawaii 5-0 theme song. He started hula dancing to help me up those awful hills. HE WAS GREAT!!!
That 5K took me about 50 very. long. minutes.
When we crossed that finish line, I was hooked and 6 weeks later I ran my second race with MFH. A 12K this time.
I was soon looking for another event to enter. I learned quickly that I needed something for which to be training as motivation. I needed that carrot dangling in front of me to keep me going. I knew that there was an element of pride involved…not in me! Goodness no! Pride in the fact that I didn’t want to fall apart in front of a bunch of strangers! In not wanting to make a fool of myself! That kind of pride. I am very well aware of the lack of my running ability!
Over the past 4 years, I have gradually increased the distances of my racing events. Starting with those first tentative steps of C25K all the way through my first Marathon, MFH trained with me. Every training run. Every race. We ran side by side. We encouraged each other. We had a TON of fun.
When we registered for what was my first marathon, MFH told me at that time that this would be his last long distance event. He’s really not a fan of long distance running. He prefers shorter distance events. That’s cool! That’s way there are events for all distances! MFH was certain now that I could handle the training on my own and was comfortable with me being out there training by myself.
We ran that marathon together. Celebrated together. When we came home, I started training solo. That was October 2013.
Since then, I’ve continued on with long distance stuff. I love running marathons. They’re fun! I REALLY love running Ultra~any distance further than a marathon. At Ultras, I’m usually one of the oldest people competing. Hahaha! I guess there aren’t a lot of women my age out there running these events. I’m okay with that. 🙂
This brings us back to today and my Runniversary. How did I celebrate? I’m so glad you asked! This morning I celebrated by registering for a 50 Mile Ultra. It is next March 5, 2016 in Laurel, Mississippi. I actually ran the 50K at this event this past March. Tons of fun! Time to step up my game, though and do a 50M. Gotta love it! HA
Race schedule between now and next March if you’re interested.
Sept. 27, 2015: Berlin Marathon, Berlin, Germany
October 25, 2015: Marine Corps Marathon, Arlington, Virginia
January 9, 2016: Mississippi Blues Marathon, Jackson, Mississippi
February 7, 2016: Surf City Marathon, Huntington Beach, California
March 5, 2016: MS50 Trail Run (50M), Laurel, Mississippi
Keeping my eye open for a fall marathon in 2016. Goes without saying that I’ll be trying to get into the New York City Marathon. Again. That should keep me out of trouble for a while. HA!
