Running for my Life!

I signed up for the TC 10 mile not quite 3 months ago.  I did not buy new tennis shoes, I did not follow a running plan and I did not significantly alter my diet.

I just fell in love with running.

I find when I spend too much time thinking about tennis shoes, gel and training regimines - something is lost in that, and I don't enjoy it in the same way. 

I know others who swear by all those things (because I do talk about it).... and there's definetly more than a few good arguments for me to adopt some better practices. 

Perhaps I should buy some new tennis shoes, instead of using the ones that I can't remember when I bought them, and probably aren't suited for running. 

Perhaps a new training plan would increase my speed and help me stay on track.

Perhaps

But. I don't really care. 

Mostly, I run alone, often times without music, because running is for me.  

A lot has happend in my life recently, and I find running gives me that perfect time to think. 

1 year ago - I lost my job

3 months ago - I ran my first 5K,

1 week ago - my husband moved 2000 miles away. 

1 day ago - I ran farther than I have before - I ran 10 miles. 

In the last year I have lost a job, probably a husband, and about 10 lbs. 

In the last year I have gained a new better job (2 of them technically), some of myself back, and a legitamite excercise routine. 

It's hard to say what the remedy or life formula is.  What we should do or what we shouldn't.  There are tips and guides but very little of it seems to be universal.  If there is something, then I reccomend not looking to this blog for that anyway. 

Recently though, I was told to "follow my heart", and for something like that I have to be told.

So first I have been trying to find my heart...

Running 10 miles was interesting.  It stunk for a while at first.  I've been fighting a cold, and I woke at 5AM, and I am only a morning person when copious amounts of coffee is involved.  However, somehow around 3 miles the cold lessened and I kept going - and oh by the way there was a half-cup of coffee involved at the beginning of this race. 

Running in a major race is filled with excitement - lots of cheering, lots of people watching.  All of the water stations were sponsors by organizations (mostly local companies).  Around the 6 mile mark Target was sponsoring a station and there was something about the music playing or the barage of red t-shirts or maybe the fact that I was really running in a 10 mile race that caused me to choke up.  Aparently, I can't run and cry well, so it didn't last long, but that's when the feeling sunk in.  I am running for my life.   

When I saw the finish line, and I knew I had made it - I teared up.  A lot has changed in my life - things have been torned down, and things have been built up.  For me finishing this race was that secure feeling that I can be okay on my own.  I can run 10 miles.

Stats: I came in at 1:56:23 - my goal was to beat 2 hours (check!).  It's actually a faster pace then how I ran my first 5K - so kind of neat to see the (slow, but realized) improvement


Thanks to everyone who has had some part in all of this -friends, family and readers. Certainly, I can do things on my own, but it's nice to have friends and family there for support too. Also, lending a listening ear - that's what I like most - thanks for reading.