Run

In celebration of National Running Day, I've devoted today’s blog in explaining my running journey and why I run.

I run because it is so symbolic of life.  I run because I love seeing a group of people come together to share one love.  I run because it doesn't just benefit me, it helps bring donations and awareness to several causes and charities. 

I was never much of a runner until I accidentally fell in love with it.  I will have to say my journey started the year I became a mother.  It was 2008 and honestly,  I can’t even tell you how I became intrigued by the Susan G. Komen race for the Cure – but I remember falling upon this great cause and knowing I wanted to be a part of it.  My daughter was 10 months old at the time and I felt I owed it to her to sign up for this event as my way of contributing to finding a cure.  As a mother, I felt a sense of responsibility.  I signed up that year for the Susan G. Komen 1K.  I look back now analyzing my life and I see how all the dots are connecting. This first step is what has lead me to two of my passions, helping others and running.

I have signed up every year since then for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. I actually ran the 5k for the first time last October with my husband and stepson.  At the time I wasn’t running very often, but I worked out and exercised frequently so I was in much better shape than my first year.  I can honestly tell you the only reason I got through that 5k was because of Alec, my stepson.  Alec is very athletic and runs frequently at school.  He kept motivating me each time I felt I had to rest.  “Come on Vickie!  You can do it!  Don’t give up!”  He was my cheerleader that day and got me through that run when I felt I couldn’t any longer. 

If I can actually rewind a bit to 2011/2012 one of my best friends had actually tried to convince me to join DRC (Dallas Running Club) and start running with her.  I was intimidated. I wasn’t a runner and I really couldn’t run long distance without losing my breath and getting those painful and annoying cramps on my side.  In 2012 I decided to complete the Big D Climb, which is racing up 52 flights of stairs to benefit Leukemia & Lymphoma.  When I went into training mode with my friend who was participating with me, we ran up and down the stairs at the Katy Trail as a good warm-up.  After that, she decided to take me running for one mile.  I couldn't even finish a mile!  I was so out of breath and I just couldn’t run longer than 5 minutes. 

Since October 2012, I have became more and more passionate about running.  I’m not the best runner, but I have improved.  Doing all these races has really opened up my eyes to see how beautiful it is when people come together to do good.  It has inspired me on many levels, in more ways than I could imagine.  I’ve seen disabled people running, I've seen old people running, I’ve seen children running, I’ve seen skinny and overweight people running.  I've seen all colors, shapes and sizes, and I can tell you this: You cannot judge a person for how they look in determining how well they run.  I have had so many people pass me – people that I would never imagine being able to outrun me. It was hard to swallow at first, but I've learned, you can't compare yourself to other people when running.  You don't know their story. And while they make look inferior, they may have more training than you.  Just ask the 85 year old man that passed me last week.  Determination and passion comes in all shapes and sizes.  You have to run your own race and compete with yourself, if not, you'll get lost in all the competition. 

My journey started 5 years ago, but the peak of my journey has been this year.  I have set the bar for myself by committing to run my first half marathon in November. To prepare myself for this endeavor, I joined the Dallas Running Club in February.  DRC (Dallas Running Club) is a running and walking group affiliated with the Road Runners Club of America offering training programs, promoting good health, friendship and camaraderie.  This club has offered discounts, free runs and has kept me on track in training for my half marathon.  Running for charitable causes can get expensive, so being a part of this running club helps me to continue running and competing with others at a much more reasonable price.  

Running is positive.  It makes you feel good and it makes you look good.  When you choose to be a part of something that influences others and at the same time you can benefit from, well I think why the hell not?  Get involved.  Help a charity.  Run for your life.  Run because you can.  The interaction with your thoughts, with nature, comes intact when you are running. At the end of the day, your legs, your body can take you from point A to point B, and through the pain and difficulty  you can look back and say, "I did it.  I did it."  I have to say, it feels pretty darn good!