1 year ago I ran the country music half marathon for the first time as a runner. This Saturday I will run it again for the 2nd year in a row. As I am preparing for the race this weekend I cant help but reflect and think back on what a crazy running year this has been. I realize that pretty much everything good in my life I owe to God and running. As cliche as it sounds, I truly believe now that me running is part of God's plan for my life.
I have a really awesome job! I am blessed to work for some of the kindest and most caring human beings on the planet. If you met them, you would be hard pressed to find people that are nicer or cooler than they are. How did I come across this really awesome job? Running buddies of course! I didnt get into running for networking, but when you run with people a few times a week for several hours you learn about their life and what they do and they learn about your life and what you do. I work with my running buddies! How cool is that!!
If you follow me on instagram (@sml145), you might have noticed my ridiculously good looking and incredibly wonderful boyfriend. How did we meet? We met in our running group! We were in the same pace group for the Country Music Half Marathon training group last year. Funny thing is, we didnt really know each other during the Winter/Spring CMM training. We didnt get to know each other until we started Fall half marathon training (much smaller group). We started running together and became close friends and had an instant connection. Now were dating (and I can out run him :D). I owe my really wonderful and amazing relationship to running! Dating a fellow runner is fun! He's my automatic running partner! I owe my relationship to God, for putting this really wonderful GODLY! (<---Ladies this is the most important trait to look for in a man youre dating!) Man in my life. Had I not joined a running group and started running and trained for the 1/2 marathon last year, I might not have ever met this really great guy who is really good to me! So all of that to say! Thank you Jesus for putting both of us in the right place at the right time in that running group!
Recently, ive been struggling, ive gained quite a few pounds back and have been struggling to stay on track lately. When I start to get discouraged for getting off track, I look back at where I started and realized ive come a long ways. I also look at everything good in my life and how running has literally changed my life for the better! That keeps me going, and brings me back up when I start to get discouraged.
Major victory this week: We have this park full of hills here in Nashville (who am I kidding, all of Nashville feels like one giant hill!). This park is called Percy Warner. For the longest time I have let Percy Warner get to me. Running Percy Warner Park is HARD! Its a challenging 5.8 mile loop thats pretty steep. I have struggled with this run! I hate Percy and all its hills with a passion. Last week I ran there and got lost :( . So Percy has always gotten the best of me. After last week, I realized that Percy Warner is all mental. This week I set the time on my phone to run 5 minutes walk 1 minute. Do to the nature of this park and the number of hills, most of the time I didnt get lucky and end up with a hill during a 1 minute walk....Unfortunately I had to run those hills! But you know what!? I made it up those hills! and I didnt die! I conquered Percy Warner Park today! I crushed Percy Warner Park today!
I am ready to conquer 13.1 miles on Saturday!
