You are a runner...and you and you and you!

I still have a hard time saying, "Yes, I run. I'm a runner." Instead I like to say, "I jog sometimes." or "I try to run..." or "I've done races before." I guess I just lack self confidence, but Pinterest keeps trying to tell me otherwise with all these cute little sayings:

IF YOU ARE OFF THE COUCH AND MOVING YOUR FEET AT A QUICK PACE FOR YOU--YOU ARE A RUNNER!

It's actually one of the greatest things about being a runner. Once you truly consider yourself a runner you understand that you don't feel like part of some elite 6 minute mile group--you still feel like you. You can still go a year without running and then start back up at 1/4 mile. You can go 2 miles and feel lousy or 6 miles and feel great. Either way you run. Maybe your run is more of a quick shuffle walk, but guess what? You are a runner too. It's not an exclusive group. We take all kinds. Some will be quick, some slow. Some will be short distance runners, others go the distance. BUT, if you are doing it, you're a runner.

I can vividly remember the first mile I ever ran. For most, it was in elementary school during P.E. Not me, not this non-athletic girl! In elementray school, I was walking that whole gruesome mile in the way back with the fat girl. The first REAL mile I ran (sorta ran...) was in high school. I had skipped class the day of the mile run, but my teacher made me make it up (tricky lady!). I thought I was going to die. I had heard of people running for fun & just couldn't imagine those were ordinary people.

A couple years later I started college and decided I could be one those very strange people who ran. And not running to escape something chasing them (although sometimes I do like pretending I'm being chased by zombie now after watching "Walking Dead"), but running to be healthy. To live longer, healthier, and let's face it--to combat all that drinking weight from turning 21! My husband couldn't believe-and still laughs about the fact--that I could only run 2 blocks before needing to stop to catch my breath. To me, that is not the unbelievable part. Of course, I ran out of breat right away--I'M NOT ATHLETIC...HELLLLOOOOO??! I don't do anything--except watch TV, I love to watch TV :). The thing that is unbelieveable to me is that I stuck with it. But, I came up with perfect plan:

WATCH TV. Yep, that's right. Watch TV while I run--my favorite thing with my unfavorite thing! BRILLIANT. So, I started going to the Campus Rec Center and running on the treadmills. First, I just slowly ran the commercials and walked during the shows. After building my pace, I switched and started running during the shows and walking during the commercials. By my senior year, I could run an hour without walking. AMAZING. But, I still didn't consider myself a runner.

I continued to run off & on through an out of state movie and 2 babies. I don't know why I didn't have the courage to shout out and say I'M A RUNNER. ROOOAAARRRRR!! But, I never had.

Then, I joined Sole Sisters. No judgments here, just courage and strength. It's amazing listening to all these RUNNERS share struggles & trimuphs. I'm a stay at home mom, like most of the Sole Sisters. My life feels busy. The gym is not for me at this stage with little ones and finding time to work out is hard. But, no way & no reason I can't find 30 minutes somewhere in the day if I want to. And ya know what, sometimes I really don't want to :) & I don't. But, I've started running more regularly because of this group and feel amazing. I'm a runner. Sometimes I'm good, sometimes I'm bad, but I AM A RUNNER.