Running.

As i’ve mentioned before here, i’ve started running.

I just signed up (yesterday as a matter of fact) for a half-marathon in November for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society (LLS), as well as participating in Team In Training. I’ll be participating in the Rock’n’Roll Savannah Marathon!

Are you questioning my sanity right now? Yeah…i am too, no worries.

Here are my new shoes! [sorry for the crap quality phone picture, just deal with it]

. . .

Admittedly i am not a runner, nor have i ever been. In all honestly i’ve loathed running and thought that the people who were so dang peppy about it were really annoying and just eerrgg. So, i must apologize to those runners who i’ve made fun of in the past, i’m sorry…i’m starting to understand why you do what you do. I’m not saying i fully understand why you love it so much yet, but i’m beginning to.

. . .

I’ve compared myself to an obese cat, an injured gazelle, or a tranquilized animal while running–and no i’m not being mean to myself.

It’s quite comical really…well at least to everyone but myself.

Running is hard. Really really hard.

It takes a lot of motivation, effort, determination, self-control, and just flat out energy.

My teammate and I have a blog going on (that i’m normally pretty bad about updating just fyi but i’m working on it) to track our journey over the next 5 months. I updated it this morning about one of my runs last night. It was brutal.

I have to continually remind myself that this is a JOURNEY not a sleep through the next 5 months and i will be where i need to be. No sir, i’m going to have to fight, claw, and drag myself through all of the hurtles i’m sure i’m going to face. The biggest hurtle is going to be myself. I’m my own worst critic. I’m constantly bashing myself down and telling myself i’m to weak, to out of shape, to pathetic, or to lazy to do it. Horrible right, but it’s honest.

. . .

There are many things that have and will continue to motivate me during this Journey.

God, my mother (who lost her battle to leukemia in 2004), my father (who passed away from heart disease in 2002 and did marathons himself), and to show myself and others that i can actually DO this.

Please jump on over to our run blog to read more about our journeys, to hear about my first mile, and to if you feel compelled donate in someone’s honor or just to help fight cancer.

. . .

While i’m at it i figured i would share some of the visual motivation that has helped keep me encouraged and motivated as well.