I run!

A few weeks ago, Josh and I were asked to participate in the Ogden City Marathon by going to the VIP tent, eating breakfast with important people, and cheering on the runners as they crossed the finish line. It was DUMPING rain. It was cold. I hate running. It was early. I was not exactly excited, but we went anyways. I can't tell you how many times I cried as people crossed that finish line. I was so inspired by those who clearly weren't classified as "runners." These people had a goal. It was to run. It was to finish. They did both. I left there and told Josh that I was going to run the Ogden City half next year. Last Monday, I started my "training."

Now, it's important to understand that up until last Monday, I would literally rather chew on broken glass than run. I always joked that I only ran if someone was chasing me, and even then I was going to question the importance of actually running. The thought of running made me unhappy.

I told my boys what my goal was. On Monday, they did it with me. We walked a mile, then jogged a mile. I did that same thing six days last week. Today, I start with a 1/2 mile walk, then I'll jog 1 1/2 miles. Next week, I'll go to 2 miles, and so on. I am running six days a week. We are signing up to do the Dirty Dash in September. It's a 5k. Before that, we are going to sign up to do the Syracuse 5k. It's August 1. I am determined to do it!

I could easily walk faster than I run, but that's not the point. The point is that I am doing it and I'm not quitting. I don't stop to walk one step. I jog the entire way. I think about how my family believes in me. I think about the text message Braxton sent me on Tuesday that read, "Keep going. You got this." I think about my amazing body, that is missing the three bottom disks in my spine, and that has had heart surgery. It's doing it! I pray the entire time I am out, pleading with my Father to bless me with hope, courage, confidence, and the ability to quiet the voice in my head that tells me I'm a quitter, that I can't do it, that I'll never accomplish anything.

I remind myself that I'm not in competition with anyone else. I am only in competition with myself. I am on my own portion of this journey. Others are on theirs. Some can run 26 miles, some can run 13, some can run 5, and I can run 1. One is a great starting point. Here is to six days of 1 1/2 miles jogging... because I'm good enough to achieve goals that I set!