Saturday is the big day......

The first time I decided I wanted to run a half marathon was in 2009, but I wimped out. It got hard and I didn't push myself. The second time I thought I would do it was with Katie last October, and I gave up again. My hips hurt so bad for days after I would run and I let that keep me from doing it. Finally this year I asked Katie if she would do it with and FINALLY on Saturday I will accomplish a goal a long time in the making.

It has been an interesting 16 weeks of training. There were many mornings I did not want to get out of bed and drag Ava to the gym so that I could run. I wanted to stay in my warm bed and sleep. BUT I didn't (well, sometimes I did) and gradually running wasn't so bad. I have actually grown to love it in my own way. I think because my intentions were different this time. I wanted a goal that would help me be stronger, mentally and physically. Katie found this quote when researching a training schedule for us and I thought it summed it up perfectly.

"Now if you are going to win any battle you have to do one thing. You have to make the mind run the body. Never let the body tell the mind what to do. The body will always give up. It is always tired in the morning, noon, and night. But the body is never tired if the mind is not tired." George S. Patton, US Army General, 1912 Olympian.

When we started running I also didn't know that I would soon face some of my most challenging times. It has been an interesting few months, and running has helped me sort through a ton of emotions and thoughts. It has given me time to reflect on what is important to me. It has given me time to myself and time to just feel my emotions. I could run because I was happy, angry or sad. I hate crying in front of people and I have shed a few tears on the trail where we run, because it was a place I could go and just be in my own head for an hour.

Running has also given me time with my sister. We start out together but after a few miles I can't see Katie any more, but I know that she is there, and that she will clap for me when she passes me on the way back. Having her with me on our "long" runs has given me the drive to go the distance.

Saturday Katie and I will run a half marathon in Bear Lake. I can't believe the day is here all ready. I am really excited and nervous, but I know I can do it. It might be hard and there will definitely be moments when I want to stop, but I won't. My goals for Saturday are to finish, run/jog the whole 13 miles, and SMILE :)