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Friday, August 24, 2012

My love/hate,hate, hate, love relationship with running



It is early-September 2011, and I am on a lovely 2 mile run with my mom aka "marathon runner Jana." Actually, my mom is the one on a "run," I am on all fours in the grass trying my darnedest not to pass out or show the other runners on the trail what I had for breakfast. You're probably thinking, "man, you must have been running really fast!" Right. Wrong. As I lay there writhing in my self-induced running pain, I can't keep myself from thinking/saying/gasping for air, "I'm just not meant to be a runner!"

Flashback a few months earlier to June 2011. My BFF Caitlin tells a group of friends that she and her family plan to run a local 15k in October. Upon hearing this statement, I have the worst case of verbal diarrhea I have ever had...I actually say the words, "I'm going to run that too!" What? No! Bailie! Why did that come out of your mouth? Why did you not just say, "wow, I can't wait to cheer you on while standing on the sidelines eating a donut!" Or, "I would totally run that, but I will be busy washing my hair/out of the country/visiting the President that day." Sadly, Big Mouth Bailie overruled all of my common sense, and I committed to running a race that was 3 times longer than I had ever run in my life.

Flashback to November 2002. The longest I had ever run. It was about -15 degrees and our cheer squad has to run 3 miles at 6am because we are in big trouble for skipping running in the morning. This obviously was very traumatic for me because I can barely remember what happened last week, and this was 10 years ago. (Sidenote: OMG that was 10 years ago! Wow where has the time gone???)

Spring 2008. I run pay my sister to run my 2 miles that are required for passing a class. Yes, I have reached the lowest of lows in my running career. Sorry I'm not sorry about it.

Ok, back from the trip down my sad running-memory lane. While I am laying on the ground feeling sorry for myself and coming to the conclusion that I just wasn't meant to be a runner like my marathon-running parents, my mom, ever the encourager, tells me that I can run and will be able to run that 15k at the end of October. So, I get myself up from the ground and manage to walk the rest of the way home.

My mom and I run the next day, and the experience was so much better, and a lot less painful. I really learned how important it was to pace myself when I ran, instead of sprinting and thinking that I can be the next Usain Bolt, and then thriving on the ground in pain 1 minute later.
"Finishing a race on your feet means that you are successful, not how fast you finish it."
 Yes, that was another encouraging quote from my mom. Geez, quit your teaching job and work for Hallmark already! After I learned that I could run longer distances if I just put my mind (and pace) to it, I broke the 3 mile barrier and did 4 miles on a rainy day in mid-September. A few weeks later, my BFF and I faced the scariest feat I had ever faced in my life...SIX MILES! I was actually nervous before we ran. Really, Bailie? It's not like you can't just stop if you have to. But whatever, I was nervous! Needless to say, we conquered those six miles, and then eight and then those glorious 9.3 miles of the Tulsa Run. After that race, I was hooked!

I have now completed a few 5k races including "Race in the New Year," (a fun 5k where my husband, Zach, and I literally ran in the new year at midnight, complete with fireworks during the run at midnight...magical) and then one of my most favorite life accomplishments, The STL Half Marathon.

Now, almost a year from that horrible September run, I have learned how to run, but most importantly, I have learned how to enjoy running, and the wonderful benefits it brings.

Are you feeling discouraged in your running life? Remember, you are successful if you cross the finish line on your feet! If I can go from the ditch to 15k in a little over a month, you can do it too!



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