Obligatory Reflections Post (Stacey)

Dear Reader(s) - [I hope there's more than one of you anyway]

I have royally stunk at blogging the past few weeks. Life got crazy and composing letters to invisible people sunk lower and lower on my priority list.

Rest assured that nothing exciting in terms of my running happened over the past couple weeks. I skipped a couple of short runs, but did almost all of them and made good time with only a very brief scare with my left hip.

Yesterday, Kelsey and I completed our half marathon together.

It was difficult to put it simply. I almost enjoyed the first 5 miles or so. The next 5 felt really long. The last 3 couldn't go fast enough.

We made it in under our goal of 2.5 hours (not record breaking by any means, but pretty swell for two people who could barely run 2 miles 3 months ago). We only took a couple of walk breaks. Our carb loading and hydration served us well in the long run *harhar*.

We had fabulous split times. The first six miles taking us 1:10 and the last 7.1 taking us 1:18. So for once in my running career, I ran the second half faster than my first half. I was very pleased about that.

Neither of us are seriously injured. Kelsey's hip gave her problems thanks to the banked roads for the first 5 miles. My left leg was bloody at the end of it thanks to some serious chafing. We're both worn out and sore, but proud of ourselves.

Which brings me to my final reflection . . . am I a runner?

At the beginning of this adventure, the answer to this question would have been a strong, resounding, "NO!"

I hated running. I couldn't go very far or very fast. To review, my first run with my poor out of shape dog, my feeble and slow attempt at 2.5 miles, and my triumphant but nonetheless slow attempt at 3 miles.

Now, I tolerate running. This evening, while getting stressed over loan apps, I had an urge to run to make the anxiety go away. Now that's just crazy talk. Granted, I didn't do it, but the urge was still there, which is awfully impressive.

I can go far (13.1 miles to be precise).

I can go moderately fast (sub 9 minute mile isolated and about 11.25 min miles on the half).

I can run MUCH faster and farther than my poor puppy now.

I laugh at 2.5 miles and the idea of walking part of it seems ridiculous.

3 miles is my short run and I can do it more than 15 minutes faster than my first attempt.

Do these things make me a runner?

I've run regularly, but only for 12 weeks.

I tolerate running, but don't necessarily enjoy it.

It's an obligation, but one that makes me feel good about myself.

I enjoy the view as I run through the country and have been privileged to witness some truly spectacular sunsets.

I honestly cannot decide whether to call myself a runner. I still don't feel like I've earned the title for some reason. Maybe it's because at the race I still felt inferior to those people. The athletic ones. The ones with legitimate running clothes and gear. With slender, but strong legs. The ones who finish an hour before me. The ones who have likely been running for years.

So I don't think I'm a runner. But I am healthy, for the first time in years. Maybe first time ever. My heart rate was 52 when I went to the doctor's for an infected blister. I am comfortably in the healthy BMI range. I have lost an inch off my waist, four inches off my stomach, 1.5 inches off my hips, and 6 pounds.

I feel good about myself. I'm proud of myself. I'm comfortable with how I look. Which, if you're a female, you understand how much that means. :)

I doubt I'm doing any more half marathons in the future . . . well, near future anyway. I do, however, plan on staying in "5k shape" as I'm choosing to call it and run semi-regularly. Three/four times a week sounds good to me. And I get to decide how far and how fast I want to go! How thrilling!

So thank you to those of us who have gone along on this adventure with us, whether you ever commented or not.

Thanks to our families who encouraged us and reminded us to run, even when it was the last thing in the world we wanted to do.

A huge thanks to Kelsey, who got me into this whole mess to begin with. I love you. We should try this again in 5 years. ;)

Peace and Blessings. Peace and Blessings. Buh-bye.

(If you don't get that reference, it's ok. But you should be very sad.)