Journey

Run like a Mother posted about this quote yesterday. It is one that has weighed on me since I watched Spirit of the Marathon (if you have'nt watched it, you REALLY should).

It all has to start somewhere, right?  I can't say that I am proud of where I was before I started all this, but it is important to remember that if I had not been there, I surely would not have been able to appreciate how far I've come. 47 lbs lighter, 4 clothing sizes, and an infinite amount of confidence.  Sometimes I step back and look at myself and am amazed by the change. Yes, the physical change is something to be proud of, something to embrace, but it is the inside changes that are truly what I am proud of.

Today I feel like the person I knew I could be. One who is strong, both on the inside and out. It causes me to shake my head when I think about how something so insignificant as running could have had such a profound change on me, but it truly has. The challenge has not been easy. When the journey first began, I remember laying on the floor of the kitchen after getting some water crying because it was hard.

 It was hard.

And I hurt.

Man, did I hurt.

But, I did not give up. I needed change, and the challenge delivered, there is no doubt about it.

A little over a year ago, I would have laughed at anyone who suggested that I might run. No way, no how... never. I mean really, who would want to do such a thing? The constant repetitive actions, the mile after mile, time spent dwelling on numbers, splits, pace... Insane, right?

Wrong.

As nutty as it sounds, I love it. Not for any of those above reasons. The numbers don't matter to me, (though a PR is always nice), it's about what running has given me. Not since I swam in high school have I felt a sense of power in my body's abilities, and honestly, at that time I did not realize how incredible that power felt. Maybe it was the age, maybe it was because I didn't know any better. I do know now that there is something overwhelming and amazing about finishing a workout and being able to say "I did that".

It's for that reason that I picked the name "It's More Than A Distance" for this blog. For me, it truly is. Yes, I love seeing the awesome mileage, but more than that, it's about the strength, confidence, happiness, and power that comes from something so simple as a run. It's about standing up a bit straighter, being a good, healthy example for my girls, and knowing that I am stronger than I ever imagined possible.