A Little Backstory

My sister and I ran the Disney Endurance Half Marathon in January of 2010.  It was actually that training process that began this blog.  It journaled my progress from starting as a non-runner to running a respectable 3.5 hour 1/2 marathon.  (In all fairness, we would have finished sooner except my bladder and bowels INSISTED I find a bathroom mid-way through!). The training was sometimes grueling but overall, I enjoyed it.  I found peace running mile after mile and it was an awesome way to drop left over baby weight from when Connor was born.  I was smaller at Endurance Weekend than I was for my wedding...and this is saying something since I wore a size 2 wedding dress.

I distinctly remember feeling blessed as I prepared for Endurance Weekend.  This blog (my sister had one that journaled her journey as well) was a chance for Jo and I to connect on a different level than we had before as sisters.  We were supporting, encouraging, motivating, inspiring each other to continue to push and do better from a thousand miles apart.  The day of the half was early and it was COLD.  As in, sleeting rain and freezing temps in Central Florida, cold!  We trucked, we did awesome!  We did it together.  We crossed the finish line holding hands and bawling our eyes out and I remember thinking, "I did it!  That was amazing!  I will never do that again!"

Sure enough, things happen.  Not 2 months later we moved from Savannah to Columbus, GA.  2 months after that I was pregnant with Alaina and her pregnancy and first year was very difficult for me. I, literally, didn't have the time to find time for myself and it started to show.  Flash forward to this past February.  Something the Northeast part of the country does that is completely foreign to me is this "winter break" thing.  The children in school get a week off each February but no one is sure why.  They get their time at Christmas and another week at Easter, so just for giggles, they get ANOTHER week during the coldest, snowiest part of the year as well.  On Tuesday of this dreaded winter break, I called my dad who lives in Orlando and told him, "put us on the calendar for the end of February 2014, I will not be spending another week in February alone in the North Country with kids home from school."  I noticed pictures being posted of the Princess Half Marathon during this same winter break and my wheels started turning.  Almost like an inner turmoil, "I really want to.  I remember the pain last time.  It would be so cool.  My lips were blue for hours after the finish.  Who would watch my kids while I run?  Would dad and Cheryl be willing to watch them?"  Back and forth and back and forth until I got a random text from my sweet sister that said she was considering running it.  THAT was my sign.  That was what I needed to say, yep, you got this...again!  

So here we go...again.  My blog turns back into my journey.  From beginners running 101 and prepping for my Color Run 5K in August all the way through the Princess 10K AND half marathon.  Yep, we are crazy enough to do both back to back all for that beautiful glass slipper medal!  

It is the training, it is the new family challenge I accepted for my family (I will share that tomorrow), it is life and all the struggles that go along with trying to do something for myself in the middle of doing the single mom thing and deployment challenges.  All I ask is that if you chose to read and follow along, be kind.  There are so many people that want to hold you down when you are trying to rise above, change your life and be better and I ask that all negativity stays out of my world.  Thanks and enjoy!

T