Beginner...again

Well this is day one of my running blog. I "blog around" most of the time but recently have dedicated myself to running and thought it might be a good idea to mark my pace and hopefully keep me on track.

I am not new to running all together...it is something that I was good at and thoroughly enjoyed growing up. I participated in track and field through out school and even enjoyed it for about a year following. Sometime after that however I found myself (as I so often hear) with a lack of time to continue and so it was put by the way side. Work had taken so much of my time that we I wasn't working I was exhausted. Eventually I moved to california and found running to be a great way to replenish my soul and invigorate my spirit. There was just something incredible about running along the pacific ocean, wind in my face, the sound of waves crashing behind that could rejuvinate my body and cleanse my mind. It left me with a sense of overwhelming power...like nothing was out of my grasp. In the end however the time came for me to move and so it was all left behind.

Fast forward a few too many years and one child later...I find myself searching for that same feeling and oddly enough turning to the one source I have always been able to find it--RUNNING! Yes that is correct, running is one thing that I can do for me...when everything else in my life seems to be out of control, running make it all seem miles away. The difference between today and what used to be is that running is no longer something I take forgranted. It is not easy, but it is rewarding. I still work a full week and now I have to juggle my family life too but I am finding that running is still my passion.

As for the beginning...again part that would be my first 5K in three years. I will admit that the cold weather kind of put a dampener on my running plans because I don't like the cold. I attempted to run on the treadmill and thought I was doing ok...but my first day back outside was...very unlike the treadmill. Needless to say, unless it is raining, I haven't ventured back indoors. Ultimately I joined the local runners club (as a way to motivate myself) and signed up for my 1st 5K to ensure that I did it. This past weekend was it...the Daffodil Dash and I succeeded in accomplishing my goals.

1) Survive/finish the race (check)
2) Complete race in 36min or less (check, 36min flat)

Yes, I know the goals were a little small for a 5K but hey what can I say...I was trying to be realistic. So yes I achieved them. I finished the race and I did it in 36 minutes on-the-dot. Now that being my starting point I am shooting for a decrease in time by 10 minutes over the course of the summer and I have hopes to run the St. Judes Half marathon in December. It seems like a crazy goal...a little far fetched in my mind, but I think there is plenty of time to train for it and pull it off. I am positive I can do and so over the course of the next few months we will see how close I get.

The lyrics to a song by Gavin DeGraw sum it all up for me...
Oh, this is the start of something good
Don't you agree?

~K