Tuesday, December 9, 2008

so, maybe i am a runner

i have a confession: unless you live near us, or are related to michael or me, you might not realize that i'm running marathon on sunday. a real-live 26.2-mile marathon.

yes, i realize i'm insane.

two years ago, i started running again, after retiring from my running career at the end of seventh grade. i've never really been a runner but i wanted to be intentional to work-out and running is something michael and i can do together. by together, i mean that we run at the same time, not next to each other. apparently, i run too slow for michael to run with me.

but don't worry, i'm not bitter. anymore.

so, two years ago, we bought each other running shoes for an early christmas present and began running. we set the goal to run a half-marathon in late spring and began training. i learned that i really like running if i'm not concerned about my speed (see above comment about being "slow").

and then, i went and got pregnant. according to our ob, it wasn't a problem for me to run the half-marathon. just don't get your heart-rate too high, she said. as long as i felt well, i could complete the half.

but then, i went and got morning sickness. which apparently can sometimes act like all-day sickness. and so, with six weeks left to train, my half-marathon goal went out the window. it's hard to get motivated to run when you feel like leaving your stomach on the sidewalk.

but, i wanted to run a half-marathon before we move from dallas. i wanted to get back into my new-ish sport. there is a popular marathon here in december which includes a half. so, i decided that's what i'd run.

i hadn't yet started my training when in may, my company took us on a staff retreat. part of the retreat was focused on helping us to grow as individuals in several areas of our lives, including our physical health. ceo stan challenged us to run the marathon i already was thinking about. i figured it'd be fun to run the half with my co-workers.

but, several weeks later, stan stopped me. the half doesn't sound like a katherine thing to do, he said. you need to do the full thing. i still think he's crazy.

here i am, though, less than a week from the starting line, having trained for about five months. throughout all this time, i've wanted to write here about it. training for something this difficult and time-consuming has really given me a lot to think about and process. thoughts i've wanted to share with you.

but, when it comes down to it, training for this marathon has also been intensely personal, in a way i didn't expect. my real-life friends know i'm running and often ask about my long runs (how much did you run this week?), but aside from that, it's been tough to talk about this feat with anyone but my running partner, kiley (who, thanks to this challenge, is running her second marathon this year). it feels like bragging to just announce, i spent my morning training for something that only 1% of americans ever accomplish. what did you do today?

and so, i've been mostly quiet about this big deal. but there you have it. with only five days before the gun goes off, i've broken the silence.

wish me luck.

10 comments:

  1. good luck...I will be praying for you. Not a runner myself, I have no idea what you have done, or are about to do. But I know enough to respect it fully. Congrats. See you in a couple of weeks!

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  2. Good for you! I will be praying for you on Sunday!! Hope all goes well!

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  3. I'm so proud of you, Katherine! I will definitely be praying and thinking about you on Sunday morning! You'll do GREAT! Eat some spaghetti for me on Saturday! ;)

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  4. I am super impressed, Katherine! But I didn't know you were moving......?

    I decided a few months ago that I might run the Mini here in May. Then I decided it wasn't worth the $50 (which really would have been $100 since my husband wanted to run too if I did), so I threw that idea out the window.

    HOWEVER....

    I'm still training as if I'm going to do it. So maybe I'll find something else to run this spring. I'm raising my cardio by 1/2 mile per week. I don't exactly *run* all of that, of course. I walk some of it. Well, most of it. But I've only been "training" for about 4 half-hearted weeks. And I only make it to the gym about 2 or 3 times each week, so for me, 4 miles of ANYTHING considered cardio is a huge thing.

    I'd still like to do a marathon someday. I just don't think it will be this May.

    I hope you have an awesome time! Can't wait to hear about it!

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  5. I have great respect for marathon runners! Way to go! I look forward to hearing about it.

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  6. I know you will totally rock the marathon! I can't wait to hear how it goes! I'm super proud of you!

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  7. I was so proud of you as you ran by us this morning. Knowing how much of yourself you have dedicated to this has been a huge inspiration. I will probably never be a runner of any kind, but I did feel the need to run that last mile with you...I was, in my heart.

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  8. Can't wait to hear how the marathon went yesterday!!!

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  9. Hey girl! I was thinking about you yesterday! How was it? I can't wait to hear!!!

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  10. Anxious to hear how it went! We were praying for you. I'm so impressed!

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