I did it. Well. I didn’t do it. My husband did. He signed us both up for the Lincoln Half Marathon.
A half marathon. Eagads.
It may not sound much to all the thirty-somethings that don’t have an almost 8 year old. Because I feel like around the time the Oldest was born, everyone else I know was checking, “run a half marathon like it’s NBD” off of their bucket list. You can’t throw a stone at a happy hour without hitting someone who’s done a half or a full or a tri or whatever.
So I said, “I’m never doing that. I’m not doing it just because everyone else is doing it. I don’t like running. I’m not going to pretend I do.”
Never say never, right?
When I went through treatment last year, Adam Brehm basically gave up his life for me. Isn’t that the sweetest of the sweeet? So I said, “let’s run a 5k!” And run we did… we ran a 5k on Super Bowl Sunday… it was frigid. I had gotten done with chemo just a week prior, I think. And was about to have my mastectomy. It was my first 5k. And I said, “okay. If I can do this, I owe him a half.”
I want to do it because it’s something he loves. I want to do it because he put his life on hold for me. Because he’s all kinds of awesome like that. And I love him. I want to do it because my dad and my husband and my brother have done them together. I want to do it just to say I could. Because that’s where I am now. Do it all.
So. Yesterday I did my official first training run. The hubs and I won’t run training runs together because he has pace goals. He’s a runner. My dad, he’s a runner. And my brother, too. I am simply hoping to cross the finish line standing in under a day. We all have different goals.
So yesterday, in my fave Nebraska Medicine tank, I ran 3 miles. On the treadmill. And I survived. I was sweaty as a beast. And I ran 12 minute miles. Which means outside I’d probably be even slower. But who freakin’ cares, right? I sure don’t. Because my goal is to have a goal. And complete it.
My friend, Super Mama Nicole, is running with me, too. She’s said we can be slow together which I totally love. The hubs made me my plan. And Dr Tandra, my oncologist, was thrilled when I asked permission. He’s happy I have goals. And am looking a few months ahead with certainty.
Sometimes, you just have to start somewhere. Because, after all, you don’t have to eat the entire elephant in one bite…
What are you holding back on starting? What do you want to do but just can’t take the first step?
