Look at me, I'm another blogger: 30 Day Challenge, Day 7

Day 07- A picture of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you

My most prized possession, a picture of my
dad and I after my very first road race.

I guess this is a something but it includes a lot of someones. It's running. Obviously.

I started running track in 6th grade with my first 5k December 31st, 1993. I think I've always been a runner, for as long as I can remember it's something I've always loved to do. It was my parents go spurned my interest so many years ago. My dad was a runner and since it was just my sister and I, I think I kind of took it up as a way for us to bond. He was never going to have a son to watch play football but at least this was something we could do together. For years as a child I went to road races with my mom and dad and I just remember how proud I was after dad finished.

When I told my mom and dad I wanted to run the End of the Year Run they both encouraged me to train but I thought I was probably fine. Sure enough I finished and sure enough I puked. It was the first and only race that happened. Perhaps I've just never pushed my self that hard since?

I have been a runner since that day. I ran track and CC in high school And CC in college. I ran my first half marathon(Gary Bjorkland, Duluth) as a HS Junior and have never looked back. During college, I used it as time out of my dorm/apartment, to fight the freshman (sophomore/junior/senior).15, as a time to reflect, to battle depression, and it served (and still does) as my time to thank God for life. Being outside running is my favorite kind of church. Running, quite literally, kept me alive in college.

It wasn't until 2007 when, bored with work and my love life, I let my RBFF (running best friend forever) talk me into my first marathon. She sent me a link to the race route with the subject line, "it's like a walk in the park". We trained like nothing else mattered and I finished Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon, my first full, in 4:50. (allegedly times were 30 minutes slower due to the heat and humidity. Allegedly.) like every running milestone before this. I was hooked. I ran Grandma's June, 2008 (4:39), San Francisco August, 2008 (4:48) and had signed up for Whistlestop that fall but had to pull out due to a pulled hip flexor. I took a break after that and stuck to halves. I've traveled with RBFF (whose name also happens to be Beth, we're Beth squared when we run races!) to Indy half, San Fran, Wisconsin Uff Da half, and Grandma's. I ran the inaugural brained half in 2008 during a blizzard on April 26th with birdie, mom and I have gone together to AZ for R'n'R where it reached 90 degrees. One of my favorite races was Governor's cup in Helena while there on vacation with the fam.

There really isn't any way I could have continued to be a runner without my family. Dad got me started and coached me, mom is my biggest cheerleader, driving behind me in the car with the headlights so I could run in the dark, she would drop me off so I could see new terrain, she checks on me with water and sunscreen during long runs and is always positive. Mom and dad showed up to every race, I couldn't have asked for better cheerleaders. My sissy has always been there and she has been blessed with my two newest fans who were born just in time to watch auntie run this October.

I have a newfound fan in my faithful Husby after I ran a marathon this fall with only one 20. I pr'd by 16 minutes and ran a 4:13. I think he believes me now when I say running is a sport. As most runners know, it takes a patient husband or wife to put up with race training and mine has been the best.

I also need to send a shout out to MAPMYRUN, I have used that site/app for 90% of my runs over the last 6 years. They have created an invaluable service to me and just wanted to say thanks!

Running teaches me focus and dedication, persistence and patience. It provides camaraderie across continents, states, cities, and neighborhoods. There is no failing in running, every day is a new day. I believe that in running and in life, you just need to keep putting one foot in from of the other.

I love running and I love the person it has made me.