The Skinny on How I Got Here ...

I've always been an athlete, yet not always a runner. I've played many sports growing up, predominantly field hockey, where I was always told to run as fast and hard as I could. Sprints, intervals, changing directions. I carried my FH career into college where I started as center mid on Indiana University's team. Just like most anything else, it had its ups and downs; but I promise you the ups heavily outweighed any downs. The feeling of connecting as a team and representing something so much bigger than yourself is indescribable. Anyway, I'm not here to talk about my FH career. I brought it up because I wanted to give you a background of my running history. Make your time, hit the line, go faster, pick it up, hustle, hustle, hustle. Once my career was over, I needed something else. I needed more competition.

Why not running?

Initially I never ran more than 30 minutes. I must have had speed instilled in me. I was much like a Chevy Camaro SS ... zero to 60 in 4.7 seconds. Basically, I started off sprinting. I just didn't know any better. So I wouldn't say that 30 minutes was a goal of mine, it was more like I just couldn't run any longer. I was spent. Obviously I had to learn to slow it down, become more like my last car - my little red Volkswagen Jetta. It took her awhile to get going, to get used to the distance we were traveling. Bless her heart and God rest her soul.

My sisters had all run races, 5Ks, 10-milers, half-marathons and marathons so my competitive side wanted to do it too. (There are five girls and a boy in my family.)

My first 5K was the Wake Forest Turkey Trot (NC). This was right up my alley. I finished third in my age group running at a 7:12 pace (and won and medal - woohoo). I think there were 700 or so in my age group. I can't remember exactly.

My next race was the Washington D.C. Cherry Blossom 10-miler. I got better a little in my training since those two races were a couple years apart. I had the opportunity to run with my sisters at times who all stressed the importance of pacing yourself. When I finally listened and used a little discipline I realized running longer than 30 minutes wasn't so hard after all. I finished that race in 1:17, running a 7:42 pace or so. Apparently the Expo and packet pick-up wasn't stellar according to my sisters (who had run it with me) but the course and was very flat and beautiful. This is definitely when I got bit by the race bug. I needed more! There was something about total strangers cheering me on and sincerely motivating me that had inspired me. I'm addicted.

Then, I ran the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer 5K in Raleigh, NC with my colleagues. Most of them ran/walked the recreational race but I got up a little earlier to participate in the competitive one. I finished 10th out of thousands in my age group. Running at a 7:30 pace or so, I experienced another eye-opening race. This one for a different reason. To compete for a cause is like nothing else. It really puts things into perspective. I was happy and proud to be running for the millions who have died, defeated and are still battling breast cancer, especially my boss, who is going in for surgery next week.

Now here I am. I've signed up and am training for two races. The Baltimore half-marathon is Oct. 10 and the OBX full-marathon is Nov. 9. I'm following the Runner's World novice-marathon training guide and it just worked out that the week I will be running the half I'm supposed to run a 14-miler.

I'm early in training but I know I have a lot to look forward to ... the love/hate relationship I will develop, the cuts and scraps I will endure and the passion that will conquer.

Thanks for coming with me on my journey, where I hope to discover more inspiration to overcome any vulnerabilities that may arise.