One Year “Run-versary”

One year ago today, I ran my first marathon – The Wisconsin Marathon – in my “transplant home town” of Kenosha, Wisconsin.

You would think that by now this might have sunk in – even the slightest bit – but one year later, it still has not.

Since completing this marathon, I have completed a few smaller distance races (10K or less), two Ragnar Relays, four half marathons, three more marathons, two 50Ks, & one 50 miler. Therefore, if I have learned anything, I have learned that “I am capable of so much more than I ever imagined” & that “limits, like fears, are often just an illusion”.

Even though I have accomplished so much, I still struggle to consider myself a marathoner or even an ultra runner. In my head, I’m still the every day, average Joe runner. Thinking about running any distance still stirs up all sorts of anxiety. Can I do this? What was I thinking when I registered for this? Am I insane? Why did I ever think this was a good idea? What if I fail? It is when these voices of doubt start that I have to make my own voice louder & stronger. I can do this . . . I have trained for months to do this! I like challenges – Courage to Start . . . Strength to Endure . . . Resolve to Finish! I am a Half Fanatic & a Marathon Maniac so I am a Secretly Insane Double Agent! And then there are some of my favorite quotes relating to failure: “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure.” – Colin Powell  . . . “Failure is success if we learn from it.” – Malcolm Forbes . . . “Failure is only the opportunity to begin again, only this time more wisely.” – Henry Ford . . . “In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.” – Bill Cosby

I will be celebrating this “run-versary” by returning to The Wisconsin Marathon on May 7th & stepping it up a notch by completing The Kalamazoo Marathon on May 8th – thus completing The Mitten Challenge.

My goals for this weekend are to:

• Have fun! There is no point in running these races if I can’t have fun & enjoy the experience!
• Successfully complete The Mitten Challenge & level up as a Marathon Maniac!
• Improve my time from last year’s Wisconsin Marathon.

Every mile becomes a part of me . . . & I am a DISTANCE RUNNER!