Call me CRAZY!!

I ran my first ever half marathon Sunday!  It was the most amazing feeling ever! Actually, the best feeling next to giving birth to my children.

If you would have asked me five - heck even a year ago - what my plan for the future was, I guarantee you it would not include running a half marathon.

I want to take a moment to say thank you to my friend Tawnia! If it wasn't for her I wouldn't have done it.  She is the one who encouraged me to run my first race: the Gift of Life and Breath 5K May 15th 2010.  After that, I was addicted.  It was great to see so many people participating knowing they were doing something to help raise money and awareness for lung cancer research.  It was amazing to see people from all walks of life doing what they could to show their support... some walked in remembrance of someone they had lost, others pushed family members in wheel chairs, and moms and dads ran while pushing their children in strollers.  It truly was inspiring to me.

Since then I have run in several races: AirLife Memorial 5K, Destiny Runs 5K, Bolder Boulder 10K, FireCracker 5K, Warrior Dash 5K, Skirt Chaser 5K, and now the Denver Rock 'n' Roll half marathon.  I cannot begin to explain the great feeling of accomplishment it gives me as I write this.  I never really took the time to look at it as something that would inspire others; I just did it because it made me feel good knowing I was giving back.

I want everyone to know that I had no training or running coach... just the desire to do it.  I can only hope that this may in turn inspire you to do whatever it may be that you never thought you would do.

I started running when my triplets were about 6 months old.  I would get up early in the morning before the kids woke up and I started out just walking.  Then a walk/jog.  Then jogging.  I followed the same route for months, then one day wanted to see how far I was actually going.  Turns out it was almost 5 miles!  I had no idea.

Just like I had no idea this was going so far off track. Now where was I?  Oh, yes... running my first half marathon.  I had registered for it months ago thinking I would have plenty of time to train for it.  Remember the farthest I had run was a 10K, which is only 6.2 miles.  Well, needless to say the training never happened.  As a matter of fact I never ran further than those 6 miles until the Thursday before the Rock 'n' Roll Half when I ran seven miles.  How in the world was I going to run 13.1?  I had no idea.  All I did know was that I was going to cross that finish line - no matter what.

Sunday morning: Get up 5:00 a.m.  Have a cup of coffee and  hit the road.  I get to the parking garage at 6:15.  Walk about a mile to the start.  Check my gear bag and the only thing with me: my iPod.  One last bathroom break and off to corral #8 I go.  All the time telling myself all I have to do is finish; time doesn't matter.  I put in my ear buds and I wait.

At 6:55 the first runners cross the starting line. I start slowly - just an easy jog.  Even though I'm running a Rock 'n' Roll race, I don't think there is one Rock song on my iPod. This is actually the first time I used my iPod at a race and I had every intention of not using it today... I was just going to stay the course and enjoy the many amazing bands along the way. However, I brought it just in case because I had no idea what it was going to be like.  Also, I was not prepared at all I, so I brought it as sort of my escape in case I needed that extra something to get me to the finish.

(Actually here is a little taste of my playlist Absolute Power, The Beast.. by Tech N9NE, Boom Boom Pow - Black Eyed Peas, Brick  House - The Commodores, Paid My Dues - Anastacia; then tracks from Run DMC, Whodini, LL Cool J... um, yeah, no rock here but probably the most important to me: Eminem's NOT AFRAID.  There are many more but I will stop there as I'm sure you're already thinking what is the point here?  Quite honestly I'm not sure myself.)

I started this with one idea and now it has gone all over the place. I guess I can sum it up best like this.  Don't let fear hold you back from achieving your goals. 

No matter what they may be, be NOT AFRAID.  Find the support system you need and make your dreams and goals a reality. 

I was pregnant at 19 and had two children by the time I was 20!  I left their dad when my youngest was only a few months old.  I was a single mom of two kids (who had dropped out of school in the 9th grade only to receive my GED years later).  At 20 I was on Welfare, going to school full time and working when I could.  I never gave up... I had no choice!  I had to give my boys something better. I owed them that much.

I  finished a two year Associates Degree in Fire Science at Red Rocks Community College while working at a Tire company and volunteering for the Arvada Fire Department.  I met my husband when I was 22 and - God willing - we have been together ever since.  We have been married for 7 years and now have 6 children.

I am blessed to be able to stay home and spend time raising my kids. That only came after working many different jobs for many years.  I never did achieve my dream to become a firefighter.  Sometimes life happens and goals and dreams change.  Although looking back now, I realize the reasons I didn't achieve them.  I have taken that, learned from it, and moved on.

Never once would I have guessed my life would turn out like this. 

Now as I begin another new journey as a runner, business owner, wife, mother and someone who truly wants to pay it forward. I also hope that I can inspire others to follow their dreams no matter what they may be, even if you don't know what they are YET, and even if they change several times along the way.

No matter how crazy life gets or how busy I may be, I will focus on my dreams to be the best wife and mother I possibly can, to have a successful business, and live life in order to help others.  I want to be able to give something from myself so big that it cannot be paid BACK... it can only be paid FORWARD!

I encourage you to follow me on this journey, and I pray it will inspire you to believe.

I ran a half marathon with no training, no preparation and did it in 2:08:25.  Even though I had serious doubts of finishing at all, I kept telling myself: "Don't quit.. you can do it.. you ran 7 miles, you can run 10."  At that 10 mile mark, I thought for sure I should have been at 11.  But I kept going, telling myself: "The last three miles are just a warm up... three miles is just a warm up... "

Now, looking back, the last 38 years have just been a warm up!  Call me CRAZY!!!  But I believe the best is yet to come!