The Experiences of Running

Divas Half Marathon

N. Myrtle Beach ~ April 2014



I was so excited to be invited as a guest writer for the Grand Strand Running Club Newsletter this month. Scared, inadequate, insecure, but excited. My assignment.....running, of course.

I've had a couple of months to think about what I was going to write and honestly, I don't know that I can add anything to what you've already read about and what you, as runners, already know.

So, I thought I would tell you a little about my story and my experiences of running.

I began running two years ago this month. Initially, I started running for my health. And in no time, decided to enter some races. After all, that was what runners do, right? My first 5K was so powerful! I discovered things about myself that I would never have, otherwise. Of course, it has to be said.....I learned that 'the nerves' is a powerful cleanser. Ha!  But more importantly, I learned that my body will go farther than I ever thought possible. I learned that my mind can make or break me on a run. I learned that I can talk myself through some of the most painful runs or races and finish. And the sense of accomplishment I felt as I crossed the finish line was life changing.

There are certainly days when I don't feel like a runner....not that I'm sure I know what being a runner is supposed to feel like. First of all, I'm slow. I got a sense of that the day a lady security guard driving a golf cart and I nearly collided. She whipped around me just in time and proclaimed..."Don't worry, I brake for joggers".  I thought and nearly out loud, OMG!  Did she just call me a jogger?  Yes, she did! So, I guess it was confirmed....I am slow.

However, there is a bigger picture here. Being slow has nothing to do with being healthy. And being slow has nothing to do with the distance of a mile. A twelve to thirteen minute mile is just as long as a seven minute mile. So running slow......Ha! Who cares? I've decided there are worse things than being slow. I am able to run, some don't have that luxury.

And then there are those days that I proudly rack up the miles and think to myself....I may not be an elite runner, but I am in an elite group of people called..........'Runners'.

I have a blog and write a lot about my runs. Some days my runs crack me up and I just have to tell someone. And some days, I'm pretty sure inquiring minds just want to know. Ha! By telling my stories, I hope to inspire people to get serious about their health while having some fun at the same time. (If I can do it, so can you. Just put one foot in front of the other and soon, you too, will be a runner and on the road to better health.) If you would like to read more about my experiences of being a runner or just life in general, you can visit me at 111lalalane@blogspot.com. Or, you can read about my latest 10K race here: http://111lalalane.blogspot.com/2014/05/hell-hole-swamp-10k.html

The experiences I encounter through running make it thrilling and keep me coming back for more. And although I've been running for two years this month, I still consider myself a new runner. Oh yes, in those two short years, I've experienced running highs and lows, an injury, some good races and some not so good races. But, I've grown to love it....all of it. And as I've contemplated my running as a whole, I've come to realize that running is a metaphor for life. You get out of it what you put into it. There will always be uphill battles and then there will be glorious accomplishments. Running can thrill you or make you feel defeated, but you learn from it and grow.

What more of an experience could one hope for?

 

Happy Running Y'all!

Laurie