And the journey begins here...

I am not an athlete. I am not a writer. I am a stay at home mom with a 2yr old and and 8mth old. I guess some may call me a rabbit by the way I like to reproduce, but rest assured this bunny is out of business for awhile. I am just an average woman. Average height 5.5, average weight 155 (I gulp as I type the scale's honest truth), average home, average family. I did graduate from college with a 3.489, which does put me intellectually slightly above average, but my ability to balance my checkbook debunks this heightened status quo. If I could think of one thing that makes me above average, it would be in my ability to "run".

When I was in grade school I told my mom I wanted to take gymnastics. I went and I was pretty good at it. I was no Mary Lou, but I could tumble. Then came the dreaded vault. Suddenly gymnastics didn't seem to be my fit so I "ran", out the door never to return. The closest I came to a gym floor again was middle school basketball. I was really small back then (BELOW average, WAY below. I started HS at 74lbs. With the new GA laws, I would have been a freshman in a booster seat). I was small, but man I was fast. I made the team, but I couldn't shoot a ball to save my life. I did however rock my Air Jordan's in a semi above average way. One day at practice during a defensive drill I grabbed the ball for a fast break, the only thing that was fast was the trip to the ER, broken wrist. After the cast came off I went to a few practices, but then I "ran"...to the locker room for the last time. I played baseball, soccer, tried to golf, did a few street races, all ending with the same result kleets, nikes, clubs in hand, I "ran".

My ability to "run" carried over into my scholastic endeavors as well. I began college in 1997. I graduated in 2008. Some people ask me "Are you a Dr?". Nope just a regular old undergraduate with nearly 11yrs experience. I am was a proud member of several student bodies. Georgia Southern, Tidewater Community College, Georgia Southern (round 2), Ogeechee Technical College, and then back again to graduate from good ole GSU. I always thought when I ran from school I was running onto bigger things, like my up and coming careers. Although I was with Ruby Tuesday for nearly a decade when management got too tough, I ran to Thrifty Car Rental. From Thrifty to property management and from there back to school. I have been "running" for a LONG time.

Now don't get me wrong. I don't stay up late at night crying myself to sleep over missed opportunities because every "run" lead to some other adventure in my life with miles of memories and new friends along the way. I am so happy at home with my girls and I wouldn't change a step that brought me right where I am.  But my history speaks for itself, I am a "runner". I always have been.

So why run a marathon? I picked up ACTUAL running in 2007. I was pretty consistent. I was running an 8:20 mile and hoping to run a 1/2 marathon. Although the "runner" in me came up with every excuse in the book to not actually sign up for one. I was physically able. My longest run to date 11.1 miles in 1:36mins. I was finally ready to really train when two pink lines showed up on stick in the fall of 2008. Obviously I had THE BEST reason not to train (she, Baby M, really is THE best thing EVER). After you have a baby everything changes. I ran here and there, but nothing consistent. Again I was ready to lock it down and pound the pavement when ANOTHER set of 2pink lines appeared, hence my rabbit nickname. When Baby E came on the scene I ran here and there. I even completed my 1st road race in decades, 12k Across the Bay in Cali. My baby sister the same day I crossed the bay completed her 1st marathon in, wait for it, 3:44:01. When I saw her a few weeks before her big race I couldn't believe what I saw. She was ripped!!! I used to be the skinny one! What the hell? I knew then that I needed to get this post baby body back in shape. Even though I am a quitter I like to compete!!!
While I was busy birthing babies a lot of my friends were out there pounding the pavement raking up running accolades. I have the best two "trophies" of them all, but no racing medals or numbers hanging in my garage.

All of the above inspired me, but what actually motivated the "runner" in me was setting such a major goal and accomplishing it. It's not about being faster or thinner than my sister (which NEITHER of those things are even obtainable), it's not about matching the steps of my friends, it's about the process of me. My last few runs were upwards of 13 minute miles. On my last run I realized it's not about the time but about the every step in my journey. And it begins here.