This One's for the Girl

Next week is when I officially start my training for the half. However, since I have sat on my rear for a couple weeks and haven't jogged in at least three, I felt inspired tonight to do a little outdoor run. It's hot, I have a sore back, and I have to clean the whole house and host a party tomorrow, but this was the night I chose, nonetheless (I really will do ANYTHING to get out of cleaning).

So, I decided to do my local area loop that includes a few hills, but nothing crazy, is familiar but relatively interesting, safe and is just a hair under three miles. Telling myself to keep a "conversation pace" (able to speak in sentences the whole time) as that's my pace strategy to complete the half. Slow and steady. And, I also told myself that next week is really when I start, so if I don't complete the whole route, fine, I'm starting at 2 miles next week training anyway...

Well, I ran. At the right pace. Steadily. Felt good the whole time. And I ran past my house and back again, in order to ensure that my "just under three miles" was a full three miles. After mapping it, it was 3.34 miles. And I felt great. I'm not sore, I'm not tired, wasn't breathing heavily, I could've kept going but deliberately stopped to not overdue it since it's a "marathon and not a sprint" (ba dum dum). And, I was overwhelmed with emotion. Because it hit me, I am a "runner." Girl may be carrying the weight of six oxen, but her body can run. I may be carrying the weight of six oxen but I am a f#$&*$! athlete. The fact that I am carrying that weight and can haul it around proves it.

So, I broke down for all the times, years, eras, that I have been told, by self, by others, by self because of others, that I am "too fat to be good at...." whatever. Bullshit. I am an athlete. And maybe if I had been told that earlier, all my silliness of up and down weight gain and fitness levels - because I have been fat/fat, fat/fit and fit/fit at various stages of my life, through healthy habits as well as unhealthy habits, depending on the era - maybe all of that would have ended if I was told that I was a runner. Or an athelete. Because I am and we're gonna do this 13.1. And I'm doing it for that girl. And the Lord's going to help me because He's known it all along.

Becky