13.1...

13.1

That is not a big number, right? I mean to say that I have found a wonderful pair of jeans for 13.1 dollars is amazing. 13.1 hours to drive to see my grandma in Illinois, really isn't the end of the world. 13.1 more days til a big paper is due is not a lot of days to prepare. Well, what about running 13.1 miles? Is that a big number then?...hmmm sometimes it seems like it might as well be across the state of Texas, and other times I feel like it is just a hop and a skip away. 13.1 miles is the distance of a half-marathon. That is the distance that Ryan and I are going to run in Houston on April 10. Should I be scared?

So back in December, a co-worker and I decided we should run a half marathon. One day she was like, "Jeni, lets run a half marathon." Without a second hesitation, I said, "Ok, when?" Well, sense then I have had a little bit of hesitation, but nonetheless, I am very excited for the big day. It is really neat actually because we have talked some of our other coworkers, who have never ran more than a mile or two in their whole lives, into running a half marathon. It is neat to see them start to feel the passion and excitement for running that comes with a lot of sweat and tears.

It has been difficult to train due to working full time and taking school full time, but it has definitely been worth it. For the first part of Janurary, I was really struggling with the training; not because it was too intense, but because I had very little time to do it and I was fighting of some sort of bug half the time.

In the last 2 weeks though, I have felt my body starting to meet up to the challenge. It is amazing all the benefits that stem from running. I have started to see changes in my body, like more toned muscles, more endurance, increased flexibility, I have started to feel changes in my emotional health. Running has always been the biggest stress relief for me. I have felt like I can handle the stresses of work and school so much better when I run or workout on a daily basis. Running also tends to give me more confidence. I start to feel more in tune with my body. This weird phenomenon happens where when I run a lot I start to crave healthier foods. It has also been really neat to do this with Ryan. It really strengthens our relationship and makes me feel closer to Ryan after a good run.

This week I have run 4-6 miles everyday but Monday and Sunday. I am excited because I am scheduled to run 7 miles on Monday and I cannot wait for that challenge! I have finally reached the point where running has become not only addictive (it is my own personal brand of heroine), but has become enjoyable! I am so grateful for the blessing I have to be able to run!!