In honor of National Running Day, I thought I’d say thank you to the sport of running. It has changed my life in many ways and given me a new leash on my 40’s.
Dear Running,
Thank you for taking a non-athletic girl who couldn’t even run a mile in high school PE and turning her into a marathoner.
Thank you for giving me an outlet for my anger, my grief, my pain, and an escape from the voices in my head.
Thank you for clearing my spirit so that I can connect with my maker in a way I haven’t in years, without distractions, without obligations, and without a cell phone.
Thank you for giving me a more fit body that not only looks better in clothes, but will carry my heart and my lungs for decades to come.
Thank you for giving me friends that share my love of running but are so much more than just “running friends”. You’ve introduced me to people I never would have met otherwise and my life is richer because of them.
Thank you for evolving to the point where I can wear a pink running skirt and a tiara and people (well some people) don’t think a thing about it. And hardly anybody thinks my uterus will fall out.
Thank you for showing me that I am capable of more than I ever imagined.
You friend,
Jen
My friend recommended your blog and I love it! This post rings true for me on so many levels. It’s amazing how much confidence and healing running can bring to a life!
Johnna – I’m so glad you liked it!! We’re all in this together and I hope you’ll stick around for the marathon training. This whole blog thing is secretly just to get me a team of folks who will cheer me on – I’ll need all the help I can get;)! And yes, the healing is the part that surprised me the most, too.
I agree with your theory of the cheering helping. I would like to do a half in the winter or spring. I put a lot of my running stuff on FB because I feel somehow more accountable if it’s out there for all to see! Good luck with your training.