Feel like a runner

It's pretty amazing what our bodies can do in a year.

In January 2012 I was crawling bouncing back from IT Band Syndrome.  I was signed up for my first marathon just 4 months later.  I was celebrating my first pain free mile, and then my first pain free 2 mile run.

I did go on to finish my first marathon, and I will never claim that any step of that process was easy.  The long runs hurt, and I admittedly walked at least as much as I ran during most of them.  I would still ache for days.  My training commitment was lousy at best, and I spent most of the time trying to catch my breath and shake out cramps.  I paid for it in the days following the marathon.  Compression and foam rolling fun...

Now, in January 2013, I am training for marathon #2.  With the Pittsburgh Marathon again less than 4 months away I have a whole host of things going for me that I didn't have a year ago.

I can run a whole lot more than 1-2 miles pain-free!  My shortest runs are a respectable 3 miles.  My longest run this month has been 11 miles.  It felt great, and I still felt great the next day!  I have committed myself to my training plan, and I literally see and feel it working.  Long gone are the days of constantly pausing the treadmill to catch my breath.  Gone are all the excuses to not run, because making excuses was easier than pushing myself to get better.

I finally feel like a runner!

Post training run... Marathon #2 here I come!