9.22.2011

Racing High

Happy Thursday readers!  What a fabulous week it has been..not only has it flown by, but every day I am loving teaching and my students more!

Today, I bring you Student Teaching Guest Post #5 from Amanda, who happens to be my one of my best bloggy friends!  We text and talk on the phone frequently and it is so special to have her positive attitude in my life.  She is a big runner, and well....I am DEFINITELY....NOT!  So I thought it would be fun for her to share some of her motivation with not only me, but also with you!  Enjoy!

Hello Sundresses and Smiles followers, I'm Amanda! And I'm here today from Simple Girl, Simple Pleasures. I am so honored to be guest posting for my bloggy bff (yes, we have regular phone dates and still haven't met in real life...yet)! 

Anyways, I'm here to talk about my love of running and what keeps me motivated. To say that I'm addicted to the runner's high is an understatement, but I have discovered a new version of the runner's high...it's the runner's racing high. 

Rock 'N Roll Half Marathon
Providence, 2011

I used to go through phases where I loved running then hated it. It has always been a passion of mine, and it will always be a passion of mine. But after running a 5k several years ago, I realized the excitement of racing is worth the hard work, sweat, and pain. So I started to do training programs and run to work towards something.

Check out those leg muscles!!
(This caption is Allie speaking...)
During college, I knew I couldn't commit the time, effort, or heart to running and training for races. So after graduation, I decided it was time to get something in my calendar to keep me motivated, to keep me exercising, and to keep up my health. Bring on the Roxbury Half Marathon in Connecticut. For months, I ran long distances and worked my butt off. My goal was to run it under two hours. 
Race day came, and when it barely broke twenty degrees, I knew my joints were going to hate me. I had to walk part of the race, and I cried through the finish line. I came in 85th out of the 91 participants. I didn't come in last, and I finished the race. I was officially a half marathoner.
I struggled to walk the following days, but I felt proud of what I had done. As hard as that race was, I knew that it wouldn't be my last. Since that race, I have run another half marathon and my first 10k. I am trying to only run a max of five races a year (this year, I'm running at least four).


VICTORY!

Running races (and training for them) keep me motivated and working hard, plus they keep me in shape. I love setting goals for myself, so each race is something new to look forward to or something else to accomplish. Do you have anything that keeps you motivated to workout or run?
Thanks again for having me, Allie!


Have a great day!