I've been wanting to make a blog for a very long time now because while I love sharing my running journey on Instagram, there is really only so much you can write in that little comment box. I figured my first post should really tell you who I am, although if you are an Instagram friend, you probably already know these things, so bear with me. I started running back in my senior year of college in 2013 as a way to stay in shape after wrapping up my last year of college volleyball. I knew that if I didn't find some way to stay active, I was going to gain weight and I wouldn't have a way to burn off stress. I HATED running. My team and I would tell my coach that "running long distances hurts your vertical". I struggled to complete 1 mile timed runs without taking a walk break. So a lot of people thought I was kidding when I said I had signed up for the Rite Aid Cleveland Half Marathon in May of 2013. But one thing about me is if you tell me I can't do something, I'm definitely gonna do it. Setting up a training plan and training for any race can be a daunting task. It is even more overwhelming when you've never done it before and your first race is 13.1 miles when you can run about 2. Luckily I have an amazing sister who ran 12 marathons at that point and drafted up a training plan for me in addition to being available for support throughout my training (thanks Lisa!). With her help and guidance I trained from January through May, dealt with the stress of my last semester of college, some crazy other issues, Spring Break trips, law school applications, graduation, and before I knew it, it was time for my first race. About a mile into the race I was already planning on doing another half marathon. To this date, I'm pretty sure that my first half marathon was the race where I have felt amazing throughout the entire thing (although it may have been an endorphin high). I cruised through the whole thing and never walked once, finishing in 2:09. Two days later I signed up for my next half marathon. I was hooked. I heard a quote shortly after that is suiting.
"Running is like the mafia. Once you are in - you're in. There's no getting out." So accurate it hurts. But hey, there are a lot worse things to be addicted to. Running has become my way of life and with it came a healthier diet, fitter body (-65lbs), and happier mind. Since that first 13.1 I have conquered 5 other 13.1's (and I'm about to take on my 7th on January 17th (my Birthday!), 8 5ks, countless other distance races, and 2 full marathons. I am preparing to take on Cleveland for the 4th year in a row this year, only I will be tackling the full marathon this time around with the goal of qualifying for Boston. I have also found a run club (Cleveland West Road Runners) which has brought me new friends and a running partner who is like a second father to me and one of the most supportive runners I know. Finally, it has brought me a community of runners on Instagram, some of which have become close friends and some I have met up with in person for runs! So that's me! Thanks for reading my story. I plan to use this site to share my training, racing, recipes, and other things! Stay tuned!
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