An Ode to Running

I've always been fairly athletic, but running has become a passion of mine over the past five years. I signed up for my very first race in 2005 - one of the largest 8K's (5 miles) in the nation - and I was scared shitless. Nervous. Anxious. Ready to urinate all over myself. What had I gotten myself into?

And then I ran. I dodged thousands of other runners. I passed people I knew. I sang along in my head to my iPod. My last mile turned into a sprint. I flew through the finish line.

And I was hooked.

(weheartit)

Running is such an odd sport. It's all about individual growth and motivation. A runner also has to play the roles of a coach, trainer, teammate and fan. There are no plays to run. There is no referee. It's just you and the pavement. YOU dictate your performance. YOU create the game plan. YOU push yourself.

You wake up at 5:00 a.m. because you know you HAVE to run today. Funny how that same motivation is lacking when it's time to do the laundry or clean the house:)

You run in weather ranging from 20-100 degrees. You run through pouring rain, snow, fog and the blazing sun. Because you HAVE to.

You suffer countless blisters, toenails ripping off, sore muscles, stress fractures, shin splints. You sit in ice baths wearing a sweatshirt. Because these are the sacrifices - and you secretly LOVE it.

You sweat. You know you smell. You down water, Gatorade and packets of "gu" like its your job. Your legs are covered in mud. In Gatorade. In sand. Because it's what you DO.

You envision yourself crossing the finish line and it brings tears to your eyes. You see friends cheering you on and it only makes you run faster. Run harder. Because it's who you ARE.

You listen to the same playlists and pass other runners along the lakefront. You give each other knowing smiles. Because they KNOW what you're going through.

You literally run right through your shoes as they develop holes. You spend $120+ on shoes because you NEED that support and you refuse to buy any other brand. You realize that you can no longer buy shoes based on color. You understand the importance of good socks. Running shorts with hidden pockets. You understand that cotton is the enemy. Because these feet pound the pavement and you MUST take care of them.

You plan routes around Starbucks locations, because you always reward yourself with coffee. You eat more to accommodate for the loss of calories. You think you deserve a Chipotle burrito for lunch because you just ran 13 miles. But then the trainer in you realizes that although you run like a mad-woman, you still need to take care of your body. It has now become a temple. Because you NEED that body.

You take a break from running. You get frustrated when you're side-lined from a marathon due to injury. It brings you to tears. You see a sports medicine doctor. You try again. You stretch. You strength train. You keep going. Because you ARE NOT a quitter.

(And you think about writing something like this on your blog as you run 10 miles. Because you need to think about SOMETHING while you run to occupy the time.)

Next weekend, I will be running a half-marathon in Indianapolis with my brother and his girlfriend. I've run half-marathons before, but it's been a few years. So needless to say, I am a little nervous, but I am trying to focus more on finishing and less on a certain time. Anyway, I am sure I will be thinking about this post as I run:) Wish me luck!

Are you passionate about a particular hobby? I'd love to hear about it!!!

And because everyone should have a cupcake after they run, this next recipe comes to you from one of my best friends, Danielle! She recently made these cupcakes for her husband and they look DELICIOUS! (Oh, and you should definitely check out her blog, too - she has a passion for home organization!)

Ingredients:
Chocolate cake mix
1 bag of chocolate/peanut butter chips
1 jar of chocolate frosting
6-8 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

Prepare the cake mix as directed and add 1 whole bag of chocolate/peanut butter chips to batter.
Bake as directed
While cupcakes are cooking, chop up 6-8 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
After cupcakes cool, frost to your liking and sprinkle Reese's on top of cupcakes
That's it....Enjoy!!!