Mama said they could take me anywhere...

My day began with an absolutely gorgeous 5 mile run on Fort McClellan. It's perfectly for running because there are very few people out and about in that area, and the majority of the roads are shaded. There are only a few hills. One of the hills is a fairly steep incline, so Rachel and I try to complete it during the beginning of our run. The first time we experienced that hill was absolutely miserable, but it has slowly gotten easier as we continue to run it. The other hill is a very gradual incline. I hate those. It doesn't help that my running shoes are about to be retired. We've completed hundreds of miles together, so it's sad to say goodbye to them. My pre-run breakfast consisted of maple oatmeal with half a banana. I realize that I told you to fill up on breakfast yesterday, but if you're going to run for any serious distance, cut back! I have actually gagged during a race because of the amount of food I ate beforehand. It wasn't fun at all! 

(This is the mapmyrun app for Iphone and Android. If you don't have it, check it out! It counts distance, elevation, calories, and rate.)

Never in a million years did I ever think I would be a runner. The only running I can remember doing prior to 2010 was back to the buffet for a second or third helping of FAT. Blakely and I LOVED buffets when we started dating. How sweet, right? We could gorge together on endless fried meats and best of all, we could cover every bit of it in gravy! Then we would come home and take a nap for 3 or 4 hours. It was the good life, the fat life. As much as I miss the gravy and endless desserts, I traded them in for fruit and a decent pair of running shoes. 

Kelsey beat my tail until I loved anything and everything cardio. Naturally, running was the only thing left to do once step aerobics and kick boxing became too easy. I expressed my interest to the beast, Kelsey, and she took me upstairs to the cardio room and MADE me run a mile. She told me that I couldn't get off until I completed one and then proceeded to watch me run said mile. At that point in my life, it was the farthest I had ever run, and I had never been prouder of myself. To improve my distance, I followed Kelsey's advice. I would give myself a distance to run and wouldn't stop until I reached my goal. 

I spent at least a year and a half on a treadmill. I thought there was nothing better than the convenience of having a television in front of me while I exercised, and what better to watch than Paula Dean deep fry a chocolate filled cupcake while I did it? It took a good year to work up to two miles simply because I never cared about distance. Weight was pouring off me at a seriously alarming rate. For a brief period I thought that I might have some form of stomach cancer or Lupus when in all actuality, my hard work was finally paying off. I saw the most results I had ever seen in my first year of running. It wasn't until August of 2011 that I became interested in wanting to complete a 5k. It was a goal that I had yet to reach, but I knew deep down that I could do it if I pushed myself hard enough. 

Kelsey and I had taken different paths after we graduated. She was in TN and I was hired in Oxford, so I no longer had a cheerleader every time I stepped foot in the gym. You'd be surprised how upsetting it was to me. I was used to having an accountability system. Kelsey was my personal trainer that accepted payment in the form of laughs. After a month of turning back to the fat side, I picked myself up and began training. 

The 5k was a Halloween race. It only made sense for Kels and I to fulfill our three year dream of going out in public dressed as Trudy and Ranessia from Reno 911: Miami! 

Here are their actually outfits in the movie:

Obviously, we weren't going to run 3 miles in the town I teach in dressed this way, so we were forced to improvise. 

It was pushing the end of fall. The temperature the morning of our run was somewhere in the low 50's. After getting 4 hours of sleep, Kelsey and I made our way to the starting line. I had not yet completed 3 miles the day of my race, and I had yet to run outside. The biggest obstacle you will face as a runner is overcoming your brain telling you to stop. It probably isn't natural to run for that long, but you have to listen to your body when it's screaming back that it can. I knew that I was going to run 3 miles that day if it killed me. It also didn't hurt knowing that we were going to pig out on Shoney's breakfast (our favorite) buffet after the race. Hey, any motivation works! With my headphones blaring in my ears, Kelsey and I took off. Time was never a consideration during my first race. I will tell you right now to get any time frame out of your head because it will only hold you back. Master the mileage and then worry about improving your time! My only goal was to COMPLETE the race. I can't tell you what my thoughts were during the run or how I possibly made it through. I had my biggest fan beside me every step of the way, and I knew that I had to follow through. 

Our time was exactly 30 minutes. We averaged a 10 minute mile, but most importantly, I didn't die because I ran 3 miles. My body still functioned properly and the sun still hung in the sky. 

That day changed my entire life.

I am working toward a 10k by the end of the summer. Running is my escape, and I can't picture a week without doing it. I've also moved from the treadmill to the great outdoors. Words cannot describe how free you feel when it's you, your favorite jams in your ear, and an endless world ahead of you. My love for running grows every single day. This motivational picture can explain it better than I could ever put to words. 

Perfection....