what i have learned

last year if you would have told me that i would run 6.4 miles in the dallas marathon relay by the end of 2012, i would have smacked you upside the head called you a liar laughed.

{awesome sign made by a friend from my group.  they cam out and cheered me on, y'all.  it meant the world.}

for those of you who have followed this blog for a while (bless your souls) know that i joined a beginners running group last january with three goals in mind:

1) to get supermadel skinny.

2) to set a good example for my boys.

3) to do something i never thought i could.

two outta three ain't bad.

{my sis, my dad and myself before the relay}

this running gig has taught me a few things that i would like to share:

running doesn't make you skinny.  let me start over, running doesn't make me skinny.  i thought the weight would fly off.  not so much.  dieting makes you skinny, that and not eating a spoonful of nutella straight from the jar like it's chocolate pudding.  not that i just did that or anything.

it doesn't get easier.  i thought i would reach a point in my training where it would all click.  no-siree-bob.  every run is still a struggle.  i am constantly battling that voice inside my head that is begging me to quit.  but i don't.  which is how i miraculously went form running a minute/walking a minute for thirty minutes to running a slooooow 6.4 miles without stopping.

{my teammates and two of my very best girls, emily and jenn}

 given a couple of glorious hours of freetime, i don't think i will ever say to myself, "cort, go run!  sounds like a blast!"  this is how i know i am not a real runner.  instead i will ask myself, "should i cook tonight or should we go to matt's?"  and we all know the answer to that question.

 i may run at times as fast as some people walk, but i will. not. stop.

although i still don't love the physical act of running, i have discovered a few thinngs i do love about the experience: running alongside a talker,  a dark night at white rock lake, cold air filling my lungs and stinging my face, the way a group of people can hold me accountable.

who knew i would love these things???  not this girl.

will i train for a marathon?  oh hell no (i ran alongside those poor souls during the last few miles of their marathon.  they were in the cuts, y'all.  so, nothankyouverymuch.)

will i train for a half?  if someday it will ever take me less than an entire day to run one, then yes.

will i keep running?  don't mind if i do.

{our relay team, the slow and steadies, post-race}