37 miles. who knew??

"If you want to become the best runner you can be, start now.  Don't spend the rest of your life wondering if you can do it."
                                                        --Priscilla Welch, Master Marathon Great

I had no idea I had it in me. All this time... I considered myself a runner... but not THAT kind of runner..

You see... I run.. YES.. and like John Bingham I believe everyone is a runner.. no matter how far how fast how big how small.. its in everyone. Running is a sport that can benifit all walks of life, all shapes, all sizes, all backgrounds..... I considered myself a runner.. sure... ... I run for reasons many other do.. for stress relief, for the stillness that it brings my mind, for the strength it gives my body.

I am not sure why but when I looked at the mileage coach was asking of me this week i thought.. ha... we'll see how this goes! I have run 37 miles in a week before.. sure..back when I was training for my marathon.. that was with a 20 mile run on the end of the week and it was with many many walking breaks... ... but to RUN 10 miles one day.. then 6 then 8miles.. etc etc... and to run every day.. I wondered if I would make it.

I did.

Total 37 miles for this week.... this is inspite of cutting my run today short by 30 mins simply because I ran out of time. What does running this type of mileage do to me? I have added strength n muscle... its made me lighter on my feet and has brought back the passion i had for running.... I always thought in the back of my head... could I be a "high mileage" runner? ... with the nagging thought of a 50 miler on my 50th birthday whispering to me... .... 'but is it really possible.'? ...

Its moment like this week that rock me a bit. knock me down and make me realize I am not who i thought I was... i am more... I can be more... I can do more become more than I thought. ....

Its interesting how running can effect our life. I guess its because it's so simple and uncomplicated. To be a runner is to decide to be one. Simple as that. There is no tests to take... its just making up your mind to do something and do it. 

Of course I am not the fastest.. There will always be someone out there fitter, faster, and longer legged (ha!)... but what strikes me tonight is the fact that i thought I found my inner athlete a LONG time ago... but I was wrong.

Mom, Wife, Runner, Athlete... I like it.

on a side note... I found THIS book and I want to get it :)
and this one :)

"Life is complicated. Running is simple.  Is it any wonder that people like to run?"
                  --KEVIN NELSON