Me and Forest Gump Would Get Along

A lot of people have been asking me about my recent obsession with running and how I got here. I really believe that ANYONE can become a runner. If I did it anyone can. I used to HATE running and always thought people who ran marathons were crazy, but I've seen the light, been converted, and I will never go back.

Yes. There was pain. In the initial runs I got blisters, muscles soreness, and my toenail fell off...gross. I know. But now I run more than I ever have and I dont get any of these things!

Here are some of the things that helped me love running:

1. Read the book Born To Run. It's inspirational. My sister and I have always had a blood oath with each other that we would never run a marathon. You read this book and want to go run 10 miles. Literally. It happened to me. Basically the book taught me the only thing not making me not run was my mental incapacities.

2. Start small. You can't expect to run a marathon or any crazy distance unless you train. A long time. Sometimes I get impatient with my body, but you just have to remember the end goal and stick to it. Some days stunk. Some days were awesome. Expect to have both, but just keep running. When you do feel the pain, that's where you need the mental strength to keep you going.

3. Pick a race date and sign up. Make sure you have time to train. Running is fun. Running in races is amazing. The energy and excitement on race day will make you never want to stop.

4. Download some podcasts. This was my lifesaver. I listened to endless hours of the podcast "how stuff works". I am now full of tons of useless knowledge...but it gave me something to get my mind off the hard miles:)

5. Set a schedule and stick to it. You can look up different schedules on google depending on what race you want to run. I adjusted mine to make it work for me.

6. Eat healthy. It changes your runs. It changes your body. It changes your life.

So I finished my first marathon last month and I still love running! I definitely want to do another, but right now I am just enjoying running for fun. I run about 10 miles 3 times a week, something I never thought possible for my body...but it is! Try it! Go out and run today, just for fun, and see how you feel. If you want someone to get way too excited about your new running craze just talk to me. I would be glad to tell you how awesome you are and how much you are going to change your life:)