I am not a runner, flat out….I.  Don’t.  Run. (Not even if Satan was chasing me!!!) I am not competitive either, not even close-in fact I hate it!  So when I signed up for my very first race Wharf to Wharf in 2009 it made no sense to anyone who knew me!  It was amazing!  I walked the whole way and I couldn’t wait to do it next year.  That’s right I waited a whole year before I could mentally do that again, then my race world bottom fell out, my “race partner” couldn’t do it because of a wedding…but as luck would have it another friend was putting together a fundraising team to do the Wharf to Wharf so I had a my group all set up.  LOVED IT AGAIN!

Then there is always that one fateful day/moment in time.  It was simple really, a Facebook post from my brother posted something about a 408k race for the Pat Tillman Foundation.  I was mesmerized by this post, I did my research into it.  

The 408K, my hometown.  Starts at the Shark Tank!!!??? I voted for that arena in my first opportunity to vote at 18.  It was an 8K, well if I could do a 10K why the hell couldn’t I do an 8K?  My brother and his amazing wife were doing it and I had a friend that was willing to do it w/me too (only later to drop out from a complicated pregnancy issues).  The charity was beyond amazing, The Pat Tillman Foundation.  I mean honestly, have you read about the amazing work they are doing???  I was SO IN!!!!!

When I lined up by myself for my first race out of my comfort zone I was terrified.  Could I do this by myself?  Right when I was ready to walk back to my car w/my head hung in shame, there was my brother and my amazing sister in law all full of smiles and a “LET’S DO THIS” attitude, plus Carol ALWAYS made me feel like I could do anything (I wish everyone had a Carol in their lives).  I was ready for this new adventure in racing.

While my brother ran it (you go dude!), we just walked it and chatted and laughed the whole way and had a total blast.  The vibe of the race was so different from other races, and I loved it.  From that point on I have done and would love to continue to do all of Representing Running races (heck I’d love to work for them too!  hint hint!).  I am also proud to say that my 7 year old daughter will be chasing her own “Run the Bay Challenge” medal this summer!!!

Maybe I should take races more seriously, but I just can’t.  I think it would take the fun out of it for me, and that’s what it’s all about for me.  Well, that and being able to eat more bacon cheeseburgers, at my age you really gotta watch the intake of those sweet lil demons.  I’ll see you at the starting line, I’m sure I’ll be the goofball dancing to the music.