The Mission

So here is my mission, that clearly I have chosen to accept.

During my 25th year.....I will become a runner.....and successfully complete a half marathon. This may not sound like an outrageous feat, however if you knew me you would understand that the ONLY time I run is either when I'm being chased or if I'm running toward food.

Let me start this by saying I am NOT a writer. I did not take journalism classes in college nor have I written anything that has been published. This is simply a real, average persons account of a journey to complete a difficult task.

My motivation to achieve this goal is tri-fold.

First and foremost I have always been a person who was very goal oriented. When I was younger my goal was to complete high school and get into college. CHECK. Then I wanted to graduate college. CHECK. Get into graduate school and receive my Masters Degree. CHECK. Get a job (which in reality took MUCH MUCH longer then anticipated). CHECK. I have a great apartment, wonderful friends and family, and a job that I absolutely LOVE. So now what? I realized that I needed a new goal to work toward.

Secondly, everyday I go to work and tell teenagers to conquer their fears of failure and strive to be the best versions of themselves. I encourage and push them to improve upon their weaknesses, to defy the odds they may be facing outside of the classroom and realize the power they each hold to become the person they want to be. What kind of a teacher would I be if I didn't take my own advice?!

Lastly, I have always been an athletic person. I swam competitively for over 10 years, played soccer since I was in elementary school and even played Varsity Basketball in high school. Now, knowing this, you may be asking yourself, so why can't you run "Reluctant Runner"? Well.... the breathing cycle for swimming is the exact opposite of how you are supposed to breathe when running. After so many years of swimming it is very difficult for me to run long distances without hyperventilating myself. While this may look hilarious, I can assure you that it's really not fun. My soccer and basketball experience was mostly a series of short bursts of running rather than a long sustained run. Due to my athletic past, I have developed...shall we say....a competitive nature. I hate not being able to do something (i.e. running) and so I am challenging myself to change this weakness into a strength.

So here I go. I have my training schedule printed. I have signed up for two smaller races prior to the half-marathon to test my progress. I have the support and encouragement of family and friends, but most importantly I have a commitment to myself.

It's going to take lots of sweat, most likely a few tears, and hopefully not so much blood. So join me in the journey as I take 365 calendar days from my birthday (Oct. 23rd) to successfully run a half-marathon.