Last night Becky from Running On Happy sent me a text letting me know about a running link-up that she thought I’d be interested in joining. It sounded like a fun challenge to get my running story down to 250 words, so I decided to join the fun!
MY RUNNING STORY
My brother talked our parents into letting me join
the high school track team when I was in eighth grade.
At the end of the season, I won the 110% trophy.
It was the coach’s way of saying,
“You’re not the fastest, but you’ve got heart!”
I was hooked!
I ran intramural track at Virginia Tech and have always
regretted not joining the cross-country team.
I ran for fitness and to manage the “freshman fifteen.”
After college, I taught PE for two years
and ran a few races with my students.
I married my hubby and moved out west.
I joined the aerobics craze
and cut back to running only a day or two a week.
We moved back east and my running picked back up.
I had babies and tried pushing them in a regular stroller.
It didn’t work.
My babies got too big for strollers and someone invented the jog stroller.
Why wasn’t that me?
I ran a lot, but not a lot of races…
Until I could see my 4oth birthday just around the bend.
I signed up for my first marathon, ran it, and got a BQ.
I was hooked.
My friend talked me into running a 50-mile ultramarathon.
Then I ran lots more marathons,
and the gym I worked for asked me to become their running coach.
I formed a running group and made friends for life.
My long-term goal is to run forever!
Life without running…
Sounds boring to me!
Click on the shoe picture below to get details of Amanda’s and Beka’s fun link-up.
Powered by Linky Tools
Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list…
- Questions:
- What’s your running story?
- How old were you in your first memory of running (even if it’s racing a sibling)?
- Who’s racing this weekend?
Ohh, that’s a fun idea. Mine is really easy – my elliptical broke. LOL
Courtney @ Don’t Blink. Just Run. recently posted…Face The Music Friday #22
Yep, that’s less than 250 words!
Your long-term running goal is AWESOME!
Thank you, and I hope to stay true to it!
Ohhhh, I love this! I’m going to check out the link-up. And you please tell me the secret for breaking 3:30 in marathon? Pretty please? I would have loved to run for Hokies too, but I don’t think I was fast enough.
Nicole @ Work in Sweats Mama recently posted…4 Real Benefits of Massage Therapy
Cross-country was a club sport when I was at Tech, and had very few runners on the team. I’m sure the coach would have loved another pair of legs! We didn’t have a cross-country team at my high school, so I had no experience with running the “longer distances.” At the time, I had no idea that I would one day love running longer distances, so I never pushed (or timed) myself when I went out for runs.
My secret for breaking 3:30 in the marathon? Lots and lots of repeats at the track!
Wow! What a great story. That is so inspiring that you ran pushing a stroller and qualified for Boston! You’re speedy. So glad you linked up with us! I’m glad I found your blog. Have a great weekend!
Thanks; and thanks for providing the link-up!
I actually started running in college, like you to ward off the freshman fifteen..unfortunately it didn’t really work, lol. I continued to just run for fitness and to stay somewhat in shape. Moved to Boston after graduating college, kept running. Ran several 5 & 10K’s.but nothing serious. Joined the Air Force, was FORCED to run, but still not serious about it. Moved to Little Rock Arkansas and I decided to start training for my first half marathon. Didn’t really know how to train, just went out an ran fluff miles. Moved to Colorado, took a 4 year hiatus while having babies and having difficulty adjusting aerobically to the 7,000 feet of elevation we lived on. Finally, moved to DC and the rest is history. Realized, “hey I can breathe again”, and started looking for running buddies. Started a Chapter of Moms Run This Town, became a running addict and running blogger and now here I am!
I love your story! And we’re hopefully going to finally meet next Sunday! 🙂
Awesome story!
I remember my first race vividly. I was five. It was school sports day and we had to run 50 metres. The teachers told us to “run to the mountains’ (which actually happened to be across the lake).. So I did my best as always – I ran down the field, straight through the finish tape and kept on going towards the mountains until the track disappeared and someone finally stopped me. I remember being kind of disappointed I had to stop!
Anyway, that’s how my blog got its name 🙂
Sherry recently posted…Highlight of My Weekend
I love that your childhood running story is the reason behind the name of your blog!
This was so great to read, particularly as a fairly new reader to your blog, Debbie. I don’t have a running story, but I started going to the gym and keeping fit when my youngest was in first grade. I often regret not starting earlier, but I love that my kids are active and hopefully setting lifelong fitness habits.
Dana recently posted…NJ asks away!
Thanks, Dana! And look at the positive side… At least you started working out.
This looks like a fun link up! Although I still haven’t figured out how to officially do the whole link up thing where clicking on the icon/picture takes you to the original blog. The short story for me for running: I always ran for other sports growing up, but never just to run. In college I picked up as something to do and joined Team in Training. I ran my first half marathon, which was also my first road race ever, and was hooked. For the most part I’ve been running regularly since 2007. 🙂
No racing for me this weekend, but next weekend kicks off three weekends in a row of racing!
Meagan recently posted…Three things on a Saturday
If I can figure out the link-up thing, anyone can!
I know so many people whose running started with running for other sports and at the time they thought there would be no way they would run for the sake of running!
And yes, I know that you’re racing for three weeks in a row, because you can’t go for a trail run with me when I’m in town in two weeks! Bummer!
Love how you came back full circle to running. Seems like you and it were made for each other. And I totally appreciate the goal of wanting to run forever. That’s pretty much where I am these days–my health and healthy running trump racing these days on my priority list.
misszippy1 recently posted…This is your brain on injury
Wow lady! I’d say after being a BQ qualifier, running lots of races you earned that 110% trophy! Thanks so much for linking up and for sharing your story.
Thanks, and thanks for creating the link-up! I look forward to participating next month, too.
I love this! I joined the fun too. I don’t remember running much before 6th grade (though I’m sure I ran at some point), but I was the fastest runner back then (boy or girl). Not sure why it took me 20+ years to get back to it.
Debbie @ Live from La Quinta recently posted…My Running Story in 250 Words
I love that you were the fastest in your class (and even faster than the fastest boy) when you were in sixth grade!
What an awesome story! You are so inspirational! An ultramarathon? Makes me tired just reading about it!
I think my earliest memory of running is doing the mile in PE class for first in fitness.
I am racing this weekend! I’m doing an 8k to support MS research…. This will be the longest official race I’ve done, so I’m excited!
Caroline recently posted…One Time When I Was Pregnant… My Top 3 Hormonally-Induced Meltdowns
Congrats on your longest race to date!
[…] for their Runner’s Tell All monthly link-up. If you remember, I’ve previously written My Running Story In 250 Words and Favorite Running Gear And Products as part of their link-up. This month their cue was to […]