A few years ago, if you had told me I would be a runner, I would have laughed at you. I run very slow, I look like a goof ball, but I run. Therefore, I am proud to call myself a runner. What I have discovered so far in just the few months, is that runners will welcome you into their little club with open arms.
After a visit with my sister, Andrea Desmarais and her husband Justin I decided I wanted to run. Justin told me he had completed some 5Ks and I would be surprised at what I was capable of. He put a fire in my soul for running that I thought I might want to really try this. I decided I wanted to run and so I reached out to Emmie Moore and asked her to help me to do this on a more serious level. What I received for a response was a very loving "Of course!".
When I started to run or let's be honest, barely move on my first run/walk; I thought I was crazy for trying this. My lungs ached, old injuries flared up and I couldn't understand what my dear friends Emmie, Janel Morrow, Amanda Burr and Christopher Naper saw in this insanity. The next day though I ran again. I kept running for the rest of the week. Did it look any prettier? No. I am pretty sure there was nothing grand in my attempt at running that first week.
Then something strange happened, I had to take a rest day. My husband, Richard who used to run was pretty adamant about it. I missed running. I looked longingly at my running sneakers and was actually pretty sad I couldn't lace them up. When I shared this I was informed, I was a runner. It was a simple as that. I had become one of those crazy people who you see running, for fun.
The next day when I was able to run again, I ran as soon as I woke up. I could not wait to be back out. I felt a peace and joy flood over me as I started off. Soon I became one with my feet hitting the pavement and SOJA flowing through my headphones. I could not get enough of it. There were moments I had to walk, and was told by so many people that is okay. All my running friends kept saying to go at my own pace, there is no right or wrong way to run. I learned there were so many other of my friends who ran that I didn't even realize at the time. So a huge shout out to those not mentioned yet Jennifer Cayer, Chelsea Martin, Sarah Gerlack, Tammy Perry, Lisa Parker, Christie McDermott, Danielle Pease-Goodson and Andy Illes.
I ran my first 5K in June of this year. I huffed, I puffed but I made it across the finish line. Was it pretty? No. Was I in the top runners? No. I was in the back of the pack. But I did it. My friend Amanda was there to cheer me across the finish line she had crossed over twenty minutes before me. She was all full of love and pride. As I was crossing it I could hear the cheers of fellow runners. I cannot tell you how sweet it is to hear all of those strangers gathered together for a common goal and ready to welcome a very beginner runner into their group. I kept hearing cheers as more and more people crossed. When the final person crossed the finish line, she was cheered on like she was in first place. I decided these were the kind of people, I wanted to surround myself with.
A month later I ran/walked in a 5K with my son. My son has Aspergers and other challenges. For him to complete this, even very slowly, was AMAZING. I cannot tell you the joy he felt as he crossed the finish line. He now wasn't a child labeled he was a child just being a child and completing a goal.
For me and my son, running has transformed our life. I am still chubby, still not able to keep up with the front of the pack or even the middle, but I run. We have set a goal to run the Houston Half Marathon in 2016. I would love to have many people do this with us. If you want to join us, let us know! We will have our Facebook Page up soon where you can follow this journey. I am so thankful I have people to share in this journey with. We are running for two special little boys Jacob & Tosh and we will introduce you more to them in the coming weeks.
We hope you enjoy this journey with us and perhaps you will want to start your own.
Melissa
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