This post is from Lindsey from Morningstar Project. I love Lindsey’s blog because she writes in a real, honest voice. And I love her Shot of Happiness photo posts. Here she writes about how she became a runner… another post about running for this blog! Enjoy!
Evolution of a Runner
Hi folks, I’m Lindsey from Morningstar Project, my little take on this chaotic life. First I want to thank Michelle for letting me do a guest post on her blog! As soon as I saw her post a video of her dancing in her living room I knew we would get along.
When Michelle first commented on my blog I was a little nervous if someone who writes a blog titled “Hit the Bricks” would have any interest in my ramblings. At that time I considered myself more of a gym rat than an athlete. Michelle was a real runner (she had race photos and everything!), not to mention her high school and college athletic career.
I never played sports in school. Not because I wasn’t athletically talented (I was a kick-ass tag player), but because of my parent’s divorce I had to spend weekends in different cities making it difficult to attend all the practices and games. As I got older I began envying people who had stories of kicking a winning goal or celebrating with teammates after a championship win. I felt like I had missed out on some essential life lesson by not playing team sports.
After I gained the freshman 15 (ok more like 20), I realized I needed to make a change. My mom encouraged me to join her gym and start going to exercise classes. I was initially nervous, but after a couple weeks of it I was hooked. Spin, step, body pump, pilates, kickboxing – you name it I would do it.
After about 10 years (wow has it been that long??) of taking gym classes I was starting to get bored. I felt like I was an awesome spinner, but really didn’t have much to prove for it besides the fact I always got the front and center bike. Not quite the story you would share with you grandchildren is it? I was looking for something more challenging, something that would push me outside my comfort zone.
Enter running. Actually it was more like running slowly crept into my life. First it was a 5K, then a 10-miler, and then finally a half-marathon which happened just last weekend! Running those 13.1 miles made me feel like a true “athlete.” Being surrounded by thousands of other runners all working towards a common goal gave me the biggest rush I’d ever experienced! For one day all of us woke up that morning with one goal in mind: Finish a Race. That, my friends, is a very awe-inspiring realization.
While I don’t know when I will run another race (my foot is still a little sore from the event), I know there is another challenge I will take on. Maybe a triathlon? Maybe become a spin instructor? Take on more intense yoga classes? Maybe take up golf with my 3-handicap husband (aka he’s really really good)? In other words, this athlete is ready to take on whatever comes her way.
How about you, any other slow-to-start athletes out there?
Do you have clear turning points in your athletic career? Both good and bad?
I am definitely a slow-to-start “athlete”. I just picked up running this year and am loving it!