I find it appropriate to talk a little bit about how I started running, since the title of my blog is Running Mama. I have always worked out. When I was young I played almost every sport. I tried basketball, soccer, swimming, dance, volleyball and track. I just loved competing and being a part of a team. In high school I started working out with a personal trainer and learned the importance of strength training. I was pencil thin then and was trying to build a little bit of muscle. After high school I went off to college, first at the University of South Carolina, then tried Clemson University and finally found myself back in my hometown at Winthrop University majoring in nutrition. I worked out here and there between those years doing the elliptical and strength training and for a while I went to a boxing class, but my love for running came after I had Noah. I wanted to loose the baby weight, tone up and build some endurance. I also found it very stress relieving and my time for me when I was hitting the pavement. I started slow though. I would try fifteen minutes on the treadmill at the gym every other day to get my body ready. After I got used to that I started to run at a local park and would try for two laps, which is about 3 miles. I then just wanted to push myself further and harder, not for anyone but myself. I truly get the runner's high. I started running 4, 5, 6 7 and 8 miles. Now I run 10 and 12 miles at times. My dad suggested that I start to do some races, so I agreed. Last summer I did my first official 5 k ( I did a 5 K in high school, and the Charleston Bridge Run in college), but this was to see where I stood. I was actually having surgery the next day to remove a Baker's cyst from my knee, but I ran and got 1st in my age group, and 4th overall out of the women. The next Monday I had surgery, and had to wait a bit to race again, but within a month and a half I was doing it again, this time I got third overall, and my time was right at 20:56, or something like that. Then I did a 10K later in the year and ran it in a little over 44 minutes. I really started to like racing, so at the start of this year I signed up for Run for Your Life's Grand Prix Series. It is a total of 9 races, and you get points each race based on the winner's time. So far we have had 5 races. Here are the times for my races:
Shamrock 4 miler: 27:23
CCPC Skyline Run 5 K: 20:46
Moves for Twilight 5 K: 20:58
King Tiger 5 K: 20:24
Run For Your Life 4 miler: 27:14
Each race I was first in my age group, and as of now I am number two in the series overall out of the women.
There are 4 races left. Two 5 K's, one 10K, and one 15K.
It's exciting to try and do better each race, but each race has a different challenge because all the courses are different, which is why my 5 K times vary, as well as injuries. I ran with my IT band giving my trouble in two of those races. Running isn't easy, it takes your mind, body and soul to be able to do it. This is how I got started and where I am right now. Next post I will go over some injuries and things I have learned through my running experiences.
Hayley
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