My healthy obsession

OMG. It is HOT in Oklahoma. Have you heard? We're all over the national news. Little ol' Oklahoma! Making national news! And the best part is that the people they chose to put on camera (at least yesterday) had ALL OF THEIR TEETH!! You don't know how happy this makes me. NOT for the fires! NO! But for the teeth. Thank goodness for the teeth.

It has been hot all summer. I'm a runner (as you now know), and last year we had some record breaking temps here in our state. I thought there was no way that would happen two times in a row. But you bet your sweet biffy it can! Because it IS!

So last year I gave up my pastime, for a cooler climate (indoors). I picked it back up in the fall, but let me tell you how hard it is to get "back into" running. We're not talking 'pick up a bike and hop on.' No, it's way more painful than that. But I made it through and went on to train for my first half marathon.

Well this year I had high hopes for a cooler summer and quite frankly went into denial that it would/could get super hot. So, I laced up and took off, day after day. And then when it got too hot to wait til 7 am, we pushed it back. (Push it back! Push it back! WAYYYYYY back!). Suddenly I was waking up at 5 am. ON MY SUMMER VACATION PEOPLE! And now, here I am, blogging at 7:30 in the morning with 4.6 miles under my belt already.

Because this is what you have to do when you are obsessed. Wake up at the crack of dawn and throw on your running shoes.

But can I tell you the wonderful things about this sport that I picked up as a 36 year old? Aside from the aches and pains of old joints and cranky muscles and tendons, it really does have it's benefits! The hardest part of running, I have and will always say, is actually getting up and out the door. I always regret not running, but I never regret doing it! It gives me energy for the day. It makes me happier (and who doesn't love a happy mama?!). And it provides me with quality quiet, alone time. At least when I'm not with the fabulous Brenda. And then it provides me quality girl time. :)

Plus, you should know, that even though I was plagued with injury as I trained for my first half marathon, I have worked out all the kinks now! All it took was a couple of good steroid shots and some resting. And boy did I fly! I had my PR (personal record, for those of you wondering) on my first half! The second one (OKC, two months later) was 4 minutes slower. But you know what? That just gives me one more goal! #1 is to tie Brenda on our next half and #2 is to beat my PR. Both of which I believe I can do. It's the making it happen that's tricky.

Next stop: the No Limits Half Marathon at the Texas Motor Speedway in October! Wish me luck!