One Foot in Front of the Other

Entry Two

I started thinking the other day...when exactly did I start running? Ever since I was young I have loved being outdoors. Growing up on a farm was ideal for me. I spent my free time stomping on ant hills, attempting gymnastics on the propane tank, climbing trees, shooting hoops and riding my cowgirl bike. I loved to speed down the lane and hit the brakes to see how far I could slide on the gravel. I tried to jump ramps and do pop-ups before Xtreme sports were even popular. I also liked to walk down the country road with my dog Scampie Joe in tow looking at the clouds and just thinking. As I got older my walks turned into jogs.
My most memorable jog on the farm happened one summer. I was running from telephone pole to telephone pole listening to the wheat blow in the wind. I noticed a buzzing sound that started getting louder and louder. I looked around and saw nothing. The noise became so loud I stopped in my tracks. Headed right for me was a wave of bees as far as I could see. That is when I first experienced a pace outside my comfortable 10 minute mile. I looked like the roadrunner on Wild Coyote cartoons.I just knew the killer bees had arrived! I don't think I have ever ran so fast in all my running career. Somehow ,I am sure it was divine intervention, I made it home safely charging into the front door yelling, " Bees, Bees". The family just looked at me. Not exactly an easy thing to explain. 
So from there I moved off the farm to college and my running continued. Then I met Converse and continued to run together. I never ran a race just jogged because I liked to find different trails and be outside. Then one day , I remember clearly, I announced to Converse that I was going to run a marathon someday. I was twenty-something, sitting on the balcony of our first apartment in Denver. He said if that is what I felt like doing then I should do it. Simple enough. I know deep down inside he was thinking this is another one of my off the wall ideas like starting a calligraphy business, when I had never written with anything but a ballpoint pen, or the time I told him I wanted to start an organic dog biscuit company but only made one batch of biscuits that the dog wouldn't eat. He wanted to believe in me so he did. Next I called one of my best friends and told her. She too knows I can get some crazy ideas but she did not judge me. She simply asked Why? I really could not answer her then. But she cheered me on. So the dream of my first marathon began. I had no idea what it would take or how to go about running 26.2 miles. I did know inside I wanted to try to do it as crazy as it sounded. Of course, life then happened. Only 8 short years after making the announcement,  I made my first personal running dream a reality by putting one foot in front of the other.

To be continued.....

Peace.
The" New Balance" Gal