I was born in Connecticut in the 80's. That's right, i know what Teddy Ruxbin is, record players, Heman & Shera, and i also played with a gameboy. I grew up in a great household, and i know that this is not something everyone can say, that is why i find myself to be very humble? Nice? Friendly?.....i think those are the words I'm looking for here. Don't get me wrong, i know some people who have seen my bad side too!
I started playing soccer while i was in 2nd grade, i think my last year was after my 11th grade, then i ran track those last 2 years. I was not good at track, i was fast, but it was something i knew nothing about, i wasn't passionate about it. I ran the 100M, I'm pretty certain i never won.....ever.
I moved to the suburbs of Savannah, GA in the late 90's, this was the start of my 10th grade year. 6 months after moving here i started dating my now husband, Ron. We have been together since April 1999. I had just turned 16, life was great. I graduated High School in 2001 and went straight into college, I graduated 6...yes 6, years later with my BBA. I took my time, i was in no hurry for anything special.
Ron and I bought our first house in July of 2002, got engaged during Christmas of 2002, Married in April of 2007. HA that's quite the gap of space in there....but like i said before, it took me 6 years to get through college, all while waiting tables at a few different restaurants.
I feel the need to tell you about my "accident". We were in Hawaii for my Sister and her husbands wedding in October 2003. Beautiful!!! just beautiful, we had a great time until the dreaded Volcano bike ride. Ha, i can look back and laugh now, but we went through a rough time. Long story short, we were on a bike tour, starting at the top of Haleakala in Maui. We rode down on the bikes one person behind the other watching the sun rise. About 4 miles down the ride, i lost control of my bike and hit the curb, went head first over the handle bars and hit a rock face first at 35mph. I blacked out, last thing i remember was my bike shaking, and i closed my eyes and that was it. I woke up in the ER with a broken jaw, and multiple fractures on the left side of my face. My family was told i probably would not make it. Obviously here i am, so they were wrong, BUT they were amazing at the Maui Memorial Medical Center!!! I was in the ICU for 4 days, had my mouth wired shut for 6 weeks, i have a titanium plate to make up my left cheek, 2 broken ribs, and i cut the muscle in my left thigh in half. It took therapy, but my vision is impaired, (although that could have just been a natural cause)! The right side of my face was paralyzed but only for a few months. (it is still very lazy but not too noticeable) I had to tape my eye closed at night and put drops in it to keep it lubricated. To this day, that eye does not cry when i am actually crying, only when i eat lettuce!! I had to drink all of my meals for 2 months through a straw. Want to know my favorite, chili, in a blender as liquid as i could get it.
In November of 2008 we found out we were expecting a baby the following year!! I was so happy, best thing ever right?? Yup, it was for sure, but i will also admit, it has had it's down moments, along the way. Anything i would ever change? Absolutely NOT.
I was part of a forum board (What to Expect When Your Expecting, im sure you have heard of it) of women who were all expecting in July of 2009. One of my mommy friends always stuck out to me, you know why, because she RAN, while pregnant!!!!!! I couldn't even fathom it, while my pregnancy had me out of work by month 6 because i couldn't even walk...this lady was running. I was envious, jealous, but at the same time, i was like, I'm pregnant, I'm allowed to eat and be lazy, which is exactly what i did. The last month i was on bed rest because of my blood pressure. I hated it, but again, i was soooooo lazy, it was for the best.
I was up to a whopping 210lbs about 2 weeks before i went into labor....so im sure it was higher, but really!!!!! 210lbs!!!???? my normal weight is down around 150, i was 140 when i got married. How does someone gain THAT much weight...while the person next to you is all belly and only gained 10lbs their whole pregnancy....
needless to say after i had London, i needed to lose the weight, but i was just lazy for 9 months, HOW do i get into the weight loss thing!???
In January 2010, me and my Aunt started running together. We pushed, I pushed too hard, so hard i hurt my knees, which hurt so bad because i was so heavy, and i quit. I couldn't do it, i quit and sat my booty back down on that couch all while still wearing my maternity pants when i worked. In June i started going to a bootcamp, it consisted of circuit training using free weights and body weight, i almost puked my very first class....i was one of "those". I wanted to quit, but i didn't and i made some great friends along the way. I still go to that class 2 days a week, it's been 2 years now, and i never did puke or quit.
My Aunt and I started back to running in July, just 6 months after i quit the first time. We made a goal, that goal was to do the C25K program and run our very first 5k race, the Savannah River Bridge Run the first week of December 2010. We trained but didn't push, we just did what we could, and guess what, we ended up running the United Way Turkey Trot Thanksgiving day, i think this was 2 weeks before schedule of our first run. We did it. And i remember clearly how badly i wanted that race to end, i thought the end was never going to get there, and that was only 3.1 miles.....yes ONLY, i can say that now, i have ran 13.1 at one time now, so 3.1 is an only to me now.
Turkey Trot 2010
Savannah River Bridge Run
So for the next year, we ran A LOT of 5k's, all while running together. Our next goal, you guessed it, train for a half marathon...And that we did, and we actually stuck with it, quite well too with our long runs on Sunday mornings. Our very first half marathon was November 5, 2011 and we did it!!! My aunt and I started at the same time and we finished at the same time on that race. i wasn't worried about a good or bad time, i just wanted to do it, and be able to say that I AM a marathoner, and what a better way to do it with the person who helped you get there. We helped each other....you know she wanted to quit the last 2 miles of that 1/2. You know who MADE her finish, me, Me, ME, the one who quit before, who thought this will never get easier, i will never be the one to inspire people, ME.
If it wasn't for her, i would never be where i am today, because today i am a RUNNER. So for that i thank you Jeanine!!
So where am i now?? I have completed 2 half marathons(signed up for my 3rd), 3 Mud Runs(signed up for my 4th), 2 Virtual races, numerous other races, Pictures in South Magazine twice, and i am co chapter leader for a free nation wide running group called Moms Run This Town, for the Savannah GA chapter. (www.savannah.momsrunthistown.com) (Created by that crazy pregnant runner i talked about a few paragraph up) Yes i now help to motivate others to get out there and do it. I'm telling you, if i can do it, so can you. i may not be the fastest out there, but i still am out there.
