How It All Began...

I always hated running growing up.  Like when they would make us run the 1km in high school around the track.  I dreaded it.  The only time I liked running was when it was to run up and down a basketball court (or maybe if I was chasing boys).

In college, I had some friends that had run marathons.  My roommate Joni was one of them.  She would get up and go for a run early in the morning before her early classes and I always just thought how crazy she was to get up at the crack of dawn to torture herself running.  But she loved it.  And truth be told, I was actually a little jealous of her.  I remember thinking to myself how it would be amazing if I could ever run a marathon, but that for me it would be impossible.

The summer after graduation, I set some goals to exercise more and decided that I should give running a try.  Luckily for me, I had a good friend (also never a runner) who was also up for the challenge!  I don't think Myra and I even made it half a mile our first time out before having to take walk breaks.  But we kept at it and before we knew it, we could run a mile.  Then 2! We were so motivated by our progress!  I convinced Myra to sign up for a 5K that was just around the corner and we continued to run and get ready for it.  The Provo Freedom 5k came and we had yet to run 3 miles...but we went out and we did it! And we felt so awesome.  That summer was when I first learned how anyone can train themselves to become a runner no matter who they are.

For the couple of years that followed, I would run on and off, but never very far and never consistently.  I was working a lot and exercise typically ended up taking a backseat to my job and social life.

Towards the end of 2007, after a ridiculously intense busy season at work, I had put on some extra lbs and was just not feeling very healthy and decided I needed to make exercise a priority again. That's when I had a conversation that would change everything.

I love to travel! LOVE it.  So, when I met Holly at church and knew that she had traveled to a lot of different places it was natural for me to ask her about her next upcoming trips.  I am ALWAYS looking for new places to go and people to travel with.  She told me she and her friend Camille were planning a trip to China and Thailand! The conversation went something like this:

Me:  "Really!?  Tell me more! I haven't been to Asia and I would love to go!" 

Holly:  "Yeah. Well, first we are going to China to run a marathon and then we are going to Thailand to tour around." 

Me: "Wait a second.  Back up!?!! Did you say to run a marathon? You are going to run a marathon in China? You are going to run a marathon on your VACATION? Are you kidding me?"

She went on to tell me all about the Great Wall of China Marathon and how she was going to do the half and Camille was going to run the 26.2.  I thought she was absolutely crazy.  Who in their right mind would pay to go all the way to China to run a marathon.  But towards the end of our conversation, I told her to send the info along anyway.  I mean - I did really want to go to Asia.

I started reading about it and looking at pictures like these....

The stairs you have to climb in the race

.....and kept telling myself there is no way in the world that I would be able to do something like that.  But then I thought, "well, if there is anything that would make me run, this would be it."  And the next thing I knew, I signed up and I was committed. 

 I started working out, eating right, and doing lots of research on running.  My first few runs were discouraging as I could barely run and I would come home and just have to ice my legs.  But I pushed through it and kept getting better.  I still remember the first time I finally ran 5 miles and for the first time felt like maybe I could possibly do this thing.  

I worked really hard...followed my running schedule, climbed that stair master at the gym, ate super healthy, lost a bunch of weight, and before I knew it…It was time to go to China!

The whole China experience was amazing! We met runners from all over the world.  For some it was their first race, and others it was their 80th marathon.  I was amazed.  

Holly, Me and Camille - the night be leaving for China

 A couple of days before the race, we walked the great wall portion of the race to get familiar with the stairs and how the race would go.  When you see them and realize you are actually going to be running a race on them, you start to think you might be a little crazy.  Or at least I did.. The stairs varied in size.  Some (most) parts of the wall were steep.  And some areas you actually had to go single file (definitely caused a bottleneck on race day) because it was so narrow with no wall on one side.  It was pretty intense.

Race day came....And we were pumped!  I had crazy butterflies and was so nervous.  But I was also super excited.  The race was difficult - but it was so awesome.  The great wall, the village...everything.

The best part though was crossing the finish line! I did it!  Something I never thought I could do! And it was such an amazing feeling.  All the sweat, blood and tears was worth that moment right there.

And that is when my real love/hate relationship started.  Love because I fell in love with that feeling of crossing the finish line.  Hate..because running is still something that is hard for me that I have to work at.  Those "easy" 3 or 4 milers just don't exist for me. 3, 4, 10, 15..it doesn't matter.  They are all hard.  But despite the fact that I sometimes hate running, I also love it.  I love that I've met some of the most amazing people from running.  I love that it challenges me.  I love that I feel healthy.  I love that it clears my head.  And I love that I can do it anywhere!

....Like even in Antarctica.