Diary of an Ex-Dieter: How did I turn in to a "runner"

I'm still on the high of running my first 10K! While I'm excited to be here the journey is a bit emotional as running came as a form of therapy. Each step of my running journey was started with some sort of trauma. Some were small some were quite large. I joined a gym in 2009 for the last time, I've been going regularly ever since. Running on the treadmill never appealed to me. In 2010 my son at the age of three broke his collarbone. We were trapped at home. I couldn't take him to preschool or gym childcare and I longed to get a sweaty workout in. We had a bike trailer/stroller I started with walking and eventually added some jogging. When he was healed I went back to the gym, occasionally took walks with bouts of running but nothing serious. 2012 my best buddies and I started our annual tradition of walking The Hippie Chick half or quarter. This is when I first understood why people do races. The energy, camaraderie and the cool shirts. In 2013 my daughter broke her arm this required me to stay home with her and was very stressful I was able to leave her for short periods with my mom and take some walks on our country road. I started thinking how can I get more out of this? I eventually decided to try C25K. I was so impressed that it actually worked that I could run longer and longer each week. It really provided me an outlet from stress. It also changed my body in a way the elliptical never did. I remember very clearly the day I ran a mile without stopping. I had my two kids with me on their bikes we were headed on a straight stretch towards our driveway my husband was just pulling in I held up my arms.."I did it!" I was screaming. Not a marathon but a mile. In 2014 a few days after I lost my mom I hit the road on a walk there was so much peace for me being out there. I continued the therapy of running on our beautiful road. The summer of 2015 I ran a 5k with one of best friends and biggest motivators. We ran together the whole distance it was a great accomplishment. I didn't do another running race until my 10K in September. I didn't feel like I had anyone to go with but what I finally discovered is I needed to do it for me! I went on my own to this race and did it by myself for myself. What a great feeling. Right now 10K is my longest distance I don't really know what the future holds for running and me but there is something about getting out on the road alone in my head to just think about things. Sometimes I'm smiling, sometimes crying, sometimes it's easy sometimes it's hard, but I'm just doing it!

2012 I decided to sign up for my first "race" My two best friends by my side. I walked 1/4 marathon. The energy is amazing. We've walked the "Hippie Chick" every year since. Our times have improved greatly. In 2015 we walked the half. Looking forward to 2017!