30 Years Ago I Started Running and just Never Stopped!!

30 years ago this week I made one of the best choices of my life – I decided to run track my sophomore year of high school.  I signed up for the entire year of athletics and thought I would just hang out or something in the fall since I had plans to be a quarter miler.

My coach suggested that I try cross country.   Screen Shot 2014-09-01 at 9.04.38 PMEven though I had no idea what that meant, I decided to go ahead and try it.

The first day we had to run to a nearby park, loop it and run back to the school – about 1 mile.  I had to walk 3 times!!!

pretty much the male version of how I looked after that first mile
pretty much the male version of how I looked after that first mile

It was hard but I stuck with it and ended up loving everything about cross country!

Screen Shot 2014-09-01 at 9.04.16 PMAnd track was even more fun!!!

I went on  to run in college on a scholarship.

I road raced my way through grad school and found another love!!!  The atmosphere at road races was so much fun!

The past 10-15 years have been less about racing and more about running just because I love it!

The longest time I’ve gone without running in the past 30 years was almost 6 months.  In November of 2001 I was near the end of training for a marathon and ended up with a stress fracture in my left hip.  My orthopedic surgeon actually threatened me with a hip replacement.  Thankfully I healed but it was almost 6 months of no running (actually only minimal walking) – it was brutal for everyone involved!!!

My current goal is to complete 50 miles (or more:) in a race!!!

Screen Shot 2014-09-01 at 9.46.27 PM

I’m hoping to keep running for at least 30 more years!!!

If you run, how long have you been running?
Do you have any hobbies that you have done for over half your life?

Happy Tuesday!!

Kim