It's almost here!

All the training is done, all the proper diet the grueling long runs, the rainy day training runs, the daily scale checks. All that is left is the taper, the back down and the rest and keep focused and mentally calm.

All this would be great except for the stomach flu that I got hit with Sunday. This is the last thing I want to deal with. I am just glad that it happen this week and not next. I should be able to rest and recover.

The Country Music Half Marathon is the race that started this journey. It was the original motivation to get moving. The journey so far has been amazing. The friendships the motivational moments, the people from Hendersonville Running Club and my husband and family there each and every race. Those that came back for me when I wasn't sure I was going to finish the races and the long runs.

Some have asked me what my reason for all of this was. The answer has changed over the last five months. In the beginning the reason was I wanted to be healthy, I wanted to be able to climb the three flights of stairs with out having to stop at each landing, I wanted to keep up with my family at theme parks and fit in the ride seats. I wanted to be able to participate in life, I no longer wanted to be a bystander.

What is the difference now 40 pounds and 3 almost 4 races under my belt? It sparked something in me that is more than the desires that I listed. It sparked the desire to do better to run faster to do more than just complete the one race. There has been this ever increasing desire to set more goals for my self to push my body to be the best it can be, to test and try my limits and push past those limits and create new ones.

My goal is no longer just one race, it has become the next one on the calendar. I have even registered for my next half marathon. Yup I have fallen in love with the half marathon. I do well at 5k races, I have a hard time pushing my self. I know that I will improve and get faster.

After this years Tom King and pushing and the struggle and the tears, it makes me want to be able to do better, to work harder to push my body to be the strongest it possibly can be.

I am looking forward to the Country Music race because for the first time I will be running a race with my husband and my oldest friend is also running with us. Cari and I have known each other since 4th grade. It's been an amazing journey with amazing people and I am so thrilled that this journey will continue and that I can share that journey with my loved ones. Two of my sister in laws and my mother in law have started walking on their way to jogging and running. We are looking forward to competing together in our first race.

People keep telling me how much I've inspired them. I have a hard time with that. It has to do with the image I have of myself. I have always looked for inspiration in others on this journey I'm learning that sometimes that inspiration comes from within and that is okay.

Till Next time

FCR and Hubby