my why...

This is a blog to record my progress, thoughts, ideas, inspiration, workouts, nutrition, and pretty much everything else that has to do with running. In case you were wondering, the name of this blog stands for "Postpartum to Half Marathon". Creative huh? lol. I got the idea from the training program I'm doing right now to get back in running shape: Couch to 5K, otherwise known as C25K. So, just to reiterate from Facebook, Myspace, and our Becker family blog, the goal that I am working towards is running in the San Antonio Rock N' Roll 1/2 Marathon on November 15, 2009. This is going to take alot of hard work and dedication in the midst of being a "new" mom again. I'm still trying to get used to life with 2 kids, and I haven't even began to catch up on the hours of sleep that I've lost in the last 3 months. So when I say dedication, I mean it. Not only dedication to my training program, but also to my nutrition (I am still breastfeeding and plan to continue), my sleep schedule (don't want to run my body or my mind in the ground), and my family (running is important to me, but family always comes first!).

So, here's how I came up with this crazy idea... Years ago, before I was a wifey and a mommy, I set a goal to one day run a marathon (on a whim). I was serious, but I could never get serious with my training because I was still in college party mode.... staying out late, drinking too much, hangovers, irregular meals, inconsistent workouts, etc. Despite having such a crazy life (and it was only crazy because I chose to make it that way.... idiot!), I still ran quite often and LOVED it. I had endurance, an awesome resting heart rate, lung capacity, muscular legs, ahhhhhhhh! I could run miles and most times it felt effortless. It was a time and a place to let my mind just go. I would get so deep into thought sometimes that I didn't even realize I was running. And yes, I've experienced runner's high.... So, I remember all the good stuff and I know why I want to do this. I know why I want to be a runner. There is a hard part to this though and I was reminded of it today. Bluntly put, today's run sucked. My knee had a kink in it, my calf muscle hurt, my ankle hurt, I'd had 4 homemade brownies in the last 12 hours and could feel it (felt guilty first of all, but I also felt sluggish), and I'm running (no pun intended!) on 5 broken hours of sleep from last night. This is the part of running that turns many people off. It's hard and uncomfortable at first. I've often compared running long distances to natural childbirth. If I REALLY think about it, birthing Elizabeth naturally was excrutiating. It was the hardest, most painful, intense thing I've ever done. But I knew I wanted to do it, for her, for me, and I never looked back once I made that decision. I won't lie... there was a time during the birth that I remember thinking, "Hmm, so this is why people get epidurals." Training for this marathon is going to be the same thing, "Hmm, so this is why people sit on the couch." I trust my body to be able to do this, just like I trusted it to birth my baby. My body can do this if my mind will let it.

That's all for today. I don't know if I really, clearly stated my "why". It's hard to explain, as it's several reasons wrapped up into one: BECAUSE I CAN.