Running addiction?

I am now understanding how people can say that running can be an addiction.  For me, it's not necessary the running itself, but the sense of accomplishment and pride that comes with crossing the finish line of an event, setting a new time PR or just finishing a run that you didn't think you could do!

After doing a number on my IT bands in the Fox Cities Marathon in 2011, I put running on the back burner.  I didn't even do many 5k's for a while.  Last fall I got back on to the pavement with a few 5K's (including the Warrior Dash) and was reminded how rewarding it was.  At that time I had still left long distance running in the back of my mind.  This year I started the year off with a few 5K's that I was able to run with some great friends and have been really enjoying getting back out to these events. After begin talked into it by Elizabeth (ok it didn't take all that much convincing), Last week I completed my first Half Marathon in nearly 3 years.  The Journey's Half Marathon in Eagle River was honestly the perfect event to get me going again...

Congrats Lily and Terry

Although the weather was cold (woke up to it snowing) and breezy  the entire race route was through the quiet back roads in the Northwoods.  The peacefulness of running through this quite area really started to put tings in perspective for me.   Running has really become part of my life.  I didn't however realize the extent of this until this past weekend.  Sunday was the Green Bay Cellcom Marathon.  The Cellcom 5k was the first ever 5k that I did, 6 years ago.  Since then, I have done 5k each year, with the exception of 2011 when I  completed the Half Marathon.  This was the first time in 6 years that I was not participating in one of the events.  We were actually in Michigan all weekend for a very dear friend's wedding.  Don't get me wrong - I would never have missed this wedding for anything.  Lily and I have been friends since I was 4, there was no other place that I would have been.

I felt like I was part of the action though, as my running partner in crime, Matt was running in his first ever half marathon.  I would have loved to have been there in person to support him in this adventure, but I was left with tracking him via Runtastic.  He did fabulous!  He and Carrie finished in under 3 hours!  Very proud of both of them.

It was during this time that I realized how much I really wish I could have been there.  There was a part of me that was actually jealous of Matt and Carrie how were out there running!

It really got me thinking and, after much debating, and even saying that I was not going to run it this year, I an now officially signed up for the Bellin Run (10K) in 3 weeks. After missing the Cellcom Half Marathon yesterday I realized that, no matter how much I don't want to admit it, running has become a big part of my life now (and no, zombies don't have to be chasing me!). This is not without huge thanks to my running partners in crime! Thanks Elizabeth, Matt and Wendy (we need to get out and actually run together one of these days Wendy) for helping to keep me motivated! And of course it would not be possible without my awesome husband John who puts up with me getting up at "o'dark it's early" to head out for one of these events, or freezing at the finish line of the half marathon waiting for me to finish! A half marathon and 3 5k's complete so far this year... many more to come!