One of my 2011 New Years resolutions was to run a 1/2 marathon. Let me backtrack a bit and explain that I am NOT a runner. In fact, I pretty much despise running. However, it had always fascinated me and I tried, without success, several times over the years to “start” running. I never stuck with it, always thinking that I wasn’t cut out for it once my shins would begin to ache. Years went by though, and I had a child. Then, just a mere 16 months later I had twins. Good Lord the things a twin pregnancy will do to a gal’s body!!! I tried, over the next couple of years, to lose the twinkie-weight. I watched what I ate, cut out all soda, upped my exercise regiment (read *started* an exercise regiment). You name it, I tried it. I even awoke daily at 5am for weeks on end as part of a fabulous local bootcamp program. Goodness how I loved that bootcamp program! However, while it helped tone my northern hemisphere very nicely, it really didn’t help my southern as much as I had hoped it would.
It wasn’t long after bootcamp that I discovered a running program entitled Couch to 5k. I forget exactly how I came across it, but boy oh boy, did all of those “I wish I could run” emotions come rushing back up to the surface for me once I did! I looked over the Cool Running website and became fascinated with this program geared specifically toward newbie runners like me. The short of it is that a newbie could get off the couch, start running and end up ready to run a 5k by the time they completed the program (9 weeks later). I was sold on it in an instant and went on over to my iTunes Store to download one of the available podcasts for the program (there’s oodles to choose from!). I fell in love all over again with the idea of learning how to run without setting myself up to fail straight out of the gate. Imagine my amazement when, at the end of those 9 weeks, I *was* able to run 3.1 miles! Sure, it wasn’t all roses and puppy dogs along the way. Yes, of course I wanted to throw my iPod straight into traffic lots of times throughout my self-mapped running course. But I didn’t… I muddled through, continued with it and holy smokes did my body change! Over the course of those 9 weeks I went down 2 pants sizes. I lost another size by sticking with my little routine of running 3x’s a week even after my couch to 5k program had ended. To say that I was hooked on running now would be an understatement! Which brings me back to the present and my resolution to train for, and complete, a 1/2 marathon this year.
I’m calling this race my “Race for a Cure”. What am I looking to help cure you ask? Chron’s and Colitis.
The 1/2 marathon that I begin training for tomorrow morning will be held on June 4th and is the Virginia Wine Country Half Marathon in support of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA).The Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America is a non-profit, volunteer-driven organization dedicated to finding the cure for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. It was founded in 1967 by Irwin M. and Suzanne Rosenthal, William D. and Shelby Modell, and Henry D. Janowitz, M.D.
Four decades ago, the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation created the field of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis research. Today, the Foundation funds cutting-edge studies at major medical institutions, nurtures investigators at the early stages of their careers, and finances underdeveloped areas of research. Educational workshops and symposia, together with our scientific journal, Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, enable medical professionals to keep pace with this rapidly growing field. No wonder the National Institutes of Health has commended the Foundation for “uniting the research community and strengthening IBD research.”
Tomorrow I begin my 16 week training program and I am incredibly excited about it! Nervous and anxious as well, but more excited than anything because I’m going to be running in honor of two wonderful women!
You can read about Jessica and Rachel on my Team NJ web page or by clicking that banner right above. They are two fabulous women who have been battling Crohn’s disease for several years. Both have endured surgeries as a result of their diagnosis and ailments. Rachel, a wonderful mom to 4 year old Isabella, is currently in critical condition due to complications from her most recent surgery. Living with Crohn’s is anything but easy and I plan to work hard and honor these fighters by training hard and running my little heart out come June 4th!
Won’t you help support this wonderful foundation and help me honor Jess and Rachel’s fight? You can do so by clicking that banner above - every little bit helps!
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