"I'm not a runner!"

“I’m not a runner.”  Ask anybody.  I had said it for years to friends who encouraged me to give it a try, or go on a run with them.  “I’m not a runner.”  Well, I wasn’t until life demanded that I find a more efficient way to work fitness into my days.  Having been a stay at home mom for 16 years, I had the luxury of working out when, where and how I wanted.  I could take Yoga at the Y.  I could squeeze in a Pilates class in there somewhere.  I could do countless fitness tapes at home.  I had freedom.  Once I re-entered the work force two years ago, that freedom I apparently took for granted was noticeably missed.  Working out became something I couldn’t find the time for, and when I did find the time I lacked the energy.

That’s when I kept getting the advice from friends who run to just get out there and give it a try.  It’s quick.  It’s a great workout.  You can do it anywhere.  Just run, Leslie.  So, I did.  I was more than a little embarrassed by my lack of endurance and more than a little concerned about my lack of lung capacity.  What was up with that?  I asked a lot of questions, Googled more information that I could digest and decided to really give running a focused effort.  If I couldn’t do it, or didn’t like it, I’d just search for some other form of exercise I was capable of.   That was two years ago, and now I wouldn’t give it up for anything.

I started on a C25K program, in laymen’s terms a couch to 5k plan that would help my non-running self become ready to run 3.1 miles at the end of six weeks.  Honestly, it was a love hate relationship with my training program, and with running.  I felt defeated, which made me even more determined to conquer it.  I wanted to run more than one lap on the treadmill or ¼ of a mile without gasping for air and feeling like I was going to drop.  The keys for me were consistency and stubbornness.  I refused to give up. 

I have since run 12 5k’s, 3 10k’s and 2 ½ marathons.  I have been through the ups, downs, and roundabouts of running.  I’m currently working my way back from an injury and have my eyes on building back up my mileage as I look to a ½ marathon in the fall and Disney’s inaugural Chip & Dale Marathon Relay in January.  My blog, “Inch by Inch”, is my journey from where I’ve been, where I am, and where I’m going as a runner.  I love the sport.  I love the personal sense of accomplishment I get from each and every run, whether training or racing.  I love the community of friends I’ve discovered who love it as much as I do.  Lastly, I love sharing my experiences and drawing on the experiences of others to grow, learn and appreciate something I swore I’d never do.  I’m Leslie White, and I’m a runner.