Tennis player turned runner...

Ok, before I give my runner's testimony, I have to confess that I am not a seasoned blogger. I feel kind of like a slacker, but at least I can blame it on my comps, right?! So, dearest friends, be patient with me--I will get the hang of this eventually!!! I am not used to checking it regularly, reading threads, commenting, uploading pics...sheesh! It takes a lot of time! :) But I have also discovered that its a great way to procrastinate....mwwhahaha.

Also, to echo some of your entries: I am having a tough time with motivation and finding a schedule to run. My life has been really hectic ever since getting back from college--lots of people moving around me (my roomate and Greg), Anna's wedding, starting to study for comps...I just got back from 5 days in PA and am leaving to go to Canaan tomorrow with my family for 4 days. It's hard to make time to run when you're not in your normal everyday setting, I think. But hopefully after this weekend, things will settle down.

So, my story. Like Annette, I was no runner in high school or college. I attribute part of that to being vertically challenged. Let's face it, at 5 foot, my legs can't be longer than... say.... 2 feet? 3 max? I tended to flock towards sports where less running was involved--hence the high school and college career as a tennis player. When it came to running, we were really wimpy.
The most running we would ever do there is a few laps around the court and some line drills. You would never hear us say, "Man, that last leg was killer." No, usually it was more like, "Oh, I really like your skirt! It's so cute!" To sum up, speed and endurance, albeit helpful, would never make or break your game. You always had plenty of time between serves to step back and catch your breath...

So, when did I get interested in running? Well, that was back in 2004 when I went to visit Toni in Chicago over fall break. It happened to be the weekend of the Chicago marathon and we went to watch. I was intrigued by the hype of it all--the excitement, the rush, the crowd, the determined look on the runners' faces... but apparently not enough to start running (I was also kinda freaked out by the men's bleeding nipples... Running must hurt!!!!). Toni, on the other hand, was inspired enough to start running... and to sign up for the marathon the following year. I returned to Chicago to cheer her on the next year and it was truly one of the most exciting and memorable experiences! I saw how much hard work and dedication went in to running a race... and suddenly I began thinking, "Hey, maybe I could do something like that after all."

So, I began toying around with the idea of a race and ran sporadically to stay somewhat in shape, but it wasn't until I moved to Bethany, WV for a year that I became serious about running and this was largely due to my good friend, Brooke, who is a die-hard, seasoned runner, who has a completed marathon under her belt. She runs almost every day of the week--and I am not talking about an easy jog around the block. No, she had me running up those huge WV hills we all love so much--lemme tell ya, the views from those hills are SO much more rewarding after you've actually run the entire way up them! It was then that I started thinking that I had the momentum and support to actually run a race. So when I told her I was interested in a race, she immediately pounced on the idea and took on a pseudo-coach role. She would come up with trails, hill workouts, strength training routines... and all I had to do was keep up, but that was definitely not easy. Over New Year's I made a resolution to find a half marathon and finally signed up to do the Frederick 1/2 marathon in May of 2008. I finished it in 2:13 and was quite happy with that! I remember what it was like crossing that finish line and feeling so emotionally and physically exhausted... I think I almost started to cry because you kind of lose control of your emotions and your inhibitions--but it was also an incredibly rewarding feeling.

Since then I have come to realize that I run best when I am training for something. So when a group of friends from college asked me to do the 180 mile Ragnar Relay in late September of that same year, I couldn't think of a better way to ring in my birthday! :) The Ragnar Race showed me how crazy and fun running could be--we had a group of 12 runners and ran from Cumberland, MD to Washington, DC. I remember the second leg of my race was in the middle of the night and it was raining. I had an LED attached to my head and my rain gear on, was running through the middle of nowhere and can remember thinking, "Tessa, this is insane..." It was definitely worth the sweat and pains though--and a great memory. I ran with people who had mostly been cross country runners in college, so I was flattered that they would even ask me, the little old retired tennis player, to be part of the team (though, I should add that I definitely had the shortest and easiest legs of the relay!). The thing I like about this kind of running is that we really did work together as a team and encouraged each other along the way. Tennis is a very independent and solo sport--the most team play you have is doubles. But running with a team is something really special, I think, and I can't wait to run with our mini-team in December!

My third and most recent race was the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler last Spring. I ran this race with my good friend Jessie--who had been my colleague and running buddy during the past two summers. It was a beautiful day, the blossoms were in full bloom and the sun was shining. That race was definitely the least stressful and most enjoyable race so far for me. We ran at an easy pace and chatted the entire way which took my mind off the distance--all of a sudden we were nearing mile 9 and the race was almost over!

I should also add that my growing addiction to running has also been somewhat of a legacy in my family I would like to carry on. Though no one really runs in my family now, my grandfather used to walk 3 miles every single night at the college track (or indoors at the deserted Middletown Mall during the winter!) After an open heart surgery back in the 80s, it became vital for him to drastically change his lifestyle-- which he did by changing his diet and exercising. His dedication to walking ended up extending his life another decade and a half--something for which I am extremely grateful and a meaningful lesson he has taught me.

Ok, sorry, I didn't mean to turn all sappy on ya'll. Anyway, there is my running story. Actually writing that has given me a little bit of motivation, I think. I kind of miss the sore legs, hunger pains and the tired feeling after a good, hard run. :) I will definitely be packing my running shoes for my trip to Canaan this weekend. What better way to remember my grandparents than a nice run along the valley?