Thursday, April 9, 2015

Five Trips


... Down Memory Lane

Happy Friday everyone!   Today's DC Trifecta topic is Five Trips.


My trips are down memory lane.

Reflecting on how it started has given me a much needed, healthy dose of perspective.  There's nothing better than fresh motivation and determination to move forward.  Here's to all the new memories.



First Running Steps

I was bored with my lunchtime routine at the Y.  I made up my mind to run on the treadmill one day when the gym was cavernously empty.  My first goal was to run to an entire song without stopping (and then two times, etc.).  It certainly didn't happen overnight.  I remember being ecstatic when I reached 6 minutes.  Which song?  Lou Bega's Mambo No. 5.  Hee hee -- I don't know why!  I have it on my iPod just for old times sake.

A little bit of Monica in my life...
A little bit of Erica by my side...



First Outdoor Run

I ran beside my sister on the country roads around our childhood home on the muggy, quiet early morning day of our Mother's funeral.  It was a wonderful way to clear our heads, talk a little, find some peace and prepare for the long, sad, incredibly tough day ahead.

I then began running outdoors on weekends, but only with our dog Mini.  I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I was self conscious.  Mini gave me the excuse to justify why I was out running in the park.  {Hi folks, just exercising the dog here}.  Why did I feel I needed an excuse?  Thankfully, I quickly got over that nonsense.


First 5k

I was one month away from my first half marathon -- what was going to be my first race ever.  But, I was nervous!  I knew jack squat about running a race.  I decided to run the local Jingle Bell 5k to get an idea of what to expect.  It hurt!  (An omen!)  Initially, I sorta thought it was the worst experience ever.  How on earth was I going to run 13.1 miles?  How on Earth? 

But I was also proud of myself.  I finished in 30:42.  According to my trusty Timex sports watch (Garmin who?) I thought I had been training at an 11 minute pace.   I just rocked out a 9:54!  I can DO this!


My sister ran with me at my 3rd race ever (a 10k)!


My second Disney half (a better pic)

First Half Marathon

I credit our love of Disney World for giving me the motivation, The Reason, to run a race -- and it was going to be a half marathon!  I trained for four months.  Heck, there was no rush to even register.  I had the luxury of watching the runDisney % full statisitc slowly increase --- those were the good ol' days. 

I knew my family was there, but I had no hope of spotting them in the crowd.  When I turned the corner to come into the finish chute (after passing the choir singing We Are The Champions -- this still gives me chills), I looked up and saw my husband standing RIGHT THERE.  Right There!  The first words yelled out of my mouth?  "I ran every crappin' step!"   Yeah, maybe not the best choice of words for WDW.  After a Corral E start, my time was 2:26.


First Marathon

Fast forwarding through many miles and many races, I fully expect to make a new memory this year.  I'm not sure which marathon it will be.  It will partly depend on the lottery system.  I've got several options and will wait and see what happens. 

How I select it, or it selects me, will all be part of a wonderful new curve on my memory lane.




Take a trip down memory lane and please share it with me!
What started your running journey?



I'm linking up with the awesome ladies from the DC Trifecta:  Courtney from Eat Pray Run DC, Cynthia from You Signed Up For What?! and Mar from Mar on the Run!.

 Please visit or, even better, join in on the Friday Five.




36 comments:

  1. Love this! Can't wait to see what marathon you end up choosing!!

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  2. Congrats on all your many firsts. And the biggest one is yet to come....so exciting!

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  3. Now I am anxious to see which marathon you choose! I have not been that brave yet.

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  4. Great post! I love your trip down memory lane via racing! Can't wait to see what marathon you choose this year!

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  5. Creative list! Exciting that you are planning your first marathon-good luck :)

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  6. Loved going down memory lane with you! You should be so proud of all that you've accomplished since these firsts. I can't wait to hear all about your first marathon!

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    1. Thanks. I'm excited to get my training started...soon I hope.

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  7. What vivid memories of all your running milestones. It's amazing how different runDisney registration is now compared to just a couple of years ago, isn't it! Best of luck on your first marathon!

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    1. I had no idea Disney had gotten that bad until I looked at Princess for 2015 and it was sold out. It was many months before the race. I couldn't believe it.

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  8. What a great post! I loved reading every word! It is just awesome you started out with "If I could only run one song" Very similar to me except it was only 1 minute....boy we have come a long way but it has been a wonderful journey and so not over yet. You'll rock whatever marathon you choose or as you say chooses you! Have a super weekend! :) I'm headed to Jackson tomorrow to put some more "hurt" on my 5k times!

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    1. I think we forget how far we've come. Good luck with your 5k. I'll be hurting right along with you.

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  9. Disney was my first motivation for a long race too! I did the Tower of Terror 10 miler there last year and it was definitely a great reason to start running :)

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    1. It definitely started my addiction. When Disney is the first, it's hard for all the other races to measure up.

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  10. I love these trips! And I am looking forward to your first marathon memory!

    I started running for my husband. He was trying to get into a new exercise routine, and he needed support. I had no intention of getting into it, but... here I am, three years later, with a marathon, three half marathons, and countless other races of varying distances under my belt. Crazy how that happens.

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    1. I think that's a great story! It's wonderful you were sharing the journey too. You never know what you will like until you try.

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  11. I love this! I'm not sure I could remember all these "firsts" since they happenned before I recorded everything on Facebook and my blog! ;-)

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    1. It comes back in bits. I try to write it down when I remember because I didn't blog then either.

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  12. I ran WDW half...not my favorite half tho! But I'm glad I did it. I can't wait to see what marathon you choose. Hoping its Chicago...

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    1. I do think that would be awesome for a "first". But, Chicago will have to choose me. We'll see...

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  13. I love this interpretation of the Friday Five theme! I can't wait to see what your first marathon ends up being!

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    1. Thanks. I hope to know very soon and be training through the hot summer months.

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  14. omg. Mambo #5 - love it! great trip down memory lane post :)

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  15. It's always great to go through these type of memories. Honestly I started running again because I gained so much weight during college. I was volunteering for Nike races and I would see all these women run with so much determination. I wanted that! I haven't looked back...that was in 2006.

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    1. I can see how watching those women run would be a great inspiration.

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  16. This was so much fun to read! Gosh remember when DIsney races took months to sell out?? Ha! No more! Love the pic of you and your sis! I ran my first 5k with my sis. I finished that sucker almost puking. : p

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  17. I loved running down memory lane with you! My brother and I always ran races round our house when we were little. When he went out for the track team, he encouraged me to as well, and the rest as they say, is history!

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    1. How great to have followed in your brothers footsteps!

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  18. My sister had 3 knee surgeries and is just now running again. She was so sad during the years she couldn't run! She will visit this weekend and run the Bigger Loser 5k while I do the half. I've missed so many years of SNL. I can't stay up that late! LOL.

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  19. How crazy is it that I've never thought about recording SNL? I do everything else! I think it's because I don't watch TV on weekends.

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