Will Run for Ice Cream

You know, a funny thing happened this year. I started running (or as I told my friend, Teresa, it might technically be "scooting").

Before this, the only time I had ever run was to be first in line for cake at a wedding.

Let me start at the start...in December, I was talking to my friend Amy from She Wears Many Hats. She and Robyn were gearing up to run a 5K together. Amy told me about the Couch to 5K program they were using and said, "you can do it." I'm not sure why, but her words really stuck with me.

Fast forward through Christmas, and many, many gingerbread cookies, I decided to give it a try. Not to be cliche, I started my Couch to 5K on December 28th, not January 1st.

I'm not going to lie....it was hard (it still is). I've never been a "workout person"....other than a very (very) brief stint in college where I skipped class to go to aerobics. (Sorry you had to hear that, Dad.)

I completed the 9-week Couch to 5K (in 11 weeks...I had to repeat a few), but had not signed up for a race. I just figured, I would keep running and maybe sign up for one *someday.*

*Someday* turned out to be the day I saw a flier for the Blue Bell Fun Run. On the flier, it mentioned "FREE ICE CREAM." Well, that's all it took; I signed up.

Saturday was the 5K...and I have to say, it was very emotional for me. Not the end....I was too sweaty and tired (and really had to pee, TMI?), but the beginning of the race had me teary-eyed. The race started slightly downhill and the sight of all of those people running, being in the middle of it, the sound of all of those feet...it brought me to tears. I got a hold of myself...no one wants to run next to a lady with tears steaming down her face and a shaky chin. (Plus, my mascara might run. Yes, I wear makeup to exercise. You're welcome.)

The bonus? The longer I run, the more cookies I can eat. :)

Is this post to encourage you to start running? Only if you want to. This post is really to say...go do SOMETHING. Break out of your comfort zone a bit. It feels good.

{I found this on Pinterest and just love it.}

If you ARE interested in running, let me tell you a few things I couldn't live without:

The running community is INCREDIBLY supportive. They don't care if you're a newbie. On twitter, we have a little #redfacedrunners Club: Amy, Kristen, Robyn, Lauren, Windy, Katrina, Dara, Lori & moi. And my running idols: my dad (who ran a marathon when we were kids), my sister Molly, Toni & Cindy
Shoes: I LOVE these shoes!!! (Plus, Kristan has them, so I feel really cool.}
App love: Get Running 5K...you can listen to your own music and a very nice British lady tells you when to run and walk.
Running skirt: I've found most are a little too short for me, but I LOVE this one from Level 59.
And, this post on running from Amy.

Is there something you've been too scared to try?
What is it?