This weekend I checked a goal off of my 2010 list. I completed Austin’s Half Marathon! It was a great experience: well organized, lots of spectators cheering us on, and a swing by the capitol building just before the finish line.
Just last year, I stood on the sidelines cheering for a friend who ran the full marathon. I remember thinking that I would never participate in a race of any length. I had never enjoyed running and when I had run, it was begrudgingly–usually cross-training required by my coach when I participated in collegiate cheerleading.
So, I can hardly believe I managed 13.1 miles. But you should have seen all of the many, varied types of people that ran on Sunday. All ages and all ability levels were in attendance. If you’ve ever thought of running a race, but are feeling overwhelmed by the idea of running more than a couple of miles, take heart! Find a training program (I used Nike+, but there are many out there) and commit to it. Next thing you know you’ll be crossing the finish line 
Granted, my finish on Sunday was not fast, but I ran–no stopping to walk!–the whole course. Developing the discipline to keep running, make time for workouts, and complete the distance required by my training program, was valuable. I’ve already noticed this new found discipline transferring to other areas of my life. Case in point: I turned in a paper EARLY this week (totally out of character).
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