I’ve eluded to my goals and aspirations when it comes to running pretty regularly on here but I am beginning to feel as though my goals are pretty vague. Asics recently tweeted out the question, “Do you have a running bucket list?” and it got me to thinking about what I really want to get out of my training and this running adventure. Where do I want to go with my running? What can I do to get more out of my running?

I have goals in mind as far as distances I want to run that I set for myself pretty recently; I am going to run a full marathon within the next three years. The reason for the three year limit is because I think it would be more beneficial for me to get a few more half marathons under my belt before I up my training to that degree. As far as running a distance that is longer than a marathon, I haven’t set goals for that yet (but I’m sure I will, so stay tuned).

Thinking about my bucket list, I started to create a list in my head of places that would like to run a competitive race. My brain immediately chose Los Angeles, California because I would love to visit my brother who lives and works out there. He is a runner, along with his girlfriend, so I think it would be a great experience to do a race with him since I have never done that and he has never been to one of my races. Earlier this year, I ran a 10k race in New Orleans, Louisiana while visiting my sister there during Spring Break. I had the opportunity to run through downtown NOLA, through the French Quarter, near Bourbon Street and through the park in front of the art museum. New Orleans is definitely a place I would love to take part in a longer race.

But why stop at these two locations? There are plenty of races all over the United States that would allow me to explore my country, all while challenging myself and helping me reach my training goals and aspirations.

Run a race in all 50 states. That’s my new goal.

And I’ve already started some planning. Next month, I will be running a half marathon in Ohio. Last week, I signed up for a half marathon in Los Angeles that I will be doing with my brother and his girlfriend. It might not seem like a lot, but it’s a start to accomplishing my goal. All I can think about is my high school English class where we talked about self-fulfilling prophecies. Basically, if you think positive thoughts and believe about something, it will effect your behavior and can cause it to become true. That’s what my mindset needs to be.

Anytime I think either of my goals are a little lofty I just have to remind myself, “Why not?” I shouldn’t have to put limitations on myself. If I want to run a marathon by the time I’m 28, I’m going to do it. If running in every state is what I want to do, I’m going to make it happen. I would rather have goals that require a lot of work and dedication than goals that don’t push me to my fullest potential. Even if I don’t reach my goals, at least I can feel satisfied knowing I worked as hard as possible and came close.

Sunday’s are my long run days. I have a love-hate relationship with these days.

Today, Lori took me out on a six mile loop that had some decent sized hills in it, more than she thought there were. We got to run past a golf course (found some golf balls for Nate on the side of the road) and past an Equestrian Center for the local college. There are a lot of pretty big house back there that are really awesome looking and secluded. You almost forget you are in northeast Ohio. The weather was drizzly but cool which made the run go much faster. Running with Lori is one of the few times I can run with no music. I enjoy chatting with her as we go. I definitely liked the back half of this route more (it was pretty much downhill). I accidentally closed out of my RunKeeper app and forgot to restart it so my whole run wasn’t tracked. Something to keep in mind for next week.

All in all I felt great afterwards and we rewarded ourselves with bagels and chocolate milk. Here is a photo from our run. I wish I could have taken more but I was a little preoccupied with the inclines. You can actually see the lake way off in the distance.

For most runners, there are no vacations from running, even when you are on vacation. Not only is it a great way to stretch your legs after being in a car or on a plane for several hours, running gives you the perfect opportunity to explore your surroundings and can help you plot out fun places to visit that you might not have noticed while making the drive in your car.

My dad recently moved from Cleveland, Ohio to the small town of Mount Airy, North Carolina. Never heard of Mount Airy? Most haven’t. Ever heard of Mayberry? I bet you are whistling the theme song to ‘The Andy Griffith Show’ right now, aren’t you? Mount Airy is the real life Mayberry. This is the place where Andy Griffith was born and the place that inspired the quaint and quirky town from the show.

Currently in the midst of training for a half marathon, I needed to get an 8 mile run in while visiting my dad during Labor Day weekend. I love running in new places especially since I have better runs when I’m not sure how long or far things are. I left my dad’s house and headed towards town, feeling confident and strong. Eight miles is a pretty average run for me these days so I wasn’t at all intimidated by the streets of Mayberry.

If ever there has been a place that made me feel like an inadequate runner, it is Mount Airy. No matter which way you go, what streets you take, or if you double back, you will be going uphill. Or at least that is how it feels. And not just steady incline hills, but long, steep hills that look daunting from the bottom, are exhausting half way up, and once you get to the top, guess what? You’re not at the top. I trudged along for four miles before I ended up back at the place where I began and decided to call it quits.

My route had taken me down Main Street past the tourist shops selling Mayberry gear, the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History, and other attractions featuring names of places and characters in the show including Emmett’s Fix It Shop, Wally’s Filling Station, the Courthouse, and the Andy Griffith Homestead.  Not many people were out and about that morning and I enjoyed the alone time. Mount Airy seems to be pretty “runner friendly” (minus the hills). On the sidewalks you will see indicators or different routes and loops you can take, some of which have the approximate distance of the loops on them.

Although I didn’t get my designated amount of miles in, I still considered it to be a great run for a vacation. Will I ever run Mount Airy again? Absolutely. I’m all about conquering runs that in the past had me gasping for breath or had me walking up hills and taking breaks every so often. 

In August 2014 I had a problem. My 5k times were slowly getting worse and I was struggling to make it through a race without stopping and walking. I felt like something was wrong. I was running races in 30 or 31 minutes when in that year my best race ever was a 28:54. To most runners that might not seem fast but I had only been running for a little over two years. I thought I was content to be running 5ks.

I was talking to one of my best friends and “Coach”, Lori, when she offered a suggestion. She thought that maybe I was just getting bored of doing 5ks. Maybe I needed more of a challenge. The whole idea scared me. Running three miles was hard enough for me, how could I run more than that? With encouragement from her, I signed up for my first 5 mile race. It was going to take some training though.

  I had just began my first year of teaching health and physical education along with coaching volleyball to start the school year. With all of that going on, I
made a commitment to my training. Everyday, I got out of bed at 5:30 and went to school. I would park my car and run in the neighborhoods around there, following a training plan by Hal Higdon (halhigdon.com). I was feeling great. The accomplishment that was being able to run more than three miles was more than motivating for me. I was incredibly proud of myself.

While I was training for the race, I had a few other 5ks that I signed up for. One of those races was a part of a running series with a marathon and a half marathon. Lori would be running the full marathon so I was able to be there when she finished as my race was obviously done first.

Standing at the finish line, watching the half marathon runners coming in, I felt like I could do it too. This was my “Half Marathon Epiphany” moment. I’m sure it has happened to other runners too. That random spark in your brain where suddenly, even though you may have been hesitant in the past for such a feat, you were ready. You tell yourself, “I can do that!” My training for the five mile race was getting me excited for the possibility that I could conquer a half marathon. I just needed more time.

In November of 2014, I ran my five mile race. It was a difficult but fun course where runners flew through a cow barn, a corn maze, and fields with mud that we were warned prior could “suck your shoes right off your feet if they aren’t tied tight”. I finished that race in 54:25. I was exhausted but I placed first in my age group which made the whole day worth it. Let’s be honest, it was worth it anyway.

This coming October, I will be running my second ever half marathon which also happens to be the half marathon that sparked my interest in the first place, the Northeast Ohio Half Marathon. I’m looking forward to dominating the course and beating my first half marathon time, 2:20:32. Although I have only completed one half marathon so far, I have already set a goal for myself that I will run a full marathon by the time I am 29 years old.

I think a lot of people are afraid to run because it seems hard. And it is. And it’s scary. But just like anything else in life, if you want to get better at it, you need to practice. If you want to make it easier or less scary, the best thing to do is face it. Running gets easier every time you run. With the right shoes, a commitment to training, and epiphanies of confidence, who knows how far you will run.

On the days when running seems impossible, it always helps if you have someone to keep you accountable and motivated. This could be their team or their coaches. For some, they might not have a “team” in the traditional sense of the group taking their positions at the starting line with you. Their team might not ever cross the finish line, but there still is the team, the group of people who keep you going and help out any way they can.

My First Teammate: When I started running for fitness in college, I was never all that concerned with competition or running a race and trying to get a medal. It was all about my health and fitness. Being a PE teacher, I always think I would be a hypocrite if I was preaching to my students about needing to be up and active if I wasn’t doing it myself. I had hit a plateau in my running when I first talked to my best friend, Melissa, about my agitation. She was the one who suggested that we train for a 5k. Although we didn’t always train together on our runs, we Skyped weekly to give updates on our progress. She was the first person to ever hold me accountable and I consider her my first teammate and the first person to ever cross a finish line with me. She is the reason I got hooked on running.

My Coach: I still considered myself a novice runner when I met my “Coach”, Lori. A year older than me, at that time she had already completed four full marathons (currently she is now up to six). We talked often about running and I was constantly asking for help, tips, and advice. Running had become my new sport and I need someone like Lori to help me out, especially because she is what I would consider an expert. Even though she runs faster and longer than I do, because of her motivating me and encouraging me to try longer and harder races, I have exceeded all of my own expectations. While I thought I was content on being able to run 5k’s, I can now say I am a half marathon runner. I swear I will never beat her at any of the races we do together (which is a lot) but I wouldn’t mind coming in close behind her.

My Cheering Section: There has only been a handful of races in the past four years (which is how long I have been running competitively) where I have not had anyone there to cheer me on. I consider my cheering section to be an important part of my team.

• Mom: My mom, Gina, Often brings signs to my races saying, “Run Pretty”, or “Go, Bert!”. She is always ready to take pictures and drive me home after a long race and maybe even stop for breakfast with me.
• Dad: My dad, Craig, comes to as many races as possible and has gotten up early to drop me off at races so I can run home. After my first half marathon, he was the first person to come find me and give me a high five and a hug. I believe his words were, “Give me some of that!”
• Kait: Kait is my best friend and one of my biggest motivations. She has always told me that I can do any race at any length and has even volunteered me for races I didn’t know I wanted to do. Texts from her mid-race make me run a

  

  little more at ease and she does her best to help me out when I’m done with the race. That’s love, right there.

• Nate: Lori’s husband who is always at the races with us and is kind enough to provide some comic relief in the stress before a race and also hold my keys and waterbottle when no one else in the cheering section comes to watch. He has even offered to come to races for me when Lori isn’t running.
• Chelle and Pam: The first race they came to see me in way my half marathon and they drove everyone around to see me and Lori during the race. They also make sure to make it to some of my other sporting events as well.

My running team is very important to me and I appreciate every single one of them and what they do for me. I’m a better and more confident runner all because of their support.

I can’t say that I think running is an individual sport, because it isn’t. Obviously there are running teams ranging from the middle school level to professional level but for those of us who are not or have never been on a traditional running team, you have to know that you still have that support system. There are people in your life that even though they won’t be next to you on the course, they are there when you finish, and that is just as important.