Runner Girl

Today marks two years since I began running. I still have a hard time calling myself a runner. I am more like a "steady, plodder girl", but that is hard to find in print!
Running has changed me in so many ways. On the outside, I have lost weight and toned up, with stronger lungs and heart. On the inside, it has given me some time to find an inner peace and calmness that is not something that comes easily to me. It has given my competitive nature a chance to test and challenge myself. It has allowed me to accomplish things I would have never thought possible.
The first year, I ran eight 5Ks, coming in first, second and third in my age group. Last year, I ran two 5Ks, an 8K, a 10K and two half marathons! If Madame Zola, the gypsy fortune teller, had told me 10 years ago that I'd be running races, I'd have laughed it off and proclaimed her a phony and fake. Who knew?! The running is a surprise in and of itself, but that I love it as much as I do, is quite another. I can't imagine not running. The days I run, I am better able to cope with the things life throws at me. I hope and pray that my health stays strong and I keep injuries at bay. I would love to be that lady in the newspaper article that is still running at 75!