by Amy B.

I do not like to be told I can’t do something.  So when I suggested to my husband last Fall that I wanted to do the Naperville Women’s Half Marathon in April and he laughed, I was not happy.  Of course I can’t blame him for that reaction…for years I talked about how much I hate running, and if I went out on a run with him, I would be huffing and puffing and begging for a walk break every 5 minutes.  Coach Suzy Cerra can attest to this; I would go on runs with her and declare “I just hate running, and I am just never going to be a runner!”

Well, never say never.  You are reading the blog of someone who just completed her first half marathon.  That’s right.  Me.  The girl who couldn’t even run a mile without stopping as of August 2016 just ran for 2:12:39 without any type of walk break outside a 10-second slow down to grab water at the aid stations.  And it actually felt GOOD!

People frequently ask me if I’m a runner.  In the past, I would say “Oh no, not me, I’ll never be a runner”.  Then I started my 3 times/week runs (carefully planned by my AWESOME ET Coach, Suzy Cerra) and completed first a 5K, and then a 10K.  Then, when people would ask me if I’m a runner, my answer shifted to, “Weeeeeelll, I’m TRYING to become a runner, but no I’m not really a runner.”  But now that answer has permanently changed.  I no longer hate running; in fact, I look forward to my runs (gasp!)  Running gives me time to refresh from the stressors of my job and from the hectic life of raising 4 boys.  Running improves my overall health as I get older, and allows me to celebrate being alive and healthy.  Running allows me to stretch myself – to set a goal that almost seems unachievable – and then go get it.  The benefits far outweigh any pain!

If you are out there thinking that you hate running, or that you wish you could be a runner but you just aren’t a natural runner, don’t let those thoughts limit you.  Start small and build up.  Consider getting help from ET Personal Coaching services.  You truly CAN do it if you put your mind to it and commit to your goals!  If I can do it, believe me, so can you.

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