With the start of 2012 came new goals, new schedules, and plenty of New Years’ resolutions. My first blog entry of the year began with a list of three on my personal agenda. Running a Half-Marathon was at the very top. With that said, all of my life I hated running. Not to mention that I was born into a family with a “non-runner” mentality. Engle’s don’t run. We don’t like it. We can’t control our breathing. We’re not fast. We never have been, nor will we ever be. Towards the end of my high school volleyball career, I began to pick up running to stay in shape without a coach and a clipboard in front of me. Little did I know it would change the course of my coming years. I began to absolutely love running around New Territory and completing the 4-Mile Homeward Way Loop on a daily basis. One of my neighbors suggested that I begin training for a race back in July, and at the time I thought she was crazy. Me? Running? Race? 13.1 Miles? No way José. I finished the summer with a strong 8 mile run--which seemed to fulfill my running goals for the time being. As I began my first semester of college, running wasn’t my first priority (nor my second… or third… or forth). In fact, I indirectly fell off the bandwagon and forgot how much it was needed as a stress reliever in my life. Once I returned home for Christmas Break, I was determined to place working out as a top priority. My selfish hopes for strengthened abs and toned leg muscles were quickly shot down when I was informed I no longer had a gym membership in Sugar Land. I took a deep breath and began running every single day--pounding in the miles and loving every single second of it. I would randomly challenge myself to 8 mile runs without any reason. Sometimes I get some crazy ideas. After New Years’ Eve, my family discussed our resolutions for the upcoming year. I informed my Anti-Running family that I hoped to run a Half-Marathon within the year 2012. They supported me, but little did they know I would register for my first race the following day. I don’t waste any time. I chose the USA Fit 2012 “Everyone’s Marathon” in Sugar Land, TX on January 29, 2012. It would allow me to “run-to-train” for the entire month of January—half at home and the other half in College Station. I created my own running chart, researched a few training tips, and pulled together some inspirational quotes. They were always sitting on the counter at home or lying out on my desk at school. This race was always on my mind. I was a dedicated runner. Once I set my mind on accomplishing a goal, you can bet I will follow through with finishing it. All of my training built up to this point. I ran my first Half-Marathon in Sugar Land this morning! It was one of the coolest things I have ever taken part of. I woke up dark & early at 4:45 am, and the race started at 7 am sharp. I felt more adrenaline pumping through my body this morning than I have in a long time. My goal was to cross the finish line without stopping. I didn’t walk at all or stop for the bathroom. I ran the entire 13.1 mile race at a consistent pace of 10 minutes per mile. The race itself went incredibly well. My legs didn’t cramp and I hardly felt any pain. To be honest, I felt like I could’ve run the whole marathon. I exerted half of my energy smiling and enjoying the spectators cheering us on from the sidelines-- and the other half actually running the race. I ended up finishing in 10th place for the female age group of 15-19 year olds with a time of 2 hours and 15 minutes. I couldn’t have done it without the INCREDIBLE support from my family and friends. They held up a sign near the 7 mile mark that said, “We Love Our Runner Kait Kait.” It was the most precious thing in the world and by far the best sign there! Every single person in my family encouraged me throughout my training, and that encouragement quickly carried over to my friends at Texas A&M. I feel truly blessed with an unbelievable support system and I can’t say thank you enough for all of the texts, tweets, comments, likes, and phone calls. Words cannot describe how special and proud y’all made me feel today. This was my first race ever. You can only say that once in your life, but this certainly won’t be my last. I hope you consider running in a race one day- whether you start small with a 5K or hop right into the Half. As for myself, I can see a Full-Marathon on the horizon and I can’t wait to discover where the rest of my running journey takes me.
