Hobby, rediscovered

Once upon a time I used to run. I picked it up in college as a way to spend time with friends/stay in some sort of shape, and continued it into my early years in Charleston. I ran the Cooper River Bridge run three times. And then we spontaneously got an adorable puppy in April 2010 who needed lots of exercise and BOOM my running career ended and I became a walker. Throw a couple of pregnancies (which produce kids, by the way) into the mix and my motivation to run sank lower and lower.
This all changed about three weeks ago when I went to watch the end of Thomas' Tough Mudder race. My friend Caroline, who is an incredible natural athlete, had casually decided to run the race that week and only finished a few minutes behind the guys. To be completely honest, my first reaction to this was pure jealousy of her awesomeness and frustration with my own lack of fitness. So I took a deep breath and told Thomas that I wanted to start running again, and we strategized about ways to make this happen. [Sidebar: one of the keys to staying sane while staying at home with small children is my supportive husband, who is quick to help me get out of the house or change up what can sometimes feel like a stifling routine, whether it's Bible study, writing blog posts, running, or working part time. Love that man.]
I invested in some good running shoes (Brooks, if you're curious), and have started pounding the pavement 3-4 times per week for the last couple of weeks. I'm certainly not going to be breaking any land speed records any time soon but it feels great to be out doing something challenging. Yesterday a man drove by as I was finishing a double stroller run and yelled "You go, Mama!" and it totally made my day. (Quick! Spot the words of affirmation girl!) I prefer running with Elliott, who hangs out quietly playing with toys until he goes to sleep--man do I love that kid-- but have survived a couple of runs with Lillian, too. And I even went by myself once, which I appreciate about 1000x more than I did back in 2010. There's nothing like responding to a two-year-old's unending stream of questions and demands while you're winded and pushing a double stroller. #goodtimes
I'm hoping to do a few races this year with local friends and college friends to help keep my motivation going.

Instagram repeat, sorry. Running in the springtime is glorious!

It's fun to be running with Thomas again! Plus our three additions.