I still find it hard to believe that I have only been running for a year! In that year I have completed 13 races: 10 5Ks and 3 Half Marathons. I have 3 more HMs scheduled for this year. I am slated to earn my Half Fanatic Status this month. Running has brought me places that I NEVER thought were open to me, but now I realize that ANYTHING is open to you if you are willing to put in the work, the time and the dedication. I know that I am VERY lucky for finding something I love so much.

I am so proud of where I have been this year, and I am so excited of where I am going. Last year, when I ran this 5K, it was my very first 5K. I didn't really PLAN on running it, and I did walk most of it, but I also ran part of it, and that makes me proud. Courage to Start, Strength to Finish! I did it in 44:17:05. In a year's time, I finished it 30:58. More than the finish time, which I am VERY proud of, but this year I ran this race, but my husband ran it too. This is a man who always said he HATED running. He would never run (LOL, that is something I have heard come out of my own mouth). He has been running races with me all this year. He has been a great supporter for me. He makes sure that I am able to have to time to do what I need to do to train for my races. To add even more to this special day, My entire Running Family was there: Laurie, Jim, Matthew, and even Hayden. He ran his very first Kids' race. He ran the whole mile! He wouldn't even let me slow down to walk beside him! My Mom and Dad were there to cheer us on, and my sister and her fiancé were there to watch Hayden finish his race. A strong support system is so very important and I know that I have an awesome one! I felt REALLY good during this race. This route is part of my HM training loop so I am very familiar with it. I felt comfortable and at ease. We had such a perfect day for running. It was when I caught up with Laurie, and she waved me to pass her that I knew this was going to be a good race: a PR Race. And it was. I finished strong. Could I have done more? Yeah, probably, but that is what keeps us going. It what keeps us moving forward. That desire to do more, push harder and run faster.

Running. It is mine. It is all about me. I live my life for my family, my husband and my son, but when I am running, its about me. Its about what I know I can do, what I want to achieve and what I have done for myself. It is my time to be selfish. It is my time to be in my head and sort things out. Its me and the road. Its about what I want. What I want for myself, for my Baby Boy who sees me running and wants to as well. I want to give him this. Its the best gift I know to give him. A healthy idea of himself. A love of being active, whether that is running, or hockey, or whatever. I want him to see that being active makes life, food doesn't make life. I want him to know that it is ok to feel your feelings, instead of hiding from them underneath a mountain of food. A year ago, I was struggling with myself. My image of myself. Today, I am an athlete. I know I am an athlete. A year ago, I wouldn't call myself a runner. Today, I run races with the Elite Runners of the World. How awesome is that? Today, I eat, sleep and breathe running. The SECOND my race is over, I am counting down to the next. I NEED it. I WANT it. Where I used to feel that way about food, I feel it for running. I eat to to run, I don't run to eat. I reward myself with Bling after my races instead of food. I love the strength I have. I know where I am going. I know where my path is leading, and I have a new goal in my head. I have a lot of work to get there, but I know I can do it. I know I WILL do it. There is no stopping me now.

Now, it wouldn't be an Emily blog if I don't swamp you with pictures!!

This was me before my very first 5K last year


Now on to this year










And since the Eager Beaver is our annual 5K during Founder's Day, I am including a couple just for fun pictures!

I am the blond in the Water Tank and Hayden is Arnold the Pig

So I will ask you this question: What will YOU do with a Year? How will you change your life?