It’s Been A Good Run (No Pun Intended)

Dear Interwebs,

I wish I could make this short and sweet.  I wish I had it in me to just say “it’s been real” but I have always been a woman of many words and this is no exception.

I started this blog in February of 2009 with no real expectations except to journal what would come to be an extraordinary journey.  At the time, I was only a few months out of a relationship that left me eating way too much breyers and drinking way too much pinot grigio.  I had woken up one day in December with a renewed sense of energy, yet no idea with that to do with said energy.  I was always someone who went to the gym- a few days a week to bike, lift or take a class here and there.  I was in relatively good shape prior to the break up but within six weeks I went up a solid three sizes.  Let me repeat that for you…six weeks, three sizes.  Working out was really only keeping me from completely blowing out of control.  So it was time for a change. 

I decided that morning that I would run a 5k.  And by run, I mean jog.  And by jog, I mean walk.  I started walking on the treadmill four days a week.  It never really occured to me to run .  But then something weird happened after a week or so…I had the urge to run.  Unfortunately, my lungs did not share in the urges.  The thing is, I was a smoker.  Running and smoking don’t mix.  At all.  So one had to go.  Bye, bye smoking.  Hello running 🙂

Since I was working my way to finishing a 5k, at some point I felt it was necessary to actually find a 5k.  I began searching the internet and found triathlon.  Hmmm….I thought to myself, “I can do that” and without another thought, I signed up.  I actually signed up for my first tri 7 months in advance, having not known how to ride a bike and without being able to run more than 1/4 mile without stopping.  It took me 15-17 minutes to finish a mile, I DIDN’T KNOW HOW TO RIDE A BIKE and yet…there I was signed up for a triathlon. 

I learned how to ride a bike and with a lot of hard work and dedication started running 9-10 minute miles.  I got back into shape and felt amazing.  And I started signing up for races.  I became a runner and a triathlete.

And that my friends is how it all began. 

I have completed:

Ten 5k’s

Six 8k’s

One 15k

One 7-miler

One 10-miler

Six Half-Marathons

Two Duathlons

Thirteen Triathlons

ONE MARATHON 🙂

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And this my friends is how it ends.

Today, it’s almost 4 years exactly since I woke up that morning ready to change my life.  Running and triathlon have done exactly that- my life has been forever changed in ways I cannot accurately put into words.  And whether you have been reading my blog from the beginning or only recently, you have been able to follow me in this amazing journey.  I wrote my high highs and my low lows.  I met amazing people.  I faced insane challenges.  I fell and rose above.  I never faltered on my one mantra: Finishing is Winning. 

And I am not done yet- this journey continues.  I have at least one ten-miler and three half-marathons planned and I am looking to do the Tough Mudder all in 2012.  There may be a few more tri’s left in me- relays for sure- but I don’t know.  I do know I will never stop running. 

But, it is time to stop blogging.

This blog has taken me so many places (the best of which were Florida and Boston) and through here I have “met” and met so many, amazing and  wonderful people.  There were times when this blog is what kept me going- your comments are what kept me honest about who I was and what I was doing.  Your support was always with me– during training and in every race.  You were all there.

But this blog has run its course.  (Again, no put intended)

The dead truth is this- I have decided to take back my personal life.  Throughout my marathon training I was facing some tough stuff.  Things have gotten a lot tougher in the weeks following the race.  And I am at a place in my life where I cannot keep this blog and NOT talk about my personal life…and I just can’t be THAT open right now.  Or maybe ever again.

For every post you ever read.  For every comment you ever left.  For the awards.  For the encouragement.  For the friendship.  For being a part of what made me feel human again.  For everything.  Thank you.

With love,

Onelittletrigirl ♥

(I have email and facebook! Please keep in touch 🙂 )