"I was Running"

One of my favorite movies is Forrest Gump. I still have the VHS dad got for me when I was five. It's one of the reasons I made him search high and low for a dual VHS/DVD player for my house. Talk about a movie that you watch differently every time as you grow up. I'll always remember mom talking about when she and dad saw it in the theater, the lady behind her laughed the whole time while mom cried. I cry every time too. 

Today is National Running Day. 

I get emotional when I talk about running because it really has gotten me through so much in life.

I come from a family of runners and was blessed with an Alpino ass to climb those hills.

I ran on and off in high school, ran the first couple years of college to negate the Freshmen 15, and then summer before senior year happened. I made the decision to run the Country Music Half Marathon that spring. I was going to use training to get over the boy who had dumped me. Dad bought me new running shoes [with pink laces], all my friends were 100% behind me, and mom and Joe drove me downtown at 4am and stood with me while I lost it and cried in line for the shuttles. And they were the first faces I looked for at Mile 2 and Mile 4 and Mile 10 and the Finish.

The Runner's High is real and addictive. But the therapy that comes with pounding the pavement and only battling against yourself is unexplainable. Never in my life did I think I would be that person that runs on their off days because I want that mile PR damn it. I have cried while running. I have run home with the sunset. I think running in the rain is one of the most peaceful things on Earth. I've learned you run on good days and you run better on bad days. 

My last half marathon I ran with the goal of a 2hr finish time. I was three minutes short. 

And I was fine with it. 

I had enjoyed the run that day. Heck, I got to run part of Mile 10 with my best friend [greatest moment ever.] I got water and high fives from precious kids in their front yards. And the first person I got to hug was my little brother who had kept me positive while training. It was a damn good run.

One of the hardest parts of being depressed was losing my motivation to run.

But one of my greatest weapons in overcoming depression was running. After all, it's cheaper than therapy right?

Breakup? Go for a run

Got a new client? Go for a run

Lost a client? Go for a run

Sunny and 75? GO FOR A DANG RUN

There's a lot of things in life you can't control but you can always control your pace, breathing, mile splits, and norts color.

Maybe Forrest Gump was on to something that day he just starting running...