Runaway train

By now I had gotten the racing bug - I really needed to consistently set new goals for myself to keep me moving and on a schedule. Over that Spring and Summer I pushed myself from the 5K to a 10K a, an 8 mile and finally took the plunge and committed to my first half marathon - Westchester Medical's Half Marathon which takes place up and down the Bronx River from White Plains headed south and back. I couldn't believe I was doing it. It was a very sureal committment - did I just sign up for that?

My husband who was a, well shall we say - quarterly runner...yes, once every 3 or 4 months at best was inspired by my enthusasm and hopped on the schedule with me. We began alternating days and he signed up for the half as well. Turns out he's a very fast runner and a competitive one at that! Not with me - he beats me by a mile - literally.

Our new goal brought us closer - something new and not about the kids and we both would excitedly share the next distance milestone story with each other. We could talk endlessly about our runs, our hydration choices, what we think about while running, music selection and just the mere fact that we were actually doing this!

Not only were we reaping the physical rewards of running but it was bringing us together in a whole new way, it was forming a nice bond for me with my running friends and it was allowing us both to challenge ourselves in a way we never had even thought possible.