Run, Forrest, run!

For all you hardcore runners out there, don't laugh, but I am very proud to have run my first-ever 10K this weekend! With my MOM, whom I'm even prouder of!

I've run for a long time--like, I'm talkin' back to the bright-gold-middle-school-track-tights days--but had never actually trained for a race. Then I heard about the Bolder Dash benefit for Bolder Options, a nonprofit mentoring program that pairs at-risk youth with adults who hang out, help with homework and work with them to train for running or cycling races. And of course I had to do it.

I knew I could run 3.2 miles without a struggle, so I convinced my mom that we could double that and go for the 10K. The training wasn't bad at all once I got in the groove, and thank you endorphins, every time I moaned and groaned and tied my shoes up I felt great a few minutes into the run. And finishing the race hardly out of breath? Totally sweet.

Now, of course, I want to run every race ever and am toying with the idea of barreling on and doing a half marathon at the end of October. I'm worried about a) the time commitment of training, b) the whole motivation thing and c) Minnesota weather in almost November. Oh, and d) hills.

But whether I go for it or not (leaning toward not this year...), I'll try to stretch out the mind-body 10K-high as long as humanly possible.